₦airaland Forum

January 10, 2022

Press Statement

PDP Constitutes Osun Governorship Primary Screening Committee

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has constituted the Screening Committee to screen aspirants on the platform of the PDP for the July 16, 2022 Osun State governorship election.

The members of the Screening Committee are as follows;

1. Mohammed Adoke Bello, SAN - Chairman
2. Amb. Sen. Aminu Wali - Member
3. Hon. Mrs. Nnenna Ukeje - Member
4. H.E. Fidelis Tapgun - Member
5. Chief Rahman Owokoniran
(South West Zonal Secretray) - Secretary

The screening exercise is scheduled for Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at the NEC Hall of the PDP national secretariat, Abuja at 10 am.

All aspirants, critical stakeholders and members of our party in Osun state are by this guided accordingly.

Signed:

Hon. Umar M. Bature
National Organizing Secretary

EFCC Re-arrests Mompha For Alleged Money Laundering

Operatives of the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have re-arrested a suspected internet fraudster, Ismailia Mustapha, for laundering funds obtained through unlawful activities and retention of alleged proceeds of crime.

Mompha was arrested on Monday, January 10, 2022.

The suspect is currently standing trial alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited on an amended twenty two-count charge bordering on cyber fraud and money laundering to the tune of N32.9bn (Thirty-two Billion Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) brought against him by the EFCC.
#mopha
#EFCC
#fraud

The suspended acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ntufam Hilliard Eta, has insisted that he is still acting chairman of the party.

He said the purported suspension holds no water.

He said this during an interview held in his Calabar residence.

“The meeting that purportedly took the decision to suspend me was very strange to the APC constitution.

“As a senior member of the party, I am aware of how meetings are convened and conducted. I remember vividly that it was one Chief Victor Giadom, a deputy national secretary, who had convened the meeting which purportedly suspended me.

“Check the constitution, does he have such power to convene the meeting or let alone suspend me?

“That meeting and purported suspension are null and void and of no effect.

“Be that as it may, the matter is before the court. The judiciary is key. It will help us resolve it,” he said.

“In a democracy, there are processes for conflict resolution. I encourage all not to resort to self-help but to seek redress and intervention of the judiciary.”

He explained that suspension of a national chairman is the sole function of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party.

“I am a national officer of APC. Check our Constitution you will see how national officers are sanctioned. Even if the party was to suspend or expel an ordinary member there are processes let alone a national officer,” he added.

Eta, who has declared intention to vie for the 20023 governorship of Cross River State, insisted that he is not under any sanctions by any competent organ of the APC not to contest for the 2023 governorship.

The APC allegedly expelled Eta from the party after its National Executive Committee meeting held at the Presidential Villa in late 2020 following his inability to withdraw all law cases against the party.

January 8, 2022

Press Statement

2023: We Have Not Zoned Our Presidential Ticket -PDP

The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to comments and speculations from certain individuals claiming that our Party has zoned its Presidential ticket to a particular part of the country.

This is completely misleading as it does not in any way represent the position of our Party.

For the avoidance of doubt, the PDP emphatically and unequivocally states that it has not zoned it Presidential ticket to any part of the country.

The PDP is a political party founded on democratic principles and every action of the Party, including zoning, is based on extensive consultations, discussions and consideration of all the issues as well as the various tendencies and interests across the nation, with the main objective of ensuring that the unity, peaceful co-existence and development of our nation are reinforced and promoted.

The PDP therefore urges Nigerians, our teeming members and supporters to completely disregard the unfounded zoning claims as being peddled. Our Party also cautions those behind the claims to desist forthwith.

The PDP thanks Nigerians across board for the overwhelming interest they have in our Party as their sure platform to Rescue and Rebuild our nation from misrule and urges them to remain united and focused as we join forces for the task ahead.

Signed:

Hon. Debo Ologunagba
National Publicity Secretary

President Muhammadu Buhari and governors of the All Progressive Congress (APC) will meet Sunday to decide a definite date for the conduct of the party’s national convention.

The party is hoping that a date in February is still feasible as it has come under pressure from the president to clean up its act or cede power to the main opposition party.

Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who met with the president at the presidential villa, Abuja, Friday told correspondents that the Sunday meeting will centre on the proposed date for the convention.

He said Buhari’s admonition to the party that it risks losing power to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a signal for the party to have a seamless convention so that it will not disintegrate.

He said the governors have now given the president the assurance that the convention will hold in February.

According to him, the president’s warning is for the party to redouble its effort and do the right thing.

Lalong observed that as a political party, the APC is made up of different interests saying, “what matters is that at the end of the day, we will elect our representatives.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has told Nigerians how much he looks forward to his exit from office as he said age is telling on him from working long hours every day.

He made the remark in an interview with a pre-recorded Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) aired on Thursday night.

The President observed that many of his colleagues are now enjoying their retirement, noting that he hopes to emulate them in the next 17 months when his tenure ends.

Asked how he felt clocking 79 recently, he said: “Yes, I think COVID-19 has come to my rescue in the sense that the number of people that need to see you, can’t see you so that is losing no time.

“And about my age, yes, I see my colleagues, they are now resting and I assure you that I’m looking forward to the next 17 months when I too would have to be less busy.

“The age is telling on me, working now for 6, 7, 8 hours a day in the office is no joke. Questions of executive council memos from as many states as possible to be considered virtually every week. So, really it is a lot of hard work, but I asked for it and I cannot complain.”

• Says I don’t expect Nigerians to appreciate me after leaving office

The President also said that he does not expect Nigerians to appreciate him when he leaves office but only for them to realize that he has done his best.

Speaking on his eagerness to hand over power, he said: “Yes, because, look, as you know I have been a Governor. I have been a minister and I’m in my second term as president. So, I have gone through the system. And really, what else can I do with this country?

“I have given my best and I hope after I leave Nigerians will reflect and at least not show appreciation. I’m not expecting any appreciation. But what I’m expecting is for Nigerians to say yes, this man has done his best. This is the most I’m expecting from Nigerians. But it’s no joke. I’m telling you.

“Look at the problem we’re having in the southeast now. How many police stations were taken over, weapons missing. We closed the border with Benin, we closed the border with Niger. But we had to accept the reality that the weapons are coming from our own armories, police stations have been attacked and so on. So, the main problem is, I hope, i will leave a more secure Nigeria than what it is now.”

President Buhari expressed optimism that the insecurity in the country can be resolved before he leaves office as he noted that the security forces are working hard on it just as more equipment and ammunition are being procured.

He stated: “Yes, the government is capable and is going to do it because members of the security, the armed forces and others, their own security depends on one Nigeria.

“So no matter, when people are selfish, it is their self first. So, even for their own selves, they better stabilize Nigeria and I believe they will do it.

“I know we’re short on resources. For example, dealing with the militants, if people bother to reflect on how we found the northeast and south-south and how much progress we have made and acquiring some helicopters, aircraft, their maintenance, their ammunition, armored cars, you know to counter effectively, the bandits. They cost money and they cost time for training and adaptation.”

• Says corrupt defectors to APC won’t go unpunished

President Buhari rejected the notion that corrupt politicians defect to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to escape punishment, noting that as far as he is concerned such defections have not stopped his government’s insistence on accountability.

He explained: “I don’t like to accept that joining our party will check our insistence on accountability. We are very serious about people who aspire to lead at whatever level by their performance, by their integrity both professional and personal.

“But the problem is that we have to work within the system. Even if you suspect individuals, unless there is evidence, there isn’t much we can do. So, really, it is the system that makes it possible for some people really to even be corrupt.”

When pressed on whether the defectors will not be allowed to go free, he said: “They can’t. Nobody can go scot-free as far as I’m concerned.

“Imagine what the opposition could do to me if there is something along with my record, a lot of confusion could have been caused.

“But luckily I think we try to find officers with integrity and that is the best thing for Nigeria leadership at all levels. Behave with integrity. If that is done, we will achieve better results. If that is not done, a lot of time will be wasted in talking, quarreling and a lot of noise.”

• Insists ‘I’m not a kingmaker’

The President reiterated that he is not a kingmaker who will determine who becomes the next president.

He also noted that any Governor that tries to impose a candidate on the people will face problems.

According to him, “The Governors are like me, we are all going except for a few. But if they want to be kingmakers, that’s where they will have a lot of problems. If they want to institute somebody, somebody must inherit them from the party or elsewhere, then that’s where they will have a lot of problems.

“But if they have a free mind just to make sure that the system works, I think it will be cost-effective. This is what I believe, and this is why people are trying to ask me who do you want to succeed you and I say no, I am not a kingmaker.

“I tried three times and the fourth time, God gave me.”

• Opposition can take over if APC can’t agree

President Buhari warned that if the APC cannot get its act together over its national convention, the opposition can take over power in 2023.

He further explained: “My position is simple, I think I succeeded in trying to get my position understood in the sense that I said, we start from bottom upwards; from polling units to wards, to local governments, to states and then to Abuja.

“So, the party, because I’m concerned about my party, the party, in all constituencies they will know their positions, coming up. Therefore, when they come to Abuja, they are likely to work together.

“There is no kingmaker from Abuja, no constituency is being dictated to. All constituencies are supposed to produce their leadership in our party.

“What other parties are doing is their own business, but we want to make sure that our party members understand that they are respected. It is from polling unit, to ward to local government, to state and after Abuja. So, those who want to the elected at any level, let them work for it. Nobody is going to appoint anybody.”

He added: “We have timeframe we have to work because the four-year tenure is constitutional. It cannot be interfered with by anybody.

“So, if the party couldn’t agree, then the opposition can take over.

“What did the PDP do? They said the opposition could not come together, but when ACN, ANPP, CPC, APGA came together before PDP realized it, they were off, they are still off, they can see it.”

The Imo state governor, Hope Uzodimma on Tuesday failed to mention the names of sponsors of insecurity in Imo state, as he earlier promised to release the names on the 4th of January, 2022.

Vanguard monitored the governor’s speech at the government house in Owerri, during the Imo state stakeholders meeting/luncheon.

But he called on the former governor of Imo state and the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial district, Rochas Okorocha, to allow him to rule Imo state in peace.

He further said he would allow the security agencies to finish up their investigation on the sponsors of insecurity.

The Governor simply said: “Let us allow the security agencies to finish their investigation and reveal the names of the sponsors of insecurity and they will be arrested.

“The difference between former Governor Okorocha and others who have ruled this state was that he wants to be the governor when he is out of office. Okorocha is the only governor that wants to take this state alone for himself. He should allow me to rule this state as the governor, I am his elder brother and I deserve some respect from him. We cannot allow one person to hold this state hostage.”

A few hours to the commencement of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Congress in Zamfara State, some political thugs have attacked the venue of the exercise.

The programme initially slated for the Zaitun Oil mill, behind State Pilgrim Board has been moved to the Command Guest House in Gusau, the state capital.

Channels Television gathered that the thugs invaded the venue in the early hours of Monday and destroyed the voting materials, nomination forms, two vehicles belonging to party members, chairs and set canopies ablaze.

The Personal Secretary to Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Umar Aminu said the party will not be intimidated by the incident, noting that the congress will still go ahead as scheduled.

He said the hoodlums are unknown but assured security agencies will investigate.

It is not certain which political party is responsible for the attack on the PDP facility in the north-western state.

Despite the attack, the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau and the Caretaker Chairman of the party, Ambassador Bala Mande have arrived the new venue of the congress.

The congress has drawn 1,089 delegates and is meant to produce key PDP officials that will pilot the affairs of the party.

A former Jigawa State governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has accused members of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National Assembly of breaching the 1999 constitution by the attempt to enforce direct primary mode of electing electoral candidates on political parties in the country.

The former governor made the disclosure in a statement he personally signed, issued and made available to Tribune Online in Dutse, the state capital.

Lanido said “the APC-dominated Nigerian Senate bill stipulating that political parties must conduct direct primaries to choose their candidates into elective offices is a clear indication that the ‘APC senate’ is turning itself into a sole administrator of political parties which is tantamount to political self-help.”

The former governor explained that “the Nigerian constitution guarantees the safeguard of our plural democracy. The same constitution inherently guarantees parties to regulate the conduct of their affairs and mandates the Independent Electoral Commission to oversee compliance to their (parties) constitution, a copy of which is deposited with the electoral body.

“Will the senate make the required budgetary provision to all political parties to meet up the expenditure of fulfilling this piece of law?

“While the APC Senate has all the powers in this world to make any laws, it behoves upon it to meet the responsibilities of making sure that its laws are obeyed to the fullest.”

He added the PDP should set up all the necessary machinery to challenge this piece of Electoral Act (Amendment) bill in court.

There was panic in Imo State on Sunday after a son-in-law to a former governor of the state, Uche Nwosu, was whisked away from a church service at his hometown, Eziama Obieri in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state.

Nwosu and his family were at St Peter’s Anglican church for a thanksgiving service when the gunmen, who operated in an Armoured Personnel Carrier and Hilux vans, stormed the area.

They shot indiscriminately before taking their target away, as his security operatives watched without resisting the gun-wielding persons.

While some of Nwosu’s associates alleged that he was kidnapped, others alleged that his arrest was masterminded by the state governor, Hope Uzodinma.

But in a swift reaction, the state commissioner for Information and strategy, Declan Emelumba, said that the governor had no hand in what happened.

While Emelumba could not confirm if it was an arrest or a kidnap incident, he said that it was “ridiculous” to allege that the governor had a hand in the disappearance of Nwosu.

When contacted, the police spokesperson for the command Micheal Abattam, said that he was not aware of the incident.

He promised to update our correspondent once he was briefed by security operatives in whose division the incident happened.

The Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the November 6 Anambra State governorship election, Senator Andy Uba, has formally appealed the judgment of a Federal High Court disqualifying him as the candidate of the APC.

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on Monday, nullified the Uba’s candidacy on the grounds that the party did not hold its primaries.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Deputy Director, Senator Andy Uba Governorship Campaign Organisation, Mr Ikechukwu Onyia, said a 15-page appeal was filed on December 21, 2021.

According to the statement, the appeal was predicated on eight grounds, principal of which was that Justice Ekwo erred in his verdict.

One of the eight grounds of appeal dwelt on the issue of lack of territorial jurisdiction by Justice Ekwo’s division of the high court.

Onyia insisted that Ekwo’s arrogation of jurisdiction to his court was in error.

He said, “There is enough evidence for the appeal to succeed as Justice Ekwo should not have proceeded with the matter in the first place since his court lacked territorial jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

“The appellants are most confident that the appeal will succeed in the face of the very strong grounds on which it is premised.”

SENATORS have dissolved into a closed-door session to deliberate on the letter of President Muhammadu Buhari and take a position on the withholding of assent to the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment bill.

Soon after the Senate resumed plenary Wednesday, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan at 10.36 called for an Executive session.

Apparently out to override President Buhari’s veto on the Electoral Act Amendment bill, the machines at the hallowed Chamber have already been tested to ascertain whether or not they are working and the board showed clearly that the machines are in good order.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday written the Senate and the House of Representatives, withholding assent to the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment bill that was passed by the National Assembly.

President Buhari in the letter withheld assent to the bill citing the imposition of Direct primaries as approved by the National Assembly, the National Assembly for picking candidates by political parties in the amended Electoral Act as a violation of the spirit of democracy.

According to Buhari, with Direct primaries, there will be a plethora of litigation from party members and stakeholders, just as he said that allowing the process would fuel corruption as well as encourage over monetization.

He also said that he was withholding assent to the Bill based on Direct primaries because it would cause a huge financial burden on political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the economy and security agencies, adding that the process is undemocratic.

President Buhari’s position was conveyed in a letter addressed to both the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and read during the start of plenary yesterday.

President Buhari in the letter dated December 13, 2021, explained that his decision to withhold assent to the electoral bill was informed by advice from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government after a thorough review.

According to the President, signing the bill into law would have serious adverse legal, financial, economic and security consequences on the country, particularly in view of Nigeria’s peculiarities.

He added that it would also impact negatively the rights of citizens to participate in the government as constitutionally ensured.

The house of representatives has passed N17.126 trillion as budget for the 2022 fiscal year.

The budget was increased by N735.8 billion.

The appropriation bill was passed by the lower legislative chamber on Tuesday after Muktar Betara, chairman of the committee on appropriations, presented a report.

While presenting his report, Betara said the oil price benchmark for the 2022 budget has been increased from $57 per barrel proposed by the executive to $62 to “reflect the current market values of the oil barrel in the international market”.

He said the budget is of much significance because it would be the last full-year budget to be implemented by the current administration.

Betara noted that other than the oil benchmark, other MTEF parameters were approved as proposed by the executive.

“It is our hope that all hands will be on deck between the executive and legislature and all the citizens to ensure that the difference is made,” he said.

On October 9, President Mohammadu Buhari presented the 2021 budget of N16.39 trillion to a joint session of the national assembly.

The Federal Government has finally reinstated Emirates Airline’s 21 frequencies to Nigeria.

This was contained in a letter signed by the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Musa Nuhu, addressed to the country manager, Emirates Airlines.

The letter read: “Following the further consultations with various stakeholders and the letter from Dubai CAA with reference number DCAA/ASA/N-3/016 dated 17th December 2021 offering Air Peace Airlines daily slots to Dubai airports, I wish to inform you the reinstatement of the ministerial approval of Emirates Airlines Winter Schedule.”

“The approval is predicated on compliance with the Dubai Travel Protocol as released by Dubai airports on Friday 26th November 2021 as it affects travellers travelling from Nigeria to UAE.”

It would be recalled that the Federal Government through the NCAA withdrew the 21 weekly flights approved for Emirates and restricted the airline’s flight to one.

The NCAA Director-General said the decision followed the refusal of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to grant the three frequencies requested by Air Peace, the only Nigerian carrier operating to Dubai via Sharjah.

Following the development, Emirates in an update on its website said all its flights to Nigeria would be suspended until the issues between UAE and Nigeria are resolved.

The Middle East country had also bowed to pressure, granting six slots to Nigeria’s flag carrier, Air Peace, to operate at Dubai International Airports.

PRESSURE from state governors who opposed the introduction of a provision for compulsory adoption of direct primaries by political parties forced Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari to decline assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.

The leadership of Buhari’s party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), also kicked against the direct primary model of selecting candidates of political parties for elections.

The bill was transmitted by the National Assembly to the president on November 19 and after the 30-day period for assent expired on December 19, Buhari wrote a letter to Senate President Ahmed Lawan explaining the reasons he refused to sign the proposed legislation into law.

The bill contained key provisions that were expected to deepen the credibility of the Nigerian electoral system, particularly the adoption of the direct primary model by political parties and electronic transmission of election results.

However, the state governors, especially the APC Governors Forum led by Kebbi State governor Atiku Bagudu, opposed the introduction of direct primaries and mounted pressure on Buhari to decline assent to the bill.

At a meeting in Abuja on November 9, the APC governors insisted that the Electoral Act should not be concerned with the method through which political party candidates emerged.

Governors wield enormous influence in the selection of candidates through the indirect primary method and the provision that made direct primaries mandatory for political parties was aimed at whittling down the governors’ powers by making the electoral process more transparent.

Most of the political parties also kicked against direct primaries, arguing that it was very expensive.

The parties said they lacked the financial resources to conduct direct primaries, a development that led to suggestions that the government should fund political parties.

The ICIR exclusively reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ruled out government funding for political parties.

In the letter he wrote to the Senate President to explain his reasons for declining assent to the amendment bill, Buhari agreed with the views of the governors and other electoral stakeholders who opposed direct primaries.

The president noted that the direct primary model was too expensive.

He also pointed out that it would be unconstitutional to force political parties to adopt direct primaries as they already had their individual constitutions which stipulated methods of electing candidates for election.

The president in the letter equally observed that making the direct primary method compulsory would alienate the smaller parties.

Buhari asked the National Assembly to review the provision for compulsory adoption of direct primary and return the bill to him for assent.

After the amendment bill was transmitted to him, Buhari consulted ‘relevant stakeholders’ including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami.

While INEC Chairman Mahmoud Yakubu urged the president to assent to the bill, Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), informed Buhari that making direct primaries mandatory for political parties would cause confusion.

There were reports that the governors had lobbied Malami in their quest to shoot down the amendment bill.

* Buhari declines assent to Electoral Act Amendment Bill for fifth consecutive time

Despite his pledge to bequeath a legacy of transparent and credible electoral system in Nigeria, Buhari has now declined assent to the amendment of the Electoral Act for the fifth time.

On four occasions in 2018, the Eighth National Assembly led by then Senate President Bukola Saraki had passed and transmitted Electoral Act amendment bills to Buhari for assent and, on each occasion, he refused to sign.

On the first occasion in February 2018, Buhari rejected the amendment bill because of provisions that reordered the sequence of elections.

A second amendment bill passed by both chambers of the National Assembly and transmitted to Buhari in June 2018 was not considered at all.

For the third time, in July 2018, Buhari again refused to sign another version of the amendment bill passed and transmitted to him by the National Assembly citing concerns over increased cost of conducting elections, among other issues.

In December 2018, Buhari, for the fourth time, declined assent to the amendment bill, after the National Assembly had addressed all the reasons he gave for refusing to sign on the previous occasions.

In a letter dated December 6, 2018, and addressed to Senate President Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, Buhari said he would not sign the electoral bill into law at a time the country was preparing for the 2019 elections as, according to him, doing so would cause confusion and lead to uncertainty in the polity.

He promised to sign the bill after the 2019 elections.

* Direct primary was introduced in electoral bill as ploy to stop electronic transmission – Wike

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has alleged that the introduction of direct primary in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by the National Assembly shortly before it was transmitted to the president was a ploy by the APC to stop the introduction of electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria’s electoral system.

The APC had opposed electronic transmission, prompting the Senate to initially reject the inclusion of the provision in the electoral bill.

The Senate eventually made a U-turn and joined the House of Representatives in adopting electronic transmission as well as direct primaries in the harmonised amendment bill which was passed by the National Assembly on November 9.

However, Wike said APC governors and the National Assembly members deceived Nigerians by faking a battle of supremacy over direct primaries, whereas their aim was the rejection of the electoral bill just because their party did not want electronic transmission.

Speaking during the flag-off of Chokocho-Igbodo Road in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State on December 20, Wike said the APC was not really concerned about direct primaries, as the party made Nigerians to believe.

According to him, the party’s concern was its fear of electronic transmission.

Wike said, “What the APC resolved in the meeting they had was that their problem is not necessarily direct primaries, but the electronic transmission of results in 2023.

“If they allow that, obviously the APC will lose the election in 2023 and they told themselves that the only way they can survive that is to include the direct primaries in the bill so that Mr. President can use that as an excuse that he will not sign the bill.”

Wike added that the National Assembly would not heed calls by Nigerians to override the president by passing the electoral bill with two-thirds majority.

“Unfortunately, you don’t have a National Assembly that has what it takes, that will stand for the people, that will say, ‘look we were elected by the people and we want to give the people the best.’ Nobody in the National Assembly, not even the leadership, can have what it takes to say ‘Mr. President, for the interest of Nigerians, we are going to veto your refusal,’ ” the governor, a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said.

The APC has a majority in both chambers of National Assembly.

Two persons in Bauchi State have instituted a suit against former Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, before a Bauchi High Court for refusing to declare interest to contest for the 2023 presidency under any of the political parties in the country.

The suit was filed by Comrade Aliyu Ladan and Lawan Abdullahi before the court presided over by Justice Mohammed Sambo seeking an order of the court to compel the serving senator to declare interest in the 2023 presidential race.

When the case with suit number BA/331/2021 was mentioned, Justice Sambo ordered the plaintiffs to serve Kalu with the originating summons in Abuja outside the jurisdiction of the court and adjourned the suit to January 27, 2022 for hearing.

While addressing a press conference in Bauchi over the weekend, the plaintiffs asserted that they dragged Kalu before the court because they feel that he has the political ability to rescue Nigeria as a country which is in deep crisis, adding that as Nigerians are suffering presently, only a strategic thinker like Kalu can rescue the country.

They stated that: “We know his capacity to change the scenario, his capacity to change things from negative to positive. He has done it in Abia State despite its challenges. Kalu turned the people of Abia into good people in Nigeria because of his laudable achievements and leadership capacity.”

They further claimed that, “we have entered in to agreement with him last 2nd February 2021 that he will contest for president but he is reluctant to declare his interest.”

The plaintiffs added that, “Kalu is a person with all the capacity and capability to change the narratives of a nation. He is a man of purpose and foresight, a mentor to many citizens, a dynamic Nigerian, an advocate of justice, a revolutionary politician, a consummate administrator, master strategy, he is a blessing not only to Igbo but the entire Nigerians.

“We are in court because we want the court to ask him to respect our agreement to contest the presidency of Nigeria. We want the court to compel Kalu to declare his interest to run in the 2023 general election as a presidential candidate under the platform of the APC or any other party. We want the court to direct Kalu to commence preparations and put all the necessary machinery in place for the purpose of contesting as a presidential candidate.”

The plaintiffs also said that many credible groups across the six geopolitical zones are drumming up support for Kalu to vie for president in 2023 because they found him worthy to deliver good governance to the nation.

President Muhammadu Buhari has postponed his planned one day official visit to Ogun State, indefinitely.

Buhar was billed to visit the State for the commissioning of some of projects of executed by Governor Dapo Abiodun

The visit was scheduled for December 21, 2021.

Some of the projects listed for commissioning, were the Gateway City Gate, GCG; Sagamu Interchange-Siun-Abeokuta Road; Kobape Housing Estate; King’s Court Estate; and Ijebu Ode-Mojoda-Epe Road.

But the government on Friday night announced postponement of the official visit.

In a statement issued on Friday in Abeokuta by Tokunbo Talabi, Secretary to Ogun State Government, the government said a new date for the visit and commissioning of some of the landmark projects.

Talabi didn’t give reason for postponement of the official visit.

“The Government regrets any inconvenience the postponement might cause the invited guests,” the statement said.

Buhari is currently attending the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit, hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey.

A High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Friday declared the local government congress held by the Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Illegal , null and void.

The presiding judge, Justice Hamza Muazu in his ruling upheld the local government congress of the Senator Ibrahim Shekarau faction.

The faction has Senator Barau Jibrin, Shaaban Ibrahim Sharada and three other members of the House of Representatives, a former Deputy Governor Hafiz Abubakar, Muaz Magaji and Alhaji Shehu Dalhatu.

The case was filed in an Abuja High Court challenging the conduct of ward and local government congresses in September by some members of the All Progressives Congress in Kano with the support of Shaaban Sharada, a former media aide to President Buhari and member of the House of Representatives.

The court later awarded the sum of one million naira to the plaintiff for wasting their time.

it will be recalled that on November 30th, the court had declared the ward congresses held by the Abdullahi Ganduje faction of the party illegal.

Chief Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told Chief Bisi Akande, leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Osun State to withdraw his newly launched book, ‘My Participation’ and also apologise to Yoruba elders openly.

“Akande must apologise openly to Yoruba elders. The attitude that he displayed is not acceptable in a civilised society. Is it his legacy to dishonour Yoruba elders?

George who spoke during a press conference on Thursday where he expressed disappointment with Akande, wondering what legacy he was leaving for the young people as a Yoruba elder.

He said, “At his age, Akande should not set his house on fire. I felt very bad as a Yoruba man and as a Nigerian. He was maligned Yoruba elders and highly respectable people in the country. He was busy giving kudos to Bola Tinubu. Baba Akande is from Osun State and Tinubu is the only man that he could single out to praise.”

The Atona Odua of Yorubaland added, “From the reaction to his book you must have heard what Baba Adebanjo said. How are we going to be regarded by others? Is that the right thing to do? Baba Akande should withdraw the book that he has authored. It is very shameful. He is older than me and I don’t expect an elderly person to behave in that manner. He must apologise to those he has offended because there is nothing wrong with saying, ‘I am sorry’ I am still feeling the negative impact of what he said in the book.

George wondered why it was only Tinubu that the former Osun State governor would praise, stressing that the former Lagos State governor has not shown good leadership having cornered Lagos State resources to himself and family members.

“Tinubu wants to be the President of Nigeria, his wife is a perpetual senator, his daughter is the Iya loja general and his son is in charge of the Lagos State signage company. He has not been able to present his educational certificates and yet he wants to be President,” he said.

AS PRESIDENT BUHARI CLOCKS 79, A FOCUS ON ACHIEVEMENTS, CHALLENGES By Garba Shehu


President Muhammadu Buhari marks the age of 79 on Friday 17, without the joy of being with the family and the country he governs, seeking to maximize bilateral benefits in critical areas of Nigeria’s safety, survival and economic development in a distant country, Turkey.

As President in the last six years, he has had several achievements to his credit. But there are also challenges that need to be met in the balance of 15 months before he leaves office upon the completion of two terms in office.

As with all the countries around the globe, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown the biggest challenge to the Buhari administration, for the obvious reason that it kept under attack, not only the health of citizens but the economy and environment.

For a country and a continent designated for a world record of positive cases and deaths, yet turning in the lowest in terms of numbers, the explanation our people give here is to say “Thank God,” and they move on.

Nothing wrong with thanking God for everything that happens or does not, for, without His grace, nothing can truly get done (or undone).

But the Almighty uses the instrumentality of humans to get some of these things done.

These last two years, President Buhari led a government that believes in science and in our doctors that put in place an effective mechanism to check the spread of the pandemic and we are where we are today because this dedicated team has responded in the most capable manner any country could ever do.

He gave the experts the latitude of freedom and resources to lead us out of the worst-case scenarios using especially well-thought-out non-pharmaceutical protections and these, in the face of the denial of fair access to vaccines to us by those who make them, have really done us wonders.

Although high figures for active cases, new cases and deaths are rising lately and a fourth wave is being feared in many quarters, the proven competence of our administrators, whose aptitude, agility and appropriate sense of timing have drawn commendation from no less a body than the United Nations gives us the reassuring solace that we will wade through the muddle by getting it right.

Increasing awareness about health and hygiene is helping the country fight the deadly coronavirus disease pandemic.

The campaign against open defecation is catching on in all the states and the only way for the momentum is up and up.

President Buhari was handed an economy in 2015 just on the verge of a recession. It was sluggish due to internal as well as external factors, all these compounded by the fall of oil prices occasioned by global recession.

The new administration surprised itself by pulling the economy out of recession in less than two years.

Just as this was being celebrated, the COVID-19 pandemic has added to the global economic woes, and there we were, back in recession just as did everyone.

Yet again, the careful handling and management helped us out of a second recession in six months, setting an unbeaten record on how not to suffer a recession.

The current and projected economic growth figures are quite encouraging and if government measures being worked out to curb the existing high food inflation work well as they should; unemployment figures which are officially at 34 percent are being forced downwards through growth, especially in agriculture which President Buhari saw as the silver lining from the very beginning, the economy will continue to recover at a faster rate than projected.

Today, the economy is back on the path of growth after two consecutive recessions and it is noteworthy that the administration’s priority sectors, especially ICT, agriculture and solid minerals continue to lead the growth of the now diversified economy.

Inflation has maintained a downward streak and external reserves have stayed on healthy levels throughout these periods.

Exports have grown and have remained in an upward trajectory in agriculture, raw materials, solid minerals and manufactured goods, setting a clear tone that we are ready for a leading role in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA), which is the largest world free trade organization.

Agriculture growth could be attributed to bumper harvests in rice and other agricultural communities which have been aggressively promoted by the lending schemes put in place by the Central Bank of Nigeria and other commercial banks, the revival of the fertilizer industry which has seen such production plants grow from only four in 2015 to nearly 40 at the moment, employing thousands directly and indirectly and saving the country USD 200 billion in import bills and more than N60 billion in government subsidies.

However, smuggling across the country’s vast land borders still remains a dark spot amidst the ray of hope for total national food security.

The APC government led by President Buhari has been challenged by the worrisome activities of bandits, now classified as terrorists and the incidents of attacks on communities especially that which pitches farmers against herders.

Both have had the combined effect of disturbing the nation’s social fabric.

The government has a two-pronged strategy in dealing with the clashes: one by addressing immediate security and then dealing with scarcity of land.

Additional police and military units have been deployed to the affected states to address the former. They have already had some noticeable successes against militia groups.

But the increased presence will also enable quicker response to distress calls to prevent attacks before they happen.

The National Livestock Transformation Plan remedies this through a phased transition from herding to ranching.

This shall allow both parties to recognise for themselves the solution, rather than having it thrust upon them.

Notably, a majority of the states-which control land- and the major farmer and herder associations have welcomed the initiative.

Boko Haram which is now reduced to a shell of its former self now holds no territory and not a single militant incident has been recorded for years in the Niger Delta.

Of course, there is still more to do, but the President’s determination is to end all the conflicts to keep citizens safe.

The main reason for the defeat of the PDP in 2015 was corruption.

The present administration at the centre led by President Muhammadu Buhari has so far presented a corrupt-free image of itself.

It has also succeeded in abolishing grand corruption at the top and as attested to by the former American President, Donald Trump, when the President visited him in 2016, the government has significantly brought down the level of corruption in the whole county.

It is, however not lost on anyone that corruption is fighting back.

In this country, politics is often considered as a synonym of corruption.

The previous government came under huge criticism for scandals like that discovered in arms procurements in the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) which transformed itself into a major source of funding of the PDP; NNPC crude oil thefts, broadband spectrum licensing scandal, oil subsidy scam and so many others but the present government has not faced any such corruption charges.

Minister Diezani Allison-Maduekwe who has so far forfeited cash denominated variously to the Federal Government: USD 153 million, N23.4 billion, and USD 4m and USD 5m in separate counts; a former Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) forfeited GBP 578,080, and the Ikoyi Apartment Owners from whom USD43.4m; N23m and GBP 27,800 respectively, were recovered are part of the success of the war against corruption waged by the government.

Also, the hidden owner of the N449.6 million cash, in Lagos, is still unable to step forward to say “it’s mine”; the ex-Naval Chiefs who have forfeited N1.8 billion; the Governors Forum which surrendered N1.4 billion and the major oil marketers, from whom the EFCC has so far seized N328.9 billion.

Banks in the country which equally joined the party while it lasted, gave back N27.7 billion they “ate,” the scion of the Akinjides, Jumokes and her N650 million as well as those scammers in INEC who coughed out N1 billion all tell a story of the success of the war against corruption under Buhari.

But perhaps the greatest game-changer in the war against corruption is the institution of those measures that seek to stop such incidents from happening.

These include the biggest tax revolution since independence, VAIDS, now being implemented, and which many rich citizens are made to pay outstanding taxes; the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) that has saved the nation billions paid to ghost workers, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Open Treasury Portal tell the citizens where their money is and how it is being spent.

There is also the Whistle Blower policy by which the government is able to recover stolen or concealed assets through information provided by citizens.

This has changed the moral tone of the business transactional space in the country. The whistleblower is entitled to between 2.5% to 5.0 % of the amount recovered.

The government’s moves on Ease of Doing Business have attracted international attention and investment and significantly improved the ranking of Nigeria as a place of doing business, in fact achieving a place in the World Bank’s top 10 reforming economies.

But this is how the World Bank saw Nigeria: “Overall, the 10 top improvers implemented the most regulatory reforms in the area of getting credit, starting a business, dealing with construction permits and paying taxes,’ the report said.

Someone said President Buhari should be named as infrastructure President.

Hear the President:

“Infrastructure is vital to economic development. As you are aware, this administration has given special attention to the infrastructural transformation of our country. This is in consonance with the CHANGE philosophy of the administration. Such projects and programmes form part of our contribution to national development, which are tangible for all to see.”

In the last six-and-half years, President Buhari has taken historic decisions which have changed the country, top among which was his signing into law, the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) amidst cheers by the Nigerian business community; the Climate Change law and the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), all of which are now part of our laws.

PIA came after lengthy negotiations with the states, the whole of the oil industry, the oil-producing communities. By taking all of them on board, this success broke a twenty-year jinx.

Yet another jinx broken was the very recent decision for an out-of-court settlement of the dispute involving a businessman and the government of Nigeria that had prevented the take-off of the Mambila Hydro Electric Power Project, a development that may see it leave the drawing boards after nearly 50 years.

On the external front, President Buhari’s towering figure as an honest leader and an international statesman continues to generate a successful run in our foreign relations.

Security and political stability in West Africa have posed a tough challenge for the government of late. Little wonder that the riot act was read by the President at the ECOWAS Summit last weekend in Abuja, warning that constitutional amendments to elongate term tenure, increasingly becoming the norm in the sub-region will continue to fuel instability. It must stop.

In 2015, Presidential candidate Buhari stood on a platform to secure the country, improve the economy and fight corruption and won.

He did again in 2019 and the current challenges facing the country, though not new will only make him give his best for the country.

Politicians seeking political capital in the prevailing security situation in the country and the sections of the media making the problem appear as intractable so as to sell copies have a shock waiting for them because this one is a way President Buhari is determined to win before he leaves office in 2023.

What the President has achieved in the past six and a half years is for the nation and its people.

Sooner than later, the frustrations we face are challenges to be overcome and this period will one day be written as the golden period of Nigeria’s history.

Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to postpone the proposed February national convention of the party and hold it simultaneously with the presidential primaries ahead of the 2023 general elections.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Governor Mai Mala Buni, and obtained by our correspondent, Kalu said the party would implode if it goes ahead with the February convention without resolving the contentious issues resulting from the recently conducted congresses.

He explained that there were factions in some state chapters of the party, adding that it was important to consider the consequences of the factions before and after the convention.

In the letter titled, “Urgent appeal for postponement of APC national convention”, the former presidential aspirant said organising the convention in February will spell doom for the party.

Part of the letter reads: “It is with a sense of commitment and unflinching loyalty to our great party, the APC, that I write to you the content of this letter regarding the national convention of our party slated for February 2022.
“However, it is pertinent to note that some states are embroiled in crises with multiple factions.

“These factions are not new to our politics, especially since the return of democracy in 1999.
“However, it is important to put into consideration, the consequences of these factions during and after elections.

“It is important to remind you that the ignoble creation of factions in our party in Rivers and Zamfara states cost the party the governorship elections in those states.
“APC also failed to field candidates in some senatorial districts in Cross River State, thereby helping the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to victory.

“Similarly, the creation of factions denied the party victory in so many states because the crises were never settled. As a peaceful and tactful leader, I am sure you wouldn’t allow such a scenario to reoccur.

“The logical corollary of the foregoing pronouncements of the courts is that having too many cases without settling them amicably, the APC may be embarking upon a collision course which may lead the party to implosion.
“It is important to first postpone the convention with all peace and reconciliation machinery fully put in place.

“The issue of zoning should be properly handled with even representation across the six geopolitical zones.

“In conclusion, I am suggesting for a simultaneous event of having the presidential primary and election of National Working Committee (NWC) members on the same day and venue to avoid rancour and litigations,” Kalu said.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Sexual Offences Court In Ikeja, Lagos has rejected the claims by Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James alias Baba Ijesha that he was tortured while making a confessional statement to the police.

Baba Ijesha is facing a six-count charge bordering on allegations of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration.

He has pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge.

In November, the judge ordered a trial-within-trial to determine whether his statement was voluntarily obtained. This was after Baba Ijesha had alleged during the testimony of the police inspector, Abigail Omane, who took his statement upon a report of alleged defilement, that she rough handled him and ordered him to sit on the floor during interrogation.

He added that the complainant, Damilola Adekoya allegedly supplied all the information on the statement which the officer wrote and that he was forced to sign it with a threat that he would be further detained if he refused.

On her part, Inspector Omane said she wrote the statements of both Princess and Baba Ijesha as they provided answers to her questions, and that they read the statements and signed afterwards, as they claimed they were too shaken to write.

She said by the time she arrived Princess’ residence upon the complaint, she met the defendant with his shirt torn. She added that he turned down her offer of sitting down during interrogation at the Sabo Police Station in April this year, as he said he preferred to sit on the floor so as to stretch his legs.

In the court’s ruling upon the close of the trial-within-trial on Wednesday, it held that there was No evidence to support the claims of torture or that the defendant signed the statement under duress.

In the words of the judge, “His claim that Inspector Abigail Promised to let him go early isn’t corroborated, it is her word against his.

"Sitting on the floor doesn’t vitiate the confessional statement, the document is found to be relevant and admissible.”

After the ruling, the court admitted the statement as part of the exhibits in the trial.

The State Government led by the Director of Public Prosecution, Olayinka Adeyemi then concluded the evidence of Inspector Omane, its sixth and last witness.

Upon the close of the prosecution’s case, the lead defence counsel, Kayode Olabiran told the court that it would be filing a no-case submission to challenge the state government’s evidence linking Baba Ijesha to the offences.

The court adjourned hearing till January 26 for both sides to adopt addresses in the defence’ no-case submission.

Police have arraigned 15 out of the 22 suspects alleged to have laid siege on the residence of Justice Mary Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The suspects were produced on Wednesday before Justice Nkeonye Maha of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

They are facing an 18-count charge.

They were said to be among a Joint Panel Recovery unit of the Federal Government comprising the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), police, and the Federal Ministry of Justice.

The panel had invaded the Abuja residence of the Supreme Court next ranking Justice on October 29, claiming it had a warrant from Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna to search the home of Justice Odili.

Justice Mary is the wife of Dr Peter Odili who served as governor of Rivers State between 1999 to 2007.

President Muhammadu Buhari is pushing to fill the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with electoral officers who have unsavoury reputations.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday during plenary at the National Assembly read a letter from President Muhammadu Buhari seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of nominees for National Commissioners and a Resident Electoral Commissioner for INEC.

The nominees are Mallam Mohammed Haruna (Niger State) North Central - National Commissioner; Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu - Delta State, National Commissioner, South-South; Okeagu Kenneth Nnamdi - Abia State, South-East National Commissioner, Maj. Gen. A.B. Alkali (retd.) - Adamawa State, North-East, National Commissioner, Engr. Prof. Rada H. Gumus - Bayelsa State, South-South, National Commissioner, Mr. Sam Olumeku - Ondo State, South-West, National Commissioner and Olaniyi Olaleye Ijalaye - Ondo State, South-West, Resident Electoral Commissioner.

However, some of these are less-than-ideal appointments; though, they are still awaiting the confirmation of the Senate.

For instance, May Agbamuche-Mdu, re-appointed as a National Commissioner, is a former girlfriend of the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado-Bayero, sources told SaharaReporters on Tuesday.

Agbamuche-Mdu had previously served as INEC Commissioner from Delta until President Buhari appointed Lauretta Onochie, his aide and a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to take the position in October 2020.

However, the Senate rejected Onochie’s nomination in July 2021.

Buhari in the letter read by the Senate President, Lawan, during plenary on Tuesday listed Agbamuche-Mbu as representing Delta State.

Sources also told SaharaReporters that Agbamuche-Mbu was nominated by Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.

“Agbamuche, a former girlfriend to Emir of Bichi, who is the father-in-law of Buhari’s daughter, has been reappointed by Buhari as INEC Commissioner. She was nominated by Timipre Sylva,” one of the sources said.

Another person said to have been brought into the Government by Sylva was Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, who led interim management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

SaharaReporters in December 2019 reported how Brigadier-General Charles Nengite, a top-ranked soldier in the Nigerian Army, as well as his wife, were arrested by the United States authorities for an unexplained $16 million found in the wife’s account.

And it was learnt that Brambaifa and another former Managing Director of the NDDC, Nsima Ekere, were found to have been involved in the launder of slush funds as they both facilitated how Nengite laundered money from the commission through contracts awarded to him.

It was reported that between 2016 and 2019, Nengite was drafted to the NDDC where he allegedly benefitted from billions of naira in contracts while there.

The reappointment of Mallam Mohammed Haruna (Niger State) - North Central as National Commissioner is another appointment of an oldie by Buhari as the nominee is 70 years old.

He was born in Ibadan (in present Oyo State) on September 22, 1951, and had his primary education in Kano and later attended Government College, Bida, in his hometown in Niger State between 1965 and 1969.

But apart from being old, SaharaReporters learnt from a source close to Haruna that he is also “sick”.

Haruna worked with the New Nigerian Newspapers Company Ltd between 1976 and 1989, where he rose from a Reporter to Managing Director, and was later a columnist critical of INEC, until his appointment suddenly knocked the spirit of criticism out of him, it was learnt.

His appointment is somewhat similar to how Buhari re-nominated an 82-year old retired justice, Sylvanus Nsofor, over a month after his nomination as a non-career ambassador was rejected by the Senate.

Eventually, the Senate confirmed the appointment of Nsofor, who was favoured by Buhari because he was the only Appeal Court judge with a dissenting vote against the exercise that had returned Olusegun Obasanjo, then incumbent and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner of the Presidential race in 2003.

Buhari, who ran under the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), had challenged the result of the election. But while the other appeal court judges okayed the outcome, Nsofor accused Obasanjo and the PDP of engaging in violence and intimidation tactics.

Nsofor died in December 2020 at the age of 85.

“National Commissioner, Festus Okoye was also reappointed; this is a former activist who is now corrupted to the bone. Same as Kenneth,” another source noted.

An investigative report by the BBC has linked a Nigerian politician to a deadly cult group and an international network of internet fraudsters.

The politician, identified as Augustus Bemigho, is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress in Edo State, Nigeria’s South-south.

He ran for an elective office in 2019, according to the report published on Monday.

Mr Bemigho, who is also a businessman, is said to belong to a dangerous cult group known as the which originated from the University of Benin, Edo.

The outlawed group uses another name, the Neo-Black Movement of Africa, which is registered and recognised by the Nigerian law, to operate publicly and sometimes engages in charity works, according to the report.

“For the past two years, BBC Africa Eye has been following the , speaking to former members and combing through thousands of documents that appear to have been hacked from a number of prominent members of the group. It was not possible to verify the entire cache, but key documents were verified by the BBC.

“Among our findings were emails that suggest a prominent Nigerian businessman and 2019 APC party candidate for political office, Augustus Bemigho, was a senior member of and was involved in orchestrating fraudulent internet scams netting millions of dollars.

“The cache of documents contained more than 18,000 pages from an email account linked to Mr Bemigho, including emails that suggest he sent guidance on scamming to a network of collaborators on 62 occasions and communicated with others about specific scamming targets,” the report said.

The victims, according to the report, have been defrauded of about $3.3million in scams involving Mr Bemigho and other members of the .

“Operations by international law enforcement agencies indicate that ’s scamming profits may run into the billions,” the report said.

The BBC said Mr Bemigho did not respond to the allegations when he was contacted.

PREMIUM TIMES could not immediately reach Mr Bemigho for comment.

’s involvement in Edo politics

The report, a video version of it, tells a story of lawlessness, ruthless killings, and how the has penetrated the politics of Edo State.

The 52 minutes video showed bodies of victims of cult killings lying on the streets of Benin, widowed women and orphaned children crying helplessly, and motorists, traders, and passers-by scampering for safety during shootouts.

The BBC interviewed John Stone, a lecturer in the University of Benin and former member of .

“Why will they come after me? If they come after me, can’t I also come after them?” The lecturer said when asked if he was not afraid of breaking their oath of secrecy.

Mr Stone pulled out a sword disguised as a walking stick inside his car, while he was being interviewed by the BBC.

The sword was for his personal guard and safety, he said.

The lecturer said members of the were in the Nigerian military, the country’s judiciary, and everywhere. “We have people who are pastors,” he said.

“Politicians cannot survive without the ,” he said. “They must collaborate with the for them to survive.”

Nigerian politicians deploy members of the cult group during elections, he said.

The BBC also interviewed Tony Kabaka, an influential member of and a youth leader of the APC in Edo.

The video showed Mr Kabaka being revered and waved at in the streets by several people – youths, market men and women, vigilante members, and even a police officer.

In the street, Mr Kabaka is called the godfather. He doles out cash indiscriminately to people.

He lives in a multi-million naira home which he said was built with the help of the then Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole. He said he was a tax collector for the Edo government during Mr Oshiomhole’s administration.

A street is named after Mr Kabaka in Benin.

In his house hung photographs he took with prominent Edo politicians, including then Governor, Mr Oshiomhole and a member of the House of Representatives, Julius Ihonvbere.

“Politics has lifted Kabaka from cultist to enforcer to a multimillionaire. In Nigeria, this is a dream for many young ,” the report said.

But, as the report puts it, politics also fetched Mr Kabaka some enemies which became more visible when Mr Oshiomhole was pushed out of power by his protégé who later became his arch political rival, Godwin Obaseki, who is the current governor of Edo.

Mr Kabaka’s house was at some point attacked by unknown gunmen and his hotel pulled down by the state government.

“Cultism still exists because the government is involved. That is the truth,” Mr Kabaka said.

Mr Kabaka said politicians used him and his cultist network during elections in Edo.

He said he could identify members in the Edo government.

The BBC said, “Two documents state that in Benin City, 35 million naira ($85,000; £64,000) was funnelled to the Neo-Black Movement of Africa (NBM) to “protect votes” and secure victory in a governorship election in 2012.

“In exchange for the support, the files suggest that ‘80 slots (were) allocated to NBM Benin Zone for immediate employment by the state government’”.

The Edo State Government is yet to react to the report.

The House of Representatives has approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s loan request of 5.8 billion dollars and grant of $10 million.

The loans are to be sourced from the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, China Exim bank, Chinese Africa Development Fund, and International Fund for Agricultural Development.

In approving the loan, the House asked that the terms and conditions of the loan from the funding agencies be forwarded to the National Assembly for proper execution and commendation.

The House Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management, had presented its report through the Chairman, Rep. Ahmed Safana (APC-Katsina).

Safana observed that out of the total borrowing of $5.8 billion covers $2.3 billion for the Grid Modernization and Expansion Programme, $290,000,000 for the malaria project, $700,000,000 for the Sustainable Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Project, $786,382,967 for the Gurara Phase II project among several others.

“That the House do consider Final Report of the Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management on the Proposed 2018–2020 External Borrowing (Rolling) Plan No.3 (Laid:14/12/2021) – Committee of Supply,” Safana said.

“That the House do approve the under listed ongoing negotiation of external borrowing of $5,803,364,553.50 and a Grant component of $10,000,000 under the 2018-2020 External Borrowing (Rolling) plan.”

The loan is part of the Federal Government’s 2018-2020 external borrowing plan.

The #NorthIsBleeding because we've been complacent. We need to wake up from our slumber and collectively acknowledge that we face an existential threat. We must never be shy of speaking about our challenges and then engaging to solve the problems.

To #SecureNorth, we need a leadership direction that will mobilise all hands on deck.

In a separate letter, the president also nominated National and Resident Electoral Commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

With the new nomination of a National Commissioner from Delta State, representing the South-South, the chances that Lauretta Onochie, who was rejected earlier in the year by the Senate, may be considered foreclosed.

Onochie is an aide to President Buhari on media and was accused by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other shareholders as a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The controversies that trailed her nomination eventually led to her rejection by the Senate.

In a letter sent to the Senate, those nominated are Mohammed Haruna (Niger State), North Central National Commissioner; Mrs May Agbamuche Mbu (Delta State), South-South National Commissioner; Okeagu Kenneth Nnamdi (Abia State), South East National Commissioner; and General AB Alkali (retd), (Adamawa State), North East National Commissioner.

GOV WIKE SACKS COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has sacked the Commissioner of Health, Professor Princewill Chike for not seeking the State government’s approval to host the preliminary session of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, in Port Harcourt.

The governor described the unilateral decision of the Commissioner to host the MDNC without the consent of the Rivers State government as most embarrassing.

Governor Wike announced the sack of Professor Chike when the chairman of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Professor Abba Wasiri Hassan paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday.

The governor explained that the Rivers State government never requested to host the preliminary session of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria in Port Harcourt. And stressed that the Commissioner of Health erred to have unilaterally scheduled to host the MDCN event at the same time when the State government is commissioning and flag off of projects.

“Frankly speaking, I have never seen an embarrassment like this in my life. Everybody knows that it is not my nature to bring people and you cannot attend to them or host. So, whoever has done this will suffer for it.”

Governor Wike said the request by the MDCN that State governors should establish one tertiary hospital in each of their senatorial districts will not be realisable due to paucity of funds.

"You have talked about siting tertiary hospital in each of the senatorial district, you know it is not possible. That is why in Nigeria we have a problem. When you go for your budget, you put all kinds of projects. You know it cannot work. Where will you get the money to site these in each of the senatorial district.”

The governor explained that in a bid to improve citizens access to quality healthcare service delivery, his administration has embarked on construction of some zonal hospitals in Bori, Degema, Etche, Ahoada and Omoku.

He further stated that his administration has also invested huge amount of resources in the promoting medical education in the State, particularly, with the establishment of the Rivers State University College of Medical Sciences and the annual award of scholarship to 130 indigenes of the State studying medicine at PAMO University of Medical Sciences.

“You'll agree that I have provided the necessary funds for all whatever you requested to give a standard medical college. Our partnership with PAMO is very interesting. In fact, every year Rivers State government offers scholarship to indigenes. This year we have approved 130.”

Governor Wike used the occasion to canvass for the reduction of the money the Federal government gets from federation account to enable the States have more resources to drive their development.

The governor said States should be allowed to fix the amount they can afford to pay their workers, including medical personnel. He contended that one of the banes of the country federal system is the attempt to foist a uniform salary structure on the entire country.

“I don’t want to talk about the salary thing. It is part of the problem we have. If you want to work in Rivers State, Rivers state government should negotiate with you on what you should earn. Why should the man who is in Kogi earn the same thing with the man working in Rivers State? what is the house rent in Kogi? What is the house rent in Port Harcourt?

“If we don’t want to run true federalism, we should leave it. I can’t sit here as governor of a state, you go to the federal government to negotiate, you come and give me to sign, I will not sign.”

Chairman, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Professor Abba Wasiri Hassan, explained that they were in Rivers State for the ninth preliminary session of the council.

He commended Governor Wike for his positive attitude towards healthcare and medical delivery services in Rivers state, particularly, the huge investment in Rivers State University College of Medical Sciences, award of scholarship to indigenes of the state studying medicine and the construction of world class Dr. Peter Odili Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease Diagnostic and Treatment Centre in Port Harcourt.

The MDCN chairman urged governors to consider investing in tertiary hospitals in each of the senatorial district in the country in order to increase the number of hospitals available for the training of house officers and to check medical tourism.

Kelvin Ebiri
Special Assistant Media to the Rivers State Governor

December 13, 2021

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