₦airaland Forum

Interestingly, Sanwo-Olu still reports to Ambode, the appointing authority who got him his current job as the Managing Director, Lagos State Development Property Corporation (LSDPC).
He is yet to give a hint of resignation from his current job.

The governor’s camp also confirmed to Saturday Tribune that a couple of commissioners in his cabinet have shifted allegiance to Sanwo-Olu and like the wave-making aspirant, they have refused to quit the governor’s cabinet.

“How can people be so heartless, without conscience? How do they (defecting commissioners) get to look him (Governor Ambode) in the face despite the fact that they know he knows where they stand now? Our people are funny. It is because of Asiwaju they are behaving so arrogantly.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Dapo Akinrefon, Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsuru Olowoopwjo



LAGOS—THE unfolding move to oust Governor Akinwunmi Ambode from political relevance in Lagos State went a step further yesterday after his key rival, for the All Progressives Congress, APC governorship ticket, Mr. Babajide Sanwoolu set up a campaign structure to accentuate his ambition.

The move came in the light of disclosures that APC national leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was under tremendous pressure from his political base not to support a second term for Governor Ambode.

The pressure on Tinubu from his political base came as a faction of the APC in the state, some monarchs, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP rallied to the side of the embattled governor of the nation’s commercial nerve centre.

Even more, a group of 50 opposition political parties operating in cahoots with some activists under the aegis of Lagos Democracy Advancement Forces said the evolving crisis in the APC was a golden opportunity for the state to be liberated from the apron strings of Asiwaju Tinubu.

Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu, the choice of Tinubu’s supporters in anticipation of glory yesterday promised to reveal himself soon as he urged the political base not to be distracted by rumours and insinuations on his objectives.

A statement issued by the Sanwo-Olu Campaign its Director-General, Hon. Tayo Ayinde, last night announced the appointment of a 21-man campaign committee including three senatorial coordinators.

Among those named yesterday, as members of the committee, were the Deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni (Director of Research and Intelligence), Majority Leader, Senai Agunbiade, (Director of Legal) and Chairman of Agege Local Government, Mr. Kola Egunjobi, who is to coordinate Non-governmental Organisations, NGOs, civil society and students.

The senatorial coordinators appointed were Hon. Rasak Ajala (West), Hon. Wahab King (Central) and Mayor Dele Oshinowo (East).

Also among the campaign directors appointed yesterday were Alhaji Abdullahi Eniloobo (Mobilisation), Hon. Sesan Dani (Media and Publcity) and Hon. Bolanle Akinyemi-Obe (Women Affairs.)


Ambode’s travails beyond Tinubu

Sources privy to the developments that had pitched Ambode against his benefactor, Tinubu, Vanguard learnt were deeper than imagined and appeared to many as they said that it was beyond Tinubu.

“This is not a Tinubu matter as many are saying, it is more than Asiwaju,” the source revealed as he noted that Ambode was in a battle with the political base as symbolised by Tinubu.

“Tinubu is just a figurehead in this battle and is almost a prisoner in this battle between the troops and Ambode,” the source revealed.

Among the charges levelled against Ambode included aloofness from the party and his deliberate refusal to service the political structure as erected by Tinubu.

“As a major stakeholder I could call Asiwaju as governor, I could approach Fashola, and if I sent him a text he would reply, but Ambode I don’t have his number, and he is unapproachable.”

Another source said, “yes it could be true that Asiwaju has his issues with him, but I can tell you that Ambode’s problem is with the party. If Asiwaju can manage him, definitely we cannot manage him,” another source said yesterday.

Vanguard gathered yesterday that on account of the austere disposal of the governor towards his commissioners that some members of the cabinet who had seen their time in the cabinet as not profitable were planning to exit to contest for state and National Assembly elections.

“You can see that staying in the cabinet is not a guarantee for emotional or material stability. Tinubu never dissolved his cabinet, Fashola did his commissioners well, but it is not so with our oga.

“I can tell you that up to eight members of the cabinet are preparing to leave the cabinet for other political aspirations,” a member of the state’s cabinet revealed yesterday.


Ambode returns toGovt House, meets monarchs; Oba of Lagos absent

The embattled governor was, however, yet unmoving as he changed his mind and relocated from his Epe base to the State House, Ikeja from where he and some aides coordinated a charm offensive to woo back support.

Among those, the governor interacted with yesterday were some traditional rulers who met with him in a closed-door meeting.

The monarchs, it was learned, had gathered at T-Block at Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja specifically to discuss issues that had enveloped the political atmosphere in the state.

Following that meeting, the monarchs proceeded to the State House. As at press time last night there were yet conflicting indications as to whether the governor personally interfaced with them.

The Oba of Lagos Oba Rilwan Akiolu was not among those in the delegation of the monarchs.

Vanguard gathered yesterday that insinuations that the monarch was among those pleading for the governor might be far-fetched.

“Those saying so do not know the relationship between the Oba and Jide Sanwo-Olu who is his relation,” one source said.


PDP opens door to Ambode

The opposition PDP in the state yesterday formally intervened into the melee in the ruling party when it opened its doors to the embattled governor.

The Publicity Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the PDP, Mr. Taofeek Gani, in a statement said that the party would be glad to receive Ambode into its fold if he decided to leave APC for whatever reason.

Gani said: “Any forward-looking party would not have rejected its main opponent joining it, especially a big personality like Ambode.

“We are ready to welcome him (Ambode) to our party if he decides to join for any reason. We are very ready to accept him if he decides to join us.

“You see PDP is a party for all, so far as the value will be added. We cannot turn down our opponents, especially a big personality like Ambode.

“Therefore, he is welcome. His joining us will add value and boost our chances to win the state.”

He said the party would accord him all the rights and privileges with the existing members to realise his political ambitions.


Sanwoolu, notthreat to Ambode —APC faction

Support also came from the faction of the party aligned to Fouad Oki who yesterday played down assertions that Ambode had reached a political dead end as he affirmed that the governor was on his way to re-election.

He said, “To me, Ambode is very much in the race. From every investigation, there is nothing concrete against him. Jide Sanwoolu supporters are no threat to the ambition of Ambode.

“The Sanwo-Olu groups are just making noise in the media of the Mandate Group. Their numbers can’t take them into electoral victory; I know that for a fact.


APC plotting to rig primary —Oki

Also, while reacting to the claim by the chairman of the party, Alhaji Tunde Balogun of having five million registered voters, Oki said, “The factional chairman of APC, Tunde Balogun claiming to have five million registered voters is not true.

“If they have five million members why is the total number of registered voters 6.2 or 6.5million in Lagos, are they saying that it’s only politicians that have registered to vote in Lagos. If one party, out of 91 parties has five million registered members, what is the assurance that they are all registered voters.

Saying that Balogun’s claim was a plot to rig the forthcoming party primaries, he said: “Why he said that is because they are planning to rig the primaries. The reason why they are excited on direct primaries, it’s not because they are democrats, not because they believe in the popular franchise, it’s just because they want to use a rigging apparatus to stop their perceived opposition or foes from emerging.

“And to do that they need justification, and they have used a wrong justification on the Tinubu to decide who becomes the next governor of the state. Is it the type of democracy we are craving for, we need to ask ourselves some questions.”


Youths rally for Ambode

Support for Ambode also came the way of the governor from a group of youths, under the aegis of “Lagos Democracy Advancement Forces,” LADFORCE, which called on the leadership of the party to end the politics of ‘godfatherism” saying it is inimical to the unity and progress of the party, even as it urged Ambode to leave APC for another party, saying, “enough is enough.”.

Speaking at a media briefing, the convener, Mark Adebayo, claimed that no fewer than 50 political parties are waiting to endorse Ambode for next year’s poll immediately he defects from APC.

The group believed that leaving APC would liberate Lagos State from Tinubu’s “chessboard”, as they described the political leader as an individual that had pushed governance in the state around at his own will “ for self-centered pedestrianism.”

“It is being alleged that it is Tinubu who masterminded the sudden emergence of Sanwo-Olu as the anointed governorship candidate of the Lagos powers that be. It is being alleged that he is a mere decoy for the real power game that is unfolding.

On their plan to end Tinubu’s dominance in Lagos, Adebayo said: “The first stage of the revolution is to mobilise a minimum of 50 political parties in Lagos State to adopt Governor Ambode as their governorship candidate. A contact and liaison committee has been set up to actualise that project.

“Moreover, LADFORCE as an umbrella organisation for the five organisations that formed this coalition will effectively utilize its structures in all the Wards, LGAs and LCDAs of Lagos State as the effective machinery of mobilising Lagosians for the mother of all socio-political revolutions in Lagos State.


On Otedola

The group, while applauding PDP for wooing oil magnate, Femi Otedola, to become its governorship candidate, described the emergence of the businessman as another individual that could rescue the state from Tinubu through the poll next year.

“Having been a successful businessman and a political virgin, so to speak, Femi Otedola might just be the Messiah to break the almost twenty years of the tarantula’s stranglehold on Lagos and Lagosians.”

By Hamza Idris & Ibrahim Sawab




The factional leader of the Boko Haram loyal to Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) Mamman Nur has been killed by his fighters who rebelled against him, sources with ample knowledge of the group told the Daily Trust.

Nur, the brain behind the ties between Boko Haram and the Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi led Islamic State, was reportedly killed by his closest lieutenants on August 21. He had in 2014 led the rebellion against Abubakar Shekau, which saw the emergence of Abu Mus’ab Al-Barnawy faction of the group.

The breakaway faction which moved to shores of Lake Chad region in Northern Borno was later recognised by the Al-Baghdadi.

The new leader Al-Barnawy, whose real name is Habib, is the son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf, who was killed in 2009.

One of our sources said, “Mamman Nur, who was killed on August 21, is the actual leader of the Boko Haram faction after they parted ways with Shekau. He (Nur) only put Habib in the front as shadow leader because of his father (Mohammed Yusuf).

“The name Al-Barnawy is only being heard as symbolic leader; he was meant to lead so that followers would remain committed to the cause championed by his late father but he (Nur) is the major link of the faction with the Islamic State; the chief strategist around Lake Chad, including their cells in Nigeria, Niger and Chad,” he said.


Why Nur was killed

Another source told the Daily Trust that Mamman Nur was killed after long period of disagreement with his subordinates who established “relative authority and contacts” over the years.

According to him, “The commanders became disenchanted with Nur’s style of leadership; they saw him as not as rough as Shekau.

“They followed him in staging the revolt because the argument back in 2014 was that Shekau was a hardliner who killed almost everyone, both Muslims and Christians who disagreed with his brand of Islam.

“But according to some of the fighters, after establishing his base in Lake Chad, Mamman Nur too ‘deviated from the real course’ and compromised on so many occasions,” he said.

He said a major disagreement broke after the release of the some 100 girls abducted in a secondary school in Dapchi, Yobe State, in March.

“The negotiation of the release of the girls did not go down well with some close associates of Mamman Nur who released the girls unconditionally, following a directive by Al-Baghdadi,” the source said.

“Nothing was paid before the girls were released and besides, Mamman Nur’s soft approach and close contact to governments and different levels angered his foot soldiers who rebelled against him and thereafter executed him,” he said.

It was learnt that Al-Barnawy had also lost firm control of the group which is now under the “guidance” of a certain commander.

“The man in charge of all the cells in the Lake Chad region is the former commander of the fighters who was directly under the control of late Mamman Nur,” he said.

A security expert, Major Salihu Bakari, told the Daily Trust yesterday that the upsurge in Boko Haram attacks in Northern Borno might not be unconnected with the change of leadership.

“The truth is Mamman Nur had lost control long before he was killed; the factional group was taken over by hardliners who share a lot in common with the Shekau faction who’s landmarks include kidnapping, assault, abductions for ransom and other atrocities,” he said.

He said the new group had recently attacked many army facilities in northern Borno and also captured individuals for ransom.

“They want ransom to continue financing their activities; I think their demands for high ransom is what is delaying the release of many abductees, including the female health workers that were captured in Rann in Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno State,” he said.

The Nigerian military has yet to confirm the killing of Mamman Nur.

However, on January 6 this year, the military said the wife of Mamman Nur was killed when troops attacked the group’s location in the Lake Chad region.

The spokesman of the Operation Lafiya Dole Theatre Command in Maiduguri, Onyema Nwachukwu, said at the time that about 250 Boko Haram fighters on the side of Mamman Nur had surrendered.

The announcement came hours after the military declared Nur as “fatally injured” during an operation.

Daily Trust recalled that in in September 2011, the Department of State Service (DSS) placed a N25 million bounty on Mamman Nur, a close ally of Mohamed Yusuf and Shekau, who was accused of masterminding the bombing of the UN building in Abuja.

Military kills many insurgents in Damasak
In a related development, the military said troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole have engaged Boko Haram militants and killed many of them.

It added troops pursued others who attacked a military location in Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government area in Northern part of Borno State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred on Wednesday.

The insurgents reportedly besieged the military facility in full force with the intention to dislodge soldiers of the 145 Battalion from their location but were repelled.

Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, said in a statement yesterday that, “the terrorists were subdued following a superior fire power of troops in Damasak.

“The Nigerian Army wishes to state that, 145 Battalion deployed in Operation LAFIYA DOLE at DAMASAK, Mobar Local Government Area of Borno State on 12 September 2018, inflicted many casualties on the Boko Haram Terrorists and their weapons as well as vehicles were captured and some were destroyed during the encounter.

“Seven members of the terrorists group were neutralised during the encounter while others flee into the nearby bush.

Items recovered include: two vehicles; one anti-aircraft gun; four AK 47 rifles; seven magazines; two hand grenades; one bayonet; 47 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition; 174 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition,” he said.

He said efforts are on by the troops to get other fleeing members of the group, even as he announced that seven soldiers sustained injuries during the attack.

By Hamza Idris, Saawua Terzungwe, Yusha’u A. Ibrahim, Romoke W. Ahmad, Hope Abbah & Bashir Liman





Some presidential aspirants on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are plotting a fall-back option in the event they fail to get the ticket in the party’s primary election, investigations by Daily Trust have revealed.

Senate President Bukola Saraki, his predecessor David Mark, Senators Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Jonah Jang are all vying for the PDP presidential ticket.

But they have all obtained forms – through proxies – that will allow them return to the Senate if the presidential bid fails.

Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto and Ibrahim Dankwambo, who are also aspiring for the presidency, are not leaving anything to chance as the former plots to retain his governorship seat, while the latter keeps a move to the Senate as option.

The PDP had in its latest time table fixed Sept 30 for primary elections into the Senate and House of Representatives and presidential primary for October 5 and 6.
The party’s presidential nomination forms cost N12m, while those for Senate cost N4m. The nominations forms for governorship cost N6m.


PDP walks tight rope

Already, sources at the PDP national secretariat hinted Daily Trust yesterday that the party was walking a tight rope following the emergence of more than 10 aspirants seeking the presidential ticket, thereby allowing some of them to buy other forms as fall-back options.

“It is a secret deal. Of course, politics is about interest and intrigues. So I can assure you that some of the aspirants will later get automatic tickets to retain their seats in the senate. So it is not strange, it is part of democracy,” one of the sources said.

Similarly, a high ranking member of the PDP, Chief Sam Nkire, said “I heard of it but I don’t know specifically who and who bought forms for presidential, governorship and or senatorial race.

“However, that shows that the aspirants are not putting their eggs in one basket. It also shows that the aspirants themselves know that only one of them would emerge at the convention. So for me, it is an indication that all of them will work together after the primaries,” he said.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, did not respond to a text message sent to his mobile phone on the matter.


Saraki

No famous politician has shown interest in the Kwara Central senatorial seat currently occupied by Senate President Bukola Saraki, which reports that the No 3 citizen had already bought the form through proxy just as he did in 2011.

In 2011, a permanent secretary in Kwara State obtained the senatorial seat ticket but later stepped down for Saraki when he lost to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar Atiku during a northern caucus meeting.

A source said the Secretary to the Kwara State Government, Isiaka Gold, who is from the same senatorial zone with Saraki might hold the ticket in confidence, so that the Senate president would simply take over when he is edged out in the presidential primary.

However, the PDP in the state said many people had purchased the form, but refused to release their names.


Dankwambo

In Gombe, the state Commissioner of Special Duties, Alhaji Usman Ribadu, has picked a nomination form for the Gombe-North Senatorial District seat.

Impeccable sources at the state secretariat of the PDP told our correspondent that Ribadu collected the nomination forms silently to avoid suspicion of his motives.

The source told Daily Trust that in the event that Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo failed to clinch the presidential ticket, Ribadu will step down and hand over his ticket to the governor.

Ribadu and Dankwambo came from the same Gombe-North senatorial zone.
Until his appointment as a commissioner two years ago, Ribadu held sway for several times as chairman of Funakaye LGA. He was also at different times a member of the state House of Assembly.

According to political pundits, Bayero had an arrangement with Governor Dankwambo to swap their positions. It was believed that Bayero helped Dankwambo to retain his seat in 2015, under an unwritten agreement that Dankwambo will support him in 2019.


Kwankwaso

In Kano, the political scenario that played out in the APC in respect to Kano Central Senatorial slot may repeat itself in PDP in 2019. That time, then Governor Kwankwaso picked the ticket for the APC presidential primary while his personal assistant Alhaji Abba Yusuf held the Senate ticket for him.

Yusuf, a former Commissioner of Works, secured the Senate ticket after the primaries but handed it over to Kwankwaso after he lost the ticket to APC presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari. Kwankwaso later defeated Senator Bashir Lado of the PDP.

A reliable source within the PDP said “I can confidently tell you that Kwankwaso is planning to fix another person to front for him. So far he has purchased form for Alhaji Abdullahi Sani Rogo for Kano South and anointed another person who will buy the form for him like he did in 2015.”


Mark

There is no doubt that the political calculation of the Benue South Senatorial district, where ex-Senate President David Mark, has held sway since the return of democracy in 1999, has changed following his decision to vie for the presidency.

Mark had personally purchased forms to vie for the presidency, and those jostling to take over the baton in the Senate are Comrade Patrick Abba Moro, a former Minister of Interior under the President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime; Chief Steven Lawani, who is a former deputy governor of Benue State; Joseph Ojobo, a two-term legislator in the State’s House of Assembly; and Chief Mike Okibe Onoja, a former permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Moro is the man to beat, according to pundits, and he is curiously a henchman of the ex-Senate president who sufficiently paid his dues to David Mark.

In fact, it is not hidden to those from the Benue South senatorial district that Moro could do just anything for Mark, including surrendering his senatorial ticket to his principal to run for the senate election for the sixth time.

This is in the event that Mark failed to secure the presidential primaries mandate to become the PDP presidential flag bearer. However, Mark in the eyes of his close associates, would never stoop to such arrangement.

“Mark is very calculative, in the event he does not secure the party’s ticket, he would never descend back to the Senate under such shallow arrangement. People need to understudy this man to understand his kind of person,” one of them said.


Tambuwal

The immediate past Commissioner for Local Government in Sokoto State, Alhaji Mannir Dan’iya, is the one who emerged as consensus gubernatorial candidate of the PDP in Sokoto, with analyst saying he is in the race to stand in for Tambuwal, who recently defected to the PDP and purchased the relevant forms.

There are insinuations that in the event that he failed to get the PDP ticket, he would simply go back home and take over the gubernatorial ticket from Dan‘iya.

During the endorsement of Dan ‘iya, it was gathered that former Governor Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, and the former deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Mukhtari Shagari as well as Ambassador Abdallah Wali were absent at the meeting.
But Governor Tambuwal, who presided over the meeting, said they all sent apology and accepted the decision.


Jang

Senator David Jonah Jang who is also one of the PDP presidential aspirants may retain the seat in the event that he did not succeed in getting the highest office in Nigeria.

There was a rumour making the round that Mr. Jang, who represents Plateau North Senatorial District at the national assembly, has picked Istafanus D. Gyang (ID Gyang), a current member representing Riyom/Barikin Ladi constituency in the House of Representatives to replace him at the red chamber.

Gyang is a political godson of Jang who served as a Permanent Secretary, Security when Jang was governor.

He was handpicked by Jang to represent Riyom/Barikin Ladi at the national assembly in 2015.

But on Monday when Jang was speaking with journalists at his residence in Maitama, Abuja before leaving for the PDP National Secretariat to submit his presidential nomination forms, he reportedly said he would not seek re-election to the Senate if he lose the presidential primary.

But Naziru Isa, an activist in Jos, said it was the usual rhetoric by politicians. “We have countless politicians who said they would not seek reelection but you suddenly see them saying they were compelled by the electorate to contest again; so let’s wait and see who among them would live by his words,” he said.

The chairman of a local government and the chairmen of three local council development associations are among a number of All Progressives Congress (APC) members and leaders in Lagos State who endorsed Akinwunmi Ambode, Governor of the state, for second term on Wednesday.

According to Habib Haruna, the Chief press Secretary to the Governor, this happened on Wednesday in Epe where the party elected its delegates for the presidential primary election and national convention of the party.

Part of a statement by Haruna revealed that “the party leaders and faithful in the division took turn to affirm their unalloyed support for the second term bid of the Governor”.

Those listed as making the endorsement are Adedoyin Adesanya, Chairman of Epe Local Government Area; Saliu Adeniyi, Chairman of Eredo LCDA; Samson Onanuga, Chairman of Ikosi-Ejirin LCDA; and Kehinde Adeniyi, party Chairman in Epe Local Government.

Also reported to have endorsed the Governor are; State Welfare Officer, Alhaja Abiodun Bankole; former member of House of Representatives representing Epe, Hon Bola Gbabij; member of Lagos State House of Assembly representing Epe Constituency II, Segun Olulade; APC Women leader in Epe, Mrs Iyabo Adegboyega; LGA party Secretary, Alhaji S.A Owolomose; youth leader, Abdul Ibrahim; Otunba Bode Alausa and Akin Oladipupo.

Youth in the division also staged a peaceful protest displaying placards of various inscriptions to affirm their support for the Governor's second term bid.

Lagos State has 20 local governments and 37 local council development associations, the chairmen of which are central to grassroots mobilization in the direct primary system.

Oladimeji Ramon


https://cdn.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/29105343/Olukoya-Ogungbeje-2.jpg


Some police operatives on Wednesday morning arrested a lawyer , Olukoya Ogungbeje , at the Federal High Court in Lagos .

Ogungbeje had represented the alleged billionaire kidnapper , Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike , alias Evans .

Policemen said to be from the State Criminal Investigation Department , Panti , swooped on the lawyer as he parked his car at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi on Wednesday morning .

Ogungbeje , who was billed to appear before the vacation judge, Justice Muslim Hassan , was immediately whisked off by the policemen.

- Decry Navy harassment, extortion




Adewale Sanyaolu

Except urgent steps are taken, Nigerians may soon witness another round of fuel scarcity as the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG have suspended petroleum products loading across depots in Lagos.

A visit by Daily Sun to major and independents marketers’ depot in Apapa yesterday revealed that all PTD members had complied with the directive of the association.

At Ijora and Sunrise in Apapa, long stretches of tankers dotted the entire length of Dockyard road without drivers in sight to load petroleum products.

Some marketers who spoke to Daily Sun lamented that, should government fail to intervene and resolve the disagreement between PTD members and the Navy, the situation would in the next two days lead to acute shortage of petroleum products.

lalasticlala

Posted By: Shehu Bello



The Federal Government has approved the immediate deportation of 36 Indians and 2 Democratic People’s Republic of Korea nationals with immediate effect.

The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.- Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, disclosed this in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Mohammed Umar, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Umar said the minister who signed the deportation order on Tuesday, in his Office in Abuja said it was pursuant to section 45(2, 3 and 4) of the Nigeria Immigration Act 2015.

Dambazau in the statement explained that the Indian nationals gained entry into the country with fake visas and counterfeit Immigration stamps, while the Korean nationals failed to regularise their stay upon the expiration of their contract with Zamfara Government.

Dambazau gave the names of the affected nationals as:Mr AN CHUN SIK and Mr JON SU GYONG of the Democratic People’s Republic Of Korea.

The statement listed the names of the 36 Indian nationals as: -Mr Sajji, Mrs Sajji Arvini, Mrs Sunil Babujumma, Mrs Meemi, Mr Papachi, Mr Deva, Mr Rajani, Mrs Kiran Shivachadra, Mr Shivachadra and Mr Shakthi.

Others the statement said are : Mr Prabhukumar, Mr Rajan, Mr Shree Kumar, Mr Jagandeesh, Mrs Mamathaja, Mrs Sheela, Mr Prasad, Mr Pappa and Ms Nirveni

Also named are: Mr Shambhu Kumar, Mrs Reshma, Mr Ravi Kumar, Mr Iraji, Mrs Jinotha, Mr Kishore, Mr Nageena, Mrs Sheelavathi and Mr. Nentaraju/Santhosh Kumar.

The minister in the statement named other the India nationals as Mrs Sumati, Mr Krishna Lokesh, Mr Santhil, Mr Vasantha, Mr Seebu, Mr Vishwanath, Mr Vishwanth Ramya and Mr Rajeshwari.

He reiterated President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to empower the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to enhance enforcement of the nation’s Immigration Laws.

The minister in the statement further stated that all foreign nationals should operate within the provisions of the law as the nation would not compromise its immigration laws.(NAN)

Nume Ekeghe, Nosa Alekhuogie in Lagos and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja


The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the research unit of The Economist Magazine, has predicted that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the upcoming 2019 presidential election.

EIU stated this in its latest country forecast overview on Nigeria that was obtained yesterday by THISDAY.

The EIU, which gave an array of reasons for its prediction, said even though it would be a close call, the opposition PDP would win the election.

It predicted slowdown in economic activities in Nigeria as politics takes centre stage.

The Economist’s report came to light a day after the New Telegraph published another research report by a multinational banking and financial services company, HSBC, which said a second term for President Muhammadu Buhari would gravely stunt the economic development of the country.


Buhari is already preparing for a re-election in February 2019.

A group, Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors Network (NCAN) had last week purchased N45.5million nomination forms for the president who remained unchallenged as at yesterday. Collection of nomination forms closes today.

The opposition PDP is also in the process of selecting its flag bearer.

With 13 aspirants picking up the N12million presidential nomination forms, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party yesterday set up a 12-man committee to liaise with the contestants and work out the possibility of producing a consensus candidate from among them.

The London-based magazine, which also anticipated a depreciation of the naira, said further in its assessment that Buhari was fast shedding support from within the APC with governors and lawmakers defecting to the opposition en masse.

“Intra-party politics would be chaotic ahead of the poll and we ultimately expect the incumbent to lose power,” it said.

According to the magazine, “The 2019 elections will be a close contest between the ruling APC and the PDP. We expect the PDP presidential candidate to win, but for the next administration to flounder against the same problems as the incumbent one.

“The next government is likely to be led by the PDP, the main opposition, potentially in a coalition with smaller parties, but instability will remain an insoluble challenge.

“Internally, not all ambitious politicians from the APC who have defected will be rewarded with places in the next government; or if they are, it will mean that pre-existing grandees within the PDP will have been sidelined.

“Whoever ends up feeling cheated will eventually turn on the new administration, as is happening to the APC now. There is also a unifying PDP presidential candidate, with around 16 aspirants competing for the nomination.

“A weak APC before the election and a troubled government thereafter implies that Nigeria’s manifold security threats will continue to fester.

“Parliamentary rifts will remain the main problem, and this applies no matter who is in charge, given competing priorities between representatives from different regions and the absence of a common ideology within parties.”

Continuing, it noted that policy reforms, particularly in the vital oil industry would be slow as a result of division in the political elite between advocates of tough, unpopular market reforms and those who refer pandering to nationalistic and pro-subsidy interest groups. The latter group was likely to remain in the ascendancy, it added.

According to the EIU, politicisation of economic policy would also slow reforms and at times actively decelerate economic growth.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria will not act completely independently, and the overall policy agenda will be pulled in differing directions by various powerful interest groups,” the report stated.

“Fiscal expenditure will remain dominant by recurrent spending despite attempts to boost capital investments. Efforts to boost non-oil tax revenue will be constraint by weak bureaucratic capacity and low economic growth. Constrained by a crippling infrastructure deficit, economic growth will be well beneath level needed to boost job creation and increasing living standard.

“Inflation will generally remain high over the forecast period (2018-2022) amid expansionary fiscal policy and high food prices stemming from government efforts to limit import and support local producers.

“The authorities will continue to interfere in the foreign exchange market although the degree of interference should eventually lessen with higher oil prices supporting reserves and broad economic confidence slowly improving. The naira will nonetheless depreciate over 2019-21 and be broadly stable in 2022,” the report explained.

Furthermore, the EIU held the view that Nigeria’s current account would record marginal gain over the forecasts period, saying pick-up in oil prices would be offset by recovering import demand.

The difficult business environment will restrict the development of non-oil exports, it added.

The report further pointed out that without a collective resolve, it would prove impossible to bring permanent peace to the large parts of Nigeria hit variously by an Islamist insurgency in the north, ethno-nationalism and piracy in the main oil-producing region and secessionism in the Biafra region, as well as inter-religious tensions and disputes over land access across the centre of the country.

“It will prove hard to build a more effective security apparatus while also creating economic opportunities for local populations; poverty lies at the root of much of the instability.

“Our central forecast is, however, that the 2019 elections will be completed without a widespread breakdown in stability with Nigeria’s democracy proving once again to be robust enough to endure.

“However, we expect major unrest to continue in 2020-2022 as comprehensive solutions prove too complex and costly to implement in the medium term.”

It noted that given the severe risks to stability, speculation over the threat of a military coup or a civil war was likely to surface periodically.

It stated, “That these issues are part of the popular discourse highlights the seriousness of the challenges facing Nigeria, but we consider a widespread breakdown of security to be unlikely; the military is more professional and has been depoliticised since the junta stepped aside in 1999.

“Meanwhile, there is little appetite outside more extremists’ agitators for a return to civil war, given memories of how disastrous the 1967-1970 conflict was for the country.

“Nevertheless, as the country’s leadership struggles to shift Nigeria onto a more sustainable and robust pat of economic development, the risks to stability will intensify as more and more Nigerians question what they have to lose from pushing for violent change.”


HSBC: Buhari’s Second Term Poses Risk to Economic Devt

In its own report, put together by its Global Research Unit, entitled, ‘Nigeria, Papering over the Cracks,’ HSBC said Nigeria’s current economic struggles look set to continue if Buhari wins a second term in office.

According to the financial institution, although the president’s “approval ratings sit near all time lows,” a development, it said, “largely reflects the impact of Nigeria’s painful recession in 2016-17 and the sustained economic hardship that has accompanied his presidency, including rapidly rising joblessness, and poverty,” the president will once again lead the APC into the 2019 elections.

It, however, stated, “A second term for Mr. Buhari raises the risk of limited economic progress and further fiscal deterioration, prolonging the stagnation of his first term, particularly if there is no move towards completing reform of the exchange rate system or fiscal adjustments that diversify government revenues away from oil.”

The multinational banking group, which is Europe’s largest by total assets, noted that while higher oil prices have brightened Nigeria’s macro outlook, boosting export earnings, improving the supply of foreign exchange, and supporting naira stability, the Buhari administration was yet to address the economy’s structural shortcomings.

It said, “Economic growth remains sluggish and reliant on the rebound in oil output while the non-oil economy, which accounts for about 90 per cent of GDP, continues to languish with many service sectors still mired in contraction.

“Joblessness continues to rise, up almost three-fold in three years to 19 per cent in Q3 2017, pushing the number in poverty to 87 million. “Meanwhile, current account improvements may have pivoted on higher oil prices, but they also derive from on-going import restrictions and limited FX access for many sectors of the economy.”

PDP BoT Sets Up Committee to Pick Consensus Presidential Candidate
Perhaps looking to make The Economist forecast real, the BoT of the PDP yesterday revealed that it had set up a 12-member committee to discuss with the party’s 13 presidential aspirants, with the view to picking one of them as consensus candidate.

Those in the race for the presidential ticket of the PDP are, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal; Gombe State Governor, Dr. Ibrahim Dankwambo; President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki; former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido; former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi; and former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki (SAN).

Others are: former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark; former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; former Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; former Plateau State Governor, Senator Jonah Jang; Mr. Stanley Osifo and Dr. Baba Datti Ahmed.

The BoT had last week met in Abuja where they said they were working to ensure that they reduce the increasing number of presidential aspirants, but noted that they would not force any aspirant to step down.

However, the Chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, in a text message to THISDAY said that the committee would impress it on the aspirants, the dangers inherent in having such a large number of them in the race.

He stressed that the committee would not compel any of the aspirants to withdraw from the race, but rather they would be persuaded to put the interest of the party above their personal interests and ambitions.

Jibrin, who admitted that the present number of aspirants was complex, noted that there were fears that there could be disagreement among the contestants that could lead to major divisions after the primaries.


Governors’ Forum to Meet with Presidential Aspirants

Also yesterday, the PDP Governors’ Forum resolved to have an all-inclusive meeting with all the presidential aspirants, the National Chairman of the party, two national officers, as well as the leaders of the party in both chambers of the National Assembly.

The forum, in a communiqué issued yesterday and signed by its Chairman and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, at the end of an emergency meeting it held between September 9 and 10, 2018 in Abuja, also condemned what it called the suspicious payment of N16 billion to Osun State purportedly from the Paris Club Refund, saying it believed that the money was meant to ‘fund corrupt inducement of voters’ in the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State scheduled for September 22, 2018.

It decried alleged use of security agencies to perpetrate electoral fraud as it happened in Ekiti, Osun and Rivers State and urged the security agencies to be non-partisan in the performance of their duties in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

Posted By: Yusuf Alli and Gbade Ogunwale


Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors have rejected what they see as a plot by some of their colleagues to impose a presidential candidate on the party.

Instead, the governors have offered to meet with the 12 presidential aspirants this week on their commitment to free and fair primaries.

The governors, who met in Abuja on Sunday, were said to have discovered that “one or two” of them had “ulterior agenda” to impose a candidate on the party.

It was learnt that the governors also came up with the idea of a consensus candidate, but others claimed it was too early to decide that.

The party, Board of Trustees (BoT) is canvasing consensus, saying the number of candidate is high.

A governor, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “We had a stormy session because we have one or two among us without an open mind. They are working to the answer for one candidate.

“We know these governors and in the fullness of time, we will expose them before they destroy our party and ruin its chances in 2019.

“Most of us said anybody working with agenda contrary to free and fair process will be resisted. We said we will like a fair game because PDP must get it right this time around.

“So, anybody with ulterior agenda is deceiving himself. No PDP governor or governors can force a process on us. We want the party to put the best candidate forward.

“Most of us believe that once the process is transparent and fair, those who may lose out will feel free to support whoever emerges as PDP candidate.”

The governors will meet with the 12 presidential aspirants before the end of this week to, according to another governor, “reassure them of our commitment to equity, fairness and justice”.

The source went on: “We also seek to appeal to the aspirants to play the game in a fair manner which will keep PDP intact. They should see themselves as members of the same family.

“The governors will also like to hear suggestions from the aspirants on the forthcoming primaries because Nigerians are looking forward to us to get it right.

“If at the end of the day the aspirants have a common ground, we will respect their mutual decision.”

BoT Chairman Walid Jibrin, yesterday told our correspondent in an SMS message, that the committee would impress it on the aspirants the dangers inherent in having such a large number of them in the race.

Describing the number of aspirants as unwieldy, Jibrin said there were fears that there could be disagreement among the contestants that could lead to major divisions after the primaries.

The BoT chair, however said the committee would not compel any of the aspirants to withdraw from the race adding that “rather, they would be persuaded to put the interest of the party above their personal interests and ambitions”.

Jibrin continued: “A committee has been set up to discuss with all the aspirants to come up with one of them as a consensus candidate. We have 12 of them in the race.

“We have also advised the leadership of the party to regulate the processes and draw a code of conduct to guide the conduct and behaviour of the aspirants and officials to be engaged in the selection process.

“Consequently, the BoT has forwarded its full recommendations to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP for consideration.”

Jibrin, whose tenure has been renewed for another five years, urged members of the BoT to always maintain their honour and integrity by remaining neutral in all the processes leading to the emergence of a candidate.

In the race for the party’s presidential ticket are former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal; Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwabo; Senate President Bukola Saraki; former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido; former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi and a former Special Duties Minister Tanimu Turaki.

Others are former Senate President David Mark; former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa; former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang; and Senator Baba Datti Ahmed.

Of the aspirants, 11 have returned their nomination forms. Saraki was being expected to submit his as at 5pm yesterday.
Going by the party’s guidelines, nominations for the presidential slot will close today (Tuesday).

To Saraki, consensus “is not the issue”.
He spoke yesterday at the party’s Abuja secretariat shortly after submitted his nomination papers.

Saraki said: “I don’t think the consensus thing is the issue before us because we are trying to ensure that there is internal democracy in the system and very credible primaries.

“What is important is that at the end of the day, we have something that is rancour free. What I can tell you is that we are working together because we are still part of one family.

“I believe at the end of the day, we will have a process that whoever emerges will be supported by all of us. So that there will be no need dividing ourselves.”

Stating that the PDP is not Nigeria’s problem, as being projected by the ruling party, the aspirant promised to unite all sections of the county if elected president.

He said: “What is important for us is the lives of millions of Nigerians who are going through such a tough time and who now believe that it is only through the PDP that that can happen.

“We will play our own part in ensuring that we unite everybody. It has always been my antecedent to provide unity, to provide leadership in this kind of scenario.

“I can assure you I will play my role in uniting all of us because we are part of one family. Our problem is not in PDP but in the other party.

“So we will stay united to carry out this exercise as a family affair and we will ensure that the party also will show that we will do something that is respected across the world so that that will give us the platform to go and deliver.”

Deploring youth unemployment, Saraki said it was time for the youth to elect someone who has energy, youthfulness, capacity and knowledge to take the country to its desired level.

by Chinedu Asadu

Six months after Usman Yusuf, executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) was recalled from suspension, he has been enmeshed in a fresh crisis with the governing council of the scheme accusing him of running it into “ruin”.

On July 6, Isaac Adewole, minister of health, suspended Yusuf over allegations of fraud levelled against him. Insiders had told TheCable that since his appointment on July 29, 2016, Yusuf had violated procurement laws and dished out contracts to cronies.

He later got back to office after the house of representatives called for his reinstatement, pending the outcome of the probe into the issue.

But the executive secretary (ES) is facing fresh allegations from the governing council that his office is pushing the NHIS to near collapse, according to documents seen by TheCable.

In a letter addressed to Adewole and obtained by TheCable, the council raised an alarm that unless an urgent intervention is done, the risk of the pending collapse “will have catastrophic consequence for the Buhari change mandate.”

The letter, signed by Enyantu Ifenna, chairman of the council, and dated August 8, raised various issues of concern, including “dwindling annual revenues”, “inefficient operations” and “alarming net operating cash position”.

The council said, for instance, that whereas the scheme’s total annual revenue should be on the increase, it has continued to decline since 2015, blaming this on “shortfalls in the remittance of enrollee’s contributions.” It noted that the contributions the scheme is getting from the federal government enrolees reduced from N6 billion in 2017 to N4.2 billion in 2018 “whereas a recent forensic audit revealed that about N138 billion is currently trapped in commercial banls”.


NHIS NET OPERATING CASH POSITION

S/N Description Amount (N)
1 Operating cash inflow (contribution) 44,919,911,789.97

2 Operating cash outflow (transfers) 40,365,885,161.81

3 Net operating cash position 4,554,026,628.16

It also expressed reservations with the scheme’s 2018 budget which it said does not conform to standard accounting practices, and is ruined with cases of alleged padding that would lead to the loss of N265 million, “arbitrary inclusion of $28 million” projects on information and communication technology and “disturbing budget deficit of N36 billion” (with projected expenditure of N80.8 billion when the projected revenue for the year [2018] Is N45 billion).


‘N61M FOR RENOVATION OF ES OFFICE’

The governing council said the overall 2018 budget proposal was “skewed towards administrative costs in the headquarters to the detriment of field operations” and that “in fact, expenditure in zonal and sates offices is skeletal and for the most part token.”

“Conversely, direct expenditure from the executive secretary’s office, which was increased from N945,254,250.00 to an unjustifiable sum of N12,649,331,850.00 by management in its second submission, mostly targets external beneficiaries, not covered by NHIS enabling Act,” the letter read.

“First, this misapplication of funds is financially reckless. Secondly, it has legal, policy and operational implications for the scheme if this trend continues. For example the budget proposals allocated N100,000,000.00 for corporate social responsibility, N10,000,000,000.00 for tertiary health institutions, N300,000,000.00 for flood victims and internally displaced persons, and even included N61 million to renovate CEO office. This reckless spending is unsustainable and contravenes NHIS act. Accordingly, Council stepped down the controversial proposals.”


‘OVERSTAFFING’, ‘PUNITIVE STAFF POSTINGS’

The council said the NHIS is overstaffed – with 133 drivers at the moment – and that it has also been reeling from the effect of “punitive postings”.

It said the scheme’s administrative costs currently constitute 43.63% of revenue compared with 10% and 5% in Federal Inland Revenue Service and Tertiary Education Trust Fund respectively, adding that “ironically, NHIS has serious capacity gaps despite the overstaffing.”

“About 200 NHIS staff were posted in 2017, many of them twice in the same year.

Although, the strategic benefit of the postings is doubtful, the financial cost, in staff relocation/disturbance allowance was about N500,000,000.00. Despite the colossal waste, yet, the 2018 budget still proposed N100,000,000.00 for staff postings without justification,” the letter read.

“Council approved four strategic objectives for the 2018 financial year namely. Council also directed management to present a road map for actualizing these objectives. Unfortunately, there is no link between the proposed budget and the road map.

“Significantly, less than 5% of total expenditure is dedicated to activities that may actualise the strategic objectives. To address these flaws, council directed the inclusion of development of a 5-year strategic plan within the 2018 fiscal year.”

The governing council further lamented that some of the scheme’s operations are inefficient and are eating deep into its accounts. It said while the act enabling the NHIS stipulates it is expected to cover its administrative costs from 10% of its revenues, factors such as “poor management decisions, overstaffing and frivolous expenditures” have pushed administrative costs to 43.63% of its entire revenue.

It allayed fears that from the assessment of NHIS operations in the last six months, “the sad reality is that NHIS is dysfunctional and financially vulnerable.”

“It is evident that the convergence of recurring financial mismanagement, organizational fatigue and the unpredictable and conflict-driven leadership style of the Executive Secretary has steered the agency to the brink.

“We foresee two consequences arising from this sad reality. First, NHIS cannot deliver universal health insurance to Nigerians in 100 years in Its current state.

Secondly, the risk its collapse in the medium term is real and will have catastrophic consequence for the Buhari change mandate because possible outcomes in the health arena, such as expanded health insurance coverage to more Nigerians, would literally touch lives and underscore the change philosophy of this administration.

For these reasons and for the sake of three million Nigerians currently enrolled and millions more who need access to health insurance, NHIS must be pulled from the brink.”

TheCable reached out to Yusuf to respond to the allegations but neither responded to calls nor replied a text message sent.

lalasticlala

A committee on True Federalism set up by the APC in its report to the immediate-past NWC had made a recommendations on 24 items to balance the federation.


Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja




The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, raised the hope on the much-talked about restructuring of the country, as it said a machinery has been set up to work out modality for the implementation of a report on true federalism.

“A well-articulated roadmap, considering all the issues involved in ensuring a new, well secured, better governed Nigeria with equitable distribution of resources within the component federating units, is being given serious attention,” the party said in a statement issued by its spokesman, Yekini Nabena, yesterday.

A committee on True Federalism set up by the APC and headed Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in its report to the immediate-past National Working Committee (NWC) had made a recommendations on 24 items to balance the federation.

The items include creation of states; merger of states, delegation principle, fiscal federalism, devolution of power and resources between state, federal and local governments, federating units, form of government, independent candidacy, land tenure system, local government autonomy, power sharing and rotation, resource control, types of legislature, demand for affirmation for vulnerable groups – people with disabilities, women and youth; ministerial appointment; citizenship, state constitution, community participation, minimum wage, governance, judiciary, state realignment and border adjustment, circular status of the federation and referendum.

According to the party, a practical approach to implement the report is being considered by the Federal Government.

“The APC believes that good, sincere, focussed, and purposeful leadership at all levels will propel the country to its deserved heights,” he said, adding, “Sincere efforts towards achieving true federalism are more important than politically-exploited populist rhetoric which achieve nothing.

“With emphasis on practicability, constitutionality and reality, we are confident that true federalism or restructuring as some will like to call it will be better achieved under the President Buhari-led APC administration.”

READ ALSO: The APC restructuring report
However, Nabena said APC would never succumb to ethnic champions like former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, and others bent on campaigns to breakup the country.

Apparently reacting to the debate between Atiku and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Nabena said: “The renewed restructuring debate particularly between the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and one of his predecessors, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has been trending in the media.

“Osinbajo in his well-articulated response to Atiku, submitted that what Nigeria requires now is not geographic restructuring but good governance, honest management of public resources, deeper fiscal Federalism and a clear vision for development.

“The APC cannot agree more with Osinbajo. It must be said that the calls for restructuring by many politicians is oftentime a populist and opportunistic ploy to latch on and politically exploit simplistic public narratives on the panacea to Nigeria’s problems and not necessarily for its realism and practicability.

“Past administrations have splashed billions of public funds to convene several national conferences, subsequently left conference reports to gather dust and achieved nothing. Bad governance, corruption, bigotry and other ills remain the limiting factors that continue to hold the country back.

“We must never succumb to ethnic champions who promote campaigns to breakup the country into tiny bits or other unrealistic and unpatriotic proposals in the name of restructuring to solve our problems as a country. It is simplistic and unconstitutional.

“For instance, Atiku was vice president and chairman of the National Economic Council throughout the eight years of the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

How did he use his office to correct the imbalance in our federation he expresses today? Senator David Mark was senate president for eight years and never sponsored a motion on restructuring.

“Today, he is promising to restructure the country. We must be wary of latter-day converts to the matter of restructuring, exploiting the issue for populist political campaigns.

As Osinbajo submitted, good governance involves transparency and prudence in public finance, it involves social justice, investing in the poor and providing jobs and opportunities for the people, particularly young people.”

However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one of its presidential aspirants, Senator Mark said Nigerians should not trust the APC on the restructuring of the polity or any other issue..

As far as the PDP is concerned, the APC is merely using the restructuring of the polity as weapon to deceive Nigerians.

The PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, told Daily Sun in a telephone interview that the APC-led Federal Government lacked the capacity to restructure the country or fulfil the least of its campaign promises to Nigerians.

Ologbondiyan noted that because the 2019 general elections was fast approaching, the ruling party was looking for anything that will give them votes.

“I don’t think anybody should trust them on any issue. They have used restructuring as a weapon of deception. They have no plan to implement anything. They don’t even have the capacity to implement anything or to fulfil the least of their campaign promise to Nigerians.

Why are they dancing front and back? Few days ago, the vice president said they don’t believe in geographical restructuring. So, why the turn around now?
“They are looking for whatever will give them votes, including rigging. So, that promise is another Greek gift to Nigerians.”

Contrary to the notion that he was capitalising on the populist agenda, Mark said he had listened and galvanised the views of various ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and submitted that restructuring is now.

According to him: “It is understandable that the APC would accuse me of being a new convert to restructuring in view of their many failed promises to the Nigerian people. I will not make promises like them.My antecedent over the years, especially during my tenure as senate president is a testimony that I will always act in the nation’s best interest.

“My position is anchored on the feedback from Nigerians, and as a leader, in my own right, I have to act in consonance with the wishes of the people.

“My experience in the last few years shows that a leader is only effective if he listens to the people. The issues of insecurity and the dwindling economic fortune of Nigeria makes it imperative that something has to be done by way of restructuring.

“Rarely has our country been faced with such a state of uncertainty, despair, suspicion and division. If restructuring is the answer, why not now?

“I am a pan-Nigerian, I believe in the sanctity of our unity. Anything that will unite and prosper Nigeria would be my interest and concern. I believe restructuring is the way to go.

“For once, Nigerians across the geo-political zones and various ethnic nationalities are of the consensus and indeed united on the subject, restructuring.

“I believe restructuring, if anchored on fairness, equity and justice would strengthen our bond of brotherhood and unity. I will always act in the nation’s best interest.

Abuja – Following controversies raised over President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to assent to the 2018 Electoral (Amendment) Act, the presidency has made a strong appeal to the leadership of the National Assembly to reconvene.

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made the appeal on Sunday, saying the president was not averse to card readers or e-voting system as being speculated in some quarters.


Recall that Buhari declined assent to the amendment Act on the ground that the document contained some ambiguous clauses which needed to be reviewed.

Shehu expressed displeasure on some of the controversies trailing the document and absolved the presidency of any fault.

“We appeal to the National Assembly to reconvene as soon as possible to consider and approve the necessary corrections to the amended Electoral Act,” he stated.

He said the presidency rejects the allegations, especially from the opposition class as well as some newspaper editorial opinions creating the impression that President Muhammadu Buhari is against e-voting, the use of card readers in the upcoming elections, hence his decision to decline assent, for the third time, to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018.

He explained that the president wanted engagement with the parliament for the corrections to be effected so that, at the end of the day, both arms of government will be happy with the fact that a good electoral law is in place.

He said the government wishes to state in clear and unambiguous terms that the issue of e-voting and use of card readers was never an issue for the president’s decision to decline assent to the Bill.

It is equally important that this issue was not raised either by the executive or the legislature in the recent reviews, he noted.

Moreover, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adoption of e-voting reforms is enshrined in the 2015 Amendment Act to the Electoral Reform Act, Shehu said, noting that card reader is therefore a settled matter. The president’s recent decision to decline assent to the Bill has no effect whatsoever on INEC’s use of card readers, he noted.

“Regrettably, purveyors of ‘fake news’ have been quick to churn out sensational headlines such as that of a leading newspaper, which screamed, ‘Card Reader in Jeopardy, Buhari Rejects Electoral Act Amendment Bill Again.’

An issue has been raised by the president concerning some ill-prepared and flawed parts of the bill for which corrections needed to be made to allow for his signature.

While absolving the president of any blame, Shehu said Buhari was not in confrontation with the parliament on this issue.

He said the president has also asked his officials to dialogue with the legislature for the corrections to be effected. As for his alleged rejection of the card reader, nothing can be farther from the truth, he noted.

“The president is the country’s number one fan of the card reader. For a candidate who ran three times and ‘lost’ in an electoral environment in which votes were allocated and losers asked to go to court if they felt unhappy, the president knows fuly well the role that the card reader played in his emergence in 2015.

“He has said times without number that he would strengthen and widen its application in the country and this, he is determined to do.

“Accordingly, we would like to appeal, especially to the media to disregard baseless allegations against the president, even as he puts in his best efforts in working with the National Assembly to give the nation a good electoral law, and in time.

“The card reader is not in danger of being discarded. It is a sine qua non for credible elections,” the presidency explained.

lalasticlala

Sesan Olufowobi


https://cdn.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/10005711/The-sea-cow.jpg



A manatee , popularly known as sea cow, has been found in a riverine community in the Agboyi - Ketu Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

The Permanent Secretary , Ministry of Agriculture , Dr Olayiwole Onasanya, said immediately the ministry got the information, the state government moved to rescue the huge aquatic herbivorous mammal before residents could turn it to food.

He said the mammal was caught by the trap set by a fisherman in the area , adding that the government decided to rescue it because it was an endangered animal .

Onasanya said , “The mammal is an endangered species which breeds only a single calf once in two years. It is listed by the World Conservation Union as a specie vulnerable to extinction because of its meat , bones, and skin, which can bring wealth to poachers.

“ The mammals are in three species of West Indian, West Africa and Amazonia , with the highest population in Guinea -Bissau , the lagoon of Cote d’ voire, the southern portions of Niger River in Nigeria and the coastal lagoon of Gabon . ”

The permanent secretary added that the manatees measure up to 13 feet with as much weight as 590 kilogrammes , which graze on water plants in tropical seas and consume about 10 to 15 per cent of its body weight in vegetation .

He said the state government was committed to continuous formulation of policies geared towards the preservation of wild animals in order to boost the tourism potential of Lagos .

He noted that the manatee had been kept safely in the custody of Origin Zoo in the Ikorodu area of the state .

“ This animal can be a source of tourist attraction to the state if properly taken care of . To this end , the government has already taken all necessary steps in providing a conducive and habitable environment for the sea cow , ” Onasanya said .

The fisherman who trapped the mammal, David Oyenuro , said he was happy that the government rescued and had decided to preserve the animal .

He urged the government to continue to support fishermen , saying their fishing implements get damaged when they encounter huge aquatic animals such as the manatee .

ADELANI ADEPEGBA


There are strong indications that the South African consulate in Lagos might have shut down , trapping hundreds of passports belonging to visa applicants.

It was gathered that the consulate had failed to release the passports of many Nigerians who applied for South African visas for the past two weeks.

Our correspondent gathered that a firm , VSF Global , which processes visa applications for the South African High Commission, had failed to return hundreds of passports received from its Lagos and Port Harcourt visa application centres .

The firm stated on its website that the processing of each application took a minimum of six working days .

Some applicants complained to
SUNDAY PUNCH that the visa application centres had failed to communicate to them about the status of their applications or return their passports .

Despite paying N 30, 000 visa fee , the visa applicants expressed uncertainty over the long silence from the VSF Global .

A businessman , who spoke on condition of anonymity , explained that he submitted his passport to the visa application centre in Lagos about two weeks ago, adding that he had yet to receive his passport , noting that his plan was already in jeopardy .

Speaking to our correspondent on the telephone on Saturday , he said , “ I submitted my Nigerian passport to the visa application centre about two weeks ago, but till date , I have not heard a word from the Embassy or VSF Global . ”

Another applicant explained that his findings indicated that the South African mission was issuing visas only to applicants in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja .

“ The official told me that the issue may be sorted out this week , but there has been no official communication from VSF Global , ” he stated .

When contacted about the development , an embassy official in Abuja , said he was not aware of the situation at the consulate in Lagos , adding that he could only get a clear picture of things during the week .

The South African High Commission could not be reached for comment as it has no spokesman . VSF Global has yet to respond to an email sent to its official email address on the delay in visa application processing .

Ade Alade, Abuja



State governors across party lines are presently fuming over an alleged secret payment of N16.67 billion, said to be the last tranche of Paris Club refund payment to Osun state government.

The state government was in December 2017 paid along other states by the federal government the third tranche of the refund, amounting to N6.3 billion.

Paris Club refund is a partial settlement of long-standing claims by state governments relating to over-deductions from their Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) payments for external debt service between 1995 and 2002.

Three tranches had been released earlier to all the states, with the last released alongside the December 2017 federal allocations to enable most of the states owing months of staff salaries offset the backlog.

At least three state governors from both the ruling APC and opposition PDP who spoke to Saturday Sun on the latest payment yesterday expressed anger over the secret manner the payment was made to only Osun.

They argued that the refund was made to empower the state government successfully prosecute the September 22 governorship election in which the APC candidate, Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola is facing a strong challenge from the candidates of at least three other parties; PDP, ADP and SDP.

“All states and governors need money at this critical time to pay workers salaries and provide basic infrastructure needed by our people but instead of the federal government treating us equally, they have chosen to pay only Osun state this huge sum at the expense of the rest of us who are equally in dire need of whatever refund we have left”, one of the state governors told Saturday Sun yesterday.

Another governor who also sounded unhappy about the development said “the secret payment was all geared towards mobilizing for APC in the coming governorship election in Osun and certainly not for the state workers. Otherwise, it should have been a general and open payment to all the states.”

The third governor who also said he got wind of the payment vowed that he was going to mobilise his colleagues to pressure the federal government to release whatever is due to other states without further delay. “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”, he stressed.

The Federal Government had in March, 2018 claimed that it had so far shared N1.9 trillion among states as support from the Paris Club refund. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made this known in his address at the fourth edition of the Ogun Investors’ Forum in Abeokuta.

Osinbajo said that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had continued to extend equal and unbiased support to states of the federation regardless of party affiliations. He said it would be difficult to point to any government that had been more supportive in the development of the ambitions of states as the present administration.

The Vice President had recalled that no fewer than 26 of the 36 states in Nigeria could not pay the salaries of their workers when the present administration assumed power in 2015. Osinbajo explained that the federal government, however, came to their rescue by extending funds to them.

Nike Popoola



The Central Bank of Nigeria has debited the accounts of three banks to the tune of N 5.61bn , being the total amount of fines it imposed on them last week for alleged illegal repatriation of funds .

Last week , the regulator imposed N 5.87bn fines on four banks for what it described as “ flagrant violation of extant laws and regulations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , including the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions ) Act , 1995 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Foreign Exchange Manual , 2006 . ”

The four banks are Standard Chartered Bank (N 2.47 bn) , Stanbic IBTC Nigeria (N 1.88bn ), Citibank Nigeria (N 1.265 bn ) and Diamond Bank Plc ( N 250 m ).

It also directed the banks and MTN Nigeria Communications Limited to refund to the apex bank a sum of $ 8,134,312,397.63, which was said to have been illegally repatriated by the company .

While Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC Nigeria and Citibank Nigeria had paid the fines totalling N 5.06bn , according to a report by Reuters, it was not clear as of Thursday if N 250 m was deducted from the Diamond Bank’ s account by the CBN.

“ Nigeria’ s central bank has debited N 2.4bn ($ 7 . 9 m ) in fines from Standard Chartered and N 1.2 bn from Citigroup for allegedly helping South African telecoms firm MTN move funds abroad, ” the report stated .

Stanbic IBTC also confirmed this in a statement on Thursday , saying , “ Following our earlier announcement to the Nigerian Stock Exchange on 30 August , 2018 , in respect of the penalty of N 1 . 886 bn imposed by the CBN on our banking subsidiary – Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc (the ‘ bank ’) in relation to the remittance of foreign exchange on the basis of certain capital importation certificates issued to MTN Nigeria Communications Limited , we write to update the NSE that the CBN had debited the account of our banking subsidiary with the CBN for the full amount of the above stated fine advised to the bank.

“ Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc as well as our banking subsidiary maintains our position on this matter, which is the fact that the bank has done nothing illegal and accordingly the bank will continue to provide the CBN with documents and details in support of our contention that our actions in relation to these transactions were not illegal . ”

It added that the debit would not impact on its capacity to handle clients ’ requests or clients’ ability to continue to carry out viable business transactions with either the bank or any member of the Stanbic IBTC Group .

“ Our business transactions will continue to be handled professionally and in a manner that is aligned with Nigeria ’ s laws and regulatory guidelines , ” it stated .

When contacted , Citi Bank declined to make any comment on the latest development .

The other banks contacted did not respond to telephone calls or messages sent to them as of the time of filling this report.

lalasticlala

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress on Thursday said no fewer than 100 aspirants had picked up nomination forms to contest the state House of Assembly primary election in the last two days.

The Assistant Publicity Secretary, Mr Abiodun Salami, gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

He said the secretariat had been besieged by aspirants seeking the party’s tickets since the sale of forms commenced on Wednesday.

Salami said the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa and the Deputy Speaker, Mr Sanni Eshinlokun, were some of the lawmakers who had picked nomination forms for re-election.

“Yes, aspirants have been coming to the secretariat to pick their forms since the exercise started yesterday.

“So far, more than 100 aspirants, including the Speaker of the House of Assembly and his Deputy, have picked up their forms.

“We are making the process as transparent as possible. It is an open thing and we are expecting more aspirants to come for their forms before the tentative deadline of Monday,” he said.

Salami said the party was committed to the ideals of internal democracy and would ensure candidates emerged through popular elections.

NAN

lalasticlala

Posted By: DUKU JOEL, JUSTINA ASISHANA, DONATUS NADI, ADAMU SULEIMAN and ERNEST NWOKOLO



The process to pick All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearers for the 2019 general elections has started. Three options – direct, indirect and consensus – are open to the local chapters of the ruling party. DUKU JOEL, JUSTINA ASISHANA, DONATUS NADI, ADAMU SULEIMAN and ERNEST NWOKOLO report the method adopted in some states.

AHEAD of its primaries scheduled for September 20, 25, 27, 29 and October 2, All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled states, have been taking positions on which mode to apply in picking candidates for the forthcoming general elections.

At its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting last Thursday, the ruling party adopted direct primaries to pick its presidential candidate.

It gave the local chapters of the party the liberty to adopt either direct, indirect or consensus methods as suitable for the peculiarity of each state to pick their flagbearers.

It cautioned that any model that will be adopted in any state must be jointly agreed to by the governor, state executive committee and critical stakeholders to have seamless primaries across board.

In the guidelines for the primaries as released by the party’s Abuja headquarters on Tuesday, the presidential primary will hold on September 20; governorship (September 25); Senatorial (September 27); House of Representatives (September (29) and House of Assembly (October 2).

The local chapters of the party yesterday swung into action to come up with suitable model agreeable to members to forestall post-primary crisis.

The Lagos, Kano and Niger chapters of the party have settled for direct primary option to select flagbearers. Kebbi and Ogun State chose to adopt consensus method but promised to switch if the option failed. The direct option will be the alternative for Kebbi and the indirect for Ogun.

The party in Plateau, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Borno, Yobe and Zamfara states settled for indirect primaries.


Kano

The Kano State chapter of the party said it has endorsed direct primaries to select candidates for the 2019 elections.
Its decision was contained in a statement signed by the state Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas.

“Rising from a meeting on Tuesday, the state executive committee of the party said the decision stands to improve the stock of the APC in the coming 2019 election as well as other elections.” Abbas said in the statement.

According to him, the APC in the state will adopt direct primaries in selecting its candidates for the presidency, governor, National and state assemblies.

He said: “The decision was unanimously endorsed by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, the two senators (Kabiru Gaya and Barau Jibrin), 13 members of the House of Representatives led by Chief Whip Alhassan Ado Doguwa.

“Others are 33 members of the House of Assembly led by Speaker Kabiru Al Hassan Rurum, 53 state Executive Committee members of the party, 44 elected local councils’ chairmen and 44 local government chairmen and secretaries of the party.”

According to him, the adoption of direct primary for selection of candidates would imbue greater confidence among members, guarantee openness and ensure free and fair election.

Besides, he said the system would ensure more transparency in the political process and avoid the secrecy that hitherto shrouded the selection of candidates.


Niger

The party settled for direct primaries for all elective offices, including the governorship position.

It took the decision during its State Executive Council meeting and stakeholders meeting both held at the party’s secretariat in Minna.

Party Secretary Mohammed Liman confirmed the decision to reporters while briefing them on the outcome of the meeting.

He explained that the idea of direct primaries was for every member of the party to have a say on who will fly the party’s flag at different levels, adding that it was in line with the NEC directive that states should make their choice for the conduct of their primaries.

Liman said that the party was ready for all the primaries as it had ensured an accurate and up-to-date membership record.


Zamfara

The Zamfara chapter of the party has adopted indirect primaries, its chairman Lawal M-Liman disclosed after a meeting of stakeholders at the Government House in Gusau yesterday.

M-Liman said: “We met today with all stakeholders of our great party in this state on the mode of primaries to be adopted ahead of the upcoming party primary elections. We unanimously resolved to adopt the indirect primaries.

“The NEC of our party, asked us to come back and contact our people on which mode of primaries to adopt. In the interest of our members and stakeholders in the state, we are going to adopt indirect primaries or consensus where necessary.”
He urged members of the party to be more united to achieve victory in the next general elections and retain power.

According to a report by the The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), four of the governorship aspirants in the state on Tuesday met with some stakeholders to ensure that the party remained united and indivisible.

Among the stakeholders are: Deputy Governor Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, House of Assembly Speaker Sanusi Rikiji and Commissioner for Education Muttaka Rini and House of Representatives member Aminu Sani-Jaji (Kaura-Namoda/Birnin-Magaji) Federal Constituency.


Sokoto

In Sokoto, the state chapter of the party unanimously opted for the indirect primary and endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as the sole candidate for the presidency.

The party also passed a vote of confidence on the Chairman of Northern Senators Forum Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, affirming him as its only leader in the state.

The decisions were part of the resolutions reached at the end of the party’s routine stakeholders’ meeting in Sokoto on Tuesday. In attendance were party executives at the state and local government levels as well as other key stakeholders.

The meeting, which held behind closed doors, was chaired by the Deputy Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, who described Senator Wamakko as an “iconic leader of the party in the state”.

Sokoto told reporters “The meeting also expressed happiness with the exemplary and unparalleled way and manner Senator Wamakko is manning the affairs of the great party.

“Accordingly, we endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the forthcoming polls. We have unanimously adopted indirect primary election and consensus as the process to select candidates for all positions in the state.”

He said members of the party meet periodically in the state to brainstorm on the way forward, as well as to appraise the party’s strength and areas of weakness.

In attendance were: seven House of Representatives members; 12 House of Assembly members; former deputy governor Chiso Dattijo Abdullahi, former Culture Minister Bello Jibril Gada, party chieftains Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal, Ambassador Abubakar Shehu Wurno and Farouk Malami Yabo.

Others were former House of Assembly speakers Lawalli Labbo Marghai and Shehu Goronyo and 14 out of the 23 immediate past local government council chairmen, among others.


Nasarawa

The Nasarawa chapter of the party adopted indirect primaries. It took the decision during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Lafia.

At the meeting were members of the state executive, those occupying elective positions on APC tickets, governorship, senatorial aspirants and House of Representative aspirants.

Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura lauded the stakeholders for their sense of followership and loyalty to the party and appreciated the peace prevailing peace within the party.

The commended the stakeholders for unanimously opting for indirect primaries to select the flag bearers for the 2019 elections.

He admonished the governorship aspirants not to have doubt in the indirect mode of the primaries, saying as believers in the spirit of oneness, justice and fairness, there would be a level playing ground for all and sundry.

He, however, warned members against listening to speculations concerning their aspirations.

One of the governorship aspirants, Aliyu Ahmed Wadada, told reporters that the adoption of indirect primaries was the best option for the state, saying that it was okay by him.

Two other aspirants Dauda Kigbu and Zakari Idde threw their weight behind the decision.


Borno

The Borno State chapter of the APC also opted for the indirect primaries to pick its candidates for the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

The decison was taken yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting at the party’ state Secretariat in Maiduguri, the state capital. Governor Kashim Shettima and members of state executive of the party attended the meeting.

State Chairman Ali Bukar Dalori announced the adoption of indirect primaries in line of the window of opportunities given to state chapters to decide on which selection systems will suit the.

Dalori noted that Borno APC opted for indirect primary as the best option to ensure fairness and peaceful coexistence among members.

He said: “Borno APC would not allow a situation where some individual (s) in Borno who were based in Abuja and claimed to be working for President Muhammad Buhari, would come into our fold and dictate politics for us.

“We have unanimously adopted the indirect primaries in Borno, and nobody should come to tell us that we are for direct primaries.”

Speaking for the governor, Deputy Governor Mamman Durkwa thanked all the stakeholders for attending the important meeting.

He said: “I want to thank you on behalf of our governor and Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Kashim Shettima, who is unavoidably absent.

“We want to say that all the decisions unanimously taken for endorsement of indirect primaries is a good omen to our democracy.

“We assure all and sundry that the present administration will join teaming supporters of APC to ensure unprecedented victory in free and fair elections come 2019.”

At the meeting were: the three senators Abubakar Kyari Borno (North); Baba Kaka Garbai (Central) and Mohammed Ndume (South).

Also there were: House of Representatives members Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Kadiri Rahis, Aliyu Betara, Asabe Vilita Bashir and state lawmakers.

The three senators and House of Assembly Speaker Abdulkareem Lawal spoke for their colleagues. They said that after due consultations, they have all endorsed and agreed to go for “indirect primaries” for all elective positions on the platform of the ruling APC in the state.

Senator Kyari said that all governorship aspirants agreed to endorse indirect primaries.

State Secretary of the party Bello Ayuba called on the members to raise a motion for adoption of the endorsement document.
Senator Ndume moved a motion and he was seconded by Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir, representing Damboa/Chibok/Gwoza Federal Constituency.


Plateau

In Plateau State, the party settled for indirect primaries. It unanimously adopted the option yesterday at an expanded stakeholders’ parley in Jos.

Former House of Assembly Speaker Johnclerk Dabwan moved the motion for the adoption of the indirect primaries. The motion was seconded by the local chairman of the party in Jos East Local Government Area Azi Pate.

Making a case for indirect primaries, Dabwan cited security challenge in the state as his major reason.

He said: “Having gone through the provisions of our party’s constitution and the resolution of its NEC where it suggested direct, indirect or consensus method in conducting our primaries, I want to move that Plateau should adopt indirect primaries.

“The security challenges currently bedeviling us will make direct primaries very difficult and cumbersome.”

Stakeholders at the meeting, through a voice vote, adopted the motion after state party chairman Latep Dabang put the question to vote.

Among senior party members at the meeting were: Deputy Governor Prof. Sonni Tyoden, his immediate predecessor Ignatius Longjan, serving and former lawmakers in the state.


Kebbi

According to Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah, the Kebbi State chapter of the APC has unanimously adopted consensus selection of candidates for the 2019 elections.

Na’Allah made this known after an emergency stakeholders’ meeting of the party in Birnin Kebbi.

He said: “Sequel to the directive by the national secretariat of the APC that we should go back to our state and hold a state Executive Committee meeting to decide on the fate of our party primaries on either consensus or primaries, we have decided to do consensus.

“Where the consensus fails, we will do indirect primary election. But the seat of the President and state governor, we unanimously endorse President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Atiku Bagudu; that is our decision.”

Chairman of the party Bala Kangiwa described APC members in the state as one big family living in peace and unity.
“We are committed to safeguarding the peace and unity in our family,” he said.

Party spokesman Sani Dododo said rice farmers nationwide have resolved to purchase APC nomination form for Buhari “while the people of Kebbi will procure nomination form for governor Bagudu.”

Those in attendance were: Governor Bagudu; Senator Adamu Aliero; former state governor Sa’idu Dakingari; Deputy Governor Sama’ila Yombe; former deputy governors Ibrahim Aliyu and Sulaiman Argungu; senators Na’Allah and Yahaya Abdullahi, as well as members of the House of Representatives and State Assembly, among others.


Ogun

The party in Ogun State yesterday adopted consensus method as its mode of primary for selecting candidates for the 2019 elections.

The party said it has resolved to go by consensus method in recognition of the decision of the party’s NEC.

The decision was reached at stakeholders’ meeting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, which was attended by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, party chair Derin Adebiyi, State Executive Committee members, Senator Gbenga Kaka, Senator Lanre Tejuoso, House of Assembly and House of Representatives members, former legislators, former deputy governors as well as party and council chairmen of the party in the 20 local governments areas and the 37 Local council development areas.

Amosun, who hitherto, had kept political opponents in a protracted game of guessing his next move using subterfuges, used the occasion to declare ambition to run for the Ogun Central Senatorial seat in 2019.

Amosun, who served as a senator between 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), announced his intention to run again at the expiration of his tenure as Governor on May 2019.

He said would soon pick the party’s Senate form and then “test” his popularity in 2019 on the field again with others eyeing the Ogun Central seat.

Amosun reiterated that the party had zoned the governorship ticket to Ogun West, saying the candidate would be unveiled within 24 hours.

He promised to meet stakeholders from the zone and urged them to present a consensus candidate from the pool of aspirants from Ogun West.

Assured that there would be level playing field for everybody, the governor said that the party will shift to direct primary if the consensus method failed in determining the flagbearers.

He also warned aspirants for the governorship slot other positions against rushing to obtain nomination forms, saying there would be no refunds as it happened in 2015.

In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, the party’s publicity secretary Wole Elegbede said: “The APC in Ogun State shall have a consensus primary for all elective positions in the 2019 elections.

That where consensus fails, a direct primary will be used to choose a candidate for such a position.”


Yobe

The Yobe State chapter adopted indirect primaries to select the party’s candidates for the forthcoming elections.

The decision was contained in a statement in Damaturu. It was signed by Chairman Adamu Chilariye and the Secretary Abubakar Bakabe.

The party said it adopted the indirect option following the party’s State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting on Tuesday in Damaturu, which deliberated extensively on the needs and peculiarities of the state.

It said: “The SEC also consulted widely with critical stakeholders of the party to adopt a unified position among options provided by the constitution of our great party.”

The party attributed lack of updated membership register, owing to security challenges in the state, as an impediment to the adoption of direct elections for the party’s primaries.

The party also claimed that it lacked resources and time to conduct direct elections to meet the dateline provided by the national secretariat of the party.

“Therefore, in view of the aforementioned factors, the SEC and the stakeholders have unanimously resolved to adopt the indirect election option for the primary.

“The SEC and stakeholders, therefore, resolved to forward these resolutions to the National Working Committee for approval.”

The Ogun House of Assembly on Tuesday, rejected defection letters of two members of the House over failure to prove the existence of crisis or division in their party.

Mr Suraj Adekunbi (APC-Yewa North1), the Speaker, said this while reacting to the submission of Mr Yinka Mafe (APC-Sagamu1), Majority Leader, who spoke after the Speaker had read the defection letters of the lawmakers during plenary in Abeokuta.

Adekunbi had read a separate letter intimating the House that Mr Biyi Adeleye (Remo North constituency ) and Mr Harrison Adeyemi (Ogun Waterside constituency) had defected from the All Progressive Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

In the letter, Adeleye cited division and crisis in APC both at the State and National level as the reason he was dumping the party, saying the party had been polarised into two factions.

He stated that his new party shares the same philosophy with him and his constituency.

Meanwhile, Mafe urged the Speaker to discountenance the reasons advanced by the lawmaker that the APC was polarised into two factions.

“APC has one party chairman in the person of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole .

” It will be unfortunate if we allow it to go down that APC has been divided whereas the party has not been divided .

” I want you to tell him to prove to this House that APC is divided. If he can not prove it , the Speaker should use his office to do the needful,” he said.

The Speaker, however, noted that there was no crisis or division in APC both at the state and national level.

“On this note , the matter will be set aside until the lawmakers are able to prove to the House that there is crisis in the party,” he said.
Also during plenary , the Speaker read the defection letter of Mr Bowale Solaja (Ijebu North constituency), who defected from the PDP to the APC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four members of the House had on Aug.16 defected to two different parties.

Two of the lawmakers, Mrs Akintayo Folakemi (Yewa South) and Mr Ojo Viwanu (Ipoka/Idiroko) defected from PDP to APC while Mr Jemili Akingbade (Imeko Afon) and Atanda Razaq (Yewa North 11) left PDP for African Democratic Congress (ADC).

NAN reports that the assembly now has 20 APC members, PDP four while ADC has 2 members.

A single lady, one Rebecca Adams, was heartbroken after her estranged lover, Mr. Kamol Adelowo, used her as collateral to borrow money from a finance company, dumped her thereafter and escaped.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Egan in the Alimosho area of Lagos, where the estranged Adelowo went to borrow money.

Aside allegedely using Rebecca as collateral, he also collected N72,000 from her before he dumped her and escaped.

Trouble started when it was time for Mr. Adelowo to pay back the loan. His where about was unknown and he did not pay the money either.

The company he borrowed the money from then went after Rebecca, his lover, because she was the guarantor and was forced to pay the money back.

Since the year 2016, Adelowo has been on the run but the matter was reported to the police. The police trailed and eventually arrested him in his hideout. He was subsequently charged before Ejigbo Magistrates court for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and stealing.
He pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Inspector, G Simon, informed the court that Adelowo had been on the run since 2016 until he was recently arrested and may jump bail if he was granted bail.

However, the Presiding Magistrate, Mr. T.O.Shomade, granted him bail in the sum of N72,000 with two sureties in like sum.

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

The matter was adjourned to 27th September, 2018, for mention.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Adelowo had been pleading with Rebecca for forgiveness and expressed his willingness to come back to her.

By Simon Echewofun Sunday



Thirteen electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) were shut down while five others operated below capacity last Thursday after inadequate gas supply and low energy demand of Distribution Companies (DisCos) denied customers 4,023 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

Latest electricity industry data released by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing shows that inability of the transmission line to carry 112MW of electricity from Gbarain NIPP in Bayelsa state accounted for a slight cause of the huge electricity loss recorded during the period.

The Daily Trust analysis of the report obtained yesterday indicates that while gas shortage affected the generation of 1,953MW across eight GenCos, another loss of 1,957MW across 10 GenCos was because the DisCos reduced their demand for electricity.

For the gas supply constraint, Adam VI in Rivers state was the worst hit as it shutdown, losing 640MW.

Geregu NIPP and Geregu Gas in Kogi state were shutdown due to gas cut and they lost 290MW each; another 230MW was lost at Odukpani NIPP after its two turbines lost gas supply.

Omotosho NIPP operated at half capacity to deliver 164MW, but it lost 195MW to gas cut; Sapele NIPP lost 112MW after it was shutdown, the exclusive report showed.

Alaoji NIPP and Olorunsogo Gas lost 120MW and 76MW as they were shutdown.

For the DisCos’ energy reduction, Shiroro hydro Genco in Niger state lost 390MW from its four turbines, it however delivered 210MW electricity which the DisCos could take.

Olorunsogo NIPP, Ihovbor NIPP and Delta lost 240MW, 225MW and 200MW after they were shutdown. Egbin in Lagos lost 207MW but generated 393MW; Azura in Edo lost 157MW and produced 150MW due to poor energy demand from the DisCos.

Delta and Jebba hydro Genco lost 200MW and 180MW as their four turbines shutdown; Omotosho Gas and Olorunsogo Gas could not generate 152MW and 76MW from six turbines which were down due to poor demand from the DisCos.

Okpai GenCo in Delta state generated only 20MW during the period and lost 130MW of electricity which was not demanded for by the 11 DisCos.

While losses continue at alarming rate, calculation of the expected peak demand of electricity for Nigerian consumers is at 17,000MW from which the grids produce only an average 4,000MW occasionally.

By Taiwo Jimoh


https://newtelegraphonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Eguakhide.png

A 56-year-old Superintendent of Police (SP), Sunday Eguakhide, has reportedly died while making love to a mother of two in his office. The incident, it was learnt occurred on August 24, about 11.30a.m., in his office at the Police College, Ikeja. Sources at the college said yesterday that the woman was his second wife who he married out of wedlock.

According to the sources, the woman was always visiting the deceased in his office. On the fateful day, the lovers were making love when Eguakhide died less than a week before his retirement.

The said lover was arrested by policemen from Ikeja division and has been in detention since then. The deceased was said to be found of taking sex enhancement drugs whenever he wanted to make love with the woman whose identity was still unknown.

But the lover reportedly denied knowing anything about Eguakhide’s death. “He used to have sex with me in his office. He had already gone one round, but as usual, he was not satisfied. In fact, I told him that the drug he used to take anytime we wanted to have sex was not good for my body.

I didn’t like it because I was the one that used to bear the brunt of it. “After taking the drug he would be pounding into me for a very long time and because of the drug, he usually takes long to come.

On that fateful day, after he went first round, he refused to allow me to dress. He started playing with me until his manhood (penis) became erected again. He then started making love to me again,” she was quoted as saying.

The woman, who was said to be a petty trader, said at a point, the deceased began to act funny; and suddenly rolled off her, rolled off the couch in his office on which they were having sex, to the ground and started jerking. The woman, who was scared, was said to have been calling Eguakhide’s name repeatedly, but he refused to respond and continued jerking.

When she noticed that his tongue was beginning to protrude and foams emitting from his mouth, she unlocked the office door, ran out and started screaming, calling for help and unmindful that her brassieres were dangling.

It was also learnt that before help could come, Eguakhide was already dead. He was found stark naked with his hurriedly removed shirt and trousers still on his office table. It was also learnt that the deceased was recently promoted to the rank of SP and was supposed to retire on August 31.

Some of Eguakhide’s subordinates alleged that he was fond of having sex in his office with different women. He was also accused of being fond of compelling female recruits to have sex with him in his office.

When his wife was alerted, she was said to have rushed down to Ikeja Police College, where Eguakhide served as the officer in charge of Transport at Works Department.

She broke down in tears and accused the Force of finally succeeding in killing her husband. But the woman was said to have been briefed about what led to her husband’s death. His remains were later evacuated and deposited at the Ikeja General Hospital mortuary.

However, a police officer denied the allegation that Eguakhide died as a result of enhancement drug. He said: “I worked closely with him at the Transport Department that was when I noticed that he was suffering from blood pressure, while the woman at the centre of the crisis is his second wife.
But he married her out of wedlock.

Whenever she wanted to see the husband she always comes to the office. “To the best of my knowledge, I don’t know if they were sleeping with each other in the office, but what I knew was that the woman usually comes to meet him in his office to collect money for the upkeep of her children.

“He was a generous person. Our superior always warns every officer at the police college to take good care of our health. It was the junior officer who rushed him to the hospital but he died before they got to the Ikeja General Hospital.

I am going to miss him because he did not hold grudge with anybody.” When our correspondent visited Eguakhide’s house at Ikeja barracks it was locked as the wife and children were said to have travelled to Edo State, his home town. The Police College Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluwaseyi Sotayo, was said to have gone out when our correspondent went to his office yesterday to confirm the story.

by Tunde


Five governors have been fingered in a plot to upturn President Muhammadu Buhari’s advice to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to adopt direct primary in picking candidates for the 2019 elections.

The President is said to be strongly in support of direct primary at last week’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting based on field reports from Osun and Bauchi states.

The five governors, it was learnt, took advantage of the President’s trip to China the day after the meeting, to reject his advice.

But APC senators and members of the House of Representatives are insisting on direct primaries – apparently to checkmate the governors.

APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) were last night locked in a meeting on the mode of primary, which has generated heat in the party.

A source who spoke in confidence with our correspondent said: “At the NEC meeting last Thursday, the President was vehement on direct primary and he took time to explain the advantages of the direct mode to our leaders. He recommended direct primary across board.

“The President was supported by Oshiomhole and some of our leaders. Most of the governors did not speak up on their preference for indirect primary.

“Unfortunately, some of these governors were only waiting for the President to leave for China before causing the crisis in the party.

“The five arrowheads of the protest over the mode of primary are two governors from Northcentral, one from Northeast, one from the South and another from the Northwest.

“They are mostly governors seeking second term tickets, but who do not want direct primary because APC members in their states will vote against them.

“They also mobilized their colleagues to support indirect primary to choose their stooges for Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly.

“They took advantage of the President’s trip. And about two of them, who are on the trip with Buhari have been pulling the strings to overrule him.”

To a member of the NWC, “what some of the governors and state chairmen have done is disrespectful of the President whose advice ought to count”.

The governors, according to him, are blaming one of the leaders of the party as the brain behind direct primary.

“The party allows direct, indirect and consensus. But to ensure that most APC members have a say on who represents them, we opted for direct primary. Indirect primary are fraught with vote buying. It is a cash and carry system,” the member, who pleaded not to be named, said.

Many APC senators and members of the House of Representatives have also vowed to resist the plot by the governors to impose indirect primary on them.

A ranking member of the House said: “These governors are backing indirect primary to enable them handpick those who will go to the National and State Assemblies.

“Some of these governors, who are also completing second term in office, do not want direct primary because they will be defeated.

“Some governors have grudges against their senators and House members and they believe it is time to take their pound of flesh.”

A Senator said: “With the decision of the governors to support indirect primary, they are laying landmines for Buhari because if some of these senators and Representatives lose out to the governors, they might pitch their tents with the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) when plenary resumes on September 25.

“The aftereffects of indirect primary might leave the President vulnerable. This is why we are going to make a representation to the President and APC leadership to allow direct primaries.

“Most APC Senators and Representatives are for direct primaries. We will resist the governors too.

“The party may still stand by direct primaries at all levels but with tough conditions under which a state chapter might opt for indirect primaries.

“To adopt indirect primaries in any state, all aspirants and critical stakeholders must agree with it in writing.”

https://cdn.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/03114945/VP-Mohadi.jpg


Kembo Campbell Mohadi, who is one of Zimbabwe’ s Vice Presidents , has revealed that he is being tormented by his wife , Tambudzani Bhugadi Mohadi.

The VP accused his estranged wife of sending threatening messages to him after he instituted divorce proceedings in 2017, reports iHarare .

Mohadi approached a civil court in Harare seeking a protection order against her . He told the court, “ I am a law-abiding citizen and given the increasing incidences of people who are killing their spouses for passion, I pray that this honourable court protects me against the threatened violence. ”

“I have approached this honourable court seeking a protection order against the respondent in terms of the Domestic Violence Act, in that the respondent is a very abusive person and/or a person of a violent disposition such that I am now living in fear of my life . ”

The VP claims that his estranged wife started behaving violently towards him after she was served a copy of the divorce summons .

“ The respondent has escalated her violent tendencies against my person [Mohadi] and even calling me on my mobile phone while insulting me and threatening to tarnish my image , which has the potential to damage my political endeavours in view of my political office and as a member of the government , ” Mohadi said in his founding affidavit filed under case number DV1797 / 18 in a matter set to be heard on Friday.

His estranged wife is said to have started selling off their matrimonial property before the finalisation of the divorce matter in order to defeat the ends of justice .

Mohadi also claimed that his wife has gone to the extent of turning their four children against him .

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By Nasir Ayitogo


An alleged meeting of some ‘aggrieved’ members of Nigeria’s ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) did not hold as contained in a statement by the party.

The party had on Sunday said it was aware of plans by some of its officials to hold an “illegal meeting” on Sunday.

The party said the illegal meeting is “with a view to fault the decisions made by the NWC followed by the National Executive Committee (NEC) as regards the mode of the Party’s primary elections.”

The party through its spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, said identities of those plotting such meetings have been identified and “unless they desist from such they will be dealt with in line with the party’s constitution at the appropriate time”.

Mr Nabena alleged that the meeting was scheduled to hold by 2 p.m. at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

But a visit by PREMIUM TIMES to the venue at exactly 1:58pm indicated that there was no sign that such a meeting was holding or scheduled to hold at the venue.

Over 30 minutes later, people in the hotel vicinity were still going about their normal businesses with most of the hotel attendants in the vicinity not aware of such meeting. The reporter had no option but to ‘loiter’ around a bit.

“No meeting was scheduled to take place here,” a staffer of the hotel told our reporter.
When contacted to speak on the development, Mr. Nabena, who earlier raised the alarm hinted that the organisers “probably have decided to shift or call off the meeting”.

“I think they must have shifted the meeting to another venue or probably called it off because of the (media) publications,” he said.

The APC last week held its NEC meeting which was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

One of the major resolutions of the NEC meeting was that the party would adopt direct primaries for its presidential ticket while state chapters would decide whether or not to utilise direct or indirect primaries for other tickets.

Direct primaries involves all members of the party voting to elect candidates while indirect primaries involves delegates doing the election.

The indirect primaries had been largely criticised by many due to the overbearing influence state governors have on delegates and outcomes of such primaries.

By Onyekachi Eze


The problem of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in choosing its presidential candidate for the 2019 is being compounded with the entrance of the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, into the race.

At the close of work last Friday, nine out of the 12 presidential aspirants on the platform of the party have obtained their nomination forms, signalling their intention to vie for the ticket.

Those who paid the N12 million expression of interest and nomination forms were Saraki, Kwankwaso, Atiku Abubakar, Aminu Tambuwal, Attahiru Bafarawa, Datti Baba Ahmed, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Sule Lamido and Ibrahim Dankwambo.

Former Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Ahmed Makarfi; former Kano State governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau and former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, are expected to obtain their forms this week. Aspirants to various positions in the party have till Thursday, September 6 to obtain and submit their nomination forms.

The high number of presidential aspirants is a source for concern to the party. PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, last Wednesday, met with nine of the presidential aspirants who honoured his invitation for a meeting with the aspirants.

A source privy to the decisions reached at the meeting said the aspirants were told to go back and talk to themselves on how to reduce the number. “But if none of them agrees to step down, then they go to the field. What the chairman (Prince Secondus) told them is that there will be a level playing field,” the source disclosed.

He also said the aspirants would be made to sign an undertaking not to leave PDP after the primaries and to support whoever emerges as the presidential candidate, adding that about two of such meetings would be held before the presidential primaries. New Telegraph reported two weeks ago of the division in the party between the governors and stakeholders over Atiku and Tambuwal’s ambitions.

The decision of Saraki and Kwankwaso to join the race has altered the political permutations. A source revealed that Tambuwal is fast losing support because some party stakeholders believe he is not yet ripe for presidency.

“It is believed that the Sultanate is lobbying for him, but the refusal of (Senator Aliyu) Wamakko to join him in PDP is rubbing off on him. “Whether you like it or not, what Tambuwal is today in politics is made possible by Wamakko. So, it is doubtful if he can pull the crowd even in Sokoto State if Wamakko is not behind him.

”And don’t forget, some people are still holding it against him that he stabbed the party in 2011 by working with the opposition and became speaker of the House of Representatives against the wish of the party. All these things are counting against him,” he added.

PDP believes that Kwankwaso’s candidacy would divide Buhari’s support base, especially in Kano and some other states in North-West. But the party is worried of his reception in other parts of the country, especially in the South where he is seen as a fanatic.

“With Kwankwaso as candidate, PDP is sure of, at least 35 per cent (of the votes) in Kano. He still has supporters there despite what (Governor Umar) Ganduje is doing. He can also win in some other states in the North-West. But he is not liked in the South.
He just asked the party to keep his Senate seat for him in case he loses (the presidential ticket),” he stated. The PDP National Working Committee (NWC), on Friday, dissolved the executive committee in Kano State and replaced it with a caretaker committee.

The move, it was believed, is to enable Kwankwaso take control of the party structure in the state.
The source said Saraki has the identity problem because the North has not yet seen him as one of its own.

According to him, Saraki’s entrance into the race has pitched the governors against members of the National Assembly. “Some of the governors may want one of their own to pick the ticket, but Saraki will have the sympathy of members of the National Assembly.

Some will vote for Kwankwaso because he is one of them, but majority will vote for Saraki,” he said. He, however, noted that Atiku is still the candidate to beat among all the aspirants.

“He is still the strongest person,” he said, adding that some notable politicians are likely to defect to PDP if he picks the party’s ticket.

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John Ameh and Femi Makinde


The Speaker of the House of Representatives , Mr Yakubu Dogara , has kept his next political destination close to his chest amid growing speculations that he will finally pitch his camp with the Peoples Democratic Party .

Findings by SUNDAY PUNCH
showed that as of Saturday , Dogara had not made any contrary official declaration on his continued loyalty to the All Progressives Congress or whether he would defect to the PDP as rumoured or not.

The expectation , a few weeks back , was that Dogara would join the Senate President Bukola Saraki in moving to the PDP, but his camp kept mute after Saraki exited the APC .

Dogara came to the fore again on Thursday last week when he was absent at the National Executive Council meeting of the APC held in Abuja .

He has not been attending ward , local government and state meetings of the party as well .

However , a letter the speaker’ s Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Cyril Maduabum , sent to the National Chairman of the APC , Mr Adams Oshiomhole , gave the reason for the speaker’ s absence on Thursday . The letter indicated that Dogara was out of Nigeria .


His Deputy , Mr. Yussuff Lasun , was also absent .

However , investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH showed that the speaker would leave the APC eventually .

Some of his close associates confided in SUNDAY PUNCH that Dogara was doing some “ calculations to get things right ” before leaving.

One of them said , “ The issue about defection or no defection is that at the appropriate time , things will take their natural course .

“ For Dogara , it is not too late . He is neither vying for the Presidency nor governorship ; so , he has time on his side.

“ If he were to vie for the Presidency like Saraki, he would have long made a public declaration because time would have been against him .

“ But in the case of the House of Representatives , which is a localised constituency election , he can still defect at the last minute . There is still time for that. ”
Another Dogara close colleague in the APC described the speaker as “ APC in body” but “ a PDP member in spirit . ”

The source added , “ What I see is that Dogara is still negotiating with the APC , taken that he is a speaker on the party ’ s ticket .

“ If the negotiation does not end in his favour , he has time to announce his next move. ”

Incidentally , the House of Representatives primary of the PDP will be held on September 19.

Another associate pointed out that Dogara ’ s area in Bauchi State, Bogoro Local Government Area , was under the firm control of the PDP , saying this was a sign of what to expect from Dogara in the days ahead .

“ During the last senatorial bye -election in Bauchi State , PDP won the speaker ’ s ward and local government .

“ A number of his friends and associates are already seeking elective positions on the platform of the PDP, ” the associate said .

His media office frustrated every effort by SUNDAY PUNCH to get a reaction on the official position .

His Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs , Mr Turaki Hassan , declined to speak and generally gave no useful responses to enquiries by SUNDAY PUNCH.

Regarding his absence at the APC NEC , the spokesman for the House , Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas , informed SUNDAY PUNCH that the speaker was away to the United Kingdom at the time of the meeting .

“ The speaker is in the UK ; at least , I am aware of that. If he is not in the country, he is not in the country , ” he stated .

On his part, Lasun is set to remain committed to the APC , but he is said to be nursing a grudge against the party .

Findings indicated that Lasun was unhappy that the party “ deliberately schemed ” him out of the July 20 Osun governorship primary of the party won by Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola .

The APC opted for direct primaries to pick the candidate as against the indirect primaries said to have been used for the Ekiti State governorship election primaries and others.

A National Assembly official , privy to the deputy speaker’ s grouse, spoke more on why Lasun , an engineer , is unhappy with the APC .

“ Lasun has a grudge and he believes that it is justifiable . Remember that he protested the sudden decision to use direct primaries to pick the party candidate (in Osun ). He feels he was the target , ” the official , who should know , said .

“ What he complained about came to pass and the APC failed to address it . Worse still , since the primaries ended , the APC has not called any reconciliation meeting in Osun .

“ The deputy speaker feels that there are issues to be discussed to keep the party united , but nobody cares . Reconciliation has long been done in Ekiti , but not in Osun.

“ That is not to say that he will leave the party . He is a loyal APC member and has repeatedly said that he would swim and drown with the party . ”

SUNDAY PUNCH also spoke with his Chief Press Secretary , Mr Wole Oladimeji , who confirmed that his boss had no plans to dump the APC.

Oladimeji said , “Leave APC ; how ? To where? A grudge does not mean leaving the party . Who said that he will leave?”

Asked why Lasun did not attend the NEC meeting , the CPS claimed that Lasun travelled out of the country , but declined to name the destination of the federal lawmaker .

“ He is not in Nigeria and he wrote Oshiomhole to say so . This is the period for the annual recess of the National Assembly. Members usually travel at this period , ” he added .

Also , the Secretary, Lasun Yusuf Campaign Organisation , Prof Aderemi Ajala , said the deputy speaker got the notice of the NEC meeting very late and that was why he could not attend the meeting .

Ajala said , “ The deputy speaker did not attend the meeting because he is outside Nigeria and he sent apologies which Comrade Adams Oshimhole read at the meeting . He is not leaving the APC. ”

Lasun had, two weeks ago , said in Osogbo while speaking with journalists that he was not ready to leave the ruling party despite losing the governorship ticket to Alhaji Isiaka Oyetola .

lalasticlala

tstx:
Ehya.... He only wanted to experiment