₦airaland Forum

Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has spoken publicly about the trauma he went through after the road crash in Abuja involving his car and a vehicle belonging to the United States Embassy in Nigeria.
Mr. Akpabio, while addressing a large crowd of Akwa Ibom people, who gathered Wednesday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, to mark the 28th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State, said he had just returned “from the land of the death”.
Mr. Akpabio, minority leader of the Nigerian Senate, said he lost consciousness for about an hour because of the impact of the crash.
“When that accident happened, I was rushing in the morning to join my daughter who was ill in her school abroad and when it happened I lost consciousness and all I shouted was God take care of my children and my people,” said the former governor, who now represents Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District in the Senate.
Mr. Akpabio said when he regained consciousness at the National Hospital, Abuja, he was surprised to see Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State sitting by his side.
“I was moved to tears,” he said.
The former governor, surrounded by a handful of supporters and former aides, including his cousin, Emem Akpabio, entered the stadium around 5:45pm after Governor Udom Emmanuel and other dignitaries had long seated and the ceremony was underway.
He wore Akwa Ibom ‘chieftaincy’ attire. His entry into the stadium energized the crowd, his presence overshadowing his successor, and his speech, though somewhat uncoordinated, electrifying the gathering.
The climax of the anniversary celebration was the launch of a rebirth programme for Akwa Ibom people tagged ‘Dakkada’.
‘Dakkada,’ an Ibibio word, means stand up. Apparently to dispel speculations that he was in the bad books of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Akpabio told the ecstatic crowd in the 30,000-capacity stadium that the President telephoned to wish him well while he (Akpabio) was in hospital in London.
He said, “Let me place on record the support of President Buhari who did something extraordinary. The President called the hospital that I was in London.
He called the hospital line, and said put me through to the Minority Leader of the Senate who is in your hospital. And they connected him.
The room number was Room 215. And he spoke with me. He said, Akpabio we are praying for you. Insha Allah, it shall be well with you.”
The former governor seized the moment to explain why the ‘world class’ 20th Anniversary Hospital, Uyo, built during his administration, hasn’t started operation several weeks after its commissioning, saying the foreign doctors to be employed in the hospital were waiting for clearance from the Nigeria Immigration Services and relevant medical associations in the country before they could come in to start work.
He however insisted that the 20th Anniversary Hospital has superior facilities than the London hospital he went to.
“When people are talking about the 20th Anniversary Hospital, they should go there and find out, even the CT scan that I saw in London is not up to the one that you have in Uyo. That is the one they call 64 slides. Udom, the one that you have here is 640 slides. Ten times in magnification of what you have in Europe”.
He also spoke on the reported search of the Akwa Ibom Government House by the Department of State Security, dismissing reports that a large amount foreign currency was discovered in the building.
“They raided even your Government House to collect some of the money, but they did not find anything. The picture they are circulating was a picture taken in Iraq in 2011. That picture is on Google.
“If we have such money would I not build something greater than this (stadium)? Will I not build air-conditioners in all the streets so that when you are walking as an Akwa Ibom child you don’t need to fan yourself?”
Mr. Akpabio took out time in his speech to taunt the local press, which his aides say has remained critical of him even after completing his tenure as governor.
“The wish of the enemy has been defeated. All the newspapers in Akwa Ibom State, tomorrow your headlines should be ‘Akpabio rises again’, ‘Akpabio rises again’.
“Why will I not rise again when the governor has launched a very significant project in the state today, ‘Dakkada’?”

Source: http://madhauzconcept.com/i-returned-from-the-land-of-the-dead-pmb-called-me-while-in-hospital-akpabio/

ALHAJI Yerima Shettima, the president of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, AYCF, in this chat picked holes in insinuations that President Muhammadu Buhari is out to northernise Nigeria.
By Dapo Akinrefon
His assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance so far
To start with, 100 days is not enough to assess a government. But one would have expected that in 100 days, the government would have come up with its economic policies because you cannot run a government without a plan.
It appears the country is being held to ransome without a clear direction of the present administration is going. We will not be in a hurry to conclude that the government has no plan, however, it is also wrong for the country not to have a clear-cut direction of where the country is heading to.
Do you think anything has changed in Nigeria since Buhari came on board?
Honestly, I don’t think anything has changed in Nigeria but what I can say is the fear of Buhari has become the beginning of wisdom. His presence has actually changed so many things. To an extent, I can say that we are benefitting from that.
In terms of power, despite the fact that Bvuhari has not invested any fund in the sector, there has been steady power supply. I hope he sustains the tempo because as far as I am concerned, nothing has changed in Nigeria.
The president has vowed to go after corrupt persons but some Nigerians hold the view that the fight against corruption is selective. What is your view?

See Source: http://madhauzconcept.com/the-buhari-i-know-wont-northernise-nigeria-shettima/
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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday joined Muslims all over the world in observing Eid el-kabir prayer at his native home, Daura, Katsina State. The prayer was led by the chief Imam of Daura, Sheikh Safiyanu Yusuf, at Kofar-Arewa Eid ground around 9.30 a.m.

In his sermon, the Imam stressed the importance of sacrifice in Islam. He said that the sacrifice could be done win ram, sheep, goat, cow or camel. Yusuf said that the meat could be given to the needy and even non Muslims. He urged people to continue to pray to the almighty Allah to give the country peace, unity and stability.

The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouq, directed all mosques in the emirate to organise special prayer for peace and stability in the nation.

He prayed to Allah to continue to guide the President to be able to lead the country right. ‘’We need to intensify prayer for peace and stability in the country, because nothing can be achieved without peace,’’ he said.

Some of the important personalities who observed the Eid prayer include Director, Department of Security Service (DSS), Alhaji Lawal Musa Daura, and other prominent sons of the emirate including religious and traditional leaders among others.

President Buhari and the Emir slaughtered their rams after the prayer at the Eid ground. NAN also observed that there was adequate security at the Eid ground and the prayer ended peacefully.

See Source: http://madhauzconcept.com/buhari-observes-eid-el-kabir-prayer-in-daura/

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Muhammadu Buhari is currently faced with the task of restructuring the judiciary in line with his quest to ensure that his administration succeeds in the anti – graft war.

Poised to use the judiciary as a viable tool in the course of change, the president has tasked Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president, to come up with a lasting solution to certain malignant problems in the judicial system.

READ ALSO: Bury Your Head In Shame: APC Knocks PDP

This Day reports that the vice president in getting the task done has constituted a committee consisting of: Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Court of Appeal, Rahman Adeola Ipaye, the deputy chief of staff to the vice president, Femi Falana (SAN) and Tunde Irukera managing partner of Osinbajo’s law firm Simmons Cooper Partners, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, and Mrs Maryam Uwais.

Information gathered states that the committee has started functioning, making vital suggestions regarding a redirection and re-positioning of the judiciary.

Based on the advise by the Osinbajo constituted body, President Buhari is reported to have constituted a presidential advisory committee on anti-corruption which has Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) as its chairman and Owasanoye as secretary.

Reports show that the advisory committee has no serving or retired judge as its member, though part of the committee’s task is to advise the president on how to reform the criminal justice system.

Another suggestion by the Osinbajo group which is led by Justice Oyewole, is that practising lawyers should be appointed directly into the Supreme Court.

The aim of the practice is to consequently get one of the appointees who could be appointed as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and in turn help the president spearhead the desired change.

However, this advise has been kicked against by some retired CJNs, who debate that experience and background in handling cases as judges must be one of the criteria for anyone to be appointed to the highest bench.

READ ALSO: Why President Buhari Cancelled Proposed Cross-River Trip

They affirmed their agreement that the president could make appointments directly into the Court of Appeal, but noted that they are opposed to doing the same for the Supreme Court, claiming that at a time when there are many qualified judges, the action will set the wrong precedent.

But some analysts defer to the opinions of the CJNs, they fear that the continued alienation of the judiciary will add no bounce to the Buhari’s course.

Meanwhile, there are rumours that Femi Falana, the famous lawyer and human rights activist, is being considered as the next attorney general of the federation (AGF).[color=#990000][/color]

According to an alleged leaked-list of President Buhari’s ministers, Falana seems a strong candidate for the position based on his impeccable personality, strong character and adept knowledge of the law; qualities which the president desires in his drive to cause change and instill justice in the nation.

See Source: http://madhauzconcept.com/buhari-seeking-to-reform-judiciary/