₦airaland Forum

The Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki has reacted to the recent crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

It's no longer news that Wike, last week, launched a scathing attack on the Deputy Governor of Edo state, Philip Shuaibu over an alleged 'threat' he made to the party leadership.

However, in a newspaper advertorial on Monday, Obaseki fired Wike, stating that he won't threaten or cajole Edo state to support his 2023 Presidential Ambition.

The advertorial seen by POLITICS NIGERIA read; "The recent personal attacks by His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Nyesom Wike, against my Deputy Governor. Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu is, to say the least, most unfortunate and totally uncalled for."

"If Governor Wike was one who is wont to show respect and courtesy to his colleague-governors, he would have ordinarily reached out to me to express his concerns about the views made by my deputy governor, rather than embarking on this unwarranted public onslaught."

"My deputy governor was a former National President of the National Association of Nigerian Student (NANS) and his comment is representative of the essence of the nation’s youth population, who are inclined to openly speak up and question the status quo. If Governor Wike cannot understand and adequately respond to the style and character of the Nigerian youth, how can he aspire to lead them?"

"His Excellency, Governor Wike should have taken a cue from the manner in which the National Chairman of our party, Sen. Dr. lyorchia Ayu, responded to my deputy’s remarks, as a conscientious leader who is able to show empathy and consideration."

"The concerns expressed by my deputy governor bordered on pertinent issues affecting the PDP in Edo State which since the September 19th 2020 elections, has been able to register over 500,000 members; and till date, these new members have not been properly integrated into our party after two years."

"On September 16, 2018, Governor Wike threatened the party that there would be grave consequences if it moved the National Convention from Port Harcourt in the run up to the 2019 presidential election."

"On September 12, 2019, Governor Wike also threatened to cause trouble for the party over the emergence of Hon. Ndudi Elumelu as the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives."

"Undoubtedly, Governor Wike has contributed to the advancement of the party, just like others, since 1999.No one is against his desire to run for president, however, his ambition should not be embarked on in such a way that it would cause disruption at different levels, such as the PDP Governors’ Forum as well as different chapters of the party across the country."

"It clearly amounts to delusion of grandeur, for any one man to nurse the idea that he owns or has more stake in the PDP and everyone should pander to him."

"We are all equal stakeholders in the party and an aggregate of the ideas, opinions and contributions of all leaders and members should form the position of the party and not the view of one individual or a select few."

"While Governor Wike is free to use his resources as he deems fit in pursuit of his ambition, he should not attempt to cow, intimidate, cajole and threaten others into doing his bidding. Edo State cannot and will not be procured for anyone's personal ambition."

"What Nigeria needs now are strong democratic institutions and not strong men; that is why we will join the great leaders of our party across the country to build PDP into a strong, large and indomitable party that will win next year's presidential election."

"Governor Wike and his collaborators headed by Chief Dan Orbih in Edo State will not succeed in destabilizing the PDP in Edo State as they did other states like Cross River just to secure delegates to actualize his alleged personal ambition to run for presidency in 2023. In Edo, we don’t accept political bullies and overlords and historically, we have demonstrated our capacity to unshackle ourselves and dethrone bullies and highhanded leaders."

"| appeal to all well-meaning leaders of our great party to call Governor Wike to order to desist from his current unguarded and disruptive tendencies. From all indications today, PDP is set to take over the leadership of Nigeria provided we can rein in the self interest of a few leaders to put the task of rescuing Nigeria above their personal ambitions."

In a twist of events, President Muhammadu Buhari has maintained that Yobe Governor, Mai Mala Buni, will lead the All Progressives Congress (APC) to her national convention slated for March 26, POLITICS NIGERIA can authoritatively report.

Two weeks ago, Niger state Governor, Sani Bello, took over affairs at the APC national headquarters, announcing himself as the replacement of Buni who had headed the Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), since 2020.

This unsettling development had caused rivalry amongst APC Governors and top stakeholders as many accused the Yobe Governor of plotting against the organisation of the convention and declared support for Bello.

But while some quarters had rejoiced about the supposed ousting of Buni, the National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected a letter inviting it to an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the governing party where Bello’s chairmanship is to be approved.

INEC, in a letter dated March 9, 2022, drew the attention of the CECPC that the letter of invitation was not signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of the CECPC, Buni and Dr John Akpanudoedehe, respectively.

This amongst other issues led some inner caucus in the Presidency to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently undergoing a medical routine checkup in the United Kingdom.

Led by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, the group of ministers including the ministers of Education and Aviation, Mallam Adamu Adamu and Hadi Sirika respectively, visited the President’s Lodge on Saturday.

It was at the meeting that President Buhari concluded that Governor Buni should be allowed to conduct the national convention as a face-saving measure.

Sources privy to the details of the meeting informed this newspaper that the President strongly denied endorsing former Nasarawa state Governor, Abdullahi Adamu, for the APC national Chairmanship office.

This newspaper learnt that while the discussion of the helmsman and his close confidants centred on the internal wrangling in the APC and the upcoming March 26 national convention, it also tilted towards who will succeed Adams Oshiomhole as the party Chairman amongst the contestants who have registered their interest.

"At first, it was about the INEC’s letters and the possibility of losing all elective seats to the opposition if nothing is done to avert the impending political doom. They also talked about the legal implication of the Senate's rejection of the Electoral law amendments. But along the line, the discourse of the Chairman that will lead the party to the 2023 polls came up," said a source who sought anonymity because he was not authorised to speak.

The source noted that the ministers specifically asked if President Muhammadu Buhari was truly supporting former Nasarawa Governor, Abdullahi Adamu, a speculation that hit the media space a few weeks ago. The President denied knowledge of such endorsement.

The ministers also raised serious concerns about the candidacy of Adamu, citing his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) background and labelling him a "stranger" who cannot be trusted.

Recall that Adamu was one of the founding members of the PDP, under which he won the Nasarawa State gubernatorial election in 1999 and re-election in 2003. It is also noteworthy that at the end of his two-term governorship, Adamu became Secretary, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party, thus making him a major decision maker.

One of the ministers added that it will be a major blow and act of betrayal against Senator Tanko Al-Makura who, despite overwhelming opposition, remained as a Governor under the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC).

"The minister warned them that the decision will plunge Nasarawa APC into crisis since the incumbent Governor has publicly endorsed Al-Makura," the source disclosed.

Meanwhile, the ministers concluded that it will be beneficial for the caucus to back a member of the now rested Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) from where the President joined the APC in 2014.

Idumuje-Ugboko is a sleepy, rustic but peaceful and idyllic town nestled in a heap of lush vegetation in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta state. The town is home to prominent Nigerians, and notable among them is Prince Chinedu Munir Nwoko, popularly known as Ned Nwoko, a businessman and politician. The quietude and sacrality of Idumuje-Ugboko was assaulted on May 25, 2017. In the dead of night, a group of violent men belched from the bowels of hades unleashed destruction and death on the elders and members of the community. By the time the hoodlums were done, they left tears, sorrow and blood.

And here is a prelude…

THE LAND-GRABBING HOAX AND TERRORISM CHARGE

Owing to the mayhem of May 2017 in Idumuje-Ugboko, some alleged prime actors, arsonists and assailants were arrested by the police and charged to court on the order of Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF). They were charge for terrorism and murder by the federal government – not over a land dispute. Among those arrested, according to court records, were Prince Chukwunonso Nwoko, who is contending for the throne of Idumuje-Ugboko; Okey Ifejoku, and about 25 alleged assailants.

The charge as filed by the federal government read: “That you, PRINCE CHUKWUNONSO NWOKO, DENNIS UWADIEGUM NWOKO, NDUDI CHIEJIUME, NWOCHIE AGILIGA LIGHT, RAYMOND OMESIETE, ADIM NWAFOR, OKEY IFEJOKU, AZUKA MUKOLU, EJIMOFE NWOKO, OMOYE ESONYE, AIKHOMO OMEZI of Idumuje-Ugboko Community, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State on or before the 18th to the 25th of May 2017 at Idumuje-Ugboko Community, Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired to commit Act of terrorism and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 17 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013”.

‘AUTHORITIES EXONERATE NED NWOKO OF LAND-GRABBING ALLEGATION’

According to Premium Times, ‘’a review of land documents and investigative reports by relevant authorities has confirmed that a former lawmaker, Ned Nwoko, duly acquired the land on which he is building a golf course and a university in his hometown in Delta State’’.

The acquisition of the 90 hectares of land in Idumuje-Ugboko by Prince Nwoko has been an immutable subject of controversy. But the palace and the local authorities all say Prince Nwoko followed due process to acquire the property.

For clarity, here is how Premium Times reported the matter:’’ Ned Nwoko was a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003. On March 16, 2015, he applied to the then king of the town, Albert Nwoko, for allocation of 90 hectares from the land set aside by the community for development projects. In the application he made through his company, Linas International Ltd, Ned Nwoko, who is also a member of the ruling family of the community, said he wanted to build a golf course on the land. He also requested another two miles by two miles parcel of land to build the permanent site of his private university. The former lawmaker has started developing the temporary site of the STAR University on a part of 33 hectares of land the community had earlier allocated to him in 2001 to start a dairy farm.

"In his response to the fresh application, through a letter addressed to Mr Nwoko and dated April 10, 2015, the king conveyed his approval of the application. In the letter titled ‘Request for Additional 90 Hectares of Land for Golf Course Development and Land for Sports University’, the king said “the town will go into partnership with your company by investing the capitalised value of the land at the appropriate rate in the golf course. The land for the university will be donated by the village.”

"Ned Nwoko then paid one million naira to the community to cover the administrative cost of land cutting and allocation, as confirmed by a handwritten receipt signed by the community secretary, Somanyina Nwoko, and dated June 2, 2015. He also compensated residents who were farming on the land before it was allocated to him by the community."

"This was followed on July 16, 2015, by a “Letter of Allocation” also signed by the community secretary. On July 8, 2015, Mr Nwoko through his said company applied to the Aniocha North Local Government for a Customary Right of Occupancy (CRO) for the 90 hectares of land. In line with the law, the local government council published a Public Notice on the application on December 14, 2015, seeking any objection that might discourage it from granting the CRO. Seven months later on July 20, 2016, the local government issued the CRO for the land through a letter addressed to Mr Nwoko."

"Chuks Oseme, the chairman of the local government at the time, said after Prince Chukwunonso and his camp raised objection over the allocation of the land to Mr Nwoko, he made a fact-finding visit to the late king.
“As a result of an objection, I decided to pay the Obi a visit for further clarification in which I discovered that Prince Ned’s claims were genuine in which the then Obi confirmed issuing the approval letter following the recommendation by the land allocation committee,” Mr Oseme said. “The Right of Occupancy was therefore issued with all the necessary procedures followed."

"Essentially, the crisis in Idumuje-Ugboko is more of a contention over kingship than a variance over land. Prince Nwoko is said to be backing Solomon Eziokwubundu Nwoko, the current Obi-designate, for the throne of the town. Obi Solomon is said to be favoured for the throne by all the three principal tiers of selectors --- the Umu-Nwoko Royal family, the kingmakers, and the Aniocha North Traditional Rulers Council. However, Prince Chukwunonso is making claim to the throne without relent. On February 24, 2022, a Delta State High Court in a suit between Chief Christopher Chukwuka Ogwu & 2 Ors and Chukwunonso Justin Oreze Nwoko, restrained Chukwunonso from ‘’performing or further performing the function(s) of the Obi/traditional ruler of Idumuje-Ugboko kingdom or allowing himself to be held out as such’’. This squabble over kingship snowballed into velitations over land – which naturally is not connected to the remote and the immediate cause of the current disputation."

"Kingship feud is the core of the Idumuje-Ugboko unease, and the noise over land is to get back at Ned Nwoko who is openly supporting one candidate for the stool over another."

MY TRIP TO IDUMUJE-UGBOKO

I took a trip to the locus in quo of the 2017 communal crisis in Delta state. My trip was nostalgic, travelling through forgotten but familiar paths in the south-south/south-east. From Asaba, I began my journey into the hinterland, traversing hamlets, red earth and fertile vegetation."

It took about 45 minutes for me to get to Idumuje-Ugboko, a town that became a news staple owing to that bedlam. The atmosphere was sullen and a cumulus of uncertainty hung in the air. It appeared the community was yet to heal from tragedy. Led by a guide, I visited the ravages and victims of the bloody incident. The victims, some of whom still nurse grave injuries and severe health complications, told me their story, demanding justice."

I will let them tell their stories here – in their own voice.

WHAT IDUMUJE-UGBOKO PEOPLE SAY

Peter Mbama (head of the vigilance committee):

"The whole mayhem started in my place. I was the first victim. The beating… they dragged me through the community in my sleeping garment. They visited all the vigilantes, collected our working tools with them. In that process, I was taken around the community naked. My place was looted. The house was vandalised. Every reasonable thing in the house was removed."

Faith Nwoko (Queen of Idumuje-Ugboko) (Wife of the late king Albert):

"In 2017, Nonso Nwoko and his guys came to my house to break my house. (I am the wife of the late Obi). They damaged my house, break my things and even seized my property. On January this year, Okey Ifejoku and one of my uncles, Nwike Ayanse came and drove me out of the house that I am living."

Chief Christopher Chukwuka Ogwu, Iyase of Idumeje-Ugboko (the traditional prime minister of the kingdom):

"Nobody expected it. Nobody worked for it. I was just in my house one morning. I had been to a neighbouring town bought a newspaper and I was just reading in front of my house when suddenly some youths just stormed into my house and the next thing I knew, they were accusing me of supporting Prince Ned Nwoko. We were trying to make an argument, they started beating me. They dragged me to the palace, then occupied by Obi Albert Nwoko, being managed by Prince Nonso who was then presiding over matters. They started beating me, beating me, beating me. I was hit with guns on my back, on my leg. You can see my leg; I'm using a crutch since 2017, from that event. Since then, it has not been easy for me personally or for the community as a whole because there has been no peace."

Gladys Koguonye (Woman leader, Idumuje-Ugboko):

‘’It is the saddest day in the history of Ugboko. It has never been heard or done before that your own blood brothers will come and demolish your house. My house was demolished. I have five windows and three doors. They were demolished and they stole from me too. Why they did all these things, nobody was able to say. They just came to destroy because we are asking for development in our community. That our own brother, the son of the soil. Our brother which is Prince Ned Nwoko wants to bring investment into the community to reduce hardship and people will make money, farming and other things.’’

Okereke Ginawa (member of the vigilante group and provost of the Iyase in council)

"I want to start as far back as when I was attacked on the road around 8 pm in the night, that was in 2017. That was when I got all these wounds, you can see I don't have teeth anymore. They attacked me at night and remove my teeth from beating."

Victor Omezi (UK-based Nigerian from Idumuje-Ugboko):

"I was badly affected by that incident. On that faithful day, I went to Asaba. I had security men in my house, all of them beaten. In the early hours of that day, they called me that a group of people came to the house sent by Nonso. That they came to get me dead or alive. They broke the fence; they were destroying everywhere. When he came out (my security) they said the Obi sent for me dead or alive, that they should bring me to his house. My offence was that I am supporting the university project. That I spoke to indigenes about the issue. You know I wasn't living in the country. I and Ned grew up together. And I know him from my hometown as well as from living in London and back to home, so I accompanied Ned to Obi to discuss the issue of the land. I accompanied him when we went to Izu Ani where the land was approved. And Nonso was seated beside me. We were together in that Izu Ani. So maybe seeing my role that I was so close and very outspoken, everybody loved the way I supported Ned. That was his reason, that was my offence. They destroyed everything in my house, even set fire in one of the rooms."

Chief Bennet Okoh (member of land allocation committee and member of Obi-in-council):

"May 2017, they visited me at about 2 am warning me to stay out and that they are coming back again. They started breaking bottles at my doorsteps. Some of my louvres were broken at my boys’ quarters. What they said was that I signed land for Ned to build a university which is very normal for me as a retired school head. I won't see anything that has to do with something good and say no. That is why I signed for it. I was a member of the committee that was asked to go and check the land. We surveyed it and discovered that we have enough land for the university then we signed for it. That was why I was attacked."

His Royal Majesty Solomon Nwoko (Obi-designate of Idumuje-Ugboko Kingdom):

"2017, the son of the soil, my junior brother, Honourable Prince Ned Nwoko after going through… he has travelled many places and discovered that a university is needed in the town and in the environment. So, he followed the normal process, he applied for the land through his company — Linas International to the late Majesty Obi Albert Nwoko III. The normal process is that when you need land, you put in applications and when you put the application, the King will now refer your application to the appropriate quarters; what I mean is there's a committee known as the land allocation committee, they will now send your application there. If the committee and the Onotu - Onotu is headed by the Ehieze, if they now discover that there's a land, enough land for that purpose, then they will now report back to the King."

"And in case of this Ned's issue, yes it was discovered that we have land, even more than are required. So, the committee recommended the approval for Ned, the land to be given to him. But the community now said, what is our gain? What is our profit? What do we now gain by handing over this land to you for this university? And a negotiation was made. MOU was signed. Drafted by the son of the King, the lawyer to Nonso, Barrister Mbanefo and it was agreed that 40 percent equity share be given to the town, while the company Linas International would have 60 percent which we agreed. So, the MOU was signed and the project started.
‘’There are many of these people who are attacking Ned now who applied more than 15 years ago up till now they have not done anything. But look at the young man that applies, within six months has started building. So, it has not caused anything, the building has not brought any problem. And I'm happy that my tenure that this particular project is coming to reality for development, not only for the town, not only for the community but for Anioma as a whole."

"On that very particular day the thing started, I was in Lagos, I was not here in the town. But I speak from what I've gathered from both sides. Now, just there, they stopped the Ehieze, the prime minister, the second in command, from attending the meeting, they stopped the Odogwu, they stopped many of the high chiefs. These touts that he gathered. They stopped them. They started shooting. They scare people away. That night, they now went and organised themselves in the palace, start going to houses, those who are supporting the university, those who are supporting the kingship of Solomon, those who want the project to continue, they start destroying their properties. So, people ran away for complete two weeks. They drove them away from the farm. They brought down people's houses, remove the roof, remove the doors and so on. The Ehieze, the prime minister was brought out from his house, beaten, his house looted, destroyed, dragged naked around the whole town. They brought him to the palace, laid him down, started flogging him. The other man, Kennedy Ilo, the same thing. The injury Kennedy sustained from that beating led to his death."

"We are asking the government to come so that what happened in 2017 will not happen again. I want to state further, these things happening have nothing to do with the university, it has nothing to do with the land, people are speculating that land this, land this, it is a lie, it's made out of jealousy and hatred."

Chief Anthony Edemodu, Odogwu of Ugboko (defence chief of Ugboko land):

"They came destroyed my house, removed the roof. I have had stroke since that attack (he said trembling).’’

Sunday Auna (Obi-in-council member):

"They attacked me at 12:30 am. They destroyed my house, my ceilings, my machine, the whole windows were damaged. I can name so many of them. I asked them: who sent you? They said Obi Nonso as of the time. That if I need anything I should come to them and collect anything whatsoever. I said for what? What I have done. They attacked me because I'm supporting Ned and the university in the community."

I tried to reach other actors named in the melee, but all to no avail.

By Fredrick Nwabufo a.k.a Mr OneNigeria is a writer and journalist.

There are strong indications that power blocs in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have settled for Abdullahi Adamu, a former Nasarawa state Governor, to succeed Adams Oshiomhole as the party's national Chairman.

Ahead of its national convention slated for March 26, the party zoned the chairmanship to the North-Central geopolitical zone. This was contained in a document signed by Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, the party’s Director of Publicity and dated March 9.

Meanwhile, there are credible reports that President Muhammadu Buhari and a group of Governors headed by Kaduna state's Governor Nasir El-Rufai, have thrown their weights behind Adamu, the former Nasarawa Governor who is currently serving in the Senate.

El-Rufai has given credence to this in his recent interview with Channels Television, although he did not mention the name of the anointed candidate.

“The president was reluctant to even nominate who is going to be the chairman of the party because he said, you know, I'm not contesting, I want to hand over this party to a strong leadership to ensure it continues. So I'm not interested in who's the party chairman, unlike in 2019 when I was contesting.

“But we said Mr. President, all of us are state governors, we have an influence on who is the state chairman of the party, so it's only sensible and logical for us to give you the opportunity to guide us on who you think we should support as the national chairman. We forced him literally, he didn't want to do it," Governor El-Rufai said.

POLITICS NIGERIA, however, takes a dive into the profile of Adamu as he is being positioned to head the governing party.

Foray into Politics

Adamu's journey into politics was towards Nigeria's transitioning to the short-lived second republic.

In the late 1970s, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly, which drafted the constitution for the republic.

He was a pioneer member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the first Secretary-General of the NPN in Plateau State from December 1978, and chairman of the NPN in the Plateau from 1982 to 1983, when military rule began again.

In 1994, he was appointed to the National Constitutional Conference by General Sani Abacha's administration.

Adamu was later appointed a minister of state of the Works and Housing ministry in 1995, holding this position until November 1997.

Founding PDP member

When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was founded in 1998, Adamu was one of the founding members.

In fact, in 1999, under the PDP, he contested in the Nasarawa State gubernatorial election and won. He was again re-elected during the 2003 Nasarawa State gubernatorial election.

After the end of his two-term governorship, Adamu became Secretary, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party, thus making him a major decision maker.

It was on the same platform that Adamu, in his later career, won the Nasarawa West Senatorial election.

But Adamu switched sides in 2014. He was one of the aggrieved members of the PDP that formed the APC merger.

15bn corruption scandal

Adamu was arraigned in 2010 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly embezzling N15 billion naira.

The anti-graft agency filed a 149-count against Adamu and 18 others, including former Nasarawa state officials and contractors, over allegations involving N15 billion fraud.

The former governor and his co-accused, however, filed a motion countering the charges on the grounds that since the funds alleged to be embezzled belonged to the state, the EFCC was out of line in its investigation. The defendants also pleaded not guilty to the charges.

But David Okorowa, judge of the federal high court in Lafia at the time, ruled that Adamu would stand trial as he had a case to answer.

As of 2013, the defendants had filed a suit at the court of appeal, challenging the decision of the lower court.

Nothing was heard of the court case again until 2019 when Adamu said he had been discharged in 2016. He stated this in his reaction to an allegation of corruption against him made by former Senate President Bukola Saraki.

“I think because he has come so much to talk about EFCC, he’s being dishonest about it. This is because when my case was terminated, when it was discharged, in the Federal High Court in Lafia, way back on June 28, 2016, as a senator, when I got back to Abuja, I went to him (Saraki) and told him that my case has been discharged," he said.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that the ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, won’t stop the National Assembly from amending the Electoral Act.

The court in a ruling delivered on Monday by Inyang Ekwo, on an ex-parte application by the People’s Democratic Party, barred the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Senate President from tampering with the newly amended Electoral Act 2022. The Court maintained that the Electoral Act having become a valid law could not be altered without following the due process of law.

POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported that President Buhari, in a letter dated 28th February, 2022, requested the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act. He drew the attention of chamber to the provisions of Section 84(12), which, according to him, constitutes a “defect” that is in conflict with extant Constitutional provisions.

The Senate President, while reacting to the ruling by the Federal High Court after the Electoral Act Amendment Bill scaled first reading during plenary, on Tuesday, said same violated the provisions of the 1999 Constitution )as amended) on Separation of Powers.

Lawan said, “I find it necessary to talk to this at this point, because our governance system is based on the Presidential system of government where there is clear cut separation and exercise of powers.

"The Judiciary, under no circumstance cannot stop the National Assembly from performing its legislative duties. We know what our due processes are, just like we wouldn’t venture into what the Judiciary does, it should also understand that we have our processes."

"If the President writes to the National Assembly to request for an amendment, that is within his competence, and it is for the National Assembly to decide whether it agrees with the request of Mr. President or not. But to say that we cannot consider it, is to ask for what is not there to be given. I believe that Members of this National Assembly know their work and will do what is right."

"This is due process, we are not doing anything outside of the law, whether it is Mr. President or any Nigerian who feels very strongly about an amendment, this National Assembly is ready to take in and consider. It is within our exclusive right to consider whatever request we receive from Nigerians, whether through the Executive arm of government or through our colleagues - private members’ bill."

Senator Gabriel Suswam, a PDP Senator, while rising under a point of order, faulted the ruling of the Federal Court. "I agree with what you have said, the court cannot stop us from making laws. The problem with the letter sent to us by the President was that there is a part of it that interpreted the law we made. I think that is the only part that the court can act on, because he (President Buhari) said that the law we (National Assembly) made is ultra vires the Constitution, which is not his responsibility, and, I think, to that extent, the court can comment on that and not on the fact that we are making laws," he said.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, while citing Order 52(5) of the Senate Standing Order, called on the Senate to abide by the court ruling. He said, "When we were waiting for the President to assent to the Electoral Act, some of us made a suggestion we believed would help, namely that the President would sign and then we would commit ourselves to amending that section."

"Mr. President, I also offered to help in redrafting it, now we have a situation where they’ve told us there’s a Judicial restriction on us to do that. Mr. President, I agree with you entirely, but the principle as all the lawyers here know, is that if there is a court order, no matter how wrong it is, our responsibility as individuals and citizens is to respect it."

"The argument you have raised is what we are going to raise in response."

The Senate President, while giving his ruling to the Order raised by Ekweremadu, said, “this has nothing to do what happens in the court.”

Ekweremadu, however, advised the National Assembly to discharge the court order.

I think the argument you’ve raised is valid, but this point is what we have to present in court to discharge that order. We cannot sit and appeal on a matter that has already been given an order in court. I think we should exercise caution in siting a judgment over a matter that an order has been given."

"What we should do is to brief our lawyers to go and discharge the order, instead of sitting here and disobeying court order, is is not good for us and our system, that is calling for anarchy."

Responding, Lawan said, “my opinion about anarchy is when either arm of government decides to go into the exclusive preserve of the other. If the Judiciary wants to come into the Legislature to decide when we sit and when we don’t, then that’s anarchy."

"If the Judiciary would simply say we are not to consider this and that, and we obey those kind of rulings, that is anarchy, because it is emasculating the legislature and that is not supposed to be."

"We will continue with what we are supposed to do because that is our calling. We are just advising that the Judiciary should please help us develop this democracy, because this arm of government is the least developed and if we are allow these kind of rulings, we may end up going back 23 years ago."

"I believe that what we are saying is the same, but we are emphasising that that judicial pronouncement will not stop us from doing what is right and our work here."

Popular activist, Sunday Igboho has been released.

According to Maxwell Adeleye, a spokesman for Igboho, the Yoruba separatist has been set free from the custody of Benin Republic authorities.

In a statement on Facebook on Monday morning, Adeleye wrote: "Yoruba Nation Activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Ighoho, has been released by the Government of Republic of Benin."

"The Activist was released on Monday to a Yoruba Leader and Leader of the Umbrella body of Yoruba Self-determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Professor Banji Akintoye and a French Language Expert/ Deputy Alana of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Professor Wale Adeniran."

Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye has taken to social media to weigh in on the recent crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC.

POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported that the chairman of the Extraordinary caretaker committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mai Mala Buni has been replaced by the Governor of Niger State, Sani Bello.

The shocking move which was reportedly approved by President Buhari has caused serious division within the leadership of the party.

Bello stormed the APC secretariat on Monday morning with over 80 police officers who surrounded the building.

Reacting to the development, Melaye wrote on Twitter;

"RIP APC: 2014 - 2022. 8 Years old. Gone too soon. Announcer- SDM"

Some female employees of telecommunications company, MTN Nigeria, have accused the company's Chief Sales and Distribution Officer, Adekunle Adebiyi, of sexual harassment and other gross misconducts.

In a series of emails and documents sent to MTN Group’s headquarters in South Africa between April 2021 and February 2022, the female employees, who hid their identities and only described themselves as ‘The Anonymous Whistle Blowers’, accused Adebiyi of being a sexual predator in the habit of using his position in the company to sleep with young female employees.

They also accused him of threatening such women with sacking if they fail to give in to his demands.

The aggrieved employees also alleged that Adebiyi had been using his position to plant family members and friends in key units of the telecommunications company even when such persons clearly lacked the requisite educational qualification and skills to occupy such roles.

The whistleblowers also accused the Chief Sales and Distribution Officer of inflating contracts, receiving kickbacks and inventing false sales figures to deceive the company's management and continue to keep his coveted role.

According to the employees, Adebiyi, despite his gross misconducts and acts of corruption and sabotage against MTN Group, had the full backing of MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, and other top officers in the company.

In some of the emails sent to Nerisha Singh, General Manager, Forensic Services, of MTN Group, by ‘The Anonymous Whistle Blowers’ the aggrieved employees said, “We are writing because the man, Adekunle Adebiyi, who heads sales, is a dangerous threat to your company. We wish men like Adekunle Adebiyi will not destroy MTN Nigeria. You left a monster and sexual predator to continue in office but after one year, we can no longer be silenced by his continued intimidation.

“Many of us became victims of his boastful abuses and direct punishments. Three persons resigned in S& through his intimidations and threats. Kumar Abubakar, a resourceful Senior Manager, was fired by him and Amina, his GM in the North, on trumped-up charges because Kumar knows all their fake and forged gross connections, numbers and sales figures. They know he would expose them to forensics.

“Sales conferences are always his grounds for his sexual escapades where he uses his front and power to lure young innocent MTNNers levels 1, 2, 3, vulnerable girls into sex."

“Your sexual harassment policy is not protecting levels 1, 2 or 3 or young girls. They are victims of Adekunle Adebiyi’s sexual harassment. They can't talk or report him because they will lose their jobs. We have many cases reported to close friends instead of HR because they don't trust HR."

“His bribery and corruption with NIMC Nigeria, collecting money from vendors through his fronts and flooding MTN Nigeria with his family and friends as SIM registration agents have continued.

“Adekunle is a bad egg. His corruption is beyond imagination. One of our anonymous members shared a message from him to a finance staff member compelling them to pre-pay a vendor for a big contract, so he can collect his bribes upfront.

"He gives contracts to vendors abroad at higher costs because of money they want to collect as bribes. Procurement staff and Finance team know this but could not report until some of them joined this "whistleblower" group. Yet they are still afraid because our jobs are threatened by these men who work for Adekunle.

“Check the employments of his many relatives, especially of Ekundayo Fatoki, Customer Acquisition Manager. He failed interviews but Adekunle and his cohorts brought him in re-conducting the interviews two times or more times. The two ladies he sexually harassed are now afraid, too, to come with proof because our jobs are not safe. We are scared and our lives are at risk. Adekunle and his cohorts are powerful and can exterminate us if they have to.

“Two board of directors are his men. Cyril Ilok, head of forensics, is his womanising and drinking partner, who will never allow all the petitions from the staff to go through investigations.

“He takes bribes from vendors and settles his "boys and girls" in all the units he carries out fraudulent activities, including procurement. Four years ago he fired Daniel and Bukola because they know his secrets about fraudulent activities in all the procurements deals for MTN.

“The people had videos of when his fronts collected the money as bribes unfortunately, they were threatened and fired. The two former staff members are still alive if you want to investigate.

“He virtually uses his fronts and his friends to pitch all the works for customer acquisitions, supplies of MTN airtime and merchandising from the time he was acting as sales and distribution executive till now, money running into billions of naira.

“He can continue to tell lies to Enzo Scarcella, the Group Chief Consumer Officer, his team or Jens in South Africa or even the COO in Nigeria; we know he is a fraudulent man with figures.

“He has boasted to vendors and trade partners as long as Cyril Ilok and Karl Toriola are in MTN Nigeria, nothing will happen to him.

“As at today, MTN Nigeria has over eight court cases of former trade partners Adebiyi removed or terminated their appointments in manners that left a lot to be desired.

“Fire or remove Adekunle Adebiyi before you pay another fine or get into Nigeria's murky waters.”

The whistleblowers further alleged that Adebiyi used proceeds of his corrupt dealings in MTN Nigeria to purchase a house in Manchester, United Kingdom, and also build a multi-million naira state-of-the-art school for his wife in Lagos.

“How much does he earn as an executive in MTN that he bought a house in Manchester, UK, including the big school he built for his wife in Lagos,” the aggrieved employees added.

Responding in an email to the allegations made against Adebiyi by the employees, Singh said, “We assure you of our prompt attention to all the concerns raised and that the matters raised will be fully investigated.

“On the sexual harassment complaints raised; MTN is committed to providing a safe environment for all its employees free from discrimination on any ground and harassment at work, including sexual harassment. MTN operates a zero-tolerance policy for any form of sexual harassment in the workplace. All complaints of sexual harassment will be taken seriously and treated with respect, sensitivity and in confidence.”

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the previous week, publicly admitted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors were divided over salient issues such as zoning and the choice of date for the Party's national convention.

El-Rufai, who addressed the press after the APC Governors met President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Villa, however, stated that they are now on the same page.

"We were divided over the timing of the convention. Some governors felt we should not have the convention until we resolve all the congresses' issues in some states. Because, in some of the states, these matters are even in court."

"So some governors held the view that we should wait until all these are resolved and that was not borne out of any agenda or selfish interest but just a realistic opposition to avoid violating any laws or putting our party structures or elected candidates in future."

"But after our meeting last night to deliberate on the proposal by the national caretaker committee and our briefing with the president today, we are all on the same page," he said.

POLITICS NIGERIA had previously reported the conflict of interests at some state levels, which have defied the intervention of Chairman of the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State and that of a resolution Committee, headed by Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

The Senator Adamu-led committee was expected to resolve real or seeming differences ahead of the National Convention. But despite visiting most of the factionalised state chapters of the APC, the rancour still persists, this newspaper reports.

In this analysis, POLITICS NIGERIA takes a look into the crises in Kano, Osun, Imo, Rivers, Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Kebbi and some others that must be resolved before the convention date.

Uzodinma VS Rochas Okorocha

The loyalty of APC members is divided between Governor Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha.

These two groups do not only have the main figures but also have two separate party chairmen.

For instance, the Uzodinma-led faction had already made plans for the Convention while the Okorocha camp, made up of former and current members of national and state assemblies, is working on a different game plan.

Amaechi versus Magnus Abe

Rivers State APC is divided between two factions — one is believed to be loyal to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and another to Senator Magnus Abe.

The faction loyal to Amaechi has been recognized by the national leadership but Senator Abe's group is not.

It will amount to confusion if the party goes ahead with the national convention without first settling the differences among the two camps.

Controversial Omodewu's leadership in Oyo APC

In Oyo APC, the inauguration of a new state executive committee further splits the party into two.

Also, the congresses conducted by the party at the ward, local government and state levels led to the further polarisation of the party.

While the emergence of Isaac Omodewu as Chairman was celebrated by some members led by late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, some state leaders had rejected the election of Omodewu, describing the process as a kangaroo state congress.

Meanwhile, the sudden death of Alao-Akala has altered political calculations and contests for the soul of the APC in Oyo.

Oyetola versus Aregbesola

The division in Osun APC may not be resolved soon as the crisis between former Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his successor, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, still lingers.

The duo’s relationship has turned sour after Oyetola won the 2018 governorship election. Various attempts by a former National Chairman of the party and former governor of the state, Chief Adebisi Akande, to resolve the imbroglio proved abortive.

However, the recent outburst by Aregbesola, who is the Minister of Interior, in Ilesa, showed that Oyetola, perhaps, maybe a victim of circumstance. Although Oyetola has won the state's primaries against Aregbesola's candidate, many still believe that does not put an end to the crisis.

Ganduje versus Shekarau

The decision of the Appeal Court in Abuja to overturn the judgement of a lower court in favour of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje-led faction of APC has further created more crises in Kano.

A group loyal to Sen Ibrahim Shekarau has vowed to approach the Supreme Court, dashing any hope of resolving the intra-party crisis soon. The Court of Appeal had returned the control of APC in the state to Ganduje.

Specifically, the Court of Appeal set aside the judgement of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory which invalidated the ward and local government congresses in the state.

The lower court had delivered the judgement in a suit filed by a faction of the party led by Shekarau, which had conducted parallel congresses. The court also declared the congresses of the plaintiffs as valid. It is believed that if the legal issues in Kano are not addressed, APC might run into a bigger problem.

Lai Mohammed versus Governor AbdulRazaq

Kwara APC has not known peace after the Otoge revolt toppled the Saraki hegemony in the state.

The battle for the soul of the party is basically between the incumbent Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and Minister of information, Lai Mohammed.

The recent emergence of Prince Sunday Fagbemi, a long time friend of Governor AbdulRazaq, as the new APC chairman in Kwara State, is further unsettling the party.

The group loyal to Lai Mohammed had since headed to court over the leadership tussle. At the moment, there is no hope of uniting APC members in Kwara ahead of the convention as all reconciliation efforts have met a brick wall.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami has issued a statement on the extradition of disgraced police officer, Abba Kyari.

Kyari, who is currently being detained by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, is set to be extradited to the United States of America after being indicted for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme spear headed by fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas alias Hushpuppi.

In a statement made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Thursday morning signed by media aide, Umar Gwandu, the AGF highlighted on the processes involved in Kyari's extradition;

"As you are aware extradition is a process that involves multifaceted components. The components are usually multi-territorial; international, local and judicial."

"Submission of request from the concern party to the relevant authorities constitutes one of such components. The Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice received the extradition request in respect of the officer in question."

"After thorough studies and reviews of issues regarding the application and components thereof, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice processed the application and forward same to the relevant authorities for further necessary action."

The Chairman, BUA Group of Companies, Alhaji Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu, has promised Nigerians that the company will not increase the price of its products now or during the upcoming Ramadan period.

The Chairman, Kano Singer Market Association and major commodities dealer, Alhaji Muhammadu Adakawa, disclosed this during a press briefing held in Kano to address the recent increase of prices of products by some companies.
He said the Chairman of BUA Group Companies had reassured him and asked him to tell his customers, and Nigerians that it would maintain the current prices of its products all through the upcoming Ramadan fasting period.

Alhaji Adakawa also noted that recently some companies have implemented an increase of N1500 on a 50kg of refined sugar but he sought assurance that BUA would not follow suit based on the company’s earlier public promise.

“Therefore, the management has instructed me to let the public know that it will not increase its product’s price now and also through the Ramadan period,” he said.

The Department of State Services, DSS, has issued a strong warning to the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Iyorchia Ayu over recent disparaging comments.

Below is statement from the agency made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Monday, signed by its spokesperson, Dr. Peter Afunanya(Phd.);

"The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to an unwarranted statement made by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu against security agencies including the Service. The Party Chairman, while speaking at an event on 23rd February, 2022 in Owerri, Imo State, was quoted to have said that his party would not use the SSS to harass the people when they take over Aso Rock in 2023. Though the Service restrains itself from joining issues particularly with politicians, it wishes to state its disapproval of such statement which is considered unjustified, unfair, speculative and preposterous."

"Except to malign and incite the people against it, the Service questions the rationale behind such an unprovoked description of it by Chief Ayu who had variously benefitted from it and indeed the State. Having served variously as Senate President, Minster of Education, Industry, Internal Affairs and Environment, with full complements of Security details, he knows the Service is never used to harass the people. And if he ever used the details for negative purposes (unknown to the Service), he should know that the times have changed."

"Dr Ayu knows that the Service is a frontline guardian of democracy and respects the rule of law in Nigeria. It is committed to the protection of the people. For the avoidance of doubt, it does not shield its personnel who offend its rules and in fact, laws of the land, from disciplinary action, thus the untruthfulness of his statement. The DSS has undoubtedly made profound sacrifices for the existence and unity of the country and will continue to, despite deliberate attacks on it."

"While members of the public are urged to disregard Dr Ayu’s statement, politicians are enjoined to desist from making unguarded utterances with tendencies to breach public order. Overall, the Service prefers that it is left out of any political fray as it is committed to maintaining us."

It is settled that President Muhammadu Buhari signed into Law the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2022, on 25 February, 2022. The implication of the signing of the Bill is that it has become the Electoral Act, 2022, and its provisions are now applicable and is what will regulate the 2023 General Elections.

The preamble of the Act says its objectives are the conduct of Federal, State, and Area Council elections and to make provisions for the restrictions of the qualification for elective office to relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

It also makes provisions for the use of Card Readers and other technological devices in the election and political party primaries, to provide a timeline for the submission of List of Candidates, criteria for substitution of candidates, and the limit of campaign expenses. Furthermore, it addresses the omission of names of candidates or logos of political parties.

In the light of the above, I intend in this piece to take a provision of the Electoral Act that seemingly looks contentious and analyze same.

On the face of the Act, it looks good, innovative, and revolutionary.
I believe it is too early for any observer to give the Act a pass mark or conclude that we have got a law that will be the panacea to all the myriad of problems that have grappled the conduct and management of elections in Nigeria for the past 61 years.

One can only come to this conclusion when the court has subjected some of these provisions to scrutiny.

The provision I intend to analyze is Section 84 of the Act which, deals with the nomination of candidates by parties. Section 84 has thirteen subparagraphs. It is settled that in the interpretation of the provisions of a statute, the court will interpret holistically its provisions. In doing that it will not interpret provisions in the subsections disjunctively from the main section. Therefore when the court is invited to construe Section 84, it will interpret Section 84 together with its subsections (conjunctively), to infer what the intention of the legislature of Section 84 of the Act, is.

In the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), the type of people that will take part in Conventions or Congresses to nominate candidates for a political party in the general elections is silent. This loophole was exploited by incumbent heads of executive branches of government to use their appointees to swell the number of delegates to these Congresses or Conventions that will vote for them or aspirants of their choice.

The result is that aspirants that are not the incumbent executive head of governments or political office holders or the favorites of these executive heads of government were placed at disadvantageous positions to compete unfairly with the incumbent executive heads of government or the favorites aspirants.

To cure this mischief or loophole, the legislature of the Electoral Act clearly stipulates the ineligibility of delegates of political office holders or appointees of executive heads of governments.

Section 84 subsection 10 of the Electoral Act, provides that no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election.

Therefore the import of Section 84 subsection 10, is that anybody who is a public holder or a political appointee is ineligible to be a delegate to a Congress or Convention to nominate the candidate to a general election. Also, an aspirant seeking nomination to be a candidate.

I think the intention of the legislature in inserting Section 84 subsection 12 is to prevent a situation whereby an incumbent President or Governor will use their appointees to have an advantage over opponents during Congress or Convention to elect candidates that a political party will present during the election.

This to my mind, does not conflict with the provisions of the Constitution that stipulates that a public servant must resign or withdraw his service 30 days to the general election where he is a candidate as argued by some observers.

It does not also disenfranchise political officer holders from aspiring to get their political party nomination to become candidates.

It does not disenfranchise political office holders from being delegates or an aspirant for a political party position in that Congress or Convention.

To underscore the seriousness of the provisions of the new subsections, the legislature takes the failure of a political party to comply with the provisions of Section 84 subsection 10, seriously. It inserted a penalty section in the Act. Section 84 subsection 11 of the Act provides that where a political party fails to comply with the provisions of this Act in the conduct of its primaries, its candidate for election shall not be included in the election for the particular position in the issue.

To my mind Section, 84 subsections 10 and 11 of the Act are innovative and progressive and will contribute to the deepening of internal democracy and promotion of transparency in the affairs of the political party, especially in the choice of candidates for the general election. It will also discourage the imposition of candidates by incumbent heads of executive branches of government.

It will further promote good governance and stem the practice where some aspirants who are political office holders hide behind the cloak of their office to have an undue advantage over aspirants who are non-political office holders. It will help in providing a level playing ground for every aspirant.

I find it disconcerting that those who are aspiring to seek presidential or governorship tickets but serving in both the federal and state governments have not deemed it necessary to resign from their current positions.

This is giving them an advantage over their opponents and It is this mischief Section 84 intends to cure.

I think the National Assembly should not rush to amend Section 84 but allow the opportunity by anybody aggrieved by its application to test its efficacy or constitutionality in court of law.

Gladly Section 84 subsection 12 provides that, an aspirant who complains that any of the provisions of this Act and the guidelines of a political party have not been complied with in the selection or nomination of a candidate of a political party for election, may apply to the Federal High Court for redress.

The provision should be subjected to judicial scrutiny and test to determine whether it is constitutional or not. It is the responsibility of the judicial branch of government in a democracy to ensure that all actions of the executive and legislative branches are within the purview of powers vested on them by the Constitution.

So let the Court determine whether that provision is constitutional or not.

As the contest for the 2023 Presidency tightens, aspirants have set the ball in motion by embarking on political visits to different parts of the country under the guise of consultation.

One of the aspirants who has indicated serious interest in running and does not want to leave any stone unturned is the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu. For the purpose of his ambition, Tinubu has journeyed across the Northern and Southern regions of the country, paying courtesy visits to traditional rulers, former political office holders and other dignitaries.

On all trips, he ensured that his ambition was registered in the minds of his host and also sought their support.

POLITICS NIGERIA, however, observed that the former Lagos Governor has avoided the country home of Former President ,Olusegun Obasanjo despite visiting Ogun state twice.

This newspaper learnt that this is not unconnected to the age-long unsettled difference between the two former public administrators. In this analysis, POLITICS NIGERIA reviews the rancour between the duo and how this may impact Tinubu’s Presidential aspiration.

Deliberate move?

On February 12, Tinubu visited the Alake of Egbaland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, to seek his blessings. Tinubu had earlier paid the same courtesy visit to Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona.

While Alake's palace is located in the capital city of Ogun state, Awujale's palace is situated in Ijebu-Ode, a major town in the eastern parts of the state. According to Google map, both palaces are less than a 2-hour trip to Ota, the country home of the former President.

Political observers say this means that both leaders are yet to work out their differences over a decade after they had left public office. The relationship between Tinubu and Obasanjo has been unpleasant since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, when both politicians held public offices.

Mr Obasanjo was Nigeria's president for eight years between 1999 and 2007 while Tinubu governed Lagos within the same period. The genesis of the rift was based on their disagreement on resource allocation and other key governmental issues.

Recall that in January, 2019, Tinubu described Obasanjo as an election rigger without peer in Nigeria. While Mr Obasanjo threw his weight behind his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tinubu was in support of the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

"Obasanjo is the greatest election rigger in this country," Tinubu had said in the build-up of the 2019 Presidential election.

Obasanjo's role in previous elections

After he bowed out of office in 2007, the former President has been instrumental to the emergence of successive governments. His immediate successor, late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, contested under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Obasanjo took his campaign to different parts of the country amid reports that the late President was being hospitalised at that time.

Events, however, took a different turn when the relationship between Obasanjo and Yar'Adua's successor, former President, Goodluck Jonathan fell out in 2015.

In the heat of the crisis, Obasanjo tore his PDP membership card and worked against Jonathan who was seeking reelection. Obasanjo, instead, mulled his support for President Muhammadu Buhari, Jonathan's major challenger then.

After Buhari was sworn in in 2015, Obasanjo was one of those who criticised some policies and actions of the administration. These culminated into his vehement opposition to Buhari's second term bid in 2019.

To ensure that Buhari was not reelected, Obasanjo supported former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar. But the results of the 2019 election defied Obasanjo's influence as Buhari defeated Abubakar.

Recently, Obasanjo told a PDP delegation that he is no longer into partisan politics but will keep contributing to nation-building. "But bear in mind, I am no longer in partisan politics. And there is nothing that will bring me back to partisan politics. But I will always be interested in what is good for Nigeria. And anybody who wants to have my advice, I will unstintingly give it," he said.

Will Tinubu’s ambition suffer the Obasanjo's effect?

Some political commentators who spoke with POLITICS NIGERIA believe that Obasanjo is a relic of a bygone order and is no longer influential in the scheme of things.

"Look at the 2019 election. Obasanjo's relevance in the political scene has waned and he may add nothing or little to any candidate," Kunle Adigun, a Lagos-based lawyer said.

But Rafiu Bolaji, a public affairs analyst, said irrespective of what transpired in 2019, Obasanjo's influence cannot be undermined and it goes a long way in anyone's emergence.

Bolaji maintained that Tinubu should extend an olive branch to the former President.

"If Obasanjo can reconcile with Atiku, a one-time arch enemy, reconciling with Tinubu won't be a problem."

The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, has alleged that the Indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB, are plotting to hijack a protest set to hold across the nation on Saturday, June 12.

POLITICS NIGERIA gathered that at a press conference in kaduna on Friday, CNG spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman disclosed that the pro-secession group has finalised plans to infiltrate the protest and cause mayhem. He revealed that the CNG will not be participating in the protests.

"We can’t drag the North into an agenda that is not properly stated and for which we are not even contacted. This is in addition to keeping the North away from the trap set by IPOB to sponsor infiltration in some northern states to turn the protests violent."

"In the event of any ugly incidence, the anti-North schemers would then hold the region up as the volatile section of the country."

The group also added that they do not recognise June 12th as Democracy day.

"Another reason for our non-participation of CNG and all our affiliates and organs is the fact that we do not recognise the legitimacy of June 12 as Democracy Day in the first place."

President Muhammadu Buhari, in a bid to defend his administration, has again spread misinformation regarding the records of crude oil prices under past administrations.

POLITICS NIGERIA, in its support for verification and accountability, has run a check on the President’s claim.

CLAIM: Crude oil sold for $100 from 1999 to 2014

In an interview with Arise Television aired in the early hours of Thursday, Buhari said Nigeria’s Brent crude oil sold for $100 between 1999 and 2014.

It should be noted that former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, who are members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ruled between the said period.

“I would like you to check how much we are earning from 1999 to 2014. From 1999 to 2014, our production (if you check you will find out that) every production was 2.1 million barrel per day. At the cost of 100 American dollar per barrel. So, from 1999 to 2014, we were earning 2.1 million times 100 dollar per day.”

“Look at the state of infrastructure. Look at our road. Look at rail. Look at power. And tell me which country develops without infrastructure,” he said, blaming the PDP led government for the woes of the country.”

Checks by POLITICS NIGERIA however revealed that this was not the first time the President reeled out such figures. On October 1, 2016, the Nation’s Independence Day, President Buhari, said that oil prices were “an average of 100 USD per barrel over the last decade.”

He did in 2018 while campaigning for a second term in office, which he eventually got.

“I have challenged everybody in Nigeria to check in Europe, America and Asia that Nigeria was producing 2.1 million barrels per day at the cost of $100 per barrel. So, Nigeria was earning 2.1 million barrels, times $100, times 16 years,” he said during a rally.

He also restated the same while receiving a delegation of the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) at the Presidential Villa in the same year. “When we came, it collapsed to $37-38 and it was oscillating between $40 and $54 sometimes”, Buhari said.

POLITICS NIGERIA however fact checks the claim using relevant data.

VERIFICATION

Data from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) culled from Statista, one of the world’s leading providers of market and consumer data, showed the prices of bent crude between 1999 to 2014.

In 1999, the average annual price of crude oil was about $17.4 per barrel. It was $27.6 in 2000, $23.1 in 2001, $24.3 in 2002, $28.1 in 2003 and in 2004, it was $36.5. Oil sold for $50.5 per barrel in 2005, $61 in 2006, $69 in 2007, $94.1 in 2008, $60.8 in 2009 and in 2010, oil price was $77.3.

The average annual price of oil had reached a record high of $107 per barrel in 2011. It further increased to $109 in 2012 and dropped off to $105.8 and $96.2 in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Further analysis showed that between the period under review, it sold for as less as $20 and as much as $109 per barrel.

By POLITICS NIGERIA’s calculation, the oil price averaged between 1999 and 2014 is $61.7 per barrel.

This newspaper reached out to Buhari’s spokespersons, Garba Shehu and Femi Adesina, for clarifications but they did not respond to the enquiry sent via texts.

VERDICT: Since records and POLITICS NIGERIA’s analysis showed that crude oil sold for an average of $61.7 per barrel between 1999 to 2014, the President’s claim of $100 per barrel is FALSE.

A member of the Federal house of Representatives, Hon. Yunusa Ahmad Abubakar has alleged that one of the reasons why Twitter's operations were suspended in Nigeria was because of terror sect, Boko Haram.

On Wednesday, during an interview on Channels TV, Hon. Ahmad, who is also a member of the house committee on loans, aids and debts management, alleged that Twitter was suspended because Boko Haram was allowed to be 'tweeting'.

He disclosed that his constituents have suffered from Boko haram's activities adding that the ban on Twitter should have come much earlier.

"My constituents have suffered defects of this Boko Haram and they have been using that Twitter, infact that banning should have come much much earlier. So to me my constituents have a relief now".

Hon. Yunusa, who hails from Gombe state, claimed that Twitter was escalating the Boko Haram insurgency and when the interviewer asked why he said so, the honourable house member replied;

"They have been allowed to be tweeting...the insurgents...They have been allowed to be tweeting".

POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that Twitter was suspended from operating in Nigeria by the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government last week.The suspension was announced a day after the micro-blogging platform delete a tweet from the President's handle for violating its terms and conditions.

Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-rufai has reacted to the Federal government's suspension of Twitter's operations in Nigeria.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian government suspended Twitter's activities in Nigeria last week after the micro-blogging platform deleted a tweet President Muhammadu Buhari made citing 'genocidal' violence against Igbo people over the rising spate of insecurity in the south-east region.

The directive has been condemned by many with some describing it as an encroachment on free speech and free press.

El-rufai on Wednesday morning questioned the social media giant's rights to determine standards of free speech. He wrote on Facebook;

"TWITTER SUSPENSION: Who the hell is a private company to determine, set and enforce its uninformed double standards of free speech, information dissemination and democratic governance to any sovereign nation?"

He also shared a video of a programme on Russian media outfit, RT, where the host, Igor Zhdnov was criticising Twitter's deletion of President Buhari's tweet.

The Minister of Niger Delta affairs, Godswill Akpabio has approved the appointment of Mr. Jackson Udom as his new chief press secretary(CPS).

Mr. Udom, a seasoned Journalist and former editor with Tribune newspapers, was appointed on Tuesday.

POLITICS NIGERIA learned that the former CPS, Anietei Ekong has been reassigned over mismanagement of the minister's image and press matters.

A letter signed by Sir Etekamba Umoren, Chief of staff to the minister read;

"The Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio, CON has appointed a former editor with Nigerian Tribune and Publisher, PeesReporters.com, Mr. Jackson Udom as his Chief Press Secretary (CPS) with effect from 8th June, 2021."

"Udom replaces, Mr. Anietie Ekong, who has been reassigned."

The Federal government has stated that no condition was given for the lifting of a suspension placed on Twitter’s operations in Nigeria.

On monday, Minister of Foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama met with envoys from the UK, US, Ireland, Canada and the European union to explain the government’s decision on Twitter. It was widely reported that the minister stated the only condition to lift the suspension was for the management of twitter to commit to ‘responsible usage’.

However, in a statement made available to POLITICS NIGERIA on Monday evening, signed by Mr. Ferdinand Nwoye, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign affairs, the reportage was ‘false’. The statement read;

“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to misleading reports by several media outlets published today, Monday, 7“ June 2021, in which the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Geoffrey Onyeama was misquoted as giving conditions for lifting the Twitter suspension.”

“The Honourable Minister after a meeting with some Heads of Diplomatic Missions resident in Nigeria was quoted to have said that “Twitter’s operations in Nigeria will be restored only if the platform can be used responsibly”.”

“This statement by the Honourable Minister has been quoted out of context. Contrary to the publications, the Honourable Minister was speaking generally about the responsibilities that go with freedom of speech, stating that platforms that have the power to instantly disseminate information among billions of people have the added responsibility to exercise that power responsibly.”

“The Ministry wishes to state categorically that the Honourable Minister did not give any conditions regarding lifting the Twitter suspension.”

The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rescind his government’s decision to suspend Twitter in Nigeria.

GOCOP made this call in a statement signed by its President,Mr Dotun Oladipo and General Secretary,Mr Danlami Nmodu, mni on Monday. According to GOCOP, the suspension of Twitter is a major setback for online publishing and other businesses which rely on the social media platform for mass circulation and marketing of their businesses.

“We believe this suspension will ruin our businesses and shrink the democratic space. Even more, this action will leave many social media handlers who work full time doing legitimate businesses jobless.This will compound the already troubling unemployment situation in the country.”

“We believe this action is more injurious to the survival of Nigerian young business entrepreneurs who rely on Twitter.”

Also, government’s move is a major setback for information dissemination, growth of the media, information technology sectors among others in Nigeria.

“We note that there are also millions of Nigerians who use Twitter to ventilate their democratic right of freedom of expression responsibly.The suspension clearly shrinks the democratic space.”

GOCOP advised the President to explore alternative means of relating with Twitter to resolve whatever difference that have arisen.

“Once again, we call on government to lift the order suspending Twitter in Nigeria immediately”, GOCOP said.

Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari has appointed new aides from his wife and First lady, Aisha Buhari.

POLITICS NIGERIA learned that President Buhari approved the appointment of Dr. Rukayyatu Abdulkareem Gurin as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Women Affairs in the Office of the First Lady.

A Doctorate degree holder in Curriculum Instruction from the University of Maiduguri, Gurin was at various times a Lecturer at the University of Maiduguri; a Deputy Director at the National Universities Commission (NUC); and a Director at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.

She was also a Senior Lecturer at Baze University in Abuja before her appointment. She will be replacing Dr. Hajo Sani who was recently appointed as Nigeria’s Delegate to the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) in France.

Buhari also approved the appointment of Dr. Mohammed Kamal Abdurrahman as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Health and Development Partners in the Office of the First Lady.

He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from University of Maiduguri. He worked at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Yola Specialist Hospital, Sithobela Health Centre in Swaziland, and at the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) before his appointment as the Personal Physician to the First Lady in 2015 and reappointed in 2019.

He will also continue his role as the Personal Physician to the First Lady.

A screenshot of a tweet reportedly from Twitter's official handle went viral on social media recently where the social media platform allegedly claimed 'ignorance' of Muhammadu Buhari's position as Nigeria's president.

The post was massively shared following a row between the federal government and the management of Twitter. it will be recalled that the Nigerian government through its minister of information, Lai Mohammed suspended the activities of Twitter in the country after the social media giant deleted a tweet from President Muhammadu Buhari's handle.

The President's tweet had violated the platform's rules.

In the viral screenshot, Twitter allegedly wrote that "Dear @MBuhari We have no idea of who you are or what country you are leading, we have come across a tweet that violates our rule no 4 of "safety and freedom" and removed it."

But is this true? 

To verify this claim, POLITICS NIGERIA ran a quick fact check by analysing Twitter's official handle (@Twitter) and we discovered that the last tweet on the timeline was posted on May 28th and it has nothing to do with the controversy rocking Nigeria.

Our correspondent also did a quick google reverse of the fast spreading tweet and we discovered that it was photoshopped.  This newspaper reported how Mr Buhari's tweet referencing the country’s civil war, and threatening to treat those attacking government buildings “with the language they understand” triggered controversy online.

Social media users saw the tweet as a veiled threat against the Igbo ethnic group who suffered casualties during the war and called on Twitter to suspend Mr Buhari's account. Two days after, Twitter yielded and it deleted the president's controversial post.

The federal government expressed shock and said the platform chose to ignore the inciting messages from the proscribed IPOB but was quick to enforce its rules on the president.

On Friday, information minister, Lai Muhammed announced the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria.

As of Friday evening, Twitter said it was investigating the suspension. On Saturday, the platform issued it's first official statement, via its Public Policy handle, saying it is concerned about the blockade, promising to restore access to Nigerian users.

“We are deeply concerned by the blocking of Twitter in Nigeria. Access to the free and #OpenInternet is an essential human right in modern society,” the organisation said.

“We will work to restore access for all those in Nigeria who rely on Twitter to communicate and connect with the world. #KeepitOn.”

Except the above reaction, Twitter never claimed it doesn't recognise Mr. Buhari as the leader of Africa's most populous nation, hence the trending screenshot is FALSE!

Sunday service at Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Lagos Headquarters, will not be hold this morning, POLITICS NIGERIA reliably gathered.

The church is currently morning the passing of its leader, Prophet Temitope Joshua, popularly addressed as TB Joshua. Many members and press men were denied access to the church, which was filled with people from different parts of the country.

Only workers of the church are allowed to enter when POLITICS NIGERIA made enquiries.

As captured by our correspondent, some of the members broke into tears upon confirming the death of their leader.

57-year-old Joshua died in Lagos on Saturday evening shortly after finishing a programme in church.

His remains had been deposited at the morgue and an autopsy would be performed forthwith. It was gathered that he gave up the ghost on the way to a hospital. He is survived by a wife, Evelyn and 3 children.