₦airaland Forum

Udora Orizu in Abuja



The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) alleged on Tuesday that it had uncovered a plot by the federal government to force the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, to resign “at gunpoint.”

The Spokesperson of the coalition, Imo Ugochinyere, in a statement, said the decision was taken after Onnoghen turned down all mouth-watering offers made to him.

Ugochinyere also alleged that Vice President Osinbajo and DSS were threatening the legal team of the embattled CJN to withdraw from the case.

“The CUPP has uncovered yet another dastardly plot by the federal government in their continued victimisation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen. This time around, the Presidency has concluded the plot to force the CJN to resign at gun point after all mouth watering offers was turned down by the courageous Justice
Onnoghen.”

“The federal government has resolved on the dual action that the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo would weigh in and coerce his colleague Senior Advocates to withdraw from defending the CJN and to resort to the use of security agencies to intimidate the legal team of the CJN.

“Some of the Senior Advocates on the team of the CJN have been trailed, their offices and homes being circled and monitored, their telephones bugged and most of them have had reports from their bankers that their account statements have been obtained by the security agencies and certain instructions placed on some types of transactions.”

He further said that workers in the farm of the CJN located in Uke in Nasarawa State have been threatened to leave their place of work in the farm or pay with their lives by persons who disguised to be Fulani herdsmen.

He said, “We have credible intelligence that the visitors to the farm were arranged by government all to ensure the farm is crumbled and every other source of income of the CJN is blocked. The legal team of the CJN has written to the appropriate security agencies complaining of the warning and threats by the so called Fulani herdsmen.”

Ugochinyere lamented that Presidency is clearly playing hide and seek with the security of the country, adding that the government has been encouraging and motivating the spread of fake news against the CJN.

President Muhammadu Buhari has hosted South-West Imams and Islamic scholars and also had dinner with the All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the House of Representatives and candidates.

He told the Islamic clerics at the presidential villa that he was determined to rid the country of injustice and corruption.

“Any person who cheated or looted the nation will be brought to justice, irrespective of status of the person in society,” he said.

The president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement in Abuja reported that the President urged religious leaders to spread the message among their followers of the government’s total determination to promote social justice across the entire society.

According to him, the nation’s diverse religions and cultures teach justice by all and for all. “Unless there is justice for everyone, the country cannot progress,’’ he added.

The leader of the delegation, Sheik Abdulrasheed Hadiyatullah described politics as the proper administration of public affairs and rebuilding what was destroyed.

He commended President Buhari for doing just that, and assured him of support in reforming the country. “We have never seen a purposeful government as this one. We have great respect for you.

“We will continue to support your war against corruption and the programmes aimed at making life better for the generality of Nigerians,” Sheik Hadiyatullah declared.

President Buhari also went into a closed doors meeting with the members of Representatives on Monday after a dinner. At the meeting also were the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiohmole and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha. Others were the principal officers of the house including Deputy Speaker, Yusuf Lasun; the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila as well as other APC members.

The President had on Jan. 28 hosted APC’s Senators and candidates to similar dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. (NAN)

By Onyekachi Eze



The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of succumbing to the blackmail of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig this month’s presidential election. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, at a press conference yesterday, said the presidency has threatened to give the INEC Chair-man, Prof. Mahomood Yakubu, Justice Walter Onneghen’s treatment if he refused to rig the election in favour of the APC. But Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman noted that for the past 20 years, the commission had ensured that no member of any political party was engaged to participate in the conduct of elections.

“I therefore call on any political party or individuals with information on how the commission plans to or has engaged members of any political party as ad-hoc staff for the upcoming general elections to make such information public and mention specific names. “It is not enough to make wild allegations. It is incumbent on those who make such allegations to also provide the proof,” he challenged them.

Oyekanmi added that INEC would not allow itself to be dragged into unnecessary controversies by political parties,and assured Nigerians of the commission’s commitment to conducting free, fair and credible 2019 general elections. PDP had alleged that INEC has collected a list of people that would serve as electoral officials, including ad-hoc staff and returning officers at the polling units, from APC state governors and candidates, across the country, on the directives of the Buhari presidency.

“The PDP is already privy to how the lists were populated with APC members and agents of the APC candidates, after clearance by the APC leaders in various states,” Ologbondiyan said. He accused INEC of violating section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended), which states that person to be appointed as electoral official shall not be a member of any political party. To this end, he called on the commission to publish the list of ad hoc staff who will serve during the elections within the next 48 hours. “Any delay or refusal by INEC to publish the list of ad hoc staff with 48 hours will be a clear acceptance that it has been compromised by the APC and this could lead to a very serious crisis with very dire consequences as the PDP will never allow anybody to rig it out in this election.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two men, whose names they wouldn’t disclose yet, for allegedly initiating primary school pupils into a deadly cult gang in Lagos state known as ‘the Awawa Boys’.

The police said they rescued 12 children, whose ages ranged from six to 16 years, including a 16-year-old girl, from the cult gang.

The rescued children are currently undergoing psychology tutorial at the command’s Gender Unit.

The police said it was a Guardian and Counselling teacher at the Egan Community School in Lagos who uncovered the cultists’ initiation ceremony plan. The school comprises both primary and secondary levels.

The teacher was said to have noticed a particular incision on the lower jaw of some of the students and decided to ask questions about it, to which one of the children confessed that any school pupil or student seen with the mark was a member of the Awawa cult group.

Consequent upon the discovery, the teacher raised an alarm and the school authorities reported the matter to the police.

The state Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, said that acting on the report, he directed the Gender Section of the Command to investigate the allegation of initiation into an unlawful society affecting 12 children whose ages ranged from 8 to 16 years, the 16-year-old girl being the oldest and only female among them.

Edgal said that during interrogation, the girl confessed that she did take the rest of the children for initiation, and that the symbol on their jaws was that of the Awawa Boys.

“Two adult suspects behind the initiation are already in police custody and are helping police investigation. Investigation is ongoing with a view to arresting other members of the Awawa group for prosecution,” the police boss added.

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja



The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has said the party and President Muhammadu Buhari are targeting bulk votes from states in the North-west and South-west zones of the country due to their strength and dominance in the areas, which have the largest number of voters in the country.

The campaign council has also insisted that contrary to fears being expressed by the opposition parties, the ruling party has no plan to manipulate the elections starting on February 16 as it strongly believes that votes of Nigerians must count.

Addressing journalists at the weekend, the Deputy Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Mr. Waziri Bulama, said the confidence of the party is buoyed by the dominance of its governors in the two zones, which have the largest number of registered voters.

He said though the presidential campaign team is targeting to reap high votes in those zones where it has strong presence, the party is not relenting in its efforts to win over every available voter.

“The APC is a national party – very strong throughout the country but most dominant in the North-west and South-west and more clearly we expect to have more votes there because of the presence of the governors and because the two zones have the largest number of registered voters,” he said.

According to Bulama, the North-west boasts of about 20 million registered voters, while the South-west has 16 million registered voters.

He also said the APC is very strong throughout the country, adding that at the moment it has 22 state governors, six in the North-west, six in the South-west, four in the North-east, four in the North-central, one each in the South-south and South-east.

Speaking on the campaign strategy being adopted by the APC, the party chieftain said the ruling party has a multi-pronged approach to reach out to Nigerians in all parts of the country.

He said their focus is first to sensitise Nigerians to come out and vote and secondly to understand and appreciate the achievements and efforts of Buhari and the APC since 2015.

“Our aim and target in the campaign has been to ensure that the vote counts. We are not taking anything for granted. We are going to fight for every available vote,” he said.

On the concerns about the Buhari’s health and fears about his ability to sustain the rigours of the national campaign, Bulama said so far the president has been able to prove that he is strong, having campaigned in many states.

Bulama also dismissed claims that the APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, may have pulled back from campaigns, stating that the former Lagos State governor has indeed played pivotal roles in the ongoing campaigns.

“He was in Maiduguri two weeks ago, where he made a long appearance addressing the crowd. He also appears wherever necessary. He was in most other outings across the country. I want to say that our campaign is cohesive, focused and united. Our leaders are one and committed to the success of President Buhari, success of our party and the success of all the candidates contesting on the platform of our party,” he said.

Bulama further responded to the PDP’s claim that APC is seeking to undermine the independence of INEC despite being a major beneficiary of electoral reforms by previous administration.

Bulama said there is no attempt by Buhari to manipulate the institutions of state like the police, army and INEC during forthcoming elections.

He said: “We have succeeded in ensuring the independence of INEC and that it is well funded as can be testified by the chairman, who admitted that it has taken delivery of all the resources needed to carry out the exercise successfully throughout the country.

There is no predetermined condition placed on anybody and no attempt to manipulate the institutions of the state like the police, army and INEC.

“There is no plan whatsoever to release huge sums of money from the government to manipulate or influence or gag anybody. This election is not characterised by huge deployment of money.

“So, what we expect is that the 2019 elections will be largely influenced by the free will of Nigerian voters and by their desire to exercise their franchise, realisation of the powers vested in them by the constitution as the owners of Nigeria. This is what we expect will influence the election, not money, not party, not institutions but issues of national interest.”

Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt




Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, alleged on Sunday that the APC-led Federal Government may soon begin what he calls “the intimidation” of 200 judges, especially those in the federal judiciary.

He said such judges are those that the Federal Government has deemed “uncooperative.”

Wike said that strategic and credible intelligence intercepted by him revealed that a federal minister told a gathering that, following the “destabilisation of the Supreme Court,” the next target would be the Court of Appeal and Federal High Court.

The governor, who spoke during the central healing service of the Greater Evangelism World Crusade in Port Harcourt, alleged that the APC Federal Government had collected the assets declaration forms of 200 judges from the Code of Conduct Bureau for the “planned mass onslaught.”

“I intercepted a discussion by a minister of the Federal Executive Council where he was telling a gathering that they were happy that they had dealt with the Supreme Court.

“The minister said that the next set would be the Court of Appeal judges and the Federal High Court judges.

“The minister said any judge that fails to cooperate will face trumped-up charges and be compelled to resign.

“This APC Federal Government has gone to the Code of Conduct Bureau to get the asset declaration forms of 200 judges.


“Any judge that fails to follow their evil plot will be harassed with false allegations and persecution,” Wike said.

He stated that the Federal Government would generate several false allegations “to compel upright judges to resign from the Bench.”

Wike called on the Church to pray for the federal judiciary to survive the siege, describing it as “deadly.”

Cherrybae:
wenger should be fired now. I wonder why he will bench Sanchez and Ground in a crucial match like this.

Wenger is an illiterate. I still believe Arsenal will won this match.

We are gunners we fear no foes

By Seye Olumide


The Lagos State House of Assembly may have ‘chickened out’ of the plan to impeach Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, following public outcry and condemnation of the move by Nigerians.
The decision to jettison the planned impeachment was as a result of pressures from the Presidency, majority of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders, especially in Lagos and the intervention of some Southwest governors, who expressed concern over the timing of the impeachment and its possible consequences.

As at yesterday, more are still condemning the move, even among the opposition parties who described the lawmakers’ action as not only ridiculous to democracy, but also servitude to their master and National Leader of APC, Bola Tinubu. In a reaction, governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Jimi Agbaje decried the ruling party and its lawmakers over the threat, saying the action has justified his claim that Lagos deserves freedom, as it has been under the armpit of one individual (Tinubu) in the last 20 years.

He also flayed the ruling party’s leadership over allegation and fear that Ambode is funding him (Agbaje) to the detriment of APC in the coming governorship election.

“There is no iota of truth that I am being funded by the incumbent, but a mere expression of fear of possible defeat by APC ahead of the election,” he said.In another reaction, governorship candidate of Abundant Renewal Party (ANRP), Abiodun Dabiri said mere mention of the move to impeach Ambode few weeks to the election shows the ruling party is neither serious nor concerned about Lagos or its citizens, but their self-serving purposes and the inordinate ambition of their lord and master, Tinubu.

He dared the party and its lawmakers to go ahead with the impeachment and see the consequences in the next election.Similarly, Secretary General Yoruba Ronu, Akin Malaolu decried the lawmakers, saying the move is one threat too many and also an insult to the people of Lagos.

However, a reliable source in the party told The Guardian, yesterday, that the Presidency had directed the issue should be amicably resolved. The Presidency’s disposition was said to have handicapped the lawmakers as well as Tinubu, who will allegedly have a meeting with Ambode on how to handle the matter.

Another factor that might have forced the Assembly to drop the issue was the kind of unprecedented sympathy expressed to the incumbent after the marathon race in Lagos, yesterday, where he was said to have been commended and also appreciated by millions of participants, among other Lagosians.

Stanley Uzoaru,Owerri



The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB), has attributed the Vice President, Yomi Osinbajo’s helicopter crash to the grand design by the North to replace him with one of their own ahead of the presidential election.

Leader of the group Uchenna Madu, who disclosed this in Owerri, further warned the VP to be very careful about northern agenda.

Madu further claimed that God has just given the vice president the last chance to speak up on injustice being done to Christians in the country. According to Madu “this is the last chance given to the vice president by God; he cannot continue to keep quiet and watch various atrocities being meted to Christians; God knows why he has saved his life.

“He cannot continue to watch while other zones perish in the hands of one zone; the vice president is a Christian and a pastor; he knows the implication of keeping quiet on matters like this; so he should be very careful.”

Madu said: “In 2015, the northerners could not completely have their way because Tinubu was there; now if Osinbajo is not careful, the northerners will have their way to prepare the country for an Islamic state.”

TOYIN ADEBAYO




ABUJA – “I had all my children at home with the assistance of traditional birth attendants (TBAs). Luckily, there were no complications, and so I am alive with my children. However, many women in this community who developed complications and died during childbirth were buried with their children, dead or alive,” said a nursing mother, Hajia Hassan.

A mother of four, Hajia Hassan lives in Bassa Kuomo, an ancient community in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The people in this community are said to be the original inhabitants of Gwagwalada before it became the Federal Capital Territory. The community of about 12,000 inhabitants lacks government’s presence; be it healthcare, water, light, roads and other amenities. Poverty is well pronounced as it stinks in the air in this community made up of people predominantly peasant farmers with low yields.

“Many of our women die from complications arising from childbirth. In Bassa Koumo, if a woman delivers and dies during childbirth, the child will be tied to the body of the dead mother and buried alive with her. If the nursing mother should die of any cause without weaning the baby, the baby will be accused of having strange powers that killed the mother; the penalty for this is also death.” One of the people who chose to be anonymous said.

However, these deaths are majorly caused by lack of functional, accessible and affordable healthcare services. Women don’t get antenatal care; they deliver through the help of TBAs and herbalists who lack the technical know-how of taking delivery or what to do in case of emergencies. When death occurs, they say it is the bad luck of the baby that caused the death and the penalty is also the death of the baby.

Saturday INDEPENDENT’s investigation reveals that the inhabitants are glued to this age long traditional practice and the advent of other religions such as Christianity and Islam, has not made much impact in the people’s culture and belief.

Our reporters found out that there are shrines of gods which the people believe could spell doom on the community if evil newborns are not made to pay the price. Although, no one is willing to speak on this frontally, they all confirmed a very high rate of maternal and infant mortality in the area, which they blamed on the absence of health facilities in the community.

Saturday INDEPENDENT, during the course of this investigation, discovered a village square in Bassa Koumo, where all decisions are taken. Most scary of it all was that, at the centre of the square are situated two big trees. It was gathered that the trees are husband and wife. One produces its fruits before the other. The community shrine is located there and that is where the dwellers perform the rituals as members of the community are predominantly traditionalists.

At the palace of Aguma of Gwagwalada, His Royal Highness Mohammed Magaji, represented by Alhaji Muhammad Lakaiye, the District Head, Gwagwalada Town, expressed grave concern about the loss of promising young ladies to deaths arising from complications during childbirth.

He appealed to the Area Council Chairman to provide the community with a Primary Healthcare facility to promptly manage cases of complications among women in labour in Bassa Kuomo.

“The lives of many women are cut short in their prime along with their children because of lack of functional, accessible and affordable healthcare services. This has been ongoing for too long a time. I appeal to the government to wake up to their responsibility by providing us with a Primary Healthcare centre,” he appealed.

The agonising situation of people of Bassa Koumo does not stop at just lack of these essential facilities. Even when they travel the distance to obtain care, they return home with disappointment and frustration.

“The only Township Clinic in Gwagwalada Area Council has been overstretched as it plays host to every community resident in Gwagwalada and its environs. This makes it extremely difficult for our pregnant women to access antenatal care and give birth with the help of skilled birth attendants. Our pregnant women will transport themselves to the Township Clinic as early as possible and will not return until evening; at times they return unattended to. This has discouraged many who now prefer to be delivered through Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) who don’t have the technical knowhow to take delivery,” Lakaiye said.

The spokesman of the Aguma, blamed the unfortunate loss of pregnant women and their babies on the complete neglect of the area by the government. But he would not confirm or explain how the babies who might have survived are put away.

“The case of Bassa Kuomo is most pathetic as we lose many vibrant young women to the cold hands of death including their children every now and then.”

Lakaiye stressed the need for government to urgently provide the community with public, portable drinking water as the communities don’t have access to safe drinking water. “It takes about N40,000 to N50,000 to connect water and Bassa Kuomo people are predominantly farmers and cannot afford it or buy a keg of water for N50. As such, they resort to stream water.”

Another issue that worries Lakaiye is the unavailability of access roads in the community. “Even when we want to quickly rush a complicated matter to the hospital in town, the roads are not motorable and climbing Okada (commercial motorcycle) worsens the situation. Most of the time, we lose the two of them, the mother and the baby,” Lakaiye said, profusely sobbing.

Although the community is facing these challenges, some of the women are fortunate to survive even without any form of medical care or attention. One of such women is Mrs Jemila Shuaibu, a trader. She said through an interpreter that she had all her seven children at home assisted by the TBAs. According to her, maternal deaths are caused by complications from childbirth.

“We do not have a hospital in Bassa Kuomo and when women have complications during childbirth, they are just at the mercy of God and often time they die with their babies.”

According to her, “most women would have loved to have their babies in the hospital, but there are no hospitals here, the closest to this place is in faraway Gwagwalada town. Everyone knows, there is nothing like having access to antenatal and delivery of the baby at the health centre, but what do you do when there is none, the alternative is to go to TBAs and herbalists to have your baby.”

On why she advises pregnant women to go to the hospital when she did not go to the hospital for delivery of her babies, she said she was just lucky.

“Hmm, well, it was God. I tell you it was just God. During my days, women suffer so much in delivering their babies, some died through bleeding with their babies. But those who managed to have access to hospital facilities were very okay, even those who had haemorrhage after childbirth were spontaneously managed and they came back home hail and healthy with their babies. Those who could not afford it died here with their babies. So delivery in the hospital still remains the best option if you ask me,” she said.

Sadly, she recalled how five women died in the hands of TBAs during childbirth, with their children. Again, she would not confirm or talk about how the babies were buried.

Also, a nursing mother, Mrs Salamatu Alhassan, a firewood seller and a mother of four said she had all her children at home with the help of the Traditional Birth Attendants and there were no complications. However, she said. “I did not go to the hospital because people are too many in the hospital and that place is far from our community. It cost N200 to and fro. Most of us don’t have that kind of money to transport ourselves and when we manage to go there, sometimes because of the crowd, they won’t attend to us, we just go there and wait for hours without seeing the doctor and come back home with nothing.”

Salamatu said the greatest thing the government could do for the community now, is to build a primary health care in Bassa Kuomo for pregnant women to get antenatal and deliver in the hospital, adding that it would save the people the stress of going and waiting endlessly and spending money on transport, which could be used for other things.

“There are several women that died from complications arising from childbirth. Even in my house, one died last year and another this year. I remember them vividly because they are my relations and their children too did not survive it,” she remarked.

The women and the men alike are of the view that providing health facilities in Bassa Kuomo will make a difference in the mortality rate of women and children in the area.

Malam Isah Musa, a farmer and a father of three said Bassa Kuomo is in dire need of a hospital to alleviate the sufferings of women who mostly die as a result of complications during childbirth.

“Many women and children have died. In fact, we have lost count of the number of women who have died in this community while giving birth. Maternal mortality is caused by lack of accessible and affordable healthcare services. The only hospital close to this community is far and we can’t afford the transport fare. Besides, it is always a crowded place, so when our women go there they come back home late in the night unattended to. How long can we continue with that kind of life?” he asked.

“About two years ago, five women died. They delivered at home and developed complications. Before they could be rushed to the hospital, they died. The same thing this year. We are not happy about it, losing both mother and child is about the worst thing that can happen to a man,” he lamented.

Like many other respondents in Bassa Kuomo, Isa called on the government to build a primary healthcare centre and employ people from Bassa Kuomo community to man the place. According to him, this will encourage their women to access antenatal care and deliver in the facility.

Isa is of the view that Bassa Kuomo should be given priority in the scheme of things in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) being the original inhabitants of Gwagwalada.

“There is visibly no development, no hospital to cater for the needs of our pregnant women and children who are left to die; no potable water, most of the community members are predominantly farmers and we don’t have the kind of money the water board is charging for connection, which is about N40,000 to N50,000 per connection,” he appealed.

Similarly, Jubri Zakari, a graduate of Sociology said lack of accessible and affordable healthcare contribute immensely to the death of women and children in Bassa Kuomo, adding that the Township Clinic does not have facilities and drugs to save women who are in need of care.

“Imagine a pregnant woman trekking over 10 kilometres to get to the Townships Clinic, as many of them do not have money for transport. Something urgent should be done,” he pleaded.

“A five-month-old baby was having stomach upset some time ago, we rushed him to the hospital, and for three hours the boy was not attended to and in pains. We could not afford to watch him die just like that, we had to take him to the herbalist who administered some herbal drugs, and in no time the baby was relieved of his pain. You can see we had to resort to a herbalist when we could not find help from the hospital that is even distance away.”

From the story of this community, they are losing a lot of young, promising women trying to give birth in their prime alongside their children. Although the alternative they resort to is the TBAs and the herbalists, there is evidence from the testimonies of the people that the TBAs and the herbalists are losing more women and children than they are able to save. For example, Jubri Zakari gave an instance; a young boy with stomach ache was healed by a herbalist, that was applaudable. However, compare that with the claims of Malam Isa Musa who said they have lost count of the number of women and children that have died because of the absence of a health facility in Bassa Kuomo.

“If we have a hospital in Bassa Kuomo, cases of emergency will be promptly attended to,”

Also, Mrs. Jemila Shuaibu, during an interview recalled how five women died in the hands of TBAs during children birth with their children. She said two of them were her relations.

The community herbalist, ‘ Dr’ Ibrahim Allahgaba, a traditional medicine man said he has attended to so many pregnant women in the community. He said boastfully that those who have been billed for Cesarean sections are able to give birth naturally when he prays and administers herbal concoctions to them. He recalled, that three days ago, a woman was unable to have her baby, and the hospital said she will only deliver through operation. Her father said it was the enemies that did not allow her to have her baby normally.

“I went there and she was able to deliver normally. In fact, she delivered 30 minutes after I had given her herbal concoctions to take.”

The herbalist claimed, “No woman has died in my hands. What I do is once the baby is out, I leave the baby and the mother in the hands of the TBA, who will cut the umbilical cord and do other things.”

However, the amount of money charged by the community herbalist is still out of the reach of most people in the community. “I charge about N25,000 to N30,000 if you are a known person because people come from Abaji, Kwali and other neighbouring communities to be treated,” he said.

Ibrahim Allahgaba does not care if his charges are more than what patients are charged in the hospitals.

“Think of the suffering I suffer to go and get the leaves in the bush and the one I cannot get I buy and I also do ‘night work’ (prayers) if it’s witches and wizards that are affecting the person. I give N5000 to the community for development,” he retorted. However, only Ibrahim can tell how he arrived at the cost charge per patient for his treatment.

But the issue is that if his treatment is as efficacious as he claimed, the cost seems to be out of the reach of Bassa Kuomo people as maternal and infant mortality continues unabated in the area. If people are complaining of N200 to take transport to the hospital in town, asking for N25,000 or N30,000 is like asking them to go and die.

A visit and repeated calls at the office of the Gwagwalada Area Council Chairman by our reporter proved abortive as he was said to be away on official assignment. An in-house person from the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, who preferred to be anonymous said the Area Council Chairman should be contacted as he has received his budget allocation for providing for the people of the area.

While government officials are evading speaking on the plight of the people of Bassa Kuomo, lives are being lost to avoidable deaths, even the lives of newborns. And while government’s presence is absent, the herbalists are having a field day. The TBAs can only do their best, but the question is; that best, is it enough to save the dying pregnant woman in labour and her baby? The people are saying, “Government wake up.”

By Chinelo Obogo



Lagos State governor, Akinwumi Ambode, was absent yesterday at the panel hearing set up by the State Assembly to resolve the lingering crisis over his inability to present the 2019 Appropriation bill.

The Assembly has been embroiled in crisis with Governor Ambode since December 2018 over the non-presentation of the 2019 budget, which led to the lawmakers threatening to impeach him if he fails to abide by the parliamentary tradition. Though the governor insisted that he indeed sent the budget to the Assembly on December 28, 2018, the lawmakers disputed it, insisting that the budget was not before the House.

At a plenary session last week, over 20 lawmakers took turns to accuse the governor of infractions and violation of the Constitution for spending from the 2019 budget which they say he is yet to lay on the floor of the House.

Earlier this year, a committee headed by the deputy speaker, Wasiu Eshinloku, was set up to probe the 2018 expenditure of the governor. As a result, the state Commissioner for Finance, Accountant General, Budget and Planning Commissioner as well as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice were summoned to appear before the probe panel. While submitting the report of the Committee before the House last week, the Deputy Speaker said his panel found Ambode guilty of the allegations against him and said he should either resign or be impeached.

Eshinlokun revealed that the committee met with relevant commissioners and heads of agencies and was told by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Segun Banjo, that no money had been spent for the year. He also said that the Accountant General told the committee that they were given the go-ahead to spend up to 25 percent of the 2019 budget before the approval in the new year. He said that they would have to make a recourse to the House if they wanted to spend up to N200 million.

The crisis further deepened when on Wednesday, January 30, the House convened an emergency parliamentary session over the matter. Immediately after the session, the majority leader, Sanai Agunbiade, told journalists at a press conference that the House is expecting Governor Ambode to appear before it on Monday, February 4, 2019 to explain why the executive has begun spending from a budget which is yet to be presented. Another panel headed by Agunbiade was then set up this week by the House to meet with the executive over the friction. The committee, it was learnt, met with some commissioners on Thursday, January 31.

Governor Ambode was expected to appear before the panel yesterday to defend his actions, but it was the deputy governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule who came in his stead. She arrived the assembly complex without her official car because the meeting was meant to be a closed one. She was quoted as telling the panel that Governor Ambode has consistently maintained that he doesn’t deserve the treatment he is facing because he has committed no crime. The panel was closed to the press, but sources within the Assembly confirmed that the meeting held yesterday, saying it is part of an agreement to ensure that actions are taken in the interest of the state.

“Our people have also met with the deputy governor over the current friction. The meeting is just to find an amicable ground. We know the executive arm actually committed the infractions, but for the interest of the state and to keep it safe ahead of the election, we have to look for a soft landing for them. We are expecting the governor to appear on the floor of the House on Monday to answer some of our questions,” the source said.

Other members of the panel are; Moshood Oshun, Saka Fafunmi, Lanre Ogunyemi and Miranda Mojisola. It was learnt that the outcome of the meeting may be deliberated at a parliamentary session of the House when the lawmakers reconvene.

Meanwhile, a renowned scholar, Prof. Akin Oyebode warned on Friday that the APC might be sounding its death knell in Lagos State with the growing plot to impeach Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode. Ambode is expected to vacate office on May 29 this year after failing to get the nod of the APC to run for a second term. He has been in political hot water since he fell out of favour with the national leader of the APC, Mr Bola Tinubu, who is also acclaimed as Ambode’s godfather.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday, Oyebode, a renowned expert in international law and jurisprudence, said that the APC might be bringing a “death wish’’ to itself in Lagos State. “The APC in Lagos seems to be making a death wish. First, you muscled out a performing man from a second bite of the apple. Now, you want to throw him under the bus, which, quite frankly, amounts to an overkill. If they persist in this misadventure, the people will teach them a lesson which they will never forget in the coming election.”

Oyebode described the growing maneuver by members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to impeach the governor as a misadventure that could make APC to lose the governorship elections in the state.

In the same vein, the State House of Assembly has been told it lacks any basis to initiate any impeachment proceeding against Governor Ambode and must therefore desist or face a mass revolt of the people.

The warning was contained in a statement issued on Friday by a civil society organization, Legislative Probity and Accountability Project, LPAP. The NGO had on Tuesday issued a press release that later went viral, challenging the leadership of the State House of Assembly to account for the N28.8billion they have collected as running cost under the Mudashiru Obasa leadership of the House without doing anything.

In its latest statement signed by its Chairman, Mr Olu Fajana, LPAP said it was ridiculous for the lawmakers to ask the governor to appear before a committee to defend allegations against him or be impeached. While urging the governor to ignore the summon or send his appointees, the group said there is no basis for the harassment other than selfish interests. “We have studied the pretentious allegations for which they have been ridiculing and desecrating the office of Lagos governor. We dare say that if indeed the lawmakers know their work or take time to study the constitution, they will understand that they cannot hold the governor for going ahead to spend part of the 2019 budget, which they have deliberately refused to consider and approve over two months after the budget proposal had been sent to them.

“Section 122 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, says expressly that: ‘If the Appropriation Bill in respect of any financial year has not been passed into Law by the beginning of the financial year, the Governor may authorize the withdrawal of moneys from the consolidated Revenue Fund of the State for the purpose of meeting expenditure necessary to carry on the service of the government for a period not exceeding six months or until the coming into operation of the Law, whichever is the earlier. Provided that the withdrawal in respect of any such period shall not exceed the amount authorized to be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State under the provisions of the Appropriation Law passed by the House of Assembly for the corresponding period in the immediately preceding financial year being an amount proportionate to the total amount so authorized for the immediately preceding financial year.’

“We believe this is clear enough and has removed any doubt as to whether the governor has the right to spend from the 2019 budget, which the Assembly has in pursuit of its pre-determined agenda held back with the sole purpose of crippling the government and making it incapable of delivering good governance to the people. This is barbaric and uncivilized politicking to say the least”

The group further ask the lawmakers to acquaint themselves with provisions of the constitution, which allows the governor to delegate executive powers to his appointees. “We will also like to draw the attention of these lawmakers to Section 5(2) of the constitution on the delegation of executive powers as well as Section 188 that deals with impeachment procedure. This is necessary for them so that they can save themselves from further embarrassment and relieve the people of Lagos of a pending confrontation between the forces light, that is the masses and that of darkness, which has for long feasted rapaciously on the commonwealth of the people of Lagos.”

By Emmanuel Uzodinma



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NEWS2019 Presidency: Suspension hits Ohanaeze over AtikuPublished on January 31, 2019 By Emmanuel Uzodinma

A major crisis has hit the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization one week after the body endorsed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.


DAILY POST reports that the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of Ohanaeze held at its secretariat in Enugu, ended with a resolution suspending the Secretary-General of the body, Uche Okwukwu.

The Scribe had earlier told DAILY POST that the NEC suspended the President-General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo and appointed Prince Richard Ozobu as chairman of a disciplinary committee to probe him.


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NEWS2019 Presidency: Suspension hits Ohanaeze over AtikuPublished on January 31, 2019 By Emmanuel Uzodinma

A major crisis has hit the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization one week after the body endorsed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.


DAILY POST reports that the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of Ohanaeze held at its secretariat in Enugu, ended with a resolution suspending the Secretary-General of the body, Uche Okwukwu.

The Scribe had earlier told DAILY POST that the NEC suspended the President-General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo and appointed Prince Richard Ozobu as chairman of a disciplinary committee to probe him.


He stated that on the contrary, “President general, Nnia Nwodo is the one suspended by NEC for breaching sections of the Ohanaeze constitution by personally drafting and signing a communiqué”, adding that a nine member committee headed by Chief Richard Ozobu had been constituted to investigate the President general.

But a communique later made available to our correspondent showed that Okwukwu was suspended for issuing a counter statement against the decision of Imeobi Ohanaeze on Atiku’s endorsement.

A statement issued at the end of the NEC meeting held at the Secretariat of Ohanaeze, signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Uche Achi-Akpaga, stated that the secretary general was being punished for allegedly engaging in false representations of decisions of meetings of NEC and Imeobi Ohanaeze.



It said he had arrogated to himself the power to the organs of Ohanaeze by uttering positions purportedly taken by organs of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

“These deliberate actions were discussed today at the NEC and having taken place in the public domain and reported copiously in the mass media, the NEC, in an overwhelming majority decision after confronting Bar Okwukwu has resolved that he be suspended from office as Secretary general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and membership of all organs of Ohanaeze Nidgbo from Thursday, January 31, 2018”, the statement said

The statement gave the suspended secretary seven days to publicly retract and publish same in the mass media, failure of which would be referred to the disciplinary committee for further inquiries and appropriate action.

Okwukwu, who was said to have attended yesterday’s NEC meeting with over 30 policemen, said there was “nothing wrong in attending a meeting with policemen”, adding that, “even Nwodo has several policemen attached to him”.

It could be recalled that Okwukwu had addressed the press in Awka, Anambra state at the weekend, where he claimed that no meeting of Imeobi endorsed Atiku/Obi. He had stated that Imeobi would soon be convened to deliberate on the issue of endorsement by Ohanaeze, adding that the President General lacked power to convene meeting of the body.

by Faith Yahaya, Abuja


Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibrahim Lamorde and 17 others have been promoted from the rank of Commissioners of Police (CPS) to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).

The Police Service Commission also promoted 33 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) to the rank of Commissioners of Police.

The Commission, in a statement in Abuja, on Thursday by its spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, said the promotion was one of the decisions of the 4th Plenary meeting of the Commission held in Abuja on the 28th and 29th of January, 2019.

The new AIGs are: Maurice A. Yusuf; Ibrahim A. Lamorde, former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC); Murtala Usman Mani, Wilson A. Inalegwu, a former CP, FCT; Dibal Paul Yakadi, Haruna Huzi, Mshelia, Mohammad A. Mustafa, Hyelashinda Kimo Musa, former CP, FCT, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom Commands, Adeleye Olusola Oyebade, a former Oyo State Command CP;

Others are Olusola Kamar Subair, Basen Dapiya Gwana, David Oyebanji Folawiyo, Zanna Mohammed Ibrahim, Nkpa N. Inakwu, Chris Okey Ezike until now CP, Abia State; Moses Ambakina Jitoboh, D.M Obembe and Wilson O. Akhiwu.

The new CPs are: Uche J. Anozie, Nwamhi Felix Yame, Mohammed Abdulmumini Gimba, Musa Adze, Philip Sule Maku, Umaru Haruna Miringa, Usman Sule Gomna, Adamu Usman, Daniel Sokari-Pedro, Ahmed Mohammed Azare, Adamu Saleh Jajeri, Maigana Alahi Sani, Audu Adamu Madaki and Dajuma Mohammed Lawal.

Others are: Ibrahim Sani Ka’oje, John Ogbonnaya Amadi, Ede Ayuba Ekpeji, Mohammed Bagega, Bello Makwashi, Buba Sanusi, Suleiman Balarabe, Rabiu Ladodo, Ndatsu Aliyu Mohammed, Yunusa Edwin Ogwuche, Cyril I. Okoro, Awosola Awotunde, Ayodele Andrew Olatunji, Garuba Danjuma, Bello Sani Dalijan, Imaikop Asuquo Okpongkpong and Sahabo Abubakar Yahaya.

Others are: Jerome E. Bentem, Idris Nagoyo, Ibrahim A. Gora and Edna Obiageri Ugbebor.

The Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, while charging the newly promoted officers said the nation was looking up to them to bring their wealth of experience to bear on the numerous security problems facing the country as we approach the 2019 polls.

He also said they should reciprocate government’s good intentions by rededicating themselves to the service of the country.

by Jamilah Nasir


Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he came to the financial rescue of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when it was launched in 2004.

Atiku spoke on The Candidate, a presidential town hall conversation hosted by Kadaria Ahmed, a journalist.

He was responding to a question on how he would make the anti-graft agency independent and able to discharge its duties on time without preferential treatment.

He said the EFCC had no budgetary allocation to begin operation when it was launched.

“My quarrel with the judicial system is that there is too much delay. If we can shorten the delay, so that justice is seen to be meted out immediately, better for us.

“The problem is the legislation and the procedure being adopted by the judiciary. The cases we initiated in our administration are still in court. Now, where is the justice?

“When we set up the EFCC, I personally brought the first draft of the regulation from Brazil and it was based on that draft that the EFCC legislation was drafted.

“When it was finally passed by the national assembly, EFCC did not even have the money in the budget to start operation. I borrowed them N300m from the privatisation proceeds and said ‘you better get to work’.

“The following year when there was budgetary allocations, they repaid the money. Most of the convictions that we are hearing today were cases that we started in our administration.”

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor and Olayinka Ajayi


Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi Wednesday frontally fought off allegations of corruption bringing to light the candidate’s personal role in the establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Atiku and Obi taking their slot in the live television session series, Meet the candidates, hosted by ace broadcaster, Kadera Ahmed in a robust exchange gave further insights into their programmes for the country giving lucid examples from their personal experiences in government and private life.

The session which was severally spiced with hot exchange between the moderator and the two candidates saw Atiku and Obi repeatedly enunciating how they would make Nigeria work again.

Atiku The moderator, Ahmed who came in feisty challenged Atiku on his perception on corruption asking him whether his setting up of a company while still in service was not an act of corruption.

Atiku strongly rebuffed the claim saying that it was an investment that was akin to share purchase flowing from the Indgenisation Decree promulgated by the OlusegunObasanjo administration.

Ahmed also challenged Obi saying that he invested Anambra State government money in a brewery he had interest in.

To the contrary, Obi said that he invited the foreign investors into the country and was offered 15% equity but rejected it but the investment is now worth $100 million.

Giving his role in spearheading the fight against corruption, he said:

“I in particular brought the concept of the EFCC from Brazil. I borrowed them N300 million from the privatization proceeds which they repaid when the budget appropriation was made.

” While noting that he was willing to consider amnesty for looters, he said that President Obasanjo set up a panel with him as chairman with the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Security Adviser as members which was able to recover $4 billion.

Ms Ahmed who challenged Atiku on the United States report which she said named his wife asked him to speak on it.

Atiku replied that there was nothing to it as his wife was neither indicted or charged on the issue saying that if there was anything against her that she would have been charged.

“My wife was not indicted, was not charged, so I have no view about it. The company was fined for a number of offences committed, not necessarily for anything to do with my wife.

My wife is an American citizen so there is no way that she would not have been charged.” Asked if his wife has been travelling to America since then, Atiku responded to the positive saying “Yes, she has been traveling repeatedly then.

” When she allowed questions, a member of the audience quoted Dr. Obasanjo’s past description of Atiku as unfit for public office and asked Atiku what he would do if someone with such a referral came to him whether he would employ the person.

Replying, Atiku said:

“If the man has changed his mind and said that I recommend him as the best, then I have nothing to say.” As Ms Ahmed pressed him to elaborate, Atiku said he was about the most investigated person during the Obasanjo administration and that nothing criminal was found against him.

On his desire for the presidency, he said: “In the last four years we have witnessed the performance of the present administration and I believe that Nigerians should compare with the record of the previous PDP administration.

By Zakariyya Adaramola


The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has sanctioned four major television stations in the country over hate speech.

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), African Independent Television (AIT), Channels TV and Television Continental (TVC) were sanctioned for allowing hate speeches by politicians from both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to be aired on their networks, the Director General of NBC, Malam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu said during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

Malam Modibbo Kawu, who didn’t mention what sanctions against the media houses were, said the letters to the affected organisations notifying them about the sanction were awaiting delivery in his office.

He said the four stations failed to shut out chieftains of both parties who wilfully engaged in hate speeches during their political campaigns.

He said: ‘’Broadcasters have huge responsibility of protecting and guiding our democracy; and we have a very huge responsibility of ensuring that we don’t promote violence or anything that can lead to it.

“We have discovered that despite our repeated warnings some broadcast stations still allow politicians to let out hate speeches which are capable of throwing this country into crisis.

“We have prepared sanctions and the letters to this effect will be delivered to them soonest. These broadcast stations include NTA, AIT, Channels, TVC and some other radio stations.’’

He advised media houses against allowing themselves to be used by politicians, warning that this would affect their credibility.

On digital switchover, he said the process was still on course and had not been stalled as claimed by some people.

He said a new timeline of next 15 months as a completion period had been set.

Within the period, he said, the NBC would take the digital switch-over to about 60 million Nigerians across the country.

by Kelvin Osa Okunbor


Office of the Nigeria’s Accountant General is at loggerheads with eight banks for unauthorised withholding of over N700million paid in error into the accounts of some former workers of the Nigeria Airways in their banks.

The unprofessional conduct of the banks in not returning the huge sum paid in error into accounts of ex – Airways workers is creating tension between the banks and the office of Accountant General.

The N700 million represented the extra money that was mistakenly paid into the account of some of the former workers who were paid twice by the government.

The payment came after a verification exercise on the former workers of the defunct national carrier.
A source hinted that the N700 million overpayment, was part of the N22 billion approved by government as the final N45 billion severance entitlements approved for former workers of liquidated Nigeria Airways Limited.

A source hinted that efforts made by the Accountant General and the National Union of Pensioners (NUP), representatives of the workers to make the banks refund the money to the Accountant General’s office has not yielded positive results.

Rather than return the N700 million into the accounts of the affected workers, the banks have failed and are allegedly trading with the money.

The eight banks affected include: the First Bank which is said to be in possession of the lion share of 80 per cent of the money in question.

Other banks include: Diamond, Fidelity, Polaris, Zenith, Stanbic and Ecobank.

While the eight banks failed to comply with the agreement to refund the money, few others are said to have voluntarily returned the money mistakenly paid into the accounts.

The banks that have fully refunded the money are: GTB, Keystone, Standard Chartered, Unity and UBA.

While the office of the accountant General was said to be unhappy with the banks, the union representatives of the former airline workers have given the banks one-week ultimatum which ends this week to return the money.

Former workers of Airways said should the banks fail to return the money this week, they will picket the banks first thing next Monday.

The refusal of the banks to refund the money is said to be slowing down the ongoing payment of the last batch of the former workers entitlements.

By: Kingsley Omonobi-Abuja.


Authorities of the Nigerian Police Force on Monday washed their hands off reports concerning the sealing up of the chambers of Justice Walter Onnoghen, the embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria noting that the Supreme Court has its own security network which should be approached for comments on the matter.

A top Police officer told Vanguard when asked why security agencies sealed the chambers of the CJN and prevented his administrative staff from entering their offices to perform their duties, that if it is true security agencies sealed the chambers, the Police had nothing to do with it.

“If it was the Police, you would have seen the presence of our men and equipment displayed in strategic locations around the vicinity. I don’t think there is anything of such, so we are not involved. The Supreme Court has its own security architecture and personnel. They may have their reasons for any action they take which is outside our purview”, the officer said.

Adelani Adepegba, Abuja




Armed robbers have attacked and stabbed to death a journalist with the Radio Nigeria, Abuja, Mr Chris Edoga.

The deceased was at his home in the Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory when the yet-to-be-identified hoodlums raided his apartment and stabbed him last Tuesday.

He was rushed to the hospital by good Samaritans but he died the next day.

A colleague of the deceased, Kayode Irebi, said Edoga was sleeping when he was awoken by strange noise in his apartment.

On close examination of where the noise was coming from, the deceased saw the unwanted guests carting away his television set as well as other personal effects.

Irebi said, “Edoga was sleeping and woke up to find unknown people ransacking his property; on seeing that he had woken up, the hoodlums attacked and stabbed him with a knife in the head and the stomach.

“He suffered a ruptured intestine and was subsequently rushed to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital on Tuesday, but he was not operated on until 24 hours later. He died during the surgical procedure.”

Our correspondent learnt that hoodlums had been terrorising residents of Gwagwalada area in the last two months.

The hoodlums are said to often operate in groups and armed with automatic weapons and machetes.

A victim, who gave her name simply as Kehinde, said the criminals robbed the residents of a street along the old Kutunku area last week, carting away property and money.

Narrating her experience to Northern City News on Sunday, Kehinde, who is a radio presenter, said the gang scaled the fence into her residence, cut the iron doors and raided the four apartments within the compound.

“They cut the iron burglary door and stole the 42-inch television set in my living room, the 35-inch television set in the bedroom, my laptop, phones and N15,000. They also attacked the other three apartments, taking away home appliances and other personal effects. I was so scared,” she stated.

Another victim of a similar attack, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the police did not show up throughout the four-hour ordeal, adding that despite lodging a report about the incident in the morning, no police operative visited the scene of the attack.

Reacting to the development, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, said the command had strengthened its presence in Gwagwalada, adding that investigation had commenced into the robbery attacks in the area.

By Ozibo Ozibo


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When the 9th House of Representatives is inaugurated in June 2019, a number of members of the House of Representatives who will not be returning will be sorely missed by their colleagues, journalists and Nigerians, who have followed their peculiar ‘styles’ in the green chamber over the years.

Whereas some of the lawmakers will be missed for their ‘unusual styles’ in the core legislative business of law-making and committee assignments, others will be missed for their peculiar conduct, manner of dressing, speaking, access to newsmen among others, which added flavour to the 8th House.


Chika Adamu (APC, Niger)

Adamu, an APC first-term lawmaker representing Shiroro/Rafi/Muny Federal Constituency of Niger State in the House, is known for his peculiar dressing in short-sleeve, up-and-down, brown kaftan that makes it easy to spot him both at plenary and in committee assignments. A darling of journalists, Adamu easily passes as a principled politician known for speaking his mind on any issue in the House, irrespective of party lines.

In fact, Adamu it was who moved a motion that members of the House should boycott President Muhammadu Buhari’s budget presentation in December 2018 until the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, tendered an unreserved, public apology over a “disparaging comment.”

He had also warned that the House would soon become “an assemblage of governors’ stooges,” if nothing was done against imposition of candidates. In a country where politicians are known for sit-tight mentality and recycling from one position to another, the acclaimed technocrat and Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Compliance, first shocked journalists when he declared: “I will not seek re-election, neither will I accept if nominated to return to the House in 2019.” Adamu’s uncommon courage will no doubt be missed in the 9th House.


Bashir Babale (APC, Kano)

Bashir Baballe, representing Minjibir/Ungogo of Kano State, is reputed for simplicity in dressing and for voluntarily refusing to seek re-election after a two-term of eight years from 2011 to 2015. Babale will be missed in the 9th House for his erudition and extended versatility in various legislative activities. He is the nightmare of visiting corporate executives who at times try to exploit perceived ignorance or naivety of the lawmakers in such fields.

Young, robust and well-built, the 41-year-old is ready to use his fist against erring opponents if need be, as was the case during the 2019 budget presentation by President Muhammadu Buhari.


Pally Iriase (APC, Edo)

Widely perceived as a ‘gentleman,’ Pally Iriase, representing Owan East/West Federal Constituency of Edo State, could be easily mistaken for a lawyer or banker in the National Assembly complex, with his usual black suit and a matching hairstyle.

The gentility and corporate ambiance of the 63-year-old Deputy Majority Whip who voluntarily declined to seek re-election amid the intrigues that characterised the APC primaries in his native Edo State, will be missed in the 9th House.


Yusuf Lasun (APC, Osun)

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who represents Irepodun/Olurunda/Osogbo/Orolu of Osun State, will be missed in the 9th House not only for his inaccessibility to newsmen but also for his name. It is always a spectacle to behold the lawmakers, irrespective of party lines, shouting Lasun! Lasun! Lasun! whenever the Deputy Speaker steps into the House or makes contributions to debates.

One more thing: whenever Lasun is presiding over the House plenary, both lawmakers and journalists already know that it will be a ‘snappy business’ as Lasun has no time to waste. All that will be missed about the 58-year-old in the next House.


Razak Atunwa (PDP, Kwara)

Listening to Razak Atunwa’s cockney English accent, either during the House plenary or in the Justice Committee that he chairs, might tempt one to believe that one is in the British House of Common.

In fact, a colleague once pleaded with Speaker Yakubu Dogara to “please tell Razak to speak English that we can hear.” Aside accent, Razak also has the tendency to be verbose, especially when the debate veers into legal technicalities, in which he is no doubt an acknowledged authority. The next House will miss all the above about the 49-year-old lawmaker who currently represents Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency, as he aspires to be the governor of Kwara State this year.


Davematics Ombugadu (PDP, Nassarawa)

The 41-year-old PDP lawmaker representing Akwanga/Nasarawa Eggon/Wamba Federal Constituency of Nassarawa State could easily fit into the ‘timber-and-caliber’ mould of Adegoke Adelabu of the First Republic, especially in his manner of speaking.

The Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control, can literally bring down a house with his characteristic ‘campaign voice,’ which he deploys to pass his messages across, even to the deaf.

Although seldom available at plenary, Ombugadu who is currently the PDP governorship candidate in Nassarawa will be missed in the 9th House.


Edward Pwajork (APC, Plateau)

The Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business and the only Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) member of the House, will be missed for his erudition, legal expertise and intelligent contributions to legislative proceedings.

Whenever the House gets stuck in some legal cum constitutional matters, Pwajork is always to the rescue. The 53-year-old, who represents Jos South/East Federal Constituency, also doubles as an ‘unofficial’ legal adviser to individual lawmakers. Pwajok will surely be missed in the next House.


Diri Douye (PDP, Bayelsa)

In the 9th Assembly, Diri Douye would be missed, especially for his onomatopoeic name that takes about 30 seconds to pronounce.

Although the 59-year-old representing Yenagoa/Kolokuna/Opokuma of Bayelsa State is aspiring to the Senate, his name would not be forgotten in a hurry, especially among journalists and those who have encountered him in committee assignments.


Nnenna Ukeje (PDP, Abia)

The female lawmaker from Abia State will be bowing out after three terms in the House of Representatives (2007-2019). “Nnenna,” as she is popularly known, will be sorely missed in the next House for her versatile knowledge that sees her contributing to virtually all matters in the House. A legislative debate is never deemed complete until the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs has made her input which she often does with impeccable grammatical eloquence. Her inaccessibility to journalists notwithstanding, the champion of legislation against arms proliferation will be missed.


Joan Mrakpor (PDP, Delta)

Unlike Nnenna, Mrakpor will be missed not strictly for her contributions to legislative activities but for the proselytization of her Christian faith, which will be missed among her colleagues and associates. The 52-year-old lawmaker from Delta State shocked many of her admirers in the recently concluded PDP primary in which she lost to Ndudi

Elumelu when she matched to the podium and snatched the microphone from the man announcing the result.


Linus Okorie (PDP, Ebonyi)

The lawmaker from Ebonyi State will be missed in the next House, especially by the PDP caucus in which he is one of the most consistent bulwarks. Okorie was one of those that greeted President Muhammadu Buhari with placards during the presentation of the 2019 budget, which led to a fisticuff with Bashir Babale (APC, Kano).


Tony Nwulu (UPP, Lagos)

This 40-year-old lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isollo II of Lagos State and sponsor of the Not Too Young To Run Bill is seen as the face of the youth in the House.

He is currently the UPP governorship candidate in Imo State and will not be returning to the 9th House.

By Jeremiah Oke, Ibadan


President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday in Ibadan, said he has instructed the South-west governors, the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to ensure completion of the on-going Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the rail project before the end of this year.

The President, who spoke at Mapo hall, the venue of his presidential campaign for Oyo State, urged the people of the state to support his re-election bid for the growth of the country.

At the rally were: Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos and the APC gubernatorial candidate in the state, Mr. Adebayo Adelabu among others.

Buhari further urged the people of the zone to vote for the party’s candidates in the elections so as to continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

From LINUS OOTA, Lafia


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It is said that blood is thicker than water. But definitely, not so with Mrs. Mary Nyikwase Kyokwagh, who had to bury alive his two-months-old son, Aondona, her only son for that matter, in an attempt to save her marriage. No fiction could be stranger than that. But this is no fiction. This is real.

The woman, an indigene of Kuji village in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State is married to Mr. Kenneth Azo Kyokwagh, from Taraba State. Sources say he left his village in Taraba to settle in Yarawatter, a village settlement in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, that shares a common boundary with some villages in Nasarawa State.

Kyokwagh who spent years farming and fishing by way of subsistent living met Mary in a market square and hit it off immediately with her. The romantic relationship later led to marriage in February 2014. But they were to spend about four years without a child they could call their own though they loved each other. Unfortunately, the idea of medical test and solution never came up while the challenge lasted.


The herdsmen’s attack that scattered life

It was in the midst of this problem that Mary went to the market to sell fish, leaving her husband at home, sometime in October 2017. While there, Fulani herdsmen attacked the village and killed a lot of people, displacing the entire area including the market place. People ran helter skelter for their lives. The crisis escalated and lasted till 2018. In the process, husband and wife lost total contact with each other and had some difficulties reconnecting, despite spirited efforts.

In the meantime, the entire village, was razed to the ground by the marauding herdsmen. Mary, believing that her husband had been killed, like others were, found her way to Kardoko IDP camp in Nasarawa State. While there, she couldn’t cope with the emotional trauma that thoughts about her husband and the hard and difficult condition in the camp were causing her. In fact, hunger and lack of basic necessities of life were the order of the day in the camp.


A ‘benefactor’ adds his own sorrow to the story

It was in this condition that Dominic Akelegu, a Migili man by tribe, offered to assist her when he visited the camp. She obliged and left the camp to co-habit with him in his house, a rented apartment, in Lafia. When Kenneth Kyokwagh too could not trace his wife due to the constant attacks, he equally assumed that she had been killed. Lonely and distressed, he moved to Daudu IDP Camp in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. While there, he also found out that he could not cope with the situation in the camp and decided along with other able-bodied young men to move to Lokoja, Kogi State, in search of greener pastures.

According to Mary, one thing led to another and, Dominic Akelegu, 40, her supposed magnanimous benefactor, started making love to her the moment she moved in with him. Barely two months later she became pregnant for him. Unfortunately, tragedy struck again as the man who is said to be an Okada rider in Lafia town died in fatal auto accident when her pregnancy was eight months and two weeks old. Before that time they had spent about 10 months together. But during this period, the idea of finding out Akelegu’s birthplace never crossed Mary’s mind. Neither did it occur to her to ask the man who accommodated and fed her.

In October 2018, she managed through the little savings he left behind for her and some financial assistance from neighbours to be delivered of a baby boy. But thereafter, life became tough for her and the newborn baby, as she could not cope with the difficulties of nursing him without his father. And to make a bad situation worse, she had nowhere to go as her own parents were killed in the attacks on farmers in Keana Local Government.


The painful meeting after long time of separation

But as the crisis subsided, Kenneth Kyokwagh, who she originally presumed dead suddenly re-appeared in December 2018 to start rebuilding his destroyed house in order to continue with what was left of his life. Earlier this January, 2019, his wife whom he also assumed dead in the attacks, feeling the ever increasing heat of frustration that comes with taking care of the newborn baby boy in Lafia, without anybody to help, decided to return to her husband’s house in Tse-angom village near Yarwatter to start a new life with returning natives.

But to her greatest surprise, she met her husband alive and well. In fact, he has put one of the houses in order and was working on others. Naturally, the man was shocked to see his wife with a newborn baby – a baby he never knew anything about, of how she got it. For that, he vowed never to accept her under his roof, no matter what. His opposition to Mary to find somewhere to live with the child as he would, under no circumstance accept their living together really put her under great pressure, distress and confusion from which she did not know what else to do. In an effort to save her marriage since there is no other place to go, the woman decided to bury the boy alive while her husband was away in Lokoja to recover some of the debts being owed him by people he worked for. He returned from the one-week trip to discover to his horror and dismay that his wife had committed what seemed to him a greater atrocity by burying the baby boy alive.


Couple relives painful moments

Our correspondent who visited the village, which is about 282 kilometres from Lafia had interactions with both the man and his wife over the devilish act. Shaking his head severally, Kenneth Kyolawagh clapped his hands together, looked into the reporter’s eyes and said: “This world is really a wicked place. I can’t believe that this is happening to me. You can see that the village is very scanty. I don’t know the whereabouts of other members of this village. Half of them were killed by the herdsmen, without their corpses being recovered. And the manner the attacks came, my wife was not at home and I thought she was affected on her way back; some of us ran for our lives.

“I managed to escape by God’s grace. I completely believed she was killed like many others were. I found my way to Daudu and from there proceeded to Kogi State where most of our people were running to for greener pasture. I didn’t hear from her. My anger is that within a year-plus, it was comfortable for her to re-marry; it means she didn’t have me in mind. I am not ready to listen to her stories and how it happened. I can’t accept her with a baby of somebody whose blood I don’t know. It is not possible.”

Asked if he can really exonerate himself from the crime as his hard, unyielding stance seemed to have pushed his wife into committing the ungodly act, he replied: “I didn’t ask her to kill or bury the boy alive. I simply told her it will not be possible for us to stay together again with a baby not from me. I have suffered much in my life, especially in Kogi State which is why I returned despite the risk. I went back to recover my money from some people whom I worked for, only for me to come back and discover that she had done away with the boy to remain with me. I am speechless.”

With tears streaming down her cheeks, his wife said: “I thought he had died in the attacks. I didn’t know he is alive. I was frustrated and the man offered to help me out and suddenly started sleeping with me. He died eventually and my condition worsened at the time I thought I had gotten a safe landing. I had serious issues giving birth while I was with Mr. Kyokwagh. I didn’t know I would meet him here again because I concluded he had died. I didn’t hear from him and nobody seemed to know much about his whereabouts. Many villagers here died without their corpses recovered and I thought he was among them. Little did I know that he survived the attacks. He was not even ready to hear my explanation. Since he doesn’t like seeing the newborn boy, I decided to bury him alive so that he can accept me back. Since few weeks that I returned here, he doesn’t care about me and the baby simply because he is not the biological father. I decided to end his life in order to stay here. The biological father is late and I don’t know how to trace his birthplace.”

Asked if she regrets her action, she said that she would only do so if her husband fails to forgive her and accept her back. But what if, despite doing away with her baby, the man still insists she should find her way, what would she do? “I have nowhere to go,” she said with an emotion-laden voice. “My parents were wiped away in the herdsmen attacks. The father of the boy who should have been alive to take care of me is gone. So this is my challenge.”

By Emmanuel Nzomiwu



ENUGU – Chief Jim Nwobodo, former Governor of old Anambra State has returned to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Progressives Congress (APC) after a two-year spell in the ruling party.

Nwobodo was a founding member of PDP in 1998 but had left the party shortly after it lost power to APC in 2016.

He announced his return to PDP at a ceremony in his Amechi Awkunanaw country home in Enugu on Friday.


Nwobodo was welcomed back by notable PDP bigwigs like Professor Alphonsus (ABC) Nwosu, Ben Obi, Simeon Okeke, Oseloka Obazee and others

Speaking at the event, the elder statesman, who was also a senator and minister, said he could not pretend that all was well in our country today with the escalating crisis, ranging from the economy, insecurity, tension among the three arms of government – executive, legislative and judiciary.

He equally noted the existence of dangerous divisions along tribal and religious lines, and different militant groups arising from the hues and cries of marginalization.

“What we are seeing are symptoms of deep rooted issues that should be brought to the table for discussions on how to address them. I am a democrat and a strong believer in democracy. Those of us who claim to be democrats have a duty to tell the president the truth and advise him appropriately.

“I have been chief executive of a big state and I appreciate how difficult it could be for the chief executive of a state or a country to know the true situation of things with the people you govern,” he said.

Citing just a few of the many undemocratic moves and sayings that are capable of igniting crisis, Nwobodo said as a member of APC and a democrat, he got visibly worried when he heard party members boasting that they had won the election and just waiting for results to be announced.

He wondered how the election was won when the elections are yet to take place.

“One of the tenets of democracy is the division of power among the different independent arms of government, namely executive, legislative and judiciary. The desecration of any of these arms of government portends danger to democracy. The ongoing attempts to arraign and prosecute the chief justice of the federation in disregard to due process is a mockery of the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man. It is even more worrisome to read in the papers that President was not aware of such moves.

“Now that the President is aware, he should please intervene and stop the desecration of Judiciary and restore respect for the rule of law. We are all aware of the implications of disrespect for the rule of law and its dangerous consequences. No genuine investor will take us serious and our image as a country will seriously bruised,” Nwobodo said.

A LEWD video of a woman from Magwegwe shoving a cooking stick into her private parts has forced her into hiding.

Joylene Chimwai shot the 47 seconds-long private video that has since gone viral. She couldn’t face her neighbours the moment the video went public as such she went into hiding.

The video is now the talk of the neighbourhood.


https://i1.wp.com/www.myzimbabwe.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/lewd.jpg?w=600&ssl=1



‘‘I am surprised that a grown woman would do such a thing while recording it. Why would a normal person use a wooden spoon to satisfy their se_xual urges,’’ said a neighbour.

Another didn’t expect such from her.

“I always saw her as a calm and quiet person; little did I know she had her own urges driving her to use wooden spoons as se_xual objects,” said another neighbour.

Some think what she did was satanic.

“This is demonic. No one who is normal in the head would do such a thing. She must go to church and pray. I am afraid to even look at her face,” said another.

Chimwai is married and has a daughter.

Efforts to get comment from Chimwai or her relatives were fruitless.

Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday faulted the Council of State for approving N27,000 as the new minimum wage when the agreement reached by the government, organised labour and the private sector was N30,000.

The lawmakers, therefore, expressed their readiness to adopt the amount proposed by the tripartite committee, whose report was presented to President Muhammadu Buhari.


At the plenary on Thursday, the Speaker, Mr Yakubu Dogara, read a letter by Buhari to the legislature, seeking an amendment to the Minimum Wage Act 1981, to reflect a new minimum wage of N27,000.

The President said the amount was proposed by the tripartite committee and ratified by the Council of State.

The letter read, “The purpose of this letter is to forward to you for legislative action a new Minimum Wage BiII to further amend the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2011.

“In order to give a new National Minimum Wage of N27,000 per month to the lowest paid Nigerian worker from the current N18,000 per month. Thus, new bill and the amendments contained therein were arrived at after consultations by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, which was constituted by me in November 2017 to consider, make recommendations, and advise the government on this issue.

“The Tripartite Committee comprised representatives of the Federal Government, (Nigerian) Governor’s Forum, Organised Private Sector and the Organised Federations of Trade Unions in Nigeria.

“The Federal Executive Council, National Economic Council, and the National Council of State have all noted and approved these recommended amendments.”

Buhari added, “Other highlights of the amendments include: (i) Exemptions for establishments employing less than 25 persons, (ii) five years review period of the Act in consonance with the Constitutional Review for Pensions, (iii) alterations in the amount of fines payable by defaulters on the prosecution.


“Bearing in mind that issue of prescribing a National Minimum Wage for the Federation or any part thereof is within the Exclusive Legislative List of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), and listed as item No. 34 of Part 1 of the Second Schedule, it is my pleasure to forward this Bill for expeditious action.”

After reading the letter, Dogara pointed out that the N30,000, which was proposed by the tripartite committee, and which Federal Government said it would pay its workers in the lower cadre, was not reflected in the letter.

The Speaker asked that the bill be gazetted and considered for second hearing same day. He said it would be referred to an ad hoc committee, which was expected to conduct a public hearing on Monday, while the lawmakers would reconvene to pass it on Tuesday.

Where is Aisha Buhari, wife of the president?

She has not been campaigning along with President Muhammadu in his re-election bid and this has raised concern as to her whereabouts.

But TheCable understands that she is currently abroad for medical reasons, although her office has refused to confirm or deny the speculation.

When TheCable contacted Suleiman Haruna, media aide to the president’s wife, he said he did not have any comments.

“Honestly, honestly, I don’t have any comment on that. People have been calling me. I don’t have any comment on that,” Haruna said.

Speaking with TheCable on Wednesday, a presidency source explained that the president’s wife has not been seen campaigning for her husband “because she is ill”.

“For about two weeks now, you will observe that the president’s wife has not been campaigning. She is ill and she has travelled abroad for treatment,” the source said.

TheCable understands that she will be back by Monday.

Earlier in the month, Buhari’s wife set up a 700-member team for her husband’s second term bid.

The large team, mainly made up of women, was inaugurated by the president on January 4 at Aso Rock.

At the event, she explained that her team would serve as a support to the main campaign council co-chaired by Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“It will operate as a sister body with necessary legwork and outreach and will mobilise women and youths across the country,” the president’s wife said.



She then led her team to a rally in Kano state on January 5.

But that was about the last time she was seen in public working for her husband’s reelection bid.

On January 12, her team arrived Owerri, Imo state, to campaign but she was absent.

Aisha was represented by Dolapo, co-chairperson of the team and wife to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Although she has been critical of some Buhari’s inner circle, she has openly supported her husband’s quest for a second term in office.

by Dyepkazah Shibayan



The police have refused to release Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, despite meeting his bail conditions, TheCable understands.

On Friday, a high court in Abuja granted Melaye bail on health grounds after about two weeks in detention.

Yusuf Halilu, the judge, had granted the senator bail on health grounds.

The bails conditions included presenting three sureties who reside and have properties in Abuja. The lawmaker met the conditions on Monday.

Melaye has been in custody since he surrendered to the police on January 4 after an eight-day siege was laid to his Abuja residence.

The police alleged that supporters of Melaye shot one Danjuma Saliu, a police officer in Kogi state, in July. They said Saliu has been in hospital since that time and is not responding well to treatment.

Speaking with TheCable on Monday night, an associate of the senator who did not want to be named, said as of 7pm, Melaye was still being held in police detention.

The source said despite the order of the court that had been served on police, they are attempting to arraign him “on fresh charges” on Tuesday.

“His family has not seen him. Despite the above FCT High Court order of Friday and duly served on the Police, having met all bail conditions, the police are holding on to Dino Melaye as we speak now,” the associate said.

“Instead of obeying the court order above, they have chose to arraign him in court tomorrow on a fresh charges.

By Nurudeen Oyewole,



Confusion as Lagos Assembly claims ignorance of Ambode’s 2019 budget presentation

The crisis of confidence between the Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and the state House of Assembly deepened on Monday as the lawmakers denied being aware of the governor’s planned presentation of 2019 budget proposal.

Journalists who arrived at the state’s Assembly lobby about 2:30pm were approached by one of the Speaker’s aides who asked them to vacate the premises as the Speaker was said not to be in the know of the planned visit of the governor for the presentation.

By Fikayo Olowolagba




Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Boko Haram terrorism has not been defeated.

Obasanjo, in a lengthy statement made available to DAILY POST by his media team on Sunday, disclosed that Boko Haram is being empowered by the federal government.

He noted that Boko Haram of today has become stronger hence the increase of security threats in Nigeria.

The statement reads in part: “let me assert that the security situation has deteriorated with kidnapping everywhere and Boko Haram more in action and nobody should deceive Nigerians about this. With the teaming up of Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).

“Boko Haram is stronger today militarily than they have ever been. Boko Haram has also been empowered by the Nigerian government through payment of ransom of millions of dollars which each administration disingenuously always denies. With ISIS being liquidated in Iraq and Syria, Africa is now their port of concentration.

Soon, they may take over Libya which, with substantial resources, is almost a totally failed state. When that happens, all African countries North of Congo River will be unsafe with serious security problems. The struggle must be for all West African, Central African, North African and most East African States. Nigeria has to play a vanguard role in this struggle as we have much to lose. This administration has reached the end of its wit even in handling all security issues, but particularly Boko Haram issue, partly due to misuse of security apparatus and poor equipment, deployment, coordination and cooperation.

“Finally, those Nigerians that are being intimidated or threatened by this Administration must trust in God and stand firm. Tough times do not last forever, but tough people invariably survive tough times. This is a tough time for almost all Nigerians in different respects, but the people’s will shall triumph. All people who have registered to vote with their PVCs must never allow anybody or anything to deny or deprive them of the right of performing their fundamental civic duty of voting and sustaining democracy.

“Establishment of democracy and its sustenance is second to attainment of independence in our political life, leaving out the victory of the civil war. We shall overcome.

QueenEsther Iroanusi


The year 2018 could be described as one drama-filled one in the Nigerian Senate under the leadership of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

In as much as he at times tried to evade controversies in 2018, the official fought major battles that tested his political strength.

Several controversies trailed the lawmaker ranging from his in-and-out of court battles with the Code of Conduct Bureau, to disagreements with President Muhammadu Buhari and some appointees, to faceoff with colleagues and also a heated exchange with the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

Below are some major battles that Mr Saraki fought in 2018 in no particular order.


1. Saraki Vs IGP

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had in the past one year, been a thorn in Mr Saraki’s flesh.

Besides snubbing the Senate’s invitation three times – which Mr Saraki described as a gross disrespect, the security chief had several times given orders ostensibly to ‘attack’ the Senate.

The IGP had invited Mr Saraki for questioning in early June after some Offa robbery suspects allegedly confessed to being sponsored by him.

But this approach was later abandoned by the police who asked him to send a written response to the allegations instead. The Senate president subsequently sent a written response to the allegations.

Mr Saraki denied all allegations of involvement in the planning or execution of the Offa robbery in April which caused the death of many.

The Senate president was summoned again to appear before the police on the day that 14 senators defected. A siege was laid at his residence and that of his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. The lawmaker, however, managed to ‘escape’ and later presided over plenary.

The police later frowned at Mr Saraki’s failure to appear as directed and threatened to make him face the consequences. Mr Saraki asked the IGP to send his personnel to question him.

Recently, the lawmaker lashed out at the IGP over an attempt to arrest a senator, Dino Melaye, who has also had conflicts with Mr Idris. Mr Saraki described the police chief as Nigeria’s most partisan police IG.

Mr Idris last week retired from the police and has been replaced as inspector-general.


2. Saraki Vs Oshiomhole

It was all quiet until Mr Saraki dumped the APC and joined the PDP; it became a game of accusations and counter accusations characterised most times by name calling.

Perhaps pricked by his defection – and obviously other lawmakers who followed suit, Mr Oshiomhole, began to verbally attack the Senate president, who did not hesitate to respond.

Shortly after Mr Saraki’s defection, Mr Oshiomhole asked the lawmaker to resign or be removed from office.

In a swift response, Mr Saraki told the APC chairman that all efforts to remove him from office will fail.

He also accused Mr Oshiomhole of behaving like a “rain-beaten chicken” as though he (Mr Saraki) was haunting his life.

The brawl did not end there.

Upon Mr Saraki’s declaration to run for presidency, as expected, Mr Oshiomhole said his decision had “vindicated him”.

He also charged APC members in Kwara State to jettison their personal ambitions and work towards ending the reign of Mr Saraki in Kwara politics.

After the Senate president lost in the primary election, the publicity secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, said Mr Saraki’s loss shows PDP delegates “were fed up with his political style”.

Mr Saraki replied describing the comment as irresponsible.

The war of words between the two dominated part of Nigerian politics between August and November and there seems to be no end in sight yet.


3. Saraki Vs Omo-Agege

The disagreement between the Delta State senator and Mr Saraki can be traced back to when he was suspended for 90 days for accusing his colleagues of working against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election plans in 2019.

This he said was done by adopting the amendment to section 25 of the electoral act outlining a change in the sequence of elections.

One week later, following his suspension, the lawmaker stormed the the chamber during plenary followed by some hoodlums who are believed to have been led by him and carted away the mace.

He was, however, quick to deny any wrondoing.

The federal high court in Abuja nullified his suspension even though the Senate tried to appeal.

Mr Omo-Agege did not relent in his verbal attacks which were directed at his colleagues and especially, Mr Saraki.


4. Saraki Vs Ali Ndume

After his suspension in 2017, Ali Ndume began to verbally attack the Senate president and express disappointment at his leadership.

He had said Mr Saraki betrayed him and other senators who supported him (Mr Saraki) and that he regrets supporting him.

In May, he tackled Mr Saraki and accused him of dictatorship.

In September, Mr Ndume criticised the Senate President’s presidential ambition as he said Mr Saraki can only win election in Kwara State.

Mr Saraki has made efforts not to respond to Mr Ndume’s comments but a few times has ‘ignored’ him on the floor of the Senate.


5. Saraki Vs Abdullahi Adamu

Former governor of Nasarawa State has never failed to hide his undying love and support for the president.

He was always willing to tackle anyone whose words or actions are against Mr Buhari in 2018. Although he tackled other colleagues in 2018, his major target was Mr Saraki.

The conflict started when the Senate adopted a report by the Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on the Amendment to the Electoral Act.

Mr Adamu and nine other senators accused the Senate president of not allowing them to add their voices to the debate.

They eventually left the chamber to address the press while the plenary was still on, insisting that the sequence change was targeted at Mr President.

Mr Adamu, who was later removed as chairman Northern Senators’ Forum in February, began to attack Mr Saraki. Mr Adamu called on the Senate President to resign or face the consequences.

He also accused Mr Saraki of using his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, to do his dirty work.


6. Saraki Vs Tinubu

At the time when the Senate President was battling Mr Oshiomhole, another cold war erupted between him and the APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu.

Mr Tinibu, who claimed to know why people like Mr Saraki and Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal left the party, said in a statement, that they left because the APC could not give them what they wanted – which was automatic tickets and ”sharing of the national wealth which the governing APC could not guarantee”.

According to him, the defectors “left the party to return to a motley agglomeration that would promise them what true democracy could not: automatic tickets, sharing of the national wealth and other offices and privileges”.

And as expected, Mr Saraki, in a swift response, said the reasons advanced by Mr Tinubu were false and mischievous.

He listed the ‘many sins’ of the President Buhari’s administration and the leadership of APC which he said culminated in his defection.

On another occasion, the lawmaker in a leaked audio clip, vowed that Kwara State will never take instructions from any political leader in Lagos State, in veiled reference to Mr Tinubu.


7. Saraki Vs Lai Mohammed

Since Mr Saraki’s exit from the ruling party, it has been a battle for supremacy between him and the Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, who is also from Kwara State.

The duo struggled to see their anointed candidates win the Kwara State by-election for Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero federal constituency – which was conducted to replace a late princess, Funke Adedoyin.

The APC candidate, Tunji Olawuyi polled 21,236 to emerge winner, while his closest rival, Saheed Alatise of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 18,095.

Mr Saraki and other members of the PDP alleged that the process was skewed against their party.
In a recent attack, Mr Mohammed accused the Senate President of “dancing on the graves of the innocent souls who died in the April 5, 2018 armed robbery attack in Offa”.

He said his comment came after Mr Saraki reportedly said in a radio interview that he donated N10 million when he visited Offa to commiserate with the people in the aftermath of the robbery, ”even when the amount that was stolen from the robbed banks’ vaults was N7 million”.

Mr Mohammed said Mr Saraki did not pay a dime to the robbery victims.

Mr Saraki has dismissed the minister’s comments as falsehood.


8. Saraki’s Failed Presidential Ambition

Mr Saraki’s presidential ambition can also be considered as a major battle he fought in 2018.

He was verbally attacked from the day he made the declaration until the day of the primary election.

He officially announced his decision to run at a public dialogue organised by the #NotTooYoungToRun Movement, a youth pressure group. The group later dissociated itself from Mr Saraki’s ambition.

Mr Saraki lost the battle when a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar defeated him and other aspirants to emerge presidential candidate of the PDP.

Mr Saraki promptly vowed to support Mr Abubakar win the 2019 presidential election. He is currently a prominent member of Mr Abubakar’s campaign team.