Non-indigenes in Lagos must respect their hosts – Oba of Lagos

Monday, May 11, 2015

The Oba of Lagos, Riliwanu Akiolu, says there is a need for non-indigenes in Lagos State to respect the tradition and culture of their host.

The monarch said this during an exclusive interview with PUNCH.

While responding to a question on the threat he issued out to Igbo residents in Lagos State if they did not vote for Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress, Akiolu maintained that he had no ill feeling towards Igbo in the state as some of his closest friends were Igbo.

He said:

 “Eze Odimegwu, who is a former CEO of Nigerian Breweries, is still my best friend as well as many others. The Obi of Onitsha came to visit me here a few days ago. When you go to a place, you have to respect the host leaders, particularly the traditional leaders there because you are coming to benefit from their success. 

The people of Lagos are the friendliest and most accommodating people in Nigeria.”

He said the video which showed him issuing threats to Igbo leaders was a misrepresentation of what truly transpired.

He said the issue was twisted by those who wanted to gain political advantage ahead of the governorship election but God put them to shame.

“Those who orchestrated the entire incident know themselves and I tell you, those (Igbo leaders) who came here on that day understand me a lot and have even been coming since then,” he said.

Akiolu said many of the non-indigenes were deceived by politicians in their quest for power. He continued:

 “The man that promised to hand them deputy governorship slot and four commissioner positions and would elevate the status of Eze Ndigbo to that of Oba of Lagos has since denied it. 

It was all a political gimmick because I am sure they know that he was only deceiving them. As a matter of fact, prominent traditional rulers in the South-East have been writing us to say that they are not happy about the large number of ezes in Lagos.”

He urged all Igbo who won elections in Lagos State not to disappoint the people. The monarch said he was confident that Ambode would do well in office.

He said Ambode would serve as governor for eight years not just because it was the will of God but because he would perform excellently well. He, however, said Agbaje was free to contest again in 2019 if he wanted. He said:

 “By the Grace of Almighty Allah and my ancestors in this house, the Governor-elect, Ambode, will rule for eight years with a good performance.”

He said he had nothing against the Peoples Democratic Party or its governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, but noted that all humans are equal in the eyes of God but are not equal in the love of God.

He said Ambode proved his competence by saving the state from financial hardship when it was deprived of funds from the Federal Government.

Akiolu said he was not a politician but was only interested in the prosperity of Lagos and would continue to support the bes.

President Jonathan deceived us - Ohaneze Ndigbo

Friday, May 08, 2015

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-political forum, yesterday, told the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, that President Jonathan lied to the Igbo nation about awarding contract for the construction of Second Niger bridge and major federal roads in the South East.

Listing Enugu-Awka-Onitsha Expressway and Enugu-Umuahia-Aba Expressway, the committee said that up till now, work was yet to start at the sites.

It added that no financial commitment had been made by the Federal Government to commence the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, saying that those were deceptive campaign messages to Ndigbo.

According to Vanguard, The committee made the revelation during its congratulatory visit to Buhari at the Defence House in Abuja.
The leader of the delegation, Chief Ralph, who spoke on behalf of the Committee, however, told the President-elect that the South-east was a silent supporter of his presidential ambition.
He also stated that the region would fully support the incoming government to succeed, urging him to reconstruct Nigeria.

Revisitation of the report of Oputa Panel and the issue of abandoned property in the country were also other matters the committee presented before Buhari.

He said:

“This is a delegation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee, who proudly took side with you, convinced that what Nigeria needs today is the leadership that you will provide to rebuild our battered and pulverised nation. 

“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee is fully aware of the difficult and daunting work that has befallen on your shoulders. And we are here to offer our commitment that Ndigbo will stand shoulder to shoulder with you on this mission to reconstruct our nation. 

“We are also aware that our cry of marginalization is not unique to our region, but ours stands out as an SOS case as a region criminally neglected and abandoned by the outgoing administration. 

“During your campaign tours, you saw things for yourself and needless reminding Your Excellency that South-east is an emergency case. You drove through the badly neglected and impassable Enugu-Awka-Onitsha Expressway and the Enugu-Umuahia-Aba Expressway, needless to mention the Oba-Okigwe Highway. 

“Contrary to the election claims by the outgoing administration, no appreciable work is going on these roads, information has shown that no financial arrangement has been firmed up for the Second Nigeria Bridge. The Oputa Panel report has been gathering dust and Ndigbo have pleaded for the revisitation of the so-called abandoned property in Nigeria and its collateral reparation demand. 

“One common denominator is that unknown to a vast majority of Nigerians, Ndigbo were the silent majority supporters of General Muhammadu Buhari, but a twist of “what is wrong with Nigerian” electoral result cannot prove it."
Obioha also made a case for the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, to be ceded to the South-east. 

“This body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Caretaker Committee, is a baby conceived by Chris Ngige and delivered by Chief Mbazulike Ameachi and handed over to Ndigbo to check excesses of the people who were just agents of a pre-determined agenda. 

“Your Excellency, you were aware that the South-east was targeted by the PDP rigging machine which produced an election result that denied the zone of even a single senator and only three non-ranking House of Representatives members. 

“Ndigbo request that you adopt the principle of necessity to give the zone the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation which is your prerogative and in addition, a position of one Presiding Officer in the House of Representatives,” he stated.

According to the leader, Buhari assured them of equity.

“He gave us assurance that he is going to treat the entire nation as his constituency for all and we believe him,” he said

Also speaking, a member of the delegation, Senator Chris Ngige said that though the party was yet to make a categorical statement on the issue of SGF, he was optimistic that it would eventually consider the South- east.

“Well, I was in the first delegation that came the last time, but we cannot say for now that our party has zoned the position of SGF to the South-east because we have a Senate committee that is still working on distribution of party offices, executive and that of legislature which is where we have the Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker of the House of the Representative as presiding officers."

"You can’t use and dump me," Muazu tells PDP members

Sunday, May 03, 2015

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, on Saturday told members of the party that he would not resign despite the woeful performance at the 2015 general elections.

The PDP National Chairman said this in reaction to calls for his resignation over the outcome of the 2015 elections in which the party lost the presidential as well as its majority control of National Assembly and state gubernatorial seats to the opposition All Progressive Congress for the first time in 16 years.

In a statement on Saturday, PMNews reports that Mu’azu faulted the call for his resignation and those of the National Working Committee arguing that the party should stop its penchant to use and dump its officials.

“The developing culture of using and dumping has reached fratricidal proportions in the PDP and it must end. You cannot be changing Chairmen and NWC every year and still have cohesion which is a vital ingredient of winning. A good example occurred when we changed five Senate Presidents in eight years and produced calamity in the process, but for eight years we have had one senate president and produced harmony between the presidency and parliament. 

It is also time to end the spate of in-fighting and blame games currently dominating the political discourse among our membership and the leadership. It will do no one any good. The present leadership has until next year to run their course. The party will then decide how to deal with the zoning of the next leadership and strategies for winning the 2019 elections.”

Mu’azu said how to reinvent itself should be the preoccupation of the party now instead of indulging in blame game.

“The elixir the Peoples Democratic Party needs to reinvent itself and retake power in 2019 instead of wasting time and energy mudslinging and blame gaming over the party’s failed bid to win a fourth consecutive presidential election victory.”

According to him, stories spreading like wild fire in the social media about schisms in the PDP can only energise the incoming administration of the APC and its desire to kill the PDP.

“But we can shock them with our usual resilience and ability to turn the tables particularly as they are already developing a tottering ineptitude in their transition progression to power. 

Our game plan is to provide a virile opposition to the new government which we have already graciously given a lifeline by conceding defeat and avoiding a calamitous battle in the courts. 

The international community have noted this great act of statesmanship on our part and we shall continue in this mode to show our commitment towards entrenching democracy in our country. It is therefore time for our great party to reinvent ourselves, show great maturity and map out a strategy that will return us to power in 2019. 

Despite losing our dominance in the National Assembly, our party has the largest number of experienced legislators in both chambers and will surely be calling the shots there. We will however help to reduce the imminent issue of learning process occasioned by the horde of inexperienced APC members in both houses because of national interest. 

Great lessons to be learned from the outcome of the 2015 Elections are many and I have already mentioned this in earlier interactions with the media. Lessons of candidate imposition, deepening of internal democracy in our party and other obvious lessons we need to learn for future guidance. It is so important for us to learn from what has happened. We must note that when the going gets tough, only the tough like the PDP can get going”, said Muazu.

He added that defection to the APC by members of the PDP was the most stupid thing going on within the party at the moment.

“Personally it does not worry me but I shudder at the wedge placed by the new ruling party banning the incoming troupes. It shows signs of how they will run the country from May 29 2015. It shows how they will not regard non APC Nigerians as part of their responsibility which will be a shame.”

AIT BAN: AIT staff, Lara Wise tells the 'true story'

Saturday, May 02, 2015

Lara Wise of the AIT shared this on Facebook about the alleged ban on AIT from covering president-elect, Gen. Buhari's events.

President Jonathan dismisses allegations of last minute looting, orders immediate release of NNPC audit

Monday, April 27, 2015

Presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati has released a statement in response to the allegation by the APC over 'last minute dubious activities' by the Goodluck administration:

We have noted with concern, the allegation by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed that officials of the Federal Government are engaged in “last minute looting of the nation’s resources, rushed privatization of key institutions and hurried recruitment into the public service”. 

We also consider as most unfortunate and uncharitable, the suggestion by Alhaji Mohammed that the Jonathan Administration is trying to “tie the hands” of the incoming government merely by continuing to discharge its constitutional responsibilities until the end of its tenure. 

The Jonathan Administration which continues to do its best to ensure a smooth and peaceful handover over of power to the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, deeply regrets the unfairness and combative frame of mind reflected in Alhaji Mohammed’s statement.  

President Jonathan has done his best in the past five years to discharge his constitutional responsibilities for good governance and effective leadership of the nation.  

Without any prejudice whatsoever to the freedom of the incoming administration to do as it pleases, within the confines of extant laws when it assumes office, the Jonathan Administration will continue to discharge its responsibility to govern until May 29, 2015. 

In continuing to fulfil the obligations of his office however, President Jonathan has not, and will never condone any form of unscrupulous conduct on the part of state officials. 

President Jonathan will also never authorise any attempt to create any problems for the incoming administration as the APC spokesperson, who ought to know that the outcome of the March 28 presidential elections does not imply a cessation of governance, unjustly alleges.  

As Alhaji Mohammed threatened in his statement, the incoming administration will be perfectly within its rights to review all actions of the present government as it may deem fit. 

We see nothing wrong with that. After all, the present Administration reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office with resultant benefits for policy and project implementation. 

President Jonathan is also deeply concerned by the continuing suggestions that his administration still has anything to hide about the unproven allegation that about $20 Billion is unaccounted for by the NNPC during his tenure. 

To lay the matter to rest, President Jonathan in line with Section 7(2) of the NNPC Act, has directed that the full report of the PWC Forensic Audit of the NNPC accounts be released immediately to the public so that all Nigerians will be properly informed on the matter. 

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 27, 2015.

APC accuses President Jonathan of ‘last minute dubious activities’

The All Progressives Congress has threatened to probe the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan over some “last minute dubious activities” ahead of the May 29 handover.

The party alleged that the outgoing administration had been looting the nation’s resources, hurriedly recruiting into the public service and privatisatising key financial institutions.

The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday, said such actions would have serious repercussions after May 29.

It said apart from media reports of such anomalies, the party had received reliable information from members of the public about some dubious actions by key officials of the outgoing Jonathan 
administration.

The party said while the Jonathan administration remains in charge until the midnight of May 29, it was important for the outgoing administration not to create any more problems for the incoming government than it had already done, or to tie the new government’s hands through some suspicious actions.

The APC said although the Buhari administration would not needlessly probe the Jonathan administration, it would look into all actions taken by Jonathan’s administration after the March 28 presidential election.

The statement PUNCH reports reads:

 ‘’For example, the National Council on Privatisation, which is headed by the Vice-President, has just approved the financial bid opening for transaction advisers for the privatisation of the three development finance institutions in the country – the Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry and Nigeria Commodity Exchange. 

The question is: What is the rationale for rushing this exercise with just weeks left for this administration? 

“Also, there have been reports, not refuted, of a planned hurried recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration Service, after a previous attempt ended in a national tragedy and the fleecing of innocent job seekers by mindless Federal Government officials. 

Apart from the fact that this last-minute recruitment is suspect, it is irregular. 

The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board is only empowered to recruit, promote and discipline only senior officers (levels eight and above). The power to recruit, promote and discipline junior officers is vested in the different services, in this case the Nigeria Immigration Service. 

Therefore, the recruitment exercise now being conducted by the federal civil service under the auspices of the Presidential Committee to Assist on Immigration Recruitment usurps the functions of the board as it relates to the recruitment of Senior Officers (level 08) and that of the immigration service as it relates to Junior Officers (levels 07 and below).”

The party also called the attention of Jonathan to a published report that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, plans to use the Federal Capital Development Authority to carry out a secret employment of no fewer than 500 workers before the end of the month.

‘’We do not know if this report, as well as others, is true. But if indeed these rushed privatisation and hurried recruitment exercises – in the twilight of the Jonathan administration – are true, they raise serious questions concerning the reasons behind such actions.”

The APC urged Jonathan to call his officials to order in order to save him of embarrassment.

It said it was such recklessness that led to the downfall of Jonathan’s administration and it would be unfair to bequeath such to the Buhari administration.

It added:

 “We are therefore compelled to call on President Jonathan to call his officials to order, lest they engage in actions that can later embarrass his administration.

Patience Jonathan to quit as African First Ladies President

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Arrangement have been concluded for Patience Jonathan to quit her position as the President of the African Ladies Peace Mission, two months before the expiration of her tenure.

The mission comprises of wives of Presidents of all African countries.

Mrs. Jonathan was elected the mission’s President at its seventh summit held in Abuja in July 2012 and her tenure would have expired in July 2015 when a new president would have been elected. But because she will cease to be Nigeria’s President’s wife from May 29 when her husband will hand over power to the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs. Jonathan had summoned an emergency summit of the mission for May 15 for the purpose of electing her successor.

PUNCH reports that according to a copy of the invitation to members dated April 6 and personally signed by the President’s wife, she explained that she summoned the emergency summit to ensure that there would not be leadership vacuum in the organisation as it happened in 2010 when her predecessor left office without handing over.

She said her desire was to put in place a standard that would strengthen the organisation and ensure effective mechanism to guarantee seamless takeoff for the incoming leadership.

The invitation partly read, “

…Your Excellency may recall that Nigeria was re-elected President of the AFLPM at the 7th Summit in Abuja in July 2012. With the recent election in my country and a new government coming on board from May 29, 2015, it has become necessary to convene an emergency summit of the AFLPM to facilitate a smooth and formal hand over to the new Executive Committee that will pilot the affairs of the Peace Mission for the next two years. 

The Emergency Summit is proposed for Friday, May 15, 2015 at the Interim Secretariat of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, Abuja by 2pm. The Summit will, however, be preceded by the 4th meeting of the Executive Bureau by 9am, on May 15 at the same venue. The Bureau Meeting is for members of the Executive Bureau, comprising South Africa, Sudan, Cameroon, Libya and Congo Brazzaville. 

…In the light of the above, may I appeal to Your Excellency to give utmost consideration to attending the Emergency Summit in order to ensure that our organisation maintains its current momentum. 

We will deeply appreciate your kind early response to help us in planning the Summit, in view of limited time available to us.”

When contacted on the telephone by PUNCH, the Special Assistant to the President on Peace Mission, Mrs. Martha Onwuzurumba, was hesitant. She demanded to know the source of the information from their correspondent.

Mrs. Onwuzurumba who is the wife of the President’s Chaplain, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba, is said to be in charge of the Mission’s secretariat. She said she would not speak on the matter.

“The African First Ladies Peace Mission is not a Non-Governmental Organisation for Nigeria, so I won’t be able to answer your question,” she said.

The AFLPM, which aims at promoting peace and harmony in Africa, was established in 1995 after the United Nations’ Conference on Women in Beijing, China.

Senator Uche Chukwumereije to be buried May 22

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Late Senator Uche Chukwumereije will be given a heroic burial on May 22 in his country home, Ngodo Isuochi, in Abia State.

The burial date was contained in a letter from the family of the late Senator Chukwumereije which was read on the floor of the senate during the plenary. 

The Senate President David Mark described late Senator Chukwumerije as national hero who was a pan- Nigerian in all ramifications. He told the bereaved family at Senator Chukwumerije’s house in Abuja that the late Senator was a nationalist and an unrepentant crusader for the respect of human rights and rule of law.

Orubebe denies involvement in plot to kidnap Jega, says ''I am shocked''

Monday, April 20, 2015

The former minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has denied any involvement in the alleged plot to kidnap the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega at the presidential results collation centre in Abuja.

Reports had alleged that Orubebe’s protest against the abandonment of his petition against underage voting in the North among other complaints against Prof Attahiru Jega was a deliberate attempt to cause chaos at the presidential result collation centre to pave way for Jega’s abduction and trigger national violence.

The former minister who reacted strongly against the allegation in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP, yesterday, wondered why a section of the media will indulge in such “slanderous, libelous, derogatory and deliberate attempt” to dent his image and mislead Nigerians after his explanations to justify the protest he staged and the passionate apology he rendered to Nigerians, especially, the teeming youths.

He said:

“I am shocked. In fact, am still wondering why I will ever consider conniving with friends and other party stalwarts to foment national violence that will in turn fall on children, women and youths as falsely speculated to the detriment of the unity and peace of our great nation. I am an advocate of peace. This was why I was in the forefront to anchor the celebrated ceasefire with Niger Delta ex- militants to usher in peace to the once restive region. I cannot afford to sacrifice national unity and peace on the platter of power.”

Orubebe insisted:

 Count me out of any plot to abduct Jega. I am too disciplined to stoop that low. I have never thought of that and to this effect, I want to tell Nigerians and the world at large that the circulated story is not only slanderous, liberious but a disparaging defamatory otherwise salacious material against my personality and a cheap strategy to sale their papers’.

Meanwhile, the former minister told LEADERSHIP that he has since directed his lawyer to write the management of ThisDay Newspapers, informing them of his plans to take legal action against them as well as to demand immediate retraction of its Friday, April 17 publication, which indicted him of reading a script to pave way for Jega’s kidnap.

‘I have directed my lawyer to write ThisDay and stop them from henceforth, desist from further publishing and misleading Nigerians. Orubebe further accused the paper of flouting the ethics of balance reportage , saying it in clear terms that ‘I was never called nor SMS as they claim.’

It would be recalled that Orubebe who regretted his actions and tendered apology to Nigerians shortly after the drama at the result collation center had explained that he was pushed by the conduct of Prof.Jega , who failed to exhibit fairness and equity to his party’s petition as he did to APC’s petition against Rivers state result.

When contacted, his advocate, Mr. S. Larry (SAN), said, he has already written to alert the paper of Orubebe’s decision to take legal action against them.

Senator Chukwumerije passes on

Sunday, April 19, 2015

The Senate has announced  the death of Senator Uche Chukwumerije in the evening of Sunday. Senator representing Abia North district on the platform of the PDP died at the Turkish Hospital, Abuja.

Senator Chukwumerije, aged 76, died after a long battle with lung cancer.

Details of his burial will be announced by the family in due time.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace, Amen!

APC zones Senate Presidency to North Central, Speaker to North East

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Arising from a meeting in Abuja Thursday night, the national leaders and national caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have officially zoned the office of the Senate President in the 8th Senate to the North-central geo-political zone, while the Speaker of the House of Representatives was zoned to the North-east geo-political zone.

A source at the APC meeting which lasted till the wee-hours of Friday told THISDAY that the party leaders accepted in principle a prototype office sharing formula that would accommodate all vested interests within the party.

The source said:

“After deft negotiations, the leaders agreed to cede the position of the Senate President to the North-central and that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to the North-east. They also endorsed a zoning arrangement that would see the South-west producing the Deputy Senate President and South-south, Deputy Speaker.”

With the agreement yesterday, the current minority leader in the Senate, George Akume from Benue State and Senator Bukola Saraki from Kwara State are expected to engage each other in a fierce contest for the Senate Presidency.

It was learnt that the position of the Speaker was earlier allotted to the South-west but had to be moved to North-east following a strong lobby by leaders from the zone who argued that such arrangement was necessary to compensate them for the massive support for the party during the election.

Apart from the sharing arrangement for the principal positions, the APC meeting which had personalities like the former Lagos Governor, Bola Tinubu and some governors in attendance also considered the issue of ministerial appointments.

In line with THISDAY exclusive story yesterday, the APC leaders also zoned the office of the Chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT) to Adamawa State, where the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is set to clinch the position that was hitherto held by the former governor of Osun State and former national chairman of the party, Bisi Akande.

The source hinted further that the party zoned the office of the Majority Leader of the Senate to the South-west.

However, South-east did not get any position in the current allocation but according to a top notch APC member, the zone will be compensated by other appointments to ensure some balance and equity. In all the eight senatorial seats in the zone, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won all the seats. This has made it impossible for the zone to aspire for any principal office in the senate.

The same thing happened in the zone for the House of Representatives. No single member of the House of Representatives from the zone is from the APC. PDP won all the National Assembly seats in both arms of the National Assembly. In fact, in the Presidential Election, the APC did not score up to 15 percent in any of the states in the southeast.

Another source at the Abuja meeting said the APC chieftains could not however conclude deliberations on the ministerial appointments as it was decided that stakeholders in the states and zonal levels should go back to the areas to hold consultations on the matter.

It was resolved that the state chapters of the party would each nominate three persons for ministerial consideration and are to submit same to the party through the Vice Chairmen and Deputy National Chairmen on or before Tuesday next week.

The source added that another meeting of the party leadership is scheduled to hold on Tuesday where they hope to harmonize issues and finalize discussions on the recommendations to be presented to the National Executive Committees (NEC) of the party.

“While the President- elect, General Muhammadu Buhari had asked the party to discuss the issue of ministerial appointments and to advise him as appropriate, he has insisted on retaining the transition committee list. Buhari had in choosing members of the transition committee made sure that each of them is tested expert in the various sectors where they will serve. He was said to be very conscious of their level of integrity and honesty,” added the source.

A top member of the APC who spoke to THISDAY last night on condition of anonymity said: “All the positions said to have been shared are yet to be firmed. Nothing can be confirmed until the final meeting next week.” He advised that all reports about sharing of positions should be disregarded until next week when a final decision would be taken.

APC rejects May 28 handover date

There are indications that the All Progressives Congress (APC) are uncomfortable with the May 28 handover date proposed by the outgoing administration.

According to Saturday PUNCH, investigations revealed that the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) are set to clash over a proposal by the Jonathan team to hand over the mantle of leadership to Buhari on May the 28th, instead of the 29th.

The Buhari team was already over what they considered as an act of ill-will laced with sinister motives.

This is sequel to an announcement by the Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, that President Jonathan would perform the handover ceremony at a dinner on May 28.

Akwashiki made the announcement after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

She told journalists:

 “By May 28, the President intends to have the formal handover done at a dinner so that we can reserve May 29 for the incoming government.”

However, since the return of democracy in 1999, the traditional date for the handover of power has been May 29, which is also observed as Democracy Day.

This tradition has been the vogue for the past 16 years. It also presents an opportunity for the outgoing President to formally present the instrument of authority to his successor in the full glare of members of the public, local and international media, as well as foreign dignitaries.

A top member of the All Progressives Congress, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media said, “It is simply not acceptable, we are rejecting it, it is a trap.”

He explained that from a security point of view, it could be considered a trap.

“How can anyone explain a situation where an outgoing president and his team will conveniently excuse themselves from an event where they are supposed to play a role when the President-elect and the Vice-President- elect are supposed to be present?” he queried.

According to the party chieftain, power abhors a vacuum as such, the constitution does not envisage a situation where Nigeria will be without a sitting President even for one hour.

He said:

 “If Jonathan hands over on the 28th, who accounts for the hours before the morning of the 29th when the Chief Justice of the Federation is to administer the oath of office and the oath of allegiance? 

What if there is even a sinister motive to this whole saga? As the President of the nation; who will still be the Chief Security officer until he hands over, there is no excuse that is strong enough to excuse him from the event.”

When contacted, a member of the Buhari campaign team, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said while he was not privy to any meeting on the subject yet, it was only logical to ask Nigerians not to rest on their oars until total liberation was achieved.

He described the announcement by President Jonathan to hand over a day earlier than was due as a ploy to rubbish the gains made with the historic win by the opposition APC.

Fashakin said:

“It (the proposed handover on the 28th) portends ill for the political destiny of this nation. 

That statement is loaded and it shows that the Nigerian people should not rest yet that there is still ominous signs which we should never take for granted. If Jonathan truly said he is handing over on the 28th it presupposes that he will be absent on the 29th. 

Number one, if he hands over on the 28th to the President-elect, does Gen. Muhammadu Buhari start to act effectively on that date? The answer is an emphatic NO. 

GMB does not start to act on that date, if you get what I mean. Handing over to GMB on that date is not only meaningless, it is stupid. It has no meaning in law, or reality. It means that for 24 hours before GMB takes over there will be a vacuum.”

He further argued that on the side of morality, Nigeria borrowed its constitution substantially from the American Constitution, and as such, it should learn a thing or two about how it operates.

He said there was never a time in recorded history where an outgoing American President, who is hale and hearty, will absent himself from the handover ceremony of his successor no matter their political differences.

Although, it is not yet clear how the Buhari team would handle “this threat,” it was learnt that the party’s legal team is being put on notice to be on the alert.

It was also gathered that the President-elect and his team have kept the issue of ministerial appointments in abeyance.

A member of the party’s National Working Committee, who pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said,

“The general is a meticulous person and we all know that the main task before us now is the transition committee. The issue of who will be minister has been kept in abeyance.”

When contacted to speak on the president-elect’s views on the handover date and appointments, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said,

“You will get our reaction later after due consultation.”

Attempts to speak with the Minister of Information proved abortive. She was not in the office when PUNCH visited. However, the Personal Assistant to the Minister on Media, Mr. Joseph Mutah, promised to get in touch with her and revert to their correspondent.

He had yet to do that as of the time of going to the press and when his mobile number was called, he did not pick the call.

The Information Minister had also after the FEC meeting said the President had directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to prepare their handover notes and submit them to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, on or before Monday.

According to her, it is Anyim’s responsibility to compile the notes, which will form Jonathan’s handover document to Buhari on May 28.

She had said:

 “You know May 29 is our Democracy Day. So, we have activities lined up all through that week, showcasing all what we have achieved and all other things we do normally on our Democracy Day except that this year is special with the inauguration of our new President that is coming up on May 29.”

The minister said the valedictory FEC meeting would hold on May 20, adding that everything that required the President’s approval must have been presented to him by May 13.

Meanwhile, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Sebastian Hon and Joseph Nwobike, on Friday, disagreed on the appropriateness of President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to hand over on May 28 instead of May 29 when his four-year tenure will statutorily end.

The two lawyers spoke with one of PUNCH's correspondents in separate telephone interviews.

Hon insisted that the best option was for the President to hand over on May 29 as past presidents had done.

But Nwobike said nothing was unconstitutional in the president’s decision as handing over is a process that would end with the inauguration of the incoming president on May 29.

Nwobike said:

 “Handing over is a process and not an event. So the paper work will be done on May 28 and the formalisation and the completion will occur on May 29. So there is clearly nothing unconstitutional about it.”

But Hon queried the basis for the President’s plan to hand over on May 28 as doing such on May 29 as it is usually done would not affect the nation’s democracy.

He said:

 “The best and the most appropriate thing to do is for President Jonathan to hand over at 12.01am of the morning of May 29, 2015. 

If he hands over before May 29, it means he is no longer the president. He should hand over by 12.01am of May 29 or do as the usual practice by 7am in the past. It will not be late if it is done by 7am on the morning of May 29. 

Remember that all former presidents took over on the morning of May 29. If he does that, nobody will query him and the transition will not be truncated.”

PRESIDENTIAL POLL: How Orubebe plotted to abduct Jega

Friday, April 17, 2015

A report by Reuters has unravelled an alleged plot by some persons close to President Goodluck Jonathan to abduct the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral  commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Tuesday, March 31, to stop him from announcing the results of the presidential election and declaring Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) as the winner of the poll.

According to Reuters, central to the plan were Jega's security detail and Godsday Orubebe, a former Minister of the Niger Delta Ministry. Orubebe's role was to cause a disturbance at the collation centre as cover for the abduction of Jega.

Quoting pro-democracy advocates and an Abuja-based diplomat, the report said:

As Muhammadu Buhari closed in on Nigeria's presidency, an aide to election commission chairman Attahiru Jega sent a text message to an independent voting monitor, warning of an imminent threat to the electoral process. 

The aide had unearthed a plot by supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan to disrupt the public announcement of the national election results and kidnap Jega in a bid to wreck the count, according to pro-democracy advocates and a Nigeria-based diplomat.

Central to the plan, they said, were Jega's security detail and Godsday Orubebe, a former cabinet minister from Jonathan's Niger Delta, an area whose leaders feared a change of power would mean an end to the perks it enjoyed under Jonathan's presidency.

Orubebe's role was to cause a disturbance at the headquarters of the commission as cover for the abduction of Jega. Orubebe did not respond to requests for comment on the details of the plot.

The commission, called INEC, also declined to comment and turned down requests for an interview with Jega, whom Reuters was unable to reach independently. Reuters found no evidence to suggest that Jonathan, who conceded defeat in the election, was involved. His spokesman and his party, the PDP, did not respond to requests for comment.

While the plot would likely not have changed the result, it could have unleashed fury among Buhari supporters in the north, where 800 people were killed in rioting after his last election defeat in 2011.

But the plot's failure enabled Africa's most populous country to complete its first credible vote since independence in 1960.

"NIGERIA ON TRIAL"

The plot to derail the election in its closing moments was pieced together by Reuters from the text message, events on the ground and interviews with democracy advocates and diplomats in the capital, Abuja.

When he sent the SMS, the election official, whom the sources declined to name for his own protection, hoped the outside world would hear of the plot, the text of the message made clear.

"Fellow countrymen, Nigeria on Trial," read the SMS sent on the morning of March 31 to Clement Nwankwo, head of the Situation Room, an Abuja-based coalition of human rights groups and democracy advocates monitoring the polls. Reuters later saw the SMS.

"Plans are on storm [sic] the podium at the ICC Collation Centre and disrupt the process," it continued, the official dropping words and letters in his haste.

"Nobody is sue [sic] what will happen. Please share this as widely as possible."

At that moment, INEC chairman Jega was about to preside over the announcement of results.

TALLY COUNT

Since the end of army rule in 1999, all four previous votes had been marred by violence and ballot-rigging.

The 2015 poll was different in two crucial aspects.

It was a genuine race, pitting Jonathan, saddled with an ailing economy and an Islamist insurgency, against a former general promising to get tough on corruption and the Boko Haram insurgents.

Voters had also been given biometric ID cards linked to their photographs and fingerprints, making it hard to inflate voter numbers significantly.

As tallies from around the country showed Buhari on course for a win, unidentified PDP hard-liners started to panic, seeking ways of manipulating the count, Nwankwo and the diplomat said, citing political contacts in the Delta and Abuja.

Realising they could not engineer an outright win, PDP agents set about doctoring the tally at collation centres in pro-Jonathan areas to ensure Buhari failed to meet a requirement for 25 percent support in two thirds of states, Nwankwo said, citing reports from election monitors on the ground.

A Reuters reporter witnessed and photographed one tally list in Port Harcourt with suspiciously similar totals for registered voters at polling stations: 500, 500, 500, 500, 500, 500, 500, 500, 450. In another tally centre in the city, 17,594 valid votes were recorded out of a registered voter population of 11,757, the Reuters reporter said.

Foreign election observers also noted the peculiarities - and contacted diplomats in Abuja who called in international intervention.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his British counterpart Philip Hammond - in Switzerland for talks on Iran - issued a tough statement saying vote counting "may be subject to deliberate political interference".

"CREATE A FRACAS"

But as Buhari's lead grew, some PDP supporters from the Delta, including Orubebe, decided on a final gamble: to create a disturbance in the main INEC hall and have thugs snatch Jega from the stage, according to Nwankwo and the Abuja-based diplomat.

What the group planned to do after the abduction is unclear, the diplomat and Nwankwo said, but the confusion could have triggered nationwide violence.

"It was a desperate thing, mostly by a group of people from the Niger Delta who were in the room," Nwankwo said, describing events that unfolded publicly in the minutes after he received the SMS.

When Jega opened proceedings on the morning of March 31, Orubebe, the former Niger Delta minister, grabbed a microphone and launched into an 11-minute tirade accusing Jega of bias.

"Mr. Chairman, we have lost confidence in you," he shouted, pushing away officials trying to make him surrender the microphone. "You are being very, very selective. You are partial," he continued, surrounded by three or four supporters. "You are tribalistic. We cannot take it."

Nigerians watched, aghast, on live television.

Meanwhile, Jega's security detail was approached by unidentified individuals telling them to stand down, according to Nwankwo and the diplomat.

But the bodyguards refused.

"Some of the guards who had been guarding Jega for years demanded a written order," Nwankwo said. "But it didn't exist."

Jega then rebuked Orubebe: "Let us not disrupt a process that has ended peacefully," he said as Orubebe slumped in his chair.

"Mr. Orubebe, you are a former minister of the Federal Republic. You are a statesman in your own right. You should be careful about what you say or about what allegations you make," he said.

Later, Orubebe congratulated Buhari on Twitter, expressing his "apologies to fellow Nigerians".

President Jonathan to hand over power on May 28th

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan will hand over power on May 28th, 24 hours to the inauguration of the new government.

The Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, told State House correspondents that power will officially change hands at a dinner on the eve of Democracy Day to on Democracy Day  day for the incoming government and also enable the country carry out other activities.

“By May 28, the President intends to have the formal handing over done at a dinner so that we can reserve May 29 for the incoming government.

“By May 28, we are expected to have concluded our own government and we are welcoming the incoming government.

“Also you know May 29 is our Democracy Day. So, we have activities lined up all through that week, showcasing all what we have achieved and all other things we do normally on our Democracy Day except that this year is special with the inauguration of our new President that is coming up on May 29,” she said.

She also added that the President had directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to prepare their handover notes and submit them to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, on or before April 20.

Six countries turn down Petroleum Minister, Alison-Madueke’s asylum request

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

No fewer than six countries have already refused to grant an asylum request by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The Business Council for Africa (BCA), in its just-released monthly report, argued that about US$ 1 trillion is the latest estimated figure of the looting of the Nigerian treasury between 1960 and 2005 alone.

The report, dated March 2015, focused extensively on Nigeria’s general elections.  It said the notorious Minister, whose impunity is known to have been closely-protected by President Goodluck Jonathan, will be coming under the microscope for the first time in her Ministerial career.

“Given her reputation, it comes as no surprise to learn that 6 countries have already refused to grant her asylum to live in their countries as she now wishes to leave Nigeria at the earliest possible opportunity,” it said.

BCA recalled President-elect Muhammadu Buhari lamenting that the rest of the world looks at Nigeria as the home of corruption, one where stealing is not corruption but a way of life, and that his administration will pursue all public offices and individuals who are believed to be guilty of corruption.

It observed that despite an earlier promise, it is now understood that Buhari’s anti-corruption fishing net will include Ministers currently serving under President Goodluck Jonathan.  Alison-Madueke’s departure from Nigeria is likely to be followed by several other PDP elders, party members and supporters as well as some former Government officials, as Buhari's anti-corruption drive will be far-reaching.

Head over Sahara Reporters to read more.

Oba of Lagos organises prayer for peaceful co-existence in Lagos

Sunday, April 12, 2015

The Oba of Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akiolu, has organised a prayer session for peaceful co-existence in Lagos State and Nigeria at large.

Vanguard reports that the prayer was conducted today at the Iga Idunganran Palace of the royal father in Lagos Island.

Akiolu said that the prayer was imperative for peaceful co-existence in Lagos and Nigeria in general after peaceful conduct of the general elections in the state. He urged different tribes in Lagos to work with for the progress of the state.

The royal father also urged the president-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) to assist Lagos in repairing most of the damaged federal roads in the state.

Akiolu, who spoke in Yoruba language, said that when Buhari came to his palace during the campaign period, he was three hours behind schedule. He said that Buhari complained of bad roads and he told him that when he becomes the president he should help the state to reconstruct the road.

The Oba said he was sure that God would give him the power to do it.

Akiolu urged the incoming Governor of Lagos, to do what he promised the people.

The prayer was conducted by Imam Mujitabah Giwa, the Alawiye of Lagos and his league of Imams. Giwa prayed for peaceful coexistence in Lagos and also for political leaders in the country.

Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke allegedly flees the country

Following her failure to get President Jonathan an former Head of State, Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar secure a soft landing deal for her from Gen Buhari last weekend, Nigeria’s controversial petroleum minister, Mrs Diezani Alison Madueke has fled the country to the United Kingdom.

Naij.com is reporting that a reliable source in the presidential villa said that “madam had to take off far ahead of the inauguration of the government of Gen Buhari because she is scared he may turn his searchlight on the oil sector.” Ironically, the minister who is widely known to travel around in private jets had to travel this time in the first class cabin of the British Airways flight.

When contacted to confirm the minister’s whereabouts, one of her aides who asked for anonymity confirmed Alison-Madueke indeed left the country on Monday morning but gave a different reason for the trip. According to the minister’s aide “it is true the Hon. Minister traveled but she went to take care of her health because she has been down medically and she needs proper medical attention.”

Asked when the minister will be back in the country, the aide said “no one can say when she will be back. That depends on her health and the advice of her doctors. She may come before May 29, she may decide to stay back with her children over there till anytime to take care of herself.”

Mrs Alison-Madueke is yet to account for the $20 billion which the former CBN governor and now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has continued to insist was diverted from the federation account by the minister and her cronies in the NNPC.

''Patience Jonathan presurising INEC to rig Rivers poll'' – Amaechi

Thursday, April 09, 2015

Ahead of the governorship and House of Assembly elections, the Rivers State governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan of pressurising the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to rig the governorship election in the state.

Amaechi, who observed that President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife was in Okrika, her home town, for the governorship election, hoped that there would not be a repeat of election malpractices in the state.

The governor, who spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday in Port Harcourt, said the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mrs. Gesila Khan, already had a mindset of delivering the state to the Peoples Democratic Party.

He warned that the governorship candidate of the PDP, Chief Nyesom Wike, must answer for the killings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

Amaechi insisted that INEC must make available original result sheets at all polling units and called on the people of the state not to allow election to hold without result sheets.

He said:

 “The reason for this meeting is to let you know that what happened on the March 28, 2015 may or may not repeat itself. Few days ago, I had said it would not repeat itself. But as of this morning, there are enormous pressure on the security by the wife of the President. 

There is also enormous pressure on INEC by the wife of the President. I hope that they will not repeat the hijacking of results. In most of the local government areas, if not all, there were no result sheets. This time around, I hope they will bring the result sheets to the different units. I hope they will not forget the result sheets at the collation centre. 

For me as the Governor of Rivers State, what is material to me is that we want to see the result sheets. We want to ensure that as we vote, our votes will count. Most of you have been asking this question: who will take over from me? I told you that we don’t want anybody to force a candidate on us. 

We don’t want people to be made governor because they want to share our resources. That is not what we want. We want to be allowed to vote and let our votes be counted. Let the wife of the President stay in her house. She should not force a candidate on us. 

They should tell her that security agencies have assured us that they will allow votes to count. I assure you that the security agencies will not be biased and I hope that the security agencies will keep to that. I hope that the woman posted here as the Resident Electoral Commission will know that her responsibility is not to disallow anybody from seeing the result sheets.”

Calling on the electorate not to allow anybody to intimidate them, Amaechi explained that communities should use the Ubima (his community) formula by locking down their villages to ensure that nobody would steal their votes.

He warned that INEC should not endanger the lives of its staff by deliberately withholding the results sheets or failing to do what was expected of them according to the law.