₦airaland Forum

Tor Vande-Acka



Adams Oshiomhole, All Progressives Congress (APC), National Chairman on Saturday anointed Senator George Akume, former governor of the state as the President of the next Senate.

Represented by Kashim Imam, Oshiomhole also vowed that Samuel Ortom, Benue State governor would be picked up by relevant authorities as soon as his immunity expires as state governor on May 29th, over allegations of N23 billion embezzlement.

He made the statement in Makurdi during the official flag-off of Jime/Ode Gubernatorial campaign for the March governorship elections, even as Senator Akume went on his kneels to beg the people of the state for presenting to them, state governor, Samuel Ortom in 2015.

Also speaking at the occasion, the governorship candidate of the APC in the state, Emmanuel Jime who described Ortom as a ‘conman’ promised that he would not hide under the guise of religion to deprive the people of the state of their rightful privileges.

By Wale Odunsi



The mother of billionaire businessman, Omofemiwa Ibrahim is dead.


The septuagenarian died in a fire accident at her Victoria Garden City (VGC) residence on Saturday.

Mrs Ibrahim was pronounced dead at the scene after the arrival of fire fighters.

Her corpse has been deposited at the morgue.

Madam Ibrahim moved to VGC to be close to her billionaire son after she was released by kidnappers in 2011.

She was kidnapped in Igbotako, Ondo State and released in Sapele, Delta State after her family paid millions of naira as ransom.

Jimoh Ibrahim has confirmed the incident.

A source close to him told DAILY POST that Ibrahim was “very sad” about the development.

Ibrahim, who is currently in London, was said to have been informed earlier in the day

Samson Folarin



The United States of America has warned its citizens in Nigeria to be conscious of threats by members of Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa.

In a statement published on Friday, January 18, 2019, on its official website in Nigeria, the US said the insurgents had threatened to attack public places.

The US said although it did not have information on attacks targeted at the embassy, it advised the citizens to review their movements and keep a low profile.

“There is an increase in ISIS propaganda videos specifically directed to Nigeria and the ongoing civil unrest in Borno State and the North-East.

“ISIS West Africa and Boko Haram have both stated they plan to disrupt the upcoming 2019 presidential elections by conducting attacks on Nigerian security and infrastructure, as well as places of gathering such as markets, hotels, and malls.

“While we have no specific threat information to the U.S. Embassy or within Nigeria during the election season, U.S. citizens in Nigeria should remember to follow personal security precautions on a regular basis.

“Actions to take: Expect additional police and military checkpoints and possible roadblocks throughout the country. Carry proper identification, including a U.S. passport with a current Nigerian visa, if needed; exercise caution when walking or driving at night; review travel routes and times to reduce time and place predictability; avoid crowds and demonstrations; be aware of your surroundings; keep a low profile; stay alert in public places, including schools, hospitals, government facilities, places of worship, tourist locations, and transportation hubs,” the statement said.

The US embassy also advised the citizens to monitor press reports and review their travel advisory for Nigeria.

It gave out contact details of the embassy in Abuja and the consulate in Lagos for further assistance.

By Tunde Oyesina



In order not to be caught in the web that had just entangled the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, top politicians, civil servants and many public officers have begun thronging the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) in a bid to declare or update their assets, investigations by Saturday Telegraph has revealed. Our correspondents had during the week noticed unusual visits to the Bureau by some aides of some big shots within the political class, prompting a check on the unusual activities.

The checks, however, revealed that the moves were propelled by the ongoing trial of the CJN over alleged non-declaration of assets. Some of the aides of the top shots seen at the CCB confided in our correspondent that fears and tension had gripped their principals, who had to resort to the latest step because they are afraid that the Federal Government may come after them using the same method. One of them was even of the view that the government has concluded plans to nail anyone that could be a stumbling block to the second term ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari and the return of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to power. But he was quick to add that the visit is not limited to members of the opposition party.

Citing the latest statement credited to the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in which he said that the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, would be questioned when he returns from his trip to the United States, the aide said every politician and civil servants must be extremely careful now so as not to fall prey. “Did you hear what they just said about Atiku and the Bank PHB? I think anybody that wants to enjoy his or her freedom under this regime should do the needful by ensuring that they follow the due process and not run foul of the law.

“But it is not only PDP people that are showing up there, even strong APC stalwarts had been sending their aides to the CCB to update their records. This man in charge is a respecter of nobody”, he said. He also recalled that the Federal Government had slammed a six-count criminal charge on the CJN before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, for allegedly not disclosing about five accounts, which he is said to be operating with Standard Chattered Bank. In the same vein, a source in the Bureau, who pleaded for anonymity, confirmed to Saturday Telegraph that, since Monday, many top civil and public servants had been visiting the agency to either declare their assets or update their records. According to the CCB source, the manner the people involved had been paying visits to the organisation had been mindboggling, noting that the staff were overwhelmed.

“Since this week started, we have been seeing many civil servants and public servants coming here to declare their assets. “We strongly believe that it was as a result of the charge filed against the CJN for failure to declare his assets. The law is that public office holders must declare their assets, when they are coming to office and also do same, when they are leaving the office.

“For civil servants, they are expected to update their assets declaration form every four years. But a lot of those concerned have failed to do this. I think they have now learnt a lesson from what is happening to the CJN who also failed to declare some of his assets in the declaration form.”

Some politicians however informed Saturday Telegraph that they had to take the step, not just because they were afraid but also because it is the right thing to do. An APC House of Representatives candidate who met with one of our correspondents in Lagos, said he was in the know of the latest rush by his colleagues, explaining that the party had already warned against the non-declaration of as especially as the general election approaches.

The candidate who is currently representing one of the local governments in the South West was emphatic about the party’s position. “Whoever is caught will have to face the music, the party had told us to fill the form carefully. At every occasion when the issue cropped up, we were warned never to put what we cannot defend.

“I am not surprised that some people are now rushing to update their records, it is something they should have done long ago. There is need for serious caution,” he said. Earlier, the new Chairman of the Bureau, Prof. Isah Mohammed, had been reported to have warned that the Bureau was more than ever prepared to prosecute erring civil servants and public office holders at both federal and state levels over the non-declaration of assets. According to the reports,Mohammed had advised civil servants and public office holders against flagrant abuse of its Act by declaring their assets at the required regular intervals. Mohammed said the bureau had not been particularly active in the monitoring and prosecution of offenders, adding that there was a renewed commitment to ensure that the body remained proactive.

“The Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal are the creation of the 1999 Constitution as amended and we have resolved to ensure full application of the law against offenders. “We are collaborating with other anti-corruption agencies and the police to form the required synergy to fight corruption in the country. “There would be no hiding place for a public servant who keeps away his or her assets from public knowledge. Such assets must be declared at CCB at the right time”, he said.

Mohammed said the bureau was considering a nationwide publicity campaign to educate civil servants and public office holders on the danger of not declaring their assets adequately. He also said ministries, departments and agencies of government should appoint desk officers that would continually abreast other staff of the need to update their assets with the bureau.

“It is elementary to state that public servants have the mandate to renew their CCB asset declaration form at four years interval. “Let me also tell you here that new appointees and employees of government are respectively mandated to declare their assets after joining the service”, he was quoted as saying.

By Saawua Terzungwe



The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus Friday said that “cabal” in the current government wanted to kill President Muhammadu Buhari.

Secondus who inaugurated a 27-man sub-committee of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO), in Abuja, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) bigwigs were “deceiving” the President to seek a second term and “over-working” him instead of asking him to rest.

The PDP helmsman said Nigeria was sliding into a state of anarchy under the current government and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies to remain neutral during the February 16 presidential poll.

He cautioned that there would be crisis in the nation if INEC failed to conduct a credible election.

“We are worried that the cabal wants to kill Mr. President because they are not allowing him to rest. That story is for another day.

“The Nigerian public should know so that from now, they can see the clear difference between an energetic and competent candidate ready to become the President with a lot to offer.

“We are pained about the way the cabal is mounting pressure on the President. You are aware of what happened in Kogi; you are aware of what happened during the interview. You can see that the President is under stress, is under immense pressure from the leadership of the APC.

“The analysis is very straight. Do they want to kill the President? Because they are over-working him and you can see the mistakes all over. That interview was a national disgrace.

“What happened in Warri yesterday (Thursday) was another national disgrace. No wonder we are not respected in the comity of nations. And when we say the truth, they say it is hate speech.

“To turn around the economy of our country. You can hear Atiku clearly. He has the rhetorics, the articulation. He can communicate, he can engage. So he is going to engage world leaders to bring honour and dignity to our country.

“Shame on the leaders of the APC. Why can’t Buhari behave like Mandela? One term is enough. If he is doing this way like we are seeing in the videos, what will happen in the next four years? It will be a complete, absolute disaster.

“This election must be free, fair and credible and we therefore congratulate the new IGP and ask him to clean up the mess of the former IGP. The duty of the Police is to protect lives and properties according to the constitution, not to get involved in politics.
They should maintain their professionalism.

“But if they go outside their constitutional responsibility, that is where the crisis will come from. But we will to advise that we don’t want crisis in our country. If you want to avoid crisis, please be neutral.

“INEC also must be neutral. Professor Yakubu has not shown enough strength and will. Rhetorics are not enough because all the elections he conducted failed the litmus test. In Ekiti, Osun, it was shame,”Secondus said.

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PPCO) describes as laughable, President Muhammadu Buhari’s heinous plot to frame the PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, out of fear that he is already coasting to victory in the February 16 Presidential election.

While we understand that President Buhari and his dysfunctional All Progressives Congress (APC) are jittery over Atiku Abubakar’s soaring popularity ahead of the elections, it is reprehensible that Mr. President will descend abysmally low to fabricate outright lies and falsehood in a bid to discredit a more qualified and acceptable Presidential candidate.

The PPCO makes bold to state that Atiku Abubakar has nothing to do with the alleged issues leading to the collapse of Bank PHB, but an honest and hard working Nigerian who has no skeleton of any sort in his cupboard, unlike President Buhari, who is now entangled in series of corruption allegations.

For emphasis, even the Chairman of President Buhari’s Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, had since told the world that the Buhari Presidency has searched everywhere and could not find anything incriminating on Atiku Abubakar.

Abuja – Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has accused the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar of being an accomplice to the collapse of Bank PHB.

He said Atiku’s name was linked to one Claremont Management Services account through which N165 million was credited to him, a development that culminated in the grounding of the bank.

Lai made the allegations on the heels of Abubakar’s visit to the United States on Thursday.

The Minister said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was not perturbed about the latest America trip even though they dared him to visit the country.

According to the Minister, Atiku could go ahead to obtain the American green card but that it would not stop his defeat in the forthcoming polls slated for February 16.

Chinwendu Nnadozie


Minna – Barely few weeks to the elections slated for this year, the crisis bedeviling the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has taken a new dimension with the setting up of a committee to investigate a chieftain of the party and member of its Board of Trustees (BOT), Alhaji Abubakar Magaji.

Magaji, one of the founding members of the party in the state, believed to be a leading political figure in the Niger-South senatorial zone, was ordered to be investigated over anti-party activities and other issues yesterday (Thursday).

Secretary of the party in Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Limam, who signed the press statement made available to newsmen in Minna, said the decision was the outcome of the State Working Committee (SEC) meeting, which met the previous.

Magaji, according to the statement, was being investigated because he reportedly made derogatory statements about Governor Abubakar Sani Bello at a meeting chaired by the governor on Monday.

“At the State Working Committee meeting of the party held on 16th January, 2019,the derogatory statement “who is party” made by Alhaji Abubakar Magaji (Ndaji Lapai) at a party meeting chaired by the leader of the party in Niger State, His Excellency Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello on 14th January 2019 were deliberated upon”, the statement said.

“This derogatory statement in the view of the party (APC) was embarrassing and has brought it to hatred, contempt, ridicule and disrepute, which offends Article 21(A)(ii) of the party’s constitution 2014 (as amended)”.

According to the statement, “The state Working Committee, therefore, has set up or constituted a five-man disciplinary committee vested with the responsibility of investigating the matter and recommend appropriate sanctions.”

Luman, however, did not mention the names of disciplinary committee members or how long it was given to complete the assignment, while efforts to reach Magaji proved abortive as all his cell phones were switched off as at the time of filing this report.

by Mayowa Tijani



The United States Chamber of Commerce has confirmed a private meeting with Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a mailed response to TheCable’s inquiries on attending the meeting, Katharine Cooksey, senior manager, media and external communications, US Chamber of Commerce, said no reporters will be able to attend the meeting.

“Thank you for reaching out to us. The event you mention is private, closed press, and off the record,” Cooksey said.

“Only U.S.-Africa Business Center members are invited. No reporters will be able to attend.”

TheCable had initially tried to confirm the details of the event from the chamber and the US Africa Business Centre websites, but there was no record of the meeting.

Atiku, who arrived the US this afternoon, however, said he will be meeting with US government officials, without giving details of who and who he will be meeting.

“Just arrived Washington D.C for meeting with US government officials, Nigerians living in D.C metropolis and the business community,” Atiku tweeted with his signature AA.

The chamber is the largest lobbying group in the US, spending more money than any other lobbying organization on a yearly basis.

It has specific economic and political leanings, which plays major roles in elections in the United States and the creation of jobs in the world’s largest economy.

Atiku has built his campaign around job creation, running with the tagline: “Atiku means jobs”. It is, however, unclear how Atiku’s meetings will further facilitate his quest to create jobs in Nigeria.

Sunday Aborisade Abuja



The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Thursday, shocked his colleagues when he revealed how some thieves broke into the luxury car of a senator and stole huge sums of money.

He lamented that the multi-million naira Close Circuit Television devise installed in the National Assembly was not functional as of the time of the incident.

Ekweremadu stated this while responding to a point of order raised by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, complaining about a burglary case which occurred in her office during the yuletide and New Year break.

The deputy senate president who presided over the session sympathized with Tinubu, but noted that the incident in her office was not an isolated matter because a similar incident happened in the House of Representatives.

He said, “A colleague came for a transaction and left some money in his car during the Christmas break. Some people broke into the car and removed some money.

“Since he parked his car close to the main Senate complex, he thought that the CCTV camera would capture the activities of the burglars but regrettably, the CCTV did not work when it was checked and it is really embarrassing.”

He therefore directed the National Assembly management to investigate all burglary issues that had been reported so far, and furnish the leadership of the federal parliament, the outcome of its investigations as soon as possible..

Tinubu, who came under Order 43 (personal explanation), had raised the alarm that the incident in her office was giving her serious concern.

He said, “My office was closed on 7th December because of my constituency engagements. My staff resumed on Wednesday January 9 and reported a case of burglary in my office.”

She urged the Senate to direct the National Assembly management to replace all the items stolen in her office.

Samuel Ogundipe and Sani Tukur


President Muhammadu Buhari said on Wednesday that he could not speak about the bribery allegations against Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Mr Buhari, at a town hall appearance on Wednesday night, said Mr Ganduje’s matter has become a subject of judicial and legislative proceedings, and speaking about it on air could be subjudice.

The president also said he did not know whether the videos were manipulated.

The town-hall was moderated by Kadaria Ahmed, and broadcast live on NTA.

Mr Ganduje was captured receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in a series of videos published last year.

Daily Nigerian, which obtained the videos, said Mr Ganduje was recorded by public works contractors, who had frequently complained about the governor’s penchant for bribe-taking.


Mr Ganduje strongly denied all allegations of fraud, suggesting that the videos were ‘cloned’, a denial mocked across the country.

PREMIUM TIMES independently confirmed the videos were real.

Some supporters of the governor got a court order stopping the Kano State Assembly from continuing an inquiry it had launched on the matter.

Mr Buhari on Wednesday said the decision of the House to investigate the scandal and the suit instituted “helped” him and had made it impossible for him to speak publicly about it.


“The State Assembly is investigating and they have the mandate to deal with it and they have also gone to court, so I decided not to talk about it,” Mr Buhari said


President Buhari admitted he had seen the videos, but quipped, “Does Ganduje have to take the money himself, smiling?”

He said, “The system has given me some relief, it is in the court and the Assembly.

Mr Buhari, however, said he hoped to get a better understanding of the matter and possibly a conclusive response when he visits Kano to campaign in the coming days.


He said he hoped either the state assembly or the courts will take a decision on the case before he campaigns in the city.

The president had been asked if he would publicly identify with Mr Ganduje despite the scandal.

“I hope by the time I go to Kano for my campaign there will be some answers from the court or the Assembly,” he said.

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja

Hundreds of Police commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant Police commissioners have stormed the Force Headquarters to lobby the newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, The PUNCH has learnt.

Our correspondent learnt that with most of the deputy inspectors-general leaving the service, vacancies will be created in the system, with some CPs and AIGs getting accelerated promotions.

Some departments regarded as ‘juicy’ include the administration and finance, housing, as well as procurement.

Some of the most sought-after postings among Police commissioners and senior officers include: Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, FCT, Police Mobile Force, oil protection units and foreign missions attaché.

There is also expected to be some reshuffling soon ahead of next month’s elections.

Some states are also considered to be ‘juicy’ during election seasons.

A CP who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, however, said they were only coming to pay homage to the new IG and not necessarily to lobby for juicy positions.

He said, “I am here to pay homage to my new boss and pledge my loyalty. I am not here to lobby anybody.”

https://cdn.dailytrust.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Finger-vibrator.png


A 25-year-old Norwichian lady, Ms Cassie Espin, has slammed a intimacy gadget company after a battery of the new finger vibrator she bought for her sexual pleasure exploded.

According to reports, Esplin bought the vibrator from an online retailer Lovehoney.co.uk at a discounted price of £4 British pounds, reduced from £12.

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According to her, she bought the vibrator on the recommendation of a friend during January sales.

The lady claimed that when she picked the vibrator up, the battery pack flew out with a force hitting the ceiling leaving a black mark.

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She claimed the battery landed on her top, scorched her jumper and left a mark on her chest when it exploded.

“Thank God I was not using it; It could have caused some damage. I jumped out of my skin; I was in so much shock.

“I just thought `Oh my god, what has just happened’. I was holding it close to my face and it could have hit my eyes. I could have been blinded by a £4 intimacy gadget.

“I was going to try it for the first time and it made a really loud bang. I just froze. I was so shocked.

“As soon as I put the batteries in, it just exploded in my hand; part of it hit the ceiling and landed on my chest,” she said.

However, a spokesman of the company said this was the first time the organisation is receiving such complaint about the product.

According to him, the company takes all customers’ complaints seriously, adding that the company offers all customers a refund if they complain that a product is faulty.

He said the company had spoken with the complainant and was making arrangement to collect the product for further testing. (NAN)

By Anietie Akpan,



The United States of America and European countries may with effect from tomorrow, stop issuance of visas to prominent Nigerian elite and politicians.

Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Mike Igini, who disclosed this yesterday, said the ban would remain in place until after the elections.

In an exclusive interview with The Guardian in Uyo, Igini said: “I have been calling on various countries. First I have been advising Nigerians that they should not make election a violent thing.

“We should not destroy our country because you think that you have U.S., UK visa and visas of other European countries where you can run to with your family.”

Igini had made similar call during an exclusive interaction with party chairmen and secretaries in the state last Friday.

“My call is that, having called on Nigerians to reject violence and those who are planning it, I also think the international community should be involved. Nigeria cannot be in autarchy of best practices, you have the capacity to identify those who are planning violence across the federation.

According to the REC, the real threat to 2019 are the elite of Nigeria, and the political class who are recruiting thugs, and pilling up money to buy votes.

“They are even more sophisticated now, they have hired some houses, collecting peoples Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), VIN numbers, telephone numbers and are also now collecting their account numbers,” he said.

He disclosed that INEC has been receiving the report about these elite and politicians, including their importation of military camouflage and fake police uniforms.

Igini lamented that politicians are the greatest enemies of Nigerians, adding that if Nigeria will ever rise to achieve greatness, it cannot do so outside the value and orientation of its elite.

He stated: “A periodic election is what distinguishes democracy from other forms of government, because it is what enables the electorate the power to exercise their residual sovereignty.”

The REC stressed that in other climes, security agencies have no role to play in an election, but are supposed to do their normal jobs.

But, because of the level of criminality among the political elite, who are very reprobate set of people, ready to kill and read signature blind, security has become an issue today.

“The point is that INEC and security are now the focus of either the success, or failure of the 2019 election. For us as a commission, we will stand tall and mighty in the defence of democracy and the rule of law.

By Harris-Okon Emmanuel, Uyo Her voice cracked and tears welled up in her eyes amid sobbing while recounting her ordeal on that fateful day, Monday, November 5, 2018 at Usenten village in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

The victim, Iniubong Essien, had been allegedly abducted by one Uduak Godwin Nseobot, alias King Pele, a Councillor representing Southern II, Ward 6 in Ibiono Ibom LGA, and his wife, Aniedi, and taken to the community square where she was accused of stealing some of the money sprayed on them during their marriage which took place that weekend.



https://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/naked-e1547316134105.jpg

*Iniubong …after mob action

The allegation jostled her as, according to her, she never suspected her friend and the husband could be up to any claim that could be so detrimental to her person.

Apparently, she was helpless and death stared her in the face as the villagers, allegedly at the prompting of the Council lawmaker, stripped her naked, tied a rope around her waist, battered her with sticks and stones and paraded her round the village.

This, she narrated, was the worst nightmare of her life as the incident left her traumatized and deeply depressed. For several weeks thereafter, she could not go to public places as she did not know who may have seen her naked body as posted by her attackers on the social media while she was being falsely paraded as a thief.


Iniubong said: “Being a friend of the bride, I helped her to sell the uniforms (aso-ebi) to our fellow friends and I attended the wedding and assisted in serving food while one of the friends of the bride, Gloria, assisted the couple in picking money sprayed on them during the nuptial dance. The service point was at the back of the hall.

And I left in the company of other friends when they were giving the vote of thanks, because I had another traditional wedding to attend in the same neighbourhood. ‘’The day after the event, I was invited to the couple’s home at Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, and I informed them that I would not be able to visit them and jokingly told them to continue to enjoy their honey moon and that I would see them later and render account of the wedding uniforms I handled for them. I was still resting on the bed when Aniedi came and knocked and I opened the door for her and she came in and thanked me for my support during their wedding. She then invited me to come and meet the husband who was in the car with Gloria and one other person.

‘’When I got to the car, they asked me to enter and I said it was an opportunity for me to go the ATM so that I could withdraw the money and give to them, which I did. But instead of taking me back to my house, Pele (friend’s husband) took me to the village and he started calling people and, immediately, a crowd gathered and they started asking me to confess where I kept the money. And I asked them which money? At this point he (Nseobot) was grinding charcoal to rub on my body and he ordered his boys to strip me. And his PA told him, ‘Where is your gun? Let us finish this woman, whether she has not heard about Pele in Eket’.

The PA added that nothing would happen if l was killed as his boss had the backing of prominent politicians in the state. I kept pleading with them all this while to let me go, but they refused. ‘He (Councillor) told me that he would kill, bury me and nobody would know. And I told them that if they killed me, the truth would one day come out and my innocent blood would not dry in Ibiono.

They broke bottles on my head and assaulted me. And my nude pictures were taken by the Councillor and the people and shared on social media”. Iniubong said after much pleading, they agreed to take her to a herbalist for what she described as ‘’native finding”, and the villagers boarded four mini buses and other cars, and, as they were going, a friend of the Councillor called and warned him of the dire consequence of his unholy acts and he immediately disengaged the villagers and made a detour to Uyo to the Police Headquarters at Ikot Akpan Abia and handed her over to the police. The police, moved by the bruises and injuries she sustained, immediately sent her to a clinic for medical treatment, while one of the suspects (Councillor Nseobot) was arrested and granted bail.

Meanwhile, Iniubong’s lawyers, Bailey Chambers, raised a strongly worded petition to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State CID, alleging assault, battery and threat to life as well as attempted murder of their client by Nseobot and his wife.

The petition read in part: “Our client was stripped naked and pictures of her nudity were taken by Uduak Godwin Nseobot and members of the mob with mobile phones. Our client was beaten almost to the point of death by the mob and she would have been killed but for the intervention of outsiders who demanded that she be taken to the police station.

‘’It is at this point that our client was taken to the State Police Headquarters at Ikot Akpan Abia. There, pictures evidencing the bruises and cuts on our client’s body were taken and our client was asked by the police to visit a clinic where a medical examination was conducted. Pictures of our client after the incident and a copy of the medical report are herewith attached.

‘’A great wrong and injustice has been done to our client. It is for this reason that we implore that your office should intervene in this matter by causing a proper and effective investigation of this issue so that the culprits responsible may be brought to justice”. Akwa Ibom State Branch of the International Federation of Women Lawyers also stepped into the matter. The body equally petition the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and the police and urged them to use their good offices to ensure the case was not swept under the carpet.

The women lawyers, in the petition signed by their Vice Chairperson, Emem Ette, condemned the incident in its entirety, and urged the Attorney General to take over the matter from the police to ensure that the suspects are prosecuted as, according to them, no man is above the law. ‘’We wish to state that the action of the suspect, Hon. Uduak Godwin Nseobot, and that of his newly wedded wife, Ms. Aniedi Matthew, in taking laws into their hands by abducting, stripping naked, tying a rope around the waist and grievously battering the complainant in the full glare of over 30 persons in their village in Ibiono Ibom local government area is barbaric, bizarre and a violent contravention of the right of the complainant to human dignity and self-worth”, they said.

‘’These acts are those the law, the police and indeed our law enforcement agencies are against and it is unfortunate and disheartening that one, as exposed as a sitting Councillor in the Ibiono Ibom local government area, who should know better, would lend himself to such acts.

These acts are condemnable. We cannot fold our hands and look on whilst a power drunk person uses his position, powers and connections to oppress a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. They maintained that the association would follow the case to its logical conclusion with a view to making sure that justice was done or seen to be done in the matter.

A traditional dimension has been added to the matter because of the fetish angle the suspect and his alleged accomplices were said to have taken on the victim, prompting the traditional institution in Nsit Ubium to send a message to her counterpart in Ibiono Ibom.

Two months after the incident, Iniubong is yet to come to terms with what happened as she still could not understand why her friend, her husband and their friends allegedly gave her such a raw deal, despite their cordial relationship which, according to her, spanned over 8-years and which, she said, necessitated her involvement during their marriage arrangement.

The victim has, however, approached the court in a bid to get justice. In a suit, HU/412/2018, filed against the Councillor at the High Court in Uyo over alleged assault, she is demanding N10 million as damages for the torture, assault and defamation of character. In a writ of summons by her counsel, Ndifreke Akpan of Star Attorneys, the claimant is seeking a declaration that the torture, maltreatment and battering by the defendants, Uduak Godwin Nseobot and Aniedi Uduak Nseobot, for no wrong committed by her was unlawful and unconstitutional.

She is also requesting for a declaration that the act of the defendants in publishing allegations of theft against her to third parties was unlawful and defamatory of her person. Similarly, the police have instituted a legal action against the suspect at a Magistrate Court sitting at Oko Ita, headquarters of Ibiono Ibom local government area, on alleged abduction, battering and attempted murder and hearing on the matter is billed for Monday (tomorrow), January 14, 2019.

‘’I want the right thing to be done. I want him (Councillor) to clear my name. He should go to the same village and call the same people on the day he disgraced me and apologize. He should also tender unreserved apology in national, local papers as well as radio. It is only then that I can let the matter to die permanently”, Iniubong said.

There is palpable fear within ranks of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State as the warring factions are laying claim to the leadership of the party in Ekiti and SouthWest.

They are also plotting showdown during the visit of the party’s Presidential flag bearer, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Peter Obi.

In what appeared to be a fight to finish, two PDP chieftains – Former Governor Ayo Fayose and the Senate Minority Leader, Abiodun Olujimi – have inaugurated two parallel Atiku\Obi Campaign Councils in Ekiti .

Fayose is enjoying the support of the party, both in the state and national level.

Olujimi, on the other hand, seems to be getting the backing of Atiku’s men in Abuja and many founding members of the PDP in Ekiti.

Also, majority of the PDP members in the State House of Assembly are with the Senator. While the Fayose’s faction of the council is being led by Professor Kolapo Olusola, the PDP Governorship candidate in the July 14, 2018 election , Olujimi’s faction is headed by a former governorship aspirant of the party, Otunba Yinka Akerele .

By Adelanwa Bamgboye



No fewer than 150 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) have volunteered to put up their appearances in defence of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen on Monday, before the Justice Danladi Yakubu led-Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

This is coming on the heels of the federal government’s resolve to arraign and prefer criminal charges against the CJN on Monday January 14, 2019 before the CCT in Abuja over alleged failure to declare his assets as required by law and for operating Bank Domiciliary Foreign Currency Accounts.

Constitutional lawyer, Sebastine Hon, SAN in a telephone chat with Daily Trust on Saturday said the number of eminent lawyers that have volunteered to defend the CJN might even be more than 150.

All efforts to get the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, SAN, to comment on this development tonight failed as he neither picks calls nor reply text messages sent to his mobile lines.

The constitutional lawyer described the six-count criminal charge against the CJN as a deliberate attempt to gag the judiciary.

In a statement on Saturday, Sebastine Hon, SAN also urged the CJN not to heed to what he termed as an “unholy call” for him to step aside.

He said: “While I know that the Chief Justice of Nigeria does not enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution, I see this move by the Federal Government as dangerously political and tendentious.

“Suddenly, we woke to see a petition leaked to the informal or social media, allegedly received by the Code of Conduct on 9th January, 2019.

“Suddenly, we are told charges have been filed against the CJN. Suddenly the Presidency is reportedly asking him to step aside! Was he interrogated or interviewed and his own reactions obtained?”
The FG among others is accusing Nigeria’s head of the judiciary of refusal to declare his assets in breach of the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act.

He is also being accused of maintaining domiciliary foreign currencies account which comprised of Dollars Account, Pound Sterling Account and Euro Account which were alleged to be contrary to relevant laws, especially for public office holders.

It was also gathered that the FG has by implication ordered the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen to immediately vacate office.

Also speaking, a Lagos-based constitutional lawyer, Barrister Johnson Esezebo, said there is no sentiment in law, adding that whoever runs contrary to the law should face the music.

“If the CJN has run contrary to the law, he should be made to face the music. I want to remind us what Justice Akinola Aguda, of the blessed memory said in 1978 when handling a case in which a lawyer was found guilty.

“He said ‘because you are a lawyer, who is supposed to know better, I will give you the maximum punishment’, prescribed under this act.

“I want lawyers, and judges to know that if politicians can fail the society, military can fail the society, lawyers cannot afford to fail the society or else we are all doomed. We should not drag sentiment into law. No matter the people’s nomenclature, tribe, religion, we should be guided by the law”, the lawyer said.

By Abbas Jimoh


There are over 100 different salary structures in the federal civil service alone, some retired permanent secretaries told Daily Trust Friday in Abuja.

While they were unanimous in asking the federal government to summon political wills to tackle the problems in civil service, they however differed on the modalities to implement the proposed salary and minimum wage reviews proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The trio spoken to in different interviews however pleaded not to be named, citing different reasons for their anonymity.

“We have too many salary structures in the federal civil service with the NNPC, and its subsidiaries, for example, having over a dozen different salary structures and being paid by the same government,” one of the permanent secretaries said.

According to him, the present federal workforce is too bogus and is one of the reasons for the inefficiency in the nation’s work force.

“Even less than half of the present work force can do better than what we are having now,” he said.

Another was of the stance that the government must be decisive, but carry all the stakeholders along in the proposed review.

“Even while the President have not said the reviews would be downward, it is clear to all that this would be a downward review. My concern here is, to cite a popular example, the case of the medical doctors with the pharmacists, earning different salary structures in the same field. There are likely going to be industrial crisis, but this can be managed if the government can show commitment and make the processes transparent,” he said.

Another of the permanent secretaries said the disparity between a permanent secretary and a director, which is just a step is so much that while a permanent secretary continue to enjoy his pecks for life, till death, the package of a director, especially when the pension is considered is nothing to write home about.

He said, “So there must be serious nationwide actions. I cannot imagine the states that are failing to meet up the N18, 000 minimum wage, despite the federal government interventions, to be able to meet up N30, 000 or any other added figure.”

By Hamza Idris, Ismail Mudashir & Musa Abdullahi Krishi


Campaigns for this year’s elections are heating up for all elective posts across the country, but there are unusual campaign moves or oddities across board.


Lethargic campaigns

Since the return of democracy in 1999, there had been generally intense campaigns by all political parties ahead of general elections. In the 2011 and 2015 elections, there were serious campaigns by the major political parties. For instance, in the build up to the 2011 poll, there were serious colourful, intense and even vicious campaigns in some cases. In 2015, the PDP and APC engaged in ferocious campaigns. Campaign trains were in full gear as politicians both in PDP and APC pulled out resources, hired aircraft and procured many vehicles for campaigns. It was reported that former president Goodluck Jonathan alone had over 300 volunteer groups that worked for his re-election.

However, the same cannot be said of the 2019 elections, as campaigns across the country seem to be on low ebb. It is believed that the presidential campaigns and some governorship campaigns are being hit by lack of funds.

A few days ago, President Buhari told his ministers that he would not approve the use of state funds for his campaigns and urged them to use the social media to convince the people to vote for him.

In 2015, millions of Nigerians donated to Buhari through different methods, including purchase of recharge cards. It is not clear if such gesture would be repeated.


A legion of presidential candidates

When Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, only three political parties, the PDP, APP and AD fielded presidential candidates. In 2003, the number of presidential candidates rose to 20. The 2007 presidential election had 18 candidates, while 20 candidates contested in 2011. Although there were about 26 registered political parties in the build-up to the 2015 elections, only 14 contested the presidential election. For 2019, the number of political parties has risen to 91 with an unprecedented 73 candidates set for the presidential contest while over 80 million with youths in the lead are ready to cast their votes.


Tinubu’s role in Buhari’s campaign

The outsourcing of the re-election campaigns for President Muhammadu Buhari to the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is considered a new aspect that could form part of events that would shape this year’s election.

Buhari publicly announced the hand over of his campaigns to Tinubu during the inauguration of his Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) on Monday in Abuja.

“Tinubu, my co-chairman, will be fully in charge, and is going to be on 24-hour vigil. That is to say, the operational buck of this campaign stops at his table, and I therefore urge all of us in the leadership of this campaign, in the field operations on the campaign trail and in the secretariat to consult with Asiwaju whenever guidance is needed, “ he said.

It is doubtful if a Nigerian president had ever handed over his re-election campaigns to a party chief. If anything close, it was the reverse, whereby a president took over the campaigns for his anointed candidate. At the build-up to the 2007 election, former president Olusegun Obasanjo took over the campaigns for late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. At a presidential campaign rally in Abeokuta, Obasanjo called Yar’Adua who was then receiving medical treatment abroad, to dispel rumours of his death.


Aisha Buhari’s “super” campaign team

Unlike in previous elections where wives of presidential candidates moved around with their husbands for campaigns, the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, has introduced a new initiative with the launch of her own campaign team. Perhaps, as a gift to her husband, Aisha changed her stance on Buhari’s second term bid with the constitution of a powerful campaign team of about 700 members on New Year’s eve.

The constitution of the team is a sharp contrast to her earlier position regarding the president’s second term bid. Twice, she was in the news expressing reservations on the administration of her husband. The first was in 2016 via an interview aired on the BBC. Late last year, she raised an alarm that her husband’s administration had been hijacked by two people as against the over 15 million that voted for him in 2015. The campaign team has membership from across the country. So far, her campaign efforts have manifested in Kano and Nasarawa states. While she was in Kano in person, she was represented in Nasarawa.


Battle for 2023 before 2019 elections

The battle for the 2023 presidential race rages on even before the conduct of this year’s election. A new twist has been introduced to this year’s poll. The South East and South West are eyeing the presidency come 2023 and handlers of President Buhari’s camaigns are using it to woo the two zones. Many pundits wonder how a few individuals could usurp the mandate of millions of people by assuring of handing over power to a certain region in the next four years when they too are seeking a fresh mandate.

Weeks ago, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the South West would produce the president in 2023 if Buhari wins the forthcoming election.

Osinbajo’s statement is in sharp contrast to that of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, who had on two occasions assured the South East that they would produce the president in 2023 if they support Buhari’s re-election.

Worried by the development, members of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing were at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on January 4 to demand a categorical statement from Buhari regarding where power will shift to in 2023.


Government’s Trader Moni scheme

The Trader Moni, a social intervention program under the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is an issue worth mentioning in the campaigns. From state to state, Osinbajo has popularised the scheme visiting markets, interacting with women and dishing out N10, 000 interest-free loans to petty traders. Considered as vote-buying by the opposition, especially the PDP, the program would go down as one of the unusual moves in this year’s electioneering campaigns.


Okorocha/Amosuns’ open stance

Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State who are rounding off their second terms in office have already secured tickets of their party, the APC, to vie for senate seats. But the two politicians after intense fighting with the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole who opposed anointing their successors, have helped to secure the tickets of other parties for their choice candidates.

Amosun recently presented his preferred candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, to President Buhari at the villa. Akinlade will vie for the Ogun governorship on the platform of Allied Peoples Movement (APM. It is the same with Governor Okorocha who secured the ticket of Action Alliance (AA) for his son in law, Uche Nwosu.


Ruling party not fielding candidates in a state

This is the first time a ruling party has been barred from fielding candidates for all positions in a state. This would most likely happen in Zamfara State unless the court decides otherwise. INEC wielded the big stick on the ruling APC in Zamfara when it said the party would not have candidates for the governorship, national and state assemblies as a fallout of a protracted battle between Governor Abdulaziz Yari and the G8 led by his deputy, Ibrahim Wakkala Mohammed, Senator Kabiru Marafa, Dauda Lawan Dare and the Minister of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali among others.

https://www.independent.ng/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/WhatsApp-Image-2019-01-11-at-20.15.44.jpeg


Senator Dino Melaye lying on bare floor at the DSS medical facility in Abuja

By Michael Ovat - Awka



[img]https://s23069.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/anambra-pant-thief.jpg[/img]


A middle-aged man simply identified as Ifeanyi escaped being lynched by the whiskers yesterday after allegedly being caught stealing ladies pants at a student residential quarters at Mgbakwu, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Tribune Online gathered that the suspect who hails from Umuneke in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State confessed that he had already stolen over 58 women pants before luck ran out on him as he was caught red-handed by a woman in the early hours of that Wednesday.

Suspected Anambra pants thief, Ifeanyi
A middle-aged man simply identified as Ifeanyi escaped being lynched by the whiskers yesterday after allegedly being caught stealing ladies pants at a student residential quarters at Mgbakwu, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

A witness to the melodrama said that Ifeanyi had broken into the house around 2 am and headed straight to the rope where some pants were hung and was harvesting the underwears when the unidentified woman who came out to urinate saw him and raised alarm.

“The woman raised an alarm and he was caught; his cloth tore as he was beaten mercilessly by an angry mob,” the source told our reporter at the popular Nkwo Mgbakwu market, where the suspect lay gasping for breath after the intense beating.

This paper learnt that the suspect was once caught in the act at one white colour painted storey building where both students and non-students live at Amaezike village in Mgbakwu.

Ifeanyi had earlier confessed that he had been in the business of stealing ladies pants, washed and spread by the owners at their respective homes and that he usually sold them to a man known as Emeka Ofor at the rate of N500.

“I steal them (pants) from women hostels. I used to sell them to Emeka Ofor, who also hails from Umuneke Udi LGA at the rate of N500 per piece,” he confessed.

A middle-aged man simply identified as Ifeanyi escaped being lynched by the whiskers yesterday after allegedly being caught stealing ladies pants at a student residential quarters at Mgbakwu, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Tribune Online gathered that the suspect who hails from Umuneke in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State confessed that he had already stolen over 58 women pants before luck ran out on him as he was caught red-handed by a woman in the early hours of that Wednesday.

The suspect claimed he dropped out of school at the Senior Secondary school (SSII) because of mental health challenges, but however blamed his travails on the devil and promised never to steal women pants anymore.

He equally urged youths still in the business of stealing ladies pants or other criminal activities to repent and give their lives to Christ.

It was gathered that after making a passionate appeal for clemency, the suspect was later forgiven by the mob and allowed to walk away.

A source later confided that he later fled the area at night after being handed a shirt and shot.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State command, SP Haruna Muhammed, said the police had not been briefed on the development and promised to make it public when they receive the information.

Stealing of ladies pants for money-making rituals, a development that has sent shockwaves in parts of Delta State has become a rampant criminal activity in recent times, forcing many ladies to adopt various mechanisms including going pantless to safeguard their future.

Reports indicate that pants won by ladies between 14 and 30 years of age are sold as high as N400,000 in some parts of Warri in Delta State.

By Kunle Olayeni


Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday said he would not rule himself out from vying for the office of the Senate President if the opportunity presents itself. Amosun, who spoke against the backdrop of demands by some of his constituents, stated that he might be disposed to seeking the Senate Presidency whenever the slot is zoned to the South-West.

The governor spoke during his ward-to-ward senatorial campaign in Ewekoro Local Government Area of state, which is one of the six local governments in Ogun Central Senatorial District. Fielding questions from reporters at Asayobo ward, Amosun, who is a senatorial candidate for Ogun Central on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), said he was happy that his people wanted him to serve the country at the national level.

He also flayed some unnamed party leaders who accused him of allegedly concentrating development in Abeokuta, the state capital, and the Ogun Central zone to the detriment of other regions of the state. The governor expressed confidence that he would become a ranking senator once he returns to the upper chamber of the National Assembly having once served there between 2003 and 2007. He, however, declared that there was no way he could become the Senate President since the South- West geopolitical had already produced the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Amosun said: “When we went before, we were not that experienced. Of course, we had limitations, but now, you and I know that I am not that rookie senator. I would be a ranking Senator by the time I get there. “You know within the context of Nigeria and the context of our party, people from South-West are number two, the Vice President. So, there is no way we can have both the Vice President and the Senate President at the same time.

“For me, I am happy that we are now considered worthy of number two in the country. So, we are running round to make sure that Prof. Osinbajo remains our vice president and we will concede the Senate President to some other zone. “But you never can tell, maybe in future, if it (Senate Presidency) comes to South-West, why not?” The governor said it was uncharitable for anyone to accuse him of developing Abeokuta over other areas in the state.

He noted that though priority was given to the state capital, his administration had never abandoned other areas in development drive, insisting that his critics were only unnecessarily jealous of his achievements. Amosun said: “Why am I being castigated? Abeokuta was made the state capital over 40 years ago and the only offence I have committed is to have developed Abeokuta. But I tell you, no sane governor will neglect Abeokuta, else that governor will see the result. “I have never neglected other areas. We have one of the best flyovers and roads constructed by our administration in Sagamu.



There are two flyovers in Ijebu- Ode with good roads and the same things are done in Ijebu-Igbo and Yewa. “What we’ve done is that when we do three things in Abeokuta, we do two or one in other places and we are running round day and night to get this done. I am not the first governor in Ogun State, but I appreciate what they’ve done. But no governor worth his salt will abandon Abeokuta.” The governor, who used the opportunity of his campaign to inspect the airport project at Wasinmi area, said the Federal Government had not abandoned the project.

According to him, the airport project is on course and President Muhammadu Buhari would touch down on its runway by May, this year. He promised more dividends of democracy to people of Ogun Central Senatorial District if elected. “The Federal Government has started the airport project and this community will be the biggest beneficiary because the airport will be linked with a standard gauge railway and once this is done, this place will not only be transformed into a mega city, 24- hour power supply will be guaranteed,” Amosun said. The governor urged the electorate to be wary of unscrupulous politicians and resist the temptation of trading their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for monetary gains.

By Leon Usigbe - Abuja


THE Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has alleged that the Buhari Media Centre is surreptitiously circulating a video which suggests that he is planning to cede parts of Borno State to Boko Haram in a peace deal.

In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, in Abuja on Thursday, the former Vice President described the allegation contained in the video as false.

He said the circulation of the video is a demonstration of the extent to which the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is prepared to engage in dirty politics.

The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to a video being surreptitiously circulated by the Buhari Media Centre, under a satanic pseudonym, ‘Make Nigeria Worse Again’, in which they falsely accuse the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, of planning to cede parts of Borno State to Boko Haram in a peace deal.

“This is completely false and only shows the level of dirty politics and fake news the Muhammadu Buhari administration is prepared to engage in its desperation to cling to power despite its widespread unpopularity.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the only plans that His Excellency Atiku Abubakar has for Boko Haram is the total defeat of the terrorist sect once and for all. Atiku Abubakar is not one for ‘technical’ defeats. He has said publicly and privately that if he is elected, both Boko Haram and ISWAP would be wiped off the face of the planet.

“Indeed, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Buhari administration policy of releasing so-called ‘repentant’ Boko Haram members and tied the resurgence of terrorism in the nation to that ill-advised program.

“Under an Atiku Abubakar administration, every terrorist that is caught will be tried in accordance with the provisions of the law. Atiku Abubakar has zero tolerance for terrorists and has detailed his plan to equip the military to deal decisively with these threats to our national security once and for all.

It is worth noting however that this fake news video began circulating soon after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo commissioned the Buhari Media Center on Tuesday, January 8, 2019, in Gwarinpa, Abuja.

“It is very doubtful that this is a coincidence and we call on the public to be wary of such videos and other online propaganda from the Buhari Media Centre to discredit the PDP Presidential candidate.”

By Emmanuel Uzodinma



President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election campaign kicked off on a low note in the Southeast on Thursday as Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the only South East Governor of All Progressives Congress (APC), failed to attend the first strategy meeting of the zonal campaign council in Enugu.

Others, who were noticeably absent include former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, former Anambra State Governor, Chief Jim Nwobodo, four Ministers from the South East, Chris Ngige (Labour), Geofrey Onyeama (Foreign Affairs), Anthony Anwuka (Education/State Minister) and Okechukwu Enelama (Trade and Investment).

Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology was the only Minister from the South East that attended the closed door strategy meeting, convened by Miss Sharon Ikeazor, the Director of Buhari Campaign Council, South East.

The meeting was earlier scheduled to start by 10.am but it was delayed for several hours, following the absence of some key stakeholders.

It eventually commenced by 1.pm when it was obvious that Okorocha and other key stakeholders were not coming.

Some inside sources who confided in journalists, blamed the absence of notable South East APC leaders on their dissatisfaction with the appointment of Miss Ikeazor, a political rookie without any electoral antecedents as the Director of the Buhari Campaign in the South East.

Most of the APC leaders were said to have seen her appointment as an attempt by President Buhari to add salt to the injury already inflicted on Ndigbo by his administration.

The meeting, however, went ahead without an array of South East APC bigwigs.

Answering questions from journalists after the first session, Miss Ikeazor played down the absence of Okorocha and others from the meeting, saying that workings of government cannot ground to a halt because of politics.

She said Okorocha had his representative at the meeting, who would report back to him.

“You noticed that not all Ministers are here. Governance cannot ground to a halt because of politics,” she said.

On the resolutions at the meeting, Ikeazor said since there was no longer time, they resolved to adopt a targeted approach to see that Buhari wins South East.

She said, “We have less than 40 days to the presidential election. There has to be a targeted approach. That is why I have called the meeting today. It’s a strategy meeting. So, we strategised and harmonised our strategies in the five Eastern States for us to be able to deliver Minister President and make a significant change from past elections we have always done

“And that targeted aproach is door to door campaign, group to group campaign. Going into motor parks, markets, talking to our people one on one. This is no time for rallies.

“We need to engage the populace, come down to theitr level and talk to them. And we can achieve that. That is why you saw the large turnout. Everyone from each of the five South Eastern states-candidates, party members, National Working Committee members, zonal leaders, our elders in the party , down to the National Assembly, stakeholders-are strategising for Buhari to win,” Ikeazor said.

Others at the meeting were Senators, Benjamin Uwajumogu and Andy Uba, the National Vice Chairman, South East, Emma Eneukwu, National Auditor George Muoghalu, Osita Okechukwu, Hope Uzodimma, Uche Ogar and Emeka Wogu.

by Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja


The Federal Executive Council ( FEC ) on Wednesday approved the establishment of four new private universities in the country.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the first FEC meeting for the year chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Council, Abuja.

The new Universities, according to him, are Greenfield University Kaduna, Dominion University, Ibadan Oyo state, Trinity University Ogun state and Westland University in Iwo, Osun state.

He said the approvals were given because all the four universities have met the criteria for establishing a university following a visitation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The latest approvals bring the total number of private universities in the country to 73.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Hedi Serika, said the Council approved the contract for the procurement and installation of the second phase of Controller-pilot data link communications for the Kano flight information region.

Controller-pilot data link communications also referred to as controller-pilot data link, is a method by which air traffic controllers can communicate with pilots over a datalink system.

He said that within the Kano flight information region is Abuja and Lagos airports, and the total contract sum is $5,403,271 which is equivalent to N1,652,320,271.80 exclusive of five percent VAT.

The contract, he said, is to Nigeria Airspace Management Agency.

When completed, Sirika said that it will improve communication by digital means between the pilot and the controller, improve efficiency, make decision making faster and make departures and arrival seamless and faster.

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu said that the FEC approved two memos presented by the ministry on engineering procurement construction and installation for Opoho Okoho flexible pipelines in OML 119 and Escravos to Lagos gas pipeline phase one for additional unforeseen works in engineering.

He said, “The Federal Executive Council approved two memos from the Ministry of Petroleum. One was an EPCI contract which is Engineering Procurement Construction and Installation contract for the twelve inches by six-inch Opoho Okoho flexible pipelines in OML 119 which is awarded to Messrs National Oil Verco completion and MELCURT Nigeria Ltd.

“It is a consortium of two companies. The total contract sum was $3.7 billion. The essence of this was that in 2014, the pipeline with which we were evacuating crude in that area gave way and so production became very marginal, we were operating an average of about twenty thousand barrels a day as against about thirty-seven, forty thousand barrels.

“This contract was, therefore, to replace that pipeline with a new technological flexible pipeline. The last pipeline lasted for only 50 years a lot of corrosive environment in which they operated. It is a nine-month contract. When completed, we will be able to get back production to forty thousand barrels per day.

“It is very critical and will generate close to two hundred and seventy million dollars per annum. So it is very important.

“The second approval was on the Escravos to Lagos gas pipeline phase one for additional unforeseen works in engineering, contract had been given in 2008 and it was about eighty-three percent complete but additional scope has been added to that pipeline and variation of about nine million dollars was approved today (yesterday) added to the previous amount which was about five billion naira and one hundred and seventy-seven million dollars.

“With the nine million added today, the new contract figure comes to about five billion naira and about one hundred and eight-six million dollars. That pipeline is so critical; it is what helps us move stranded gas out of the Escravos of oil region back into the Escravos Lagos pipeline. It is two months contract.”

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the Council approved a National Public Building Maintenance Policy and Framework.

He said the new policy, which institutionalized a maintenance culture in the country, saying that some of the benefits of the policy would provide an inventory of government assets, and job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Nigerians.

“We have trained artisans at different levels but we haven’t created an economy for them to go and express themselves – Tilers, Bricklayers, Plumbers, landscapers, fitters etc. When they leave training schools what do they do? They go and ride tricycles where there is no training school because there is an economy in tricycles – this is the answer.

“So, we have started with a pilot (scheme) to demonstrate to Council that this will work.

“Some of the things that this will bring include an inventory of all assets that government owns. It gives us an assessment of the conditions and value, then, it gives us a maintenance framework about what needs to be done after assessments and then a maintenance procurement manual.

He also said that the Council approved the first contract of over N800 million, for demarcation of specific area of land for the project, leading to enumeration and resettlement preparatory to construction of the Mambilla Hydro Power Project.

by Lucas Ajanaku with Agency report




President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote retained his Africa’s richest man position for the eighth consecutive time though his wealth dipped by $2 billion from $12.2 billion in January 2018 to $10 billion this year, Forbes’ Africa Billionaires List released yesterday showed.

The Chairman of Globacom with interests in oil exploration and real estate, Dr Mike Adenuga Jnr moved up to be Africa’s second richest man.

The United States (U.S.) magazine said Adenuga’s net worth increased tremendously from $5.3 billion to $9.2 billion because he provided more detailed information about his assets.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, featured on the list for the first time since 2015.

The merger between Rabiu’s Kalambaina Cement firm with Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, which he controlled, in December 2018 was formally consummated in Sokoto earlier this week. He now owns 97 per cent of the entity.

Kalambaina, which operates a new cement production facility, started selling cement in mid-last year just as Rabiu’s OBU Cement has expanded its operations, adding a new production line.

Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, whose net worth dropped to $1.1 billion from $1.3 billion, was ranked 19th. She is vice chair, Famfa Oil, an indigenous oil exploration company with a stake in Agbami Oilfield, a prolific offshore asset. Famfa Oil’s partners include Chevron and Petrobras.

Alakija’s first company was a fashion label whose customers included the wife of former military President Ibrahim Babangida.

The Federal Government awarded Alakija’s company an oil prospecting license in 1993, which was later converted to an oil mining lease.

Alakija’s ranking was in a tie with South African banker, Michiel Le Roux.

Forbes blamed plunging stock values and weaker currencies for the shrinking in the billionaires club in Africa.

It said: “Buffeted by plunging stock prices and weaker currencies, the number of African billionaires has shrunk to just 20, down from 23 a year ago.

“Four people fell off Forbes’ annual list of the continent’s richest since last year while one returned to the ranks after a four-year absence. All but four members of the list have smaller fortunes than a year ago.”

In a per country ranking, Egypt and South Africa are tied with five billionaires each, followed by Nigeria with four and Morocco- two. Forbes found one billionaire each from Algeria, Angola, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

by Augustine Ehikioya,



President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday appointed Bismarck Rewane as head of newly inaugurated Technical Advisory Committee on the implementation of a National Minimum Wage.

Inaugurating the committee before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa Abuja, Buhari said that after the new minimum wage has been passed into law, government will go into negotiations for salary review for all the workers who are already earning above the new minimum wage.

According to him, it was important to properly prepare the minds of those involved so that they will not be taken unawares when the time comes.

Pointing out that the last time Nigeria’s national minimum wage was reviewed was in 2011, he said that it was evident that a review was necessary, despite the prevailing fiscal challenges.

He said “This is why I constituted the Tripartite Committee of Government, Organized Private Sector and Labour to consider the National Minimum Wage and make recommendations to Government for its upward review.

“That Committee has since submitted its report with some recommendations. We are currently working on the final steps that will lead to the submission of a National Minimum Wage Amendment Bill to the National Assembly.

“I want to make it clear that there is no question about whether the National Minimum Wage will be reviewed upwards. I am committed to a review of the Minimum Wage.

“Also, it is important to explain that even though the subject of a National Minimum Wage is in the Exclusive Legislative List, we have been meeting with the State Governors because it is imperative that the Federal Government carries the State Governments along in determining any upward review of the minimum wage for workers.

“This is especially necessary considering the prevailing public sector revenue challenges, which have made it extremely difficult for some of the governments to pay workers as and when due.

“As you know we, at the Federal level, have made adequate provision for the increase in the Minimum Wage in our 2019 Budget proposals which we submitted to the National Assembly. Therefore, we will be able to meet the additional costs that will be incurred in moving up all personnel who are currently earning below the new minimum wage.

“However, we anticipate that after the new minimum wage has been passed into law we will be going into negotiations for salary review for all the workers who are already earning above the new minimum wage. It is therefore important that we are properly prepared to meet these demands.

“We must therefore look at ways of implementing these consequential wage adjustments in a manner that does not have adverse effects on our national development plans, as laid out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP). The ERGP sets appropriate targets for levels of Capital Expenditure, Public Debt, Inflation, Employment, etc.

“It is absolutely important that the implementation of a new minimum wage does not adversely affect these targets, and thereby erode the envisaged gains for the workers.

“It is against this background that I have set up a Technical Committee to advise Government on how best to fund, in a sustained manner, the additional costs that will arise from the implementation of the consequential increases in salaries and allowances for workers currently earning above the new minimum wage.” he said

He said that the inaugurated technical committee will be chaired by an economist and financial expert, Mr. Bismarck Rewane with other experienced economists and administrators from the private sector working together with all the relevant officials of government.

He enumerated the terms of reference for the committee to include develop, and advise government on how to successfully bring about a smooth implementation of impending wage increases and identify new revenue sources, and areas of existing expenditure from where some savings could be made in order to fund the wage increases without adversely impacting the nation’s development goals as set out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

Others are to “propose a work plan and modalities for the implementation of the salary increases, any other suggestions that will assist in the implementation of this, and future wage increases.

“Given the urgency of this exercise, the Committee is expected to complete its deliberations and submit its report and recommendations within one month today.

“It is now my pleasure to formally inaugurate the Technical Advisory Committee on the Implementation of an Increase in the National Minimum Wage.”

Others in the committee are former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr Babatunde Fowler, ex-FIRS boss, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, Dr Ayo Teriba, Chief Executive Officer among other and Prof. Akpan Ekpo.

From the public sector are: Chairman FIRS, Dr Babatunde Fowler, Director General of Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, who is the secretary of the committee, representative of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Richard Egbule, Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, Permanent Secretary General Service Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Olajide Odewale, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, and Solicitor General Of the Federation and Permanent Secretary ministry of Justice Mr. Dayo Apata.

Others are Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, office of the Vice President, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Economic Policy Dr. Joseph Nnanna, Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, Director General Debt Management Officer, Ms. Patience Oniaga, Director General National Institute of Social and Economic Research, Dr. Folarin Gbadebo-Smith, Statistician General, National Bureau of Statistics, Dr. Yemi Kale, Mrs. Aisha Hamad, Mamman Garba and Tunde Lawal.

The committee has a month to complete and submit its report.

It also came about 24 hours after the government and organised Labour – agreed to forward the new National Minimum Wage Bill to the National Assembly on or before January 23.

The organised labour, had in December 2018, rejected any attempt by the Federal Government to set up another committee on the national minimum wage, describing any such plan as diversionary and delay tactics.

President Buhari, had during the budget proposal presentation, promised a new minimum wage which he said will help maintain jobs for the teaming unemployed.

He had also promised to set up a special committee to look into the current fiasco concerning the minimum wage and come up with ideas of reducing debt and yet, increasing the minimum wage.

“We have included the implementation for the National Minimum Wage. I will be sending a Bill to this National Assembly, on this.

“To avoid a system crisis on the Federal Government and states, it is important to device ways to ensure that its implementation does not lead to an increase in the level of borrowing.

“I am accordingly setting up a high-powered technical committee to advice on ways of funding an increase in the minimum wage and attendant wage adjustments without having to resort to additional borrowing.

“The work of the committee will be the basis of finance bill which will be submitted to the national assembly alongside the minimum wage bill.” he had stated

The Amal Pepple National Minimum sage Committee submitted its report in November 6 2018.

Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt



There is currently a leadership crisis in the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People as three persons are laying claim to the presidency of the prime Ogoni group.

While the former publicity secretaries, Bara-ara Kpalap and Fegalo Nsuke, are insisting that they emerged the president of MOSOP from different election venues, the incumbent President, Legborsi Pyagbara, dismissed their claims.

Pyagbara, who spoke in an interview with Southern City News on Thursday, explained that though the MOSOP Election Committee had been put in place, the poll would hold in six months’ time

He called on those laying claim to the position of the MOSOP president not to be in a hurry, adding that it was wrong for anyone to say they emerged through any election.

Pyagbara described such elections as illegal, recalling that the police had dispersed the gathering where an illegal election was to be conducted.

He stated, “For now, we have only one MOSOP president and I am the one. Which election did those claiming to be president of MOSOP hold? Where did such election hold?

“People gathered to hold an election and they were dispersed by the police. The police asked them to leave, because it was illegal for them to hold MOSOP election. Nsuke is not the MOSOP president.

We have said that if you want to be the MOSOP president, don’t worry. We have an electoral committee and election will be in six months’ time.”

On why his former publicity secretary, Kpalap, was laying claim to the position of the president of MOSOP, Pyagbara said, “We fell apart since September 2017, and he is no longer working with me. He also cannot claim to be the MOSOP president.”

When contacted, Kpalap told our correspondent that he remained the only MOSOP president, adding that he emerged the winner in an election held on December 21, 2018.

“The term of Pyagbara expired on December 31, 2018, and we conducted an election on December 21, 2018, where I emerged the MOSOP president,” he said.

On his part, Nsuke told our correspondent that he emerged the president of MOSOP after the former deputy president of the group, Fortune Chijor, constituted a valid steering and electoral committee that conducted elections for the apex Ogoni body.

Nsuke said, “We conducted the MOSOP election in Ogoni villages. We moved from Ogoni villages, Ogoni kingdoms and to the national affiliates of MOSOP, where I emerged the president.

“Pyagbara’s tenure has passed. He has served his two terms and the constitution does not allow him to go beyond that. There was a valid steering/election committee that conducted the election and I emerged the president of MOSOP.