₦airaland Forum

By Chijioke Jannah




The Anglican Bishop of Minna Diocese, Rt. Revd. Daniel Yisa, has said three years on, Nigerians are yet to experience the much-promised Change from the Buhari administration.

In a sermon on the occasion of Easter celebration in Minna yesterday, Bishop Yisa alleged that “the only change the administration has succeeded in bringing is changing criminals to saints when they crossed over to the ruling party.

“If the six people mentioned (in first looters’ list) are the thieves, what happened to the rest, especially those that crossed over to the ruling party?” he queried.

The bishop enjoined Nigerian leaders to emulate the leadership style of Jesus Christ who led by example, saying: “If you are a leader, you should be a leader in words, thoughts and actions.

“When we have a government that is supposed to transform the lives of the people and it’s not doing so, then you know that not every government that preaches change is sincere. Under the government, politics has become business.

“Jesus left a legacy for us, He redeemed us, that is why we are celebrating.

“What are we going to celebrate at the end of the tenure of this government? Those that have the capacity to speak out, have been silenced one way or the other.”

The cleric expressed the need for leaders to sacrifice, saying Jesus sacrificed his life to save humanity.

“The kind of sacrifice I expect from this government is for them to drive on our roads rather than fly. Let them sacrifice by driving on roads like Mokwa to Jebba bridge and see what the common man is passing through.

“I wish there are no chartered flights for these people to travel with so that they can ply our roads. If they are sacrificing, let them drive on our roads,” he said.

Cletus Ukpong



Police officers attached to the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Godwin Abraham, allegedly assaulted family members of a federal lawmaker from the state for “not giving way” to the speeding cars on the judge’s convoy.

The lawmaker, Owoidighe Ekpoattai, who represents Eket Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State, in the House of Representatives, was not involved in the incident. She was in Abuja.

At least, two of her relatives sustained bruises from the incident which happened around 6:30 p.m. on March 8 in Uyo.

Andrew Godwin, a relative of Mrs Ekpoattai, who narrated what happened, said he was driving a Nissan car along Oron Road, Mbiabong area, where he had gone to buy diesel for a power generating set and was heading back home when he heard a siren blaring behind.

There were two other persons – a young man and a lady – seated at the back of the car, this newspaper learnt.

“We saw a convoy coming behind us with siren, vehicles were much on the road, you know how the timber market area is. So, we created space on the road for the convoy to pass. The next thing, I saw a koboko (horsewhip) from the Hilux in the convoy struck me on my face,” Mr Godwin, a 22-year-old engineering student of University of Uyo told PREMIUM TIMES on the night of the incident.


https://b.marfeel.com/statics/i/ps/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2018/04/Chief-Judge-of-Akwa-Ibom-State-Godwin-Abraham.jpg


The Ekpoattais live in Shelter Afrique Estate, Uyo, a few killometres from where Mr Godwin was allegedly struck with horsewhip.

Mr Godwin told PREMIUM TIMES that when he noticed the convoy make a turn into the estate, he and the other fellows inside the car decided to follow them to inquire what their offence was.

The convoy stopped in front of the chief judge’s residence in the estate.

“When the convoy stopped in the estate, I came out from the car and asked the policeman ‘Oga, why did you flog me like that?’ The man slapped me immediately. I fell down on the ground. He kicked me and used his gun to hit me. I ran into the bush, and from there ran to our house,” Mr Godwin said.

The chief judge witnessed the incident, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

Mr Godwin ran to their house and alerted the lawmaker’s husband, Ime Ekpoattai.

Mr Ekpoattai, a former commissioner in the state, hurriedly went to the scene. But his presence didn’t prevent the police officers from further molestation of his family members, it appears; his personal driver who came along with him was also beaten up by the police officers.

The driver, Jimmy Effiong, showed PREMIUM TIMES the bruises on his body.
He said the police officers took on him and hit him with the butts of their guns when he protested the harassment of Mr Ekpoattai.

The driver said the policemen wanted to throw him into their pick-up truck, but he resisted; and that, at that point, they tried to frame him up as being in possession of a machete.

“I wanted to go pick something from the car, and they started shouting, ‘Where is that knife that you want to bring out from the car?’ I asked them ‘which knife?’”
He said one of the police officers tried to stab him with a dagger.

Mrs Ekpoattai’s niece, who was present at the scene of the incident, said the police officers beat her in front of the chief judge, pulled the wig off her head, set fire on it, and also smashed her cell phone.

As the incident was going on, the lawmaker, Mrs. Ekpoattai, reached the chief judge on phone to complain about the assault on her family, this paper learnt.

But that too didn’t help the situation, as the police officers went further to deflate the tyres of the family’s car that was parked near the chief judge’s residence.

The lawmaker’s relatives, including her husband and daughter, were then taken to the police station within the estate.

At the police state, the divisional police officer tried to broker peace between the lawmaker’s relatives and the police officers.

Nsidibe Essien, the personal assistant to the chief judge, confirmed that the lawmaker spoke with the chief judge on phone, but said he wasn’t privy to the conversation.

Mrs Ekpoattai and her husband declined comment when PREMIUM TIMES contacted them.

The judge’s aide, Mr Essien, said the action of the four police officers attached to the judge cannot be faulted in any way.

“You have to understand the volatile situation of our security at this moment. If you see a convoy coming, blowing siren, you need to step aside and let them go their way,” Mr Essien told PREMIUM TIMES. “If you do otherwise, you could be mistaken for an armed robber or anything”.

He said the relative of the federal lawmaker was “driving gently” and thereby “obstructing” the chief judge’s convoy.
He said it was also wrong for “them” to “trail” the chief judge’s convoy to the house.

Mr Essien denied that the police officers assaulted Mrs Ekpoattai’s relatives. “It was even one of the ladies who slapped a policeman,” he said, adding that “One of the guys ran to the car and brought out a machete.”

Mr Essien said the law permits the chief judge to use siren which, according to him, the lawmaker’s relatives ought to have respected and “stepped aside” for the convoy to pass.

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the police spokesperson in the state, Odiko MacDon, he said the chief judge wasn’t among public officials permitted by law to use siren.

The Apapa Bridge will be closed for permanent repairs as soon as stakeholders come up with alternative routes for commuters to ply.

The Federal Controller of Works , Lagos , Mr. Adedamola Kuti , told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Sunday.

He said that Julius Berger Plc , the contractor handling the project , was ready to move to site .

The controller said that the ministry was working on effective traffic diversion alternatives that would ensure minimal stresses on users then .

He explained that the bridge was still in use because of an earlier emergency repair work done by Julius Berger to stabilise it .

He said that Messrs Buildwell Nigeria Ltd. , had completed permanent repairs on an extension of the bridge which was damaged by fire .

He said that when Julius Berger returned to site , it would carry out permanent repairs on the portion of the bridge awarded to it .

“ The repair work will be done on the bridge slab on the outbound Apapa carriageway .

“ The situation we have found ourselves now is that for Julius Berger to start work, it means we have to divert traffic and we are still looking for the best alternatives .

“ We have all sorts of trucks ; lorries on this Apapa road, and as a result of that, we are having problems of diversion and that is what we are still looking at .

“ We hope that very soon , we will be able to come up with the best solution on how to solve the traffic situation there .

“We are grateful to the Federal Government that has intervened by awarding the contract for the permanent repairs of the bridge to Julius Berger Construction Company .

“ We will be coming up with solutions on traffic diversions in the next few days , ’’ he told NAN .

Kuti said that meetings were already ongoing with stakeholders and traffic regulatory agencies on how best to tackle the problem and ensure minimal stress for road users .

He explained that some materials needed for the repairs of the bridge could not be sourced locally .

Hence , the contractor could not work on the bridge during its earlier closure to traffic , he said .

The controller said that adequate announcements would be made when the diversion of traffic would be made .

He appealed to road users to comply with directives of law enforcement and traffic agencies then.

NAN reports that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing , Mr Babatunde Fashion, on Aug . 5 , 2016 , inspected the dilapidated Apapa Bridge which was damaged by fire .

The effect of the fire exposed some of brudge’ s steel layers and made it to cave .

Fashola after a meeting with relevant stakeholders on Aug . 7 , 2016 ordered the immediate closure of the bridge.

Julius Berger Plc moved to site the following day to begin emergency repair works .

An impact assessment of the bridge was thereafter carried out by Julius Berger which advised the Federal Government to embark on its permanent repairs .

This was despite the emergency work then.
However , in February 2017 , the Federal Government ordered the closure of another extended portion of the bridge four four months for total rehabilitation.

The closed portion was about 700 metres long from the portion repaired by Julius Berger for four months .

However , due to paucity of funds , the contractor abandoned site but the project was captured in 2017 budget leading to its award and subsequent permanent repair by Buildwell Nigeria Ltd .

NAN reports that the Apapa Bridge and the Marine Beach Bridge are jointly referred to as the Apapa - Ijora Bridge .

Both bridges had been damaged by fire at different times in the past. (NAN )

lalasticlala

JOHN ALECHENU , SAMUEL AWOYINFA , FRIDAY OLOKOR , SUCCESS NWOGU and GODWIN ISENYO


There are strong indications that northern governors in the All Progressives Congress have withdrawn their support for the elongation of the tenure of the party ’ s National Working Committee .

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Saturday that the party ’ s stakeholders were looking beyond the National Chairman , Chief John Odigie - Oyegun , to lead the party .

One of our correspondents gathered that key supporters of the party ’ s National Chairman , especially northern governors , had shelved their earlier decision to sink or sail with the chairman .

A highly- placed party leader, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media on the issue, said the President’ s move during last Tuesday’ s National Executive Council meeting was akin to a “ checkmate in a game of chess. ”

The party leader said , “ President Muhammadu Buhari is the main reason why Chief ( Odigie- ) Oyegun lasted this long as chairman, many may not know or simply choose to disagree with this fact .

“ Some of our governors , who felt comfortable with Oyegun ’ s leadership style , aligned with certain interests at the Villa to convince the President on the need to allow Odigie - Oyegun to complete his term despite resistance from people like Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu .

“ The argument then was that we should not behave like the Peoples Democratic Party where party chairmen were changed almost every year .

“ They further argued that removing Odigie - Oyegun at that time , no matter his perceived indiscretions , would create some sort of instability within our party .

“ It is not easy to convince President Buhari , but once he is convinced about something , he supports it wholeheartedly .

“ Being the leader that he is and a person who swore to uphold the constitution , when his attention was drawn to the adverse consequences of this constitutional breach, he sought a legal opinion .

“His legal team , including the Vice - President , convinced him and he chose to err on the side of caution . ”

The party leader also said , “ Most of our northern governors are aware of the President ’ s principles on such matters and have since fallen in line.

“ What is before us now is the setting up of the various congress and convention committees and agreeing on who the next chairman is. ”

A highly- placed member of the party ’ s NWC , who also spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to “ ruffle feathers” , explained that the issue at hand went beyond the person of the party ’ s National Chairman .

On the contenders for the APC top job , he said , “ For now , our choice is limited to Edo State . And like you may know , when you mention Edo , Adams Oshiomhole cannot be far away . ”

The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi , was not immediately available for comments as he was said to have travelled outside the country. Calls to his mobile indicated that it was switched off .

But when contacted , the Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication , Yakubu Dati , said , “ As a former speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Governor Simon Lalong believes in the rule of law. He believes the party ’ s internal mechanism will resolve this matter amicably . ”

However , it was gathered that some southern governors and ministers had started a campaign in support of tenure elongation for Odigie- Oyegun and others.

Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH revealed that the address by the President did not go down well with the southern governors and ministers , who were already enjoying a smooth working relationship with the Odigie - Oyegun- led national executives of the party .

Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun , could not be reached for his comments on the issue but the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dayo Adeneye , directed one of our correspondents to the leadership of the party in the state .

The Publicity Secretary of the state chapter of the APC, Mr. Sola Lawal , who spoke on behalf of the party , said the NEC remained the supreme body of the party , while the president is the leader.

He said , “ The President only has a voice , the NEC is supreme. ”

“ In this case , I do not see the NEC reversing itself on tenure elongation for Oyegun and others because 20 out of the 24 APC governors voted in favour of tenure elongation .

Lawal added , “ It is not possible for an individual to foist a new candidate on the NEC without carrying everyone along . ”

Youths in their thousands on Saturday embarked on a symbolic march from Maryland to Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park in Ojota to endorse Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode for another term in office.

The youths, drawn from various groups including Lagos Youth Initiative (LYI), Lagos State Students Union, Liberal Minds Grassroots Forum, Lagos of Our Dream (Project LOUD), Asiwaju Redrive Youth Initiative, A Plus Vanguard, National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria (NASWEDEN), among others, said the decision to support the Governor was as a result of his various infrastructural strides and massive empowerment initiatives such as the N25billion Employment Trust Fund.

Speaking at the event, Lagos State Chairman of LYI, Comrade Temitope Ogungbo said the walk was organised to appreciate and mobilize support for Governor Ambode judging by the fact that the promises made to the people of the State have been fulfilled.

He said: “We are here today to show appreciation to the man that has done well. Three years back, he made a promise here at Ojota Freedom Park and those promises have been fulfilled and the Governor has even done more than what he promised.

“The promises are employment, empowerment, among others. When you talk about youths in Lagos State, Governor Ambode has employed many youths into the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority; he established Neighbourhood Safety Corps which has employed over 5,000 youths; he has also employed over 20,000 youths through the Cleaner Lagos Initiative; thousands of youths and businesses have also been empowered through the N25billion Employment Trust Fund of the Governor Ambode administration, among others.

“We see all these initiatives as very good and something that requires the youths to pay back by asking the Governor to continue in office, and that is why we invited all our groups from the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the State to embark on symbolic walk to endorse Governor Ambode for second term.”

He particularly urged those yet to get Permanent Voters Cards to utilize the opportunity of the ongoing registration exercise to register and get their cards to vote for continuity of the good works of the Governor in the state.

Also, Lagos State Chairman of Liberal Minds, Mr Sanni Ganiyu said the State was blessed to have a caring, good and dynamic leader like Governor Ambode who, according to him, has positively touched all sectors and sections of the state.

“Governor Ambode has performed credibly well; he has served us successfully; he has virtually touched all sectors of the economy, be it in the area of sports, roads, roads, health, agriculture, security, employment, education and so on.

“As a matter of fact, the common man, disabled or physically challenged are not left out as they have all benefitted tremendously from this administration, and that is why we are all out to support Governor Ambode for another term in office,” Ganiyu said.

Member, Board of National Agricultural Extension Research, Hon Ganiat Alli-Balogun, said since assuming office, Governor Ambode had done wonders and a lot for people of the State.

She said: “Today, you can see the youths of Lagos State here to support Governor Ambode for second to continue his good works. Everyone is happy because of the brilliant projects that have been executed in the State.

“Talk of the beautification, the infrastructural amenities, the schools and so on and so we thank God for all the good work of our Governor.”

On their parts, leaders of NASWEDEN in Lagos State – Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, Comrade Friday Okoh and Mrs Olufunke Akinwale said the association was fully in support of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative of the State Government, and that their members were all saying no vacancy in Alausa come 2019.

High point of the event was the performances by ace musicians, Humble Smith and Queen Seyidat, among others.

Siphathisiwe Tshuma

HUSBAND from hell!

Welcome Ndlovu from Nketa 8 in Bulawayo did not take kindly to rejection from his wife Ruth Ndlovu and he stripped her naked before taking nude pictures of her.

It happened last week when Ruth returned home from work to find Welcome waiting for her in the bedroom armed with a knife.

He forcibly stripped her naked and then stabbed her twice on the breast in the process taking pictures using his phone.

His intention was to leak the pictures on social media. He then force marched the naked wife to his aunt’s house.

Upon arrival he told her to explain what happened as she bled. Before she could utter a word, he pounced on her with fists and open hands threatening that he would kill her if she didn’t take him back.

The abuse went on for hours until Ruth managed to call her brothers who came to her rescue.

She then reported the matter to the police. Welcome has since appeared in court facing physical assault charges before West Commonage magistrate Lungile Ncube.

A medical report was submitted in court proving that Ruth had multiple stab wounds on the chest as a result of the assault.

The matter was postponed to 29 March for the State to gather more facts.

The court heard that Ruth had since deserted her matrimonial home and was now living in fear as Welcome allegedly threatened to kill her.

A medical report submitted in court shows that Ruth had multiple stab wounds on the chest as a result of the assault.

lalasticlala

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE



There was a mild drama at a popular joint in Lagos as a housewife, Maureen caught her husband, Clifford with a single mother, one Mrs. Happiness, who told her to forget her husband because she can never separate them.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on Friday at a popular joint located at Omiyale Street in Ejigbo area of Lagos where the single mother -Happiness and Clifford went to enjoy themselves.

Mrs. Happiness – a single mother of five kids, told Maureen that she used to have her own husband until another woman snatched him from her. She said that she had worked hard also to win Clifford’s heart and they had a strong bond.

On Friday, Clifford brought Happiness to the joint in his car and had requested for drinks and fried chicken. They were already eating before his wife Maureen got there on a tip off and disrupted the whole thing.

Maureen shouted and warned Happiness to leave her husband for her. In anger, Happiness reacted immediately and told her that she had already lost her own husband to another woman. While this happened, Clifford looked helpless and said nothing.

P.M.EXPRESS scooped that Clifford got married to Maureen the proper way and wedded her in the church in their home town, Nnewi in Anambra State. The union was with blessed with a child and they had been living happily.

However, their peaceful marriage became troublesome the moment Clifford met Happiness from Mgbidi in Imo State at a joint and they became lovers.

It was learnt that after Happiness was dumped by her husband, she dropped her children and came to Lagos where she met Clifford who rented a house at Cyril Njoku Street, Ejigbo whereas Clifford lived around Military Zone in the same Ejigbo.

Mrs. Maureen lamented that since Clifford met Happiness, he had abandoned his family, focused on Happiness, usually came back late and ceased to take care for his only child.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that while Maureen and Happiness were dragging and exchanging hot words, Clifford looked the other way. His attitude did not go down well with the customers present as they attacked him which forced him to enter his car and drive off.

The visibly embattled Maureen was consoled by the people and asked to put everything in prayer until God intervenes and brings back her husband to her.

Some of the residents who witnessed what happened blamed both Clifford and his wife Maureen for the ugly situation.

Some said probably that the wife might not be taking proper care of him before he found solace in Happiness and clung to her.

While others said that Clifford might be under the influence of charms which made him to behave irresponsibly and choose to break his home because of Happiness, as his wife Maureen looked more beautiful than her.

surgical:
you just dey know wetin everybody don know since or wetin you think say herds men be.

Posted By: Gbade Ogunwale




The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has threatened to take the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to court for including his name in the alleged list of looters released by the minister on Friday.

The minister had alleged that Secondus collected N200 million from the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), who is still being detained by the government.

In a statement issued by his media adviser, Ike Abonyi, the PDP chairman said Mohammed should be ready to establish his allegations in court.

The statement reads: “The attention of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has been drawn to a press conference addressed by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Friday claiming that the National Chairman collected N200m from the purse of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

“Prince Secondus is challenging Mr. Mohammed to be ready to establish his allegations in court immediately.”

The PDP chairman said the agenda of the minister is to damage his reputation and distract him from serving his party but that he has failed woefully.

“For the purposes of some gullible public Prince Secondus never collected any money from the NSA under any guise,” the statement added.

Leah Sharibu is the only one of the Dapchi girls that Boko Haram refused to hand over after negotiations with the Nigerian government , apparently because she refused to renounce her faith and convert to Islam. She is still held by the group.

Kidnapped by a militant group that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions across north-east Nigeria and the surrounding region, the girls’ extraordinary bravery shines through their testimony.

Speaking to the Guardian from their homes in Yobe state, the girls who had to leave their friend behind described how Leah and two others escaped together.

“She didn’t tell us she was leaving,” said Aisha Ibiwa. “We thought she was just going round the corner, but she sneaked out along with Maryam and Amira [two classmates].”

After walking for three days, the three hungry and exhausted girls approached a family of the nomadic Fulani people, asking for their help getting home to Dapchi. But instead they were taken straight back to their kidnappers, according to Hajara Adamu, another of Leah’s friends.

by Mansur Ibrahim



Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, on Friday visited the residence of Umar Jibril, lawmaker who represented Lokoja/Kogi federal constituency in the house of representatives.

Jibril died after a brief illness on Friday morning.

Lawmakers from both chambers of the national assembly have been visiting to the residence of the deceased to commiserate with his family.

The police had declared Melaye wanted after announcing that two suspects who accused the senator of supplying arms to them escaped from custody.

Melaye has since denied the allegation.



https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Dogara-in-Kogi1.jpg

Yakubu Dogara, speaker house of representatives, his wife Gimbiya Dogara, and Dino Melaye at the residence of late Umar Buba Jibrin in Abuja



https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Dogara-in-Kogi.jpg

Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker; Ahmed Idris Wase, Mohammed Umar Bago and Jonathan Gaza, all house of reps members at the residence of Jibrin

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE


A 52-year old woman, Ozioma Ezeugwa displayed her boxing prowess in Lagos by beating a man, Mr. Onuzulike Chukwujekwu and knocked him down in a public brawl.

The incident happened at Jakande Estate in Ejigbo area where the fight took place.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the victim sustained serious injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment where he was said to be recuperating. What started the quarrel that led to fight was not yet clear because the police declined to speak up.

However, it was scooped that the suspect and the victim had little disagreement to the extent that the victim first threatened to beat her up.

According to an eye witness, unknown to the victim the suspect possessed enormous strength despite the fact that she was a woman and had beaten some men in the past.

Ozioma in anger grabbed the victim and first gave him a headbutt, slapped him, he became confused, she rained blows on him and he fell down. The victim was rescued after the people present intervened and separated them.

By then, he had sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital where he was being treated.

The matter was reported at Ashamu Police Station, the suspect was arrested and detained at the police station.

She was later charged before Ejigbo Magistrates court for assault.
She pleaded not guilty.

The Presiding Magistrate Mr. L.K.J. Layeni granted her bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

The prosecutor, Mr. G. Simon did not object to her bail condition.

She was remanded in prison custody pending when she will perfect her bail condition.

The matter was adjourned till 30 April, 2018.

lalasticlala

The Borno state police command has arrested two suspects in connection with the murder of a 28- year - old commercial sex worker , Precious Needy .

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Damian Chukwu , made the disclosure while briefing newsmen in Maiduguri.

He said that Needy ’ s corpse was found with her throat slit in a toilet at Galaxy Hotel in Galadima Area of Maiduguri metropolis on March 25 .

Chukwu also disclosed that the body was discovered by Onyeka Ogbonna , a staff of the hotel, noting that the matter was reported to police on March 26.

He listed suspects in the murder of the commercial sex worker as Yakubu Luka , 39 ; and Amelia Ka ’ anfsa, 26 .

The commissioner explained that Luka , a security guard at the hotel, was on duty at the time of the incident , while Ka ’ anfsa was an immediate neighbour to the deceased .

Chukwu said the suspects were assisting the police in the investigation .
(NAN )

by Chinedu Asadu



Aisha Buhari, Nigeria’s first lady, has condemned the practice of spending the nation’s resources abroad via medical tourism.

She said she does not believe in Nigerians travelling abroad to receive treatment because “we have all it takes” for world-class medical services.

Aisha said this on Wednesday when she inaugurated Cedarcrest Hospital — where Yusuf, her son, was once treated — in Abuja.

“I believe in making Nigeria a better place to be,” she said, adding: “I don’t believe in spending our resources abroad. We have all it takes to have a hospital like this, from manpower to personnel.”

Aisha said her son “almost lost his life” but the hospital saved him.

“Even after he was flown abroad for further medical attention, they (hospitals and surgeons abroad) did not do anything for him,” she added.

“They asked where the accident happened, where the surgery took place, I said Nigeria, they said excellent.”

In 2017, her husband spent a total of 152 days in a London hospital treating and undisclosed ailment.

He travelled on two different occasions.
Similarly, Yusu was treated abroad after he suffered injuries from a bike accident in Abuja.

He was first treated in Cedarcrest hospital but was later flown abroad for further treatment.

Aisha, who announced his return to the country after the medical trip, did not reveal the country he was treated in.

The first lady has made controversial comments in recent times, forcing commentators to conclude she is aiming her dig at her husband.

By Jideofor Adibe



It is really exciting reading the various reactions to the recent apologies to Nigerians by the PDP’s national Chairman, Uche Secondus. According to reports, the PDP’s national chairman at a recent national discourse on contemporary politics and governance in Abuja apologized for the party’s mistakes, which he claimed led to its defeat in the 2015 election. Chief Secondus did not mention the mistakes. But several Nigerians, mostly those sympathetic to the ruling APC, took him to the cleaners.

One of the first to react was expectedly Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, who was the ruling party’s chief propagandist during the 2015 general election. He asked the PDP to first return the funds “it looted” during its 16 years of rule before Nigerians would consider forgiving them. Additionally he used the opportunity to accuse the PDP of sabotaging the work of the government. He was quoted by the Vanguard of March 28 2018 as saying:

“PDP, press the rest button. Stop sabotaging the work of this administration, which is packing the mess you left behind through your reckless statements and unfounded allegations. Play responsible opposition politics. Put Nigeria’s interest over and above partisan interest. Temper your desperation to return to power. Spend quality time in the purgatory and you will be forgiven.”

One Comrade Joseph Ambakadermo, said to be the convener of South-South Reawakening Group, in taking on the PDP’s national chairman on his apology was quoted as saying: “It is one thing to tender an apology and it is also another to know if the apology genuinely comes from the heart. Yes, apologies are good but in this case, the man tendering the apology on behalf of his party is himself a product of impunity...”

Comrade Ambakadermo was probably referring to the allegation that during the last PDP national convention Secondus was among those ‘sponsored’ or ‘imposed’ on the party (depending where one stood in the controversy) by Governors Nyesom Wike and Fayose who were said to be behind a consensus list of candidates that circulated before the elections at the convention.

PDP of course threw some counter-punches. It asked the APC and the federal government to end their sanctimonious stance and return immediately to the Federation Account all stolen funds it claimed were used to finance Buhari’s election in 2015. The party was quoted as saying that “the APC and the federal government cannot continue to play saints when state governors who stole billions of Naira meant for the development of their states to fund Buhari’s election in 2015 are still enjoying cover as members of Buhari’s kitchen cabinet despite outrage from their people”.

There are several layers in the PDP’s apologies and the kettle- mocking- the pot-for-being-black game between the party and the ruling APC:
One, what did the PDP really hope to achieve by that apology? To rebrand itself as a humble party? Chief Secondus, as an experienced politician, should have known that the competition for power between political parties revolves around an offensive-defensive strategy.

The idea is to label your opponent and do all you can to put the opponent on the defensive, allowing you to gain some mileage in the competition for the moral high ground. The apology by the PDP therefore is like ammunition to the APC to put the party on the defensive. By the way, there is a reason most companies never apologize to individuals or accept guilt even after they have agreed to pay compensation.

A primary reason for this is that they do not want to open floodgates of accusations and possible litigations. For this, it is often easier for companies to say they are paying so-so amount as a ‘demonstration of good will’ than to say they are sorry. The same is also often true for political parties.

The truth is that governance is a process, not an end product. And because every policy, even the most altruistic, must have unintended consequences, whatever policy any government in power pursues must hurt some people. It is often the duty of an incoming government to ‘clean-up’ the mess from those unintended consequences of policies by the preceding government. The new government will inevitably leave its own mess for others to clean up.

The tragedy of the Nigerian condition is that most incoming regimes focus on the challenges or politicise it (often called ‘the mess’ for full psychological and emotional impacts on Nigerians), forgetting that some of the mess were often unintended consequences of some good policies or policies that were deemed expedient at that time.

Two, rather than an apology, the PDP ought to do some strategic assessment of why it lost in 2015 and see whether it is remedying some of those situations now.

In the final analysis, politics is a contest for power among discrete entities, in which all forms of variables and affiliations are mobilized in a war without blood. The truth is that Jonathan’s candidacy in the 2015 election was a major factor for the party’s defeat because his candidacy mobilized most segments of the North which felt the zone was being cheated in the unwritten power rotation between the North and the South (especially after the zoning controversy of 2010-2011). I do not think there was anything Jonathan could have done to pacify many from the North-east and the Northwest in this regard.

Add to this Jonathan’s naivety about political realities. For instance by allowing the Speakership of the House of Representatives, which was ‘captured’ by Tambuwaal (allegedly in collusion with Tinubu’s defunct A.C.N) to stand, or not sufficiently rewarding the zone for that loss, several people from the zone felt marginalized and therefore willing to be mobilized into the new APC marriage of convenience.

The question for the PDP now is what has it learnt about its mistake with the South-west under Jonathan? What is it offering the zone now that will be better than what it already has - a sitting Vice President and some choice ministerial and other appointments? I think it was a mistake that the party did not offer the region the national chairmanship of the party - even if it also plans to offer it the VP-slot. The reality was that the zone was the beautiful bride in 2015 and will remain so in 2019.

Three, rather than trying to market itself as humble party, I feel that humility will better demonstrated by a recognition that the APC propaganda machine since it came to power has de-marketed the party through its probe rhetoric and episodic release of information on humongous sums it claims Jonathan and his government stole.

Recognition of this means the humility to admit that there has been a serious damage in its brand value. This will mean for instance realizing that going into alliance with some parties and changing its name could be a better re-branding strategy than a public apology for its past actions and inactions. Rather than do this we hear stories that PDP is resisting merger with other parties and changing its name because it does not want others to control its structures. So much for humility!

Four, I chuckled when I read about some of the allegations from Lai Mohammed and other APC sympathisers. I have always believed that Lai Mohammed has not really got over the 2015 campaign mode. In fact several of his speeches (except his very measured reaction to Obasanjo’s letter to Buhari) confirm this. For instance, while Lai Mohamed talks about looting by PDP, he conveniently forgot to tell us how the APC funded its 2015 elections, especially when Buhari mentioned that he borrowed money to buy nomination forms.

He also forgot several corruption allegations against functionaries of the APC government and extreme polarization of the country under APC. Of course, it is only when a government is replaced by another that we are inundated with stories of ‘looting’ by the previous government so we will all reserve our judgment on the APC government until another party comes to power.

For me, from corruption to impunity to imposition of candidates and lack of internal party democracy, the difference between the PDP and the APC, despite their grandstanding and shenanigans, is like the difference between 12 and one dozen.

A carpenter , Nnana Ononaku , was on Monday brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos , for allegedly strangling his wife to death and throwing her body into the lagoon.

The accused , 45, resident of number 89, Oke Eri Street , Oworonshoki, Lagos , was charged with murder.

His plea was not taken .

Earlier , the Prosecutor , Inspector Cousin Adams , had told the court that the accused committed the offence on February 15, at 11 . 00 pm at Oke - Eri in Oworonshoki.

Adams said that the accused strangled his wife , Iyabo Akinpelu, 48 , before throwing her body into the lagoon.

“ Her body was found floating in the lagoon with her hands tied with a rope , ” the prosecutor alleged .

He said the offence contravened Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State , 2015 which stipulates a death sentence for convicts .

The Chief Magistrate , Mrs . A. O . Adegite , remanded the accused at the Ikoyi Prisons , pending an outcome of legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions .
She adjourned the case until April 30 for the legal advice .
(NAN )

lalasticlala

Tobi Soniyi in Lagos, Damilola Oyedele and Alexander Enumah in Abuja


Governors on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors have quietly thrown their weight behind the move by the National Assembly to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto on the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018, which is proposing, among others, to alter the sequence of elections in the country.

A highly placed source in the National Assembly who said he had spoken to many of the governors, especially those seeking a second term in office, have given their tactical support surreptitiously to the amendment of the Electoral Act.

Buhari recently vetoed the Electoral Amendment Bill on the grounds that the section that is proposing to alter the election sequence for the presidential elections to hold last would infringe on the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise and supervise elections in the country.

However, the National Assembly has vowed to override the president’s veto, with lobby intensifying by the day among pro- and anti-Buhari legislators to vote for or against the bill, amid allegations of offers of inducements by the executive arm of government to kill the bill.

The National Assembly can override a presidential veto if two-thirds of its members in both chambers vote for the bill to become law.

The source, who spoke in confidence on the backing of several state governors, said many of them are concerned that the president might work against them once his election has been held first, hence their preference for the amendment to the Electoral Act.

He said many governors have been quietly urging their lawmakers in the National Assembly to accelerate the process of overriding the president’s veto.

Other governors, it was gathered, are eager to see the amendment passed.

However, it is still not certain if the amendment will scale through in both chambers of the federal legislature, as a senator who spoke to THISDAY on the condition of anonymity, said he was confident that the amendment would pass easily at the Senate, but may hit a brick wall in the House of Representatives.

“The House of Representatives is likely to be the stumbling block, but if many of them realise that their return to the House may depend on the bill, they would not hesitate to override the president’s veto,” the senator said.

He also revealed that last week’s reconciliatory meeting by the leadership of the APC with its Senate Caucus to avert the planned override vote of the president’s veto has failed, as senators have started to append their signatures in register to vote in favour of the passage of the bill.

The senator claimed that at least 67 of his colleagues had already signed the register to override the veto, saying at least 15 are from the South-south geopolitical zone, 13 from the South-east, 10 from the South-west, 10 from the North-east, and seven from the North-west.

The register is believed to be in the custody of a senator from the North-east.

Another senator, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, further revealed that about 20 senators were still undecided on whether to override the veto or support pro-Buhari senators who are said to be just 15 in number.

Senators from the opposition PDP are all in favour of overriding the veto, THISDAY gathered.

He explained that the pro-Buhari group has been operating under the assumption that it has about 40 senators on their side, but most of them are actually prepared to vote to override the president insofar as electronic voting is used on the day the voting takes place so that their identities can be concealed.

He also claimed that some PDP senators who have “deceptively” committed not to override the veto were only playing along in order to partake in the “largesse” being promised by the executive not to upturn the president’s veto.

“Of course, they (pro-Buhari group) will say they are more than that. But many are being blackmailed into doing so and are being promised cash. But they will vote pro-amendment at the end of the day.

“The pro-Buhari group is finding it hard to win people to their side, because our people know there is nothing special to be gained from fighting for the president. Chief John Oyegun (national chairman of the APC) cannot guarantee anything,” he said.

THISDAY also gathered that the lawmakers in both chambers are unhappy with Oyegun for having watched while the executive explored every opportunity to rubbish the legislature.

“This caucus is one of the most important blocs in the party, but that was the second time he has met with us since June 2015.

The first time, he promised to resolve all the issues with the executive, but he did not. So there is nothing he can say now that we would believe he can deliver,” another senator said.

It was learnt that senators in favour of overriding the veto on the bill held a meeting at the weekend in Lagos, after attending the wedding of the daughter of business mogul, Aliko Dangote, where they assessed their plan.

The meeting also had in attendance some legal experts who scrutinised the Constitution on the planned override.

On the basis of the Lagos meeting and the counsel they got from the lawyers, the confidence among legislators set to override the president’s veto got a boost based on the interpretation of the two-thirds majority required to pass the Electoral Amendment Bill into law.

According to sources privy to the meeting, the general impression is that two-thirds of 109 senators and 360 members of the House will be required to vote in favour of overriding the veto.

However, the sources informed THISDAY that this interpretation of the Constitution was wrong, as what is required to override a presidential veto is for two-thirds of the members present at plenary to vote in favour of a bill’s passage.

Accordingly, lawmakers who are in favour of overriding the president are banking on the interpretation of certain sections of the Constitution, which specifically qualifies the two-third (or four-fifth in some cases) votes requirement.

While some sections in the Constitution are categorical about the participation of all members, others are silent on it, a loophole which the lawmakers are now seeking to explore.

The section that deals with presidential override is not specific on the two-third votes required.

A lawmaker, who explained the interpretation of what the majority requirement is, said the Constitution is very clear on the issue.

He said such include Section 8(1)(a)(c) & (d) on States and LGA creation; Section 8(2)(i) on Boundary Adjustment; Section 9(1) & (3)(4); Sections 48 & 49; Section 50(c); Section 54(1); Section 56(1); and Section 58(5), where the Constitution was specific on the type and meaning of the majority votes required.

Quoting Section 8 or Chapter IV of the Constitution, the lawmaker said it “shall not be passed by either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is approved by votes of not less than four-fifth majority of ALL the members of each House and also approved by a resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all states”.

“Section 9(1) also states that other parts of the Constitution can only be amended by “the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of ALL the members of that House and approved by a resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all states,” the lawmaker added.

The lawmaker, however, explained that Section 58(5), which deals with the two-third votes required to override a veto, did not mention the requirement of “ALL” members.

Section 58, (5) states: “Where the President withholds his assent and the bill is again passed by each House by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the president shall not be required.”

Continuing, the lawmakers explained: “When passing a law, it says two-thirds majority of each House, meaning those present, since it did not say “ALL” members as is the case with other sections of the Constitution.

“It is just the way we normally pass laws on the floor, it is of those present, we do not count first to be sure everyone is present, so passing or overriding the veto on this amendment will go through the same route as a simple law.

“It is just like when you want to vote to impeach a Speaker or Senate President, it is two-thirds of those present that do so.

We have used that to elect heads of legislature and used that to remove them several times in this country. So same is applicable in this case.

“In simple terms, if we have 60 senators in attendance that day, it means we require 40 votes.”

Meanwhile, Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Monday reserved judgment in a suit challenging the powers of the National Assembly to override Buhari’s veto on the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, till April 25
Justice Mohammed gave the date after counsel to the parties in the suit adopted and argued their written addresses.

The plaintiff, Accord Party, had dragged the National Assembly, Attorney General of the Federation, (AGF) and INEC to court, after Buhari refused to assent to the Electoral Bill.

The party had expressed concern that the legislature could override the presidential veto and pass the bill to law.

At the resumed hearing Monday, counsel to the plaintiff, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), urged the court to answer in the affirmative questions raised in the plaintiff’s originating summons and grant all the reliefs sought.

Olanipekun, in arguing the plaintiff’s brief, submitted that the order of election, as proposed in the Election Amendment Bill, 2018, was virtually impossible and impracticable, when taken into consideration INEC’s powers to postpone elections it is constitutionally empowered to conduct.

Also reacting to the notice of the preliminary objection brought by the first defendant (National Assembly) challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit in the first instance, Olanipekun submitted that there was no model anywhere in the world that takes away the powers of the court from adjudicating on any matter.

He therefore urged the court to dismiss the preliminary objection raised by the first defendant and grant the relief sought by his client.

Responding, counsel to the National Assembly, Joseph Daudu (SAN), informed the court of the notice of preliminary objection he had filed on March 23 challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.

Daudu said the court should first determine whether the originating summons in its entirety was justiciable.

According to him, issues of the internal affairs of political parties are not justiciable, including the internal workings of the National Assembly.

He also submitted that the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, since what was being contested was a Bill and not an Act, adding that until the bill is passed into law either by the assent of the president, or by a two-thirds majority of the legislature, the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.

He said if the court was inclined to uphold his preliminary objection, then there would be no need to continue with the plaintiff’s originating summons, as it would amount to a waste of the court’s time.

The first respondent further urged the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the plaintiff lacked the legal right to file the suit, since it failed to present its certificate of registration as a political party registered with INEC.

While urging the court to uphold his preliminary objection and dismiss the suit, Daudu further asked the court to discountenance the argument of the second (AGF) and third (INEC) defendants, noting that though they are defendants in the suit, their position was supportive to the case of the plaintiff.

Responding, the second defendant, the AGF, Abubakar Malami (SAN), aligned himself with the position of the plaintiff.

Responding to the issue of whether the court has jurisdiction to hear the matter, the AGF submitted that once a bill is passed by the two chambers of the National Assembly, the legislature has concluded its job and from that point the court has jurisdiction.

Similarly, counsel to the third defendant (INEC) Femi Falana (SAN), who also aligned with the position of the plaintiff, argued that whether the bill has been passed or was still pending at the National Assembly does not stop the court from hearing the matter.

He also presented exhibits showing that the plaintiff was duly registered with INEC as a political party and as such had the legal right to file the suit.

Falana, like Malami, urged the court to resolve the matter in favour of the plaintiff and grant all the reliefs sought.

After listening to the submissions of the counsel in the matter, the judge reserved judgment till April 25.

In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/232/2018, the plaintiff is seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining: “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, represented by the second defendant, from assenting to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2018, as passed by the first defendant.

“The first defendant from passing into law, by a two-third majority, or any majority at all of the said bill as already passed by it.”

Posted By: Onyedi Ojiabor


Several Senators elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are angry with the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for allegedly working to scuttle their return to the Red Chambers next year.

The Senators, mainly from Bauchi, Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara, believe Oyegun is working hand in hand with their governors to stop them from getting the party’s ticket for another term.

The lawmakers used the opportunity of last Wednesday’s meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC with the Senate Caucus of the party to vent their anger on Oyegun, according to sources close to the deliberation.

The meeting was essentially to find a solution to the persistent face-off between the executive and the legislative arms, especially the threat by the National Assembly to override Buhari’s veto of the new election order contained in the Electoral Act as amended and the elongation of the tenure of the NWC.

One of the sources said: “Tenure extension is a major issue in the party. Everybody has his own interest. From the body language of senators, it is obvious that most senators do not want Oyegun to continue because of his open romance with some governors.

“Senators who have one issue or the other with their state governors feel that Oyegun is on the side of the governors.”

Some of the senators were said to have expressed misgivings that the party leadership was conniving with their governors to block many of them and members of the House of Representatives from returning to the National Assembly.

Bauchi, Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara were mentioned by the lawmakers as states where the party was looking the other way while the state governors were working to stop Senators and Reps from returning to the National Assembly.

“What it means is that even House of Reps Speaker Yakubu Dogara is not sure of his ticket because of his disagreement with the Bauchi State governor.”

The source added: “In Kogi State the governor, Yahaya Bello, singlehandedly sacked the state exco of the party while Oyegun aided him to hand pick a care taker committee that is not known to the party.

“In Kaduna, the governor, Nasir El-Rufai, demolished the house of Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi and the party has not said anything. All these unhealthy developments were brought to the attention of Oyegun.”

He said that the situation where some people in the party were trying to paint members of the National Assembly black by labelling them anti-Buhari, was also discussed at the meeting.

“A major grouse of the senators is that most of them feel that the party has not provided a level playing field for all members.

“It was explicitly stated that the legislature is the only arm of government that must be in place for there to be democracy in a country.

“Oyegun was also told in plain language that the party is looking the other way while the executive arm of government is trying to demonize the legislature, the only symbol of democracy.

“The party is the body that holds everybody together. As it stands, the party is on its own, the executive on its own and the legislature on its own. The country cannot go on like that.”

The source said that after three hours of frank talks, Oyegun was tasked to ensure unity and proper reconciliation ahead of the 2019 election.

The source said: “That was why the resolution to set up a caucus of the executive, legislature, governors and the party to address issues affecting the party was arrived at.

“It was a frank discussion and we all spoke our minds especially with the realization that 2019 is by the corner.”

Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, told reporters at the end of the meeting on Wednesday that the controversial amendment of the Electoral Act was discussed.

Lawan also confirmed that an agreement was reached to set up a caucus comprising the executive, the legislature, governors and the party to resolve conflicting interests when they arise in the party.

lalasticlala

GODWIN ISENYO



The Arewa Consultative Forum, the Northern Elders ’ Forum and 16 other leading groups in the northern region , on Saturday , passed a vote of no confidence in politicians of northern extraction , saying most of them had failed .

The groups , in a communique , said politicians from the region had failed the North because they were unable to address the the problems of the region , especially in security and poverty .

They made the declaration at the end of a Summit of northern groups held at the residence of the late Premier of the defunct Northern Region , Sir Ahmadu Bello , Arewa House , Kaduna.

They stated, “No northern politician should expect to be voted for in the next general elections unless they demonstrate a willingness to champion a massive assault on poverty and underdevelopment in the North .

“ Most political office holders from the North are hereby served a notice that they have failed the test to lead the region towards economic recovery and growth . ”

The signatories to the communique included Prof. Ango Abdullahi (Chairman ACF Political Committee /Convener , Northern Elders Forum); Dr . Yima Sen ( NEF ); Amb . Ibrahim Mai Sule (ACF ); Bello Suleiman (CODE Group ); Mataimaki Maiyashi , (Arewa Research Development Project); Zannah Boguma (Borno Elders Forum); Nafiu Baba - Ahmed (Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria) , and Dr . Ibrahim Yakubu Lame (Northern Union) .

Others were Alhaji Yerima Shettima (Arewa Youth Consultative Forum ; Pastor Aminchi Habu (United Christian Leaders Eagle Eye Forum); Balarabe Rufai (Coalition of Northern Groups ); Isa Tijjani Labour (Veterans Association ); Rev . Bitrus Dangiwa (CAN Northern Chapter ); Umar Ahmed (Zaria Jama’ atu Nasiril Islam ); and Buba Adamah (Arewa People Unity Association) .

Hassan El - Adamu (Arewa Initiative For Good Governance ); Abdulazeez Suleiman (Northern Emancipation Network ) and Bilkisu Oniyangi (Arewa Initiative for Good Governance ) also signed the communique.

The communique was read by the Chief of Staff to the Senate President , Dr . Hakeem Baba -Ahmed .

Giving reasons for passing a vote of no confidence in its political leaders , the groups noted that since 2015 , northerners had occupied positions with the potential to make decisive differences in the economy , security and political fortunes in the region.

They, however, noted that northern political leaders had failed on all fronts , hence the call on them to sit up and take notice or be voted out in 2019 .

Part of the communiqué read , “ The hopes that leaders who have been in power since 2015 will reverse the abuse and neglect of the region in the previous decade have been betrayed.

“ Weak governance , gross insensitivity and unacceptable levels of incompetence have been compounded by battles of attrition in which northerners have sapped one another ’ s strength.

“ Weak and incoherent responses to provocations from other parts of the country around the imperatives of re -visiting the foundations and structures of the Nigerian state have created the false image of a North without its own positions beyond survival as the parasite of Nigeria .

“ The historic gains in the northern political unity secured by northern votes in the 2015 elections have been wasted by the poor management of conflicts between and among northern communities .

“ Today , northern communities are erecting barricades against members of other communities , and politicians who have failed to lead and make impacts in the lives of the poor and the vulnerable are daily feeding the people with hate and resentment instead of searching for genuine and lasting solutions . ”

The communique added , “ In a region with enough resources for every community or trade , our people are now fighting for morsels, while leaders think of new ways to turn our misery into electoral capital .

“ The summit noted that in spite of notable successes by the Buhari administration against the Boko Haram insurgency in the North- East, many northern communities still live under its threat .

“ In many other parts of the North, communities are routinely exposed to attacks from shadowy killers , while suspicion and anger against the suspected killers is pitching northerners against one other . ”

The groups therefore , warned that “ no northern politician should expect to be voted for in the next general election unless they demonstrate a willingness to champion a massive assault on poverty and underdevelopment in the North. ”

In this regard , they added , “ Most political office holders from the North are hereby served a notice that they have failed the test to lead the region towards economic recovery and growth . ”

They emphasised the rights of all northerners to examine all options in political choices they would make in 2019.

“ The leadership selection process must be critically interrogated to present the best leader to Nigeria as a whole . No one should take the North for granted , and it is not for sale , ” they added .

Earlier , the convener of the summit, Prof. Ango Abdullahi , in his opening remarks, said the North was in search of credible leaders ahead of the 2019 elections.

Abdullahi noted that elections were less than one year away and it was imperative that the North searched for a credible presidential candidate to replace President Muhammadu Buhari .

Apart from that , the former Vice - Chancellor said the elders were also searching for credible potential governors and legislators that would have the interest of the region at heart and reposition the North .

Members of the Boko Haram sect are said to be on their way to Dapchi in Yobe state, to return Leah Sharibu.

Multiple sources disclosed this to TheCable on Saturday afternoon.

“As of 3pm, we heard that they were 20 kilometres from Dapchi,” a resident who does not want his identity revealed, said.

TheCable gathered that while some are rejoicing over the development, many have fled the town out of fear.

“The news that they are bringing back the girl was received with mixed feelings,” another source said.

“Some people are jubilating but many have abandoned their homes out of fear. There is confusion as I speak to you. What if they decide to abduct more people. Those guys are lunatics.”

Sharibu is the only one in captivity out of the 110 students abducted on February 19.
Boko Haram had refused to release her because she rejected the option of renouncing her faith.

Expressing delight over her stance, the girl’s father prayed for her safe return .

Enoch Adeboye, general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, also prayed for her release .

Many groups, including the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), had asked the federal government to negotiate her release.

President Muhammad Buhari had said his government would not abandon her.

Some governors have indicated interest in the 2019 senatorial election after their tenure . Currently , there are 15 ex- governors in the Senate , and political pundits are of the opinion that some of the governors only go to the upper legislative chamber to “ rest , ” describing it as a situation which has gross implications for the future of the country , JESUSEGUN ALAGBE writes


While he is rounding off his eight - year two - term tenure as the governor of Imo State , Rochas Okorocha has declared his ambition to run for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2019 general elections.

The governor made known his intention last month , even though he had earlier stated that he would not run for any elective position in 2019 , but would only be interested in who would succeed him after leaving office.

On why he changed his mind so quickly , Okorocha — widely regarded as one of the controversial governors in the country — had said it would be a “disservice ” to the nation if he failed to contest for the senatorial position, considering the “wealth of experience ” he had garnered as a governor for eight years.

“ I have decided to run for the Imo West Senatorial District because if I don’ t , bad people will take the position . If my name appears on the ballot paper as contesting for the Senate , it will boost the All Progressives Congress ’ chances in the state . And many from my zone have said they will not contest if I am interested , ” the 55- year - old governor said .

Okorocha , who is deeply rooting for his son - in- law and chief of staff, Uche Nwosu , to succeed him as the governor of Imo State, also told his deputy , Mr. Eze Madumere , to contest in next year ’ s senatorial election .

Madumere had, however, said he was only interested in running for the governorship of the state , vowing to pursue his ambition to a logical conclusion .

Okorocha isn ’ t the only governor nursing the ambition of contesting in the 2019 general elections as a senator ; his counterpart in Oyo State , Abiola Ajimobi, who is also rounding off his eight - year tenure next year , had stated that he would contest for the Oyo South Senatorial District in 2019 after completing his tenure as governor.

Ajimobi had earlier represented his senatorial district between 2003 and 2007 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy , and just like Okorocha , the Oyo State governor had also previously stated that he would not contest in any political position after his governorship tenure .

But last month , he said he had changed his mind because he was being encouraged to return to the Red Chamber by his party stakeholders .

When his eight - year two - term tenure ends in November 2018 , there are insinuations that the Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola , might also contest for the Lagos West Senatorial District in the 2019 general elections.

Although they have the fundamental rights to contest for any elective position in the country, political pundits and social commentators , however , frowned at a situation whereby governors , upon the completion of their tenure , turn the Senate into a “ retirement home . ”

“ This phenomenon is not good for our democracy . Some of the governors already spent eight years in their states , so what’ s the point of going to the National Assembly again ?” asked the Executive Director of Gender Equality, Peace and Development Centre, Prof. (Mrs . ) Patricia Donli .

Donli , who is also a board member of ActionAid International and a former board chairperson , West Africa Network for Peace - building , said it was not surprising that the country was not developing because some of the governors only think of resting at the Senate after their tenure .

She said , “ That’ s why our democracy is not growing . Most of these governors , just like most of our political leaders , always think of themselves , not of the people .

“ Some of them didn’ t do well as governors , so how can we expect such people to deliver for the nation at the National Assembly? If you couldn ’ t develop your state as a governor, how would you develop the nation ?

“ Some of the governors just go to the National Assembly to rest. Some of them have never sponsored any progressive bill . When the camera is on them , you ’ ll see them sleeping while deliberations are going on. They have turned it to a place of retirement.

“ I pray these people would just retire quietly in their luxurious mansions, which they have used public funds to build if they have any conscience at all. ”

The don suggested that it was time the youths took charge of the political situation of the country and got rid of “ recycled ” leaders.

“ We need fresh blood in the National Assembly, those who are versatile and knowledgeable; such should contest for the National Assembly elections, ” she said .

There are 15 former governors in the Senate , including the Senate President and a former Kwara State governor, Dr . Bukola Saraki; former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso; former Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio ; former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang ; former Zamfara State governor , Ahmed Yerima ; and a former Kebbi State governor, Adamu Aliero .

There are also a number of former deputy governors in the Red Chamber , including Mrs Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti) and Enyinaya Abaribe (Abia ).

Some of them have gone on to spend more than the period they spent as governors and deputy governors in their states .

Abaribe, for instance , has been representing the Abia South Senatorial District of Abia State since April 2007.

A professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos , Akinboye Oladele, said lack of political sensitisation and education was mostly responsible for the recycling of leaders in the country.

He also agreed with Donli , saying if more youths were politically conscious and engaged , they would be able to get rid of recycled leaders found in every political sphere of the country .

However , he said it might not be easy , considering the monetisation of politics in the country.

He said , “ Ideally , anyone has the fundamental rights to contest for any elective position , but the people have the right of choice . The people determine who should represent them . What I have seen is that most of these governors would usually have amassed great wealth at their offices so that they could have enough money to throw around to fulfil their next ambitions.

“ And this is so because politics in this part of the world is plagued by money , hence , even if the people do not want them to represent them at the Senate , due to the instrumentality of money and financial resource, they manoeuvre their way there . And this has not augured well for our country.

“ People , especially the youths , should become more politically aware to know what’ s required from someone who will represent them at the National Assembly. If we want to get rid or reduce the phenomenon of recycling leaders or those turning the National Assembly into a retirement home , we need enough political sensitisation and education . Unfortunately , this is not happening . ”

Nevertheless, Oladele was of the opinion that politicians who had performed well as governors might be able to carry their wealth of experience to the National Assembly and, therefore , be able to contribute meaningfully to national development .

A Port Harcourt- based political scientist , Dr . Charles Ayibadiwori , said governors would keep turning the National Assembly into a place of rest “as long as they see it as a place to make unquestionable amount of money as allowances . ”

Recently , the senator representing Kaduna Central District , Mr. Shehu Sani , disclosed that he and his colleagues collect N 13. 5 m monthly as running cost allowance , aside from others such as hardship allowance , constituency allowance , furniture allowance and wardrobe allowance , all running into millions of naira .

Ayibadiwori said , “ So , tell me how a governor wouldn’ t want to go and enjoy his life after his tenure ? They talk less there, but they collect big money . Like I have always said ; it is high time we made the National Assembly less appealing to the politicians .

“ There are young , innovative people in this country who can do the job effectively and would be comfortable with just a salary that would take care of their expenses . Some of these guys have businesses that they have built .

“ They have something else they are doing with their lives . They are not the regular politicians who wouldn’ t have any source of income when they leave elective or selective positions .

“ The problem I have is such people too don’ t come out and show interest in politics . They need to come out and wrest power from the recycled leaders . ”

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria , Mr. Yusuf Ali , said if governors who want to go to the Senate would only do so to add value to the lives of the people , their action wouldn’ t be criticised , especially as they could use their experience while at the helm of affairs of their states to contribute to nation -building.

He said , “ You cannot deny them their rights to vie for the office . I want to look at this issue in two ways: first , when you have people like that in the National Assembly , they make the legislative arm of the government to be more independent .

“ This is because they cannot be pushed around by the executive . Having governed states before , they would have garnered lots of experience .

“ However , they can only use their experience for the public good if they are selfless ; if they see it as a service to the people , and not as an opportunity to add more wealth to their purse. ”

On ending the phenomenon of recycling leaders in the country, Ali said , “If our politics were not monetised , it would help a lot in avoiding recycled leaders or governors turning the National Assembly into a retirement home . ”

In her opinion , Lagos - based public affairs analyst , Ms Pearl Ozulanba, said the phenomenon whereby governors see the National Assembly as their next “ abode ” was due to the political structure in the country.

She noted that the structure had allowed some politicians to arrogate so much power to themselves to the extent that some of them , including governors , take decisions on their successors without caring about who and what the people want.

She said , “ If you look at the problems we have in this country, these are problems that have been there for 10, 20 years, and they keep multiplying basically due to the problem of recycled leaders .

The same person who has run a state poorly would still want to contest for the National Assembly. How can our nation then grow?
“ Truth is, a lot of people in the National Assembly are just representing themselves , not the people they claim to be representing .

Those vying to be in the National Assembly should see it as a means of serving the people , and not as a means of enriching themselves . ”

Samuel Awoyinfa , Abeokuta


https://cdn.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/24022139/Owolabi-Musiliu.jpg



The Ogun State Police command has arrested a 36-year - old man , Owolabi Musiliu, over the alleged mysterious death of his lover , Fausat Idowu, .

The suspect, who is a mechanic at the Mechanic Village in the Camp Area of Abeokuta , was alleged to have taken 40- year - old Fausat, a divorcee and mother of four , to a hotel in Abeokuta for sexual pleasure when she fell ill and died mysteriously .

But , in a brief interview with journalists when he was paraded by the Commissioner of Police , Ogun State Command, Ahmed Iliyasu , on Friday, Musiliu, a father of three, explained that it was the first time he and the deceased attempted to have sexual intercourse since they started dating about six months ago .

Musiliu added that they were just removing their clothes , when the deceased suddenly has a temperature and later slumped .

He added that it was when he was taking her to the hospital in his vehicle that he discovered that she had died .

The police commissioner said the suspect failed to report the incident either to the police or the deceased’ s family but buried the remains in a shallow grave at Osara Village , close to the deceased ’ s house , off Abeokuta - Ibadan Expressway .

He said it was when the suspect was arrested that he led the police to the shallow grave in an uncompleted building, where he buried the victim in Osara .

When asked why he did not inform the police or the family of the deceased , the suspect said he was afraid, so he decided to hide the corpse and he later buried her at midnight.

Iliyasu explained that the deceased’ s younger brother, Hammed Idowu, had on February 1 , 2018 reported to the police that the deceased had gone to attend a christening at Bode Olude Area but did not return home .

On the strength of the report , Iliyasu said detectives at the Homicide Section , were detailed to investigate the matter. He said intelligence-based investigation and profiling of the deceased’ s telephone call log revealed that the suspect was the last person she spoke with.

He said the suspect was later tracked down and apprehended on March 19 , 2018 . He said the suspect admitted that he knew the corpse and had buried her after she died mysteriously .

Iliyasu said , “On interrogation , the suspect admitted taking the deceased to a hotel at Iyana -Apakila , Abeokuta , for pleasure , where he claimed she fell ill. He said he took her in his vehicle but she died in the car mysteriously .

“ He further confessed that he took the corpse to a nearby bush, dug a shallow grave and buried it without disclosing same to anybody.

This made the circumstances of her death mysterious as well as questionable, which is condemnable . The suspect will soon be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction . ”

By Olalekan Adetayo


President Muhammadu Buhari has announced that he would not hesitate to punish security chiefs if any case of abduction is recorded in any part of the country.

He said he had directed them to beef up security around all schools .

He also warned those who described as “ politicising ” security issues , saying the security agents would “deal with ” them.

Buhari made the pronouncements on Friday during the reception held for the released Dapchi girls and their parents at the Presidential Villa , Abuja .

The President said , “The security services have since been directed to put in place further measures around all schools vulnerable to attacks to ensure the safety of our pupils /students and teachers and school workers .

“ I have tasked all the security agencies to work to ensure that we do not witness any recurrence of these incidents .

“ Security chiefs have been warned in clear terms that any lapse on their parts will be viewed seriously , ” he said .

As for those who he referred to as “politicising the security situation in the country” , Buhari urged them to “ desist or face the wrath of security agencies . ”

“ May I also warn against those elements who have chosen to make political fortune of our citizens’ misfortune .

“ Government would not tolerate any attempt by any person or group to trivialise or politicise security issues for politically motivated ends .

“Accordingly , security agencies would not hesitate to decisively deal with such unscrupulous characters , ” he said .

lalasticlala

uyplus:
And the number can't be tracked? She sends SMS daily? Wonderful! Poor script from kannywood!

by Oluseyi Awojulugbe


Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, says the execution process of the economic and recovery growth plan (ERGP) does not reflect the needs of Nigerians.

The ERGP is a medium-term document launched by President Muhammadu Buhari administration in 2017 to restore the nation’s economic status after it was hit by its worst recession in 29 years.

Gates, who is now the second richest man in the world, made this statement while speaking at the expanded national economic council presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday.

“Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth with the fourth worst maternal mortality rate in the world ahead of only Sierra Leone, Central African Republic and Chad. One in three Nigerian children is chronically malnourished.

“The Nigerian government’s economic recovery and growth plan identify investing in our people as one of three strategic objectives. But the execution priorities don’t fully reflect people’s needs, prioritizing physical capital over human capital.

“To anchor the economy over the long term, investments in infrastructure and competitiveness must go hand in hand with investments in people.

“People without roads, ports, and factories can’t flourish. And roads, ports and factories without skilled workers to build and manage them can’t sustain an economy.”

He said the biggest African office of his foundation is in Nigeria adding that the organisation has committed over $1.6 billion with intentions of increasing the commitment.

Gates said adressing the issue of stunted growth will add $30 billion to the GDP annually.

“The most important choice you can make is to maximize your greatest resource, the Nigerian people. Nigeria will thrive when every Nigerian is able to thrive,” he said.

“If you invest in their health, education and opportunities, the human capital we are talking about today then; that will lay the foundation for sustained prosperity.

“If you don’t, however, then it is very important to recognise that there will be a sharp limit on how much the country can grow.”

He said he would partner with the federal government on taxes to generate revenue for health and education.

In 2016, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in collaboration with the Dangote Foundation committed $100 million to fight malnutrition.

Victor Oluwadamilare, Special Assistant Media to Mr. Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, has accused his boss of greed and wickedness. Mr. Olwuadamilare made the allegations in a letter to the minister. Dated 12 March and exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, the former spokesperson’s letter said Mr. Adebayo owes him the sum of N13million in emoluments from November 2015 to the end of March 2018.

Despite Mr. Shittu ’s refusal to pay, said Oluwadamilare, the minister has been living a lush life.

According to the spokesman, Mr. Shittu, within a space of 29 months in office, now owns no fewer than 12 luxury houses in Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan. He also claimed that a few months ago, the minister bought a brand new N93 million printing press.

Also, said Mr. Oluwadamilare, Mr. Shittu has bought over 25 luxury vehicles for himself, his family members, concubines, and cronies, despite having eight official vehicles attached to your office.

The aide equally stated that the minister has spent way beyond his legitimate earnings on his gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State, sponsored no fewer than 22 members of his family and cronies, including under-aged children, on Muslim pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia.

“Of course, everyone in Oyo State knows about your investments that run into hundreds of millions of naira in your less than three years in the office. These are currently scattered all over Oyo State,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare.

He equally stated that since Mr. Shittu’s inauguration as a minister, he has collected over N50 million in salaries, travel expenses running into several millions of naira and estacode more than $800,000.

The aide said he wrote to the minister on behalf of himself and his colleague, Mr. Tajudeen Imam, whom Mr. Shittu appointed Special Assistant (Special Duties) 25 months ago.

Mr. Oluwadamilere said he was appointed as Special Assistant (Media) through a letter (HMC/026/Vol. 11/17), dated November 23, 2015. The appointment letter stated that his “monthly emolument will be decided in line with the existing practice”.

Despite the appointment being properly documented, Mr. Oluwadamilare said the minister has refused to pay him. The refusal to pay, he added, necessitated verbal reminders after which the minister made promises to pay, but which were never kept.

“I was forced to mention the issue of non-payment of my emoluments to a number of your friends and close associates, who promised to talk to you on the imperative of paying the emoluments of your aides.

Indeed, I got several feedbacks on your promise to address the issue, but, after many months nothing happened,” he stated.

Before Mr. Shittu’s appointment as a minister said Mr. Oluwadamilare, he was planning to run for the governorship of Oyo State. In aid of the plan, Mr. Oluwadamilare said he set up a team of journalists under the name of Adebayo Shittu Media Office, using his own personal office at 36 Ososami Street, off Oke-Ado, Ibadan.

“I did not stop at that, I recruited and enlisted the support of seasoned journalists and experienced media managers, to coordinate and chart a media plan for your political ambition, ahead of your other competitors. I was the Chairman and convener, for which I spent my personal resources. Some of the members are Dele Ogunsola, Wale Adele, Bola Ogunlayi, Tawfiq Akinwale, Marouf Yusuf, Femi Popoola and Winlade Adisa,” he claimed.

Mr. Oluwadamilare said on account of Mr. Shittu’s unexpected nomination; the minister told him to liaise with members of the Adebayo Shittu Media Office to nominate one of them to be appointed as Special Assistant (Media).

The group held an emergency meeting, which ended with Mr. Oluwadamilare’s nomination.

He, therefore, wondered why, despite working conscientiously for the minister for over 27 months, he has not been paid “in line with the existing practice.”

He noted that the “existing practice” referred to in his letter of appointment and according to a subsisting Federal Government circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Ref. NO.SGF.12/5.6/1.1/23) to Ministers, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and all Federal Permanent Secretaries, states that Special Assistants to Ministers should be on Grade Level 16 Step 4. The letter also states other associated allowances.

“In summary, the total emoluments due to me as a duly appointed Special Assistant amounted to N252, 300. 41 per month. This is inclusive of two Domestic Servants, who are expected to be on Level 3 step 8, according to a Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), prepared by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission,” he said.

Mr. Shittu’s failure to pay him emoluments for over two years, he said, has not only made life very uncomfortable for him and his family, but has also made me a laughing stock among his professional colleagues.

Mr. Oluwadamilare said his health has deteriorated because he cannot afford to pay his medical bills and he has been a squatter in Abuja since 2016, having lived in a hotel for many months with outstanding debts till date.

“For close to one year now, there has been an unresolved feud with my wife because of my inability to effectively fulfill my marital responsibilities and family upkeep.

My first daughter, from all indications, may not be able to enlist in the NYSC Scheme in April 2018 because of my failure to adequately fund her education.

My second daughter had lost one calendar year in the university because of my inability to pay her school fees and other incidentals as at when due. My other children of school age, have been traumatized and discouraged in their educational pursuit because of the irregularity in the payment of their school fees, with its attendant backslash,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare.

He added that the non-payment of his emoluments has left him in debt to the tune of N3million.

“The hope of working with you to properly project you and Oyo State at the Federal Executive Council that came with nostalgic feelings has been dashed. You did not only mess us up by dashing our hopes and aspirations, but you also inflicted on us injuries that are of permanent nature and of odious dimension. You bruised our psyche, you rubbished our ego, you wasted our time, you exposed us to hardship, you almost destroyed our humanity, you reduced our worth before our wives, children, and acquaintances and above all, if not for God, you almost turned us to beggars in Abuja,” lamented the aide.

Mr. Oluwadamilare recalled that only two payments, linked to the minister, have been made to him. On 6 February 2018, he said, the sum of N500,000 was transferred to his Access Bank account under the name of Ademola Lawal. The same day, he added, another N500,000 was transferred to the same account one Sa’adu A. Sadiq and Sons. He noted that he has only been paid a total of N1million out of my accumulated emoluments, leaving a balance of N13million at the rate of N500,000 per month.

“To all intents and purposes, my demand for N500,000 monthly payments may seem incongruent to the provisions of the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) and the Federal Government Circular, but it subsists when one considers the following: Your body language and subsequent reactions showed that you have a clandestine motive to deny us our entitlements, the letter written to me by your former Special Assistant (Admin), Mr .David A. Awotunde, titled: Payment of Monthly Emolument to Honourable Minister’s Aides and dated 10th June, 2016 is quite instructive,” said Mr. Oluwadamilare.

He said he disregarded the letter because of its inconsistencies. He explained that the letter indicated that he was entitled to N100,000 monthly. Mr. Oluwadamilare said he has kept quiet for long and now, he is ready to do everything to get his emoluments.

“While you have been living in sudden and extremely outrageous opulence as a public servant at the expense of your dutiful and hardworking aides, you seemingly forget your pitiable socio-economic status and experience in Oyo State before you got this job, as you have all of a sudden become insulated to common sense, justice and fairness, the mantra on which many people sheepishly believed in you in your struggling days–including myself.

It is quite bewildering that the fact that you collect your salary every month and regularly does not strike any right cord in you that your aides too deserve a better life by way of their own legitimate emoluments,” said the aide.

A rich supporter of former President Goodluck Jonathan reportedly hired SCL, a data analytics company, to paint President Muhammadu Buhari bad in the buildup to the 2015 elections. Fresh information reveals that fixers hired by a billion in support of the Jonathan campaign hacked into Buhari’s personal data.

SCL is the parent company of Cambridge Analytical, a data marketing firm, which harvests data from different sources and creates microtargets, with the ultimate goal of changing audience behaviour. It is reputed as one of the factors responsible for the outcome of the US presidential election and the Brexit vote of 2016.

Cambridge Analytica was accused of improperly using data on behalf of political clients. Reports say the company may have used data improperly obtained from roughly 50 million Facebook users to try to sway elections.

According to UK Guardian , a Nigeria billionaire whose identity was not revealed committed a large amount of money to the bid to stop Buhari.

The reports also revealed that the fixers for the Jonathan campaign hacked into Buhari’s medical and financial records, in a bid to sway the decision of the electorate on regarding the historic election.

“It was the kind of campaign that was our bread and butter. We were employed by a billionaire who’s panicking at the idea of a change of government and who wants to spend big to make sure that doesn’t happen,” the newspaper quoted an ex-employee of SCL to have said.

Guardian said the company had established a reputation of weaponising information to harm an opponent.

“It was a methodology honed and developed in the company’s defence and military work – the fifth dimension of warfare, defined by the US military as ‘information operations’,” the report read.

“What was new, or at least new to those employees who have now spoken out, was bringing these techniques to the company’s election work.

“Seven individuals with close knowledge of the Nigeria campaign have described how Cambridge Analytical worked with people they believed were Israeli computer hackers.

“The sources – who spoke to the Observer over many months – said the company was looking for “kompromat” on Muhammadu Buhari – at the time, leader of the opposition.

“They said the hackers offered Cambridge Analytical access to private information about Buhari.”

Their testimony paints an extraordinary picture of how far a western company would contemplate going in an effort to undermine the democratic process in Africa’s most populous nation.

However, Cambridge Analytical has insisted it did not take possession of or use any personal information for any purpose and did not use any “hacked or stolen data”.

The company confirmed, however, that it had been hired to provide advertising and marketing services in support of the campaign of Jonathan.

That work seems to have come about through Brittany Kaiser, a senior director at Cambridge Analytica, and a senior strategist on the campaign team of President Donald Trump.

Regarded by colleagues as a prolific networker, in December 2014 she was introduced to an oil billionaire who wanted to fund a covert campaign to support Jonathan.

An ex-employee reportedly said: “[Kaiser] got a phone call. It was just before Christmas and she flew out to meet them in Washington DC. It was all a bit ridiculous. It was only six to eight weeks before the election and they were looking to spend nearly $2m.”

“There were a lot of scared millionaires worried that Buhari would get in. It was all very last-minute. A team flew out to Abuja and put together a communications campaign. It was a straightforward, normal comms campaign in most respects.”

The Observer reportedly obtained an astonishing and disturbing video that Cambridge Analytica used in the campaign.
“Coming to Nigeria on February 15th, 2015,” the voiceover says in the manner of a trailer for a Hollywood movie.

“Dark. Scary. And very uncertain. Sharia for all.” And then it poses the question: “What would Nigeria look like if Sharia were imposed by Buhari?”

Its answer to that question is certainly dark. And scary. It’s also graphically, brutally, violent. One minute and 19 seconds of archive news footage from Nigeria’s troubled past set to a horror movie soundtrack.

There are scenes of people being macheted to death. Their legs hacked off. Their skulls caved in. A former contractor said: “It was voter suppression of the most crude and basic kind. It was targeted at Buhari voters in regions to basically scare the shit out of them and stop them from voting.”

“If Buhari wins, the film warns: women would wear the veil. Sharia law would be introduced. And the inference is, you may be macheted to death.

“It wasn’t just videos spreading fear. The Cambridge Analytica campaign team in Nigeria were jumpy too.”

There were the meetings: three sources have told the Guardian about one that took place between Cambridge Analytica employees and two people they were told were Israeli intelligence operatives.

“There was a two-hour meeting that took place in the hotel lobby between two senior campaign members and Israeli intelligence.
After which they swept our hotel rooms for listening devices and said they would switch out our phones. The story we were told was that there were intelligence agents from a number of different countries, including Israel and France, who were supporting Goodluck Jonathan and helping the campaigns,” a source was quoted to have said.

There is no suggestion that Jonathan was aware of or implicated in this support.

Another employee said: “Basically the Israelis didn’t want [Buhari] to win.”

Other employees questioned whether they were “real” Israeli intelligence operatives, or Israeli private contractors.

“A few weeks later, as the campaign was drawing to a close, there was another meeting at Cambridge Analytica’s London office,” the report read.

An expert had flown in from Israel with a laptop, sources say.

“And Alexander Nix, Cambridge Analytica’s now suspended CEO, and Kaiser, asked employees to take a thumb drive and download the contents on to their own computers.

“The content was private emails and the information, they were told, related to Buhari’s financial and medical records.

“One employee who was present at the London meeting said he had initially assumed the visiting expert was Mossad or Israeli intelligence passing on what he called legtimate information.

“But he began to realise this wasn’t the case, he said, when he saw the reaction of his colleagues. One of them had “freaked out”, he said. “He was like, ‘What the Bleep? I don’t want anything to do with this.’”

The witnesses are clear – at least in their own minds. The information they were shown had come from hackers.

Back in Nigeria, the team still on the ground found out what was going on from their colleagues in London. There was more “freaking out”. This time with live, pressing concerns.

“They were fucking scared,” said a colleague who spoke to them while they were in the country. The campaign fixer, the person with local knowledge who navigated them through the ins and outs of Nigerian politics, made it clear to them: they needed to get out of the country right away.

Cambridge Analytica had put them all in danger, they said. If opposition supporters found out, there was no saying what might happen.

One member of the team missed his flight and instead of asking the office to re-book it, he got the first fight out – to Dubai – and put it on his credit card.

A spokesman for the company said its team remained in the country throughout the original campaigning period but “left in accordance with the company’s campaign plan”.

“Team members were regularly briefed about security concerns prior to and during deployment and measures were taken to ensure the team’s safety throughout,” he said.

lalasticlala

By Philip Nyam Abujay 


For allegedly maligning the House of Representatives on its unwavering stance on the amendment of the Electoral Act, Hon. E. Johnson Agbonayinma (APC, Edo) may be suspended from the parliament.

The lawmaker is to face the ethics and privileges committee headed by Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai to defend himself.

Agbonayinma is alleged to have in an interview with Channels Television said the National Assembly did not follow due process in the controversial amendments.

The decision to refer his case to the ethics committee was taken following the approval if a motion brought through a point of order by Hon. Awaji Abiante (PDP, Rivers).

While moving the motion, Abiante complained that the comments made by Agbonayinma in the said interview was a breach of his privilege and capable of dragging the House to disrepute.

According to him, the actions of the lawmaker infringed on his rights and should be investigated.

Supporting the motion, chairman of the committee on public petitions, Hon. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP, Abia) said the comments accredited to Agbonayinma not only send wrong signals but were capable of tarnishing the image of the House.

“I believe the parliament works in harmony. Casting aspersions on the House may tarnish its integrity. Members should be careful when addressing the press”.

Also supporting the motion, Hon. Daniel Asuquo(PDP, Cross-River) said he watched he programme and was shocked that a member of the House could honour of his way to disparage the institution.

He suggested that Agbonayinma be given the same treatment as former chairman of the appropriations committee, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin who just resumed from suspension.

“He should be suspended just like one of our member who just returned from legislative sabbatical.”

Former House spokesman, Hon. Zakari Mohammed (APC, Kwara), in his submission cautioned his colleagues against kicking against decisions taken by the House.

He said once a decision is taken by the House, it is binding on everyone even those that are absent from the chambers.

In his contribution, Hon. Razak Atunwa (APC, Kwara) suggested that if the issue at stake borders on privileges of lawmakers, it should be referred to the ethics and privileges committee.

Similarly, Hon. Jerry Alagbaso (PDP, Imo) advised the house to engage in issues that would promote peace and unity of the nation.

In his ruling, the Speaker Yakubu Dogara, said the National Assembly had followed the same procedures in amending the electoral act over the years even before Agbonayinma became a legislator and sees no reason why he would allege that due process was not followed.

“This House has churned out Electoral Act before you became a member. But he had the opportunity to express ignorance. I don’t think he can school us on parliamentary procedures.”

lalasticlala