₦airaland Forum

Yahoo Plus retired Senator

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) welcomes the declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari that some officials of his administration have been found wanting on corruption, and charged him to match his words with action by immediately charging those already indicted to court.

Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, Spokesman for PDP, notes that Mr. President's acceptance that there were abuse of trust by persons in his government had vindicated its position that the Buhari administration is replete with treasury looters, who had been enjoying the cover of government.

The party however asserts that unless the President matches his assertion with corresponding action against officials of his government as well as leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who are indicted for corruption, his declaration will still end up as one of the glib promises made by the APC and Buhari Presidency since 2015.

It is public knowledge that the APC administration had provided cover for loads of corrupt individuals in its fold as none of the government officials and APC leaders, who have been openly indicted for corruption, abuse of office and treasury looting, have been held culpable and prosecuted.

Instead, what the nation is witnessing is the constant harassment, intimidation, hounding and persecution of opposition leaders and other Nigerians with dissenting views, with trumped-up charges.

The PDP tasked President Buhari to note that individuals found wanting in the unbridled looting of billions of naira from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the North East Development Commission (NEDC) among other agencies have been allowed to walk away with just a pat on the wrist.

Currently, the delay in prosecuting the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, as well as indicted officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) in fraud allegations, in which very top officials of the Buhari administration have been mentioned, does not convey any sense of commitment by the administration to fight against corruption.

Our party stresses that this new assurances by Mr. President is in line with the practice of the PDP, in whose administration anti-corruption structures were not only established but corrupt officials were investigated, prosecuted and where found guilty, punished in line with the provisions of the law.

It is however strange that the Buhari administration is setting up special investigation panels to investigate officials of government accused of malfeasance bordering on corruption rather than allowing statutory anti-corruption agencies and the courts to carry out their responsibilities in that regard.

Our party is concerned that such approach will cover the exposed shame of this administration, shield top officials of government and the APC from prosecution.

The PDP therefore calls on the Buhari Presidency to stop its pretentious approach to the fight against corruption and allow those behind the humongous corruption in NEMA, NSITF, NDDC, NHIS, FIRS, NEDC as well as the arsonists in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to have their days before the law.


https://www.inform.ng/post/pdp-welcomes-buhari-demands-prosecution-of-corrupt-officials

Olumide Ogunje has been picked has the running mate to PDP candidate in the October 10 governorship election in Ondo state.

Ogunje is from Irele and Senior Legislative Aide to Rep. Ikengboju Gboluga who many believed will be picked as Jegede’s running mate.


The name of Ogunje is contained in the provisional names of candidates and their deputies as released by INEC on Friday, July 31 and obtained by The Precision NG.

Though the INEC rule still provides for name substitution before August 18, 2020, the party or candidate must submit a name as deputy to INEC which has now been published today Friday, July 31


https://www.inform.ng/post/ondo-2020-jegede-nominates-aide-of-ondo-rep-as-deputy

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has said that he didn’t know about the sovereignty clause in the Chinese loan agreement until recently, stressing that though nothing is wrong with the clause.

The minister who spoke to journalists on Wednesday at Idu train station in Abuja during a COVID-19 protocol compliance and inspection, said the implication of the clause is that if Nigeria defaults on loans repayment, China has right to take over those assets and run them until it recovers its money.

The House of Representatives in their probe of Chinese loans to Nigeria found that the agreements ceded Nigeria’s sovereign right on the assets financed by the loans to China if there was payment default.

But Amaechi said: “I am appearing before the House of Representatives again on the 17th of August.

“I just got to know that there is a clause in the agreement but it’s simple. You can’t take away the sovereignty of Nigeria but the implication is that if at the end of the day, you don’t pay the loan, the Chinese will take whatever they want without the nation talking about sovereignty.

“But what the Chinese normally do is that they go after the same asset to recover their money. So what is wrong with that? You are asking for $5.3bn. Just give that sovereignty. Now for me, the National Assembly in its wisdom thinks that is wrong, then they should tell us how to get the money to build these infrastructures. The loan to construct Ibadan to Kano rail is $5.3bn, and is being planned,”.


He said there was nothing wrong with the investigation but that it should not jeopardise the government’s means of raising capital for long-term infrastructure development.

On the Abuja-Kaduna rail service loan, Amaechi said the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has already opened an account where operating surpluses would be deposited monthly to raise money to start the $1.1bn loan repayment.

https://www.inform.ng/post/china-loan-i-dont-see-anything-wrong-with-sovereignty-clause-amaechi

Ivory Coast’s former president Laurent Gbagbo, freed conditionally by the International Criminal Court (ICC), has applied for a passport so that he can return home, his lawyer said in a statement Tuesday.

Gbagbo is the first head of state to stand trial in The Hague.




He and his deputy Charles Ble Goude were cleared in early 2019 of crimes against humanity — eight years after the former West African strongman’s arrest and transfer to the court.

Belgium agreed to host Gbagbo after he was released under strict conditions, including his return to court for a prosecution appeal against his acquittal. An ICC spokesman has said Gbagbo can travel provided the destination agrees to receive him.

After multiple unsuccessful requests to the foreign minister in Abidjan for a diplomatic passport, Gbagbo had gone to the Ivory Coast embassy in Brussels to request an ordinary passport and clearance to visit, his lawyer, Habiba Toure, said.

After Gbagbo’s acquittal by The Hague court “it is high time for President Laurent Gbagbo to return home”, Toure argued.

The West African state of Ivory Coast was plunged into disarray on Thursday after the sudden death of its prime minister, the front-runner in looming elections for the presidency.

Gbago convicted in absentia
The return of Laurent Gbagbo to Ivory Coast is a sensitive political issue three months before the presidential election. His party the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) is urging him to throw his hate in the electoral ring.

Gbagbo, 86, and Ble Goude were acquitted of four counts of crimes against humanity over the 2010-2011 bloodshed following a disputed vote in Ivory Coast: murder, rape, persecution and other inhumane acts. They had always maintained their innocence.

There was no immediate comment from the Ivorian government on the statement by Gbagbo’s lawyer.

Technically, Gbagbo could be jailed on his return, having been sentenced in absentia to a 20-year term last November for the “looting” of the local branch of the Central Bank of the West African States (BCEAO) during the post-election crisis.

The 2020 presidential elections are already set to be tense, after years of political turbulence.

In 2010-2011, the country was wracked by violence after Gbagbo refused to accept he had lost the presidential elections to the Alassane Ouattara, the current president.

Ouattara’s forces in the Muslim-majority north of the country eventually ousted Gbagbo, but the months-long standoff and brief conflict claimed some 3,000 lives, leaving divisions that linger today.

https://www.inform.ng/post/freed-ex-ivorian-leader-seeks-return-to-home-country

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Friday, shared photos of himself personally slaughtering a ram to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Gbajabiamila also led his family and members of staff to observe Eid prayers at his residence.

In a tweet on Friday, the speaker prayed for a “Covid-19 free 2021 Sallah celebration”.




Gbajabimila had in his Sallah message on Thursday, urged Muslims to rededicate themselves to their Creator and pray for the country during this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.

In the Sallah message signed by his media aide, Lanre Lasisi, the Speaker said the ravaging coronavirus pandemic called for fervent prayers among Muslim faithful.

Gbajabimila also urged Muslims to imbibe the virtues of selflessness, generosity, brotherliness and accommodating nature of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

https://www.inform.ng/post/eid-mubarak-house-speaker-gbajabiamila-slaughters-ram

Press Statement

Eid-el Kabir: PDP Salutes Nigerians, Urges More Hope In God

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians to use the occasion of this year’s Eid-el Kabir to rekindle their faith, hope and trust in the Almighty Allah as the ultimate solution to all the travails of mankind.

The party also counsels leaders at all levels of engagement in our country to imbibe the lessons of Eid-el Kabir, especially the demand for total obedience to the will and command of the Almighty Allah.

The PDP notes that such dependence on the will and command of God by the leaders and citizens alike is the only way to pull our nation out of the economic, health and security predicaments that have confronted us in the recent time.

The PDP further notes that our nation has been able to battle various challenges, the recent being the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, largely by divine intervention, and as such urged Nigerians to remain steadfast in their trust in God.

The PDP also urges the people to use the occasion to reinforce their love for one another by showing care, particularly to the less privileged, the sick, the bereaved, the aged as well as victims of various challenges of life.

The party however says Nigerians must not drop their guards in this time of celebration but should continue to be vigilant and redouble their efforts in observing all COVID-19 protocols of social distancing, personal and public hygiene, early reporting of symptoms as well as other government directives particularly with regard to mass gatherings.

The PDP prays for the nation and wishes all Nigerians a happy Eid-el Kabir celebration.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary

https://www.inform.ng/post/eid-el-kabir-pdp-salutes-nigerians-urges-more-hope-in-god

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has boasted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the forthcoming Edo State governorship election, Governor Godwin Obaseki, has no opponent.




He also stated that the sudden u-turn by the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, on the candidate of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, is an insult to the people of Edo State.

But in a swift response, the APC in Edo State has alleged that Wike and Obaseki are plotting to unleash violence in the state to mar the governorship election.

Speaking yesterday as a guest on a Live Television Programme monitored in Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said the people of Edo already knew the type of candidate the All Progressives Congress (APC) presented to them following what Adams Oshiomhole said about him four years ago.

Wike, in a statement by his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, said: “Such a character cannot be accepted by Edo people as Governor during the election.

“I respect the Benin tradition and I know that Edo people are educated to know that Oshiomhole cannot play on their intelligence.

“If he is now retracting what he said of Ize Iyamu, who is sure that he’s saying the correct thing now.

“Adams Oshiomhole’s sudden u- turn is a great insult on Edo people. This is an opportunity for Edo people both at home and in the diaspora to use their votes to tell Oshiomhole they cannot take his lies anymore.

“From all indications, it is obvious that there is no strong opposition against Obaseki and he will win convincingly”.

Wike, who is chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council, stated he and his team accepted the responsibility to lead the campaign because they are satisfied with results coming out already from Edo State.

Wike said the PDP had continued to take steps in strengthening the nation’s democracy with the promotion of internal politics and resolving conflict of interests of members to achieve common goals.

He said the success recorded by the PDP in conducting free and fair party primaries in Edo state was evidence of the internal democracy in the party.

The governor said all the aspirants decided to work together to support the candidature of Obaseki

He said: “It was not easy to have a sole candidate for the party in Edo state. People thought there will be problems, given the fact that Obaseki was coming from another Party.

“But Party members who are grounded and believe in the Party didn’t see any sacrifice too much to make.

“Even in Ondo State, the former Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi who decamped to PDP contested keenly during the primaries and lost . If there are other pending issues in the South West, be sure that the Party will resolve them.

“That is exactly what Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as the chairman of South-South States’ Governors had done.

“He is making sure that we are all on the same page to ensure that all states in the South-South are controlled by PDP”.

Meanwhile, the APC in Edo State has called on Nigerians and the international community to subject to scrutiny an alleged plot Wike and Obaseki to unleash violence in the State and disrupt the election.

The party alleged that the outburst by Wike is coming against the backdrop that they want to unleash violence on the electorate.

A statement released in Benin City by the Chairman, Edo State APC Campaign Council, Mr. John Mayaki said that the combination of Wike and Obaseki is both ominous and revealing of the violent, and underhand tactics which the PDP allegedly intends to mar the election.

APC said that Obaseki and Wike had perfected intimidation tactics such as the use of vandalism, the destruction of opponent’s properties, and harassment of innocent persons just to obtain power.

He said: “According to reliable data sourced from Peace Map, political violence in Rivers state steadily increased beginning in January 2015, peaking in the lead-up and aftermath of the April gubernatorial elections which was due largely to the violent attitude of Nyesom Wike.

“In Edo State, we have seen the same trait. There is a persistent problem in the violent, dishonest, and generally deplorable conduct of the rejected PDP, which evidently poses a great threat to the peaceful conduct of the September 19 election.”

https://www.inform.ng/post/apc-kicks-as-wike-insists-obaseki-has-no-opponent-in-edo

Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State Governor

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has responded to corruption allegations levelled against him by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara.

Dogara had in a letter of resignation, addressed to Bogoro ‘C’ Ward chairman of the PDP, Bauchi, raised questions on the utilisation of local government funds, campaign pledges and N4.6bn loan allegedly taken from a bank and paid directly into a private company’s account.

The governor through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mukhtar Gidado, said from the inception of his administration, the state has judiciously adhered to the extant financial rules, in the management of allocations of the local governments, based on federal allocation and cash flow.

“Since June 2019, we have faithfully released the LG allocations as at when due. To the best of our knowledge, no one has complained of any violation of the provisions of either the Revenue and Mobilisation Act or the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU),” he said.

He said the allegation of outsourcing of salaries was a figment of the imagination of Dogara.

“Thus, the correct position is that the state government engaged the services of a consultant to harmonise the payrolls into one with the goal of eliminating ghost workers and put an end to the collection of multiple salaries by some fraudulent civil servants. If this is what Hon. Dogara refers to as outsourcing payment of staff salaries, we have no apologies to offer.

“ We wish to state categorically that there was no N4.6 billion loan. Perhaps, Hon. Dogara is privy to something else that we are not aware of. Be that as it may, the state government only adopted the well-known contract financing approach to handle an immediate need without piling too much pressure on our cash flow. The practice, however, is that the bank, granting the loan, decides the mode of disbursement, to ensure that goods and services are delivered,” he said.

https://www.inform.ng/post/dogara-no-longer-relevant-in-politics-bala-muhammed

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has announced the postponement of its scheduled party Congresses in four states over “unforeseen circumstances.”

The PDP made this known in a letter dated Monday, July 27th, signed by its National Chairman, Uche Secondus, and National Secretary, Senator Umar Tsauri which was addressed to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Mohammed Yakubu.




According to the party, the scheduled Congresses would not hold in Ekiti, Niger, Sokoto and Taraba States, adding that new dates would be communicated to the electoral body.

The letter read in part “Please refer to our earlier letter with reference No: PDP/DOM CF. 2/VolIC/20-094, in which we informed the Commission (INEC) of our Time table and schedule of activities for the completion of the outstanding congresses of our party.




“Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are compelled to postpone our planned congresses in the aforementioned states.

“We will communicate to the commission as soon as a new date is fixed.”

Recall that party stalwarts in the four states especially in Ekiti State are engaged in a war of attrition over the control of the party structure with some state chapters conducting parallel Congresses.

It was learned that the national secretariat of the party is trying to first broker peace among feuding party members in the affected states before setting a date for the congresses.

https://www.inform.ng/post/pdp-postpones-congress-in-ekiti-and-3-other-states

A 20-year-old woman, Chioma Dioke, has narrated how kidnappers forced her elder brother to have sexual intercourse with her while they were in captivity.



Speaking on Tuesday, July 28, Chioma said the kidnappers held them inside a bush called Sambisa forest located in Ezzagu in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.



Chioma, her brother and another victim had gone to Onunwafor, Ezzagu in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State for business purposes before they were kidnapped and held hostage for five days before police came to their rescue.



Chioma, who is from Nsukka in Enugu State, and the two other victims had gone to Ezzagu to sell their goods which included noddles, diapers and oil.



The business involved a modality that allowed people of the community to invest money and those who invested were receiving high amounts as their returns.



However, the owner of the investment business reportedly ran away from the community with the payments made by their customers without the knowledge of Chioma and her brother.



In anger, the youths abducted Chioma, her brother, and the other person involved in the business and held them hostage in the bush. They were starved, threatened, and sexually assaulted.



Narrating her ordeal to journalists at the state police command in Abakaliki after her rescue from the kidnappers’ den. Chioma said she was repeatedly raped by boys from the community while others inserted hands, rods and sticks into her private part. She said they also forced her brother to have sex with her even though he told them it was incest and forbidden.



She said: "A company employed me to advertise noodles, diapers, oil and other products. If you invest N1,000 in the business, you will get N1,500. We were just doing that and we were paying our customers.



"One day, our boss travelled. I went to the office and couldn’t see three of our colleagues. I only saw my elder brother and one other guy that was working with us. As three of us were in the office, the community youths came and started beating us, demanding where our boss was. They tore my clothes, pants and bra and took us into a thick forest.



"They started molesting me; some had sex with me, while others inserted hands into my private parts. Some pressed my breasts.



"After they finished molesting me, they said my elder brother must have sex with me. They carried my brother, beat him up thoroughly and ordered him to start having sex with me. My brother told them that it was against our culture. They insisted that he must do it and pointed a gun at his head. My brother had no option than to have sex with me.



"After blood gushed out of my private parts, they ordered my brother to clean the blood. When he refused, they beat him up again. They came to me again and had sex with me in the pool of my blood."



"After having sex with me again, some of them came to me and inserted sticks in my private parts. Later, they took us to another forest where we stayed for four days. If they hear anything like a gunshot, they will take us to another forest





https://www.inform.ng/post/20-year-old-girl-narrates-how-kidnappers-forced-her-brother-had-sex-with-her

Many people have been reported dead in a gas explosion at Afariogun, Isolo area of Lagos State on Tuesday.

An eyewitness, who spoke to DAILY POST, said the police have arrived at the scene of the incident while efforts were ongoing to extinguish the fire.

It was reported that the explosion happened in a gas shop.

The number of dead people has not been ascertained as at the time of filing this report.

More to come.

https://www.inform.ng/post/gas-explosion-kills-many-in-lagos

The immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara has explained the reasons why he left the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).


In a letter of resignation addressed to the Bogoro 'C' Ward Chairman of the PDP dated July 24, 2020, Hon Dogara alluded to failure or breakdown of governance in his native state of Bauchi under the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed whom he helped install as a governor in the 2019 elections.

Dogara who raised questions on issues relating to failure of governance in Bauchi State noted that he cannot successfully ask questions about those issues without being accused of disloyalty if he were to remain in the PDP.

He argued that if he abdicate this responsibility of telling the truth to power in Bauchi State, having done same under the administrations of former Governors Isa Yuguda and Mohammed Abubakar he will be the most irresponsible and unprincipled politician in Bauchi State.




See the letter below







24/07/2020

The Chairman
People’s Democratic Party,
Bogoro ‘C' Ward,
Bogoro LGA,
Bauchi State.

LETTER OF RESIGNATION OF MY MEMBERSHIP OF THE PDP

Above subject matter refers.

I write to intimate you of my decision to resign my membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This became necessary because the same reasons why we fought hard in 2019 to effect changes in the Governance of our dear state are festering now.

I intend to bring these issues to the front burners once again as the fight to install decent
and egalitarian government in our dear state continues.

Specifically, I intend to ask questions about the following:

a. What has happened to LGA allocations since May 2019?
b. What happened to our campaign promise to conduct LGA elections within six months of the PDP government?
c. What happened to the N4.6 billion loan taken from a bank and paid directly into an private company's account?
d. Why are we segmenting salaries and why is payment of salaries of state workers outsourced to a private firm as consultants?
e. Why are contracts inflated, awarded and payment of mobilisation done in violation of extant rules on procurement?
f. Why are our highly revered Traditional Rulers and Elders treated with odium contrary to the guarantee we gave during the campaign that such will not happen under a PDP government?

Mr. Chairman, you will agree with me that I cannot raise these issues and many more questions without a charge of disloyalty levelled against me if I were to remain a member of the PDP.

I cannot also fail to raise these questions now, having raised similar ones during the administrations of Governors Isa Yuguda and Mohammed A. Abubakar. If I abdicate this responsibility on the altar of partisan loyalty, I will be the most irresponsible and unprincipled politician in Bauchi State.

Thus, by this letter, I have resigned my membership of the PDP to enable me keep faith with my principle of fighting for good governance in our Dear State.

Thank you for your kind considerations.


Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara

https://www.inform.ng/post/dogara-writes-pdp-explains-why-he-returned-to-apc

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of a photo-op trip to troubled Mali while failing to find solution to the myriads of political, economic and security crisis ravaging our nation has once again called to question his determination to face the challenges of our country under his incompetent watch.

The PDP asserts that since President Buhari has shown that he can leave the comfort and safety of the Presidential Villa, he should respond to the distress calls by Nigerians and immediately visit Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Adamawa, Sokoto, Yobe and other states of our nation being daily pillaged by bandits, insurgents, kidnappers and marauders.

The party described Mr. President’s prioritization of the situation in Mali over the worsening political and economic instability, festering corruption as well as escalated banditry, killings and bloodletting in various parts of our country as a misplacement of governance urgency as well as an inexcusable dereliction of statutory responsibilities vested on the person and office of the President and Commander in Chief of our nation.

The PDP laments that a President and Commander-in-Chief who cannot live up to his statutory governance responsibility at home but is always preoccupied with seeking photo opportunity abroad, leaves much to be desired.

While the PDP has nothing against Nigeria’s participation in seeking peace in the troubled Mali, it is however depressing that, upon re-opening his doors, President Buhari had Mali as his priority destination and could not demonstrate the littlest solidarity with Nigerians, even if it is a whistle stop at any of our military posts in the fronts or any of the distressed states.

Our party believes that Mr. President receives regular briefing on the worsened security and economic situation in our country and ought to take these issues as priority.

Indeed, Mr. President must be receiving regular briefing on the daily ravaging of communities and mindless killings in Katsina, his home state; Kaduna, Zamfara, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Adamawa, Sokoto, Yobe states, among others in addition to the reported challenges facing our gallant soldiers in the fronts, yet upon reopening of his doors, he chose to jet away to Mali instead of addressing these critical issues at home.

Mr. President has taken no decisive steps to address the worsening economic situation in our country, which is daily plummeting in his hands, the accumulating foreign debts, plundering of foreign reserves, frightening unemployment rate, devaluation of our naira, high cost of living and issues of reduced life expectancy in Nigeria.

He has also failed to forcefully confront the widespread corruption that has become a hallmark of his administration in which officials and leaders of his party have been engaging in unbridled treasury looting as being exposed in the investigative hearings at the National Assembly. 

Moreover, under the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC), our nation has experienced the worst form of division and instability in the polity due to the unchecked violation of our constitution, disregard to principles of separation of powers and federal character; manifest arrogance of government officials, abuse of human rights, nepotism, disobedience to court orders, stifling of free speech, harassment of opposition and violation of extant statutory regulations.

Nigerians therefore wonder what President Buhari has to present on the table in Mali alongside other West African leaders when his administration has failed to demonstrate the required commitment to confront our domestic political, economic and security challenges, which escalated due to its incompetence and seething corruption.

The expectation of Nigerians is for President Buhari to invite other African leaders home and attract a synergy to find solutions for our own challenges.

The PDP therefore urges the Buhari Presidency to stop ridiculing the President with showboating trips outside the country while governance is failing at home.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary


https://www.inform.ng/post/mali-trip-visit-katsina-kaduna-borno-others-now-and-address-issues-at-home-pdp-tells-buhari

July 26, 2020

PRESS RELEASE

...APC thugs desecrated our Palace grounds.

...it was a Political mutiny

...APC sponsors attempt to eliminate entire leadership of PDP and elected Governors

The unfortunate incident that took place yesterday in the course of the official visit of the Governor and members of the PDP National campaign Council to the Palace of our Royal Majesty, Oba Ewuare II Ogidigan.

I want to place it on record that the visit was officially communicated to the Palace and the various security agencies as PDP leaders visit that included the party's National Chairman, members of the National working committee, Governors of Rivers, Sokoto, Delta, and of course the host Governor Godwin Obaseki.

1. I want to place it on record that there was no official APC event in the Palace or anywhere in Benin that was so communicated in accordance with INEC guidelines.

2.There was no official communication to the security agencies and the palace that APC was also going to have event at the palace.

3. The invasion of the Palace Gate by armed APC Youths was a well co-ordinated assault by the leadership and Sponsors of Edo APC to eliminate the National leadership of the PDP and all democratically elected Governors of PDP that were expected to be with the Governor.

This action to my mind was aimed at throwing the country into crisis. The security breach must be investigated and all those connected with it must be arrested and tried in accordance with the laws.

The APC organised attack at the Palace is in our view a political mutiny, against constituted authority, capable of causing interstate conflict and war between Edo state and the affected states of the Governors that were marked down for elimination.

There have been several videos in the cyberspace where these thugs have been instructed, directed and motivated to intimidate and cause chaos and mayhem in the state.

The security agencies must swing into action to bring all those connected with the incident to book.

Choosing the Palace to unleash their evil plans is an abomination and a total disrespect to our Royal majesty and highly respected traditional institution.

We condemn the attack and wanton destruction of PDP members vehicles and property by these hooligans in broad day light in the vicinity of the Palace of our revered Oba.

I commend the leaders and members of EDO State PDP and supporters for their maturity yesterday. Who restrained themselves from retaliation in the face of unwarranted attacks and hostilities.

I want to assure them that the party will not fold its hands and watch members attacked and killed because of their support for Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Signed

Chief Dan Osi Orbih
National Vice chairman
SOUTH-SOUTH
Chairman Edo 2020
Campaign Council


https://www.inform.ng/post/edo-pdp-speaks-on-disruption-of-campaign

One-year rent agreements will get 0.78% stamp duty - FIRS lindaikejisblog
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has made a clarification on its plan to impose a stamp duty charge on tenancy.




FIRS executive chairman, Muhammad Nami who spoke at a webinar organised by OTISVIP, said the six percent stamp duty charge on tenancy previously announced will only apply to tenancy and lease agreements that are above 21 years.

According to him, tenancy and lease agreements less than seven years would carry 0.78 percent stamp duty while agreements between seven and 21 years will carry a three percent charge.

Nami urged Nigerians to accept the fact that the country can no longer rely solely on crude revenue to fund the budget, hence the need to embrace taxation as the new normal of national fiscal policy.

A statement released by Abdullahi Ismaila Ahmad, director of FIRS communications and liaison department partly read;

“While all panellists agreed on the need for taxation to complement government’s revenue flow from natural resources, a lively debate ensued on the timing of the stamp duty campaign and the public debate surrounding the application of tax revenue in the nation-building processes, especially in building public infrastructure.

“The panellists stressed the need for prudent management of tax revenue even as they enjoined Nigerians to embrace the fact that the tax net needs to get wider to accommodate more citizens for holistic national development.”


https://www.inform.ng/post/firs-clarifies-on-tenancy-stamp-duty

THE Police Command in Kano State has paraded 392 suspected armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminals terrorising the state and its environs.

Among the suspects is Mrs. Aisha Isyaku, a 60-year-old mother of two of the suspects whose names were given as Ibrahim Isyaku popularly known as Kawu, and Ahmadu Isyaku popularly known as Shiddi.




Kawu, 35, and Shiddi, 45, were said to have attacked and robbed one Abdullahi Isah of N400,000.

Luck eluded them when police nabbed them in a house at Rantan Village, Bebeji Local Government Area, Kano State.

Two AK-47 Rifles, two magazines containing 41 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunitions, one single-barrel gun with four live cartridges, a set of army camouflage uniforms and one operational jacket shirt were recovered from the Isyakus.

Their mother was also arrested for attempting to conceal the suspects’ operational jacket in a bag.

Her arrest led to the arrest of 40-year-old Abdulkadir Musa, popularly known as Malam Malam, in Yan Mariya Village, Tudun Wada Local Government Area of the state. A locally made single barrel with one live cartridge was recovered from him.

A syndicate allegedly run by the Isyakus, which invaded the residence of the Chairman of Birniwa Local Government Council in Dolen-Kwana Village, Jigawa State and killed a police officer, Sergeant Mohammed Ibrahim, on guard duty, was also smashed.

The AK-47 riffle taken from the deceased Sergeant was also recovered from Kawu who confessed the crime. State Commissioner of Police, Habu Sani, displayed the rifle while parading the suspects.

Yahuza Ibrahim, 40, and Hassan Umar, 24, were also nabbed by a team of Operation Puff-Adder attached to Anti-Kidnapping Squad. A Honda Henessy car was recovered.

Ibrahim and Umar were said to have kidnapped 73-year old Lawan Abdullahi and demanded a huge ransom.

Investigation led to the arrest of 37-year old Musa Alhaji Lawan, who is a house boy to the victim. It was discovered that Lawan’s real name is Abdulhadi Falalu.

Sani, who briefed newsmen at the Command, said among the 392 suspects are 30 armed robbers, 26 kidnappers and 312 thugs, known in the local parlance as ‘Yan Daba.’

11 fraudsters, 15 drug dealers and 14 motor vehicle thieves were also paraded.

Several arms, vehicles, cell phones, cash and charms were recovered during the combined arrests which began in May.

The recovered items include 23 vehicles, eight tricycles and seven motorcycles, 12 rifles including three AK47 rifles, two single-barrel guns, two double-barrel guns, two Baretta pistols, one locally made pistol and two Dane guns were recovered.

1,087 live ammunitions, including 12 live cartridges were also recovered from the suspected armed robbers. Also recovered were 587 parcels and wraps of dried leaves of Indian hemp valued at N3.8 million, 14 cartons of Codeine expectorants valued at N1.1 million.

Other items recovered from the criminal thugs were 85 cell phones, 232 knives, 89 machetes and 67 bamboo sticks (gora), which they use in unleashing terror to Kano residents.

Some 2,265 cartons of incense stick burner and 100 cartons of mosquito coil stolen by the suspected criminals were also recovered.

The Commissioner of Police said the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.

He attributed his achievements to “intensified community policing engagements under the directives of the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar Adamu.”


https://www.inform.ng/post/police-parades-60-year-old-kano-woman-for-robbery

Our Reporter
Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has said his administration has recorded developmental strides, adding that he deserves second term.

He spoke at the Government House, Benin while inaugurating Communication and Orientation Commissioner Stewart Efe.




Obaseki urged him to be dedicated to his duties.

He said: “These are political times and I know you are strong politically in Edo South Senatorial District. I expect you to use your political talent and current portfolio to communicate government’s policies and achievements to the people.

“Let Edo people know of our developmental strides in the past three and a half years, and also why we need a second term.”

Obaseki expressed confidence in the ability of the commissioner to face the difficult and challenging times, ahead of the September 19 governorship election.

He said: “I am impressed with the seriousness you (Efe) have taken your new responsibility. The coming months will be demanding and challenging for your office, but I have no doubt that you will be up to the task.”


https://www.inform.ng/post/i-deserve-a-second-term-obaseki

Chimaobi Udeson is an Uber driver in Lagos and sharing his experience since he started driving, he wrote things one wouldn't naturally hear these days.


Using the platform of his Twitter account, Chimaobi wrote: "2 weeks of driving Uber in Lagos made me decide never to get married .......Majority of the ladies you meet are just Civilized Prostitutes...Majority.

"Imagine picking a corporately dressed lady from a hotel to another while she is on call with her fiancee all through and yet went rogue".

https://www.inform.ng/post/as-an-uber-driver-most-of-my-female-passengers-are-corporate-prostitutes

The Federal Government is in receipt of the Senate Recommendation that the NDDC IMC be dissolved and
ii. that the NDDC be returned to the Presidency for proper supervision.

The Government set up a technical Committee to study this recommendation and advise it which committee has turned in its Recommendation.

Federal Government hereby accepts the Recommendation of the Senate and accordingly:


1. The President has hereby dissolved the NDDC IMC. The affected officers are to hand over to the most senior civil servant under them.


2. Dabota Godswill Jumbo{Dr)is hereby appointed as sole Administrator for initial period of 6 months.


3. The NDDC is hereby returned to the Presidency for proper supervision.

4. The President assures Niger Deltans that the forensic Audit of the Commission will continue unhindered.


Thank you.


Signed:
Femi Adesina
Presidential Spokesperson

July 23, 2020.

https://www.inform.ng/post/nddc-buhari-dissolves-imc-moves-agency-away-from-akpabios-supervision

Women in Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State, have embarked on a nude protest over the incessant killings in the region.

Southern Kaduna, predominantly occupied by Christians, has witnessed more ethno-religious violence than any region in Nigeria's North.





Last Sunday, 16 people were reportedly killed in an attack by yet to be apprehended gunmen.

The killings have continued despite the deployment of military personnel to the area.



https://www.inform.ng/post/southern-kaduna-women-strip-naked-to-protest-killing

The embattled Niger Delta Minister, Sen. Godswill Akpabio has denied his previous utterance indicting members of the National Assembly in the discovered misappropriation of funds in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Akpabio had stated on Tuesday, July 21, when he was questioned on the mode of distribution of NDDC’s contracts, that 60% of the contracts were awarded to members of the National Assembly and that he had proofs to substantiate his claims.

Speaker of the Assembly, Femi Gbajabiamila subsequently gave him 48 hours to publish the names of the said contract awardees.

However, at the expiration of the 48-hour ultimatum, the Minister, in a letter to the National Assembly denied his pronouncement.

In the letter which was read on the floor of the House of Representatives during the Thursday, July 23 Plenary by the Speaker, Akpabio is said to have written that the only reference he made to 60 percent during his presentation before the NDDC Committee was in response to a question by a member of the Committee.
He explained further in his letter that the Member had asked to know if a Medical Director could serve as an Executive Director on Projects and that in his response, he answered that since 50 to 60 percent of NDDC contracts were medical-related, there was noting wrong in a Medical Director serving in that capacity.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has resolved to sue the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State to Court for making indicting comments against it.

“I said then that the Honourable Minister owed it to himself and the country to provide evidence to support these serious allegations. The Honourable Minister has failed to respond to my request”, Gbajabiamila started.

“Therefore, I must conclude that his statement intended solely to gaslight the nation to avoid accountability for the evident maladministration and malfeasance in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“In my time in the House of Representatives, I have held every leadership position from Minority Whip, through to Minority Leader, Leader of the House and now Speaker. I recognise that the House has not always lived up to the high expectations of the Nigerian people.

“As much as we still have a lot to do in that regard, I refuse to sit here in good conscience and allow anyone to assassinate the character of the House in an attempt to deflect accountability for their conduct in office. Such mendacity as was witnessed at the public hearing will not be tolerated from anybody no matter how highly placed.

“This morning, I asked the Clerk of the House of Representatives to engage the services of legal counsel, and instruct them to initiate a criminal complaint of perjury against the Minister. At the same time, we will instruct counsel to explore the possibility of a civil defamation suit against the Minister.
“The House of Representatives is a public trust placed in our care for the duration of our term in office. We must prove ourselves worthy of this public trust or risk the censure of history.

“Therefore, we will resist every attempt to undermine this institution, whether such attempts come from within or from outside. This House will live up to the highest expectations of the Nigerian people. This is our commitment, and we will not fail”, he concluded.

https://www.inform.ng/post/i-did-not-accuse-nass-members-of-taking-60-nddc-contracts

July 22, 2020

Press Statement
...Exposes APC’s Plot To Stall Corruption Probes

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says that the stench of corruption oozing out of the Buhari administration has further confirmed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the headquarters of corruption as well as the dockyard of thieves, treasury looters, and oppressive cabal who have stolen our nation dry.

The PDP revealed that the APC has been seeking to frustrate on-going probes in government agencies because its leaders are complicit and all soiled, from head to toe, in the mire of corruption.

The party noted that APC’s attack against PDP’s insistence on the prosecution of APC leaders indicted in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) probe further betrays the ruling party’s desperation to shield its corrupt leaders and office holders who have been implicated in the probe.

Also the attempt by the APC to accuse the PDP over the collapse of the acting NDDC Managing Director, Daniel Pondei, at the National Assembly, apparently under the weight and shame of the massive corruption in APC administration further exposes APC’s misery.

Under this administration, no government agency is safe from the pillaging fingers of the APC. The APC and its administration is a huge labyrinth of corruption where APC leaders, cabinet ministers, heads of agencies and departments, presidential aides, anti-corruption agencies and even APC federal lawmakers are all entangled in sharp practices.

The disgraceful and scandalous appeal of “ Hon Minister, off your microphone” situation at the National Assembly sums it all.

Our party challenges the APC to find its voice and speak out on the litany of evidence in the public space, showing how its leaders have been stealing billions of naira NDDC fund while people of the region, wallow in abject poverty and despondency.

It is imperative to state that the APC must address the new peel of its labyrinth of corruption at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) where their leaders and cronies have been fingered in alleged involvement of looting of about N4.448 billion through underhand contracts.

Nigerians are already in the know of how APC leaders reportedly siphoned N40 billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), part of which was allegedly used to finance APC’s 2019 campaigns in a racket in which certain top APC leaders were alleged to have received N3 billion each.

This is in addition to exposed looting of N33 billion NEMA fund as well as findings by the House of Representatives that the funds were never used for provision of emergency food for victims of insurgency in the Northeast among other items as claimed.

The APC has also remained silent over the allegations that part of the looted funds discovered in the EFCC probe, was given to a very top official of the APC administration.

Nigerians have also not forgotten the alleged malfeasance in the APC-led ministry of finance and that of humanitarian affairs where billions of naira meant for palliatives and other essentials to mitigate the hardship occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic was allegedly stolen.

The public is also aware of the leaked NNPC memo detailing how APC leaders stole a whooping N9.6 trillion ($25billion dollars) through underhand contracts; the siphoning of N18 billion out of the N48 billion meant for the rebuilding of six northeast states ravaged by insurgency as well as the looting of N25 billion from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), among others.

We know that the APC leaders are now having sleepless nights. However, pointing accusing fingers at others, destroying evidence, resorting to antics at the National Assembly as well as threats, intimidation and attempt to silence vital witnesses will not help the APC as the headquarters of corruption.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary


https://www.inform.ng/post/nddc-you-are-the-headquarters-of-corruption-pdp-replies-apc

The suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has claimed that some of the forfeited assets recovered by the agency, were auctioned to ministries and government agencies.

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, had accused Magu of failing to account for recovered loot and assets.




Malami alleged that Magu sold some of the recovered assets to his associates.

But in a letter addressed to the Ayo Salami-led presidential panel probing the allegations, Magu explained how some of the assets were sold off.

He listed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), as part of agencies that got recovered vehicles through special auction with presidential approval.

Magu noted that about 450 forfeited vehicles are yet to be sold, although they have presidential approval to be disposed off.

He said some of these agencies have not paid for the vehicles, but that there was an agreement for their values will be deducted from the ministries’ allocation.

“On allocation of vehicles to some government agencies through special auction with presidential approval. The beneficiary agencies are: the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management of which the valued price is to be debited from their allocation; State House, National Commission for Refugees and Displaced Persons; Federal Inland Revenue Service and National Directorate of Employment.

“Real properties finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and allocated to some agencies for official use in line with the Presidential approval are: Voice of Nigeria, National Directorate of Employment, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, North East Development Commission and Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate.

“Properties under interim forfeiture order are rented by the following government agencies: Nigerian Army, Federal Ministry of Finance, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria,” Magu said.

Magu was arrested by officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) on July 6 and detained for 10 days before regaining his freedom.


https://www.inform.ng/post/magu-exposes-agencies-that-benefitted-from-recovered-loots

For the first time since 1956, the Ballon d'Or will not be awarded to any player this year due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

The prestigious Ballon d’Or will not be awarded this year because the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the soccer season.

Awarded by France Football magazine, the Ballon d’Or has been given out every year since Stanley Matthews won the first one in 1956. Lionel Messi has won it a record six times - one more than longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo.



The magazine started giving out a women’s award in 2018, but that has also been put on hold. "It’s such a strange year that we couldn’t treat it as an ordinary one. Let’s say that we started talking about (making the decision) at least two months ago,” France Football editor Pascal Ferrş told in a telephone interview.

"It isn’t a decision we took lightly but we had to accept it couldn’t be a normal or typical Ballon d’Or winner, and what really worried us is that it wouldn’t be fairly awarded.”

Because the game’s rules have been modified during the pandemic, the award itself was impacted. "The season started with certain rules and ended with other rules. In January and February, soccer was played in front of full stands. Then from May and June it was with empty stands,” Ferrş said.

“Then we had the five substitutes rule and not three. Then other changes happened in terms of the competitions, notably the final eight (eight-team knockout format) for the Champions League when it had started with home and away legs.”

With the European Championship and the Copa America postponed this year, the Champions League would have massively weighed on the award’s outcome but with a format inadvertently providing a shortcut for an eventual victor.

"The Ballon d’Or would have been decided over just three games- quarterfinal, semifinal, final,” Ferrş said. “There were loads of changes (to football’s rules) which are totally legitimate and which we don’t contest given the worldwide health crisis, but we couldn’t consider this as a typical year. Exceptional circumstances led to an exceptional decision.”

The Kopa Trophy for the best player under 21 and the Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper have also been canceled this year, Ferrş said.

Ronaldo, who will be 36 in February, can still win an Italian league-Champions League double with Juventus this season, but he is not the only player affected by France Football’s decision.

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski reached 50 club goals for the first time and can win a treble. Kylian Mbappe and Neymar can clinch quadruples for Paris Saint-Germain.

"Look at Lewandowski’s performances this year, his form has been at the level of Messi and Ronaldo,” Ferrş said. “And Paris players, imagine if they win the Champions League.”

To maintain the award’s authenticity and level of suspense, players were not informed of the decision before the announcement.

"We are independent and autonomous enough not to have to raise our little finger and ask what they think,” Ferrş said. “We will take their frustration as a sign of their attachment to the award.”

If the virus impacts next season the same way, however, the award will be awarded.

"It would be less of a problem in terms of fairness, because this time around we’ve had two parts to the season- normal and not normal,” Ferrş said. “Imagine that in 2021 all matches are played behind closed doors (without fans) and with five subs. We would adapt, because it would be comparable.”

To fill this year’s gap, the magazine created another trophy- the France Football Dream Team.

The magazine’s jury of 180 will elect history’s best team from a shortlist of five players in each position. The star-studded lineup will be known sometime in autumn.

Ronaldo will not be able to equal Messi this year, but he could find himself in the same team for the first time.

https://www.inform.ng/post/2020-ballon-dor-cancelled

Governor Aminu Masari, of Katsina States has accused those he described as the enemies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as being behind the attacks by bandits and Boko Haram in the northern part of the country.

The Governor spoke at a meeting with APC ward and local government chairmen on Sunday.



The Governor said politicians are sponsoring the attacks to make the ruling party look incompetent in order to take over in the next general election.

According to Masari, useful information from community leaders could support the fight against insecurity in the north and other parts.

“Most of the bandits and Boko Haram attacks facing the northern part of the country are sponsored by some politicians who are enemies of the present APC government at both federal and state,” he said.

“During the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, there were multiple bombs in Maiduguri, Kano and even Abuja.

“The Kano bombing then killed more than 500 people. Mosques, churches and roads were closed due to insecurity but today, God has prevented us from such insecurity but we have forgotten.

“Today, politicians who are willing or intending to contest 2023 elections are sponsoring banditry,” he said.

The Governor argued that these politicians believe that the APC dislodged the PDP administration because of insecurity, “so they want to do the same to the APC.”


https://www.inform.ng/post/enemies-of-apc-are-sponsors-of-boko-haram-bandits

Foremost lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun, is leading four other SANs in cases of certificate forgery and perjury instituted against Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, at a Federal High Court in Benin City. The All Progressives Congress (APC) and a member of the party, Mr. Edobor Williams, instituted the cases.



The plaintiffs are asking the court to disqualify the governor and his deputy from participating in the September 19 governorship election in the state as well as prevent their party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from fielding any candidates in the election.

In a related development, the APC National Campaign Council for the September 19 governorship election in the state, Saturday, raised the alarm over the destruction and removal of the outdoor billboards and campaign posters of its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and his running mate, Mallam Gani Audu, by alleged agents of the state government.

But Special Adviser to Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, dismissed the allegation, calling it belated antics of a routinely recycled politician.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a final list of eligible candidates for the September 19 election across the different political parties.

Obaseki and Shaibu, who are contesting the election on the platform of PDP, had contested and won the governorship election in 2016 under APC. In two separate suits filed against them by the APC and Williams, the plaintiffs want the court to stop Obaseki and Shaibu from participating in the September 19 governorship election in Edo State for allegedly lying on oath and submitting false documents to INEC to aid their qualifications in the forthcoming election. According to them, the alleged offences of the defendants run contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, and the punishment is automatic disqualification.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to bar the PDP from participating or representing itself in the September 19 governorship election for sponsoring ineligible candidates.

In the first suit marked FHC/B/CS/74/2020, which has Obaseki, PDP and INEC as first, second and third respondents, respectively, the plaintiffs want the court to hold that Obaseki lied on oath in his INEC Form CF 001 submitted in aid of his qualification.

The plaintiffs further accused the first defendant of forging his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) result in aid of his admission for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Ibadan. In a statement of claim in support of the suit by Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa, the plaintiffs further claimed that Obaseki did not meet the minimum requirements to gain admission into the university, as he had just three credits and two passes in his school certificate results purportedly issued by WAEC.

Obaseki was also accused of perjury for claiming to have graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1976 in his form CF 001 completed in July 2016, while in his form CF 001 completed on June 29, 2020 he claimed to have graduated in 1979.

The plaintiffs in the suit added that Obaseki had also been disqualified from participating in the election by the APC screening committee, which discovered huge discrepancies in documents presented in support of his academic qualifications.

The plaintiffs, in accusing Obaseki of forgery, pointed out that his degree certificate, whose photocopy was presented to INEC, revealed that only the Vice Chancellor of the university signed the certificate and without effective date of award, as against the standard operating procedure of the Examination, Records and Administrative Data Processing Division.

The plaintiffs also want the court to declare that Obaseki’s claim that he worked with Afrinvest Limited from 1994 to 2014, when he retired, was false.

Aside the alleged falsification of documents and lying on oath, the plaintiffs want the PDP standard bearers disqualified on the grounds that the waiver granted them by the PDP last month contravened section 177 of the 1999 Constitution.

In the other suit marked FHC/B/CS/75/2020, which has Shaibu, PDP and INEC as first, second and third respondents, respectively, the plaintiffs, apart from accusing Shaibu of also parading false academic documents, want him disqualified for presenting forged tax clearance certificate to INEC in 2006 in aid of his qualification for the 2007 House of Assembly election in Edo State in 2007.
On Shaibu’s academic record, the plaintiffs claimed discrepancies and alleged forgery in his WAEC result, adding that Shaibu’s claim that he obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Benin in 2012 was false.


https://www.inform.ng/post/edo-apc-files-suit-against-obaseki-shaibu-seeks-their-disqualification

Babatunde Olusola, an orphan and final year student of Chemical Engineering of Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, who was arrested on the orders of ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, for creating a parody Twitter account, has fallen ill and is suspected to have contracted Coronavirus.

This is coming just as a Chinese, Mr Wan, who was also detained at the Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department in Area 10, Abuja, alongside Babatunde and other inmates, tested positive for Coronavirus.




SaharaReporters had earlier published the story of how Jonathan, who is currently on a peace mission in Mali, masterminded Babatunde's ordeal by personally placing a phone call to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, alerting him to the parody account and requesting Babatunde's arrest.

Babatunde was afterwards arrested at Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and was transferred to Abuja where he remains in the detention.

Sources disclosed to SaharaReporters said that ever since Babatunde fell ill, he had been exhibiting symptoms of Coronavirus like sore throat among others.

Babatunde whose ill health had been brought to the attention of relevant authorities is yet to be tested.

Information obtained by SaharaReporters shows that more people were being detained at the FCID headquarters, exposing them to Coronavirus.

Credit: Sahara Reporters

https://www.inform.ng/post/undergraduate-arrested-on-orders-of-jonathan-falls-ill

All is now set for the much talked about gubernatorial elections in Edo state come September 19th, 2020.

The nation's electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, this evening, made available to pressmen, the complete and final list of all 14 candidates and parties eligible to stand for the upcoming elections.




The information was passed across by Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

This occasion according to Okoye, marks the final process in candidate substitution and after now, no party would be permitted to make any changes as this is final.




With this publication, this brings to rest the confusion surrounding the candidacy of the incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki who decamped from the APC to the PDP just a few months to the elections.




Also, the candidacy of his major contender, Pastor Ize- Iyamu has also been confirmed as pundits have wondered if the APC would substitute him due to his lingering N700Million money laundering case.

The eligible governorship candidates and their deputies include:

AA Obhafuoso Paul, E and Sunday Johnbull

ADC Akhigbe B Ehiabhi and Mabel Oboh

ADP Ibio L Emmanuel and Demond Imasuen

APC Osagie Andrew Ize-Iyamu and Audu Ganiyu

APGA Lucky Osagie Idehen and Isah Asekhaimeh

APM Igbineweka Osamuede and Obiyan Christian

APP Amos Osalumese Areloegbe and Afolabi Ogah

LP Osifo Uhun-Ekpenma Isaiah and Omobayo Marvellous

NNPP Agolebun Tracy and Enobhaysobo Jonathan

NRM Stevie Nash Ozono and Osadolor Eghe Festus

PDP Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki and Philip Shaibu

SDP Felix Ikezor Obayangbon and Omion Omonye

YPP Jones Osagiobare and Samson Olukayode Idowu

ZLP Akhalamhe Amiemenoghena and Thompson Osadolor
https://www.inform.ng/post/inec-clears-obaseki-ize-iyamu-for-edo-poll

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the naming of the Railway Complex in Agbor, Delta State after former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, Tolu Ogunlesi, made the announcement on Saturday.



Ogunlesi, on Twitter, quoted Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, as saying the facility will be known as the Goodluck Jonathan Railway Station & Complex.

The station is the operational hub of the Itakpe-Warri rail line.

Jonathan is currently in Mali as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Special Envoy.

He is leading the body’s mediation mission.

Malians have been calling on President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita to resign.

Jonathan is expected to facilitate dialogue with all principal stakeholders.
https://www.inform.ng/post/buhari-names-railway-after-jonathan

17th July, 2020
*ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC)*
40 Blantyre Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse 2,
Abuja.

Distinguished Leaders,

*OPEN LETTER TO MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC).*

You may recall that at the formation of All Progressives Congress in March 2013, the Southeast geopolitical zone was skeptical as to the interest of the zone in the new party.

Although the Southeast never gave full support to the APC in 2015 when it defeated the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at that year’s Presidential Election through retired general Muhammadu Buhari, several leaders of the Southeast still worked for the victory of the party.

Distinguished leaders, recall that following the victory of APC in 2015, the party distributed major offices in both the Legislative and Executive arms without consideration given to the Southeast geopolitical zone. Specifically, the party zoned the Senate Presidency to the Northeast and the Speakership of House of Representatives to Southwest despite the fact that the Southwest produced the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, while the Southeast geopolitical zone was left with nothing. The argument of party leaders then was absence of ranking Federal Legislators from the Southeast.

After the 2019 general elections, the APC enjoyed more acceptability from people of the Southeast comparative to 2015, and returned ranking legislators at both the Senate and the Federal House of Representatives, despite this feat, the APC still retained the zoning arrangement of 2015 in the sharing of political offices in both the Executive and Legislative arms. The Northwest got the President of Nigeria, the Southwest got the positions of Vice President of Nigeria and Speakership of the Federal House of Representatives, the Northeast got the position of President of the Senate, the Northcentral got the position of Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, while the Southsouth got the position of Deputy President of the Senate. Again the Southeast is left out!

Distinguished Leaders, in 2023 the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari tenure will elapse and there is an ongoing demand for the party to field someone from the Southern region as its Presidential Candidate for 2023. It is only fair and just that the APC micro-zones the Presidential ticket of the party in 2023 to the Southeast zone. This will bring balance and will integrate the Southeast to the core of the party.

Furthermore, considering that the Southeast is the only geopolitical zone in the entire Southern region that is yet to produce the country’s President or Vice President since the return of the Fourth Republic in 1999, it is appropriate for the APC, being the ruling party, to play a lead role in balancing this lopsidedness by presenting a Candidate from the SOUTHEAST.
Please be assured of our highest regards.
Thank you.
Yours truly,

Mazi Dickson Nnamdi-Iroegbu (DGN)
for: SOUTHEAST-2023 PRESIDENCY PROJECT


https://www.inform.ng/post/group-appeals-to-apc-to-field-igbo-candidate-as-buhari-successor