₦airaland Forum

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed how the government of former head of state, the late General Sani Abacha planned to kill him with an injection, but God protected him.

He also disclosed how his late friend, General Shehu Yar’ Adua was killed in a Port Harcourt prison.

Obasanjo and his former deputy, as head of state, Yar’Adua, were among those who were convicted by a kangaroo military tribunal for participating in a phantom coup.

According to Obasanjo, he was serving his 15 year jail term in Jos before he was transferred to the Yola prison but on the day he was to depart for Yola, he was made to meet a doctor sent to kill him gradually with a lethal injection, but he escaped the trap.

prison_cell_11The former president made this revelation in his book, MY WATCH where he recalled how he was arrested, tried, and convicted and put behind bars, where he escaped death by a whisker.

According to him, he was told by a warder that a man, whom he later found to be a doctor, came to see him for medical reasons and said the Abacha government was worried about his health and mandated him to come and check his cholesterol problem.

“Earlier, I had alluded to the fact that the magnitude of the flow of visitors to me had caused Abacha some anxiety. One day, I was suddenly told that I was being moved. Where to and for what reason, nobody told me. The movement of prisoners is always shrouded in secrecy for security reasons, as they would say. One warder who wanted to be helpful came to tell me that the movement might be to my home. Anyway, by early afternoon, I was moved to a government quarters in the GRA. There, a man whom I later realised was a doctor, was waiting for me. He started talking to me about the concern of the government authority for my health, especially for my cholesterol level and said he would want to take my blood for testing.

“I knew very well that I had no cholesterol problem. I was slightly diabetic and surprisingly, my sugar level had been consistently normal. I told the man firmly that I did not need a blood cholesterol test and that the minor medical problem I had was diabetes. I checked my blood sugar level regularly and I was quite satisfied with my results. Obviously, he did not expect the reaction he got from me. He had to put his syringe and needle back and said to me that later, they would follow up in my new location. He did not look happy but there was not much else he could do with me at that juncture. As I came to realise later, Shehu Yar’Adua went through the same process, during which he must have been injected with what eventually killed him. I could only attribute the stand I took to the will and guidance of God. I had no premonition or tip-off,” he recounted.

He further recalled that with the doctor unable to perform his lethal act of injecting him with the deadly virus or slow poison, he was taken to the airport, where an Air Force Dornier aircraft was waiting to take him to his new location.

“But exactly where, I did not know. As I watched the shadow that the aircraft cast as we moved along, I knew we were moving in some easterly direction. We arrived in the evening, and I was kept in the aircraft for two hours while they were preparing my cell in the new location. I was handcuffed for the entire journey. By the time I came into what turned out to be Yola prison and my home for the next three years or so, it was almost ten at night…”

Obasanjo also recalled how he was introduced to one Dr Ajuwon, a medicine specialist to the Yola General Hospital, who hails from Oyo state, who became his doctor until his freedom came and he rewarded Ajuwon with an appointment as his personal physician when he became the president.

“A few weeks later,” the narrative continued, “a doctor, whom I later discovered to be Dr Yakasai, came from Abuja wanting to take my blood for a cholesterol check. He came with a syringe and needle. I insisted he would not touch me until my doctor was around. The prison authority sent for Dr. Ajuwon. When he came, he asked the Abuja doctor what he wanted. Of course, he gave the same story. Ajuwon, who had his own syringe and needle, there and then and in full gaze of everyone, including the prison officials, took my blood and gave it to the Abuja man.

“Ajuwon asked when we would have the results sent to us. The man replied, ‘Within forty-eight hours of my getting to Abuja.’ I remained in Yola for at least another two years after that visit, and no blood test result was ever sent to Dr. Ajuwon or to me. Obviously, he came for a devilish act, but God intervened once again.

“It was not too long after that visit that we received the news of Shehu Yar ‘Adua’s death. Rumour had it that he was poisoned. The way I was taken to a government quarters with a man ostensibly wanting to take my blood for a cholesterol check was the way Shehu was taken and under the guise of a blood check, a slow poison or virus was injected into his body. It must be mentioned that when I did not die as expected, Dr. Yakasai was accused of gross neglect of duty amounting to a coup, and he was sentenced to prison. He spent his prison term in the Kuje prison, near Abuja and Owerri prisonshttp://leadership.ng/news/449482/how-i-escaped-death-in-prison-obasanjo

Heads may roll.

Baba is a graduate of Theology, it's not a surprise that he would not stop 'preaching'.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has disclosed the reasons why he allowed himself to be arrested by the Abacha regime despite many opportunities to escape and accept an offer of political asylum by the United States.

Obasanjo was among the opposition lights that were against the regime of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, who ordered their arrest, trials and sentences but spared their lives due to international pressure.

Abacha was the most senior military officer in the illegal contraption called Interim National Government led by Chief Ernest Shonekan after the military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, was forced to resign over the historic annulment of the June 12 June, 1993 election won by Moshood Abiola, who later died in the military gulag.

In his newest controversial memoir, ‘My Watch’, he narrated his opposition to the Abacha regime which led him to the formation of National Unity Organisation which he intended to use to force Abacha to quit power.

According to his narrative, Obasanjo had been meeting with some leading politicians and non-politicians in every part of the country on the need to free the country from the jackboot of Abacha whom he said, “was so much below average as an officer that no serious attention was paid to him until he was made to announce the coup.

Sani Abacha1“I was not in doubt that Abacha would attempt to silence me. This was clear from his apparent ambition for life presidency of Nigeria in insatiable appetite for corruption; his looting directly from the Central Bank; his need to silence everyone that could oppose him in any form; his actions towards my close friends and associates and his close surveillance of me by his security both within and outside Nigeria.”

Obasanjo recalled how during his visit to Kenya for the funeral of the father of the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, where the Nigerian Embassy officials wrote a report indicting him, stating that “since Odinga was in opposition to the government of Kenya when he died, I had gone to Kenya to create problems for the Kenyan government by supporting the opposition, and the Nigerian government should restrain me from causing great problems between Nigeria and Kenya.”

Narrating further, Obasanjo said, “Rumours about Abacha taking action against me started to spread and ring louder and louder. I had no fear because I had done nothing to cause me fear or anxiety. I was about my life and my business unperturbedhttp://leadership.ng/news/449379/why-i-allowed-abacha-to-arrest-me-obasanjo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday raised the alarm over an alleged plan by insurgents to bomb his house.

Osinbajo raised the alarm during a meeting of the National Economic Council held inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The council, which has the Vice President as its chairman, comprises of all state governors.

According to a statement issued at the end of the meeting, Osinbajo who had toured some of the states witnessing insurgency in the North-East, told members of the council that intelligence report made available to him indicated that insurgents were planning to dump refuse laden with bombs in his house.

The council document released by its secretariat did not however indicate where his house in question is situated.

“The Vice President also disclosed that security reports has it that scavengers are now being prepared by insurgents to dump refuse laden with bombs in the house of the Vice President,” the document read.

The statement said Osinbajo regretted that the insurgency had affected the economic life of the North-East and the country as a whole.

He called on members of the council to speak as a team and put pressure on the service chiefs to increase their effort in fighting insurgency.

Specifically, he called for increase in sensitisation through education channels like radio and television.

The council document indicated that governors from the North-East and North-West presented updates on insurgency and other criminal activities like cattle rustling and banditry during the meeting.

It stated that governors of Yobe and Borno States raised the alarm over five local government areas of the two states still being in possession of the insurgents.

The document reads, “Governors from the North-East and North-West presented updates on the issue of insurgency in the North-East and other criminal activities like cattle rustling and banditry in the North-West.

“Governors of Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Kaduna, Gombe, Plateau and Bauchi States took turns to inform the Council of security concerns in those regions.

“On Boko Haram issues, governors of Yobe and Borno States raised the alarm over five local government areas of the two states still being in possession of the insurgents.

“They called for increase in military deployment and provision of sophisticated military equipment in those areas.”

The governors were further quoted as saying that insurgents are still hiding in the Sambisa Forest.

On cattle rustling and banditry, Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was said to have reported that most of the cattle rustlers are in Kumuku National Park.

He was further quoted as saying that if the issue was not properly handled, it could result to another Sambisa Forest episode.

He said efforts were being made to deal with the issue.

Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, was also reported to have suggested that special economic angle should be introduced in addition to military intervention to deal with the Boko Haram problem.

Osinbajo had visited Gombe, Adamawa and Borno States.

During the visits, the Vice President visited Internally Displaced Persons camps as well as hospitals where victims of terrorism are being attended tohttp://www.punchng.com/news/insurgents-plan-to-bomb-my-house-osinbajo-cries-out/

Why?

Ha

Yes paa !!! 250million dollars?
Our economy is in severe anaemic state.
What a man can do, a woman can surely do it better. I concur.
No man can better the best of this woman's embezzlement skills and tendencies.

OK now

Yea

Hmmm

This is serious

Era of 'mammoth' entourage is gone.
PMB is working
Nigeria is moving
Youths are hoping

Shettima, Oshiomhole, Amaechi, Emefiele among delegation
President to hold town hall meeting with US Diaspora Nigerians
Nduka Nwosu in Washington DC

With an official entourage of 33 including his son Yusuf, President Muhammadu Buhari arrives the Joint Base Andrews Airport, Washington DC Sunday to kick start his official visit to the United States.

Apart from getting a brief on the visit from Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US Professor Ade Adefuye and his team, Buhari will have a private dinner with Madeline Albright former US Secretary of State after settling down at the historic Blair House in Pennsylvania Avenue, the first time a visiting Nigerian leader would be so honoured.

The President who is billed to hold a Town Hall meeting with Nigerians in the Diaspora Tuesday will on Monday be officially welcomed at the White House starting with a breakfast meeting of five at the Naval Observatory, the official residence of the US Vice President Senator Joe Biden.

When THISDAY put a call to Adefuye on the expectations of the visit and what Nigeria stood to gain, he said the visit was strategic on many fronts because Nigeria and the US remain partners on many fronts.

According to him, the US recognises Nigeria as an emerging economic giant not just in Africa but in the global village adding this is the first time the US is inviting a newly elected African leader who has been in office for less than two months, to a state visit.

President Buhari, Adefuye said, “has what it takes to drive this emerging role of Nigeria and I am glad to receive him on this historic visit. The expectation that President Buhari will reposition the nation along the path of greatness is not misplaced.”

The importance of the visit to the US, Adefuye added, “is in the fact that the US is accommodating President Buhari at Blair House, the first of its kind for a Nigerian leader and at no expense to the country.”

Part of the high point of the visit is the long awaited lecture of Buhari at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on his last day in the US.

The institute had expected him to deliver a public lecture at the heat of the Presidential campaign in February. USIP Director of Programmes, Ms. Jennifer Cooke had envisaged an event that would attract a large audience of US policy makers, academics, business leaders, and Nigerians in the Diaspora, an expectation that has even become heightened with the President’s rising profile since his defeat of Goodluck Jonathan a sitting president and the first time this is happening in the political space of the country.

The interactive session jointly organised by USIP, National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute, Centre for Strategic Studies and the Atlantic Council will offer the President an opportunity to highlight on his policy direction and the expectations in the days ahead.

The Corporate Council for Africa (CCA) which also cancelled its lunch session with Buhari will along with the US Chamber of Commerce hold an interactive dinner with the president who would also have another media chat at the Blair House, later holding talks with Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Economic Assistance Programme for the North East and other important stakeholders on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

The Blair House breakfast meeting which is restricted to five people includes the President, his host Senator Biden, the Permanent. Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Governor of Borno State; Ambassador Ade Adefuye and Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor of Rivers State.

The White House visit which is billed to last one hour will be followed by a media chat at the Pool Spray, a bilateral meeting with Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, US Trade Representative Michael Froman with Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and his Nassarawa State counterpart in attendance

Buhari will also hold talks on corruption with Loretta Lynch, US Attorney General with Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Permanent Secretary, MFA; Director General, Nigerian Intelligence Agency and the Solicitor General of the Federation in attendance
He would later hold talks on Strengthening the Nigerian Economy with Jack Lew, US Secretary of the Treasury, with the Governor of the Central Bank Godwin Emefiele Permanent Secretary, MFA and Director General of the Budget as part of his team.

Apart from receiving in audience the US Black Caucus in the House of Representatives, Buhari will be at the Capitol Hill the equivalent of the National Assembly holding sessions with the Senate and House committees on Foreign Affairs with lunch hosted by US Secretary of State, John Kerry with Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, his Oyo State counterpart Abiola Ajimobi, Permanent Secretary MFA, Ambassador Ade Adefuye, Director-General of NIA, Permanent Secretary Trade and Investment and businessman Ismaila Funtua

After his meeting with the US Director of the CIA, the President will be host of a courtesy call from his colleagues of the Class of 1980 of the US Army War College arriving at the Nigerian Embassy for the Town Hall Meeting as well as the Meet & Greet Session by Nigerian Youths in the US with Mo Abudu moderating while meeting later in the afternoon, a group of potential investors in the agricultural sector

On Buhari’s entourage are Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Adams Oshiomhole, Kashim Shettima, Abiola Adeyemi Ajimobi, Godwin Emefiele, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Hadi Sirika, Ambassador. Paul Bulus Z, Ambassador. Ayodele Oke, Alhaji. Aliyu Ismaila, Ambassador. A.A. Musa, Ambassador. G.B. Igali, Aliyu Yahaya Gusau, Dr. Mahmud Mohammed, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Ismaila Isa Funtua, Mr. Femi Adesina and Dr. Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi.

Also on the entourage are Malam Garba, Mohammed Sarki, Kalu Abba-Snr, Ambassador Lawal A. Kazaure, Air Commodore N. B. Bali, Nura Rimi, Bashir Abubakar, Lt. Col. M. Lawal Abubakar, Abdulkarim Dauda, Yau Abdullahi and Sabiu Yusuf.

Others are Yusuf Maiyaki, Adamu Sambo, Emmanuel Anrihi, Bayo Omoboriowo, Baba Ujah, Lawal Mato-Snr, Gbenga Folagbade and Shehu Lawal Abubakar

Source: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/buhari-goes-to-america-first-son-32-others-make-entourage/214945/

PMB is working

Ok

Ope o

The Federal Government has declared July 17 and 20, 2015 as public holidays to the mark sallah celebration.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abubakar Magaji who made the declaration on Tuesday in Abuja, enjoined all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to extend the spiritual benefits of Ramadan, which include love, peace and sacrifice for the development of the nation.

He also urged Nigerians to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari “in his determination and sustained efforts towards building a peaceful, united and virile nation.”

Magaji further urged all Nigerians, both at home and abroad to use the occasion to pray for peace and unity across the nation.

The Permanent Secretary wished Nigerians a happy and joyous celebrationhttp://www.punchng.com/news/id-el-fitr-fg-declares-july-17-20-public-holidays/

Hmmm

We are following the drama

Saraki usurping the power of presidency.
Inordinate ambition and exorbitant arrogance being expectedly displayed by the SP

The Senator representing Zamfara Central Senatorial District, Kabir Marafa, said on Sunday that the Senate President lacked both moral and constitutional rights to summon the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, for briefing on the state of the economy.

Marafa, the spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum, who stated this in a statement issued in Abuja, noted that since Saraki had allegedly violated some sections of the constitution to emerge as senate president on June 9, he cannot accuse another person of committing the same offence he had committed.

Our correspondent had reported that the decision of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance and other top officials to decline an invitation extended to them by the leadership of the National Assembly for a briefing on the state of the nation’s economy last week was currently brewing a major face-off between the two arms of government.

Our correspondent had also reported that the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Senator Issa Galaudu, and the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, wrote separate letters to the permanent secretary but were both allegedly ignored.

The permanent secretary, according to sources close to the leadership of the Senate, was said to have shunned the meeting because there was no clearance from the Presidency to honour the briefing.

The Clerk’s letter, which was copied the Head of Service of the Federation and obtained by our correspondent read, “I refer to our letter Ref. No. NASS/S//SP/ COS/CORRP/15/1/06 of June 29, 2015 on the above subject matter and your text message of July 7, 2015, to the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, signifying your inability to honour the invitation.

“Your action is a deliberate violation of the provisions of Section 67(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999( as amended).

“You are, therefore, requested to appear before the Senate Leadership as contained in your aforementioned letter on Wednesday July 8, 2015 at 2.00pm prompt.

“The third letter to the Permanent Secretary, which also insisted on the importance of the meeting, was written by the Chief of Staff to the Senate President. Galaudu’s letter, which was dated July 8, with reference number, NASS /8 th /S/SP/COS/CORRP/15/2/07, states, ‘Please note that your text message of yesterday, Tuesday, July 7, 2015, which I received by hours of 20:02 pm, suggesting that you would not make today’s meeting, is unacceptable.’

“This is an affront to the President of the Senate and its leadership. The provision of Section 67(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), is very clear and unambiguous in this regard. Hence, you do not need the permission of any official before you attend or appear before the Senate.

“Consequently, I have the instructions of the President of the Senate and leadership that you do spear before them on the date and time earlier communicated to you, Wednesday, July 8, 2015 by 11am prompt. It is my belief that you will comply unconditionally.”

Investigations by our correspondent further revealed that the the Permanent Secretary had yet to appear before the senate leadership nor responded to the letters from both the National Assembly management and the office of the Senate President.

But Marafa, in his statement, accused Saraki of violating the same constitution which he claimed the permanent secretary had run foul of.

The senator said, “I read with open-mouth amazement, the letter written by both the Chief of Staff to the Senate President and that of the Clerk to the National Assembly on the refusal or inability of a government functionary to honour the invitation of the leadership of the senate.

“They were saying the refusal violates section 67(2) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Can somebody please tell them that they are guilty of similar, if not higher, offence?

“They, infact, not only violated the constitution to ascend to the Senate leadership, they murdered it http://www.punchng.com/news/saraki-lacks-constitutional-right-to-summon-ps-senator/

Thousands of worshipers escaped death by the whiskers as four powerful blasts rocked Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Tudun Wada area of Jos North Local Government of Plateau State.

The blasts were said to have gone off in quick succession at about 8am Sunday morning.

No death was however recorded.
Details later...

Prove them wrong

Senate President Bukola Saraki has said the 8th Senate under his leadership will not bow to the blackmail of any special interest group and stressed that sponsored lies against him will not change his focus to deliver on his mandate.

Saraki, who stated this on Friday on his Twitter handle @bukolasaraki, in reaction to the activities of some undisclosed online platform against his person, stressed further that his is only accountable to Nigerians.

The tweets reads: I’m aware of activities of certain online platforms being sponsored by mischief makers to post all sorts of negative lies against me.

“The lies will not change my focus to deliver on my mandate, which is to ensure legislation that will directly impact the lives of Nigerians.

“No matter the pressure, no special interest group can blackmail #8thSenate to do their bidding. I am accountable only to Nigerianshttp://leadership.ng/news/446204/sponsored-lies-against-me-will-not-change-my-focus-saraki

Yes

It's a reality. You have to face it.
Don't worry, you will come back to become our president.

It's a reality. You have to face it.
Don't worry, you will come back to become our president.

That's great