Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has joined the 2023 Presidential Race.

On Monday, Osinbajo in an early morning broadcast on Channels Television revealed that he will be contesting for the exalted position on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

It's been widely rumoured for months that the VP was harbouring ambitions to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

During his Declaration speech closely monitored by POLITICS NIGERIA, the VP made 10 significant promises to Nigerians if given the opportunity to rule the country.

They are;

1. EXCELLENT BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT: "Providing an excellent environment for businesses to thrive"

2. AGRICULTURE: "Taking the agriculture revolution to the next level especially mechanization and developing the farm to table value chain."

3. REGULATIONS: "Making sure that the government, its agencies and regulators serve the business community"

4. TECHNOLOGY: "creating a tech economy that will provide jobs for millions"

5. SIP: "Enhancing our Social Investment Programme to a full scale social welfare scheme"

6. POVERTY: "Completing the promise of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within this decade"

7. EDUCATION: "Completing the task of ensuring that all Nigerians, male and female, attend school and reforming our educational system for relevance to the challenges of this century"

8. HEALTH: "Completing the task of universal health coverage for all"

9. GOVERNANCE: "Strengthening the capacity of States and Local Governments to deliver on their respective mandates."

10. ETHNICITY: "Let us build a Nigeria where the man from Nnewi sees the man in Gusau as his brother, where the woman in Warri sees the woman in Jalingo as her sister, where the love of our nation burns alike in the hearts of boys and girls from Gboko to Yenogoa. Where everywhere in this land is home for everyone , where our diversities, tribes and faiths unite, rather than divide us."

"Let our tribes become one tribe; the Nigerian tribe, where all are treated fairly, justly and with respect."

Former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has kicked against a move by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to coerce ex-leaders of the country into issuing a joint statement condemning President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance in the area of insecurity, this newspaper has reliably gathered.

Obasanjo ruled Nigeria as a civilian president for two terms, between May 29, 1999 and May 29, 2007. This is in addition to the time spent as a military ruler from 1976 to 1979. According to sources in the Villa, Obasanjo has been reaching out to former heads of state and Presidents asking for their support to discredit the Buhari-led administration.

Amongst those contacted by the former President are General Abdulsalam, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Yakubu Gowon

Obasanjo reportedly said the insecurity in the country has reached a tipping point that demands a joint statement from the ex-officio.

He also cited the train attack that led to the death and abduction of some passengers along the Abuja/Kaduna railway which has sparked varying reactions.

While this newspaper cannot confirm the reaction of all the leaders contacted, multiple sources in the Presidency stated that Gowon condemned the move vehemently, noting it was a political attempt to heat the polity ahead of 2023 general elections.

Gowon, who took over power after two coup d’etats in 1966 and was overthrown in 1975, is famed for presiding over the controversial Nigerian Civil War and delivery of the famous “no victor, no vanquished” speech.

The retired General, however, rejected Obasanjo’s plot, stating that former Presidents including himself have channels through which they communicate with the Presidency.

Another source confirmed that one particular liaison channel is under the office of Secretary General of the Federation (SGF) currently headed by Boss Mustapha.

Also in his response, this paper learnt that Gowon pointed out the fact that every successive administration in the country has had a fair share of the insecurity that has plagued the nation for years, adding that it will be unfair to heap the blame on the Buhari-led administration.

It however remains unclear if Obasanjo has decided to jettison the plan or proceed despite Gowon’s disapproval.

It should be noted that former President Obasanjo has come to be known to write letters to incumbent presidents who occupied office after him.

He has written three letters to President Muhammadu Buhari since his assumption of office as a civilian president.

The first was in January 2018. In a 13-page statement titled; “The way out, a clarion call for coalition for Nigeria movement”, Obasanjo asked Buhari not to listen to the advisers around him who are urging him to seek re-election.

Obasanjo also blamed the incumbent for his handling of the herdsmen crisis in the north of Nigeria.

The second letter to Buhari was in January 2019, in which Obasanjo commented on different political issues including the Osun state Governorship and the removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.

“President Buhari and his hatchet men in the coming election think that the judiciary must be primed in their favour.”

“Hence, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, has been harassed and prosecuted for non-declaration of his assets without following the Constitution and the law, just to make him conform or set him aside for a Buhari man to take over or act, as President Buhari and his people believe no stone should be left unturned to rig Buhari in,” the former President wrote.

However, in the third letter to Buhari published in July, 2019, Obasanjo advised President Buhari to immediately address the increasing cases of insecurity in Nigeria to prevent it from escalating into a full-blown war.

A drone footage of some armed Individuals in a forest alleged to be Bandits went viral on Social Media earlier this week.

The footage, said to be of bandits enjoying themselves in a forest in Northern Nigeria, was massively distributed across different online platforms in the wake of a Deadly train attack in Kaduna.

The led to massive criticisms of the Federal Government and it's efforts to tackle Insecurity in the region.

However, in our pursuit for truth, POLITICS NIGERIA launched an investigation into the origin of the video and here is what we found.

CLAIM: The video was first appeared on Twitter via the handle of one Jackson Ude, a critic and publisher. The tweet which has now been deleted appeared on this link:

https://twitter.com/jacksonpbn/status/1511077203559206921

The video was also republished by AF News on its official handle;

https://twitter.com/AFNewsNG/status/1511214659856220161

It was also redistributed by lots of people on social media;

https://twitter.com/elenubabaMOUTH/status/1511149338365505542?s=20&t=CBpDnTKKuMZQtUVSBNhEzQ

VERIFICATION: Upon investigating the origins of this footage, this newspaper was able to discover that the footage was taken in Kenya.

The drone which belongs to the country's General Service Unit(GSU) captured armed cattle rustlers hiding in a thicket with stolen livestock. This was in a location called Pokot County.

The Bandits had been terrorising residents of the area and its neighbouring Lakipia, Baringo and Samburu counties. The criminals also attempted to shoot down the drone but were unsuccessful.

VERDICT: Claims/reports that the drone footage was taken in Nigeria are FALSE

Former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND, Asari Dokubo has ripped up the presidential ambition of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

Dokubo, in a recent Interview with Arise TV, criticized Wike's ambition, mocking him that he did not look or possess the trappings of a President.

POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that Governor Wike recently declared his intention to contest in the 2023 presidential election. He made this known in Markurdi during talks with Governor Samuel Ortom and other PDP stakeholders.

Speaking about Wike’s presidential ambition, Dokubo said; "It’s laughable that Wike wants to be President. Look at him, does he look like a president? Will Nigerians want a president like that?"

"He himself should know that it’s not possible, yes everybody is entitled to contest; it’s our PVCs and we are going to examine the person."

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mohammed Abdullahi as Nigeria's new Minister for Environment.

The President approved Abdullahi's appointment on Wednesday. A statement from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha confirmed the appointment.

Abdullahi was the minister of state for science, technology and innovation. The appointment takes effect immediately.

The statement read; "President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate re-deployment of Mohammed H. Abdullahi as the new Honourable Minister of Environment with effect from 6th April, 2022."

"Until his appointment, Mohammed H. Abdullahi was the Honourable Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation."

"The President hopes that he would bring his wealth of experience to bear on his new assignment for the growth of the country."

Popular Fuji Music star, Iyanda Isiaka Sawaba is dead, POLITICS NIGERIA has learned.

This newspaper gathered that Sawaba died at UCH, Ibadan, Oyo State after suffering a partial stroke. He was rushed to the hospital after collapsing on his way back from a party two weeks ago.

According to a reliable source, he has since been on oxygen at the Intensive Unit of UCH.

His death has sent shockwaves across the Fuji Music Industry. Born in Ghana on Sunday, 11 November, 1951, Sawaba hails from Ile Aperin in Orita- Aperin area of Ibadan, Oyo State. Southwest Nigeria.

Sawaba debuted with Omo Ewenla Tide’gbale from the stable of Olumo Records in 1974.

Sixty six years old Easy Sawaba held sway in the first half of the 1980s with his famous Pata-Olokun album.
Iyanda Sawaba as also fondly called has dropped more than twenty two albums including Suru, Igbo Odaju, Pata Olokun, Ayetoto and Oroseniwo among others from the stable of old Adetunji Records (Babalaje Records) owned by the present Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1.

He became more popular with his leading role among the then younger generation of Fuji musicians who supported the late Fuij icon, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister when the supremacy rivalry between the former and General Kollington Ayinla was red hot.

The National Drug law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has announced the arrest of a notorious powerful 'Drug Queen' in Taraba state.

In a statement sent to POLITICS NIGERIA signed by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that it had been on the trail of the criminal identified as Lami Mai Rigima since 2021.

The statement read in part; "A notorious queen of a drug cartel supplying psychoactive substances to traffickers in Taraba state, Lami Mai Rigima has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA months after being on their wanted list."

"The 40-year-old queen of the drug world came under the anti-narcotic agency’s searchlight when a number of traffickers arrested in the state in 2021 and early this year fingered her as their supplier."

"The manhunt for Lami paid off on Monday 4th April when operatives tracked her to her hideout in Iware village in Ardo Kola local government area of Taraba."

"The search for Lami began in October 2021 following the arrest, prosecution and conviction of a drug dealer, Abdullahi Madaki, 50."

"After serving his brief jail sentence, Madaki returned to the illicit trade with Lami still as his supplier. He was however rearrested on 13th February 2022 while another trafficker, Jamilu Hassan, 20, who is also a member of Lami’s supply chain, was nabbed on 24th Feb."

A former leader of the the Movement for the Emnacipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Asari Dokubo has captured a notorious commander of the Eastern Security Network, ESN.

Dokubo, in a statement on his facebook profile(Cibi Dabo) on Wednesday, mocked the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and its ESN arm, announcing that he had captured on of their commanders and he was 'talking like a parrot.'

POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that Dokubo has been in a running battle with IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu over their activities in the South-East.

He has constantly derided the group stating that it was one of the 'worst' things to happen to the region.

He has threatened to kill any ESN/IPOB member that dares him and also once threatened to kill Kanu with his bare hands anytime he appears in court.

Prior to this, the Nigerian Police had announced the capture of this same ESN commander who was simply identified as 'Onye Army'. Efforts to reach Dokubo for an explanation on how 'Onye army' came to be in his custody proved abortive.

A Ex-minister of Interior and a former Director General of Nigeria's secret police, Department of State Security (DSS) have been implicated in a criminal conspiracy aimed at defrauding ambitious politicians with promises of influencing the 2023 elections, POLITICS NIGERIA can exclusively report.

Impeccable sources in the Presidency revealed that reports of how the two officials have weaponised their former roles in government to scam unsuspecting politicians have gotten to President Muhammadu Buhari.

It was gathered that although the President is yet to take a decisive action against the duo, preliminary investigations have implicated them.

The Ex-minister who is also a former COAS and hails from one of the North-Western states alongside the Ex-Spy Chief also from the North-West, target political figures in the southern parts of the country. Explaining their gimmicks, a source said they would promise political figures that they can wield their relationship with President Buhari to favour their candidacy.

The unsuspecting victims, who bank on the lofty promises, end up parting with millions of Naira in form of campaign funds and lobby fees.

It was gathered that one of the Governors in the oil-rich Niger Delta fell for the same scam after they promised to help him clinch the Presidential ticket of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC). By the time this Governor, whose names are withheld to protect our sources, became aware that the duo had been peddling the same fake promises everywhere, he had been duped of millions.

Meanwhile, multiple sources linked the Two former officials to a viral campaign to position the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, for the Presidential seat even though the CBN Governor had denied interest in the race.

Some news platforms reported that Emefiele had bought “three airplanes” for his presidential campaign, and that he had also been asked to resign from his position.

But the CBN governor, who opened a Twitter account on recently, denied the claim.

“Fake news,” he tweeted in response to the report. However, despite the denial, this newspaper can confirm that campaign posters of the CBN Governor have flooded major spots in Lagos and Abuja.

Nevertheless, as the 2023 contest draws near, the two biggest parties — APC and PDP have yet to conduct the primary elections that would produce their flag bearers.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was in Minna, Niger State, on Monday on a visit to former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and former head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar.

POLITICS NIGERIA learned that he was accompanied by Governors Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and former Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State.

It can be recalled that Wike declared his intention to contest for President in 2023 a few days back adding that he alone can take Power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, and Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu spoke to journalists after the meeting. Dr. Ikpeazu said the delegation was in Minna to consult with the former Head of State in the build up to the 2023 general election.

"I have come with my colleagues, the Governor of Rivers, Governor of Enugu, Governor of Oyo, some members of the National Assembly and other stakeholders.

"First, to consult with the former Head of State and discuss national issues: economic development, security, and unity of our country.

"And also, to commend him for his support for the unity of this country. And the discussions went very well and we will advance it from there."

On what response they got from General Babangida (rtd), the Abia State Governor said the former military president expressed strong concerns about the need for younger Nigerians to be courageous in taking up the challenge of providing leadership to the country.

"He expressed concerns and said that he expects the younger generation to take up the gauntlet and rescue Nigeria."

Photos below;

Foremost Columnist, Farooq Kperogi has revealed why Sheikh Nuru Khalid was sacked by Apo Legislators’ Quarters Central Mosque Committee. Kperogi disclosed that the move was closely related to the 2023 Presidential Elections.

Below is a full statement from Kperogi, made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Monday about the incident;

"Someone sent me this memo that the Apo Legislators’ Quarters Central Mosque Committee sent to the intrepid Sheikh Nuru Khalid informing him of the termination of his appointment as Imam of the Apo Juma'at Mosque for telling truth to power."

"The person who shared it with me was at once bemused and amused by its hilarious grammatical infelicities, but I honestly don’t care about that. As a student of Freudian psychoanalysis, I’m always interested in exploring the underlying motives that “innocent” mistakes reveal."

"The first sentence of the memo says the Sheikh had been disengaged “today the 4th day of April 2023.” We all know today is the 4th day of April 2022. The committee obviously meant to write “2022” but wrote “2023” in error."

"Sigmund Freud taught that some slip-ups in speech (and in writing) can provide a window into people’s unconscious, suppressed but nonetheless important thought-processes.The slip-ups unintentionally expose what troubles them, what they’re obsessed with but which they seek to suppress from their conscious thoughts."

"Adams Oshiomhole, for example, infamously said for democracy to thrive people must learn to accept the “pain of rigging” (before correcting his slip-up and saying “losing”) shortly after engineering the massive rigging of the governorship election in Osun State, which Buhari also confessed was won through “remote control.”

"Recall that the stickiest part of the Sheikh’s khutbah (sermon) was his exhortation that people should not come out to vote in 2023 if politicians won't or don’t make a commitment to protect the lives of everyday people who’re sitting ducks for terrorist bandits. “Let us be killed—we’ll not come out to vote since it’s only elections you people know,” he said.

"The “4th April 2023” slip-up betrays the committee members’ obsession (a word the memo inappropriately used in the first sentence of the last paragraph) with the 2023 election."

"But the fact that they’re frightened by the Sheikh’s threat that people won’t vote if there’s no guarantee that the killings will stop shows that they have no plans now or in the future to protect the lives of our people, which is actually a constitutional obligation they swore to uphold."

"Well, let’s keep the receipts for what they’re doing now because when the tables turn, i.e., when a Christian from the South becomes president, and they instrumentalize religion to oppose him or her, as they did in the past, we’ll remind them of this moment.We’ll remind them that they don’t love Islam, that they’re bloodthirsty, self-interested opportunists."

The chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Juma’at Mosque in Abuja, Sheikh Nuru Khalid, has been sacked by the mosque’s steering committee for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari over the last Monday night’s attack on an Abuja-Kaduna train.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the Imam, in his Friday sermon, had criticised President Buhari for failure to visit Kaduna over the terrorist attack, saying mere condemnation wasn’t enough.

He argued that the president was in Kaduna for campaigns but refused to visit the state after the bomb attack on the passenger train.

Initially, Sheikh Khalid was suspended. But on Monday afternoon, mosque’s steering committee declared him sacked. They ascribed their latest decision to him not showing remorse.

The development was also confirmed by BBC hausa Journalist, AbdulBaki Aliyu Jari. He tweeted; "The management of Apo Legislative Quarters Central Mosque have disengaged Sheikh Nuru Khalid from his position of Imam."

This newspaper also learned that Khalid has been banned from preaching in the mosque. The chairman of the committee, Senator Sa'idu Dansadau added that they fired Nuru Khalid altogether because he refused to show remorse after he was suspended.

A Coalition of Arewa Civil Soceity Groups has warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Nigerians to be wary of the presidential aspiration of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The coalition alleged that Osinbajo is seeking to become President in 2023 because he is seeking immunity from prosecution. During a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the convener of the group, Comrade Musa Attah, alleged that the vice-president mismanaged funds under his control and office.

"The leadership of the Coalition of Arewa Civil Society Groups welcomes you all to this significant press conference, which has become a child of necessity, given the recent clamour for the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, to vie for the highest political office in the country."

"As a group representing a vast interest of critical stakeholders in northern Nigeria, and some other parts of the country, we are constrained to lend our voice to an ambition we consider misplaced and against the interest of the generality of Nigerians, in our quest for sustainable growth and development."

"The presidential aspiration of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo does not suit the purpose, given his track record in the mismanagement of the various Social Intervention Programmes of the Federal Government hitherto domiciled in his office, before the creation of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development."

"It is instructive to ask questions about how Vice President Yemi Osinbajo managed the National Social Investments Programmes (NSIP), intended to tackle poverty and hunger across the country. For the records, the suite of programmes under the NSIP focuses on ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations, including children, youth and women, under the supervision of the Office of the Vice President."

"The N-Power Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, the Home Grown School Feeding Programme and the Tradermoni Empowerment Scheme, were all intended to bring succour to the vulnerable groups in the country."

"Therefore, it is curious how such laudable initiatives were mismanaged by the Office of the Vice President, which warranted the President to create a new ministry and transfer the responsibility of managing these programmes to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development."

"What Nigerians might be aware of is that, under the supervision of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the National Social Intervention Programmes became an avenue for corrupt enrichment by the Vice President and his cronies. They diverted funds meant for the vulnerable groups to private pockets."

"The heist committed by the Vice President and his cronies in implementing the programmes is quite despicable and a shame, given the multitude of evidence pointing to gross mismanagement and abuse of office. Therefore, it is unimaginable for the Vice President to indicate interest to rule this country. The implication of a Yemi Osinbajo's presidency in Nigeria is that the country's resources would be diverted to private pockets most brazenly, as we saw in the NSIP."

"It, therefore, amounts to an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians for Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, to want to lead Nigeria. He lacks morals and uprightness, as evident in his corrupt tendencies and lack of sincerity of heart and purpose."

"At this point, we are tempted to state in unequivocal terms that the attempt by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to seek the highest political office in the county is an attempt to shield himself from the probe after the expiration of his immunity.”

An Appeal Court in Enugu has dismissed a suit against Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and his Deputy Dr. Kelechi Igwe, seeking their removal from office for defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The suit was filed by Senator Soni Ogbuoji and his Deputy, Justin Mbam, candidates of the APC in the 2019 Guber Elections.

POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported that an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo had sacked Umahi, Igwe and 17 lawmakers in the state for defecting from PDP to the APC.

However, on Tuesday, February 28, 2022, a High Court sitting in Abakaliki struck out the same suit

On Friday, Justice A.O Belgore dismissed the suit for being inconsistent with the constitution and extant laws of the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Peter Afunanya(Phd) as a board member of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC.

Afunanya is to represent the Department of State Services, DSS on the NBC Board whose other members were inaugurated today by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed.

The ceremony took place at the Obasanjo Hall, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja.

Afunanya holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English obtained from the Abia State University(ABSU), a Masters degree in English from the University of Uyo, a Masters Degree in Peace and Strategic Studies from the University of Ilorin and a PhD in Security and Strategic Studies from Nassarawa State University, Keffi.

He has attended courses in Innovation and Strategy at Harvard University, Security Co-ordination and Management in London amongst other local and international training programmes.

He also possesses many laurels and awards such as the President's NYSC National Honours Award for Outstanding Performance during the 1998/99 national service year, DGSS Meritorious Award 2021 amongst others.

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NiCarb), the National Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM); the Society for Peace Scholars and Practice (SPSP); the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) and the Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security (NIIS).

He is also a member of the Nigerian Red Cross (NRC), a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration (ICA) and a Fellow of the Security Institute (fsi). He currently serves as the Head of Public Relations for the DSS.

Ex-Kogi West Senator, Dino Jonah Melaye has hit President Muhammadu Buhari hard over the recent spate of insecurity in the country.

Melaye, in a statement on Wednesday, 30th of March, attacked the President describing him as 'Incompetent' and one who commands 'nothing'.

The statement seen by POLITICS NIGERIA, read; "I write this text with tears in my eyes. I didn’t know a day will come when my beloved country will be a valley of the shadow of death. A country where we now live with perpetual fear of been attacked anytime, any day and anywhere, no place is safe."

"People are killed on daily basis, carcases littered on the street like that of a chicken. We can no longer travel to any part of this country with the hope of arriving safely. We have been sentenced to death, attack and kidnapping for the offence of being a citizen of Nigerian under this government. Not a single day has passed without hearing unprecedented wave of different but overlapping security crises from kidnapping to extremist insurgencies. Every corner of the country has been hit by violence and crime."

"Just this week, we lost promising Nigerian youths at the Abuja – Kaduna train attack by bandits; and what was their offence, just being a citizen of Nigerian under this Government that has failed its citizens. According to Global Conflict Tracker Report, over 350,000 lives have been lost to insurgency in Nigeria since 2015. "

"One of the primary responsibilities of the government is the protection of lives and properties of its citizens according to the 1999 Constitution as amended. Section 14(2)(b) 1999 Constitution as amended provide thus: “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”. But this government has woefully failed us. This government failed Dr. Chinelo Megafu Chinelo, Amin Mahmoud, Barr. Musa Lawal-Ozigi and many others who have died as a result of insurgency."

"The question I will continue to ask is this, where did we get it wrong? Do we still have a President in this country? Yes, but an incompetent one. A President who calls himself the commander-in-chief of armed forces, but commands nothing. A President who is insensitive and thoughtless to the plight of his citizens. A President who does not care about the survival of his citizens neither does he value their lives. A President who is not even ‘aware’ of what is going on in his country."

"Mr. President, you will definitely be remembered when you leave office come 2023 but as a President who could not do anything when his citizens were been killed like chickens. A President who could not do anything when armed bandits, kidnappers, unknown gunmen and boko haram were having a field day killing, maiming, destroying private and public property and dispossessing people."

"Finally, Mr. President, the scale of the insecurity in this country has threaten the very fabric of Nigerian society. With every attack, human lives are lost or permanently damaged and our faith in democracy and the country is diminishing. Mr. President when you were elected in 2015, you promised to protect citizens from terrorists and criminals. But just less than one year left in your final term in office, the country is more unstable than it’s been in decades. Mr. President, please do something. IN AN UNJUST SOCIETY, SILENCE IS A CRIME."

Some Nigerian deposit money banks lost a total of N1.77bn to fraudulent activities involving the banks’ employees and consumers in 2021.

This was contained in the 2021 financial statements of the banks. The banks include Access Bank Plc, First Monument City Bank and Wema Bank etc.

According to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, NIBSS, a company responsible for interbank transactions in the country, "the increase in transaction processing, speed and available channels comes with an unavoidable side effect– more vectors for fraudulent activities."

The company revealed that  fraud-related transactions cost Nigerian banks an average loss of N14bn yearly.

Financial statements reveal that WEMA incurred the biggest losses as a result of fraud within the period under review, as they lost N670.73 million. For Wema Bank, the cost of fraud rose by N27.46m, year on year, as the loss incurred in 2020 was N643.277m.

Access Bank lost N502m to fraud in 2021, third parties lost about N1.98bn. The bank revealed that it recorded a total of 17,697 cases of fraud in 2021, majorly comprising Electronic Fraud/USSD (17,911), Cash Theft/ Suppression/Pilferage/Dry posting (33), Fraudulent Transfer/Withdrawals/Reactivation of account (16), and Armed Robbery (6).

During the review period, FCMB’s losses as a result of fraud climbed from N59.03m to N89.8m.

The choice of consensus candidates ahead of the national convention of the All Progressives Congress has been met with defiance by some aspirants and political gladiators, POLITICS NIGERIA exclusively reports.

This medium had earlier reported President Muhammadu Buhari's last-minute directive, where he ordered APC Governors to come up with a "unity list" of the candidates for all positions ahead of the convention.

The President maintained that all persons seeking office into the National Working Committee should emerge through consensus.

"Your Excellencies. With the convention only two days away I implore you to come together and sort out all the remaining party positions so that within the next 24 hours we can arrive at a unity list which we can take to the convention," Buhari said this during a meeting with APC governors in Abuja on Wednesday.

POLITICS NIGERIA learnt that of the seven chairmanship aspirants who have submitted their forms at the party secretariat, former Nasarawa Governor, Abdullahi Adamu, was the President’s choice.

According to multiple sources, privy to the outcome of the meeting to draft the unity list on Thursday, some Governors and aspirants kicked against the emergence of Adamu.

Our source, who refused that his name be printed for security reasons, said one of the Governors, Ekiti state's Kayode Fayemi, opposed Adamu's candidacy.

"Fayemi said Adamu, who is 75 years old, cannot steer the affairs of the party well. He said the younger generation of the party are not in support of Adamu. The former Governor then mulled support for Senator Sani Musa from Niger state," our source said.

It was also gathered that while other aspirants are already making moves to step down, another former Governor of Nasarawa, Tanko Al-makura, has remained opposed to the emergence of Adamu as a consensus candidate.

"Al-Makura is the only one left doing strong head. He said he won't allow an Adamu Chairmanship. The meeting yesterday did not end well," said an aide to one of the Chairmanship aspirants.

When POLITICS NIGERIA contacted John Akpanudoedehe, the National Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), for reaction, he did not pick telephone calls or texts put across.

Likewise, the aides of Messrs Fayemi and Al-Makura did not return POLITICS NIGERIA's calls on Friday.

Nevertheless, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, has assured that the unity list will be ready before Saturday's showdown. Addressing journalists on Thursday, Mr Lawan said that with several meetings going on, the party would have achieved consensus in selecting and electing the officers for the party.

“The essence of these engagements is for the party to achieve consensus, and consensus is a process. It doesn’t just happen like that.

“So I believe that before we go into the convention square on Saturday, we would have a lot of consensus reached and maybe the sort of document that we call or refer to as “unity list’ that is bringing all the agreed positions where consensus has been achieved in the various sections or geopolitical zones of the country."

The Governor of Imo state, Hope Uzodinma has appealed to those causing insecurity in the South-East region to sheath their swords and stop the killings, POLITICS NIGERIA has learned.

Uzodinma made the plea after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari earlier this week.

The president summoned Uzodinma over the rising insecurity in the region especially in Imo following the bombing of a house belonging to Ohanaeze Ndigbo leader, Prof. George Obiozor.

Speaking to BBC Igbo, Uzodinma pleaded with the 'Unknown Gunmen' to stop all the killings.

"The president told me to come and brief him on all that was happening in not just Imo state but the entire Igbo land. We discussed on actions to take to make the region better which is why i am pleading with my brothers and sisters, all our young men and women because i found out that there are some of them who don't understand what we are doing."

Those who believe in tying charms around their waists and doing whatever they like, attacking police stations and killing people, I am pleading with you to stop."

"I am appealing to them to stop the bloodshed and have the fear of God."

"I pleaded with the President to help me and he said he would".

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has meted out punishment on one of its officers responsible for recording and leaking a video of Ex-Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano in custody.

Obiano trended on social media on Sunday after a video footage of him clad in shirts and shorts in an EFCC detention facility emerged online.

Below is a statement from the commission sent to POLITICS NIGERIA on Monday, signed by its head of media and publicity, Wilson Uwujaren.

"The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a trending video showing the former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano in the custody of the Commission."

"The Commission wishes to distance itself from the said video which is completely at variance with the established Standard Operating Procedure of the EFCC."

"A discreet investigation ordered upon discovery of the leak has revealed the errant officer behind the odious act and he is currently being subjected to appropriate disciplinary action."

A fight broke out at the venue of the swearing-in ceremony of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo on Thursday morning when Iyom Bianca Odimegwu Ojukwu slapped the immediate past First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano.

POLITICS NIGERIA learned that the scuffle happened when Mrs Obiano who arrived at the occasion, and was moving round to greet the dignitaries. Getting to where Bianca sat, she reportedly said. "Bianca so you are here, I thought you said you will never attend any APGA event again."

Ojukwu's wife who was provoked by the remark stood up furiously and slapped her. The crowd can be heard shouting once Bianca landed the Slap.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud6gpEe6tYk

Senators on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC have declared support for the 2023 presidential ambition of Bola Ahmed Tinubu alias Jagaban Borgu.

POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported that Tinubu met with APC senators at the National Assembly on Wednesday afternoon around 2 pm. He was promptly welcomed and ushered into the senate conference room.

Speaking the meeting, Tinubu appealed to them to look into his background and competence as a leader and consider him to replace President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: "I seek your partnership in my quest to become the Presidential Candidate of our party and to win the general elections in February 2023 for all APC candidates."

"This is not about gaining power. It is about securing good government for the nation. Together, the executive and legislative branches of this democratic tree must strive to cultivate and bring forth good fruit for the welfare of the people.".

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, who spoke on behalf of the senators expressed support for Tinubu. In his words: "Your Excellency, once again, all of us wish you well, wish you the best of luck, wish you success in this and in the affair of fighting for APC, to continue to be the ruling party in Nigeria, and justifiably so, Your Excellency, we are with you."

The national leader of the All progressives Congress, APC is currently in the National Assembly to meet with Senators on the platform of the party.

POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported that Tinubu would be meeting the senators to discuss about his 2023 presidential ambition.

This newspaper learnt that the South-West political strongman was also in the company of his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. He is to meet with the senators in the in the upper legislative Chamber.

Tinubu was heard saying to the Senators: "I told Mr President that my ambition is not blind to the extent that I will step on his toes. I just want to step into his shoes and not on his toes. - Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to APC Senators."

"I came for your counsel, partnership and support. I believe that you can back me for my life time ambition."

"I want to beg you to look at my capacity and my experience. I am perhaps the only one who has been in the Senate, who has been a governor and aspiring to become President."

Ijaw communities under the auspices of the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in Niger Delta (MOSIEND) have urged the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, to account for the N800billion that accrued to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), between 2020 and 2021.

MOSIEND, in a communiqué after its national executive meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, lamented that there was nothing on ground in the Niger Delta to show that such money was received by the NDDC.

The communiqué, signed by MOSIEND’s spokesman, Charles Omusuku, accused Akpabio of manipulating the Presidency to have his ways in the region and the NDDC. It is on record that NDDC has received well over N799billion between 2020 and 2021 and nothing tangible can be seen in the region in the name of development,” the document said.

The group said the Federal Government should take responsibility for the increasing oil bunkering in the region because it reneged on its promise to liberalise the award of modular refineries, to encourage local participation and youth employment.

Also the group through its President, Kennedy Tonjo West, called on the federal government to scrape the ministry. He made the call while speaking on a radio programme monitored in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

He also accused the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of playing politics with the development of the region, through the ministry.

He said: "We want the Ministry of Niger Delta to be scrapped. NDDC is a stakeholders’ driven institution. It is a democratic representation of the people of Niger Delta."

"Therefore, checks and balances and monitoring will be very effective. There is the need to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta and leave NDDC to function optimally.", he said.

A motion filed by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, for the Director-General of the Department of States Services (DSS) to give oral evidence on his state of health has been rejected by a Federal high Court.

On Wednesday Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in ruling, held that fundamental rights cases are special cases “sui generis” which mode of commencement are affidavit evidence as prescribed under Order 2, Rule 2 of the Fundamental Human Right Enforcement Procedure Rules, 2009.

The Justice said that though there were various modes of commencement of action, including fundamental right cases, he said Kanu (applicant) chose to commence his “under the Fundamental Right Enforcement Procedure Rules that stipulates affidavit evidence.”

He ruled that after carefully perusing all the affidavits of the applicant and the respondents before him, he was of the view that there was no irreconcilable conflicts in the affidavits.

The judge, therefore, declined to grant Kanu’s application and was accordingly dismissed.

Kanu's Lawyer, Maxwell Opara had in the application, prayed the court to direct the DSS DG and the IPOB leader to appear before it to give oral evidence regarding the health condition of the latter.

Kanu, through his lawyer, had, in a fundamental rights enforcement suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1585/2021, sued the DG of DSS and the office as 1st and 2nd respondents respectively. He also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as 3rd respondent in the suit dated and filed Dec. 13, 2021.

Opara had alleged that the health of his client was deteriorating in the DSS custody, among others.

However, the DSS, through its counsel, Idowu Awo, disagreed with Opara. He argued that while the judge had powers to call oral evidence of parties, Kanu’s lawyer had not shown how the doctors attending to his client were doing “quack” work.

He further argued that merely stating that the medical doctors his office assigned to attend to Kanu were quacks did not amount to conflict.

“It is important to note that the applicant has not denied the above assertion by the respondents neither has he shown by material particulars that the listed medical practitioners are quacks.

“The onus lies on the applicant via a further affidavit,” he said.

He prayed the court to discountenance the application. Taiwo adjourned the matter until April 13 for the hearing of the substantive application.

Embattled Police Chief, Abba Kyari has claimed that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has been assisting drug dealers to bring in Cocaine into Nigeria.

This newspaper earlier reported that Kyari and four other police officers under the IRT were arrested in February for attempting to bribe an NDLEA officer with $61,000 to facilitate the release of seized cocaine.

POLITICS NIGERIA learned that Kyari made the claim in a N500 million fundamental right enforcement suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/182/22.

The disgraced police officer accused the anti-drug agency of assisting drug peddlers to ship in Cocaine into the country. He also stated that he was ‘framed’ by a disgruntled officer of the agency after he went to demand compensation for the whistleblower that gave information that led to the arrest of a suspect.

An affidavit filed by Kyari’s brother, One Mamman Nur, rehashed the claim stating that drugs were being shipped in from Ethiopia with the ‘knowledge of NDLEA officers’.

Narrating the entire situation in the suit, Kyari stated; “That on that fateful day, the suspect as usual shipped drugs (cocaine) from Ethiopia to Enugu Airport. The officer of NDLEA cleared him within the airport, then officer of FIB-IRT arrested the suspect with the help of an information.”

“That before the informant accepted to work with the officers of FIB-IRT, they both had an agreement to compensate the informant.”

“That officers of FIB-IRT, having noticed that officers of NDLEA were the ones clearing the said suspect with his drugs (cocaine), they immediately took the suspect to NDLEA and also reported those officers involved in the act.”

“That instead of the NDLEA to handle the matter accordingly and bring their officers involved to book, they decided to frustrate the informant, thereby refusing to compensate the informant.”

“That it was at this juncture that the attention of the DCP Abba Kyari was called, who because the NDLEA officer involved is his friend, decided to intervene for the purpose of compensating the Informant.”

“That the NDLEA officer who refused to compensate the informant was the one who framed DCP Abba Kyari up on a trump-up allegation that he was trying to bribe him.”

“That the agent of the Respondent declared the Applicant wanted because of a mere allegation that he was trying to bribe an NDLEA officer without sufficient proof.”

“That the Nigerian Police Force, based on the allegation of the Respondent arrested the Applicant on February 12, 2022, and handed over to the NDLEA.”

Kyari’s bail hearing comes up on March 28th at a federal high court in Abuja.

Nigeria's largest Opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is set to resolve all the crises and quarrels amongst its members.

POLITICS NIGERIA learned that the party's bigwigs held a major meeting on Monday night in Abuja to discuss and resolve serious issues within its ranks.

It can be recalled that the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike and Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki are currently at loggerheads over the former's comments on Mr. Phillip Shuaibu, the deputy governor of Edo state.

Former Vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Ex-Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Wike, Gov. Bala Mohammed, Emeka Ihedioha, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Ex-Gov Olusegun Mimiko, National chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu amongst many others were all Present at the meeting.

Sources disclosed to this newspaper that the meeting was also centered on strategies to strengthen Synergy within party. The party also resolved to postpone its National Executive Committee meeting which was scheduled for today.

National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba made this known to newsmen at the end of the meeting.

"The National Caucus meeting is adjourned to continue on Wednesday. The Board of Trustees (BoT) Meeting and NEC meeting will now be held on Wednesday, March 16."

The detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has engaged the services of a popular lawyer, Chukwuma Machukwu Umeh (SAN), to strengthen his defence team.

Kanu is being tried by the Nigerian Government on charges of Terrorism, Treasonable Felony amongst other crimes.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the addition of Umeh was disclosed by one of Kanu's lawyers, Aloy Ejimakor, on Monday evening.

"Just exited from a groundbreaking visitation with Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. It was groundbreaking because we covered many new grounds, including the addition of Chukwuma Machukwu Umeh (SAN) to the Legal Team. Onyendu sends his love and felicitation to all his true followers," Ejimakor wrote on his known social media pages.

IPOB, founded by Kanu in 2012, is pressing for the secession of the South-East from Nigeria.

Nigerian authorities consider the group as a terrorist organisation. An attempt by the Igbos to secede as the Republic of Biafra in 1967 triggered a three-year civil war that killed more than 1 million people. The agitation has not stopped.