Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, has described the just concluded National Economic Council (NEC) retreat as mere jamboree and waste of over N250 million public fund.
“The retreat has further exposed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Buhari lacked economic blueprint as the president is still talking the way he talked while seeking for votes from Nigerians”, the governor said Friday through a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka.
Fayose said it was funny that the same set of people, who as governors ruined the economy of their states, were the resource persons at the retreat, asking; “What solution can the likes of former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who as governor plunged the State into unprecedented debt by borrowing money to build governor’s lodge, pavilion and uncompleted civic centre proffer to the economy of Nigeria?”
The governor further said that “it is strange that close to one year after President Buhari was sworn in, he still cannot tell Nigerians one major economic step his government has taken to salvage the economy. He has not taken any key step and there is no economic team. That is strange!
“I was at the retreat and I can tell Nigerians categorically that it was just a jamboree. It was a waste of over N250 million public fund because most of the resource persons were the same people who ran their States aground.
“Instead of wasting over N250 million on such a jamboree, it would have been better if the fund is given to those downtrodden Nigerians, who are trading with as little as N5,000.
“For instance, at N10,000 each, N250 million will go round 25,000 pepper sellers whose capital is not more than N5,000 and that would go a long way in boosting their trade.
“Even most governors, including those of the APC were not happy with the economic retreat. Almost everything they proposed was opposed by the Governors.
“Also, the president in presenting himself as APC president alone and speaking as if he was still canvassing votes and chose the retreat to tell the 22 states governed by the APC to build 250,000 housing units per annum. The question is which state in the present Nigeria can build 10,000 housing units per year?
“To me, the Federal Government appears not ready to face reality. The economic retreat sounds like another talk shop retreat and a clear indication that APC and President Buhari did not have an economic blueprint even when it took two months after winning election for the president to assume office”.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Christians to ‎use the occasion of Easter to renew the bond of love, forgiveness and peaceful co-existence, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political persuasion.
The opposition party said as Easter represents the triumph of life over death, Nigerians can draw strength and inspiration to overcome the division, disagreements and bitterness that now threaten the unity and corporate existence of the nation.
In a goodwill message yesterday by its national publicity ‎secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the PDP said such devotion to national unity and harmony is paramount to overcoming the economic, social and security challenges presently bedeviling the nation.
The statement read in part: “Indeed, the occasion of Easter presents us a great lesson in faith in the Almighty God and the triumph of good over evil, the very reason we must humble ourselves and seek divine intervention for our dear country.
“Our unity is our strongest source of strength as a nation. We must therefore collectively determine to end the bitterness, hostilities and division that keep us apart and seek only the virtues of love, forgiveness, charity and such others that unite us as a people.
“In the same vein, duty beckons on all of us to imbibe a life of constant prayers for our leaders at all levels to be divinely guided against actions and inactions that tend to polarize the people and create tension in the land.
“We must all continue to see ourselves as brothers and sisters and work together towards fulfilling the mind of God who, in His infinite wisdom destined us to live together as a united and prosperous nation, where nobody is molested and where fairness and the wellbeing of all citizens are paramount as guaranteed within the laws”.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Elder statesman and leader of the Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has urged the Federal Government to wade into the political crisis in Rivers state, warning that if urgent steps are not taken, it may snowball into the kind of political crisis that characterized the Western Region in 1965.
Mr. Yakasai, who spoke in Kano Friday, also warned that the spate of killings, accusations and counter-accusations that characterized the legislative rerun elections in the state does not speak well of the nation’s democracy.
The politician warned that imposition of emergency rule in Rivers state for whatsoever reason will not augur well in the present situation just as he stressed the need for the Presidency to discourage individuals from using security operatives to intimidate the masses or impose their will on the electorate.
According to him, way back in 1965, “it was a similar trend in the West that people in power at the centre at that time tried to use the power of incumbency to deny the Action Group victory in the West that gradually transcended into killing and mayhem by political opponents. They resorted to killing one another by pouring acid on their political opponents in order to kill or disfigure them”.
He also traced the 1966 coup to the political crises in the West at that time and warned against a replay of such occurrence, pointing out that, “1966 coup was a single act that destroyed political stability of Nigeria and sow the seed of successive political crises which denied the nation the ability to match forward”.
Yakasai recalled that after the 2015 general elections in which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost power at the centre and regained control of one of the states in the South-South whilst retaining its firm grip on the South-East, some PDP leaders raised alarm over a plot by the governing All Progressive Congress (APC) to forcefully take control of some states the PDP managed to win.
“After the last election and the PDP gained control of the states in that region, allegations were made that APC leaders were scheming to use election petition tribunal to deny them their victory. And true to the PDP accusation, most of the election results in those states won by the party were nullified by the election tribunals. It was only the action of the Supreme Court that reversed the situation and save the peace in that area in particular and the nation at large”, he added.
According to him, “it was alleged that a scheme was hatched to use election tribunal by the APC to take control of the state’s PDP managed to control power. True to that allegation, the election tribunal cancelled gubernatorial elections in more than half of the state’s PDP managed to gain control”.
“After last year’s general elections where PDP lost power, the party managed to win control of some strategic states. A lot of them are in the South-South, this area is where we have the largest deposit of crude oil in our country and it is where large chunk of foreign investment is concentrated”, he added.
The former Adviser on National Assembly Matters to ex-President Shehu Shagari, said there was need for the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that when next it will conduct the rerun election in the remaining areas in Rivers state, electoral officials that would be sent to conduct the rerun election must be people with no partisan inclination.
According to him, if that is done, there will not be any need to send thousands of security forces to maintain peace during the election.
“A true democracy is when the minority will have their say and the majority will have their way. So, what I want to say is that a democracy without a strong opposition does not work out. I will like to appeal to those in control of the federal authority not to allow over ambitious politicians to manipulate them to achieve their political objectives”, he added.
He also reminded the Federal Government of the impending dire consequences should states such as Rivers and Bayelsa be allowed to sink into political crisis, noting that “with the huge presence of foreign investors in that state, particularly in the oil and gas industry, it will be of huge consequence for Nigeria if crisis erupts from those areas because the foreign investors will not be happy. Their property and installations will not be safe and it will not be a good omen for our economy, which is already in trouble”.
Yakasai also stated that with the battle against Boko Haram yet to be totally won, giving another opportunity for groups like the Niger-Delta militants, whose operation almost crippled the economy during the regime of late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, will spell disaster for the country.
He added that, “although considerable success has been recorded in the military campaign against Book Haram tactless killings; to provoke a new insurgency in the Niger-Delta area in the name of imposing unpopular leadership in Rivers state or any place in that area will be unrewarding”.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank, has described as worrisome, the continued trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, insisting that there were flaws in the processes leading to the arraignment.
Mr. Saraki is facing a 13-count charge of alleged false declaration of assets while he was governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011.
In a statement on Friday, Mr. Frank said that it was dangerous that the leadership of the APC “chose to sit on the fence and watch Mr. Saraki swim or sink in his trial”.
“I sincerely hold that the current trial of Saraki is not only underserved, but amounts to paying a good man with evil. I also want to say that the leaders of our great party have unfortunately remained quiet in the face of evil.
“I don’t believe we have forgotten that the victory of the APC during the last general elections could not have been possible without courageous strategists like Saraki who lent their political weight in favour of the APC at the risk of their own lives and personal survival”, he said.
“I don’t think we have forgotten how Saraki as a Senator in the 7th Senate brought the attention of Nigerians to the fraud perpetrated by the the last administration in the name of fuel subsidy.
“I don’t think we have forgotten so soon how Saraki led five other governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the APC – a development that successfully turned the political tide against the PDP and eventually tipped the electoral scale against them during the 2015 general elections.
“I don’t think we have forgotten how Saraki led scores of Senators to cross over to the APC on the floor of the Senate.
“I don’t think we have also forgotten what he gave of his time, personal resources and energy to ensure that the APC emerged victorious both at the National, State and Local Government level”, he said.
The Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal on Thursday rejected the argument by Mr. Saraki’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN) that the case against his client was flawed, and ordered the trial to continue.
But the APC deputy national publicity secretary wondered how the case of Mr. Saraki was being treated differently at the CCT, which in 2011 struck out the case against one of the national leaders of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu “because he was not given the opportunity to deny or admit the alleged discrepancies in his asset declaration forms in line with Section 3(d) of the CCB/CCT Act unlike 11 other ex-governors who had similar cases of irregularities whose cases were dropped by the CCB after they were invited by the agency”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 3(d) of the CCB/CCT Act which has been so undermined by the CCT in its Thursday ruling states that the CCB shall: ‘Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of this Act and where the Bureau (not the AGF or EFCC) considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by Section 20 of this Act in accordance with the provisions of Sections 20 to 25 of this Act: provided that where the concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non-compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary’”.
Mr. Frank said it was pertinent to mention that when the particular section of the Act was pleaded in the defence of Tinubu in 2011, the same chairman of the tribunal, Justice Umar, struck out the case for lack of jurisdiction to entertain the suit when he ruled that “…On Section 3(d), I feel compelled by the argument of the learned SAN for the accused. It is a condition precedent for referring a charge to this Tribunal that the Accused ought to have been invited to either deny or admit the allegations against him. This is missing in this case as the Complainant has no such evidence of a prior invitation. It would be proper for me at this stage to simply decline further exercise of jurisdiction having held that the co diction precedent to the instituting of charges against the Accused has not been complied with. I hereby resolve this issue in favour of the Accused…”
He added: “It is based on the above precedent that I want to ask why Saraki’s case is different? Why is the judiciary suddenly giving in to apparent blackmail from a section of the media by refusing to do their job as required by law?
“Already the Senate President has told the world that the trial has nothing to do with corruption but that he is being persecuted for emerging as the Senate President. To me the ominous silence of our leaders since the day he was arraigned uphill now serves to validate the claims of the Senate president that he is being persecuted.
“Or where else in the world will the number three citizen of a country be hurled before a tribunal over alleged irregularities in his asset declaration forms 13 years ago, and the hierarchy of the ruling to which he is a bonafide member will not come out to show solidarity or defend him?
“If it is true that the trial of the Senate President is not borne out of genuine desire to fight corruption but is being carried out for selfish political ends, then who is next?
“I think the party need to be courageous enough to speak out against this unwholesome trend whose outcome will definitely not augur well for the overall development of our party and by extension the country at this hour.
“Even the holy scriptures admonish us not to muzzle the (ox) that thresh the corn. Saraki has paid his dues at a time it was suicidal for anybody to stand up against to the then ruling PDP. I believe it is time for all of us to act to save our party. It is time to rally round our generals who have fought valiantly and led us to victory. To abandon Saraki is to abandon a worthy comrade”, he said.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made serious allegations against top members of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, including the first lady Aisha Buhari, saying they were involved in illegal forex trading having secured foreign currency at the instance of the governor of the central bank Godwin Emefiele.

In a series of tweets on Saturday, the PDP alleged that presidential spokesman Garba Shehu got $800,000 forex at N185 from CBN on the instructions of Emefiele and sold at N350 on the same day.

“A Bureau De Change company linked with General Danbazzau got $6m forex from CBN at N185 and sold at N362,” the opposition party tweeted further.

The first lady was not left out, with the PDP alleging that she got $22m from the CBN and sold at N362.

First Lady Aisha Buhari got $22m forex from CBN on the instructions of Emefiele and the company sold at N362 same day. #CorruptionAndBuhari

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) March 26, 2016

Abba Kyari also got $400,000 at N185 and sold for N340.

— PDP Nigeria (@PdpNigeria) March 26, 2016

Meanwhile, Presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu has denied the allegation. According to him, the day he chooses to start trading in FOREX, he will resign as a Presidential spokesman. However, he admitted to have bought up to $8,000 since becoming a presidential spokesperson.

2. Amounting to Eight Thousand Dollars (USD 8,000) sent to  my daughter and nephews through UBA. This is verifiable.

— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) March 26, 2016

4. If I know the coward and psychopath behind the official @PDPNigeria handle, I will launch a defamation suit against him/her.

— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) March 26, 2016

5. And I will claim money in millions as damages!

— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) March 26, 2016

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Elder statesman Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Yusuf, the Danmasanin Kano, has commended Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar for making huge investment to the development of education and health, urging other northern governors to emulate him.

Sule stated this while conferring an award on the Governor in Abuja on Thursday at the National Convention/Conference of forum of former Senators and House of Representatives from 1st to 4th republics forum, headed by Senator Joseph Wayas. He described education and health as the heart of human survival.

Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule noted that the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has recommended the provision of 26 percent of annual budgets of all developing nations to the development of education sector, saying what Governor Mohammed Abubakar has started in the area of education and health is commendable and urged other governors, especially those of northern states to emulate.

“We must give education priority attention because all developed nations are so developed because they have given sufficient attention to the development of that important sector” the statesman said, and stressed that with proper investment in education, half of the problems of all nations are solved. He said no country can claimed to have security if it fails to have food security.

“While accepting the platinum award by the forum of former Senators and House of Representatives from 1st to 4th republics forum,
Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar lamented that his administration’s only 10 months in office which has been dedicated to restoring decayed institutions that suffered neglect and abuse by the past administration is being criticized by those who are used to the former administration’s style of leadership.

He maintained that he remained resolute in his restoration drive, and stressed that the change mantra is working in Bauchi state.

“Let me reiterate here that I remain resolute and committed to changing Bauchi state and no amount of intimidation will deter me”, the Governor said.

The Governor explained that many organizations have approached him with offers to confer awards on him, saying he only accepts awards from credible associations like the one conferred on him by the forum of former Senators and Members of the House of Representatives from 1st to 4th republics forum, headed by Senator Joseph Wayas that is made up of people of proven integrity and respect in all parts of the country.

“I consider this award different from others; it shows that whatever we do we are being observed and therefore is a big challenge for us to remain committed and strive double our efforts and do more to improve the lives of our people through the change mantra of our party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, a real sustainable change,” the Governor said.

He commended the Speaker and Members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly whom he said support the change and restoration agendas of his administration and pointed out that one of the areas the administration focuses attention to is the area of taxing surface activities of solid mineral resources, harnessing the tourism potentials of the state and revitalizing agriculture, all of which are geared towards improving internally generated revenue base of the State.

The Governor therefore appealed for continued public understanding and support to the administration, and assured that results of the sacrifices. “We all have to make for our administration’s policies which are reflections of those of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC manifesto, will be “reaped bountifully”.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, has denied allegations that she collected $22 million in foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, at the official exchange rate of N185 and sold same at N362 per dollar, making huge profit.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which made the allegation yesterday via its official Twitter handle, said the amount was given to Mrs. Buhari on the instructions of the CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
The opposition party also made similar weighty allegations against senior members of the Presidency using the hashtag ‘Corruption and Buhari’.
Reacting to the allegations via her Twitter handle, the wife of the president described the allegations as false and unfounded especially as it was without evidence, saying she has never been involved in “any illegal dealings”.
Mrs. Buhari, therefore, warned that any further attempts to malign her person will be dealt with according to the laws of the land.

Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari is not a dealer of forex. She has not and will never be involved in any illegal dealings.

— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) March 26, 2016

Making false and unfounded allegations without proof just to incite Nigerians on social media is wrong.

— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) March 26, 2016

This is grounds for a lawsuit on defamation of character.

— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) March 26, 2016

Be advised, any further attempt to malign the person of the Wife of the President will be dealt with according to the law

— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) March 26, 2016

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The 2016 budget passed last week by the National Assembly may not be signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari any time soon if feelers from Aso Rock, the seat of power, is anything to go by.
The N6.07 trillion 2016 budget passed by the Senate and House of Representatives was returned to the Executive without the details, hence the president will await the details before giving assent.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, who made this known in an interview, said the tradition is that the details would have accompanied the bill returned to the Executive, but this was not so in the present circumstance.
While acknowledging that there was an urgency to see the budget signed into law, Mr. Shehu maintained that President Buhari cannot sign the bill without first seeing the details, in case there are areas that may require clarifications from the Legislature.
“Yes, the National Assembly has passed the budget and sent the bill to the president but the details did not come with the bill”, he said. “Of course, the president cannot sign something without seeing the details”.
Explaining further, the presidential spokesman said “The normal practice is that the details would have accompanied the bill. When the president presented the Appropriation bill it was accompanied by the details. So that is what we expect and I hope that in less than a week they should be able to conclude whatever work they are doing on the details, and when they do that, they would convey to the president for assent”.
He also stated “that the Executive would look at it (budget). I am not saying that we are not in a hurry ourselves; everybody wants to see things start moving. The country had N3trillion in the Central Bank from the TSA money that would be spent in improving the economy of the country. We are waiting for the details and we will look at it in the hope that there are no major differences that would warrant the president going back to the parliament to ask for changes to be made”.
“Going by the Constitution, the president can even withhold assent; he can veto but we are not expecting that. But as I earlier said, you cannot talk about what you have not seen so let the budget come in details and the president will look at it and decide”, Shehu added.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State yesterday at a reception in honour of members of the state House of Assembly, rewarded the lawmaker representing Efon Constituency, Afolabi Akanni, with a car gift for his loyalty.
Akanni was detained for about 18 days by the Department of State Services (DSS) for reasons unconnected with the purported plot to sack the governor from office using the state legislature.
The lawmaker, who arrived in the state on Thursday to a warm reception, vowed not to betray Mr. Fayose for any reason after he was handed the keys to the car.
“I can authoritatively say that the governor is a great leader and a great mentor. He remains a very honest man who also stands by his followers. I was so sure that he will fight my cause while in detention and I was not disappointed”, Akanni said.
“The DSS asked me so many questions about the governor and I stood my ground. Governor Fayose is one man that I can never betray because he is my helper and my mentor. He has done a lot for me.
“I advise all of us to stand solidly behind this man. Any attempt to betray him will lead to your own downfall. I must say that the DSS is bent on destroying this democracy”, he added.
While handing over the car key to the lawmaker, Governor Fayose said that the DSS only succeeded in tarnishing its own image by attempting to allegedly coerce members of the state’s Assembly to act the script of his detractors, which is to impeach him.
Fayose, who received the lawmakers at the Jibowu Hall of the Government House, said “this House of Assembly is very unique and exemplary. You have refused to be bought over.
“My detractors have money and influence, but the power of God starts where that of men stops. I’m so proud of you. You have shown that you can see beyond today”.
According to him, “wealth is not the amount of money in your bank account, but your level of integrity. You represent and carry yourselves as responsible Nigerians. The old testament has to give way to the new testament. You are the ‘new testament’ House of Assembly.
“Betrayers will only contribute to the success of the person being betrayed. Those that betrayed us in the first term are no longer relevant today. Many of them even suffered and regretted their actions.
“Together we stand and I know the House will never divide. I don’t regret standing for those incarcerated. This is an opportunity for us to stand for our tomorrow.
“The DG of SSS, Daura only succeeded in tarnishing the image of the security outfit. We must be courageous and fearless like the book of Joshua admonishes us. Persecution and oppression will only make us better.
“My detention in Ikoyi prison made me a better man. It made me to reflect on so many things. It is my duty to reward loyalty and forthrightness and I’ll not stop doing it”.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.As the race to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State gathers momentum, an aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has pledged to consolidate on the foundation laid by the outgoing governor, especially in the power sector, if elected governor of the state come September 10.
Mr. Obaseki, who is Chairman of the Edo State Economic and Strategic Team, is believed to be Governor Oshiomhole’s preferred choice as successor.
The aspirant, who disclosed his plans on electricity at a seminar organised by Edo Accord Initiative, tagged: “Edo United: Edo State in the eye of the present economic downturn/the future”, said with the Azura Power Plant attracted by the Oshiomhole administration and other power projects, the issue of power outage will be a thing of the past in the nearest future in the state.
While urging delegates of the APC to queue behind his governorship aspiration, Obaseki stressed that the only way to achieve the dream of stable power supply in Edo is to support a candidate with the vision and aspiration of Oshiomhole which, according to him, he ably represents.
“If you have taken note of what is happening in Edo, before Governor Oshiomhole, there was nothing on ground. The PDP said Edo was a poor and civil service state. They couldn’t build roads, schools or factories. But in the last seven years, we have tried. At least, you can drive from Airport Road down to Ugbowo without traffic and bad roads. So if you want to go to farm in Anagbette in Edo North, there is road to take you to the farm; before, there was no road to that place. One thing that this government has started that the people will not see until two years’ time is electricity. Government has encouraged people to come and generate electricity for Edo. As we speak, our investors have started building big electricity plants across the state that will generate about 450 megawatts each. The total electricity we consume in Edo is about 100 but these people are building a plant that will generate 450 each. So by the end of 2017, we will have enough electricity for Edo”, the aspirant stated.
“Now, Oshiomhole has built roads, we have refurbished schools, we have brought investors, and the next stage will be to build industries. We have asked investors to come and build industries because we have roads, good schools, electricity, water and other social amenities that they need to run the industries. And many have started coming, we must encourage them. The youths shouldn’t drag government land with them because they want money. If there is no security, they wouldn’t stay. So my message for the youths today, especially community development associations, is that when investors want land to set up industries, welcome them and not exploit them because they are bringing jobs. “The other area that government is working is on and the area I believe we will grow when I become governor is agriculture, but because there is foreign exchange, we always want to import. We spend almost $500 million to import chicken annually to this country; we spend almost $2billion dollars to import rice and even milk we spend $500 million to import. Can’t we grow rice in Edo; can’t we rear chicken and fish in Edo? But now those things we used to import are no longer possible because of foreign exchange. It is an opportunity for us to begin to create industries and, when I take over government, the first thing I will do is to help people invest”.
“When I become governor, I need not to worry because I have the capacity to bring work and investment to Edo. I know two years is a long time, but how are we going to survive before then? If we say things are bad in the state, we should go to some other states, some states have not paid salaries for over three months. We should make sure we provide micro finance for small businesses. So, for people who want to set up businesses, government has facilities through micro finance bank where people can take loan at low interest rate to start and 60 per cent of this money is for women sponsored businesses. The way it will work is to join cooperatives and, if you save a little, you take to the micro finance bank and they will give the cooperative much more on top. Up to N500, 000 for individuals and up to N5, 000, 000 for cooperatives and these cooperatives they make sure they know how you buy, sell and how you are going to pay back”, the aspirant added.
On his part, Chairman of the initiative, Mr Idahosa Dennis, said, “We have seen the vision of Godwin Obaseki as a very brilliant one for the people of Edo and, having been a member of the state exco, I know his contribution to the achievements of Adams Oshiomhole and I know if he is elected as the governor of Edo, the state will be greater that people will make reference to”.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The Catholic Bishop of Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to drag Nigeria into the Saudi Arabia-led Islamic coalition against terrorism as a dangerous and unwise move.
Mr. Onaiyekan said the president’s decision poses a great threat to Nigeria’s armed forces as well as Nigeria as a nation.
“I am not sure it is a wise thing”, the Catholic Bishop told PREMIUM TIMES in an exclusive interview in Abuja.
According to him, “Once you talk of an Islamic coalition and you are bringing Nigerian armed forces into it, my fear is that this is a dangerous step”.
“We have been trying, and I think successfully, to keep religion out of our armed forces. Can you imagine what will happen if Nigerian armed forces were fighting in the North-West on the basis of religion?”
“So I hope government will be better advised”, he added.
Mr. Onaiyekan, who noted that countries that joined the alliance before Nigeria were not faring well, said Mr. Buhari bowed to an ill-fated advice to drag Nigeria into the coalition.
“Those who put the alliance together have not succeeded in putting their own houses in order”, the Cardinal said. “It’s not as if they have succeeded well in Iraq, Syria and other places”.
“So whoever advised him (President Mohammadu Buhari) did not advise him well”.
On the comment by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama that the alliance was not religious, Onaiyekan said the Minister’s comment displayed ignorance and self-contradiction.
“When I heard the minister of foreign affairs saying that there is nothing religious about the coalition; I’m sorry that the Minister of Foreign Affairs does not know how Nigerians behave and think”, he said.
“You cannot tell us that something is Islamic and at the same time say it is not religious. That is a contradiction. It’s like saying Islam is not a religion”.
In his Easter message to Nigerians, Mr. Onaiyekan urged them to reflect on the last three days of Easter, beginning with Good Friday, and never forget that Jesus died for them.
He also prayed God to continue to lead Nigeria on the right path.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The member representing Ihiala Federal Constituency of Anambra State on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rep Emeka Anohu, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to disclose how much has so far been recovered from looted funds and where the monies are being kept.
He advised the president to also dialogue, rather than use force, in dealing with pro-Biafra agitators so as not to escalate the tension in the Southeast geo-political zone.
Speaking with Sunday Vanguard in Abuja, Rep. Anohu wondered where the recovered loots including the repatriated ones were domiciled as there had not been any account by government on the total recovered loot and repatriated funds.
He said, “All the money repatriated, where are the monies, how much so far repatriated and recovered? Nigerians need to know, we don’t know where they are keeping the money”.
Describing the agitation for a Biafran Republic as a “topic that is totally fragile in Nigeria”, Anohu, who is the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Basic Education, stressed that under the laws of the land, there was provision for peaceful demonstration and agitation for self-determination guaranteed by the United Nations in which Nigeria is a signatory to.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The Presidency on Sunday said funds recovered from those who looted the nation’s treasury cannot be made public now until they are used as evidence against those the funds were recovered from.
A member representing Ihiala Federal Constituency of Anambra State on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rep Emeka Anohu, had at the weekend urged the federal government to disclose how much has so far been recovered from the looted funds and where the monies are being kept.
But the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu told newsmen on Sunday that although President Muhammadu Buhari has the intention of making the recovery public, it cannot be done now until they have been brought before a judge as evidence against the looters.
Shehu said the money recovered is currently being lodged in an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, adding that the challenge before the government right now is that the money has to first be presented to the court before being made public.
He said: “the issue of how much has been returned has been there. The money retrieved has to be used as evidence in court. The President said two things; we will recover and we will prosecute. So as it now, you don’t go and bring all these millions returned out.
“I am aware that there is an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) where some of these funds are been kept and are evidences for a judge to see. It is not for public display. I think that is the challenge we have at the moment”.
Shehu revealed that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, will soon begin a town hall meeting to explain government policies and actions to the people, adding that the meetings, which will begin at zonal levels, will later go down to state levels.
He said: “I know that there is a plan for Professor Osinbajo, the Vice President to start Town Hall meetings in zones and then it would be broken down to the state and so on. Government realises that there is a need to take information to the people and there are steps that are been taken in order to ensure that is done”.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South South, Prince Hilliard Eta has called for the immediate resignation of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, over the worsening fuel scarcity and his comments that he is not a magician.

“Kachikwu has not entirely cast off the orientation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP where he was”, adding that such is still manifesting in his actions and utterances such as the recent one that attracted opprobrium from many Nigerians.

“In the light of the foregoing, Mr. Kachikwu must not be a cog in the wheel of progress and he should do the needful by resigning honourably if he is not capable of doing his part by efficiently running the ministry assigned to him.

“It is important to reiterate here that winning the federal election in 2015 has not eroded the core ideology of progressivism, which we espouse as it is the very foundation on which the party rests.

“This progressive ideology strongly emphasises government as a tool for service to the people, who are the custodians of power in the first instance. In line with this, it is not wrong or out of place for Tinubu to call the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to order owing to the anti progressive statements he made in the Presidential Villa on Wednesday March 23, 2016, while fielding questions from Journalists on the persisting scarcity of petrol.

“Secondly, we in the APC believe that it is proper to immediately correct mistakes or errors committed by any member of the party, no matter how highly placed and we are developing a culture of accountability to Nigerians that government is meant to serve.

“From this perspective, it is, therefore, understandable that Kachikwu’s statement to the effect that he has no solution to petrol scarcity bedevilling the country drew flaks from Tinubu and this does not, in any way imply that there is a crack within the party.

“In African culture, it is seen as irresponsible for an elder to watch a youngsters or an inexpensive person blunder without immediately calling him to order,” Eta said.

Former member of the House of Representatives, Halims Agoda, yesterday accused Minister of State for Petroleum Ibe Kachikwu of sabotaging the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure the petroleum sector and backed calls for his resignation.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, Agoda said the minister’s recent remark of not being a “magician” to immediately end the queues at filling stations was not necessary. Agoda asked the minister to resign if he could not end the lingering fuel crisis.

The member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the House of Representatives, Linus Okorie, on his part, faulted the attack of the APC National leader Bola Tinubu on the minister.

“Tinubu mysteriously derailed from this ennobling track for no sensible reason than, probably, an urge to redeem some modicum of public respect and confidence for APC,” he said.

“The party has evidently lost more political capital through a consistent display of planlessness and crass incompetence than even its extreme opponents could have contemplated, a few short months ago.

“Tinubu did this by attempting a weak and non-contextual connection of PDP to the “undemocratic excesses” of a rapidly evolving “fascist regime” of APC.

“APC has a responsibility to deliver on its over 3,000 promises to Nigerians and would do well to keep its eye on the ball than this compulsive and overburdened recline into the past,” the lawmaker said.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.With some Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, as well as the South South chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, calling for the head of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, the South East chapter of the party has risen in stout defense of the embattled minister, who has come under fire over the lingering fuel crisis in the country.
A national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had at the weekend knocked the minister for telling Nigerians to brace up for two more months of fuel scarcity in the country.
He also said he had no “magic” to perform to solve the problem before that time.
According to Mr. Tinubu, the comment showed a lack of respect and empathy to suffering Nigerians.
The National Vice Chairman of the APC, South South, Prince Hilliard Eta, had also asked Kachikwu to “do the needful by resigning honourably if he is not capable of doing his part by efficiently running the ministry assigned to him”.
Also, a coalition of civil society groups, Civil Society Coalition for Positive Change and Stand Up for Nigeria, SUN, on Sunday issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Mr. Kachikwu to resign from office over the prolonged scarcity of fuel.
But the South East APC in a statement signed by Osita Okechukwu, said Mr. Tinubu is not only “politically correct but has the constitutional rights to condemn the awkward joke made by the Hon Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu.
“However, the South East Zone of the All Progressives Congress (APC) do not subscribe to the call for his resignation”.
The party also said those calling for the Minister’s resignation should not forget the transparent manner Mr. Kachikwu and his staff deployed in the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain; a policy, they said, has saved Nigeria over N500 billion.
“May we also remind those who call for his resignation, how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) turned the petroleum product importation and fuel supply chain into a slush fund, recklessly increased the cost geometrically from N634 billion in 2010 to N1.6 trillion in 2012. In 2013, N888 billion was officially budgeted with a supplementary budget of N232 billion in the same year, making an average N1 trillion per annum.
“It is our considered opinion that Kachikwu should stay, for bringing sanity to the petroleum product import and fuel supply chain in the last 10 months”, it said.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond apologizing to Nigerians for some of the hardships they are currently passing through by correcting some of the flawed policies and steps his administration has taken in the last 10 months.
The governor also urged Mr. Buhari to stop seeing himself as a sectional leader or president of only the All Progressives Congress but as the leader of all groups and people of the country.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi on Sunday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, Mr. Fayose, however, commended President Buhari for admitting some errors his government had made.
He further advised the president to be wary of some selfish persons in the APC who were bent on using his name to commit atrocities in the name of politics.
The statement read, “This is a moment of truth. I commend the President for being bold enough to apologise for his lapses. He has come out to admit and accept that criticism is part of democracy. He can do whatever he likes, but it must be within the ambit of the law.
“The President has swallowed his pride by admitting that there is a sharp drop in electricity and that we are experiencing an agonising fuel scarcity in the country. They told us the refineries are working, but that is a lie, we are still importing fuel.
“The President cannot continue to apologise for everything. A leader must think very well before making policy statements”.
The Ekiti governor also called on the president, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, to find a permanent solution to the lingering fuel scarcity, address job losses and pay attention to issues of security rather than expending his energy on muzzling opposition in the country.
“Look at the Agatu killings. That place is a food basket for the country and when herdsmen went on the rampage, destroying lives and property, we should not fold arms”, he said.
Fayose also condemned the manner elections were conducted under the present administration, lamenting that the gains recorded in the electoral process under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan are gradually been eroded.
“It is an understatement to describe the elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers states by the Buhari administration as a show of shame. This is an aspect where the President has to be very careful. He must not allow himself to be used by some rejected and crooked politicians”, he stated.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.President Muhammadu Buhari has felicitated with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on his 64th birthday anniversary tomorrow, Tuesday.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Monday, the president noted that Tinubu’s rise politically since he was elected as a Senator in 1992 was a testimony to his forthrightness, diligence and doggedness.
Mr. Buhari further said that the same qualities had endeared Tinubu to the electorate and given him all-round success as a private sector worker, a businessman and two-term Governor of Lagos State.
According to the president, Tinubu’s disposition led to the formation of the APC, which was able to oust the Peoples Democratic Party within a short period of its formation.
“As one of the pillars of the APC, President Buhari commends the visionary leadership style of the Asiwaju of Lagos, who is also the Jagaban of the Borgu Kingdom in Niger State, for creating a formidable opposition party in Nigeria that worked vigorously within a short period to oust a party that had been in power for 16 years.
“The president assures the national leader that his patriotism and commitment to democracy and good governance, and his generous spirit will always be remembered and appreciated by generations of Nigerians.
“He prays that the Almighty God will grant the Asiwaju long life, good health, wisdom and prosperity as he steadfastly supports efforts to promote the development of Nigeria”.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.The Presidency has attributed the delay in making key appointments into boards of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to a major restructuring of the executive arm of the government.
Most boards of MDAs are usually used by the political party in power to reward staunch party members and loyalists of the government.
Since dissolving most of the boards, President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to properly reconstitute them as expected.
Explaining the delay, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, said “A lot of people had expected jobs by way of key appointments in boards, ministries and parastatals. That has been held back by the fact that the government and the president have promised a major restructuring of the executive”.
“You know he has reduced the ministries to about 24 from 42. That will not go without concomitant challenges on the existing parastatals and agencies, which obviously have to be modified to fit into shape and fix into the existing ministerial structure”, Shehu told reporters at the weekend in Abuja.
On the purported secret recruitments in federal government agencies, he urged Nigerians to await the outcome of the investigation currently being done by the National Assembly on the issue.
“I have been approached by a number of people who say can you give me a note to so so, so agency? A lot is happening in this country and I keep saying that Buhari’s government is not a government of notes. I guess that whoever is found doing that would get himself in trouble”, he said.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Monday described former Lagos state Governor and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a pillar not only in Yorubaland, but Nigeria as a whole.
The Ekiti governor said this in a message congratulating Mr. Tiunbu on the joyous occasion of his 64th birthday on Tuesday.
The former Lagos governor was born on March 29, 1952.
A statement issued by Idowu Adelusi, the Chief Press Secretary to Mr. Fasoye, said the APC national leader had over the years proven to be a great political figure in the country.
“I heartily felicitate with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he clocks 64 on March 29.
“Whether one likes it or not, Asiwaju Tinubu has become a political pillar and leader, not only in Yorubaland but in Nigeria.
“He is a great politician who takes well-calculated political steps.
“I and the good people of Ekiti State join millions of Nigerians and Asiwaju Tinubu’s friends and supporters across the world to rejoice with him on this auspicious occasion.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is a good case study when one talks about political resilience and doggedness and no wonder he now ranks among the leaders of this great country.
“I pray that God gives him the grace to witness many more years in sound health in the land of the living”, the statement quoted Gov. Fayose as saying. (NAN)