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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says he is President Muhammadu Buhari’s boss and will not stop criticising him.

The former leader said he had nothing personal against Buhari and his government.

Obasanjo was yesterday replying the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Gbadebo, who implored him to play down attacks on Buhari. The two spoke at the 82nd birthday anniversary celebration of Obasanjo in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Daily Trust reports that Obasanjo is yet to congratulate Buhari on his re-election.

The Alake, who served as a military officer during the military regime of Muhammadu Buhari between 1983 and 1985, referred to Buhari as his boss, telling Obasanjo that: “At 82 years of age, I think you should keep your sword more rather than use it always.”

Responding, Obasanjo said he remained Buhari’s boss and could criticise his government.

“If I say anybody in government in Nigeria or any government for that matter is not doing well, let that government prove that it is well. It’s not anything personal. So, Kabiyesi (referring to Alake of Egbaland), your boss, Buhari, there is nothing personal between me and him. Just as he is your boss, I am his boss, with all due respect.

“Now, the point is that I have been in that position longer than any Nigerian will ever be there. That’s true. If any Nigerian comes in and has two terms, he will not have almost four years of military rule. So, I have been there longer than any Nigerian would ever be there.

“So, when I say something, I know what I am talking about. Kabiyesi (Alake), anytime you say, ‘leave my boss alone’, I say ‘he is your boss’. But I am also his (Buhari’s) boss. So, you might also ask your boss (Buhari) to leave his boss alone or do what is right that his boss wants him to do.”

The guest speaker at the event, who is a South African freedom fighter, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, in his lecture titled “Colonialism, Apartheid, Freedom and South Africa Rising”, identified corruption as the biggest challenge facing the African continent.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/obasanjo-to-buhari-im-your-boss-i-wont-stop-criticising-you.html

Eight days to the governorship and House of Assembly elections, one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidates in Ekiti State, Sunday Omosilade, on Friday, withdrew from the race.

He explained that he was withdrawing because “I can’t be part of an already determined process.”

Omosilade, who is the PDP candidate for Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Constituency two in Ekiti State, said the neutrality and independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had been called to question with the conduct of previous elections, especially the last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The letter dated March 1, 2019 and addressed to the state chapter of the PDP and copied to INEC read; “Please be informed of my withdrawal from the Ekiti State House of Assembly Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency ll coming up on the 9th of March, 2019.

“I have personally lost confidence in the electoral process, most especially, with the last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections that were brazenly manipulated in favour of the APC coupled with the unchecked harassment/intimidation by security agencies before, during and after the elections.

“The neutrality/independent of INEC has been called to question in previous and the just concluded elections in Nigeria, hence my lack of confidence in the process.

“I have copied INEC this letter to intimate the commission of this development.

“While thanking the party and its members for the opportunity given me to represent them, I feel I can’t operate under an already determined end of a process.”

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/ekiti-pdp-assembly-candidate-withdraws-says-he-has-lost-confidence-in-inec-security-agencies.html

Nigerians in Diaspora under the aegis of the Buhari/Osinbajo Diaspora Support Organisation (BDSO) have expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office will usher in renewed period of prosperity for the country.

The group, in a statement signed by Chairman/Global Coordinator, Charles Efe Sylvester, said that they were elated at the news of the re-election of Buhari to serve a second term as the president of the country.

The group said that the excellent records of this government did not escape the attention of discerning Nigerians, stressing that Buhari’s victory had vindicated that their firm belief in his ability to steer the ship of the country for a second term has been acknowledged and expressed optimism Buhari government will continue to serve Nigeria diligently

In a congratulatory message to the president on his re-election, the group said, “BDSO was privileged to be the first group to meet with Mr President when he declared his intention to seek re-election.”

The group expressed gratitude to its members and volunteers world-wide, who reached out to Nigerians to support Buhari at the 2019 election and solicited continued support for him.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buharis-second-term-will-be-better-diaspora-nigerians.html

The Legal Directorate of the All Progressive Congress, APC Presidential Campaign Council has affirmed its readiness to defend the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari with all the legal expertise at its disposal.

A statement issued and signed by Prof Mamman Lawan Yusufari, Deputy Director Legal after its emergency meeting held on 27 Feb 2019 called on interested parties who were not satisfied with the results of the elections to challenge same by following due process of the law.

The directorate congratulated President Buhari for winning the 2019 presidential election and thanked Nigerians for their overwhelming support.

They lauded the presidential candidates, political parties and their support groups for their general respect for the law in the campaign activities

The statement also hailed INEC for conducting the presidential and National Assembly elections in substantial compliance with the law.
The directorate condemned the few cases of violence in some parts of the country and called on the appropriate authorities to deal with the perpetrators in accordance with the law.

Recall that the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) , Atiku Abubakar rejected the announced result of the presidential election, saying he would challenge it in court.

Abubakar in a statement he personally signed early Wednesday morning in Abuja , said that it was clear that there were premeditated malpractices in many states which negates the results announced.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-legal-directorate-to-atiku-well-defend-buhari.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged his supporters not gloat or humiliate opposition as they celebrate his victory.

In his acceptance speech at the campaign office, Abuja, Buhari thanked all those who contributed to his victory.

Buhari defeated his main challenger, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, after polling 15,191,847 votes. Atiku got 11,262,978 votes.

Buhari’s full acceptance speech.

My Dear Nigerians,

First and foremost, I give thanks to Almighty God Who has spared our lives to witness another victory for Nigerian democracy and victory for our party APC.

2. I thank the millions of Nigerians who voted to re-elect me as your president for the next four years. I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful to you for judging me worthy of continuing to serve you and for your peaceful conduct.

3. In particular, I would like to thank Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for his masterful leadership as Co-chair of the Campaign Council. I would like to also thank the Party Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, the Director General of the Campaign Council Rotimi Amaechi, all members of the Presidential Campaign Council and other various Support Groups.

4. My grateful thanks to all those who contributed to the logistical expenses of the campaign in such a vast country like Nigeria.

5. I also thank the millions of volunteers, self-appointed overseers, canvassers, agents, escorts and sentries who sacrificed so much of their time and resources to ensure the success of these elections. I do not have the words adequate to thank them.

6. Although Saturday’s elections were relatively peaceful, troublemakers in a handful of states attempted to disrupt an otherwise orderly process. Security agencies will bring to justice all those arrested in the process.

7. I am very sad at the grievous loss of lives during these elections. Security agencies will step up their efforts to protect voters in the forthcoming State elections.

8. I would like to commend our security agencies, as severely overstretched as they are, for handling the difficult task of securing the country during the election period.

9. I will like to make a special appeal to my supporters not to gloat or humiliate the opposition. Victory is enough reward for your efforts.

10. We give thanks also to our Domestic and International observers for contributing to the success of our elections and for their interest in our country and our developing democracy.

11. The new Administration will intensify its efforts in Security, Restructuring the Economy and Fighting Corruption. We have laid down the foundation and we are committed to seeing matters to the end. We will strive to strengthen our unity and inclusiveness so that no section or group will feel left behind or left out.

12. I thank you for your support and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dont-gloat-or-humiliate-opposition-buhari-to-supporters.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel the result of presidential election in Borno, Zamfara, Yobe and Nasarawa states while a new date should be fixed for a fresh poll.

The Deputy Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, who is currently briefing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday evening, alleged that the Smart Card Readers were reconfigured in favour of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/just-in-pdp-demands-cancellation-of-presidential-poll-results-in-yobe-zamfara-borno-nasarawa.html

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has said that he is not under any pressure and has not considered resigning.

Professor Yakubu made this known on Thursday, at a press briefing at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

He said, “I see no reason to even contemplate resigning”.

The INEC Chairman said he remains the Chief Electoral Officer of the Nation, stressing that he is confident that the polls will be conducted successfully.

“I am not under any pressure… The last time I checked and that is the situation as we speak, I am the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Nigeria, and constitutionally the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Federal Republic and Returning Officer for the presidential elections”.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the list of Permanent Voter Cards collected for the 2019 general elections with Lagos State topping the list, followed by Kano and Kaduna states, respectively.

According to the list, 5,531,389 people collected PVCs in Lagos State, while 4,696,747 registered voters in Kano State collected their PVCs.

In Kaduna State, 3,648,831 persons picked up their PVCs followed closely by Katsina State with 3,187,988 million cards collected. Rivers State rounds up the top five with 2,833,101 PVCs collected.

According to the INEC statistics, Katsina State has the highest percentage of PVCs collected with 98.69 percent of registered voters in the state collecting their PVCs.

It was followed by Taraba State with 97.30 percent of registered voters getting their PVCs, while 95.76 percent of Nigerians registered to vote in Gombe collected their cards.

Kebbi State and Bauchi State followed with 95.13 and 94.84 percent of registered voters getting their PVCs in both states, respectively.

See the full list below:



https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/here-are-the-states-with-highest-pvc-collection-full-list.html

As Leah Sharibu remains in the captivity of Boko Haram one year after the abduction of Dapchi school girls, students and parents yesterday held a prayer session, amid tears, for her release.

At Leah’s family house in Dapchi, Christian and Muslim prayers were said for God’s intervention for her safe and unconditional release.

Her mother, who was in Adamawa with her husband, said she would continue to wait until her daughter returned.

She urged the federal government to fulfil its promise and ensure that her daughter’s freedom.

Leah’s aunty, Hyelakumi Manasseh, that represented Mrs Sharibu at the prayer session in Dapchi, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to take the negotiation for her niece’ release more seriously.

“We have been devastated, ever since Leah was held captive. I believe if it were the president’s daughter, by now, she would have been released no matter how much it may cost,” she sobbed.

The secretary of the parents association of the school, Kachalla Bukar, said that the fasting and special prayer session was organised to seek divine intervention and remind the world that Leah was still being held captive.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/dapchi-parents-students-pray-weep-as-leah-remains-captive.html

Up PDP

Governors of Adamawa, Borno and Kaduna states have said that the security challenges in some parts of their states will not affect the forthcoming elections.

The governors spoke after a security council meeting, presided over by president Muhamamdu Buhari at the Villa today.

The security council meeting, which lasted for an hour, was attended by Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa) and Kashim Shettima (Borno).

Members of the country’s national security council were also in attendance.

Briefing State House reporters after the meeting, El-Rufai said they briefed the president and head of security agencies on the situation in their respective states.

“Shettima submitted a comprehensive report on the situation in Borno and Yobe states, Governor of Adamwa presented a situation report regarding Adamawa and I (El-Rufai) submitted a briefing based on what has been happening in kaduna state in the last few weeks and months.

“We noted a significant improvement in the security situation across our states, inspite of the challenges. And thanks to the federal government for making available its security assets to the states any time we needed them that has led to some level of stablisation of the situation.

“Across the states, we are ready for the elections. We do not believe that the level of security challenges will prevent elections from taking place all over our states.

“Of course, in the case of Borno state, other than one or two local governments that the people may vote outside their immediate domain, every voter in Borno state will vote in his local government, compared to the situation in 2015 when most of the voters in Borno state had to vote in Maiduguri. This is not the case this time around.

“In the case of Adamawa State, apart from Madagali that is close to Sambisa, there have been no major challenge, and even there with the enhanced presence of security forces, we are confident that there will be no problem conducting elections.

“In Kaduna state, we requested for an enhanced military presence in particular locations that were either afflicted by rural banditry. These are Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun and areas where there have been history of either electoral violence or ethno- religious intolerance. We have already mapped out with the GOC and the commissioner of police.

“We have made adeguate arrangements to ensure that every citizen of Kaduna state will be free to vote in an atmosphere of peace and security. We got assurances from Mr. President that whatever security asset we need, additional to what is already on ground to ensure that there are peaceful and hitch free elections on Saturday, those assets will be provided. All we need to do is to ask,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/just-in-security-challenges-wont-stop-elections-governors.html

Former Military President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida yesterday dismissed an online report that he had advised President Muhammadu Buhari to step down.

Babangida, in a statement from his Media Office, said he had no social media account and could not have turned to same to air his views on the state of affairs in the country.

“The attention of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, GCFR, has been drawn to the existence of several twitter handles and “Social Media” purportedly owned by the former military president

“The media office of the former military president wishes to inform the general public, particularly social media community that General Babangida currently has no twitter handle or any “Social media” platform.

“Also, we wish to state categorically that the twitter handles bearing the name and photographs of General Babangida are fake and targeted at misleading unsuspecting members of the public,” the statement said.

The statement reiterated that General Babangida is an elder statesman and peacemaker who could not have articulated a position as malicious as the said story.

The statement advised the social media community and the general public to be wary of the fake accounts, mischievous fake online news and discountenance whatever message conveyed therein.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i-didnt-ask-buhari-to-step-down-ibb-2.html

Wife of Kaduna State governor and co-ordinator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign in the state tagged ‘APC Gida-Gida,’ Hajiya Aisha Ummi El-Rufai, has been leading her team round the state creating awareness on the giant strides of President Muhammadu Buhari and Malam Nasir el-Rufai, and why they should be re-elected. She bares her mind on the journey so far. Excerpts:

Would you say you have delivered on the mandate of the ‘APC Gida-Gida’ campaign you initiated?

The ‘APC Gida-Gida’ for Buhari/El-Rufai 2019 is a holistic campaign project meant to serve as a special purpose vehicle and create awareness for the grassroots on the great efforts and achievements of the APC government from the federal through the state to the local government levels. This is because we feel that people at the grassroots need to be reminded and educated of such achievements. They also need to be enlightened on the message of democracy in Nigeria.

It is the responsibility of a good and responsible government to reach out to its people and feel their yearnings and aspirations. It is in the light of the above that we came up with the ‘APC Gida-Gida’ concept, not just to campaign for the success of APC candidates, but also to note some key subjects surrounding the welfare and development of the electorate

We are doing this because we believe there is always room for our leaders to fine-tune their administrations for the better. In places where we encounter misconceptions, we dispel such by shedding light on the reality of the matter. Likewise, where the people have valid reasons for their complaints, we note their points for the attention of the authorities.

We hear directly from the people what they feel about the policies of the government, their appreciation or complaints where necessary, and the suggestions regarding their needs and expectations from the government. By so doing, we have a suggestion report, a practical workbook for the APC government to come in and do the right thing for the people upon re-election. So, I can assure you that our campaign team is uncovering many things.

We are also extending our hands of friendship to all target electorate, for the re-election of President Buhari and Malam Nasir el-Rufai. This is to enable them continue their good works by completing all ongoing projects, which we are confident will be done after their re-election by God’s grace.

I can assure you that the ‘APC Gida-Gida’, an Hausa phrase for ‘APC house-to-house,’ is beyond the literal meaning. The team reaches out to people in their houses, markets, shops and other gatherings, to interact with, and inform them of the real mission of our issue-based electioneering campaigns. Alhamdulillah, I can say that my team has done very well.

How demanding was your campaign, especially as the APC is being firmly challenged by the opposition parties?

I am optimistic that our great party, the APC, can perform wonderfully well at the polls, because its marketable policies are meant for the progress of our dear nation. Of course, no one can predict the future results until after the final vote is counted and announced; however, I can confidently tell you that APC is much more formidable now than during the previous election.

That is to say that the APC stands in the right direction to win the elections by God’s grace, because it has obvious, tangible and practical proof of performance to back its mission for re-election. Thus, we have a clear vision for our APC Gida-Gida campaign. We have trained our field officers, who strictly engage the people on issue-based campaign. They try their best to connect with the people because the ‘APC Gida-Gida’ is all about the people.

We trained our officers and ambassadors to understand the need to be more focused on putting a personal touch, as they interact one-on-one with ordinary people in the state. This is to enable us know our strongholds as well as areas of challenges.

Again, it is important to state that in all our campaigns, we lay emphasis on creating awareness for the youth not to be involved political violence. We call on them to serve as peace ambassadors.

As a cardinal point in the campaign, we have professional teams that go house to house to persuade women, as mothers, to take up to their primary obligations in training their children to shun hooliganism.

As a housewife, a mother and a politician, how do you balance these with the arduous demands of the home front?

I am a wife and a mother but I am not a politician. Rather, I am a politician’s supporting wife. I am a full-time housewife who takes her roles seriously and performs her duties diligently. I have children and perform my home rituals. I am fully in charge of what goes on in my home even to the least things.

You see, this is a point that needs elaboration. Women have divine roles to play in the formation of any government. Thank God the APC government is giving us the opportunity to contribute our own quota for national development. A woman can be a housewife, but she can also have the opportunity to go out and support the government, and be an active part of governance.

As a woman, I perform my duties without any hindrance, even as a supporting wife of a politician in government. I also lend hands, voices and efforts towards women and societal development.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/women-have-roles-in-shaping-govt-ummi-el-rufai.html

The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari was showing his “true colours and complete disregard for the constitution” by saying ballot boxes’ snatchers would be doing so at the expense of their lives.

Atiku, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said threatening people with death in the context of an election “is incitement to electoral violence.”

Atiku, who kicked against the plan to deploy soldiers for the 2019 general elections, describing it as an anomaly in democracy, also condemned alleged “intimidation tactics of the Federal Government.

Responding to Buhari’s remark that the military and the police had been directed to be ruthless at ballot boxes’ snatchers, Atiku said deployment of troops “creates an atmosphere of warfare, which in turn heats up the polity, which is why it is not a common occurrence in other climes during elections.”

He also kicked against alleged “arrest of perceived members of the opposition ahead of elections,” describing it as anti-democratic.

“We were shocked to hear General Buhari live on national television threatening to kill people for an offense where no such proscription exists under law. The last time we looked, the death-penalty was not a sanction of the 2010 Election Act. In fact, threatening people with death in the context of an election is incitement to electoral violence, which is an offense under that Act,” he said.

He said he was not surprised that such a remark was coming from “the leader of a political party that has threatened that foreigners who intervene in the forthcoming elections should be sent home in body bags.

“The reason the APC-controlled federal government will want to deploy the military is not to stem the rising cases of violence, but for the simple reason that the APC wants to use the military to intimidate the opposition and pave the way for rigging.

“Once again, General Buhari is showing his true colours and completedisregard for our constitution and the laws of this country. He is getting confused with when he was President under military rule. His fig leaf of being a ‘reformed democrat’ has been blown away by this latest statement leaving his democratic credentials as naked as the day he was born.”

Atiku recalled that during his interview on “The Candidates” last month, he had hinted of the establishment of the Electoral Fraud Commission to deal, in line the laws of the land, with matters relating to electoral offences.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-showing-his-true-colours-with-death-threat-atiku.html

chai

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) owed Nigerians detailed explanation for its decision to delay the general elections.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, said the president stated this at the All Progressives Congress (APC) emergency caucus meeting at the party secretariat, Abuja.

President Buhari said: ‘‘Definitely, the reasons such incompetence manifested have to be explained to the nation. After the elections, we have to know exactly what happened and who is responsible.

‘‘The constitution and the laws protect INEC but they must not take us for granted. If for example, the National Assembly refused to approve what INEC wanted, then INEC would have more than enough reasons why they couldn’t perform.

‘‘If the time for the constitutional elections, four years after was not obeyed by the government and the system, INEC will have a case. But we do not understand why this inefficiency and we have to move into details after the election to find out who’s responsible.’’

While noting that the electoral commission had all the time and resources it needed to conduct the polls, the president said there was no justification ‘‘to wait for only six hours to postpone the votes’’, in the early hours of Feb. 16.

He also used the occasion to warn all political actors to ensure an environment free from intimidation and violence for all eligible citizens to peacefully cast their ballot on the Election Day.

The President announced that he has directed security agencies to contain any acts of lawlessness before, during and after the elections.

‘‘We are not going to be blamed of trying to rig the elections. I want Nigerians to be respected. Let them vote whoever they want across the parties. I am not afraid, I have gone to all 36 states and Abuja and I think I have enough support across the country,’’ he said.

President Buhari urged all APC supporters to vote peacefully in the upcoming elections.

‘‘We have so much to do and I think we should again go back to our loyal, committed people in all constituencies. If anything happens we have nobody to blame.

‘‘We have to tell our constituencies that they have to be patient and act in a very responsible way by going peacefully to vote again, and they should depend on party representatives at each of the 176,000 polling units,’’ he said. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/inec-owes-nigerians-detailed-explanation-on-election-postponement-says-buhari.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that any politician that decides to sponsor political thugs to cause trouble or to snatch ballot boxes in the rescheduled elections will be doing so at great risk.

The President read the riot act at the All Progressives Congress (APC) emergency National Caucus meeting on Monday in Abuja at the party’s national secretariat.

He stressed that security operatives had been ordered to deal with any such persons ruthlessly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC caucus meeting was called by the party’s national leadership to discuss matters arising from the postponement of the earlier scheduled Feb.16, Presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The APC caucus is a statutory organ of the party, and it is chaired by President Buhari.

Its members include the Vice President and all the party’s former and serving governors and members of its National Working Committee (NWC), among others.

“Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or be a thug, will be dealt with ruthlessly,” President Buhari said.

NAN reports that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had early on Saturday postponed by one week the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for the day.

By the postponement, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now come up on Feb. 23, while the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will come up on March 9.

Yakubu said the decision to postpone the elections was taken after a meeting with INEC Commissioners, citing “logistics’’ problems as issues that prompted the postponement.

He said the decision was further necessitated after reviewing the level of the commission’s preparedness for the exercise.

He stressed that postponing the elections was a difficult decision, but was necessary for successful delivery of the elections and to consolidate on Nigeria’s democracy.

President Buhari said he got the news of the postponement of the election at 4.30 a.m on the election day. He described the action as most unfortunate as the INEC had all the time and resources required to conduct the election.

“After the elections, we have to know exactly what happened, we cannot accept incompetence.

“The Constitution and the laws protect INEC, but they cannot take us for granted. We have to go into details after the elections to find out what happened ” he said.

He advised the party’s members not to be deterred by the postponement, but to remain resolute.

He charged them to go back to their constituencies and talk to the party’s supporters to come out en masse on Saturday to vote for APC candidates at all levels.

The President maintained that the APC remains committed to ensuring a free, fair and credible elections.(NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-reads-riot-act-to-political-thugs-ballot-box-snatchers.html

President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have agreed to accept the outcome of free, fair and credible elections.

Buhari, Atiku and other candidates in the February 16 presidential election also pledged to ensure that the polls are conducted peacefully while signing a peace accord at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja yesterday.

The event, organised by the National Peace Committee under the

chairmanship of a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, was witnessed by foreign observers including the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland; former Liberian President and leader of the ECOWAS observation team, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Others are former president of Tanzania and leader of Commonwealth Observer Group Jakaya Kikwete, as well as former president of Botswana and head of Democratic National Institute and Republic National Institute, Festus Moghai.

Let’s commit ourselves to the accord – Buhari

Speaking after signing the accord, President Buhari said “We, the Presidential candidates are here to sign and commit ourselves to do all that is possible to ensure the success of the elections but most importantly to accept the final outcome.

“I appeal to my fellow contestants to commit to these ideals so as to keep our country and people safe. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), our electoral umpire, has already assured us that they have done everything possible to ensure free and fair elections.

“It was to ensure this that I made sure that INEC received all the resources they needed to perform their job. Our security agencies have been fully briefed and they know that their visible neutrality is key to the conduct, credibility and success of the elections.”

The president, while calling for prayers for the country, urged Nigerians to contribute to the building of a viable polity by more active participation beyond the casting of votes.

“Let us use this opportunity to strengthen our beliefs in a united country. Our elections are important only to the extent that they make our country peaceful and prepare us for development. “Elections by themselves do not constitute Democracy. It is the spirit of citizenship engagement that utilizes the energy of citizens towards the attainment of good governance,” he said.

He appealed to youth not to allow themselves to be used to cause violence, noting that “We will vote according to Parties, but in the end, the only real Party is Nigeria, our country.”

We must abide by will of the people – Atiku

Also speaking, Atiku said “every candidate must remember that this election is about the future of Nigeria, therefore, we must abide by the will of the people as freely expressed through elections, under the terms of our constitution.”

Quoting former President Goodluck Jonathan’s statement, “My ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,” Atiku said the statement remains a benchmark for him, taking into account the deep feelings that prevail as the election approaches.

“Hopefully, our democracy should emerge stronger from this process with the 2019 elections proving better managed than the 2015 process, which was adjudged free and fair with the then opposition’s victory unobstructed.

“Consequently, I also appeal to the President, General Buhari, to use his good office to ensure that every eligible person who casts their vote is confident in the process and in the belief that their vote will count.”

He appealed to INEC and the Nigeria Police Force to be fair arbiters in the upcoming elections while letting neutrality prevail.

“Once again, despite concerns expressed by my party leaders concerning likely electoral malpractices and the intimidation of voters and observers, I trust that our election officials and security services will do their duty in accordance with their oath and obligations. In conclusion, I appeal once again, to our citizens, to go out and cast their votes for the candidates of their choice, to be peaceful at all times, and confident in our democracy, its institutions and processes,” he said.

Look beyond electoral gains, Abdulsalami tells candidates

Abdulsalami said “As leaders of political parties with extensive followership, you have the potential to help build peace and keep it, but on the other hand, you also have the potential to create and fuel conflict in the polity. You must not do anything to make a bad situation worse. You must lead by example.”

He added that “First, the election itself will not hold in the absence of a peaceful atmosphere. Second, and equally important, governance after the election would be impossible without a peaceful environment, third the disharmony among political parties hinders all developmental efforts.

“While winning elections may be a matter of competition between political parties, winning the war against development is a matter of cooperation between them. And unless we accept that the electoral competition, no matter how intense, must not be at the expense of cooperation among political parties, we are going nowhere.”

The former head of state defined electoral conflict/violence as “any act of threat that seeks to harm, intimidate, abuse or, otherwise, blackmail any participant through seeking to influence, delay or change, the outcome of that electoral process.”

He urged INEC and the security agencies to abide by their oath of office.

“Today what is coming from our mosques and churches is nothing but unfounded incitement. This must be controlled and curtailed because for us to conduct these elections successfully and in peace, every one of us must be bound by the dictates of truth, decorum and good conduct,” he said.

Gowon: Counsel your supporters against violence

Also speaking, former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon urged the candidates to counsel their supporters against violence and intimidation.

“Speak directly to your supporters, let us have peaceful elections and let us respect the observers,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the country’s traditional rulers, Chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, Amanayabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, urged the candidates to place the survival of the country above their ambitions.

Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II was also at the event.

Africa depends on healthy Nigeria – Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Mrs. Patricia Scotland, said the strength of Africa depended on a healthy Nigeria.

According to her, the Commonwealth was elated over the decision of candidates taking part in this year’s general elections to sign a peace accord to guarantee a peaceful and fair contest.

“Nigeria was a treasured member of the Commonwealth family where things must not be allowed to go wrong because of the wider implications for the rest of Africa. When Nigeria is healthy, vibrant and strong, the whole of Africa is strengthened,” Scotland said.

She said millions of people across the world are praying for Nigeria and its people hoping that the forthcoming election will hold peacefully.

She noted that Saturday’s election will be the sixth since 1999 when the country returned to democracy after military rule and expressed hope that the poll will entrench and build on the gains achieved since 1999.

According to her, for those born after 1999, this year’s election will be the first time to exercise their right and determine who rules Nigeria and that all concerned should not fail them by ensuring a credible and transparent election.

“The signing ceremony holding today (yesterday) is fully in line with commonwealth values. The world is holding their breath because Nigeria is the largest economy with the largest population in Africa. It is a burden that Nigerian leaders gathered here today carry. We call on their party, supporters and public to follow their lead. Elections will come and go, but this great Nigeria will remain,” she said.

Also, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Ketil Karlsen, urged INEC to ensure that voters were able to cast their votes without fear or intimidation. He said that what is good for Nigeria is also good for the world.

On his part, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, said the eyes of the world are on Nigeria and thus actors in the elections must play by the rules.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-atiku-well-accept-outcome-of-credible-polls.html

Akwa Ibom state governor, Udom Emmanuel, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state will station 1,000 youths per unit to defend its votes.

He stated that the party has worked hard to ensure it wins the February 16 and March 2nd general elections, and are confident of winning the polls.

Speaking yesterday in Onna, his local government area to round off the campaigns, Emmanuel said plans by the opposition party to intimidate party and government officials have failed.

He mentioned that key party leaders have been threatened with arrest and cajoled to leave the party to no avail, adding that the evil they planned, God has frustrated.

He called on the youths to resist every attempt to arrest any party official and challenged the federal government to expose former members of the party in the state who evaded tax and are now members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor thanked God for the peaceful campaigns and all party leaders, stakeholders and supporters who made the campaigns successful.

“PDP is unstoppable. We will produce the next president of this country. There is no way we would not win; we have gone round the whole Akwa Ibom.

“PDP is like a religion in Akwa Ibom. They planned evil, God did not allow it to happen; God has disappointed them. We started in peace and ended in peace and success.

“Akwa Ibom is 100 percent PDP. They wanted to arrest and intimidate but God has disappointed them. They were planning to arrest and intimidate our people but God has disappointed them. Nigerians must learn a lesson when somebody comes out to talk like Nebuchadnezzar, like Pharaoh.

“Akwa Ibom youths have rejected thuggery, they have embraced peace.

We don’t want war. We want employment, we want empowerment, we want job creation. PDP is the only government that will create jobs.

“Anybody that says elections will finish in 30 minutes must be questioned. No one with morality can truncate electoral process. We have done our home work and we know victory is sure.

“We have paid heavily for tax invasion. We challenge the federal government to expose those who have run to them for tax evasion. God will judge them, they are evil people. They want to arrest my commissioners but God will not allow them.

“I have told the youths to resist every arrest. As the Speaker has said, we will have 1,000 PDP defenders in every polling unit. This is the first time a core federal constituency is producing a governor and for sake of peace and equity, he must run two-terms,” he said.

Meanwhile, an APC governorship aspirant in the state, Dr. Edet Efretuei has defected to the PDP with over 5,000 of his supporters.

He declared his support for Governor Udom Emmanuel at the PDP campaign rally in Urue offong Oruko local government area, adding that he was robbed and schemed out of the APC governorship primaries.

He regretted leaving the PDP and expressed delight for returning, as he declared his readiness to work for the success of the party and the re-election of Governor Emmanuel at the general elections starting on Saturday.

“I have seen projects in this state. I am from that system and I am telling you authoritatively that there’s nothing like ‘federal might.’ We have to vote for the PDP at all levels to secure the future of this country,” he stated.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/pdp-will-station-1000-vote-defenders-per-unit-in-akwa-ibom-governor-emmanuel.html

Good

The immediate-past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, was yesterday remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was arraigned on a 10-count charge bothering on conspiracy and fraud before an FCT High Court in Maitama. Others arraigned along with him are Hamidu David Lawal, Suleiman Abubakar, Apeh John Monday and two companies, Rholavision Engineering Ltd and Josmon Technologies Ltd.

The charge against the defendants was as regards alleged fraud in the award of N544 million contract to Rholavision Engineering Ltd for the removal of invasive plant species and simplified irrigation by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) through the Presidential Initiative for North East (PINE).

Upon their pleas of not guilty, the prosecution counsel, Mohammed Abubakar asked the court for a short date to commence hearing.

However, Lawal’s lawyer, a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) informed the court of a bail application for the defendant.

“When I attempted to serve the application on the prosecution, I met a brick wall. They refused to accept the application. This morning (Tuesday), when I informed the prosecutor, he said he wasn’t aware that somebody in their office refused to accept service of the application. All the same, he offered to accept service of the application. It has, therefore, become compelling for me to make an oral application for the defendant’s bail,” Olujinmi said.

In making the oral application for bail, he relied on the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Abiola vs FRN reported in 1995, where the Court of Appeal reportedly held that the trial court can treat an oral bail application.

He, therefore, urged the court to grant the former SGF bail on self-recognizance.

Counsels to other defendants also made bail applications on behalf of their clients.

However, prosecution counsel opposed all the applications. According to him, the Abiola vs FRN case relied upon by the senior advocate to make the oral application was not applicable in the current case. He also said in line with Section 162 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), an application for bail needed to present before the court sufficient materials to enable the court to exercise its discretion.

After listening to arguments on the bail applications, the trial judge, Justice Jude Okeke said the court was inclined to giving a considered ruling on the applications and as such adjourned proceedings till today to deliver the ruling.

He further held that in the interim, the defendants should be kept in the custody of the EFCC.


https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/n544m-contract-babachir-remanded-in-efcc-custody.html

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 2.38 per cent in real terms (year-on-year), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said yesterday.

Daily Trust observes that the latest growth rate represents an increase of 0.27 per cent points when compared to the fourth quarter of 2017 which recorded a growth rate of 2.11 per cent.

It also indicates a rise of 0.55 per cent points when compared with the growth rate recorded in Q3 2018.

Further analysis showed that on a quarter on quarter basis, real GDP growth was 5.31 per cent.

The fourth quarter growth performance implies that real GDP grew at an annual growth rate of 1.93 per cent in 2018, compared to 0.82 per cent recorded in 2017, an increase of 1.09 per cent points.

During the quarter, aggregate nominal GDP stood at N35.23 trillion, which is higher than N31.28 billion recorded in Q4 2017, a nominal growth rate of 12.65 per cent.

For 2018, nominal GDP was therefore recorded at N127.76 trillion representing a nominal growth rate of 12.36 per cent when compared to N113.71 trillion recorded in 2017.

Analysing the report, the Global Chief Economist of Rennaissance Africa, Charlie Robertson, said Nigeria’s GDP has been slowly picking up since the oil price crash of 2014 to 2016 up 1.9 per cent in 2018 from 0.8 per cent recorded the year before.

Robertson described the GDP growth rate of last quarter of 2018 as the “best in years at 2.4 per cent – but not fast enough to deal with unemployment.”

A value investor, Lalode Akinmurele, said the latest GDP growth rate still remained abysmal for a country with a birth rate in excess of 2.6 per cent.

“The release is apt, four days to the February 16 polls,” he stated.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/gdp-expanded-2-38-in-q4-2018-nbs.html

The PDP presidential candidate in Saturday’s election, Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of instigating violence in Nigeria.

Atiku made reference to the statement made by President Buhari in Zamfara on Sunday when he told the people of the state to pray for rains for the crops to grow, “eat and make more trouble”, saying that “nobody can lead Nigeria into another round of civil war again.

“This President is preaching violence. We want peace, development and prosperity. We are not ready to fight ourselves again”, he said.

He promised to protect the constitution, protect the principle of the rule of law and the sanctity of the judiciary.

“I will not interfere with the affairs of the National Assembly. We will not interfere with the affairs of the judiciary. That is our checks and balances”, he said.

Atiku, who spoke at the PDP rally at the Adokie Amiesimieke stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, promised to restructure the country so that regions like the South-South can develop according to their own paces.

“We must restructure Nigeria so that states like Rivers and the Niger Delta can develop. When we were in office (Obasanjo/Atiku), we started work on the East-West road. That road has been abandoned because PDP was not allowed to continue in office.

“APC government has not done anything for the people of Rivers state or the Niger Delta region. When I become President, I will complete the East-West highway,” he said.

Also speaking, the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, reminded Nigerians on why they should vote for all the candidates of the PDP in the coming elections, saying that he predicted the present hardship in 2015 but nobody took him serious.

“I asked Nigerians in 2015 to choose between going forward and going backward. All the indices of development are not in existent in this government.

“We are not making any progress as a country under this government. That is why Nigerians must come out on Saturday and vote Atiku Abubakar as President and all the PDP candidates.

“Atiku Abubakar will not discriminate against any section of Nigeria. He will not discriminate between a region that voted him on the ratio of 75% and that which gave him 5%,” he said.

On the recent body bag language by the Kaduna state governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus called on the international community to beam their searchlight on the governor.

“That body bag, to me, is a language of a terrorist. That language was made by the Kaduna state governor because APC is afraid, confused and must go.

“Buhari has no choice but to go. Buhari is not aware that he has lost the election. Buhari is not aware that his campaign DG is corrupt. He does not know that the white paper published by the panel of inquiry in Port Harcourt indicted him of selling the state’s assets illegally.

“Buhari is not aware that the Kano state governor is a ‘Gandollar.’ He is not also aware that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, has been suspended unjustly. These and more are the reasons why Buhari must go. We must vote him out for Nigeria to work again”, he said.

In his solidarity message, Sokoto state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal enjoined Nigerians to ensure that the present government was voted out.

“The man there is no more in charge of our country. We must vote out this prison yard type of government. As a country, we don’t need an analogue president. The entire Northwest from Jigawa to Sokoto and many others are now fully for the PDP,” he said.

Meanwhile, about 58 governorship candidates from various political parties in Rivers state defected to the PDP and unanimously adopted the Rivers state governor and the PDP governorship candidate for 2019, Nyesom Wike as their sole candidate.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/atiku-to-buhari-you-are-instigating-violence.html

Lagos, the commercial centre of Nigeria, is one of the states to look out for in any general elections. To a great extent, the votes from the state usually determine who wins the presidential election, and this may not be an exception this year.

The parties to watch in Lagos come February, 16, 2019, are the ruling APC and the PDP. Presidential candidates of the parties are giving so much attention to Lagos in their political scheming.

In retrospect, the 2015 presidential election was described as one of the fiercest battles in recent times between the PDP and the ruling oligarchy firmly controlled by the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

From the then Alliance for Democracy (AD) to the rested Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bola Tinubu has asserted his supremacy in Lagos politics and built one of the largest political empires in the country.

The 2015 presidential election which was between the then President Goodluck Jonathan and the APC candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, saw Tinubu fighting harshly to ward off attempts by the PDP to decimate his base; Lagos.

For the PDP, it was a fight to the finish. Huge amounts of money allegedly exchanged hands and the party leadership, not seen before, got millions of dollars to mobilise voters for the election.

Unlike the 2011 election when Jonathan secured almost 65 per cent of votes in Lagos, ostensibly after an alleged alliance with Tinubu, the 2015 poll was a different game. Tinubu’s ACN was a key player in the alliance that gave birth to the APC and so the stake was high just as the Buhari candidacy was a crowd puller.

The PDP invested time and resources on winning Lagos. It got to a stage Jonathan was practically shuttling between Abuja and Lagos to smoothen all rough edges in order to win the state.

Despite the effort, the PDP lost Lagos during the March, 2015, presidential election. It, however, won four seats in the House of Representatives, with analysts saying that feat tells a lot about the huge mobilisation the PDP made for the elections.

In that election, Buhari of the APC scored 792,460 while Jonathan of the PDP secured 632,327, according to the figures released by INEC. The result was a big deal for the PDP in an “impregnable territory” of the Tinubu.

The question remains whether the PDP can re-enact the 2015 performance, especially now that it has lost the instruments of power at the centre.

Incontrovertibly, Tinubu who is a Co-Chairman of the Buhari Presidential Campaign Council, is determined to prove a point that Lagos remains his territory, and his target will now be to perform better than 2015.

With over 6.5 million registered voters, it can be conservatively estimated that a minimum of million voters will turn out in Saturday’s election, with the likelihood of the APC getting more votes.

Another factor that may, however, reduce the APC votes is the Atiku factor.

Atiku seems to be very popular in the business community; being a businessman himself. He lived in Lagos for many years as a customs officer and businessman. His friends are everywhere in the state. So, Buhari’s supporters will only dismiss Atiku’s fame and popularity at their own peril.

In the Igbo community, Atuku is so popular and several indicators point to 60 to 70 per cent of Igbo votes in his favour.

The PDP also cashed in on a similar advantage in 2015, getting massive votes from the Igbo in the state. The whole area of the Lagos PDP secretariat and the adjoining streets were practically shut down the day Atiku went to campaign as an aspirant prior to his emergence as the candidate.

He has had two engagements in Lagos: a town hall meeting with representatives of many youth groups and a lecture by the influential Lagos Island Club, which were very promising.

Also, his presidential campaign train is expected in the state on Tuesday (Today).

It is, however, expected to be a titanic battle as the APC, under Tinubu’s control, has vowed to deliver the state for Buhari for the second consecutive time. The party has been telling those who care to listen that the state has benefitted more in the three and half years of Buhari’s presidency than PDP’s 16 years; eight of which were held by a fellow South westerner.

They point to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which construction has progressed steadily, the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail project which the first section was recently test run.

However, the PDP also argues that its government resuscitated the rail system which the APC is building upon and that it cannot boast of reviving the rail system.

In fact, an observer asked whether it was the APC train that had been conveying people of Osun State from Lagos to Oshogbo every festive season.

A former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, said in deciding whether to vote for PDP or APC, voters should assess if there had been improvement in their living condition between 2015 and now.

But an APC chieftain, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, insists the people of Lagos and the entire Yoruba people have decided to cast their votes for the APC candidate.

No doubt the PDP faces a daunting task of repeating the 2015 performance.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/every-candidate-needs-lagos.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the crisis surrounding the candidates of the All Progressives Congress in Zamfara State will be resolved before the elections.

The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to hold on Saturday while the governorship and state assembly elections would follow on March 2.

Following conflicting court judgements, INEC had excluded Zamfara APC from fielding candidates for the governorship as well as national and state assemblies.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of party faithful in Gusau, yesterday, as part of his campaign tour to states, Buhari said crises had rocked the party in about eight states, adding that some of them were pending in courts.

He, however, expressed optimism that the Zamfara issue would be resolved before the elections.

Buhari who did not speak about the state of security particularly in Zamfara State, said he would be fair and just to all as promised when he took oath of office in 2015, adding that the cardinal objectives of his administration remained securing the nation, improving the economy and fighting corruption.

The National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said PDP can’t get Zamfara State for free as APC would participate in the forthcoming elections in the state.

“The votes in Zamfara State are ours and INEC can’t change what is ordained by God. PDP stole our common wealth, they sold NITEL and said they would sell other national assets to enrich their cronies but Nigerians will stop them,” he added.

Governor Yari said APC in the Zamfara State had faced challenges but that the party would survive them and come out stronger.

“Mr president, we will not force you to present our candidates today because the issue is yet to be permanently resolved; we approached the court and we got the judgement in our favour,” he said.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/zamfara-stalemate-will-be-resolved-before-elections-buhari.html

President Muhammadu Buhari said in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday that in spite of the difficulty his administration was facing in the fight against corruption, it would not be discouraged.

“We are fighting corruption but it has not been easy.

“But we told the security agencies to keep tab on those on our watch list and ensure that no stone is left unturned to ensuring that those who have cases to answer do not escape justice,’’ Buhari said as he campaigned for re-election.

The president who was with the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and other senior party members, told the mammoth crowd at the 15,000 capacity Ekiti Pavilion that he would not be discouraged to rid the country of graft as he promised in 2015.

He said that in addition to the fight against corruption, his administration had made efforts in the last three and a half years to revamp the economy and rebuild social infrastructure, such as roads, rail services and power generation.

Buhari said he was conscious of the promises he made four years ago, particularly the ones that had to do
with corruption, insecurity and economic diversification.

“As part of our promises, we are building roads, rail lines ,fighting corruption . We introduced Treasury Single Account and increased power supply, so Nigerians can have their own businesses.

“I want to be grateful to Ekiti voters because the two times I came here, I achieved successes . I came here in 2014 and I also came here to campaign for Fayemi, he won the governorship election, so I thank you”, he said.

The president said the efforts in infrastructure repair had started yielding positive results and urged the people to vote for All Progressives Congress(APC) to fully deliver on its promises.

Other party leaders at the rally were governors Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Gboyega Oyetola, (Osun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State), Rotimi Akeredolu, (Ondo State) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun).

Also at the rally were a former Interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande, the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Afenifere Leader, Ayo Fasanmi and Chief Olusola Oke, a party chieftain.

At the rally, a former deputy governor of Ekiti, Chief Abiodun Aluko, formally defected to APC and so did some members of Ekiti State House of Assembly, who moved from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The lawmakers who were led by the Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Alagbada, are Mrs Cecelia Dada representing Ilejemeje Constituency and Mr Olanrewaju Olayanju from Emure Constituency.

In his address, Osinbajo said it was sad that Nigeria earned 383 billion dollars from crude oil sales between 2010 and 2014 under the leadership of Dr Goodluck Jonathan but failed to use it wisely.

“That was when we had the highest (earning) but nothing was done with it.

“If that money had been utilised judiciously, all the roads, rail lines and employment we are creating would have long been in place for Nigerians.

” Buhari built three refineries as Minister of Petroleum under military era. No government has ever added one, not even during the 16 years of PDP.

“Don’t let them deceive you, vote for a president you can trust, that is President Buhari,” Osinbajo advised.

He said that youth employment was paramount to Buhari’s government and that was the reason the administration brought about N-power scheme to empower young graduates.

The National Chairman of APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, said it would be a big mistake if Nigerians elected the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the Feb. 16 poll.

Oshiomhole said Atiku owed Nigerians explanation over the alleged stealing of millions of dollars belonging to
Petroleum Trust Development Fund which he supervised during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Fasanmi and Akande described the Reuben Fasoranti-led faction of Afenifere which endorsed Atiku, as political jobbers, who should not be taken serious.

Fayemi promised the president that he would win in Ekiti and other South-West states in the coming election and urged residents to vote massively for him.
.
“The Buhari-led government is planning to expand Ado-Akure road, complete the federal housing units, the federal secretariat and also extend the Lagos-Kano rail line to our dear state

” We therefore have no option than to return President Buhari, because Ekiti people are progressives,” he said. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fighting-corruption-in-nigeria-is-difficult-says-buhari.html

A Lagos High Court siting in Igbosere on Tuesday sentenced one Kamoru Kushimo to 10 years imprisonment for stabbing his friend to death during an argument over who would win the country’s 2015 general election.

Kushimo was arraigned on Feb. 10, 2016 by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, charged with manslaughter.


The convict pleaded not guilty, but was remanded in custody.

Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya sentenced Kushimo after reviewing the facts and evidence of the case.


Ogunsanya said the defendant was guilty of the offence of manslaughter and sentenced him accordingly.

The Judge said that from the evidence before her, the prosecution, was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

“The convict is hereby sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, and the sentence will take effect from the date of arraignment,’’ the Judge held.

The sentenced was without an option of fine.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Adebayo Haroun, had told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Nov. 5, 2014 at a viewing centre, Alaafia Street, Alaagba Bus Stop, Lagos.

“Trouble started when the deceased, Mubarak Salau, and the defendant argued on which political party would win 2015 general election,’’ Haroun said.

“The duo engaged in a fight using abusive words on each other, however, the deceased picked a knife to fight the defendant, and the defendant picked a broken bottle and stabbed the deceased on his chest and back.

“The injuries the deceased sustained as a resulted of the stab by the defendant led to his death,’’ he said.

The prosecution called four witnesses who testified before the court. (NAN)

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/man-jailed-10-years-for-killing-friend-in-argument-over-who-wins-election.html

Sai baba