₦airaland Forum

by Chinedu Asadu

Explosives went off few meters to the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Garrison junction, Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, on Sunday.

This sparked tension in the area. Security operatives stationed at the APC secretariat rushed to the spot where dynamites exploded but the suspected thugs who dropped it had fled in a Toyota Camry car which conveyed them there.

Earlier an explosion happened at a distant location in the oil-rich city around 11am.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are having their governorship primaries on the same day.

While PDP is holding its at Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, there is confusion in the APC. Two factions loyal to Magnus Abe, senator representing Rivers south east, and Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, are set for parallel primaries.

Abe, who is opposed to the indirect primary approved by the leadership of the party in Abuja, has mobilised his men to hold direct primary across wards.

Amaechi’s supporters are plotting to use the state secretariat for indirect primary.

Activities had not commenced when TheCable visited the venue of the proposed primary around 1pm but Abe’s faction has commenced direct primary.

lalasticlala

chiommy123:
Its not possible to tell anyone EVERYTHING. You may need to hide some information it could be your job, other family member issues, side chick, some chats, etc

By Abdullateef Aliyu


There is palpable tension in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos state over Sunday’s governorship primary of the party as the chance of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in securing a second term ticket still hangs in the balance.

A stakeholders’ meeting of the party called by the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is underway as stakeholders are currently gathered at the APC secretariat along ACME road where Tinubu’s arrival is still being awaited.

Most roads leading to the secretariat were blocked with many vehicles diverted to alternative roads within Ikeja axis.

The all-important meeting is expected to seal the fate of Ambode who is being rivaled by one of his aides, Babajide Sanwo-Olu who has continued to receive a groundswell of support and endorsement.

36 out of the 39 APC lawmakers in the House of Assembly endorsed the candidacy of Sanwo-Olu this Saturday even as there are speculations that the governor might face impeachment for his insistence to re-contest despite losing the goodwill of party stakeholders.

57 local council chairmen had earlier queued behind Sanwo-Olu. And to further brighten his chance, another APC governorship aspirant, Babafemi Hamza earlier on Saturday stepped down for him.

The Director General of Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu Campaign Organization (BOSCO), Mr. Tayo Ayinde in a statement welcomed the decision of Hamza to step down for Sanwo-Olu.

“As a group, we wish to profoundly acknowledge and commend Dr. Femi Hamzat for his show of sportsmanship to our common cause.”

“We once again use this opportunity to urge our teaming party members to come out in their numbers to vote Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the flagbearer of our party for the 2019 Gubernatorial Election”, he said in a statement.

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An Indian man’s quest to get the most out of his sex life has backfired in a horrible way when the condom that was supposed to give him ‘extended pleasure’ gave his penis an allergic reaction.

According to a report in SunOnline, the man went to King George’s Medical University in Lucknow, India after his penis began to swell up, became painful and parts turned black.

The team that treated the man, led by Dr Ashish Sharma, said the patient had no known drug allergies.

They ran a series of tests, in the process ruling out sexually transmitted infections.

In a medical case report, Dr Sharma reveals his patient was diagnosed as suffering allergic contact dermatitis, and gangrene of the penis – meaning parts were beginning to rot away.

It turns out that the new brand of condoms contained a topical medication, benzocaine which the doctors noted is used in extended-pleasure latex condoms for prolonging the duration of sexual intercourse and to decrease premature ejaculation.

It turns out that since 1996, when the first case of a man suffering allergic contact dermatitis after using latex condoms was documented, doctors have seen just four cases being reported.

While rare, there are certain things that can make it more likely that a man will suffer penile gangrene.

They include diabetes, having experienced trauma to the penis, using a c*ck ring intimacy gadget, as well as penis ops.

Doctors gave the man antibiotics to try and reduce the swelling.

And surgeons operated on his penis to remove the rotting tissue – and perform a skin graft.

Treatment was carried out over the course of three weeks, and six months later he was “doing fine”, reporting “no sexual or urinary complaints”, doctors said in the BMJ.

Posted By: Augustine Ehikioya




President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday received some honours in New York.

The State of New Jersey and City of Philadelphia gave him special citations.

A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that the President received the honours after making a presentation at the High Level Roundtable on Corruption, Migration and Bridging Africa’s Infrastructure Gap, a programme on the margins of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly.

Diane Campbell, representing Senator Turner of New Jersey, read a citation of the Nigerian leader, acknowledging his military, professional and political strides.

President Buhari, according to the statement, stood ramrod straight, as the hall erupted in rapturous applause.

The Chairman, Nigerian Coalition for Business Development and Investment, Dr Jude Iheoma, also read a citation on behalf of the City of Philadelphia.

On hand to witness the honour were international investors and captains of industry.

Also there were ministers; directors-general; Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO NEPAD International; Princess Gloria Akobundu, CEO NEPAD Nigeria; Prof Ibrahim Gambari, former Minister of External Affairs; and top senior government officials from Nigeria.

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Posted By: Tony Akowe




The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has said that the party did not offer Senator Iyiola Omisore any financial inducement to gain his support during the rerun election conducted on Thursday, adding that the former Deputy governor never made any demand.

Oshiomhole also gave reasons why the party disqualified the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Jummai Alhassan from contesting the governorship elections primary in Taraba state, saying the party was not convinced about the loyalty of the minister to the party.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja, the former Edo State governor said the party gave Senator Omisore the opportunity to sponsor candidates to contest elections on the APC platform, stressing however that those saying the APC offered him money was out of place.

He said “I said we had a negotiation and had a deal that has to do with the governance of Osun State. I didn’t go with money and I don’t have money to give to anybody. He didn’t ask and there was no basis for him to ask.

“The word automatic ticket has meaning. Having regards to the provisions of electoral acts which makes primary mandatory, can you at the same time talk of automatic ticket? Even when I spoke to our National Assembly members, it is not that I don’t know that word exist, but I simply didn’t find it useful and never used it.

“We agreed that he will have an opportunity for him to contest for a seat on APC platform. Not just for senate or House of Representatives, but also for house of assembly. That is why I said we spoke about the immediate which is the Osun election and going forward.”

The APC Chairman said further that “Both the APC and the PDP recognizes that we needed to do business with the other minority parties that participated in the election and it wasn’t difficult to understand who to do business with if you want to influence the outcome of the election.

“It was clear that the SDP was largely in control of those areas. If you want to do a Coalition, you identify the leaders who have influence and enter into negotiation. Why PDP were shouting in the morning, that they were going to challenge the rerun their leader went to Senator Omisore to persuade him to negotiate a possible working arrangement.

“Recognizing the fact that SDP was critical to this conversation, we decided to also open negotiation with their leadership and I was impressed by his emphasis. He told us that, yes he has lost, but he believe that he can still win if we have a deal that seeks to address the primary purpose of his participation in the process which is the governance of the state and specific policy issues that were of concern to him.

“We had a robust conversation and reached an agreement which I think is healthy. We didn’t have to negotiate about compensation or about paying money to anyone. The issue was about governance, education and how we can have a working relationship ahead of the general election and in future elections.

“We were able to strike a deal that has to do with the specific issues that affect the welfare and the well being of the people of Osun State. Whereas Saraki failed to strike a deal with the SDP, we secured a deal with them and now APC, working with the SDP had huge influence in those areas and combining our efforts, it was not strange that at the end, we won.

“For democracy to flourish, only people who can accept the pain of defeat should participate in an election because there must be a winner and a loser, but for PDP to take the position as if election is only free and fair if they win is not ideal.

“When they win election in Cross River last month, we did not hear any voice, they won in Taraba, we did not hear any voice, INEC was perfect, but whenever they lost, INEC is colluding. We do not have the rigging no-how.”

Speaking on why the Minister of a Women Affairs was disqualified, Oshiomhole said “as for the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, she has issues that have to do with party loyalty. Our constitution is clear and it dictates that to contest elections or even hold office in the APC, you must be loyal to the party in every material concern.

“From all she had said in the past and even her comments and general attitude during the screening, the NWC reviewed everything taken together and we arrived at the conclusion that she does not possess the level of loyalty that the APC requires for her to contest elections on our platform.

“We made it clear when the defections happened that APC may well benefit from these defections if it helps us to be more critical in terms of who we give platform to contest elections and that there are core values that binds the APC together and they are non-negotiable.

“The Electoral Act and the APC constitution forbid anyone from being a member of more than one political party at a time. You cannot be a member of APC and be a card carrying member of another party but when you have a situation where it would appear, based on what you know and based on what I know that someone is probably APC in the day time maybe for the purpose of retaining certain offices and they are PDP at heart.

“Or if they are not PDP at heart, they are actually and simply a follower of a one-man permanent presidential candidate…then we have the right to ask ourselves if these attitudes and qualities are characteristics of an ideal member of an APC.

“So, those are the reasons. We did not want to have a lengthy explanation to do but she knows why she was disqualified and we know why we denied her the use of our platform.”

On the Minister of Communication, he said: “He admitted that he did not do the mandatory NYSC as provided for under the law and in his own judgment, his being a member of the House of Assembly in the state and now as a minister of the federal republic that these were enough sacrifices.

“But for us as a party we know that NYSC is a mandatory scheme. It is not something you may elect to do or abstain from doing and my understanding of the NYSC Act is that no employer of labour is permitted to employ anyone who graduated under 30 years and who did not obtain an exemption for reasons as provided for in the NYSC Act.

“So, for us, not participating in the NYSC raises very serious moral issue as well as legal issue. After interviewing him, we were convinced that….for our party, there are clear lessons we need to learn from our recent past when people… anyway, we were convinced that if he did not do NYSC, that for us was enough to disqualify him and we had to find the courage to do so.”

While commending the people of Osun State for keeping faith with the party, Oshiomhole said: “We have seen over the period that the opposition party has always, whenever it is not winning election raise issues of rigging. But I do understand PDP is quick to suggest rigging in any election in which it is not favored by the electorates.

“The Osun election was substantially free and fair. The fact that some votes were cancelled suggests that something’s went wrong the first day. But that those cancellations were effected by INEC also showed the independent of INEC to make decisions on the spot based on evidence on ground.

“Reviewing the opinion of genuine monitors, you realize that the fact that it was inconclusive was accepted by both local observers and foreign observers. PDP disagreed with the idea of conducting elections in those places where the elections were cancelled.

“There have been rerun elections in the past that favored the PDP. A lot of the governors today elected on the PDP platform especially in the south south are beneficiaries of inconclusive and inspite of our reservations, we had to accept those outcome.

“In the Osun election, nobody can talk of landslide victory. If anyone had access to manipulate those figures, you will not rig election and do so half-heartedly to a point of leading to inconclusive election.”

lalasticlala

The Federal Government has declared Monday, Oct. 1 as public holiday to commemorate Nigeria’s 58th Independence Anniversary.

The federal government made the declaration in a statement issued by the Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, on Thursday in Abuja.

The statement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Mohammed Umar.


Dambazau, who congratulated Nigerians on the anniversary, urged them to sustain President Muhammadu Buhari Administration’s efforts at maintaining and strengthening the unity and peace of the country.

He emphasised government’s commitment to promoting national unity, economic growth, social and political development based on democratic principles.

The minister added that in the past 58 years, Nigeria had made a lot of progress and positive impact not only on the lives of its citizens but also on infrastructure development as well as international relations.

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By John Chikezie 



A 35-year-old employee of Arab Construction Company, Benjamin Nnabugo, yesterday told the court that he slept with a 10-year-old girl (name withheld) because she begged and forced herself on him. Nnabugo, who is standing trial before an Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos, denied the allegations of defilement and sexual assault levelled against him by the police.

The construction worker, in a police confessional statement, said that it was actually the little girl who initiated the sex while he was smoking weed (Indian hemp) inside her mother’s shop at Ilaje bus top, Owode, Ikorodu on August 29, 2012.

He said: “I went to buy Indian hemp from a woman’s shop, popularly known as Iya Orobo, during my break time from the company where I worked. “So when I got the weed, I took it to one of her empty shops to smoke. After smoking the weed, I laid down on the floor to rest but then the little girl (Iya Orobo’s daughter) now came into the shop and closed the door.

“She then came straight to where I was, pulled down my trousers, brought out my penis and inserted it into her vagina and started having sex with me while I still lay on the floor. “It was while I was having sex with her that her mother peeped through an opening in the shop and saw us in the act.

The woman immediately opened the door and called the girl by her pet name, Orobo, and said ‘so you have spoiled like this’.


“The girl immediately jumped off my body and ran away. I then called the woman to come so I could explain and apologise for what I did but she refused to hear me out.

“It was the first time I had sex with Orobo (the victim) and I know it’s not good but I didn’t release my sperm on her body. It was only a little part of my penis that entered her vagina. The whole of my penis couldn’t enter because it was bigger than her vagina.”

Meanwhile, during the proceeding, a prosecution witness, Mrs. Yetunde Adewale, told the court that she saw Nnabugo inside the shop with the child after he had sex with her. Adewale, while being led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Ms. M. I. Oshodi, said that she caught Nnabugo pants down and the little girl had sperm spilled all over her body.

The witness, who is a fashion designer, said, “I was so shocked when I saw the little girl inside the shop with sperm all over her body while Nnabugo was still trying to wear his trousers. I quickly called her mother, who is also my neighbour, to come and see what this man had done to her child”.

Justice S. Solebo thereafter adjourned the matter till October 29 for continuation of trial.

By Hameed Oyegbade



The governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the governorship election in Osun State, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti has denied a rumour milling round of his possible defection back into the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He denied it via a statement released on Wednesday by his media aide, Mr Kayode Agbaje and made available to newsmen in Osogbo.

According to him, the truth stands that Alhaji Adeoti attended a peace meeting initiated by the Ekiti State Governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi in Osogbo.

He noted that the meeting was not in any way connected to the possible return of the ADP flag bearer back to the APC.

According to him, “A peace meeting was called on the initiative of Dr Kayode Fayemi and as a politician committed to peace in Osun State, I attended.

“At the said meeting, no one discussed the issue of my possible return to the APC,” Alhaji Adeoti stated.

He however admonished his numerous supporters and party members to disregard the rumour and assured all that the ADP is solidly one, and currently busy organizing itself to field candidates for all elections in the 2019 general poll.

“I want to assure all my supporters and ADP members in the state that I still remain in the ADP without the slightest thought of going back to APC or any other political party for that matter,” he said.

Also, the former Commissioner for Information in the state under the Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration, Mr Sunday Akere who also defected to ADP said he won’t return to APC.

Akere said ADP has come to stay in Osun and that the major assignment before all the members of the party now is how to make the party stronger and make it field candidates for all elections in 2019.

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John Charles, Makurdi



Hundreds of workers in Benue State on Tuesday expressed shock over the alleged recall of the final tranche of the Paris Club refund earlier paid to the state government .
Two workers were alleged to have slumped as they received the news of the recall of the Paris Club refund .

Governor Samuel Ortom had last Thursday confirmed the receipt of N 14. 9 bn Paris Club refund .

Also on Monday , the governor directed the state ministry of finance to commence the payment of workers’ salary arrears and allowances to pensioners .

The state civil servants are owed seven months ’ salary arrears while local government workers are being owed 11 months ’ salaries .

But some of the workers , who reacted to the recall of the Paris Club refund on condition of anonymity , accused the Federal Government of deliberate attempt to kill workers in the state .

“ Since the governor directed the immediate payment of workers ’ arrears on Monday , we thought we would begin to receive alerts from this (Tuesday) evening only for us to hear the recall of the money .

“ I was told that two workers slumped immediately they heard about the recall of the Paris Club refund by the Federal Government but they were later revived . ”
Another worker , who spoke to our correspondent , said , “This is unfair .

Having raised our hope, this (Federal) Government has dashed our hope.

“I have promised those I owed that I would pay part of the debt on Wednesday ; I have also planned to use part of the money to buy books for my children and pay their school fees . ”

The Benue State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress , Godwin Anya , expressed shock over the development .
He said , “ I don’ t know the reason for the recall of the Paris Club loan refund .

Everybody has been expecting to be paid because the governor on Monday directed the payment of salary arrears .

“ I don’ t know the reason for that nonsense ; I don’ t know where this country is heading to . ”

Also reacting to the recall of the Paris Club refund , the Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom on Media and ICT, Tahav Agerzua , described it as a “ trajectory of victimisation. ”

Agerzua said it was strange in accounting parlance to pay money into somebody’ s or government ’ s account and suddenly withdraw it , describing it as another form of impunity by the All Progressives Congress Federal Government .

“ This is not a gift. It is a legitimate right of the government . This is part of a series of moves aimed at subjugating the people . This action has shown clearly that the APC cannot protect the people , ” he said .

Tahav further observed that the issue had been politicised , stressing that it was an act of desperation as a result of the party ’ s failure in the Osun governorship election .

“ There is serious anger in the land as a result of recalling of the Paris Club refund by the Federal Government . The people now know who their enemies and oppressors are.

“ Benue people should rise up and vote out the APC government , ” Tahav said .

When contacted , the Director of Information in the Ministry of Finance, Hassan Dodo , said he could not comment on the matter as he did not have any information relating to the development .
He asked our reporter to write a letter to the finance minister to seek a clarification on the issue.

Meanwhile , the convener of the Middle Belt Movement for Justice and Peace , Joe Bukka , on Tuesday , described the decision of the Federal Government to recall the Paris Club refunds paid to Benue and four other states as “ the height of impunity , executive recklessness and a witch - hunt against ordinary Nigerians. ”

Apart from Benue , some of the other affected states were Delta , Imo , Benue and Rivers .

Speaking in Makurdi , Bukka insisted that the Federal Government had embarked on a systematic witch - hunt of some state governments probably for political reasons at the detriment of the ordinary Nigerian and civil servants .

He said , “ In the first place, it is not the responsibility of the Federal Government to monitor how states disburse and utilise their funds . Moreover , the Paris Club refund was only warehoused by the Federal Government on behalf of the states ; it is not a gratification or loan .

“ So , the Federal Government lacks the powers to recall the money which belongs to the state from the onset . As far as we are concerned , this is the height of impunity , executive recklessness and a witch - hunt against the ordinary Nigerians who were expecting to get the backlog of their salaries from the fund .

“ We just wonder if this Federal Government has the interest of the ordinary people at heart . Just take for instance a state like Benue that has over time been contending with socio-economic and security challenges as a result of the lingering herdsmen killings , and you want to treacherously sit on their legitimate funds.

“ No doubt, this directive will cause collateral damage to the socio- economic life of the government and people of the affected states . Hence , it should be reversed without further delay because even if the states fail to transparently appropriate the funds , they would have the people to contend with .

“ The Federal Government must realise that this move will deepen the animosity of the people of the states like Benue towards the APC- led Federal Government because they will be hurt the more and obviously unhappy . ”

By Musliudeen Adebayo 


A customary court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, the Oyo state capital on Tuesday granted the Secretary of the State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Mojeed Olaoya leave to arrest his estranged wife, Alimot for allegedly flouting the order of the court.

DAILY POST gathered that Alimot and her husband had been at loggerheads culminating in the ongoing legal tussle.

The crisis between Olaoya and his estranged wife followed irreconcilable differences over sundry domestic affairs which had defied amicable resolution among their family and that of Olaoya’s family, to date.

Following this unending disagreement and coupled with the litigation on the matter, Olaoya on Tuesday sought his wife’s arrest for disobeying a court order on the dissolution of their marriage.

President of the court, Chief Ademola Odunade subsequently granted his request to arrest Alimot.

The court has in the suit number 421/2018, few months ago dissolved the marriage between Olaoya and his estranged wife.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed September 27 th for Osun State governorship election rerun .
The election umpire had on Sunday declared the election inconclusive based on an INEC technicality.

INEC Returning Officer and Vice - Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology , Akure , Prof Joseph Fowape , while announcing the results said the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party , Ademola Adeleke, polled 254 , 698 votes to defeat that of the All Progressives Congress , Gboyega Oyetola , who polled 254 , 698 votes .

However , due to irregularities which marred the election at some polling units in Ife North , Ife South and Orolu local government areas, including cases of card reader malfunctioning, ballot box snatching , among others, this led to the cancellation of 3, 498 votes recorded in the affected polling units.

Quoting INEC ’ s Standing Rules at the commission ’ s headquarters in Osogbo , the state capital , Fowape, said since the margin between the two leading candidates was lower than the registered cancelled votes , the election had to be declared inconclusive .

He stated that a rerun would take place at the affected polling units on Thursday , September 27, 2018.

lalasticlala

Deepfreezer:
Dull second half. I don't know why klopp sub Shaqiri

by Chinedu Asadu



On Thursday, it was revealed that Adebayo Shittu, minister of communications, failed to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

According to Premium Times , Shittu skipped the compulsory programme after graduating from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU), though he finished school below the required minimum age of 30.

Upon graduation from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, in 1979, he was elected a member of the Oyo state house of assembly at the age of 26.

Interestingly, the minister, a lawyer, defended his action. He had told the newspaper that he did not need to participate in the scheme since he had been elected lawmaker.

“The constitution provides for the qualification needed for state assembly members, NYSC is not there. I didn’t need it to become a member of the state assembly, and that is already a service,” he was quoted as saying.

He restated this on Friday, while addressing reporters at the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I left in 1978 and left law school in 1979 and the constitution says anyone who qualifies to contest an election or who has gone through an election and wins, he is obligated to move through the house of assembly which I did for four years, so it is a form of higher service as far as I’m concerned and even now, I am still in service,” he said.


CLAIM ONE: NYSC LAW CONTRADICTS 1979 CONSTITUTION

According to Shittu, “The 1979 Constitution of Nigeria says anybody who qualifies to contest election and wins gets running and occuppies the position for which he contested for.

“Then the NYSC Law 1973, before the constitution came, says that anybody who finishes must serve for one year. At the time the NYSC law was made, it never anticipated a situation where somebody who is still in school and about to graduate will contest election and whether NYSC is required to contest the election or not.
“With the two laws, to me, the constitution, which says if you’re elected and you win, you will go and serve the nation in the assembly – state or national, is supreme.

“When I have won election, that election supersedes the NYSC because the constitution is superior to any other law. So, the constitution is superior to the NYSC Law of 1973.”

While it is true that the 1979 constitution (which was in force at the time Shittu graduated from school) did not identify an NYSC certificate to be one of such requirements, it recognises the NYSC act and there is no conflict whatsoever.

Section 274(5) of that constitution states: “Nothing in this Constitution shall invalidate the following enactments, that is to say – (a) the National Youth Service Corps Decree 1973; (b) the Public Complaints Decree 1975; (c) the National Security Organisation Decree 1976; (d) the Land Use Decree 1978, and the provisions of those enactments shall continue to apply and have full effect in accordance with their tenor and to the like extent as any other provisions forming part of this Constitution and shall not be altered or repealed except in accordance with the provisions of section 9 (2) of this Constitution.”

This is with regards to Section 12 of the NYSC act which makes participation in the scheme a prerequisite for being employed in the country.

The section states thus: “(I) For the purposes of employment anywhere in the Federation and before employment, it shall be the duty of every prospective employer to demand and obtain from any person who claims to have obtained his first degree at the end of the academic year 1973-74 or, as the case may be, at the end of any subsequent academic year the following-
“(a) a copy of the Certificate of National Service of such person issued pursuant to section 11 of this Act; (b) a copy of any exemption certificate issued to such person pursuant to section 17 of this Act; and (c) such other particulars relevant thereto as may be prescribed by or under this Act.”
Apparently, Shittu chose to interprete the part of the constitution that supports his claim, without considering the part that gives credence to an existing law — the NYSC act.


CLAIM TWO: MEMBERSHIP OF STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY EQUALS NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE

The NYSC has come out to say holding political offices does not equate to or replace the one year compulsory youth service for eligible graduates in Nigeria.

Adenike Adeyemi, NYSC spokesperson, quoting from the NYSC act, explained that the minister does not fall into any of the set of people exempted from the programme.

The only exemption, according to the act, are those who graduated after the age of 30, persons with national honours and individuals who serve in the military and intelligence organisations.

“Notwithstanding the provisions of Sub-section 1 of this section, with effect from 1st of August, 1985, a person shall not be called upon to serve in the service corps if at the date of his graduation or obtaining his diploma or other professional qualifications (a) he is over the age of thirty or (b) he has served in the armed forces of the federation or the Nigerian Police Force for a period of more than nine months,” Adeyemi was quoted to have said.

“…or he is a member of staff of the Nigerian Security Organisation, State Security Service, National Intelligence Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency or has been conferred with any national honour.”

“Serving in the National (or state) Assembly is not one of them but then if you have been conferred with any national honour, in addition to other things in the Act, then it (NYSC) will let you know if you are exempted from the national service.

“You have read the Act and you can see the circumstances where someone is exempted, you analyse it if he [Shittu] was exempted duly or there is a reason why he should have served. But the Act is very straightforward on the grounds for not coming up to serve.

“If you are a graduate locally trained or foreign trained, as long as you graduate before the age of 30, you are expected to serve.

“Whether foreign or locally trained, the law is the same. Our youths should be rightly guided that if you were able to complete your studies and as of the date of graduation, you are under 30, you are eligible to serve.”

CONCLUSION: Shittu lied on both claims.

Tobi Soniyi



Not until Godswill Akpabio began to make insinuation that tends to cast aspersion on his administration, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom had deliberately refused to join issues with his mentor.

Despite mind-boggling financial mess he inherited, the governor kept his cool and would not blame his predecessor for the state’s woes.

Whenever Udom is confronted with questions bordering on his relationship with Akpabio, even when the relationship had become frosty, the governor usually speaks good of him.

Even when there are indications that all is not well between them, Udom denied such rifts exist. That was how far he was willing to go to protect his mentor.

However, when the former governor, now senator attempts to rubbish the Akwa Ibom State government, perhaps, to satisfy his new political friends in the All Progressives Congress, the Udom-led state executive would have none of that.

Akpabio could be said to have opened the pandora box when he claimed that the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State was over 98 per cent completed as at the time he left office in 2015.

The state government described that claim as false. It did not just stop there, it did something it rarely does: it issued a statement to formally debunk Akpabio’s claim.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh, the state said it sounded ludicrous for the immediate past governor to allege that his administration fulfilled all franchise requirements with Starwood Hotels and Resort for the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and that the current administration was only expected to pay the fees when it fell due in 2015.

The government said that it would not have dignified “such brazen lies” with a response but that it was expedient to react in order to set the record straight.

It said that Akpabio commissioned the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene without a signed franchise agreement and full complement of requisite furniture and fittings.

According to the state, 95 per cent of the total contract sum was approved and disbursed by the immediate past governor as building and site improvement cost and the worldwide standard for building and site improvement cost component of a full-service 4-star hotel in an emerging market is 64 per cent of the total cost of the hotel – (Hospitality Valuation Services HSV).

The Akwa Ibom government therefore challenged Akpabio to validate his claims of having fulfilled the requisite contractual obligations with Starwood Hotel & Resort for the Four Points by Sheraton franchise by publishing a copy of the signed management agreement and a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) he used for the transaction, stressing that the SPV that manages the transaction on behalf of the Akwa Ibom State Government; Raffia City Hotels and Tours Limited, was incorporated on June 11, 2015; more than one month after Akpabio had commissioned the hotel.

The state also asked why the hotel which Akpabio claimed to have commissioned was unable to start operations before the end of his administration and why there were no guest traffic count and/or feasibility study carried out to justify the N25.4bn investment in a 146 room hotel?

Among other questions, the Akwa Ibom State government asked why external caterers were hired to bring in food if the kitchen and dining facilities were ready, equipped and commissioned and why the hotel became a subject of discussion three years after it was supposedly commissioned.

Part of the statement read, “It has become necessary for the public to know who is telling a lie and we feel obligated to state as follows:
1. “That immediate past Governor commissioned the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene without a signed Franchise agreement and full complement of requisite furniture and fittings.

“We challenge immediate past Governor to validate his claims of having fulfilled the requisite contractual obligations with Starwood Hotel & Resort for the Four Points by Sheraton franchise by publishing a copy of the signed management agreement.

“When was the agreement signed? Who were the signatories and witnesses to the transaction?

“Which Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) was used in signing the agreement before vacating office.

“The SPV that manages the transaction on behalf of the Akwa Ibom State Government; Raffia City Hotels and Tours Limited was incorporated on June 11, 2015; more than one month after Senator Akpabio had commissioned the hotel. (Certificate of Incorporation attached).

“To set the records straight, the Senator should also publish a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) he used for the transaction.

“Regrettably, it paints an unpalatable picture of mischief for the immediate past Governor; a lawyer by profession, to present an unsigned and unverified press statement in the Nation newspaper of July 12, 2014 as evidence of a legal contractual obligation on a high networth project as one in question. This is a brazen and unremorseful attempt at demeaning the intelligence of the good people of Akwa Ibom State.

“Who benefited from the over 95% payment his administration disbursed on a half-completed hotel?

“While the Akwa Ibom State Government is reluctant to engage in a mudslinging combat with anybody, we will provide more facts to justify who is telling the truth and who is lying when the questions asked are answered.”

Perhaps, the threat to provide more facts has done the trick. Since then, the distinguished senator has refrained from joining issues with his state government.

With both Akpabio and Udom in different political parties, no one expects the ceasefire to last.

This is because the hotel is just being used as porn. The real issue at stake is who will control one of Nigeria’s richest states comes 2019.

As elections approach, expect the fight to get messier.

by Chinedu Asadu



The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it is tracking financing of campaign by political parties, as part of new measures to tackle vote-buying.

Wilson Uwajuren, EFCC spokesman, said this in a statement on Friday. He said the anti-graft agency is out to prosecute anyone involved in the practice of vote-buying.

Uwajuren said those offering financial inducements for votes as well as those receiving such money would be held culpable and prosecuted.

Nigeria’s elections have been seriously marred with financial inducements, the last of such being the Ekiti state governorship election.

Uwajuren said the commission had mobilised its investigative resources to monitor campaign financing by political parties in Osun.

“As part of the commission’s proactive efforts in securing the integrity of the electoral process and preventing the exercise from being used as avenue for money laundering, the EFCC has already launched massive, but discreet, surveillance of the financial flows of all the actors in the various political parties,” the statement read.

“The tracking process which is ongoing, will continue till all the scheduled elections are concluded.”

He quoted Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the commission, as saying the move is part of a collaborative initiative that will see the EFCC join forces with other law enforcement agencies to enforce compliance of provisions of the electoral act which criminalises financial inducement by political parties and their candidates.

“We will be working with all stakeholders especially from the security and intelligence community to stop the practice of vote buying and other financial malpractices that undermine the integrity of our elections,” Magu was quoted as saying.

“It is important to state here that those who offer bribes for votes are as guilty as those who receive such gratifications. My candid advice to the electorates is to be vigilant and resist the temptation to sell their votes.

“After the widely acclaimed peaceful transfer of power from a sitting president, who was the candidate of the then ruling party, to the candidate of the opposition party in 2015, the 2019 general election offers Nigeria the opportunity to deepen her emerging democratic culture that is free and participatory. We must guard this process by shunning all forms of electoral malpractices.”

Magu said the commission would not take any step that is not sanctioned by law, adding, however, that “no one who collects money to rig election will be spared.”

The Nigeria police force had also
warned against the financial inducement during election, threatening to prosecute offenders.

Earlier on Friday, Olusegun Agbaje, resident electoral commissioner (REC) of INEC in Osun, said there would be serious problem in 2019 if the menace of vote-buying is not tackled.

by Jamilah Nasir



In 48 hours, residents of Osun state will head to the polls to elect their next governor. Although 48 political parties fielded candidates, there is no gainsaying that the wrestle for power is between four candidates. The election gets more interesting given the fact that the four gladiators and their running mates are from major election-influencing areas of the state.

In the last governorship election in Osun, the two leading parties fielded candidates from Osun east, hence Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress and Iyiola Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) divided the votes from that senatorial district while Aregbesola won overwhelmingly in Osun central and Osun west senatorial districts.

The votes from those two districts made him governor. However, in this case, candidates are spread across all the senatorial districts. APC is fielding Gboyega Oyetola from Osun central, with Benedict Alabi, his running mate from Osun west; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has Ademola Adeleke, its flag bearer from Osun west and Albert Adeogun, his running mate, from Osun east.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has Iyiola Omisore from Osun east and Lawal Olayemi, his deputy, from Osun west while the Action Democratic Party (ADP) has Moshood Adeoti from Osun west and Adeolu Durotoye from Osun central.

Gboyega hails from Osogbo, Adeleke from Ede, Omisore from Ife and Adeoti from Iwo.
Given the geographical distribution of the candidates and their popularity in their regions, each contender will most likely clinch the votes of the LGAs in his district.

However, the big question is, where will the winner get the significant votes? The constitution mandates that the overall winner must have not less than one-quarter of the votes cast in the election; each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the state.

Chapter 6, section 179, sub-sections 2 of the 1999 constitution reads: (2)“A candidate for an election to the office of Governor of a State shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates -(a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the State.

“(3) In default of a candidate duly elected in accordance with subsection (2) of this section there shall be a second election in accordance with subsection (4) of this section at which the only candidates shall be – (a) the candidate who secured the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) one among the remaining candidates who secured a majority of votes in the highest number of local government areas in the State, so however that where there are more than one candidate with a majority of votes in the highest number of local government areas, the candidate among them with the next highest total of votes cast at the election shall be the second candidate.

This is where the possibility of a run-off comes in.


WHAT IS A RUN-OFF?

A run-off is an election conducted when the first election fails to produce a clear winner for the position of a president or governor.

This can happen when the candidate with the highest votes does not have the required votes spread in the affected states or local government areas.

If a winner does not emerge on first ballot, who the two final candidates will be is what will remain unknown at least for now.

Posted By: Collins Nweze



The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is reviewing new evidence from four banks and MTN Nigeria over the sanctions slammed on them by the regulator, it was learnt yesterday.

The banks – Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic-IBTC, Citibank and Diamond Bank – were last month fined N5.87 billion by the apex bank for breach of capital importation policy.

The CBN had accused the banks of remitting foreign exchange with irregular Certificates of Capital Importation (CCIs) issued on behalf of some offshore investors of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited. The banks and MTN Nigeria have denied any wrongdoing.

According to the CBN, the lenders were asked to refund $8,134,312,397.63 for what it described as ‘flagrant violation of extant laws and regulations of the country, including the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1995 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Foreign Exchange Manual, 2006’.

In a statement yesterday, CBN Director, Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, said: “In response to the recent regulatory actions, the banks and MTN are engaging the CBN and have provided additional information which is currently being reviewed with a view to arriving at an equitable resolution.

“We assure all investors that the integrity of the CCI regime remains sacrosanct and there shall be no retroactive application of foreign exchange rules and regulations.”

The regulator also defended its N5.87 billion fine on the banks over alleged capital importation breaches on $8.1 billion transactions involving MTN Nigeria. The apex bank has insisted that the sanctions will not deter foreign investors from coming to invest in Nigeria.

Okorafor, said the apex bank acknowledges the public interest over sanctions recently imposed on four deposit money banks (DMBs). The apex bank said it welcomes all legitimate investors to take advantage of the enormous investment opportunities in Nigeria.

“We wish to restate that the CBN will continue to welcome foreign investments and investors. Indeed, some of our recent innovations and reforms of the Foreign Exchange regime such as the introduction of the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange (NAFEX) window are designed to simplify foreign exchange regulations.

“Furthermore, the delegation of the issuance of Certificates of Capital Importation (CCIs) to commercial and merchant banks some years ago was done to instill confidence in the investor community and encourage the flow of foreign direct and portfolio investments into the Nigerian economy.

The sanctions on the banks arose due to irregularities with respect to repatriations made on behalf of MTN Nigeria Limited and were not in any way designed to restrict access to investor returns.

“In response to the recent regulatory actions, the banks and MTN are engaging the CBN and have provided additional information which is currently being reviewed with a view to arriving at an equitable resolution.

“We assure all investors that the integrity of the CCI regime remains sacrosanct and there shall be no retroactive application of foreign exchange rules and regulations”.

lalasticlala

Chiemelie Ezeobi



The Presidential Task Force on Apapa Gridlock, Wednesday said it would on Monday next week commence the impounding of errant and idle articulated vehicles on Lagos bridges and roads.

The resolution was made wednesday at the meeting of all stakeholders in Apapa gridlock, which held at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT conference room, in Lagos. The taskforce Chairman, Commodore Okon Eyo, who made this disclosure at the stakeholders meeting, said the punitive measure only applies to non-compliant drivers of articulated vehicles- either tanker and truck drivers.

Eyo, who is also the Commander NNS Beecroft, said the enforcement took this long because the holding bays to accommodate the trucks and other modalities needed to be put in place.

The stakeholders meeting was a fallout of the previous meeting held with the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and other critical stakeholders in the efforts at decongesting Apapa gridlock.

Some of the proposed measures to effectively decongest the roads were for empty containers heading to the ports without any business there to desist, while export containers/sided trucks and flat beds are left inbound to the ports.

Others include coordinating large haulage companies or anyone wishing to move 10 trucks or more in one day, monitoring the operation of holding bays, parking instructions and management of broken down vehicles, as well as stopping non-ports bound traffic like tankers and trucks going to private premises.

The stakeholders meeting also addressed the issue of complaints of extortion, brutalism, preferential treatment and ineffectiveness of the applied strategies by the security taskforce. They also addressed the challenge of poor road network, recalcitrant drivers, intimidating and threatening posture of groups and unions, sometimes even to the extent of blackmail, as well as transporters’ subtle and overt inducement of traffic personnel and uncooperative attitude of terminal operators and shipping agencies.

Other challenges include ineffective NPA call-up system, unprofessional conduct of the taskforce personnel, continued use of the bridges as parks, non-operationalisation of the holding bays, use of dilapidated and rickety vehicles and losgistics shortfall for the taskforce including manning shortage.

In an interview with journalists afterwards Eyo said, “Before now, we have had series of meetings on the gridlock but now, we are going to return all empty containers on the road to the holding bays.

“Articulated vehicles henceforth are no longer allowed to be on the roads and bridges but at the holding bays and from there, they would be programmed between the agencies, terminal operators and NPA management.

“These agencies will then generate call cards for the articulated vehicles. The call cards is what the security agencies will be checking on the roads.

When we brought up the idea a month ago, the operators were not ready so we gave them time to put the required infrastructure for holding bays in place. Right now, we are very serious and they do not have a choice than to comply.”

Also speaking, the Chairman, Ajeromi Local Government Area, Ayoola Fatai, lamented that lots of people were benefiting from the chaos, which he said explains the lingering situation.

He said: “A lot of people are benefiting from the situation and that is why the solution is being delayed up to this moment.

“My take on this is that it has made the business in my local government paralysed. We have about 1.6million people resident in Ajegunle who cannot go out of their houses talk more of going to their businesses.

“People are dying everyday because of these containers and trucks. We need to be realistic in this approach. I have written a letter to the commander informing him of our resolution in our community not to allow these trucks to pass through our community anymore.

“Already, 198 culverts have been damaged, about 14 streets have being destroyed because of these containers and the the government is not coming to our aid.” Also, the Chairman, Apapa Local Government, Elijah Owolabi, harped on the dangers the gridlock portends on the health of residents.

He said: “All these trucks that want to carry out major business in Apapa should maintain one lane and allow the other lane to be useful for the commercial vehicles and other private vehicles to come in and execute their own businesses.”

On the issue of articulated vehicles parking in bridges he said they are going to engage robustly on this as the life span of those bridges have expired.

He said: “The lifespan of those bridges have expired. The maximum lifespan of a bridge is 40years and we have exceeded that.”

On the proposed relocation of tank farms in Apapa and environs he said: “They are due processes to be followed and that one is not under my own control.

“Our own is to suggest. What we need to to however is to go into all the tankfarms and ensure that they all have adequate and fully operational safety devices and not obsolete equipment,” he added.

lalasticlala

Posted By: Faith Yahaya,

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the suspension of the national carrier project.

The decision was disclosed by the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika on Wednesday in Abuja

The Minister who said the decision was strategic dismissed claims that the suspension was due to pressure from stakeholders and the political atmosphere.

Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja



Ministers shortly before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, were seen milling around Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, the minister overseeing the Ministry of Finance.

President Muhammadu Buhari, last Friday, accepted the resignation of the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun.

Adeosun had resigned over the fake exemption National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate she presented to the National Assembly for screening.

Ahmed, who was congratulated by her colleagues on her new assignment, was led to her new seat by Minister of Defence Monsur Dan-Ali, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri and the Minister of water resources, Mohammed Bello.

She was seen engaging with ministers of Agriculture, Abdu Ogbeh, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

The Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and the Minister of Industry, Trade Abe Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, said the Muslim and Christian prayers, respectively.

John Alechenu , Abuja



Barring any last minute changes , the All Progressives Congress will today (Wednesday ) begin the screening of its aspirants for various elective positions at the federal and state levels .

The screening is scheduled to begin on September 19 and end on Friday, September 21, 2018 .

Governorship and National Assembly aspirants are expected to be in Abuja for their screening while aspirants seeking election into state Houses of Assembly will be screened in their various states .

Our correspondent gathered in Abuja , on Tuesday, that the decision was taken after a marathon meeting of the Adams Oshiomhole- led National Working Committee late on Monday .

It was learnt that the screening committee would be inaugurated today for them to commence work immediately .

The shift in date for the screening which was originally proposed to end on Tuesday , September 18, was due to the extension granted for the sale and submission of nomination and expression of interest forms.

A source privy to Monday ’ s NWC meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media , said , “ We have revised our timetable in order to meet the deadline set by INEC .

“ Under the new arrangement, we will inaugurate the screening committee on Wednesday and it will commence work immediately .

“ The screening of the House of Assembly aspirants will begin from 19th and end on the 21st of September in the various state capitals . All aspirants for governor, Senate and the House of Representatives will be screened here in Abuja . ”

The source revealed that the party ’ s National Working Committee had proposed September 26 for the Presidential primaries , 29 for governorship primaries , October 2 for senatorial primaries and October 3 rd for House of Representatives primaries .

Primaries for the state assemblies will hold on October 4 while the national convention is slated to hold on the 6 th of October , 2018 .

Attempts to get a response from the party ’ s acting National Publicity Secretary , Yekini Nabena, were unsuccessful. Calls to his mobile telephone indicated that it was switched off . A response to a text message sent to him was being awaited as of the time of filing this report .

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has set up a seven - man committee to screen aspirants for the October 4 state assembly primary .

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state Chairman of the party , Alhaji Tunde Balogun , inaugurated the committee on Tuesday at the ACME road secretariat of the party .

Members of the committee include former Deputy -Governor of the state, Mr Femi Pedro; the Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris ; a chieftain, Mr Wale Oshun ; and member of the party ’ s Governor ’ s Advisory Council , Dr Abayomi Finnih .

Mr Moshood Salvador , a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state , who joined APC officially on Saturday , is also among members of the committee.

Speaking to newsmen after the closed - door inauguration , Balogun said the setting up of the committee was in preparation for the state assembly primary .

He said the committee, which would begin work on Wednesday and finish on Friday was to ensure that aspirants met the requirements to contest in the primary.

Balogun explained that each of the members of the committee would chair a sub - committee with members , to respond to the high number of aspirants .

“ We have a large number of people who are to be screened to contest in the state House of Assembly primary.

“ We have 40 seats in the state and over 230 aspirants are to be screened .

“This is a large number, and that is why each member of the committee is chairing a sub - committee to rise up to the challenge.

“ We are prepared for this enormous job , and and we are even expecting members from the national secretariat to do the work, ” he said .

He assured that the committee would carry out its responsibility without let or hindrance .

On the inclusion of Salvador in the committee, Balogun said it reflected the party ’ s promise that all defectors would be treated equally like the others.

The chairman said the APC would not renege on its promise to ensure new members were fully integrated .

He described the excitement generated by the emergence of two challengers to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the party ’ s governorship ticket as good for internal democracy .

Balogun said that the emergence of a former Commissioner of Establishment and Training , Mr Jide Sanwo -Olu and a former Commissioner of Works , Dr Obafemi Hamzat reflected the beauty of democracy .

The chairman said the governorship candidate would be determined by party members at the primary.

He described APC as a truly democratic party which had redefined governance in the state.

Babachir Lawal , former Secretary to the Government of the Federation ( SGF), for the first time after he was sacked from office over alleged diversion of IDP funds opened up on issues, saying the ugly episode was orchestrated by those who wanted him out of office. TONY EZIMAKOR brings the excerpts:


Nigerians are still in doubt whether President Buhari has done well to deserve a second term. What is your take on this?


I know very well that President Buhari has done very well to be re-elected over and over again. I wonder whether those still in doubt have not seen infrastructure, construction and other things he has been doing. I challenge those in doubt to come to Adamawa to see things themselves.

Before Buhari emerged president, six or seven local government Areas of the state
was under the occupation of Boko Haram. I could not go to my village, I could not go to my farm, I could not to my local government, but the situation has changed now. I can even drive to my house at 2am, sleep and wake up.

I can visit the remotest corners of the village with my family. I go to my farm in the forest and come back safely. If you have never faced an unsecured situation, you may not appreciate what it means to be secure, and free.

Secondly, all the trunk A roads in Adamawa state are now under construction or contracts awarded. Such roads like Yola to Gombe, Numan to Taraba, Yola to Mubi, Mararaba to Bama and many others are under construction. They have completed the 330KVA line to Jalingo. Adamawa has been on 33KVA before now that even simple grinding machine cannot operate in Adamawa state then.

Boko Haram burnt all the schools and all the police stations but they have been rebuilt and renovated today. The police barracks have been rebuilt and the policemen returned to their duty posts. What else would anybody for instance, in Adamawa want from Buhari. Do you want to cook him?


How has life been after you were sacked as the SGF?


Let me shock you. Before I came into government, I have been in business. I was a very successful businessman. I am a world-renowned IT Consultant and I have a very large farm, spanning over 1000 hectares, which I abandoned to join the government. I was earning N930,000 monthly as the SGF.

Now that I have returned to my farm and reactivated it after my sack, I now have 4000 hectares under cultivation. Last year, I earned close to half a billion Naira from my farm proceeds. I have a cattle ranch, that I am developing gradually and I am back to IT Consultancy. Life is good. Everybody who sees me compliments me by announcing that I am looking good and healthy now.


You didn’t get much support when you had the travail, were you surprised that only a few Nigerians stood by you when the going was rough?


I did not expect Nigerians to stand by me. People always forget that I am a pastor and the Bible says that God works for all things for the benefit of those who trust in him.

There are certain things that happened to me which I would not have known if I had not passed through this experience. For instance there are people I have helped that are determined to see that I did not see the light of the day. All along, they were carrying my children to school but were scheming that I die. I didn’t know that the people I was paying their children’s school fees were actually people that are envious of me.

I would not have known that if the sack did not come. I would not have known that as a human being, you have no control over your destiny. God does it and the way my Bible teaches me, everything that happens to a man is for his own good. My sack I would say is rather a blessing in disguise.


Do you see Atiku Abubakar from your state, posing any threat to the re-election of President Buhari?


I like Atiku very well and we even have semblance -black, tall, but I can say with certainty that he cannot win election even in Adamawa state. He belongs to the set of politicians that cannot just win election for one reason or the other because their methodology is not just good. Somehow people are not comfortable with him.
Again, he also changes party like football.

You kick football, run after it and kick it again when you get close to it. He changes party too much, forgetting that each time a politician changes party, he drops some followers.


What is the truth; that you nominated the current SGF, Boss Mustapha?


How can I nominate him when I am not the president of Nigeria. Even when I was the SGF, the president confirms all the appointments. At best, I can recommend and if he likes, he rejects or accepts. On what basis will I recommend the current SGF? He is however my brother and I cannot deny him.

It is wrong to accuse me of being behind what you described as Buhari’s sectional appointments. How many people came from my village? I am not an Hausa man but a Kilba man. We are a population of only about 300,000. I am a Christian and it is not right to accuse me of sectionalism. I can only be accused of being sectional if the appointments made are people from my side.

Talking about sectionalism in the appointments, where were they when these people are working very hard. People opposed my appointment, forgetting that the time I was sleeping in the bush and working very hard.


Were there cabal when you were in government and were you one of them?


The word cabal is not a bad word. It simply means an inner caucus and everybody has people around very close to them. If I, as the SGF appointed by the president, cannot influence his decision, what the heck will I be doing there?

The whole essence of occupying that position is to influence the boss with certain decisions. If because you are close to your boss and made recommendations, means you are a cabal, so be it. Would you have preferred I am the SGF without having any influence in government?


Do you regret the action that culminated in your sack?


Let me tell you, nothing happened to me. Right from the beginning of the saga, I knew that the whole thing was fabricated and that was why I did not give any damn from the beginning. I did not give a damn.

The reason some people don’t like me is because I am so confident of myself. Did you hear me defend myself that time, I didn’t do it and I will not do it because I know that they are fabricated. They wanted the SGF position, let them take it. I am still doing fine and by the way, do I look like somebody not doing fine?


Have you forgiven those behind your sack?


Yes of course, if you want to make heaven as a Christian, don’t bear or hold any grudge against anyone. Forgiveness is my number one principle because I want to make heaven.


Why are you not contesting for any elective position?


First, I was the SGF and that position is over and above governor because it is a federal appointment. I was virtually running the federal government. You recall that even the former senate President, number three man of the federation, still accepted the SGF position.

So, having attained that position, I have gone above going down again to contest for lower positions. Secondly, I am 63 years old now and I have a 33 year old son, I don’t see myself competing with him, vying to become the state governor. I will rather encourage my son to contest instead of contesting against him’.

lalasticlala

By Ahmad Salkida


Saifura Ahmed, one of the three humanitarian workers abducted in Rann, Kala Balge local government area of Borno state, has been killed by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction of Boko Haram.

The victim was abducted during a raid on a military facility in the area on March 1.
At least four soldiers, policemen and three humanitarian workers were killed in the attack.

Hauwa Leman, one of the workers abducted, had sent an audio to one of her friends, demanding that her parents be informed that she had been kidnapped.

Following the murder of Ahmed, Leman and Alice Ngaddah, a mother of two, are the ones in captivity among the three people abducted in Rann on March 1.

In a video seen by TheCable, the deceased was wearing a white hijab. She was shot from behind.

The insurgents claimed that they had contacted government over the captives but did not get any response.

“We contacted the government through writing and also sent audio messages but the government have ignored us. So, here is a message of blood,” said a spokesman of the group who did not give his name.
“The other nurse and midwife will be executed in similar manner in one month, including Leah Sharibu.”

The ICRC has confirmed the identity of the victim, promising to issue a statement.

In August, TheCable obtained an audio of Sharibu appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue her.

ISWAP has kept her in captivity for seven months, sparking public outrage.
The federal government had said it was making efforts to secure her release.

Sharibu is the only Christian among the abducted 119 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe state, kidnapped in February.

While 104 were released, five died in captivity.

By Muhammad Sabiu



SUPPORTERS of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, have pleaded with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to end his rift with his former vice president in order to allow him have a smooth ride in 2019 general election.

Atiku was Obasanjo’s Vice President from 1999 to 2007 but the former President’s third term agenda brought the two into serious crisis.

Addressing journalists in Kaduna Atiku’s supporters under the umbrella of Reset Foundation, said they were practically on their knees, begging Obasanjo to give his blessings and support Atiku’s presidential bid.

The Chairman of the Foundation, Amos Jayramos said Obasanjo should take note that of all the presidential aspirants, only Atiku has what it takes to win the presidency.

Jayramos said, “It is natural for two people to hurt each other, disagree and agree, and reconcile. So we are practically on our knees, begging former President Olusegun Obasanjo to settle his political differences with his former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and give him the necessary support to allow Atiku become the next President of this country.

“We believe that with Obasanjo supporting Atiku, there will be no problem for Atiku winning the forthcoming presidential election, and if he wins, the issue of insecurity will become a thing of the past, and the entire country will be better for it.

“Atiku has one hundred and one (101) reasons to be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We believe that if he is given the privilege to serve, he will provide dividends of democracy to every Nigerian home.

“In this regard, we call on all good people of Nigeria to join this movement in supporting the campaign to actualise this bid of Atiku to be president come 2019”.

The Foundation, according to its leader was inaugurated about six months ago with the objective to support a presidential aspirant, “Who will ensure a new Nigeria with an enabling environment for business to thrive, a new Nigeria where merit is rewarded, graduates are gainfully employed without ethnic, religious barriers.

“We are looking forward to a new Nigeria where citizens have the liberty to exercise their rights as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliation.

“We are therefore calling on all Nigerians who are desirous of a secured nation to preach the gospel of Atiku to all eligible voters in order to effect a better change we are all yearning for in 2019”.

Britain is targeting Nigerians with dubious wealth living or investing in that country as it seeks to expand its use of the Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs).

Also being closely watched by the British government are investors from Russia, China and the Middle East, according to the Director of Prosperity at Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Donald Toon.

The UWOs empower the British government to seize the assets of corrupt “politically exposed persons” or those with links to serious crime.

“We have significantly scaled up the work that we are doing,” Toon said in London.
“We are absolutely looking at Russians … but we are not exclusively looking at Russians and Russian assets.”

Transparency campaigners in Britain often question the source of some of the wealth that keeps pouring into the country from abroad.

Such foreigners, including Nigeria, buy everything from luxury properties to entire companies.

Toon said Britain has become a very attractive destination for corrupt foreign money, particularly from Russia, Nigeria, Pakistan, former Soviet states and the Far East.

His agency estimates that about £100 billion of dirty money is moved through or into Britain annually.

Assets worth about £25 million have already been frozen under the UWOs, although Toon admitted that the process is difficult and time-consuming as each case has to be taken through the courts.

Toon added: “some people in that space absolutely have directly and immediately something to fear because they are subjects of cases we are working on.

“The fact you are not seeing big numbers at the moment does not mean we are not doing the work, because we are.

You will see that come through in the courts; it will take time but you will see it. It takes time because the people who hold these assets are not stupid.”

LAGOS – The alleged feud between the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressive Congress (APC) National Leader and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, may rob off on the state police command, especially Edgar Imohinmi, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Sunday INDEPENDENT investigations have revealed.

Imohinmi, the Lagos police boss was believed to be Ambode’s secondary school classmate in Warri before Delta State was created.

Dependable sources at Force Headquarters and Police Service Commission (PSC) hinted that Imohinmi’s promotion to Acting CP and subsequent deployment as Lagos Police Command was allegedly influenced by Ambode.

Reliable sources at the PSC and at Force Headquarters disclosed that other considerations adduced for his promotion by Dr. Mike Okiro, the immediate-past PSC Chairman and retired Inspector-General of Police (IGP) was that Imohinmi was reportedly lagging behind his contemporaries.

“He was far below his course mates, some of whom were AIGs, not because he had bad records, but, as a result of the region he comes from, which was marginalised by past governments,” the sources stressed.

However, strong indications emerged at the weekend that if the alleged crisis of confidence between Tinubu and Ambode the duo was not resolved, the new PSC boss, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, a retired IGP, and Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), would be influenced to redeploy Imohinmi out of Lagos Command.

Sunday INDEPENDENT exclusively reported that during President Muhammadu Buhari’s last visit to Lagos, Tinubu allegedly convinced Buhari to appoint Smith to replace Okiro, whose statutory tenure expired on June 12.

We also reported that retired IGP Suleiman Abba and retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Israel Ajao, were initially under consideration, before the slot was given to Smith.

Already aware of the underground moves to redeploy Imohinmi, several officers were said to be warming up to take over from him.

Undercover investigations by Sunday INDEPENDENT revealed that three CPs and a DCP were being considered.

Three of them were said to be from the northern part of the country, while the fourth person was from the Southwest.

Our investigations further revealed that one of the CPs was said to be very close to one of the richest business mogul from the north, while the DC was said to be close to a very respected foreign Consulate that had the ears of President Buhari.

The DC was believed to be a senior DC on the seniority list and was said to be pushing to be promoted Acting CP and subsequently deployed as Lagos Command’s CP, the same manner Imohinmi was promoted and deployed to head the command some years ago.

Further discrete investigations by Sunday INDEPENDENT on the officers’ professional background revealed that all of them had worked in various capacities in Lagos.

However, the officer from the Southwest was believed to have an edge over the others, and the most favoured. He had worked in Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), where he reportedly distinguished himself as a super cop.

However, the PSC Chairman frowned at rampant postings of officers in the police.
On Friday during a meeting with the Police Management team led by the IGP, Smith frowned at the rampant and irregular postings of officers.

He stressed that an officer should be allowed to stay at a new post between two and three years. Conversely, he expressed displeasure on the long stay of officers posted to the Police Mobile Force, where he said some officers overstay. He called for a stop to the practice.

By Muritala Ayinla 



The last may not have been heard of the controversies trailing the second term bid of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu reportedly told the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christians Church of God, Pastor Adeboye, that he (Tinubu), will not prevail on any of the aspirants to step down.

This was as one of the aspirants and former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat confirmed Tinubu’s stance on the September 26 primary, saying the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has no anointed candidate among the contenders.

Saturday Telegraph authoratively gathered that Pastor Adeboye’s intervention is one of the latest moves by Ambode to persuade Tinubu to support his second term bid just like he did in 2015.

It was learnt that the revered Christian leader had inquired through telephone conversation with Tinubu to know how the issue of the APC primary could be resolved.

But the former governor insisted on direct primaries in the interest of fairness and justice for those who had obtained the APC forms for governorship primary in the party.

Although the telephone conversation, which had been converted into a text was silent on what Pastor Adeboye said, Tinubu was quoted to have maintained his posture that all contenders should go to the field and test their popularity before the people they want to govern.

The APC leader said he had been accused of imposition in the past and would not want to be seen as imposing any aspirant on the people in line with what democracy entails. Tinubu in the text message which was going viral on twitter told Pastor Adeboye that: “Sir, people have been accusing me of imposition.

They say I imposed candidates at will.
That’s why I said all aspirants including the governor to get to the field and test their popularity among the people in an open contest of direct primaries.

“Sir, my hands are tied on his matter, I cannot ask those who have picked the expression of interest and nomination forms to withdraw or not contest. That will be greatly unfair. We will ensure a level-playing ground for all the governorship aspirants including the incumbent governor.”

A source close to Tinubu, who chose to be anonymous because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, confirmed that there was a conversation between the APC leader and Pastor Adeboye on Ambode’s second term.
He said: “It’s true that baba (Pastor Adeboye) had intervened and Asiwaju also responded.

It is not in doubt that Asiwaju has a tremendous respect for the man of God and this is clear from his response. I will leave you to interpret his response and decide whether Asiwaju will ask one aspirant to step down for another.”

Meanwhile, Hamzat has said politicians will tell all forms of lies to create impressions that they have been anointed by the party’s national leader, saying that the former governor had promised to ensure a level playing field among them.

Hamzat said: “That was exactly what he (Tinubu) told me too. That was exactly what I am saying. He has said it publicly, so behind him, people can say anything. You will see all sorts of thing flying in the newspapers and social media that are not true. That is what we know.

He has said it repeatedly to everyone. He said it to me personally that he has no chosen candidate. Everybody should go and contest, should go and meet the people and talk to them and that is what I will do.”

Asked if he was not worried by the claim of the supporters of Babjide Sanwo- Olu that he has the blessing of Tinubu, Hamzat said: “Well I can only speak base on what I know. I met the national leader one-on-one and what he told me was what he said publicly.

He also said it at a stakeholders’ meeting that he doesn’t have a candidate. So, everybody can say whatever they like but you know, all the candidates will say they have his backing.”