₦airaland Forum

Nigeria - Senators loyal to senate president Bukola Saraki have in a closed-door meeting begged president Muhammadu Buhari to forgive the senate president following the cold war between the duo, The Nation reports.

The Senators, comprising mainly of some former governors came to explore peace between the Presidency and the Senate.

"Obviously, the Senators were subtly running an errand for Saraki. I think their trip was a consequence of the Abdulsalami Peace Committee’s meeting with Saraki.” The Nation quoted a source.

"When you see a threat looming, you do not need to wait till it becomes a bigger challenge. We are doing everything to reconcile the President and the Senate President and other stakeholders in APC to move forward," a senator present at the meeting says.

“There is no point pretending. The President and some APC leaders have been unhappy with the Senate President. We cannot allow the crisis of confidence to fester. This is why we decided to intervene. Whatever is the problem, we are going to sort it out."

Another senator present says the President "gave us audience in spite of the fact that he was not too happy with some of us on the roles we played.

“We explained the situation of things to him and why he should forgive and forget whatever went wrong. We know what to do in the spirit of reconciliation to accommodate the Ahmed Lawan group.”

Asked about the countenance of the President after the session, he added: “Uncomfortable but hope is not lost. I won’t tell you what the President said at the meeting.

“I think the President’s grouse was that the party’s directive was ignored despite his appeal that Senators should respect party supremacy. He does not hate Saraki.”

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has thrown another scathing missile against the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asking it to shut up, alleging that PDP destroyed the economy which made several states of the federation, including his state’s need to take a loan from the World Bank.

Speaking to journalists at the government house on Sunday, Oshiomhole accused PDP of large-scale corruption, adding that the party is simply not in a position to blame the victims of their own looting.

He said: “If the PDP did not steal the money, we would not need to borrow. What we lost from the NLNG under the PDP led Federal Government was about $11.6 billion. Edo State’s share of that money was more than N30 billion. If you realise that from every one billion dollars, we get more than N2.7 billion. So if PDP did not steal and bleed the economy dry, our legitimate revenue stolen by the past PDP government and its men is more than that.

“PDP is simply not in a position to blame the victims of their own looting which is unprecedented in the history of the country. My hope is that they would be brought to justice.

“You heard President Buhari saying last week that after they finished looting the treasury, they even borrowed to loot. You heard the President say that they took a loan from China and they already had taken $600 million from the loan. By now if they were still there, there would have finished the rest.

“In the South-South zone, look at the debt profile, Edo is the least borrowed. The only major loan we have taken since I assumed office was a N25 billion bond out of which we have paid over N20 billion because we are paying N530 million every month.

“As we speak, we have only about N5 billion left of that loan which will be liquidated before the end of this tenure. You heard of bailout, find out what PDP states are borrowing under the bailout plan, not for development but to pay salaries. But Edo State Government is up-to-date with salaries without bail out. You need to interrogate facts and not report these people as if they are responsible people because when you do that, people don’t know the difference between mischief makers and responsible people.

“PDP should simply shut up because they destroyed everything. Carry out your own investigations. You read in the papers how much our neighboring states are borrowing. You heard of N20billion, N30 billion under two months.

“To do what, to settle the invisibles? You hear them talking about N14.5 billion. We are not borrowing to pay salaries, we are able to do that in spite of the massive looting by the PDP. I appeal to the media because you are victims and you must interrogate these thieves when they break the highway rules and want to divert you. When you ask questions, they say you want to witch hunt. Why won’t you witch hunt when the witches are killing people in the village?”

ABUJA- FORMER Director of Publicity, Peoples Democratic Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode Monday lampooned the Convener of the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, describing his comments that President Muhammadu Buhari owes Igbos nothing as most
most insensitive, cruel and Puerile.

Responding to comments credited to Junaid, Fani- Kayode in a message to Vanguard noted that his statements that If the igbo feel marginalised they should attempt to break away again, was most uncharitable and careless, warning that if there was any attempt to butcher the Ibos or a repeat of what happened in 1966, it would be resisted by not only the Ibos, but by all Nigerians, with attempt to secede, which according to him, would be successful.

According to him, the like of Junaid must learn from history, our mistakes, preach peace and peaceful coexistence, rather that boast and beat our chests for yet another round of war.

Fani- Kayode reacting to a statement titled, ” If the igbo feel marginalised they should attempt to break away again”- Dr. Junaid Mohammed, The Punch Newspaper, 17th August 2015, said, “Given the immense suffering that the igbo were subjected to both before, during and after the civil war this is one of most insensitive, cruel and puerile comments that I have heard in recent times.

“I daresay that if Junaid Mohammed’s Nigeria ever butchers over 100,000 innocent igbo civilians again, as they did in the north in 1966 just before the civil war, there will indeed be another attempt to secede, but this time it will not only be successful, but they will also take many others with them.

“Rather than boast and beat our chests, we must learn from our history and we must never repeat its mistakes.”

Dr. Junaid Mohammed, had in an interview in one of the national dailies( not Vanguard) , dismissed the sentiments shared by a former Governor of Anambra State that the Igbo have not been treated fairly in the governance of Nigeria.

Junaid who noted that people of the Igbo nation have enjoyed favourable treatment, said it was wrong to reward the Igbo simply on the basis of the Nigerian Civil War, which lasted between 1967 and 1970.

Mohammed had said, “If it is about Buhari making the appointments based on merit, I have no problems with it. I don’t believe Buhari or Nigeria owes any Igbo anything. I don’t care what Ezeife says; if they had seceded, there would have been no Nigeria today. As people who acted outside the interest of Nigeria as a country, to expect compensation is a very odd logic.

“If the Igbo don’t like it, they can attempt secession again. If they do, they must be prepared to live with the consequences. Nobody owes them anything and nobody is out to compensate them for anything.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that no amount of pressure will make him give up the war against corruption in the country.

The president stated this to a group of Nigerians, who marched to the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday, to pledge their full support for his administration’s anti-corruption campaign.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, Buhari promised a relentless prosecution of the war against corruption with due regards for the rule of law.

He said that all persons charged with stealing the nation’s resources would have their day in court and that upon conviction, their ill-gotten wealth would be seized and returned to government coffers.

“I believe it is time for Nigeria to change course. That is why I sought election as President and got elected.
“As President, I am determined that Nigeria must move away from a course of endemic corruption that was leading us to perdition.

“There can be no question of our wilfully allowing anyone to get away with corruption.
“No matter the pressure and entreaties, the anti-corruption war will continue and all accused persons will have their day in court,” the president said.

Welcoming the support of the group known as Nigerians March Against Corruption, Buhari also reaffirmed his commitment in curbing insecurity in the country and boosting employment opportunities for Nigerians, especially the youths.

He called for the continued support and solidarity of Nigerians as the present administration was determined to correct the wrongs of the past.
The group, led by Aisha Yesufu had condemned recent statements by some individuals against the president’s anti-corruption campaign.

It assured Buhari that the vast majority of ordinary Nigerians fully supported his ongoing efforts to curb corruption.

The group also urged him not to be deterred by the antics of those who did not share his laudable vision of a fairer, more equitable, corruption-free and progressive nation.

Abuja – The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday expressed optimism that it would win upcoming governorship election in Kogi and warned all aspirants and supporters to shun violence during the process.

The assurance was given by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sen. Osita Izunaso, while receiving the report of the committee which screened the party’s aspirants for the election at the party’s secretariat in Abuja.

Izunaso said that 28 aspirants were cleared to contest the party’s primaries to pick its candidate for the election, adding that the number of contestants was an indication that Kogi was for APC.

He said that with three senatorial seats, six House of Representatives seats and 75 per cent contribution in the presidential election, it was no longer news that Kogi had become an APC state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Nov. 21 for the governorship poll in the state.
Addressing the aspirants, who were at the secretariat for the clearance, Izunaso said, ”the committee went into details in the screening process and has cleared all 28 aspirants. You are required to sign an undertaking.

”It is not compulsory; it is optional but it is in your own interest.
‘’The situation where we have 28 aspirants is a good omen for our party; what it means is that people of Kogi state believe in our party, Kogi is APC and APC is Kogi.

”And, I am glad to note that of all the 28 aspirants, the 28 of you have qualified. What it means is that within this number that we are seeing here, the next governor of Kogi state is here with us.

”In the next couple of months, one of you here will be so addressed as ‘His Excellency, the governor of Kogi state’ and that is why we want you to be law-abiding and good members of APC.

”We don’t want chaos or violence; it is a family affair. You know our opponents, the 28 of you are not opponents, you are family members.”.

The gubernatorial aspirants signed undertaking to be of good conduct, with their supporters in the entire process of the primaries and election.

They were also required to abide by the party’s constitution, the electoral guidelines and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Screening Committee, Mr Boss Mustapha, said that the committee cleared all 28 aspirants because they all met the requirements.

”Having gone through the original documents and certified true copies submitted by the aspirants, we found that their claims are correct thereby meeting the constitutional requirement of the Electoral Act.

”Some of your documents we had to verify by going to WAEC and some by calling the schools you attended; we put it through a process.
‘’There was an acid test and we are satisfied that the documents that were submitted by the 28 of you met the constitutional requirements as prescribed by law,” he said.

Minna – Former Military President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida on Monady celebrated his 74th birthday with members of his family and

L-R THE GOVERNOR OF NIGER STATE, ABUBAKAR SANI BELLO FORMER HEAD OF STATE GEN ABDULSALAMI ABUBAKAR THE EMIR OF MINNA, DR UMAR FARUK BAHAGO AND FORMER PRESIDENT GEN. IBRAHIM BABANGIDA DURING THE PRAYER AT THE EID PRAYING GROUND, MINNA

few friends with a prayer session with a 40 minute prayer session.

The prayer which lasted for about 40minutes was led by the Chief Imam of Minna Sheik Ibrahim Fari and other clerics The prayer was held in the living room of the Former President.

In attendance were members of his immediate family including Mohammed his eldest son, Aminu,Halimat, his sister, Hajiya Gambo and his nephew, Alhaji Dattijo Aliyu.

‪Also at the prayer session were former Governor of Osun state Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Former Military Governor of Borno state Col Abdumiminu Aminu, Justice Musa Dattijo, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Tanko, Alhaji Hassan Mohammed Jallo, Alhaji Husseni Jallo, Alahji and Umar Ndanusa.

Others are Professor Jonathan Ndagi, Kazeem Afegbua,Special Adviser to Edo State governor on Media and publicity, the Federal University of Technology, Minna community led by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Musibau Akanji among others.‬

They all prayed for the good health of the former president and members of his family.

Gen. Babangida thanked those in attendance and all Nigerians for their prayers for him and wished them well.