There will be no vacancy in the Presidency in 2019, members of the National Caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, declared on Tuesday night.

The national caucus, comprising serving and former governors, the National Assembly leadership, and selected members of the national executive of the party, at the meeting said the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term would help to stabilise the polity in the face of ‘the 16-year rot’ inherited from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

One of the issues agreed on at the meeting, according to Vanguard, was that President Buhari should be given opportunity to seek a second term. Caucus members, however, said while the idea was good, it would be too early to kick-start a second term campaign for the President.

Vanguard learned that the issue was brought up as a way of resting restiveness among some party leaders, who have been divided over their various aspirations for 2019. The positioning by different party leaders on 2019 has been blamed for the problems that led to the crisis in the National Assembly and also the inability of the party to inaugurate its Board of Trustees, BoT, till date.

“With Buhari contesting in 2019, those who have been squabbling will now have to queue up behind him and put the interest of the party ahead,” Vanguard quoted a source privy to the development to have said.

The senator representing Zamfara Central on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and prominent member of the Unity Forum, a group of senators, who opposed the emergence of Bukola Saraki as Senate President, Kabiru Marafa, has denied that a meeting held on Tuesday between some members of his group and supporters of Mr. Saraki, sought to canvass support for the latter, who is facing a corruption trial.

Senator Marafa, the self-appointed spokesperson of the anti-Saraki group of senators, said the meeting with the Like Minds (group of senators loyal to Mr. Saraki) was beyond the embattled Senate president and about forging a united APC.

Our correspondent, citing a PREMIUM TIMES report yesterday, quoted the host of the meeting and member of the Like Minds, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, as saying that the meeting, which had in attendance 10 senators – five from each of the two camps – had brought an end to “crisis in the Senate between APC Senators, who now support the Senate President, Bukola Saraki”.

A member of the Unity Forum, who spoke on the condition of anonymity and was part of the meeting too, confirmed the truce, which had some conditions attached to it. One of the conditions was that the Senate committees be reconstituted in favour of APC senators.

However, Mr. Marafa, who last month called on Saraki to step down as Senate president pending the determination of his case at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, said the meeting was not convened to “rally around Saraki” as earlier reported.

“What brought about the meeting at Senator Wamakko’s residence was the realization that we the APC supporters should unite in the interest of our party and the objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari”, Mr. Marafa told PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday.

He said in view of Mr. Saraki’s trial at the CCT, it was imperative for APC senators to unite and bury their differences to forestall a situation where PDP will take over the Senate Presidency should Mr. Saraki lose.

Marafa also confirmed that the meeting agreed that the composition of the committees be reviewed.

“Our committees are illegal; so, it is agreed that they will now be according to the law”, he said.

He also said the issue of members of the Unity Forum who were “disenfranchised” in the composition of the committees would be addressed, adding that “and number three, we should be united and work together as one party because of our party and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari”.

“Burying our differences to work together as one or saying no more crisis with our colleagues who supported Saraki is not same as saying we backed down and rallied around the Senate president at this time”, Mr. Marafa said in reaction to the reports that suggested the senators were now in support of the Senate president.

“That is capable of damaging my reputation and character. I have been receiving calls since morning from everywhere from people asking if we were abandoning the struggle.

“I would have made all the money in the course of this fight. I would have got any committee I wanted. But we have stayed firm. So, why will I now announce rallying around Saraki?

“The meeting is about our party and government, not anybody”, Mr. Marafa said.

The Presidency on Wednesday lauded the National Assembly for passing the 2016 Appropriation Bill.

The Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, told journalists at a press briefing in Abuja that the expeditious consideration and passage of the bill were laudable.

Mr. Enang specifically commended the Senate and House committees on appropriation as well as the sub-committees for putting in effort to ensure that the budget was passed.

“I followed the entire process and I have seen the industry that has been exhibited by the senators.

“I want to say that we appreciate particularly the fact that in the course of consideration, the committee chairmen, the committee members and the chairmen of appropriation committees were in constant touch”, he said.

The presidential aide further commended the legislature for approving the “harmonised version of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP)”, adding that they were the parameter for passing the budget.

Mr. Enang also extolled the media for extensive coverage of the process leading to the passage of the budget since it was presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 22, 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Justice Danladi Umar, on Thursday, dismissed a motion filed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to quash charges of false asset declaration against him.

The defence counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), had argued that the 13-count charges were invalid procedurally because the Code of Conduct Bureau, which filed the charges, failed to allow Mr. Saraki explain discrepancies in his assets declaration forms as required by law.

But in his ruling Thursday, Justice Umar said there was no breach of law as the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, 1989, still allows the Senate president raise his clarifications at the level of the tribunal.

By law, Mr. Umar held that the CCB could receive complaints of breach of the Act and refer such complaints to the Tribunal, provided that it will allow the person involved to give a statement affirming or denying the said misconduct.

Also, upholding the argument made by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the tribunal chair said Section 3 (e) of the 3rd schedule of the 1999 Constitution gives the bureau the right to receive complaints of such nature and where necessary refer such matter to the tribunal.

According to Justice Umar, Section 174 of the Constitution also gives the Attorney General of the Federation the prerogative to file criminal proceedings and does not owe any explanations to any one on how to go about it.

He, therefore, ordered that the trial proceed on April 5.

Former military governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (retd.) has described ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as a role model, who should be respected across Africa and beyond.

Mr. Umar, became a social critic since retiring from the army, said Mr. Jonathan deserved praises for his timely concession call to then Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), his major challenger in the 2015 presidential election.

According to the former military governor, that “personal sacrifice” and display of sportsmanship during the contentious poll has made the former president a “beacon of hope for the growth of democracy in Africa”.

He said that was a clear departure from the norm across Africa, where leaders in times past refused to willingly relinquish power after being defeated though the ballot box.

Mr. Umar made these remarks in an interview he granted Abuja-based The Interview magazine, published this March.

“My interpretation of personal survival in this kind of situation is to tenaciously cling to power irrespective of the harm this may cause the nation and of course the incumbent”, he said. “Our African experience has been for incumbents to choose this injurious option”.

Mr. Jonathan was hailed as a good example for African leaders after he conceded defeat in the March 28, 2015 presidential election to the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate and now president, Mr. Buhari, even before the final result of the elections was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Prior to the final announcement by the INEC, the political atmosphere in the country was pregnant with uncertainties, especially after the then president’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, agent at the national collation centre in Abuja, Elder Godsday Orubebe, attempted to disrupt further announcement of the election results after it became apparent his party was going to lose.

But the tension was doused after Mr. Jonathan, in the evening of March 30, 2015, placed the historic call to Mr. Buhari to congratulate him on his hard-won victory.

The move was hailed by many at home and abroad as heroic because the then president could still have used the powers at his disposal as an incumbent to either sway the election his way or force an outright cancellation of the poll, which could have plunged the country into chaos.

Yet, a school of thought argue that Mr. Jonathan conceded defeat because he was left with no choice, having failed to garner enough votes required to remain in office.

Aligning himself with the school of thought that viewed the act as heroic, Mr. Umar said “The act alone has crowned him as a statesman. He should be respected and used as a role model for his personal sacrifice”.

Members of Ekiti State House of Assembly have demanded an unreserved apology from the Department of State Services (SSS) over the March 4 invasion of the House of Assembly and detention of a member of the House, Afolabi Akanni.

The lawmakers, who described the SSS raid under President Muhammadu Buhari as undemocratic, unpatriotic, dictatorial and brutish, demanded a thorough medical examination of Mr. Akanni.

“We fear that his health and general well-being could have been compromised while in the DSS custody”, they told journalists on Wednesday.

The chairman of the House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, who was flanked by the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole, Deputy Speaker; Segun Adewumi, and 16 others, said the SSS must explain to Nigerians whether in a democracy, it was part of the its mandate to disobey court orders and dump Nigerians in detention for 18 days on unfounded allegations.

“Yesterday, we read online like other Nigerians that our member, representing Efon Constituency, Afolabi Akanni, who has been in the Department of State Services (DSS) detention in Abuja since March 4, was on admission at a private hospital in Abuja.

“Up till this moment, we have not been told officially by the DSS whether or not Mr. Akanni was formally released from incarceration after spending 18 days without access to his doctors, lawyers and family members.

“However, preliminary information available to us suggests that Hon Akanni may have been brought to the hospital by men of the DSS and abandoned there because they could no longer hold him in captivity because of his deteriorating health condition.

“Nigerians should be reminded that it took the rumour of Hon Akanni’s death for the DSS to admit officially that it was holding him after spending 15 days in detention without access to anyone.

“As we speak, Hon Akanni is in very critical condition and he has not been able to speak with anyone of us.

“As reported in the media, Hon Akanni could only say that he was sick, he was not well when press men sought to speak with him yesterday.

“We therefore demand an official explanation from the DSS as to why Hon. Akanni was abducted and held incommunicado for 18 days, only for us to be told that he was admitted at a private hospital in Abuja.

“We also demand a thorough medical examination of Hon. Akanni as we fear that his health and general well-being could have been compromised while in the DSS custody.

“Furthermore, we demand an explanation from the DSS whether in a democracy, it is part of its mandate to disobey court orders and dump Nigerians in detention for 18 DAYS on unfounded allegations.

“Most importantly, we condemn strongly the DSS illegal arrest, detention and dehumanisation of Hon Akanni and we demand an unreserved apology forthwith.

“We have also directed our counsel to seek redress and damages in court because to us, this act of impunity by the DSS under President Muhammadu Buhari is undemocratic, unpatriotic, dictatorial and brutish.

“Detaining Nigerians for weeks without trial is a clear return of Decree 2, with which President Buhari hounded Nigerians in detention when he was a military dictator and we in the Ekiti State House of Assembly will continue to support our leader and Governor, Ayodele Fayose, in his fight against tyranny”.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has issued an order restraining the Senate from going ahead with the probe of former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, over an alleged N1 trillion scam.

The fraud was allegedly committed when Lamorde was the Director of Operations of the anti-graft agency between 2003 and 2007 as well as acting chairman between June 2007 and May 2008, when the pioneer chairman of the commission, Nuhu Ribadu, was compulsorily drafted to attend a course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.

The Senate, however, launched a probe into the activities of the former EFCC chair based on some petitions, including the one written by Dr. George Uboh, Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Security Systems, a security firm.

In his petition, Mr. Uboh accused Lamorde of some under-remittance and non-disclosure of proceeds of corruption recovered from criminal suspects.

He also claimed that the EFCC under Lamorde doctored bank accounts.

Lamorde, who went to court to stop the Senate from going ahead with the probe, also refused to honour its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions’ invitation to appear before it and clear himself of the weighty allegations leveled against him.

Following his non-appearance despite repeated summons, the committee while submitting its report, recommended that the Senate issue a warrant for the former EFCC boss’ arrest.

But Mr. Lamorde, in a motion ex parte dated March 7, 2016 through his counsel, Festus Ukpue, asked the court to stop the Senate from issuing a warrant of arrest of his client pending the hearing and determination of the suit before the court.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole, after listening to the ex parte motion ordered, “That a limited order on injunction is hereby granted to restrain the defendants pending when they are heard on the reply to the plaintiff’s motion on notice.

“That the plaintiff’s counsel is hereby directed to obtain a certified true copy of the order in this ruling, and shall cause same to be served on the Inspector-General of Police who shall, on the authority of this court’s order refrain to give any effect to any such warrant which the defendants may have issues against the plaintiff”.

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured people of the Niger Delta that his administration would commence the clean-up of oil spill in the region in three weeks’ time.

The assurance was given in Enugu State on Thursday by the president’s special adviser on Niger Delta and coordinator of the presidential amnesty programme, Brig- General Paul Boroh (retd).

Speaking at the commissioning of the skills acquisition and training in automobile technology and manufacturing of plastics by about 200 former Niger Delta militants under the sustainable reintegration programme in the presidential amnesty initiative, Mr. Boroh said the clean-up will start from Ogoni land.
“The clean-up exercise will begin at Ogoni in three weeks’ time and progress to other parts of the Niger Delta region. We have gone to visit the area to assess the level of damage and a lot of people from the region will be involved in the exercise”, he said.
The amnesty coordinator also disclosed that the skill acquisition programme was in collaboration with Innoson Group, manufactures of Innoson brand of vehicles and plastics manufacturing assembly plant, Emene, Enugu.
While describing the facilities at Innoson Kiara academy as fantastic, Boroh said the amnesty programme has significantly achieved its main aim of restoring peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.

“It has substantially achieved its core mandate of restoring peace and stabilizing the security in the Niger Delta region. Ex-militants have now been trained and graduated from formal and informal trainings. The programme is now at its critical stage of sustainable reintegration of beneficiaries who have been trained.

“Though conceived as a national response to security conditions in the Niger Delta between 2009 and 2011, it has been able to substantially meet its mandate and has been able, through its formal vocational programmes, trained approximately 17,000 beneficiaries in various skills and set up or employed more than 3,583 beneficiaries. The process is ongoing and 1,040 will conclude their refreshers and set up their own businesses by the end of this quarter”, he stated.

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday described as shameful, recent political killings in Rivers state as a result of the rerun elections ordered by the Court of Appeal, noting that more Nigerians have been killed in the state than any other state in the country.
Mr. Buhari made the comment during a meeting of the National Executive Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the State House, Abuja.
The president disclosed that government had saved over N3 trillion through its Treasury Single Account policy just as he said that the list of money recovered by government through the ongoing anti-corruption crusade, will soon be made public.
President Buhari, who expressed sadness over the violence that characterized elections in the country, appealed to security agents in the country to try and give Nigerians the confidence to go out and perform their constitutional responsibility without molestation, adding that even though the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been changed, he has shown that he has a lot of respect for them and the security agents.
He said: “Of course, the leadership of INEC has been changed, but I appeal to the leadership of the military, security agents and INEC that what I want Nigerians to remember me for, even if I have to leave the Presidency tomorrow, is that I respect them.
“I want all Nigerians to believe and hold their PVC as personal entitlement as Nigerians and use it the way the like, and vote for whoever they like at which ever election. If they voluntarily sold it, it is part of their right and so, let them sell it and remain at home and not participate in any election.
“But let the law enforcement agencies give them the confidence that nobody will come out who has money to hire thugs, give them drugs and stop them from exercising their fundamental right.
“I am afraid I did not succeed in the election in Kogi, Bayelsa, Rivers. I think that more Nigerians are killed or killed themselves in Rivers than in any particular state. At this stage of our political development, to remain brutal is shameful and as a government, I promise we will do something by the next general election”.
On the state of the economy, the president said: “the fall of oil prices after Nigeria has made itself a mono economy is a disaster. I wonder why people could not believe that in Nigeria; about 27 out of 36 states have difficulty in paying basic salaries of their workers.
“If from 1999, oil sold above 100 dollars per barrel with an export of about 2 million barrel per day, how come Nigeria failed to make some arrangement to cushion the effect of a probably volatile oil market? Again, it shows failure of the last administration.
“But we are now to pick the pieces as an APC government and so, there is no need complaining, but let us concentrate and see how much we can do with whatever remains of the economy.
“However, we realized that agriculture and solid minerals are two areas that can quickly come to help us to recover economically, at least in terms of employment and feeding ourselves and more importantly, saving the hard currency to make sure that what is left our industries remain open, employing Nigerians and producing goods and services which is very important.
“The policy we are trying to implement is TSA. When we insist that we have to know what comes in and what goes out for us to make a comprehensive amendment to the economy.
“If you go and see the Central Bank Governor, he will tell you that in the TSA, we have more than N3 trillion. Where would this money have been if TSA was not in vogue? I was made to understand that vouchers would have quickly been raised towards the end of the financial year and checks made. Whether they are going into projects or private pockets, nobody can prove it to you.
“But that money is there, it is identified, if is quantified and when the budget comes back eventually, the Ministry of finance will see how to allocate it to the rest of the country.
“We have tried to make sure that NNPC is reorganized, so that we know how much of our crude is taken, how much it is sold and to which account the money is going.
“But I tell you that up to the time we came, if anybody told you that he knows how much of crude is exchanges hands either on the high sea or reaching their destination and the accounts the money goes into, that person is not telling you the truth.
“We are getting the cooperation of countries that has received this crude. But we have to be sure of the facts in our hands before we start prosecution so that Nigerians will believe what we have been telling them”.
On the fight against corruption, President Buhari said: “I was telling a British team that came to supervise the training team they sent that when I was in uniform, we took the perceived corrupt ones and put them in safe custody and quietly told them they were guilty until they can prove themselves innocent.
“But now under multiparty democratic system, I see some of them ride flashy cars, some of them have built estates here, but they are innocent until we can prove them guilty. This situation is true and you don’t need to stress your imagination to find out.
“If you can find out, you discover that a level eight officer has five houses, while you, as a Permanent Secretary or Commissioner still living in a rented house. That is the credible thing to do now.
“We have to get credible evidence to carry our successful prosecution and get judgment from the judiciary. But effort is being made to give a list of recoveries in whatever currencies so far so that Nigerians will know that it is not all about long stories”.
While assuring Nigerians that the government was winning the war against insurgency, he said “we have made progress. It was a very courageous decision that the party took and executed by the Executive by removing most of the military hierarchy and appointing those to take over from them, acquiring some new hard and soft ware and raising the moral of the military to go secure the rest of the country which was then 14 out of 774 local government.
“I have said it often that as far as I know and the service Chiefs who are on ground, they are not holding any local government. But the still have some capability especially on soft target by using technology.
“For Niger Delta, the militants are sending some conflicting messages. Some have said they are ready to drop their arms and join the rest of the nation to build it. But part of them is still sabotaging installations which are making investments in that lucrative area of Nigeria difficult because nobody will submit his riches to financial institutions; get money only to suffer huge loss.
“So, the environment for investment is being sabotaged by our own selves, Nigerians. We are doing our best with the military by trying to persuade them to join the rest of the country because in unity lies our strength”.
Turning to the APC leadership, President Buhari said: “I will like you to continue to make sacrifice. I know you are being harassed since the election that they haven’t seen anything on the ground. Well, if you have any explanation that could be accepted, is that you have three more years to go.
“When we came in after 16 years of PDP, each government had 42 ministries. We reduced them to 24, removed 21 Permanent Secretaries. We sat down and reflected seriously. We were all in the process of taking over at a time of national budget.
“So, imagine the volume of work and with what happened in the National Assembly, the padding, it would appear that below the Permanent Secretaries, there are still a lot of bureaucracies that are still with them. So, you have to appreciate the position we are in.
“Having cut 42 to 24, correspondingly, the parastatals will be cut down to some size and realigned and the boards reconstituted. We gave a blanket order which we had to rescind when we said all boards are suspended or dissolved.
“We had to go back and lick our vomit in terms of university boards because we found out that according to their laws, they cannot choose Vice Chancellors unless the Boards seat down, interview prospective candidates who wants to be VCs. So, there is nothing wrong in saying sorry and going back on your decision. So, we said sorry and allow all the universities to continue with their boards. But for the rest, eventually, we will make it. So, please, try to bear with us as we reflect on where we found ourselves.
“For globetrotting, sometimes, you need to present your case on personal basis to your economic colleagues and neighbors. Nothing is better than personal touch and I believe that we are learning a lot and eventually, the nation will realize so. I don’t envy you on the harassment you are going through from your constituencies. Take it with a lot of determination and we will be all right God willing”.
National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said naturally, this would have been the time to roll out the drums and celebrate loudly, adding that being a government and a party that is responsive, “we are very well aware of the hardships in the land and for that reason, it should be a period of introspection, a period for memories and a period for reminiscences.
“The problems we have are well known, of course originating from two well-known factors, our squandered patrimony of course, the unfortunate coincidence of the collapse of the price of crude. Nevertheless, inspite of these hardships, our government has recorded strides that are worth mentioning, that are worth celebrating and that are worth noting.
“No question at all, that the vigorous and focused leadership provided in the fight against insurgency has yielded results that we all, as a nation, must be proud of. The insurgents have been deprived of the possibility of ever again, holding Nigerian territory and hoisting any of their dastardly flags.
“We have other issues like the TSA, and what it has done for our states even though temporarily and of course, Mr President’s shuttle diplomacy, which as we can see, is gradually beginning to stabilize. The oil market, the price of crude is gradually beginning to crawl persistently, slowly but upwards.
“It is true, these are hard times, but hard times create challenges. Challenges call for men and women to agree in leadership, united, focused, passionate in the policies that they stand for, which means that this party must rediscover itself, which means that this party must stand as one behind the success of our president and of the policies that we stand for and of the promises he has made to the Nigerian people.
“This also means that this is a time to stand together, which means that this is a time to rededicate ourselves and the party to the vision to which the people of this nation voted. We must leave this arena once more as a strong, united fighting force dedicated to delivering on the promises made by Mr. President to the Nigerian people”.

A governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, has promised to create 3,000 jobs within six months, if elected governor of the state.

The governorship hopeful, who was at the party ‎secretariat in Akure, the state capital to declare his interest in the November governorship election, said he joined the race because of the assurance that internal democracy would be allowed to prevail.

Recall that Mr. Oke was a former national legal adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and was its governorship candidate during the 2012 election in the state before he defected to APC in 2015.

The politician boasted that he remains the best man for the job in the state.

He said: “I need no introduction in Ondo politics and if I eventually win the APC ticket, I am very sure Mimiko will vote me and I promise to resuscitate all the moribund industries in the state to create 3,000 employment within my first six months.

“No new industry, unemployment everywhere, all projects initiated by previous administration have been abandoned but the only thing we see around is cosmetic projects.

“Nothing has been added to the state in the last seven years, but what I see everywhere is poverty, penury, hunger and anger written on the faces of the people but this is the time to decide and bite for APC in the state”.

Mr. Oke pointed out that the PDP administration in the state has failed to fulfill its electoral promises, saying there was no meaningful projects put in place by Governor Olusegun Mimiko led administration.

The aspirant said he was encouraged to contest on the platform of APC because of the assurance from the leadership of the party that there would be no imposition, no zoning arrangement and the decision of the party to contest free and fair primary election.

Oke further said the change phenomenon that started at the center and other south west states will soon berth in the state, stressing “the battle is not won until PDP is chased out of government in the state”.

A Senator representing Ondo North District, Prof Ajayi Boroffice, who wants to become the next governor of Ogun State has said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state would not sell the projects of the state to other states if assumed power after the November governorship poll.

He alleged that projects worth N670 million belonging to the state has been sold by the state government, describing Ondo as a failed state. He said Governor Olusegun Mimiko should be held responsible for the poor economic situation in the state.

Speaking during a visit to the state Secretariat of the APC, Boroffice declared his intention to contest the November governorship election in the state.

He alleged that the projects were diverted to other states of the federation. He also berated the Mimiko led administration for demolishing many projects belonging to the state, especially the Owena hotels.

“My vision is to build the APC and transform the party to serve as the hope of all the people of the state. My plan is to serve the entire people of Ondo state irrespective of religion or ethnic affiliation,” the aspirant said.

“The incoming APC government in Ondo state will promote equity, justice and fairness unlike what currently operates in the state. APC is a political party for all the indigene and non-indigine of this state and this we shall show when we get to government, as every individual will be actively involved in government.”

“Our suffering will soon end in Ondo state because after darkness comes sunshine. With APC government in place, all the sufferings being experienced in Ondo state will become a thing of the past.”

He declared that he was destined to rule the state and his dream would be realized on the platform of the APC, stressing that he will implement party supremacy.

“Give me the opportunity to Alagbaka House and I will move this state forward in a couple of months,” he promised.

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday responded to talks that his administration has not done anything since coming to office last May, promising to deliver on his election promises in the next three years.

Speaking at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, the President sought Nigerians’ understanding to enable his administration meet their expectations.

According to him, with the National Assembly’s passage of the budget and savings of over N3 trillion in the Treasury Single Account (TSA), things would begin to move fast.

“I will like you to continue to make sacrifice. I know you are being harassed since the election, with people saying that they have not seen anything on the ground. Well if you have any explanation that could be accepted, it is that you have three more years to go,” Buhari told party leaders.

“When we came in after 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there were 42 ministries. We reduced them to 24; removed 21 Permanent Secretaries.

“So, imagine the volume of work …So, you have to appreciate the position we are in”.

The agencies, Buhari said, had to be pruned and their boards reconstructed following the reduction of ministries.

Buhari also said that his administration went back on it decision to reconstitute the boards of some universities after discovering that the law was breached.

“There is nothing wrong in saying sorry and going back on your decision. So, we said sorry and allowed all the universities to continue with their boards. So, please, try to bear with us as we reflect on where we found ourselves,” he said.

Speaking further, the president said: “The fall of oil prices is a disaster. If from 1999, oil sold above $100 per barrel with an export of about two million barrels per day, how come Nigeria failed to make some arrangement to cushion the effect of a probably volatile oil market? Again, it shows failure of the last administration.

“But we are now to pick the pieces as an APC government and so, there is no need complaining, but let us concentrate and see how much we can do with whatever remains of the economy.

“We realised that agriculture and solid minerals are two areas that can help us to recover economically, at least in terms of employment and feeding ourselves and more importantly, saving the hard currency to ensure that our industries continue to employ Nigerians and produce.

“The policy we are trying to implement is the TSA. We insist that we have to know what comes in and what goes out, for us to make a comprehensive amendment to the economy.

“If you go and see the Central Bank Governor, he will tell you that in the TSA, we have more than N3 trillion. Where would this money have been if TSA was not in vogue? I was made to understand that vouchers would have quickly been raised towards the end of the financial year and cheques made. Whether they are going into projects or private pockets, nobody can prove it to you.

“But that money is there, it is identified, it is quantified and when the budget comes back eventually, the ministry of finance will see how to allocate it to the rest of the country.

“We have tried to make sure that the NNPC is reorganised, so that we know how much of our crude is taken, how much of it is sold and to which account the money is going.

“But I tell you that up till the time we came, if anybody told you that he knew how crude is exchanged either on the high seas or reaching their destination and the accounts the money went into, that person is not telling you the truth,” Buhari said.

It was a heroic welcome yesterday for the member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly representing Efon State Constituency, Afolabi Akanni, as a mammoth crowd of supporters thronged Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital, to catch a glimpse of the man who was thrown into the “Lion’s den”, yet emerged alive.
Hon. Akanni was arrested by the Department of State Services on March 4 for undisclosed security reasons and whisked to Abuja where he was allegedly kept incommunicado from his family, lawyers, colleagues and doctor, even when he took ill and could barely walk.
In apparent fear that the lawmaker could die in its custody if he did not receive prompt medical attention, the DSS on Tuesday reportedly dumped him at a private hospital in Abuja, where he was admitted.
In recognition of his unflinching loyalty to Governor Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti State Government organized a reception for the released lawmaker on Thursday after 18 days in DSS custody.
Governor Fayose and Hon. Akanni arrived Christ’s School field in a chartered helicopter accompanied by a former Special Adviser on Revenue Matters, Ropo Ogunjobi, who was also grilled by the DSS.
Government officials, party leaders and members had been mobilised to the venue as early as 9am.
They were welcomed amidst singing, dancing, drumming and trumpeting, despite the unbearable heat.
The atmosphere soon became charged as Fayose used the opportunity to lampoon President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Akanni said his ordeal in the hands of the DSS had inspired him to be loyal to Fayose.
He also claimed that his detention was politically motivated and an attempt to get at the governor, who he described as a “reliable leader”.
The lawmaker said: “What manner of democracy are we practising? How can DSS invade a House of Assembly and arrest a lawmaker with intention to impeach a governor?
“They even came without a warrant of arrest. Is this democracy?
“Is it an offence to be loyal or committed to a governor? Fayose is our leader and I can’t betray him.
“Ekiti people must stand behind him. Mr Governor, I am assuring you that I will always stand by you”.
In his remarks, Ogunjobi said he was quizzed on the alleged laundering of N22 billion refund on federal roads, allegedly paid into Fayose’s accounts, which he described as “blatant falsehood”.
He said: “They even said I helped Fayose to launder N1.3 billion out of the N2.5 billion ecological fund released to the state.
“I said all these were lies. I can’t lie against Mr Governor”.
Fayose, who said he has won another battle against “federal forces”, declared that the alleged attempt to unseat him won’t work like that of 2006.
He described Akanni as a hero.
The governor said: “President Buhari and former President Obasanjo are not democrats.
“They have no respect for the constitution and the rule of law. But no matter what they do, we won’t succumb to intimidation.
“Today, I am excited because we have won the battle again. They took Akanni to Abuja as a captive, but he is back as a hero. Shame unto DSS. Shame unto our oppressors.
“Our economy is bad. People are losing their jobs daily. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has no answer to this bad economic situation.
“When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in power, a dollar was N200, but today it is almost N400.
“We thank God that we have a House of Assembly that refused to join forces with them. That was why I told them that they had engaged a wrong customer.
“They should forget about impeachment, because this is not 2006.
“President Buhari should face Nigeria’s financial problems”.

A committee set-up by President Muhammadu Buhari to probe “partial” or “non-execution” of contracts awarded by Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) between 2011 and 2015, has indicted 300 firms and persons, including serving and retired officers of the armed forces, the presidency said in a statement Thursday.
The statement, issued by Mallam Garba Shehu Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said the committee has also recovered over N7billion from those indicted while the indicted companies are to make a refund of another N41 billion to the government.
The committee, Shehu said, recommended further investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to determine whether another N75 billion should be recovered from some of the companies.
The committee, headed by retired Air Vice Marshal JON Ode, is different from the one investigating the breach of the Defence Arms and Equipment Procurement Act in the award of contracts ONSA.
It found that one of the indicted companies, Societe D’Equipment International was overpaid by 7.9 Million Euros and $7.09 Million.
It noted that many contractors were apparently over paid, while others were given full upfront payments contrary to their contract terms and agreements.
The statement added that the committee also uncovered evidence of payments to individuals and companies by ONSA without any contractual agreement or evidence of jobs executed.
It also discovered that some companies failed to fulfil their tax obligations for contracts executed.
The presidential spokesperson said the committee made attempts and succeeded in recovering some of the funds from these individuals and organisations to the tune of Three Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Five Hundred and forty Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty Three Naira and Four Kobo (N3, 537,549,223.04), Eight Million US Dollars ($8,000,000.00) and houses worth Five Hundred and Twelve Million Naira (512,000,000.00) from 32 companies.
The Panel also established that some individuals and companies received money without evidence of contractual agreements or jobs done.
The amount received by these individuals was Seven Billion One Hundred and Four Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Naira only (N7, 104,925,000.00).
The committee revealed that some companies that failed to execute contracts or did so partially were to make refunds.
The total amount to be refunded is Nineteen Billion, Eight Hundred and Ninety Six Million, five Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-five Naira and thirty kobo (N19, 896,539,125.20) only, Forty Three Million Seven Hundred and Seventy One Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirty Three US Dollars and Seventy-Three Cents ($43,771,433.73) and 2 houses in Abuja worth Two Hundred and Sixty Million Naira (N260, 000,000.00).
It further stated that 15 companies were awarded contracts that require further investigation to ascertain their status. The total value of the contracts awarded in this category was Eleven Billion Seven Hundred and Twenty Six Million Five Hundred and Seventy One Naira only (N11, 726,571,161.00), Two Hundred and Two Million, One Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety US Dollars only ($202,136,890.00) and Four Million, One Hundred and Fourteen Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty Two Euros and Ninety Six Cents (€4,114,752.96).
The companies include: Abrahams Telecommunication Limited and Value Trust Investment Limited RC 1050628 and RC133792, Bilal Turnkey Contractors Limited RC 616389, Circular Automobile Limited RC 953549, Continental Project Associates Limited RC 1201210, Da’voice Network Solutions Limited RC 658879.
Others are Foretech Investment Limited RC 759046, Forts and Sheild Limited RC 1148793, GDP Associated Limited RC 830715, Hakimco Automobiles – RC 904389, Hamada Properties and Investment Limited RC 635720, International Resources Management Company RC 228657, Investment Options Limited – RC 133484, Jakadiya Picture Company Limited RC 270972, JBE Multimedia Investment Limited RC 48875, Kamala Motors Limited RC 845545, Key Information Services Limited RC 297516.
Also to be investigated are: Leeman Communications Limited RC 499781, MCAF Associates RC 734745, Moortown Global Investment RC 968416, Syntec Nigeria Limited RC 220165, Trafiga Limited RC 1098961, Trim Communications Limited RC 261180, Securicor Emergency and Safety RC 431246, Sologic Integrated Services Limited RC 744982, Wada Autos Limited RC 1082513, Zukhruf Nigeria Limited RC 306244, 2020 Nigeria Limited RC 1090292 and A and B Associates Limited RC 279980.
The individuals and companies that received payments without contractual agreements include: Bello Matawalle, Brig.-Gen. A.S. Mormoni-Bashir (the former Principal General Staff Officer at the ONSA, who is still serving), Alhaji Umar Sani, Dr Yakubu Sanky, Baba Bala, Ambassador Clement Layiwola Laseinde (a Director in the ONSA), an architect from Baitil Atiq Travels and Tours.
Others are Alhaji Shuaibu Salisu (the former Director of Finance and Administration at (ONSA), Col. Bello Fadile (rtd) (Special Adviser to Lt Col Sambo Dasuki; former NSA), Mr Otunla Jonah Niyi, Otunba Adelakun, Alhaji Bashir Yuguda, Dr Tunji Olagunju, Miss Oluwatoyin Oluwagbayi, Lt Col MS Dasuki (rtd) (the former NSA).
Also listed are Maipata Mohammed Abubakar, Mohammed Suleiman from Musaco investment and properties, Ibrahim Abdullahi also from Musaco investment and properties, Alhaji Aliyu Usman, and 18 other officers that served in the ONSA.
The companies that failed to execute contracts or did so partially, and have been asked to refund various sums are: A and Hatman Limited, Abuja Consulting Limited, Afro-Arab Investment, Agbede A Adeshina and Co, Aleppo Systems Nigeria Limited – RC 947255, Amp Africa Holdings and Solar Services, Apple Drops Nigeria Limited – RC 1102219, Apt Security Limited – RC 165189, Autoforms Integrated Enterprises Limited – RC 1234829, Axis Consulting Services Limited – RC 1151145, Belsha Nigeria Limited, Community Defence Law Foundation – RC/IT No 56854, Complus International Service Limited, Cosse Limited – RC 316214, Daar Investment and Holdings Limited, Dalhatu Investment Limited – RC 404535, Destra Investment Limited, Development Strategies International Limited – RC 361191.
Others are DFX/White Zebu BDC – RC787658/RC1049919, Duchy Concepts Limited RC392281, Fara Security Limited RC 694607, Fimex Gilt Nigeria Limited RC 143150, First Aralac Global Limited RC939512, Fix-HYL Global Investment RC1129654, Good year Properties Limited RC1168828, Image Merchant Promotions Limited RC 416703, Interglobal Limited RC 189188, Jos Peace Dialogue Forum CAC/IT/No75434, Kakatar Limited RC 443321, Leaderette Nigeria/Norden Global RC 422129/RC1119925, London Advertising Limited UK BASED, Mithra Oil Limited RC 620979, NigerLink BOG (Under Musaco Investment) RC 834592, Iban Global (Under Musaco Investment), Musaco Investment (Bank Charges), Mystrose Limited RC 475579, NAF Holding Company Limited.
Also listed are: Peach Tree Communications Limited RC 410115, Perception BDC RC 740741, Pioneer Ventures RC 69776, Proptex Nigerian Limited – RC 116801, Prosedec Interglobal Limited RC 619845, Real Property Investment Limited RC 294761, Sinash Communications Limited RC 333134, Skytick International Limited RC 798693, Soject Nigeria Limited RC 74991, StellaVera Development Company Limited RC 713258.
The remaining in this category include: Teracon AG SWISS BASED, Wehsec Farms Limited RC 713258, African Cable Television Limited RC 1113903, BCN Nigeria Limited RC 50969, Brains and Hammers RC 655673, Concept Options Ultimate Limited RC 604167, Elizade Nigeria Limited RC 11544, Emerging Platforms Limited RC 922205, EMI System Nigeria Limited RC 248986, Hadassa Investment and Security RC 709085, Kala Consulting Solutions Limited RC 98562, Pioneer Ventures, Nan Bizcom Nigeria Limited RC 680708, Nerres Limited RC 1138835, Plectrum Consulting Limited RC 937931, Protech Consultant RC 301426, Summit Publications Limited RC 304671, Telios Development Limited RC 468351, Urban Abode Nigeria Limited RC 651613, RCN Networks Limited RC 439720, Sail International Limited RC 97863, Suburban Broadway Limited – RC 469689, Geronimo Middle East and Africa, Julius Berger RC 6852, Romgat Morgan Nigeria Limited RC 902020, and Stallion Motors Limited RC 178627.
Contracts awarded to the following companies are to be further investigated: 2020 Nigeria Limited RC 1090292, Acacia Holdings Limited RC 940978, Africair Incorporated US Company, Augusta Westland Limited, Almond Project Limited, Bam Project and Properties, Bob Oshodin Organisation Limited RC 790662, Coral Builders Limited RC 397748, Dan Clington Nigeria Limited RC 940978, Law Partners and Associates BN/UY/004566, Magnificient 5 ventures Limited BN/2299463, MPS Global Services Limited.
Others are One plus Holdings Nigeria Limited RC 695999, Quadsix Nigeria Limited RC 1177968, and Reliance Reference Hospitals.

The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital on Thursday granted Daniel Onjeh’s motion ex parte for substituted service on former Senate President David Mark.
Onjeh and Mark contested the February 20, 2016 Benue South Senatorial District legislative rerun election on the platforms of All progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) respectively.
The APC candidate had filed a petition urging the tribunal to declare him the authentic winner of the poll.
Joined in the petition as co-respondents are the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and PDP.
The INEC had declared Mark the winner of the poll with a margin of barely more than 12,000 votes.
Mr. Onjeh said “the purported margin of win that led to the declaration of Mark as winner of the poll was far less than the number of cancelled and rejected votes”.
He told the tribunal that the cancelled and rejected votes were over 29,000.
According to the APC candidate, evidence on the face of the certified true copy of result declaration sheets obtained from INEC showed irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
The tribunal gave 21 days to the respondents to reply to the petition upon service, following which Mr. Onjeh and APC would reply within seven days after which sitting would commence.
Onjeh told the tribunal that the court bailiff made several attempts to effect service on the respondents to no avail.
In his ruling on the motion, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Abdullahi Sanya, ordered that service be effected by substituted means.
Mr. Sanya said that the petitioner could paste the service at the gate of Mark’s compound at No. 20, David Mark Way, Otukpo, Benue State.
This is the second time Mr. Onjeh has dragged Mr. Mark to the tribunal.
The first was after the 2015 general election, which led to the nullification of Mr. Mark’s election and the subsequent re-run on Feb. 20.
(NAN)

The Commissioner for Solid Minerals in Edo State, Hon Saturday Uwulekhue has laid the blame for the current economic crisis being experienced in the nation at the doorstep of previous administrations, who he said failed to peg their budgets based on economic reality.
Uwulekhue said records have shown that previous governments did not take into consideration the reality in the international market while using the dollar as a benchmark in preparing the national budget.
The commissioner argued that because the price of crude oil in the international market did not correspond with the reality on ground, the nation was bound to be caught in the global oil crisis, which saw crude oil sell at a seven-year low price.
He further added that these suffering should have long been expected stating that “What we are observing today should have been expected by the previous government and by those who were saddled with the responsibilities of advising government. For instance the price of oil was based on the abnormalities in the prices of oil in the international market and people were working the budget based on the abnormalities”.
Mr. Uwulekhue continued: “The issue is that what we are seeing at the international market is that we were living in a borrowed economy because of the crisis in the international market.”
“They would have prepared the budget based on the reality on ground. Budgets were based on these abnormalities. I believe that the issue of diversification should have long been taken care off before now. We should have done that over 20years ago. As I speak no state government has any other source of revenue other than oil. No machines are on ground to explore or exploit solid minerals, all that is happening is that private sector participation. What the government do is just collect its taxes and haulage and personal income tax”.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met with six governors of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The governors that met with the president include Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo).
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State was represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule, at the meeting which held behind closed doors and lasted several hours.
There was no official statement on the agenda of the meeting as the governors left the villa without fielding questions from State House correspondents.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue State and one-time senator representing Benue North-West, Joseph Waku, has berated the national chairman of the party, John Odigie-Oyegun, saying he is not competent to hold the position he is currently occupying.
The former senator accused Mr. Odigie-Oyegun of “irresponsible behavior”, which he said is behind most of the crises rocking the APC.
In an interview with Daily Trust published on Friday, Senator Waku faulted a comment credited to the national chairman that the APC may look elsewhere for a replacement for Mr. Lai Mohammed, the erstwhile national publicity secretary of the party because the North-Central where the position was zoned to, allegedly lacks a competent person to fill the vacuum left by the former spokesman, who was appointed minister by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The former senator and APC governorship aspirant in Benue State in the last general elections, said after waiting patiently for the national chairman of the party to retract the comment, which he described as “irresponsible, insulting and disgraceful”, he came to the conclusion that Mr. Odigie-Oyegun “was not even qualified to hold that position in the first place”.
According to him, “Ninety per cent of the crisis we are witnessing in the APC today is as a result of the incompetence within the national secretariat of the party and the so-called leadership has brought us where we are today.
“That statement coming from him is a strategy for him to bargain with the highest bidder who could pay more for that position but I can assure you that will not happen because that position was zoned to the North Central. That office was not zoned to Lai Mohammed. I was a member of that zoning committee and I knew what we went through to get that position zoned to the North Central. I knew what I personally went through because I was representing the North Central at the first national convention of the APC. So nobody can sit down in his office and begin to arrogate to himself the powers to shortchange and do whatever he chooses to do with that position”.
Waku added that the party chair was merely daydreaming by saying the position would be zoned elsewhere because he lacked the powers to make that decision.
He noted that it was based on the same principle of zoning that the national chairmanship position, which Mr. Odigie-Oyegun is currently occupying, was given to the South-South, adding that the former Edo State governor “is not the best in that zone”.
“There are much more senior practicing politicians with credible records in the South-South yet that office went to him because the arrangement favoured him and we did not have anything against it. So his office and others remain zoned to the respective areas until the national convention decides otherwise”, Waku stated.

The deputy national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Barr. Abdullahi Jalo, has warned the national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, against listening to counsel to elongate his tenure to 2019.
Mr. Sheriff emerged as the national chairman of the PDP last month amid controversy, which was resolved after it was agreed among the various organs of the party that he would not spend more than three months in office.
But hardly had the dust surrounding his emergence settled than some forces began pushing for the zoning of the national chairmanship of the party to the North, precisely the Northeast, where Sheriff hails from. The position is to be zoned to the South after the expiration of the tenure of the present National Working Committee in May.
But Jalo, who was one of the PDP chieftains that opposed the appointment of the former Borno State governor as party chair, faulted Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and other politicians from the southern part of the country for pushing for an extension in office of Mr. Sheriff.
He made this position known while addressing a press conference in Gombe State yesterday.
According to him, following a directive by the NEC of the party, Sheriff had accepted to serve for a specific period in line with the zoning formula agreed upon.
Jalo said already, it was proposed that the presidential candidate of the party would come from the northern part of the country and the national chairman from the south.
“Sheriff should not make a U-turn since he had pledged that he would not stay beyond 21st May, 2016”, he said.

Disturbed by the current economic downturn in the country, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, yesterday called on Nigerians to offer prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari because “he needs God’s intervention to address the country’s challenges”.
The monarch made the call when he received a delegation from Kebbi State led by the state governor, Atiku Bagudu, on a courtesy visit to his palace.
Akiolu said that Buhari has good intention for the country.
According to him; “He has good intention for Nigeria and that was why I like him. But he needs Gods intervention to achieve his aim. And I know that if we pray for him, by this time next year, the economic challenges we are experiencing would cease. And we will all have reasons to smile”.
On his part, the paramount ruler of Lagos said “I often pray for the President to achieve his campaign promises. And we expect Nigerians also do so for him to achieve all his aspirations for the country”.
He, however, appealed to Nigerians to patronize Made-in-Nigeria goods because it would “help create more employments for Nigerians”.
Earlier, Governor Bagudu said that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, facilitated the partnership between Lagos and Kebbi state on the establishment of a commodity value chain and appealed to other governors to adopt the strategy.
According to him; “Infact, yesterday, he (Tinubu) saw me at the Economic retreat in Abuja, asking the progress made on the partnership. That showed how keen he was to ensure that the partnership works”.
Mr. Bagudu stressed that the partnership was what the founding fathers of the country envisaged after the country’s independence, which helped the country’s economy to grow.