jaxxy:
Whoever obj backs has 80% chance to win. I can’t say if it’s saraki he will support eventually bt whoever it maybe will win.

How? Fool.

The Federal Government has inaugurated a new initiative under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme to empower two million petty traders between now and the end of the year .
The initiative called the Trader Moni is meant to further enlarge the present administration ’ s financial inclusion agenda for all Nigerians regardless of social class and economic status.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande , disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
Akande explained that the scheme which was inaugurated in Lagos last week would grant a minimum of 30 , 000 loans in each state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the two million mark was expected to be attained on or before the end of the year , with petty traders in Lagos, Kano and Abia states set to be the first round of beneficiaries to draw the collateral- free loans .
He said , “ In addition to the 30 , 000 loans per state , states with a larger population like Lagos and Kano are expected to get more than 30 , 000 loans . ”


https://punchng.com/fg-to-give-two-million-traders-loans-without-collateral/

The nation may witness yet another showdown in the Senate as the senators cut short their vacation to discuss President Muhammadu Buhari ’ s 2019 polls budget request .
Apart from the fact that constant fierce arguments between members of the All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Congress will be a regular occurrence,
SUNDAY PUNCH investigations have revealed that a major step to send some senators back home would cause a major uproar in the red chamber .
A source , who is very close to the leadership of the Senate , confided in one of our correspondents on Friday that arrangements were being perfected to ensure that the former senate minority leader, Godswill Akpabio, and others who defected recently from the PDP to the APC and other parties recently face a recall process .
The source hinted that the move against the defectors started just before the Senate went on recess, with the refusal of the President of the Senate , Bukola Saraki, to read the letter of defection submitted to him by Akpabio.

No fewer than four senators have dumped the PDP but their defections have not been declared on the floor of the Senate . While three of them left the PDP for the APC , one of them left for the All Progressives Grand Alliance .
For instance, senators Hope Uzodinma (Imo State ) and Fatimah Raji- Rasaki ( Ekiti State), formerly of the PDP, have been attending APC meetings and events within and outside the Senate .
Also , Senator Sonny Ogbuoji ( Ebonyi State) recently introduced himself as the “ the newest catch ” of the APC when the National Working Committee of the party met with the Senate caucus.
Similarly , Stella Oduah ( Anambra State ) had joined APGA in Anambra State.
Shortly after the defections of 14 senators to the PDP were announced , the APC Caucus had addressed journalists where the Majority Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, while responding to a question on why the party listed those who had yet to formalise their defections at the Senate , said they only needed to register with the ruling party .

Lawan had said the public appearance of Uzodinma and Raji -Rasaki with the APC caucus members had answered the question .
There , Uzodinma alleged that he had written to the Senate President to declare his defection on the floor but his letter was not read .
“ I am a bona fide , registered , financial card- carrying member of the APC . As you are aware , two months ago , I wrote to the leadership of the Senate . The duty to read it is not mine . But I am now a member of the APC , ” he said .
Raji- Rasaki also said , “ Recently , I have made it open and public to all Nigerians that I ’ ve moved from the PDP to the APC . I have done it in my ward and I have done it here. ”

However , a senator from the North - Central geopolitical zone and an ally of Saraki said trouble could start on resumption when the APC caucus would definitely demand a roll call so that senators who defected to its fold could sit with their party members for easy identification .
He said , “ On resumption any moment from now , the APC senators would call for realignment so that those who defected would move to the seats reserved for members of their political party .
“ It is in the course of doing so that the Senate President will wield the big stick against Akpabio and others by asking them to justify their reasons for defection.
“ The activities of the Senate as an institution are guided by rules and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria . The only constitutional window for defection from one political party to another is if there is a faction or division in the party on whose platform a senator is elected .
“ For now , I am not aware of any division or faction in the PDP at the moment that could warrant the action of Akpabio and others.
“ The Senate President is expected to exercise his constitutional powers now to declare the seats of Akpabio and others’ vacant until they are able to justify the reasons for their defection .
“ We know that the development would provoke an uproar , but the Senate President would remain resolute . So, the only option that would be left for Akpabio and his co - travellers would be to approach the court to determine whether there is actually a division in the PDP or not .
“ Until the procurement of the legal interpretation of their status, those who defected from the PDP would be barred from entering the premises of the National Assembly .
“ They will probably remain in court till the end of the current 8th Assembly . ”
Saraki withholding PDP defectors ’ letters , APC caucus alleges
However , members of the APC caucus at the Senate alleged that Saraki withheld their defection letters from the PDP sent to the upper chamber .

The APC senators further alleged that Saraki, who read out the letter in which 13 lawmakers defected from the APC to the PDP and another one to the African Democratic Congress on July 24 , refused to read the letters from those who dumped the opposition party for the ruling party .
The Senate President has however denied the allegation , challenging those who claimed to have written to him to declare their defections to publish their letters.

Speaking to SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday , an APC senator accused Saraki of ignoring the defection letters.
“ Saraki has been proving smart by not reading letters of defections from the PDP . Until that was done, those affected have technically not defected . He is not reading the letters and it is deliberately so . As a result, in the records of the National Assembly , PDP is 57 while we are 48 .
“ We have met and discussed this issue. We will resolve that on the day of resumption, a point of order will be raised on the matter, that the letters must be read, ” the lawmaker said .
Another source in the Senate , who also spoke on condition of anonymity , said both Uzodinma and Raji - Rasaki remained PDP members in the record of the Senate .
The source said , “ Up till now , they have not declared their defections officially in the Senate. Technically, Senator Fatimah Raji- Rasaki is still in the PDP. Senator Hope Uzodinma too and so also is Sonny Ogbuoji . They have to write and their letters must be read to members on the floor .
“ Look at the isolated cases of John Enoh (Cross River ; PDP to APC ) , Yele Omogunwa ( Ondo ; PDP to APC ) , Ovie Omo - Agege ( Delta ; Labour Party to the APC ) and Andy Uba (Anambra ; PDP to APC ) , who defected between 2016 and 2018 , they wrote the Senate to announce their defections . ”
On July 24 , Saraki read letters from 14 former members of the APC announcing their defections from the ruling party . While 13 of them were announced to have defected to the PDP, one moved to the ADC , a party inspired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Produce your defection letters , Saraki tells aggrieved defectors
Reacting to the allegation , Saraki, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity , Yusuph Olaniyonu , denied keeping defection letters .
He said , “ There is no senator whose letter is still pending . It is a lie, we don ’ t have such letters. When did they write and send the letters? Did they show you the copies ? They need to make available the acknowledgement copies . ”
Another senator in Saraki’ s camp who spoke on condition of anonymity said , “ It is a lie. Uzodinma is a liar . The Senate President would have read his letter if he wrote any at all. There is no reason why Saraki will not read defection letters.
“ Such letters are usually read at the opening of the plenary —immediately after executive communications ( letters or bills from the President ) have been read to the chamber . It usually comes as a special announcement . ”

On Saraki’ s plan to declare the seats of the PDP defectors in the Senate vacant , Olaniyonu said he could not talk on it because it was beyond his brief .
When contacted , Akpabio’ s media aide , Mr . Anietie Ekong , said only his boss could speak on the threat to his Senate seat after the defection.
He said , “ Can you give me a little time ? Let me clarify with him . I will get back to you . We are still in Akwa Ibom and not back to Abuja . I need to go and see him to know his reaction to that . ”
Ekong has yet to get back to one of our correspondents as of press time on Saturday night .
But another Akpabio’ s aide , who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak on the issue , said his principal had not committed any offence by defecting from the PDP to the APC .
He added that the Senate could not declare Akpabio’ s seat vacant because of defection , noting that if that happened then all defectors including Saraki would lose their seats .

However , a Senate source stated that Senator Lanre Tejuoso after making a U - turn on his defection from the APC and the fact that Monsurat Sunmonu left the APC for the ADC and not the PDP , the two lawmakers must rewrite Saraki to effect the changes .
He said , “ Look at the likes of Senators Lanre Tejuoso and Monsurat Sunmonu; as far as the law is concerned , Tejuoso is now in the PDP. The votes and proceedings of the plenary , in which his defection to the PDP was declared , have been adopted and passed .
The corrections would now be adopted and passed again . ”

An APC senator also corroborated the source, saying “ If you recall , Senator Adesoji Akanbi protested when he was named as part of the 15 defectors whose declaration letters were read by Saraki .
“ Akanbi succeeded in making sure that his name was removed from the list before the votes and proceedings of the session were adopted and passed .
“ Others could have made corrections too but they didn ’ t . You were not defecting to the PDP and you were listed as going to the party but you did not rise up to fault the mix - up . The votes and proceedings are already in the records and archives .
“ Consequently , if you look at the configuration now based on those who have followed due process in their defection, the PDP will appear to be having 57 while those of us in the APC will seem to be 48 .
“ Tejuoso and Sunmonu have to write the Senate again to explain the true state of their defection. The error has already been made legal by the passed votes and proceedings . ”
The defection game at the Senate has worsened the controversy over which of the APC and the PDP is now the majority party in the chamber , as the names of some of the affected senators have appeared on the list of both caucuses .
The Senate has 109 seats . Two seats are vacant . They are those of Senators Ali Wakili (Bauchi - South ) and Mustapha Bukar ( Katsina - North ) who have died. Both of them were APC members .
Lawan had claimed that the APC members were 52 ; PDP, 50 ; ADC , three ; APGA , two ; and vacant seats , two .
But two defecting senators , Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara - South ) and Isa Misau (Bauchi - Central ) , had claimed that the PDP was now the majority , giving the numbers.
They said , “ Today , by the list paraded by the APC themselves, they have only 48 senators and the PDP has 54, APGA has two and ADC two. There are two vacancies. That is the distribution in the Senate. Let them continue to deceive themselves. ”
Just on Saturday , the Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi ( PDP, Ekiti - South ) told SUNDAY PUNCH that the APC and the PDP had equal numbers .
Explaining the configuration of senators and their parties in the Senate , Olujimi had said , “ There are two in ADC , two in APGA , two are dead and one is incarcerated (jailed Senator Joshua Dariye ) . That is seven . Take that from the total 109 , you will get 102 . Each of the PDP and the APC has 51 members . ”

Constitutional provisions for defection

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria , Mr . Femi Falana , explained that defection by legislators, which was a common practice in the first republic , had been prohibited by the 1999 Constitution .
Falana cited the case of Abegunde vs Ondo State House of Assembly ( 2014 ) LPELR 23683 whereby the appellant , a member of the House of Representatives defected from the Labour Party to the Action Congress of Nigeria .
He said , “ In justifying his defection, the appellant claimed that the Labour Party in Ondo State was factionalised . Since the division of the Labour Party was limited to Ondo State.
“ The Supreme Court held that the division did not affect the party at the national level to justify the defection. It was therefore decided that the appellant had lost his seat in the House of Representatives .
“ Relying on the case of Atiku Abubakar vs Attorney General of the Federation ( 2007 ) 4 SC ( part ii ) 62 the Supreme Court held that it is only a division , factionalisation or fragmentation that can make it impossible or impracticable for a party to function, that can justify the defection of a legislator from one party to another .
“ Otherwise the defector automatically loses his seat . From the clear and unambiguous pronouncements of the apex court , a division in a political party envisaged by the constitution cannot be a figment of the imagination of prospective defectors . The division must make it practically impossible for the party to function . ”
We won ’t allow Saraki preside over Senate – APC caucus
The most outspoken member of the APC caucus in the senate , Ovie Omo - Agege , has said Saraki no longer has the moral , political and legal rights to remain as the Senate President after defecting from the APC .
He said , “ We are going to insist that Saraki must step down at any opportunity when we reconvene . When we get to that bridge we will deal with it.
“ Saraki knows that he cannot continue to preside over that Senate and continue as Senate President . He cannot continue to preside over that Senate to the detriment of the party and the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari .

We ’ll begin Akpabio’ s recall process soon - Essien
A senator who represented Akwa Ibom North - West Senatorial District in 1999 , Ibok Essien , told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that the leaders of the senatorial district would meet soon to finalise arrangements for Akpabio’ s recall process .
He also said the PDP elders from the three senatorial districts of Akwa Ibom State had withdrawn the endorsement they gave to Akpabio, to return to the Senate for a second term .
He said the elders had declared Akpabio’ s seat vacant , adding that the recall process would be done after necessary clearance with the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Essien said , “ I can ’ t tell you now until we meet at the right date when the actual process of recall will begin . ”



https://punchng.com/saraki-may-declare-akpabio-other-pdp-defectors-seats-vacant/

For the second time , the Senator representing Kogi West in the Senate , Dino Melaye, did not appear in court on Wednesday to answer the charges bordering on gunrunning levied against him and two others.
However , the two suspects charged alongside Mr . Melaye — Kabir Seidu , aka Osama; and Nuhu Salihu aka Smally — were in court .
The trial magistrate , Sulyman Abdalah , had , at the last hearing, fixed Wednesday , August 9 , to commence trial following the complaints from Melaye that he was attacked on his way to Lokoja to honour an invitation from the Police.
When the case was called on Wednesday , his lawyer, Barrister Yemi Mohammed , who stood in for Chief Mike Ozekhome ( SAN ) , told the court that his client could not be present in court on health grounds .
Mohammed presented a medical report to that effect , a move that was not opposed to by the legal representative of the Kogi State Police Command, Theophilus Oteme.
The two alleged accomplices , however , applied for bail , saying they have been suffering for a crime they knew nothing about .
Consequently , Abdalah adjourned the case till August 21 for the bail applications of the two alleged accomplices and adjourned to September 20 for hearing in the case of Senator Dino Melaye.




https://punchng.com/breaking-again-dino-melaye-fails-to-appear-in-court-over-gunrunning-charges/

Nine members of the National Youth Service Corps who are currently serving in Taraba State on Saturday drowned in River Mayo - Selbe in Gashaka Local government Area .
Taraba State Police Command Police Public Relations Officer , ASP David Missal, who confirmed the death of nine out of the 22 corps members who were swimming in River Mayo - Selbe said seven corpses have so far been recovered from the incident .
“ Information available revealed that 22 youth corps members had gone on a picnic party in River Mayo - Selbe in Gashaka LGA on Saturday when the incident happened .
“ We were made to understand that while they were swimming in the river , there was sudden upsurge in the volume of water , which carried them away.

“ Nine of them drowned, while others managed to escape .
“ We have so far recovered seven corpses , while the search for the two remaining corpses is still in progress , ” Missal said .
State NYSC Coordinator , Mrs . Florence Yaakugh, also confirmed the incident , which she described as “ most unfortunate . ”
Yaakugh also confirmed that seven bodies have been recovered , while the search for the other two bodies was still ongoing by the locals in collaboration with security agencies and the NYSC .
“ It ’ s a very sad development and we would soon have the identity of all the corps members involved in the accident and make such information known appropriately .
“ We have very sketchy information indicating that about nine of our corps members drowned in Gashaka yesterday .
“ So far , seven bodies have been recovered and we are working with relevant persons to recover the rest of the bodies and to identify them .
“ This is a very sad development and the entire NYSC family in Taraba State is already thrown into deep mourning , ” she said.




https://punchng.com/nine-corpers-drown-during-riverside-picnic/

The news went viral last year when popular actress , Mercy Aigbe , alleged that her estranged husband , Lanre Gentry, had physically assaulted her. According to the actress , Gentry often battered her and the last incident was the straw that broke the camel’ s back . In his defence , Lanre denied ever laying his hands on his wife.
However , the incident led to Mercy moving out of Gentry ’ s house and they have been estranged ever since .

It is no news that Mercy has been doing well for herself since she left Gentry. She recently bought a house in Lagos and opened a new store in Ibadan , among other achievements . This has led many to insinuate that Gentry is jealous of her success .
In a chat with Sunday Scoop however , Gentry vehemently debunked the insinuations . He said , “ I have no reason to be jealous of the fact that Mercy bought a house. Do you know how many houses I have in Lagos alone ? I am not jealous of anyone because God always makes me happy . ”
Responding to a question on whether there are any reconciliation plans in the offing between them , Gentry said , “ I am not angry with her and we are not fighting. We are together and we will always talk . ”
But is he willing to take another wife? Lanre said , “ I have no plans to do that for now because I am still legally married to Mercy but time will tell . I am waiting to hear from her ( as regards dissolving the marriage legally ) . ”
Speaking on his recent face - off with Zone 2 Command’ s Police Public Relations Officer , Dolapo Badmos , in which he enjoined her to counsel her celebrity friends in Nollywood to stop living fake lives after she made a post online warning people to stop living misleading lives , Gentry said , “ Dolapo is my very good friend and a very nice police officer . I just told her to talk to all her friends in the Nigerian entertainment industry that live fake lives that they should desist from doing that. ”

On why he didn ’ t reach out to her privately instead of giving the ‘ advice ’ on social media , Lanre said , “ What I wrote was an answer to her post on Instagram. ”
Recently , Aigbe congratulated herself on Instagram for the role she has played in her children’ s lives on Father’ s Day. No sooner had she made the post than Gentry posted a comment , stating that he takes full responsibility for their child together , Juwon, and Mitchell , the daughter Mercy had before getting married to him . Asked to comment on the issue, Lanre said , “ Mercy and Juwon are my property . ”



https://punchng.com/im-not-jealous-of-mercy-aigbe-i-have-many-houses-too-lanre-gentry/

Last week , a scion of legendary musician , Fela Anikulapo- Kuti , Femi , took to social media to announce that one of his band boys , Aghedo Andrew, absconded from the band in the US 20 minutes before a show in their ongoing US tour .
Shortly after Femi called out Aghedo , a former member of his Positive Force band, Solomon Idowu , asserted that Femi usually did not pay his band members well and that he often slept with underage girls .

However , in an exclusive chat with Sunday Scoop , Femi stated that Solomon was speaking from a position of hatred . He said , “ From his tone , don ’ t you perceive envy and hatred ? He insulted me and abused my family . Shouldn ’ t you ask why this is coming from him and not female members (of the band )? I think you should ask when he left the band and why . And if you find this out, you should also ask why it took him this long to speak out and why he has not taken court action if what he is saying is true . If he is telling the truth , why haven ’ t the parents of the said female dancers ever complained after over three decades in this business ? I think your questions should be directed to him and not me .

As a journalist, shouldn ’ t you even think that after three decades , only one musician is accusing me of owing him or whatever? Then you have to investigate how many musicians and dancers have passed through my organisation ? From those who I set the band up with till now , there has been no such news . By the way , Positive Force was set up in 1986 . I have never owed anyone and will never owe . You say I owe you money, then you call my wives prostitutes . Did he pay them money to sleep with them ?”

Maintaining that Aghedo ’ s disappearance will not affect the way he runs his band , the Beng Beng Beng singer said , “ I cannot and will not change and be oppressive in my dealings because of this . We are all grown - ups and it’ s important to respect that . I love the way I operate , which is with respect for everyone and professionalism . Some people even said it was wrong for me to publicly shame him . Please is that the point ? Those people must be as bad as him . He left me on one of the biggest gigs of the tour with no notice . Didn ’ t he publicly shame me and nearly destroyed my career? Was I supposed to stand and cry that my bassist ran away? Or cancel the show ? Who would pay for the damages and cost that has gone into producing the show and tour ? Where is sympathy for the truth ? I ’ m in the middle of a hectic tour and my focus is to finish it well. We have adjusted and are focused on working together as a band should . Meanwhile, the reception we have got during the tour has been greatly fantastic . ”




https://punchng.com/former-band-boy-who-accused-me-of-sleeping-with-underage-girls-hates-me/

Deputy President of the Senate , Ike Ekweremadu , has said he was not interrogated on Wednesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, neither did he fall ill as a result of the reported interrogation .

Ekweremadu , in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media , Uche Anichukwu , said he honoured the EFCC’ s invitation and requested a leave to attend to his health.
The Deputy Senate President dismissed the reports that he presented new facts to the anti - corruption agency as false .
The statement read, “ My attention has been drawn to false reports in some national dailies that the Deputy President of the Senate , Senator Ike Ekweremadu, developed high blood pressure in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission upon alleged presentation to him of a fresh set of purported ‘ hidden properties ’ supposedly acquired by him . There is no truth to this propaganda .
“ It would be recalled that operatives of the EFCC and men of the Nigeria Police laid siege to his residence at about 6am on Tuesday , July 24, 2018 , requesting him to report at its headquarters at 10 am the same Tuesday . However , no letter of invitation was delivered to him until around 9 am of that day .

“ Since the siege would not allow him to honour the belated invitation the same day , he, as a law- abiding citizen , wrote to the EFCC to request another date, hence the rescheduled appointment of Tuesday , July 31 , 2018 .
“ Senator Ekweremadu honoured the 10 am appointment on the fixed date and left in the evening of the same day when he was granted bail on self- recognisance , with an understanding that he would report at the EFCC office at 10am the next day for a continuation of the interview.
“ He reported at the EFCC on Wednesday , August 1 , 2018 , at 10 am as scheduled , but informed them that he was not feeling well , a fact the EFCC ’ s doctor confirmed . He was then allowed to leave to see his doctor and it was agreed that a new date would be fixed for the continuation of the interview. ”
According to the statement , there was no interrogation whatsoever on Wednesday , let alone presentation of the so -called additional facts that allegedly raised his blood pressure .
The statement added , “ The office feels compelled by the mischief and orchestrated media trial to put the facts straight on this particular issue. ”




https://punchng.com/efcc-ekweremadu-denies-falling-ill-during-interrogation/

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday got a plea from some of its leaders – stay firm.
Three governors, some federal and state lawmakers, including Senate President Bukola Saraki, have defected from the ruling party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
To political leaders in Sokoto and Nasarawa states, among others, the defection will not affect the support for President Muhammadu Buhari and the party.
Party stakeholders led by Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al Makura urged members to remain steadfast. Senator Abdullahi Adamu said the defectors were envious of Buhari’s achievements.
They spoke at a meeting in Lafia, the state capital.
Senator Aliyu Wamakko, the political leader in Sokoto State, chided Governor Aminu Tambuwal for his “worst decision” to defect to the PDP.

Tambuwal left with 18 of the 30 House of Assembly members but two senators, seven House of Representatives members, 12 House of Assembly members, Deputy Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto and state APC Chairman Sadiq Isah Achida remain in the APC.
Wamakko, a former governor of the state, in an interview aired on BBC Hausa Service yesterday, said Sokoto remained with Buhari, adding that Tambuwal’s defection will be of no consequence.
He said: “Politics is always full of surprises, but it is pitiable for a young man like him (Tambuwal) to make such decision.
“It has been long that Sokoto people stopped running politics because particular persons are in it. And as a result of that, if someone quits and says he is leaving Buhari, that will be surprising and unfortunate.”
He added: “He is a very promising young politician, with full potentials.
“But, may be something else is guiding his decision. This is the worst decision he has taken in his life.
“At his age, he should not be in a hurry. He is a fine young politician. I have a lot of respect for him.
“If he had taken the consideration of the people he is representing and the people of Sokoto State, he should not have gone into the PDP .’'

Wamakko maintained that, the APC would remain in government in Sokoto and President Buhari would win the presidential election in the state.
He said: “If I have any issues regarding repairs of APC, leaving the party is not the ideal thing, and that won’t show one knows what he is doing.
“Issues should be ironed out; truth be identified and be worked with. The people I’m representing in Sokoto are in support of Buhari and their loyalty to APC is intact and as a result of that, I won’t disappoint my people.”
Wamakko, who is also the leader of the Northern States Senators Forum, cautioned against rating the crowd that witnessed Tambuwal’s defection as evidence of his popularity. He said: ‘’ Whatever crowd you might have seen or told, just take it as a mere story. As a matter of principle, it is not in my character to abuse people, but, what I am assuring is that Sokoto State is an APC state .’’
He hoped that Tambuwal would rescind his decision and return to the APC.
Wamakko described the defections as an opportunity for stock-taking by the party. “ Hence, it is coming out stronger,” he said, adding: “In the next few days or months, Nigerians would be surprised how the APC is going to fare .”
To him defection is “the beauty of democracy”. “People should be given the freedom to be where they want to be . It is nothing unusual. ‘’
Achida reaffirmed his membership of the APC yesterday, saying: I have not moved anywhere. As I’m talking to you now, I still occupy the seat of the party’s chairman.”

It was learnt that Niger State Governor Sani Bello made last minute frantic efforts to convince Tambuwal not to defect.
An associate of the governor, Chief Ray Murphy, said Bello travelled to Sokoto to meet with Tambuwal.
“He went to Sokoto to dissuade Tambuwal from defecting, but Tambuwal left for his personal reasons and to actualize his presidential ambition. That is his position,” Murphy said.
In Lafia, Adamu reiterated that those who defected had seen their failure in the party, adding that the APC remained battle-ready.
He said “We do know for a fact that what is happening in the political space of this country is the handiwork of democratic dissidents who do not see good in what President Buhari is doing.
“They are being goaded by people who are highly jealous of Buhari’s achievements in terms projects, social welfare and well-being of the people; achievements those before him failed to deliver.”
Al-Makura urged the supporters to remain focused, assuring that in 2019, the APC would lead other states to ensure victory for President Buhari.
APC National Vice Chairman North Central Alhaji Suleiman Ahmed Wambai, claimed that three PDP governors would join the APC in the next few days.



http://thenationonlineng.net/wamakko-tambuwal-has-made-worst-decision-ever/

The Minister of Health , Prof . Isaac Adewole , has urged husbands to stop struggling with their babies over breasts, but rather allow their wives to put the babies on exclusive breast milk.
This is just as the minister revealed that he was having talks with the Ministry of Labour and Employment to extend maternity leave from the current four months to six .
Adewole said this at the ministerial briefing and inauguration of the 2018 World Breastfeeding Week and High Level Policy Dialogue on Breastfeeding in Abuja on Thursday .
Speaking on the theme , ‘ Breastfeeding: Foundation of Life ’ , the minister said breastfeeding remained the surest way to have a healthy baby.

He said , “ What has been shown clearly is that the brain , which we actually need to drive everything we do in life , is sorted out in the first two years . So , if you give the baby good food , good protein, we will have good workers and good leaders in the future .
“ But if we don ’ t give them good food , then we will have a generation of jesters over the years and that is not what we want in this country. So , breastfeeding is a national investment in the cerebral architecture of our citizens and in the future development of our country.
“ So , let us work together to promote it. To the men , please allow the women to give it to the babies . Don’ t share or compete with the babies. Only promote it. To the women, I know you love us but don ’ t give it to us , give it to the babies. ”

Adewole noted that he was having talks with the Minister of Labour and Employment , Dr . Chris Ngige , on the possibility of extending the maternity leave from four to six months.
He said this would give women more time to breastfeed their babies .
The minister noted , “ Now we have four months of maternity leave but we are working with labour to increase it to six so that there will be no excuse because if you have six months , there is no excuse . ”
In her remarks , the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning , Mrs. Zainab Ahmed , said statistics showed that of the seven million babies born every year , less than 25 per cent put on exclusive breast milk.
Ahmed said that babies who are well breastfed hardly fall sick while mothers have a reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancer .
She added , “ Health practitioners have advised us that initiating breastfeeding within the first hours of life reduces the rate of neonatal mortality by up to 22 per cent . It also reduces the risk of asthma and obesity in the babies.
“ Approximately , seven million children are born in Nigeria every year and , according to the 2014 National Nutrition Survey, only 25 per cent are exclusively breastfed between the ages of zero and six months . ”




https://punchng.com/fg-moves-to-extend-maternity-leave-to-six-months/

Nobel laureate, Prof . Wole Soyinka , said on Thursday that no power or force should crucify Benue State Governor , Samuel Ortom , for returning to the Peoples Democratic Party from the All Progressives Congress .
Soyinka , while clarifying that he was not campaigning for any political party , said that was his position on those who defected from the APC to the PDP.
He said , “ I am not campaigning for any party . That is my position on those that leave their party to another . They do it for all kind of reasons . And I do not believe that Ortom , the governor of one of the states , should be crucified by any power or force for taking decision. ’’

The playwright spoke in Lagos at the launch of his latest interventions series , Interventions VIII , titled Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodes ? : Gani ’ s Unfinished Business. The book , which formed the text of his speech at the 10th memorial lecture of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi ( SAN ), was officially released to the public by Bookcraft on July 3, 2018 .
Soyinka said he had , in a letter written to Ortom , told the governor that, “ As the leader of a state that experienced attacks , you have a right to seek the promise of an alternative means of security for your people because they remain your primary responsibility.
“ We are all free over the actual choice of an alternative destination but no one can deny the inalienable entitlement to such action especially when they are provoked by disillusionment and sense of impotence under existing association.

“ Suddenly we see the beginning of a heavy - handed campaign , reprisal and unruly circles over your political decision. This goes beyond any immediately- affected state . And alert us all to the threat against uncommon democratic definition and the basic right of free choice of political powers towards its attainment . I can only urge you to remain resilient , unbowed and undeterred . ’’
The don also berated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigating the governor , adding that Ortom left his former party ‘‘due to the crisis in the country. ’’
“ Due to the crisis in the country, someone defected and then the EFCC started chasing him . Does that look like a coincidence or what?’’ Soyinka queried.

He said ex - President Olusegun Obasanjo was busy hijacking existing movements, warning Nigerians to be wary of him .
He added , “ He frustrated the June 12 and often put himself forward on any issue. He is welcome to reform and as his slogan may be , the redemption process has started . I don ’ t give up on him and you will be astonished how I have often wished him well when he inaugurated his Presidential Library , I had planned to attend the event but I had a rethink .
“ I don ’ t remember the good he has done . It will be very difficult to find one . I can ’ t remember one at this moment . ’’
He noted , however , that between now and 2019 , there was still an opportunity for a reform of the country.
According to the playwright, there are acts of mis- governance and unforced errors under the Muhammadu Buhari administration .
He said , “ There are unforced errors and acts that are considered stupid . And failure to secure lives and languages of self- excusing which were condemned in the past but resurfacing all over the place . ”

Soyinka , who decried the glossing over of “ intolerable degrees of bloodshed in the country, ” said , “ Also , failure to exert authority when and immediately when due which led to the killings. There is a cheapening of lives . The value of lives in the last year or so , on a level we haven ’ t witnessed in the country for a long time ; and that is one of the reasons it has become essential that we all embark on ground- clearing for a new generation of leaders . And to make sure that in the process , we don ’ t bring back what we are just getting out from. That is one of the stupid acts that we could be held responsible for by the coming generation . ’’
The session was moderated by a media professional , Mr Kunle Ajibade ; Chairman, Editorial Board of the Nation Newspaper , Sam Omatseye ; and human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana ( SAN ) .
Some others at the session included Prof J . P . Clark -Bekederemo , Prof Ademola Abass the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Overseas Affairs and Investment , Gboyega Banjo ; General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Musical Society of Nigeria Centre , Lagos, Kolawole Koiki .




https://punchng.com/dont-crucify-ortom-for-leaving-apc-says-soyinka/

The Kwara State Governor , Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed , said on Thursday that linking him and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to the April 5 bank robberies in Offa was one of the reasons they both decided to dump the ruling All Progressives Congress for the Peoples Democratic Party .
The governor accused the Federal Government , being led by President Muhammadu Buhari , of engaging in political persecution and victimisation of the party ’ s leadership in Kwara .
He added that the APC failed to meet the wishes and aspirations of the people of the state .

He lamented that there was an outright marginalisation of Kwara State in the scheme of things in Buhari’ s government.
Ahmed spoke when some women and youths , under the auspices of Kwara Agenda , staged a solidarity rally round major roads in the state on Thursday .
The governor , who received the supporters at the gate of the Government House , said his and Saraki’ s defection from the APC was part of the agenda to develop and move Kwara State forward .
He accused some party leaders of nursing private and personal agenda.
Ahmed said , “ Most of the political appointments at the federal level were done without any input or consideration from the state party stakeholders and in flagrant neglect of established principles of Federal Character .

“ The problem became compounded with ceaseless litigations and harassment of me and the Senate President with the insinuation of complicity in the condemnable Offa robberies .
“ The Government House is the seat of government of the people , and the people have come here to tell us their views on what they want us to do. I want to assure you , like I have always said , your voice is our voice .
“ On our part , we will continue within the timeframe left to increase our support for the government business by delivering goods and services to the people in infrastructure , health and in the economy .
“ We will also ensure that we have a very comfortable and convenient political environment so that the aspirations of everybody will be encapsulated in this, so that Kwara will continue to be great under our leadership .

“ I want to assure you that your message is well received and it is part of the agenda with which we want to move Kwara forward . ”
The supporters met Ahmed after marching through the streets of Ilorin , carrying placards that discredited the APC .
Their spokesman, Yakub Kannike , said Saraki would always win any election in the state notwithstanding his political platform .
“ In Kwara , Saraki is our political party and we shall always vote for his party and candidates , ” Kannike said .
Also , Yakub Haroon , who delivered an address on behalf of the youth, said , “ The APC has failed to deliver on its promises to Nigerians, especially the youth. The party has also failed to carry the people of Kwara State along in the scheme of things at the federal level . We have been relegated to second - class citizens by the APC .
“ It is on this basis that we express our support for the Senate President and the governor for finding a new platform to actualise the dreams of our people . ”



https://punchng.com/offa-robberies-allegations-forced-us-out-of-apc-ahmed/

The Minister of Information and Culture , Alhaji Lai Mohammed , on Wednesday , said the Federal Government has nothing to lose with the exit of the President of the Senate , Bukola Saraki, from the ruling All Progressives Congress .
He said Saraki has all along been behaving like a member of the opposition even while still a member of the APC .

Mohammed said this in an interview with State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhamamdu Buhari at the Presidential Villa , Abuja .
The minister claimed that Saraki has been slowing down the progress of the government from within .

He said , “ If Senate President Bukola Saraki were not a member of the APC , the party and the government it leads could not have suffered more than they had already done, with regards to the delay in passing the budget , approving key appointments and so on .
“ In other words , Saraki has behaved all along as a member of the opposition , deliberately slowing down the progress of the APC - led Federal Government .

“ It is therefore neither a surprise nor a blow that he has defected .
“ Perhaps , the only surprise is that when he eventually defected , it was a mere whimper !
“ If we didn ’ t gain by having our member as Senate President , we stand to lose nothing by losing him . ”
Mohammed also claimed that the Kwara State chapter of the APC will only be stronger with Saraki’ s exit .

He expressed delight at the decision of the national leadership of the party to dissolve the executives of the state chapter .
He said the step would offer the state chapter a fresh start .
He added , “ The APC can only be stronger in Kwara . Realising this , the true APC members in the state have come together to strengthen the party , open its doors to new members and reposition it for the 2019 elections, with a view to delivering Kwara to President Muhammadu Buhari.

“ This was what we did this past weekend , and you saw the way the people reacted .
“ Yet , what happened at the weekend was not even a rally . It was a consultative stakeholders ’ meeting . And it was a defining moment for the millions of Kwarans seeking political direction and emancipation .
“ Thankfully , the national leadership of our party has hearkened to our demands by dissolving the executives and constituting a caretaker committee .
“ That offers a fresh start for the APC in Kwara . No one tree , no matter how big , can make a forest. Every Kwaran is important in the emerging political dispensation in the state , and it is the realisation of this new dawn that has set the state agog for the APC . ”



https://punchng.com/we-stand-to-lose-nothing-by-sarakis-exit-lai-mohammed-claims/

It came a promising prospect. Eleven senators had decided to dump the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) based on what they perceived as ‘division and factionalisation’ within the party.
In 2015 Kwara Central Senator, Bukola Saraki, delivered the letter announcing the defection to the then Senate President, David Mark. Their destination, the All Progressives Congress (APC), was conceived by the aggrieved senators as a haven, an arbiter ground which will address their challenges. Mr Saraki, like his colleagues, never envisaged leaving the ‘new party.’
In fact, when, in June 2015, Mr Saraki was questioned on insinuations that he had a plan to defect to PDP, he described it as “absurd and laughable.”
“It is just cheap blackmail by political adversaries who want to call a dog a bad name in order to hang it. And those making such desperate allegations should remember that I willingly left the PDP on matters of principle when the party was in power. Is it now that the party is out of government and in opposition that I will now return, having worked so hard for my party in the last general elections,” he queried.
That notwithstanding, Mr Saraki on Tuesday announced his defection from the APC back to PDP, citing similar reasons he left the latter in 2014.
Mr Saraki’s four and half years in the APC witnessed several unforgettable events; clashes between the executive and legislature, grudges between the Senate and political appointees, corruption trials, in-house dissent etc.
Captured below are some of the memorable events APC will never forget Mr Saraki for.

SENATE PRESIDENCY

The twists that greeted the election of the senate president in 2015 first sent waves of what influence Mr Saraki would wield in the APC. The party had adopted Ahmed Lawan to become the senate president but Mr Saraki had other plans. He made an agreement with PDP senators to support him in his bid to lead the senate and in return, ensured that a PDP member, Ike Ekweremadu, emerges his deputy.
Thus, on the day the formal election for senate president was to be held, while majority of APC senators, about 50, were waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari who had invited them to a meeting with him at the International Conference Centre, Mr. Saraki and other “rebel” senators of the APC moved into the National Assembly complex, where the police had thrown a cordon to prevent workers and reporters from entering, for the “election” of principal officers.
A total 57 senators loyal to Mr. Saraki, most of them PDP members, unanimously “elected” him after he was nominated by Senators Dino Melaye and Sanni Yerima. Mr. Saraki was quickly sworn-in as the new senate president even as majority of his APC colleagues were at the ICC waiting for Mr. Buhari.
The APC was furious with Mr. Saraki’s emergence. Leaders like Bola Tinubu, ex-Lagos governor and an influential member of the party, worked to ensure he was removed and a fresh election held. Mr. Saraki would have none of it. Perhaps to further spite the party or ensure his loyalists were properly rewarded, Mr. Saraki also ensured that juicy committees of the Senate were reserved for either his APC loyalists or PDP senators who backed him.

FACE-OFF WITH MAGU, ALI, IDRIS

The Senate had several confrontations with top political appointees despite the fact that the ruling party holds the majority at the Senate. It started with the nomination of Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr Magu was rejected thrice by the Senate on the strength of a report from the State Security Service which claimed Mr Magu ‘failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption stand of the current government.’ Such appointees are at the discretion of the president, and with the president’s party in the majority in the Senate, many Nigerians were surprised. This was more so because the anti-corruption stance was one of Mr Buhari’s key campaign promises. The rejection, coupled with the Senate’s decision not to consider Mr Buhari’s nominations until Mr Magu is replaced, set the mood for what till today is perceived as discord between the executive and legislature led by Mr Saraki.
Next was the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, who pitched Mr Saraki’s Senate against the executive over his insistence not to wear customs uniform to appear before the plenary. Mr Ali, a retired army colonel, said he was not appointed to wear Customs uniform and so he didn’t.
Like the other two, Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector-General of Police, also had a face-off with the Senate under Mr Saraki. The police boss was first summoned on April 25 but he failed to appear. The lawmakers then summoned Mr Idris to appear on May 2. Again, he did not show up. The last invitation was issued for Mr Idris to appear on May 9. He ignored it.
The development made the Senate designate him as an “enemy of democracy” unfit for public office.
However, while all these went on, the executive did little or nothing to caution its appointees. When Mr Idris failed to show up the second time, the Senate sent a delegation to meet Mr Buhari to salvage the situation, yet Mr Idris did not honour invitation the third time.

FALSE ASSET DECLARATION

One of the leverages the APC administration knew they had over Mr. Saraki was his false asset declaration trial. Although the trial was being conducted at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), most of the evidence being used came from the anti-graft agency, EFCC. And the man who made that possible was Mr Magu, who the executive retained as acting chairman of EFCC despite Senate rejection. Many of Mr Saraki’s loyalists believed that the charges raised by the federal government against him was a witch-hunt, perhaps a betrayal by a party he worked hard for in 2015, for his deliberate ‘confrontations’ at the Senate.
He was first brought on an 18-count charge of false asset declaration by the Code of Conduct Tribunal in September 2016 He was accused of making anticipatory declaration of assets as well as withholding information regarding his assets while he was governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011 and when he became a senator in 2011.
A Danladi Umar-led CCT, ruled that the evidences tendered by the prosecution were insufficient to substantiate its charges against Mr Saraki. But the federal government headed to the Court of Appeal with a request that it sets aside the decision of the tribunal.
In a judgement delivered on December 12, the appellate court affirmed all except three of the 18 counts brought against Mr Saraki. Mr Saraki rejected the verdict and filed an appeal at the Supreme Court seeking to quash the remaining three charges. He was eventually acquitted on July 6 by the Supreme Court.

FORGERY CASE

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Mr Saraki and two others were at the centre of a forgery case initiated against them by some senators.
The two, including a former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi, were accused of illegally altering the Senate’s Standing Rule used in electing them into office in June 2015.
The federal government, however, dropped the two-count charge against them in 2016.
Again, this was perceived as a deliberate action to tame Mr Saraki by the executive.

STRIFE WITH OTHER SENATORS

At least three senators, all of APC, had a direct confrontations with Mr Saraki. All three are now arrow heads of the opposition to Mr Saraki in the Senate. It started with Ali Ndume, one of those who strongly supported Mr Saraki’s emergence as senate president. When Mr. Magu was nominated for the EFCC chair, Mr Ndume deemed it a responsibility to support him having hailed from his home state; but this put him in direct confrontation with Mr Saraki.
The events that followed saw Mr Ndume removed as Senate Leader and replaced by Ahmed Lawan. The Senate initially claimed it did that to accommodate the original interest of the APC, but many Nigerians including Mr. Ndume did not buy that. Two months later, Mr. Ndume, now an ordinary member of the Senate, did the ‘unthinkable.’ He asked his colleagues to investigate media reports of alleged illegality by Mr. Saraki and another by the senate president’s key ally, Dino Melaye. Although Mr Ndume did not make the allegations himself, nor authored the media reports, he was suspended from the Senate for six months based on the recommendations of its ethics committee for daring to raise such issues. His suspension was later voided by the court.
Two months after Mr Ndume’s return, Mr Saraki was at loggerheads with another APC senator, Ovie Omo-Agege. The lawmaker had joined other lawmakers to protest the Senate’s adoption of amendment to section 25 of the electoral act, which re-ordered the sequence of election.
Mr Omo-Agege alleged that the House of Representatives did not form a quorum when the issue was considered and that 59 senators were opposed to the amendment. He also said ‘Section 25’ of the amended bill was included to target Mr. Buhari. The referral to the president got him into trouble.
He was suspended for 90 days and if not for a court order which overruled the decision, he would have served the days outside the chamber.
Another senator who fought ‘dirty’ with Mr Saraki is Abdullahi Adamu, a two-time governor of Nasarawa State. Mr Adamu led other dissenting senators out of the chamber to protest the re-order of election sequence, a move that set him parallel to Mr Saraki. Mr Adamu, through the senate president’s allies, was removed as chairman northern senators’ forum after the confrontation.
Mr Adamu’s bitter confrontation with the senate president has continued till date. On Monday, Mr Saraki referred to Mr Adamu as a deceptive, manipulative and desperate liar over the latter’s previous attacks on the senate president.

SENATE PERFORMANCE

Despite the various challenges Mr Saraki had with the Executive and some of his APC colleagues, the Senate under him can, however, be said to have achieved better than previous ones; particularly in terms of number of bills passed and the relevance of some of those bills.
Some of the bills that have become law but emanated from lawmakers include the increased funding for the health sector through the inclusion of the one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund in the 2018 budget as well as the recently signed amendment to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence agency.
However, the Senate under Mr Saraki continued as those of his predecessors in distributing huge illegal allowances for lawmakers.
As Mr Saraki leaves the APC, he can look back at his sojourn in the party and feel some of its leaders never really wanted him, rightly so from when he was elected senate president; but perhaps he should also review his actions while in office.
“The experience of my people and associates in the past three years is that they have suffered alienation and have been treated as outsiders in their own party,” Mr Saraki said on Tuesday in announcing his reasons for leaving the APC.



https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/278494-analysis-betrayal-confrontation-others-characterise-sarakis-four-and-half-years-sojourn-in-apc.html

Mixed reactions yesterday trailed the defection of Senate President Bukola Saraki from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While many chieftains acknowledged that the ruling party has lost a big fish to the opposition, others said his exit will not affect the chances of the APC in next year’s presidential election.
The defection was not beyond expectation. Thus, the Kwara State chapter was not caught unawares. Anticipating Saraki’s game plan, President Muhammadu Buhar’s loyalists have put up an alternative leadership structure to fill the void expected to be created by the mass defection. In fact, some top leaders even objected to the aspiration of his loyalist, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, to continue as the party’s national publicity secretary during the national convention, based on the feeling that Saraki’s supporters were biding their time in the APC.

In a twinkle of an eye, Kwara instantly became a PDP state yesterday. Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, two senators representing the state, commissioners and special advisers, members of the Houses of Assembly and Representatives and other prominent members of the Saraki Dynasty heeded the defection call at the blow of the whistle by the Senate President. In next year’s poll, Saraki will still wax strong as the kingmaker in the Northcentral state. The President will have to work harder to make an in-road into the new PDP stronghold.
Saraki’s defection may motivate more aggrieved chieftains to strategically follow suit. PDP is the beneficiary platform. Will co-travelers, including House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara, follow his footsteps? Will Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal also call it quits with the party? Will Saraki’s sibling, Senator Gbemisola, also defect?

While in APC, Saraki’s political territory, which he inherited from his illustrious father, the late Dr. Olusola Saraki, was not threatened by external forces. He called the shots. According to observers, there is no additional personal gain that will accrue to the Kwara kingpin in the PDP more than what has accrued to his group in the APC. Having returned to his natural habitat, the Senate President will seek to play a dominant role in reshaping and repositioning the PDP at the state and federal levels as he joins the coordinators of the 2019 battle at the federal level.
Will Saraki step aside as Senate President? Not likely. Can the APC muster efforts to mobilise its senators in the Upper Chamber to shove him aside? It will be a herculean task. The clash of pro-Saraki and anti-Saraki forces in the Senate may provoke a transcient parliamentary crisis and tension, which will fizzle out when gladiators are neck-deep in nomination battles in their parties.

Saraki has returned to a party that is facing a major challenge. No fewer than seven gladiators are struggling for the PDP presidential ticket. Consensus is ruled out. The platform is warming up for the primary. The contenders are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwanbo, former Kano, Kaduna and JIgawa Governors Rabiu Kwakwanso, Ibrahim Shekarau, Ahmed Makarfi and Sule Lamido, and former Minister Taminu Turaki. Tambuwal is also said to be eyeing the ticket. Who will Saraki support?
There was jubilation in the PDP, following the defection. PDP leaders described it as a setback to President Buhari’s re-election bid. But, APC leaders exuded confidence, saying there was no cause for alarm. To them, the defection is good radiance to bad rubbish.
Will Saraki’s defection affect the APC’s calculations for 2019? Time will tell.


http://thenationonlineng.net/sarakis-defection-what-next/

The Presidency on Tuesday said there was no truth in the claims that President Muhammadu Buhari has a hand in the move by minority members of the Benue State House of Assembly to remove the state governor , Samuel Ortom. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr . Femi Adesina , said this in a statement made available to journalists
Adesina said Buhari would never be part of any unconstitutional act . He added that any attempt to link the President with the inglorious past , when minority number of lawmakers removed governors, will not stick.

The statement read , “ Even while attending the ECOWAS/ ECCAS Summit in Togo , strident attempts were being made to drag President Muhammadu Buhari into the unfolding drama between the executive and the legislature in Benue State.“ Statements have been issued by different interest groups , insinuating that the President may have a hand in the development in Benue . “ This is paranoia at its worst , coming from people who have wittingly positioned themselves against the clean - up of the country, and the way we do things . They prefer business as usual.

“ President Buhari will never be part of any unconstitutional act , and any attempt to link him with the inglorious past , when minority number of lawmakers impeached governors, will not stick. It will simply be like water off the duck's back.

“ Those with open minds know this , but those who cavil would rather source everything untoward to the President . It is murky ground in which they are now marooned, as fallout of their resistance to change in the country.
“ When it suits them , they preach separation of powers and true federalism, and in another breath , they call on the President to interfere brazenly in affairs at state level.

“ President Buhari will always stand by all that is noble and fair , and will reject attempts to drag him into infamy .
“ People who stoke fires by deliberate acts of omission or commission , and then summon the President to come and put it out will find that this President will be guided by the Constitution at all times , no matter the attempt to entangle him in unwarranted controversies . ”



https://punchng.com/benue-buhari-will-never-be-part-of-any-unconstitutional-act-presidency/

Three Russian teenagers , who allegedly murdered their father have revealed the reason behind their action .
According to Mirror UK , the teenagers , Kristina , 19 , Angelina , 18 and Maria , 17 , confessed to jointly killing their heroine -addict father , Mikhail Khachaturyan , claiming they suffered years of appalling sexual , physical and emotional abuse .
Kristina told police: “ We hated him and we wanted just one thing to happen – either that he disappeared or that we never knew him .
“ We wanted him just to go away and never come back . ”

The sisters alleged that on the day of the attack he had threatened them with a knife in their flat near the Altufievskoe highway in Moscow.
One of the sisters had grabbed the knife and stabbed him , and the others joined in the attack , say reports .
The man tried to escape the flat but was attacked more and died near the elevator .
Friends and neighbours claimed the father was tyrannical and that his wife — the girls ’ mother — left him because of his abuse , while a son, now a student at Moscow University , had been “ thrown out ” of the home by the father .
Sergei , their brother , reported to be 21 , was quoted as saying : “ My sisters just could not have done it.
“ I don ’ t know what happened . I don ’ t know who to believe . I have not lived there since I was 16.
“ He forced our mother to leave too but I do not know what for . He wanted me to grow up a strong man.
“ If he beat anyone it does not mean he was a bad person .
In the dead man’ s Audi Q 7 car police reportedly found two kilograms of heroin along with his arsenal of a pneumatic rifle , a smooth bore rifle , three pneumatic handguns , a signal gun , and a gas gun .
The three sisters have been charged with murder leading to a maximum penalty of 10 to 15 years in jail .



https://punchng.com/we-killed-our-dad-for-sexually-abusing-us-teenage-girls-tell-police/

aolawale025:
I don't know who will win. But I know someone that will not. Do you??

I don't know o.. Who abeg

Fears that last week’s defection by some senators and House of Representatives members will affect President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election were dispelled yesterday.
Eleven senators defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Two joined the former President Obasanjo –driven African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Thirty Seven members of the House of Representatives also defected. But the ruling party keeps its majority in both lawmaking chambers.
Also last week, Benue State Governor Samue Ortom defected to the PDP.

The campaign body said the APC will in the coming days receive defectors from other parties into its fold, adding that the expected defection of two gvernors will also not affect Buhari’s chances in next year’s election, given his performance.
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Kwara State Governor Abdufatah Ahmed are expected to leave the ruling party for the PDP.
Giving reasons why Buhari will not be ruffled by the defections, Director of Strategic Communication of the Buhari campaign, Lagos lawyer Festus Keyamo said in elections before the 2015 polls , which he won, the President did creditably in most of the states where the PDP had governors and legislators.

In a statement, Keyamo said: “The President won with large margins in the past in some states without the support of majority of the politicians from those states who moved recently to join the opposition party. Also, we are all witnessing the significant gains Mr. President is making in several places where he lost in the past, notably in the Southsouth and Southeast.
“From the demographics we have now, the historic figures and the present realities that we know, these defections will have little or no impact on the chances of Mr. President’s re-election.”
Keyamo said Buhari has consistently won in Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Yobe and Niger, with over 30 million, especially in 2011 and 2015, adding that this was achieved despite the fact that most of those states were being controlled by political parties other than his.

He said “In 2011, when the President was in CPC, despite being states with sitting opposition Governors, National Assembly members, state Assembly members and local government chairmen, the President posted close to eleven million votes against all odds, defeating all his rivals in these 12 states mentioned above.
“In 2015, despite the majority of these states being in opposition after the merger that formed the APC, the President posted close to 11 million votes again in these states with PDP not scoring up to 20 percent of the votes in most of these States.
“It is instructive that in these election cycles there were presidential candidates of Northern extraction (e.g Shekarau and Ribadu in 2011). Besides, Kaduna had a sitting Vice President in both elections.

“As we can see, any defection within these states would have little or no
consequence on President Muhammadu Buhari’s chances as he had always won those states, irrespective of the party in power in those states.
“For example in the much-touted Kano, in the 2011 Presidential election, President Buhari scored one million, six hundred and twenty four thousand, five hundred and forty three (1,624,543) votes as CPC candidate, while in 2015, he had 1,903,999 one million, nine hundred and three thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine (1,903,999) votes as APC candidate.

“The vote difference of about 280,000 votes may be attributed to elements of ANPP, negligible ACN and Senator Kwakwanso, then Governor of the state that came into APC. Today, the President’s popularity in these states has increased due to the fight against Boko Haram which has been largely successful. So, he should expect more votes from these strongholds.”
He said even though he lost the elections in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Kwara, Kogi, Adamawa and Benue in 2011, he won the election in 2015, adding that the five south-western states have registered voters strength of more than 14 million out of the about 20 million voters in these nine states.
“Today, those five states are being controlled by the APC. Ekiti will join before the 2019 election after Governor-elect Kayode Fayemi is sworn in for a second term in office. All the political gladiators in those south-western states that helped to tilt the election in favour of the President in 2015 are still solidly with him and more have joined.

“The entire defunct ACN structures that moved into APC are solidly behind the President. In terms of defections in the western states, the Party has gained more than it has lost as the likes of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Senator (Mrs) Fatima Raji-Rasaki, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Senator Gbenga Kaka, former Governor Adebayo Akala, to mention but a few, are now with APC.
“To underscore the rising profile of the party in these states, the people of Ondo State and Ekiti State decided to entrust their states in the hands of the APC by voting out the previous PDP governments.

“Furthermore, these states are well represented in government with a sitting Vice President, important ministerial portfolios and prominent membership of the economic team. So, we can only expect more votes, not less, from the west.
“Adamawa, Kwara, Kogi and Benue states, with over six million registered voters, all had governors from other parties in 2011 with Senator Bukola Saraki being the PDP governor of Kwara State.
“In the four states, as the presidential candidate of CPC, the President posted six hundred and seventy thousand eighty (670,080) votes while CAN, the other legacy party of APC, posted three hundred and fourteen thousand seven hundred and forty one (314,741) votes, making a total of nine hundred and eighty four thousand seven hundred and forty one (984,741) votes when combined.

“In 2015, with only one APC governor among the four states, the President posted one million three hundred and fifteen thousand six hundred and fifty nine (1,315,659) in the four states, gaining over three hundred and thirty thousand (330,000) votes.
“Today, with APC in charge of three out of the four states, especially with Senator Gbemi Saraki and Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, leading the efforts in Kwara State and the APC structure in Benue State still firmly in the hands of Senator George Akume (the same structure on which Governor Ortom rode to victory) the defection of the Senators from these States will have little or no effect on the difference gained
“The President lost 15 states (comprising 11 States of the South East and South South and Plateau, Taraba, Nassarawa and Ekiti States) in the 2015 elections, despite his overall victory.”




http://thenationonlineng.net/how-buharill-win-in-2019-by-campaign/

According to the timetable and schedule of activities released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) earlier this year, the Presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to hold on February 16, 2019.

With barely 200 days to next year’s general elections, the political chessboard is replete with twists and turns, even as the number of aspirants jostling for various elective positions is increasing by the day. Checks by Daily Trust on Sunday reveal that no fewer than 46 politicians have indicated their intentions to throw their hats in the presidential ring on different political platforms to slug it out with incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the timetable and schedule of activities released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) earlier this year, the Presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to hold on February 16, 2019.

The PDP lost political power after ruling the country for 16 years, having produced three presidents over the period, namely: Olusegun Obasanjo, the late Umaru Musah Yar Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.
Already, President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who upstaged the PDP-led government in 2015 has indicated his intention to seek a second term. Buhari had made his declaration after a prolonged silence on April 9 during the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the APC.
The President reportedly said that having made wide consultations and conscious of the need to consolidate on his achievements in office, he had decided to stand for re-election, adding that he had been under tremendous pressure to make the declaration and felt it was courteous to first inform the NEC before going to town with it.
Earlier on March 1, the APC passed a vote of confidence in President Buhari, denying that it was not the same as endorsing the President for a second term.

The national chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was recently reported to have endorsed the second term bid of President Buhari, saying as incumbent he had the right of first refusal of the party’s presidential ticket, but checks by Daily Trust on Sunday indicate that two others have also indicated interest in the APC’s presidential ticket in 2019.

Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, a United States-based Nigerian is one of them. On April 30, 2018 was reported to have been hosted by the Nigerian Union Diaspora, NUD, during which he declared his intention to vie for the Presidency of Nigeria on the platform of the APC.
Also, 35-year-old Adamu Garba, the Chief Executive Officer of IPI Solutions Nigeria Limited, a cloud computing company headquartered in Lagos had in April reportedly announced his interest to contest the presidential ticket of the APC.
It is believed that the Presidential ticket of the APC would be picked by the Buhari.

Among the presidential aspirants are eight from the main opposition PDP while the rest are drawn from other registered political parties. Nigeria currently has 68 registered political parties but with more applications by political associations pending before INEC, the number is likely to increase, an indication that more presidential aspirants may emerge ahead of the 2019 elections.
Prominent among those seeking presidential tickets on the platform of the PDP are a former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, who formally declared his intention recently in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
At a rally in Yola, Adamawa State, Atiku vowed to unseat the APC government not only in Adamawa State but also at the federal level and reclaim them for the PDP.

According to him, Nigerians were disappointed with the APC-led government as the insecurity situation has worsened. He reportedly said: “In 1998, I took this state to the PDP. Today, I have returned to take what rightly belongs to the PDP.”
However, to slug it out with Buhari, Atiku would be jostling for the PDP presidential ticket with other PDP presidential aspirants like: former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, former Governor Ahmed Makarfi of Kaduna State, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, former Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State, former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State and the outgoing of of Ekiti State Ayodele Fayose.

Also seeking the PDP presidential ticket for 2019 is Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a former minister of Special Duties during president Goodluck Jonathan as well as Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, a female Professor of Language and Communication Arts at the Rivers State University of Education. Adesanya-Davies officially joined politics as an ardent member of the ACCORD Party in Kwara State where she remained for years, until she moved to the PDP.
Other presidential aspirants outside the two major political parties include Professor Remi Sonaiya, a 2015 presidential candidate of the KOWA Party, who hopes to take another shot at the presidential election on the platform of the same party and Fela Durotoye, a consulting expert, leadership coach and public speaker and Tunde Fasua of Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP).
Some of the aspirants are yet to indicate the party on which platform they want to contest. List of presidential aspirants boxed.
2019 Presidential Hopefuls

Compiled By Haruna Ibrahim

1. Kingsley Moghalu
2. Sule Lamido- Pdp
3. Donald Duke-Pdp
4. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-Pdp
5. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi-Pdp
6. Ibrahim Dankwambo-Pdp
7. Muhammadu Buhari-Apc
8. Fela Durotoye-
9. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies- Pdp
10. Remi Sonaiya- Kowa
11. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese- From Ncp To Ann (Alliance For New Nigeria)
12. Omoyele Sowore- Publisher, Sahara Reporters
13. Enyinnaya Nnaemeka Nwosu
14. Ahmed Buhari
15. Peter Ayodele Fayose-Pdp
16. Adesanya Fegbenro-Bryon
17. Charles Udeogaranya
18. Mathias Tsado
19. Eniola Ojajuni
20. Olu James Omosule
21. Tope Fasua- Anrp
22. Elishama Rosemary Ideh
23. Kanu Nwankwo
24. Usman Ibrahim Alhaji
25. Datti Baba Ahmed
26. Adamu Garba
27. Chris Emejuru
28. Yul Edochie
29. Oluwaseyitan Lawrence Aletile
30. Omike Chikeluba Lewis
31. Olu James Omosule
32. Ibrahim Ladaja
33. Omololu Omotosho
34. Fidelis Akhalomen Lawrence Ekoh
35. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar
36. Ibrahim Shekarau
37. Professor Iyorwuese Hagher
38. Chike Ukaegbu-35
39. Attahiru Bafarawa- Pdp
40. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso- Pdp
41. Alhaji Ibrahim Eyitayo Dan Musa
42. Gbenga Olawepo
43. Prof. Jerry Gana
44. Mr Festus Obeghe
45. Dr Yunusa Tanko
46. Mrs Eunice Atuejide



http://saharareporters.com/2018/07/29/7-months-elections-number-presidential-aspirants-hits-46%E2%80%8B

Governor Ahmed said this yesterday at the stakeholders meeting of various interest groups in the state, which included market women, youths, local government council chairmen, artisans among others in Ilorin.
Ahmed said: “We are only waiting for our leader, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to give us the new direction and hope so that we can move forward. It is disheartening to note that all our expectations and aspirations that made us to defect to APC from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2014 are not met.”

The governor said the meeting was convened to enable the stakeholders brainstorm on the way forward, adding “we want all of you to make contributions so as to agree in unity on which party we will move into without any hindrance.”
One of the youth leaders at the meeting, Alhaji Ali Baba, said they belong to the Saraki political structure and not to the ideals or ideology of any political party in the state, adding that they were ready to move to another party he would lead them to.
“Please, take us to where our welfare will be guaranteed and our expectations will be met as we belong to Saraki in Kwara, not any political party,” he added.



https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/were-tired-of-apc-waiting-for-saraki-on-where-to-go-kwara-gov/

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says an innovation centre will be unveiled at the Enterprise Development Centre of the Lagos Business School next week .
He said this centre was part of the commitment of the Federal Government to creating an ecosystem for technology development in the country.
He made this known at the Google for Lagos event in Lagos on Thursday .
According to him , several innovation centres have been established across the country to support technology innovation and skills development .
“ We have established innovation hubs across the nation from Ventures Hub in Abuja , to Edo State Government ’ s Edo Innovate project in Benin and the Humanitarian Innovation Centre in collaboration with the North East Innovation hub and the International Committee of Red Cross . We are committed to building an ecosystem that will drive innovation . We are investing in training 5, 000 developers as part of NPower tech programme , ” Osinbajo added .




http://punchng.com/googlefornigeria-fg-to-unveil-innovation-centre-in-lagos/

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on Thursday threatened to punish the two communities hosting the National Youths Service Corps state permanent Orientation Camp for alleged vandalism of camp infrastructure .
Wike made the threat at the swearing - in ceremony of the 2018 Batch ‘ B ’ Stream 1 Corps Members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp , Nonwa- Gbam, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers.
The two communities are : Nonwa and Gbam.
Wike , who was represented at the occasion by Chief Kenneth Kobani , Secretary to the State Government , advised the traditional rulers of the communities to caution their youths against such criminal act.

” I have been informed that hoodlums are coming into this camp to vandalise the infrastructures here and even steal too.
“ If the vandalism continues, the host communities will be purnished for it because as a government, we will not allow this to continue , ” he said .
The governor then said that a 100 KVA power generating plant had been approved by the State Government for the NYSC .
He said that his administration would build a new hall in the NYSC permanent orientation camp to curb challenges being experienced by corps members during the scheme ’ s orientation exercise.
Mr Chinwendu Chukwu , State Coordinator , NYSC in Rivers, disclosed that a total of 2808 corps members had been registered at close of registration on July 25 .
He stated that 1301 were male corps members, while 1507 were females .
Chukwu commended the Rivers government, security agencies and the host communities for their support and cooperation .


http://punchng.com/wike-to-punish-nysc-host-communities-for-alleged-vandalism/

Niger State Governor , Abubakar Sani Bello , has said that 60 per cent of teachers of public schools at the last count are not qualified to teach in schools across the 25 local governments ,
Bello , who made this known on Thursday at the Niger State Teachers Professional Development Institute Implementation Committee , ’ s maiden end of the year Academic Day Programme , held at Mararaban Dandaudu , however , said the teachers would not be sacked .
He said , “ We will not sack these unqualified teachers ; but , we will retrain those that can be trained , while those we cannot train will be asked to go back to school . ”

He explained that to ensure qualitative education and quality teachers , the teaching profession would be regulated , saying , “ until a teacher is certificated , he or she will not be allowed to teach . ”
Lamenting on the condition of infrastructure in schools in the state , Bello stated, “ With the current condition , especially in boarding schools, there is no way we can produce good future , as these children will feel that we did not take good care of them .
“ That is why , we must try to give them some level of comfort . ”
Applauding the Committee of the teachers institute led by Hajiya Dije Bala , the governor disclosed plans by his administration to set up additional centres in Agaie and Borgu
Earlier , the state commissioner for Education , Hajiya Fatima Madugu , in her address , commended the Bello administration for its commitment to the education sector , particularly , the Whole School Approach initiative .
She stated that under the initiative , the state government expended the sum of N3 bn in 2017 to enhance the quality of education and learning in the state .



http://punchng.com/60-percent-of-teachers-in-niger-not-certificated-gov-bello-alleges/

There is palpable tension at the National Assembly, as Senate President Bukola Saraki, drove himself into the National Assembly complex in a private vehicle.
Saraki was not in the vehicle when a detachment of security operatives blocked his convoy at his Apo residence with the view to preventing them from leaving the house.
As early as 7:00am, senators loyal to Parliamentary Support Group (PSG) had started arriving the National Assembly while those loyal to the Senate President also trooped in.
It was gathered that the PSG had perfected a plan to hurriedly Impeach Saraki as soon as he honours the police invitation, as signatures were said to have been collected overnight.
Having sensed the sinister move by the opposing camp, Saraki decided to outsmart them by quickly sneaking into the National Assembly with a rickety vehicle he drove himself.
It was gathered that Saraki had also perfected his plans to announce his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) today and adjourn the plenary sine dine.
As of the time of filing this report, the mood at the National Assembly was tensed, with policemen taking over the premises.
It is not clear with the turn of the event if Saraki will honour the Police invitation regarding Offa robbery, but he announced on Monday evening his intention to do so.


http://saharareporters.com/2018/07/24/breaking-tension-saraki-sneaks-self-national-assembly-rickety-vehicle

UPDATE: The President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, is now presiding over the Tuesday, July 24th Plenary of the Nigerian Senate.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has explained why he had been begging members of the R- APC not to leave the APC. He said that his action was not an act of cowardice.Oshiomhole , while speaking at the launch of a book by Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim (APC , Yobe - East ), pointedout that the appeal being made to the aggrieved members was all about restoring peace and getting justice for those who deserved it.

He stated that it was not as a result of being jittery .Oshiomhole said “ Throughout the weekend and up till today ( Monday ), many of the national dailies reported different stories with the impression that I have not been sleeping within the last one week as a result of
alleged midnight meetings with aggrieved party members, who they say I have been begging not to leave the party.

"In some of the reports , the insinuations even went as far as saying that I made juicy offers to the aggrieved party members in stopping them from defecting. While I will not be too direct in reacting to such reports here , I will only say though I have been meeting aggrieved
party members over whatever injustices they felt the party or some chieftains of the party had done to them. I have not been having sleepless nights as being reported , and also I am not in any way jittery.

"Rapprochement move , as far as I am concerned , is not an act of cowardice but a desirous endeavour in making peace since you can't decree peace but only work for it . So, in a nutshell , I am not ashamed of doing that as chairman of a great party . To those who
the rapprochement moves are being directed to when we want them to appreciate that we are more or less trying to prevent them from making a blunder of dumping palm wine for kain kain (local gin)."
In its response, the PDP described the former governor
of Edo State as fake . It said that while he boasted during the day , he would visit aggrieved members of the APC at night , begging
them not to leave the ruling party.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party , Mr . Kola
Ologbondiyan, who spoke with one of our correspondents, said that both Oshiomhole and the national leadership of the APC had become jittery over the planned defection.

He said, "We will rather forget and ignore him . He is a drowning man and his party will soon become the opposition party in Nigeria . That is why he's busy running his mouth. “ In day time , he goes out shouting , calling people names but at night , as from 2 am , he goes about visiting and begging people he had abused , asking them not to leave and offering them positions and tickets. "We should rather ignore him. We understand his predicament . So, we won ’ t waste our time talking to or responding to a fake man who is heading a faction of the APC. "


http://punchng.com/begging-r-apc-not-an-act-of-cowardice-oshiomhole/

The failure of the Federal Government to obey successive court orders granting bail to a former National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan , Col . Sambo Dasuki ( retd. ) , raises serious issues of constitutionalism, the rule of law and Nigeria ’ s obvious descent into dictatorship . For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerians need to understand that dictatorship starts slowly, builds up incrementally and then goes full blast to a crescendo where everything and everyone will be fair game . It is evident that Nigeria is going through perilous times when the rule of law is about to be subsumed by the rule of the whims and caprices of individuals . This discourse analyses the implications of the continued disobedience of court orders , especially the latest court order on Dasuki , by the Buhari administration .

The first point to consider is that President Muhammadu Buhari came to power through an election where he won the majority vote in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , 1999 . The constitution sets the parameters of governance ; allocated federal executive powers to the President and his team; legislative powers to the National Assembly while the judiciary gets judicial powers . Thus , the power to determine the civil rights and obligations of the citizen and to settle disputes between citizen and citizen and citizen and government rests in the judiciary . Essentially , Section 6 ( 6) (b ) of the constitution extends judicial powers to “ all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any persons in Nigeria , and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto , for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligations of that person ” . There is also an obligation on the part of the other arms of government to obey court orders and judgements so that society can be governed in a civilised manner. Specifically, the executive that controls the powers of coercion is under obligation to execute court judgements without delay .

In an earlier media chat , the President balked at the idea of setting Dasuki free in obedience to court orders and queried whether the journalists understood the gravity of his offence . Again, the media reports the Attorney General and Minister of Justice , Abubakar Malami ( SAN ) , as defending the disobedience of the last order of court that the detainee be set free pending his trial . The Attorney General was quoted in his response to the Voice of America , Hausa Service as saying that Dasuki ’ s personal rights can be violated for the public good . Malami stated that: “ Reports have shown that there was massive mismanagement of funds meant for military hardware which the military could not access and that led to the death of many , embezzlement of the funds and because of that many people have lost their lives . Obeying the court is not the issue per say . Are we going to take the issue of an individual more important than that of the people ? The government’ s main responsibility is for and about the people . The essence of governance is to better the lives of its people . So , you have to weigh it based on that; the rights of an individual or the rights of the people. ”

If this quotation actually came from the Attorney General and Minister of Justice , then it is quite unfortunate and extremely calamitous for the administration of justice and the rule of law . The Attorney General now considers the executive , an appellate court to the judgements of the courts . The executive now reserves discretion as to the court orders it would obey ? For the Chief Law Officer of the Federation , a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who should be the defender of the constitution and the rights of the citizen to say the above , we have entered a Tsunami of illegality and constitutional abomination . Where is the public good in the desecration of the constitution and violation of human rights ? Is it that the Attorney General does not understand what bail is all about ? Elementary legal jurisprudence states that bail is not about the guilt or innocence of the accused person . Stemming from the presumption of innocence, right to personal liberty , etc. bail is a constitutional right except in cases clearly stated in our constitution and evolved case law. What should have been of utmost importance to the Attorney General is the diligent prosecution of the accused person . Clearly , the Buhari administration is using the disobedience of court orders , which factually denies the accused person bail , as a punitive measure.

This is troubling because in the mind of the Buhari administration and its Attorney General, the accused is already guilty . Pray , of what purpose is the trial ? A government that submits to the jurisdiction of the court and only enforces judgments that suit its pre - determined position and disobeys others that do not fit into its designs is an abomination and a strong threat to fundamental freedoms . With this mindset , the Buhari government is hereby implored to withdraw all the charges against Dasuki by simply issuing an Executive Order (Executive Order 7) , pronouncing Dasuki guilty , sentencing him to whatever punishment that suits its fancy and executing the same . This is logical follow - up to this mindset . Wasting time in the courts that may give a judgement that the administration may not like makes no sense . Let the trajectory , world view and jurisprudence of the Buhari government run its full course !
President Buhari on the day of his swearing - in swore an oath to discharge his duties in accordance with the Constitution . From the last time I checked , the constitution has not been overturned and its supremacy clause is still intact and the President still purports to govern in accordance with the Constitution . Then, this continued disobedience to court orders to free a certain individual cannot be justified under any ground whatsoever . Evidently , personal interest is at play and there is nothing to suggest any larger national interest . This is such a serious misconduct and breach of the constitution that demand Mr . President answer some queries from the elected representatives of the people in the National Assembly .
For the Nigerian Bar Association, this is the time to fight for what every decent lawyer believes in – the supremacy of the rule of law, obedience to court orders and respect for separation of powers . It will also not be out of place for the NBA to consider sanctioning any of its members who advises and supports disobedience to court orders . Corruption cannot be fought outside the crucibles of the rule of law . Otherwise, the fight itself becomes a corrupt act , an act of illegality.

Nigerians did not elect a Leviathan; we did not elect a maximum ruler and we did not elect a Messiah who reserves the right to set aside the basic norms accepted by all civilised nations at his whims and caprices. It is time for all civilised men , women, the youths and children to stand up and be counted on the side of the rule of law . When dictatorship is fully entrenched , no one will be safe including the mob that always bays for the blood of their real and imaginary enemies.


http://punchng.com/its-time-president-buhari-respected-court-judgements/

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria , Mallam Yusuf Ali , said the Peoples Democratic Party ’ s candidate in last Saturday ’ s governorship election in Ekiti State, Prof . Kolapo Olusola , has asked him to lead his legal team to challenge the victory of Governor - elect , Dr . Kayode Fayemi, at the election tribunal .
Olusola , who lost the election to Fayemi , the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, according to the results released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, has vowed to challenge the poll outcome.

Fayemi, a former governor of the state , defeated Olusola in 12 out of the 16 local government areas of the state , polling 197 , 459 votes while Olusola scored 178 , 121 votes .
Ali told SUNDAY PUNCH on Friday that he had accepted to lead other senior lawyers to reclaim Olusola ’ s mandate.
The senior advocate however said he would need to discuss details of the brief with his client to know the grounds upon which the candidate was contesting the poll results .
Ali added that he would not be able to give an accurate figure of other lawyers that would join him in the legal battle against the APC candidate.
He said , “ I have just been contacted to represent the PDP ( at the tribunal ). The ( legal) team is just being put together ; so, I don ’ t know the number of SANs and other lawyers that will work with me yet because it is the client that will determine who they want to bring on board.
“ On the grounds of the petition, I was just briefed (to take up the matter); we would need to engage in further discussions before I will know exactly what is involved . ”
Tribunal constituted before election – A’ court
Meanwhile , the three- man panel for the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has been set up to sit on the disputes arising from the July 14 governorship election in the state , SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt . Bulkachuwa , is empowered to constitute the election petitions tribunals for governorship as well as for state and National Assembly elections.

The Head , Media and Publicity Unit of the Court of Appeal , Mrs. Sa ’ adatu Musa , responding to an inquiry by SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday , said the tribunal for the Ekiti State governorship election was constituted two weeks before the election held on July 14 .
“ The Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal was set up two weeks before the election , ” Musa said in a text message in response to one of our correspondents’ enquiry .
Section 133 (3) (a ) of the Electoral Act provides that the tribunal “ shall be constituted not later than 14 days before the election . ”
The registry of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal was said to have been opened in Ado- Ekiti , the state capital , one week after it was constituted.

By virtue of Section 134 (1 ) of the law, an election petition to challenge the validity of an election must be filed within 21 days after the date of the declaration of results .
“ An election petition shall be filed within 21 days after the date of the declaration of results of the elections , ” the law states .
With the result of the election declared one week ago , it implies that aggrieved persons have only two weeks left within which to file their petitions before the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the poll .
Section 134 ( 2) of the Electoral Act provides that “ an election tribunal shall deliver its judgment in writing within 180 days from the date of the filing of the petition. ”

Olusola had , on Sunday, alleged that he was robbed of victory in an election he claimed to have received over 70 per cent of the votes , having won in almost all the 16 local government areas in the state .
At a press conference after INEC declared Fayemi the winner on Sunday, the PDP candidate, who is the deputy governor of the state , alleged that security agencies threw all caution to the wind by taking sides with the APC and Fayemi.

He accused security agencies of not only supporting but also supervising the indiscriminate arrest of PDP leaders and agents while also harassing voters on a massive scale, especially in Ado Ekiti , Ikere and other places .
He equally alleged that security agencies gave tacit and active cover for thugs imported into Ekiti by the APC to snatch ballot boxes , create confusion , cause mayhem , and drive away voters in PDP strongholds .
“ INEC, on its own part , reneged on its promise to have results counted , declared and pasted on the wall of each polling station . There was nowhere INEC transmitted results from the polling centres as earlier promised .
“ Ballot boxes were illegally moved to INEC offices while our agents were disallowed from following the process , ” he stated



http://punchng.com/pdp-engages-kwara-san-to-lead-legal-battle-against-fayemi/

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