From The Look Of Things , There May Be No Nigeria Come 2023 - Olafeso Revealed

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National Vice-Chairman, South West, of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Eddy Olafeso has accused the APC-led federal government of bias against Southerners citing as an example, the recent promotion of 14 senior police officers to the rank of commissioner with 10 out of the 14 coming from the North. He warned that there may not be a nation called Nigeria after 2023 if the principle of zoning the presidency between the north and south is scrapped. He also spoke on other national issues in this interview by TUNDE THOMAS.

Many Nigerians are still reacting to the conduct of recent elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, what’s your own take on the polls?

It is a big setback for Nigeria’s democracy. It is a big embarrassment to Nigeria. Even the international observers described elections in the two states as a sham. For me, the elections in those two states were nothing short of a disgrace. APC has finally shown the kind of party it is. APC is known for plundering institutions, and what APC has done in Bayelsa and Kogi states is a shame. What APC has done in the two states has serious implications for the future of democracy in Nigeria, and the implication is that if APC and INEC continue this way then democracy in Nigeria will be endangered.

How would you rate INEC’s conduct of the polls in the two states?

Like I said earlier, the whole exercise was a total embarrassment. INEC is gradually proving that it has become a department of APC. The daylight rigging was also carried out in connivance with the security agencies. INEC under the leadership of Professor Mahmoud Yakubu has become a big embarrassment. What we are now seeing in the country is no longer elections but open war being waged against the electorate. To me, APC met strong institutions on the ground before taking power in 2015. The Police, the Judiciary and other security agents are now all at a point of being cowed and INEC can no longer claim to be a respected unbiased umpire again.

With your observations, what are your fears over the elections coming up in Edo and Ondo states next year?

I know fully well that nobody messes with an Ondo man. Ondo State people will defend themselves against any manipulation and rigging and our votes will count. What happened in Bayelsa and Kogi states is not possible in Ondo State. In Ondo State, we always stand for principles. INEC, Police and everybody coming to conduct elections in Ondo State must have that knowledge before coming. Ondo State people are peaceful, and we are peace loving but we will not allow any manipulation and rigging. Any attempt by INEC and APC to repeat what they did in Bayelsa and Kogi in Ondo State will boomerang. INEC and APC should therefore be very careful.

All I know is that PDP has some internal challenges during the Bayelsa elections, and I won’t say PDP was perfect in all decisions that were taken before that election. Certain bad decisions were certainly responsible for PDP ‘s loss to APC in Bayelsa State but besides that, the conduct of INEC and security agents were nothing to write home about. But for us in PDP, we’ve learnt our lessons, we are not going to be crying over spilt milk.

We are going to explore constitutional means to get our mandate back, but if not it will be a lesson for the future. We must learn how to carry everybody along. I don’t want to judge former President Goodluck Jonathan when I didn’t see what he had done wrong.

Jonathan is the highest-ranking member of PDP. I have absolute respect for his position and his person. For embracing the tenets of democracy, we must not diminish Jonathan by those frivolous thinking and accusations that were unfounded in reality and i

Just In: Court Nullifies Orji Uzor Kalu As Abia North Senator

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The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abia State has repeatedly nullified the election of the Abia North embattled senator, Orji Uzor Kalu.

The tribunal also ordered for a rerun election for the Abia North Senatorial District.

Kalu who is in prison over money embezzlement assumed the office through the platform of the leading party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 23 election.

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Arrest Obasanjo If Truly That You Are Fighting Corruption - Orji uzor Kalu Tells Buhari

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Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, a former governor of Abia state and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Monday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of not waging a holistic war against corruption in the country daring the president to president to arrest former president Olusegun Obasanjo if indeed he is serious about fighting corruption.

Kalu, who threw the challenge at the quarterly public lecture series of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) with the theme: Culture, Economy and good Governance: The Nigerian Experience held in Abuja also said his ongoing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has political undertone.

He said President Buhari should be bold enough to prove that he has gotten the gut expected of him to salvage Nigeria from bad governance by arresting former President Olusegun Obasanjo over alledged missing fund meant for power under his regime, insisting that unless Obasanjo is arrested, the administration will not be considered to be fighting corruption.

“My prosecution is political. Our accounts in Abia state were transparent under my watch. The US knows, the UK knows. I have been given a red carpet in these two countries. I have been given a red carpet in China. In fact, I am stronger in fighting corruption than President Buhari because he is not fighting it well”.

“I have recovered peoples’ money and given them back. I am a creator of wealth at every level. If any court finds me to be corrupt , it should jail me. Corruption is the bane of this country”.

“A corrupt judge and corrupt politician is worst than armed robber”.

“Nigerians should start electing presidents that have meaning and gut to take decisions.

“President Buhari has got some guts but he should arrest Obasanjo for us to know that corruption is working. “Without arresting Obasanjo, he has not started fighting corruption because Obasanjo took away our $16million electricity money. So, unless he arrests Obasanjo, corruption is not being fought in Nigeria.”

Source – Nationalhelm

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Abia People Can Testify That I Governed Them Well And With My Own Money Too - Orji uzor Kalu

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The former governor of Abia, Orji Kalu says the state never had the alleged N7.6bn he was accused of laundering when he was governor.

Senate, Dr Orji Kalu [Politics Nigeria]

In his testimony at a federal high court in Lagos on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, the former governor said he governed the state between 1999 and 2007, with his own money in the first six months of his assumption.

He is standing trial alongside an ex-commissioner for finance, Ude Udeogu and Slok Nigeria Limited, his company, bordering on money laundering to the tune of N7.6 billion.

Kalu, who is the chief whip of the senate, allegedly committed the offence between August 2001 and October 2005 while in office as governor.

Responding to a question from his lawyer, Awa Kalu during cross-examination, the former governor said there was no way he could have stolen “what was not in existence”.

“Abia state didn’t have such amount. Even the day I was leaving, we borrowed money to pay salaries. Abia state didn’t have even a billion naira in any account at the time I was governor,” Kalu said.

“The monthly allocation of Abia state when I took over in June 1999 was N168 million. It was averaging between N168 million and N172 million monthly. The first month that I came in, there was even no money to buy diesel. I spent my own money to run the state for six months.

“In the year 2000, monthly allocation was between N170 million and N189 million. In 2001, it came to about N302 million to about N380 million. I can recollect in 2002, it was almost the same and in 2003 when the revenue allocation was changed, we were having about N400 million.

“The highest money I got as governor came from 2004 when we had about N1 billion and from that time up till May 2007 before I left, what we had was N1.6 billion.

“Throughout my stay in office, I never owed salary and pension. When I took over as governor and before I left, we moved it up to N500 million. It was from this that we were able to do a lot of things.”

According to TheCable, Kalu also claimed that it was difficult for him to run the state with the federal government's allocated funds, adding that he spent his own money to run Abia for the first six months of his tenure.

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All Primary School Children In Igbo Land Should Study Hausa,Yoruba Language - Bode George

Bode George, former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has said that all Igbo primary school children should study Hausa,Yoruba language. Bode George made this known in an interview on the Sun,saying: ‘to promote unity in Nigeria, I have suggested that all Igbo primary school children should study Hausa and Yoruba language, while all the Hausa primary school children should study Yoruba and Igbo, while all Yoruba primary school children should study Igbo and Hausa. Once you speak unifying language, it breaks barriers, it opens doors and  also promotes unity. Why can’t we do this? He also said that that the PDP should go back to the drawing board and plan for 2023 and that the current managers of PDP should call an emergency meeting more so that the party can do a thorough X-ray of where we are as a party, how they can strengthen this party, because PDP was formed by unique personalities.

Read below the part of the interview Nigeria cannot solve any of its present problems without return to regional government – Odumakin Bode George said: ‘They are telling us that all is well, but in truth, is that in reality? situation in the country today is harsh and tough. Nigerians are passing through difficult times. But my advice is that my party, PDP should go back to the drawing board and plan for 2023. We should not be downcast and say all is lost. When you fall as a soldier, you take up the gauntlet and move on. There is no perpetuity of anything in life. 

As for the president travelling and travelling, well, he has a choice, we can’t stop him. There is nowhere in the constitution where it is stated that he can’t travel. But if Rome is burning, the emperor cannot go away. Nigeria has been classified as the poverty capital of the world, that’s very disheartening. But my prayer is that it shall be well with our nation. I want to plead that the issue of tribal division, religious divide, we should throw them away. The gulf among us in this country today is getting wider and wider. That’s why I say that there is the need for the current managers of PDP to call an emergency meeting more so that the Supreme Court has given the final verdict. Let’s do a thorough X-ray of where we are as a party, how can we strengthen this party, because PDP was formed by unique personalities, PDP was formed by political icons of this country including late Chief Solomon Lar, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Sir Alex Ekwueme, Chief Bola Ige and a host of eminent others.

We can disagree without being disagreeable. But we don’t have to be abusive and bring tribal sentiments into politics, such things don’t help. Giving conditions that if this tribe or that tribe wants to be president, this is what they should do, that should not be the language we should be using. I have friends all over the country, and my best friend is a Fulani. He is a Muslim, and I’m a Christian but we bond together very well. We should promote things that will unite us. To promote unity in Nigeria, I have suggested that all Igbo primary school children should study Hausa and Yoruba language, while all the Hausa primary school children should study Yoruba and Igbo, while all Yoruba primary school children should study Igbo and Hausa. Once you speak unifying language, it breaks barriers, it opens doors and  also promotes unity. Why can’t we do this? Yes, Nigeria is not a natural country but yet we have been living together. I want to appeal that we should be promoting things that will unite us rather than dividing us. What is power? Have you seen anybody that has held power in perpetuity?

Where are the leaders of yesterday? Where are they now? Where are the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and other leaders, they’ve played their own roles and are gone. We will also play our roles and go. It is the beauty of your contributions towards the upliftment of your people and country that will be the memories people will have about you. In Lagos State, they’ve legalized stealing.  Look at the Alpha Beta thing, look at what they are doing with Alpha Beta. It is the only company that collects all the taxation and internally generated revenues on behalf of Lagos State government, this never happened in any civilised society. Lagos grosses between 30 to 40 billion naira as IGR every month, look at the interests that will accrue on that money, and an individual gets 15 percent of that money. 

But look at the derelict in Lagos with all the money. What is all these? But these people lording it over all Lagos, and ruining the place should remember that there will be a day after. Certainly there will be a day of reckoning. A day of reckoning is coming. They said I shout too much about how Lagos State is being brazenly looted and raped, and to keep me shut in their desperate conspiracy, they sent me to jail. But this man playing God in Lagos State, Tinubu is not God. 

What does he think he is doing? And some mentally sick people will come out and say that he is bigger than Awolowo, he is bigger than M.K.O. Abiola. And that he is also bigger than former President Olusegun Obasanjo, are these people sick? The record of Baba Obafemi Awolowo till today in the Western Region is unequalled. Go and read Papa Awolowo’s books, his books on methodology of management, go and read all his books. He ruled Lagos for eight years, but has he still let go? He has become emperor in Lagos. Some people in their ignorance will even say Tinubu is in control, in control of what? Let us make sure that the electoral process is not a sham, then you will see how people are angry with their votes. That’s the only power people have.

We should allow the will of the people to prevail. If the will of people is allowed to prevail, he will not be sitting down there taking people’s money. Calculate from 1999 till today, 20 years how they have been raping Lagos. Look at that statement made by one of the former directors of Alpha Beta that they are owing him 45 billion naira, an individual saying they are owing him 45 billion naira in my own state, Lagos State, and this money is supposed to be Lagos State’s money that the man is now claiming they are owing him. Lagos State today is flat broke. The debt portfolio of Lagos State is unimaginable.

Who will pay for it? Our children, our grandchildren? They have impoverished Lagos State. Now he is saying he wants to be president, let him go there, and see what will happen. Some of his followers are also saying that he is the only one that can do it, some even  promised to deliver 20 million votes for him. What a deception. They are just pushing him. He should return all Lagos money. I’m even told that he is now planning to make his son the governor of Lagos State. What an insult!  We don’t do dirty fights in Lagos, but Tinubu should remember that certainly a day of reckoning is surely coming. Tinubu has over dazed us to stupor. 

When I see some of our friends now complaining about Tinubu, I tell them why are you complaining now. I said a long time ago that Tinubu should be checkmated. Let us make sure that the electoral process is modern so that the will of the people can prevail. It is only when the will of people prevail that Tinubu can be checkmated. We are not in the stone age, we should reform and modernize our electoral process. We must make sure we leave a positive legacy for the future generation to emulate, and keep on building Yoruba race and this nation in a positive manner. The reverse is unthinkable.

'I Support The Operation Identify Yourselves' By The Nigerian Army In The South -East Because It Will Stop The Miscreants - Joe Igbokwe

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Speaking With Object Media, Joe Igbokwe Stated That He Was In Full Support Of The Exercise, Noting That It Will Stop Some Illegality And Miscreants In The Region.

"I Support The 'Operation Identify Yourselves' Exercise In The South-East Region Because It Will Help Fish Out Some Miscreants Who Have Been Terrorising The Region With Their Reckless Activities In Form Of An Agitation. It Will Also Help Stop Illegality And Criminal Activities In The South-East. So We Need To Back The Nigerian Army To Carry Out A Successful Exercise. - Joe Igbokwe

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I See No Hope In Buhari's Administration - Afegbuo

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100 days into the second term of President Muhammadu Buhari, Spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kassim Afegbua, has scored the administration low.

Mr Afegbua who made an appearance on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics said the Buhari administration keeps running around in circles and he does not see any hope for the future.

“I’m not seeing any hope in the horizon,” he said.

According to him “nothing has happened in the last 100 days” and the only thing he remembers is that “the President came on board with a cabinet”.

The PDP spokesperson further criticised the government, saying that till date, no Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting has been held.

He also took a swipe at the Katsina state government who he accused of negotiating with bandits.

“Within these 100 days, we are also seeing that some Governors are negotiating with bandits. The Katsina State Government drove all through the forest and celebrating that they were strike deals with bandits.

“For me, the critical issues of security, unemployment, decayed infrastructure and all of that have to be captured properly if we are actually going to make headway”.

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Breaking : Okorocha, Family Forfeit Properties To EFCC

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Nigeria’s leading anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, revealed that it has obtained orders for the interim forfeiture of assets traced to a former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, and his wife.

The Head, Enugu Zonal Office of the commission, Usman Imam, made this known in Enugu while briefing reporters on the activities of the commission in the last eight months.

Imam said that the commission also obtained a similar order on a property traced to a former aide to Okorocha, Paschal Obi, and the former governor’s daughter.

According to him, the commission had established prima facie cases against the suspects which they would answer to.

Imam said that the commission would like to know how the Rochas Foundation and other accomplices acquired and or converted some of the property for personal use.

He listed some of the property to include a 16-block cum 96 flats and an eight-bungalow multimillion naira estate, hotel, two schools, shopping plaza, supermarket, hospital, and four vehicles.

The EFCC chief said that while the hospital was traced to Obi, the remaining property were traced to the former governor and his family, including his wife and daughter.

“We hope to get permanent forfeiture orders on the property in order to return them to the people of the state,” he said.

Imam said that all the facilities, including the schools, would remain functional as the commission would not like to shut them down for the sake of the students and other users.

“Other recoveries were made and are awaiting forfeiture, but for the court vacation. They include a twin three-story building with a three-bedroom bungalow and a duplex, both in Enugu.

“The property were recovered from cyber fraudsters,” he said.

Imam said that the commission, within the period, recovered N213.85 million and 10, 600 US dollars.

“In one of such recoveries, one Augustine Ejimokor, who defrauded his victim of the sum of 5,000 US dollars and used it to acquire a Mercedez Benz C300 was ordered to forfeit the vehicle.

“So far, the zone has arrested 88 suspected fraudsters since 2015, with 70 of them in 2019. This underscores the efforts of the present zonal head in conformity with the acting chairman’s directives,” he said.

Imam said that the zone also obtained 59 convictions out of whom were the 51 arrested and prosecuted in 2019.

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Breaking: APC Will Continue To Hold Power In Nigeria Beyond 2023 - Oshiomhole

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The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole has said that the party will rule Nigeria beyond 2023, calling on all members of the party needed to work together as a team.

Recall that in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, John Oyegun, former national chairman of the APC had said that the ruling party would have issues in 2023 general election.

According to Mr Oyegun, the issues would arise because President Muhammadu Buhari, on whom the party had tailored its change agenda, will not be qualified to contest.

However, Mr Oshiomhole, during a meeting with APC governors in Abuja, said that as far as merit is concerned, the party would continue to govern the country post-2023.

He said:“As to merit, our party will continue to govern the country post-2023.”

the national chairman, therefore, called on the re-elected members of the party to work hard towards making the party sustain its tempo.

“We also want to congratulate you for having being re-elected. Sometimes it is easier to be elected the first time.

“But to be re-elected implies a huge vote of confidence by the people of your respective states.

“And Looking at things from here, I know a lot went into trying to seize the deliberate attempt by the opposition to discredit the good ones.

“Like, we have said during the retreat, we believed our party has made a lot of progress in the three key areas that were reflected in our manifesto.

“But, there is a lot to be done. And I am sure working together at both the executive, state and federal by the special grace of God, we will do better in this second time.

He said his position as the national chairman of the ruling party is challenging. He expressed joy at winning some states especially Kwara and Gombe.

“I am happy to say that at the end of the day even though we lost some states we also gained some states. We gained Kwara, which for us is extremely important. And, we also gained Gombe state which is also very strategic among others.”

“Of course, we have a clear majority in the national assembly. We have more senators elected on our platform. We also have more of house representatives elected on our platform.”

“As it stands there are many cases in court. And until those cases are resolved, we won’t be able to say for sure where we stand.

“It is our prayer because we believed that a lot of our cases in court have merit. We hope that there will be justice and they are resolved in our favor.”

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Tribunal : Atiku's Petition Worthless - INEC

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday described petition by Atiku Abubakar and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as ‘worthless’.

The commission also said that it would have amounted to mere waste of court time for it to call witnesses in a mater “the petitioners failed to prove anything”.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the PDP and his party are challenging INEC’s declaration of Buhari as the winner of the 2019 presidential election.

They accused INEC of abandoning poll results transmitted to its server for fake results, which it used, to announce Buhari winner of the election.

But making its final submissions as the first respondent in the petition at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, filed by Atiku and the PDP, INEC urged the court to dismiss the petition.

The commission’s lawyer, Yunus Usman (SAN) while adopting his clients’ final addresses before tribunal, insisted that INEC had no server.

He also denied the commission abandoned its pleadings by not calling any witnesses.

He said, “This is a worthless petition. INEC did not abandon its pleadings. It only extracted salient evidence from their (petitioners) witnesses.

“It would have been a waste of the court’s time to call witnesses when the petitioners failed to prove anything and admitted the issues we advanced in our pleadings.

“We urge the court to dismiss this petition, which was meant to test the water with two legs, and they are now falling.”

  Source: Ripplesnigeria

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Breaking : Court Has Strike Out Case Between The PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar And Buhari

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•No cause for alarm –Ex-vp

Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Supreme Court  dismissed two appeals filed by the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, challenging two major decisions of the Presidential 

Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, yesterday.

But in his reaction, Atiku said there is no cause for alarm over the Supreme Court’s ruling dismissing his claims to inspect INEC server.

Atiku, who addressed a news conference through his lead counsel, Eyitayo Jegede SAN, after the proceedings, said the decision was anticipated and that proactive action had been taken during the hearing of the petition.

“There is no cause for alarm in the decision of the apex court as it relates to our petition at the tribunal.

“The issue of server was aimed at establishing that the election was rigged during the collation of results and this was thoroughly addressed through witnesses and documents tendered and admitted during the presentation of the petition.”

He expressed optimism that the tribunal would do justice at the end of the day.

The petitioners had approached the apex court to set aside the decision of the tribunal which barred them from inspecting an alleged central server used in the country’s Feb.23 presidential election.

They had also invited the apex court to compel the tribunal to reopen argument on an application filed by the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) that sought for expunge of some portions of the petition.

Giving ruling in the appeal, Justice Centus Nweze, held that setting aside the decision of the tribunal on the matter would amount to pre-empting the substantial case.

Nweze said that the Justice Mohammed Garba-led five-man panel was right to stop the move by the petitioners to inspect the acclaimed central server allegedly managed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The judge held that: “The decision of the tribunal to prevent the inspection of the alleged server was apt and we do not have to set it aside at the point. The appeal has no merit and it hereby dismissed.’’

Ruling on the appeal seeking for the re-opening of argument on the motion filed by APC for the tribunal to expunge some portions of the petition, Nweze held that the action was statute barred and went ahead to dismiss it also.

NAN recalls that the petitioners had insisted that the “central server” was allegedly used by INEC to warehouse electronically transmitted results in the election.

The petitioners had approached the apex court to set aside the June 24, decision of the tribunal.

Atiku’s counsel, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, had pleaded with the court to set aside the decision of the presidential election petition tribunal which refused to compel INEC to allow him access to the central server alleged used in the conduct of the presidential poll.

He said access to the INEC’s central server was germane to his client’s petition, adding that the court should order the electoral body to allow access to the database forthwith.

However, Chief Wole Olanipekun SAN, counsel to President Muhammadu Buhari, asked the court to turn down the request and to dismiss the appeal on the grounds that the appeal had become academic.

Olanipekun drew the attention of the court to the fact that the life of the appeal would expire on Aug. 21, adding that granting the request would no longer serve any purpose.

Source: Sunnewsonline

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2023 Presidency : Why Nigeria Can't Jettison Zoning At This Particular Point In Time - Mbazulike Amaechi

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First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi has carpeted Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai over his suggestion that Nigeria should jettison zoning of the presidency for competence. In this interview with VINCENT KALU, the elder statesman noted that ethnic and religious configurations of Nigeria make it imperative  for presidency to rotate among various groups.

You are one of the founding fathers of this country, are you satisfied with the way things are going?

How can I be satisfied when I see the house that I built collapsing right in my own eyes? I took part in the building and in the founding of the nation, called Nigeria; I also took part in the first government of the country. The military took over the country, they abused and mismanaged and robbed the country for a whole 38 years, and they handed over to a corrupt civilian surrogate to the military.

The looting and stealing, which the military introduced, continued in the civilian government because the civilian that took over from the military could only do what the military taught them or what they learnt from the military.

But that is not the question now; that Nigeria is collapsing economically is one thing, but the question now is the insecurity in the country and the kind of things happening in the country, while the government turned the other way shows that there is deep precipice in front of us, which if we don’t take care we will plunge into.

There is no doubt that the Fulani imperial power that they want to expand now is real. There is no doubt of the intention of Islamising the country, which they tried by force during the Usman Danfodio era, he didn’t succeed; they tried it by force in Benue area during the Sardauna era, but they didn’t succeed, as we stopped it because we were in government then, and Balewa who was a Muslim too didn’t support it, and it collapsed.

Now, those ruling the country are encouraging the whole thing, using the herdsmen, who are heavily armed, killing, maiming, raping people, destroying houses, and sacking communities. Have you seen  any of them that has been arrested and charged to court?

Not one of them has been  charged to court in a country  people fought to build, and I happen to be the only remaining one now among the people who led the country for independence. I’m not happy at all with the situation and I wish the government should do something.

I call on the people of Nigeria to come together with or without the government, the elites of this country, and the religious leaders of this country should do something before we plunge into a precipice. The religious leaders are keeping quiet as if nothing is happening, and until it happened to them in the Southeast recently, when a Catholic priest was killed.

But, it has been happening across the Southeast, where the herdsmen have been killing people, they remained silent until one of them was killed and they went out to protest. That is why the public refused to cooperate and join them in the protest, because when others were being killed the churches remained quiet.

So when they killed a reverend father, they started protesting; but the public told them to go and do it themselves. We either stop this or the country will collapse, and if it collapses, I’m sorry, it will be very tragic.

Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai said that the presidency should go to competent person, and no more by rotation, do you share the same view with him?

Ideally, a country votes the best man they have during election to serve them.

However, the ideal situation doesn’t exist anywhere in Nigeria. The country is where tribal and religious interests come together and everything depends upon power, so there should be a proper planning on how political office, especially the presidency should be shared.

The situation is so bad now, and I don’t see the solution in the nearest future because the future is getting worse and worse. You notice that the corrupt and rotten governors in the states, immediately they finish their second term in office, the next thing is to go to the Senate. In the next ten or twenty years, you find the senate being manned by majority of former governors and who have brought the rottenness and corruption they had in the state to the upper legislative arm.

As it stands, there is no hope for this country. Ex-governors who amassed the public wealth of the state find their ways to the Senate as their second term expires, we find majority of the senators being former governors, perpetrating the corruption and rottenness they brought from their respective states.

Why do you think some people are querying the timing of El-Rufai’s proposition?

Like I said, ideally, it is the most qualified, most competent person that should emerge as president. However, ideally, in our own situation, it has to go round; rotate. If it doesn’t go round, people would not be loyal; agitations from various groups will continue and people will not be made to feel that they are free.

Right now, Nigerians don’t feel they are free, as we are under a dictatorship, a military dictatorship in a civilian dress, that is what we have right now.

What El-Rufai is saying doesn’t make sense at all. Who is El-Rufai to talk about Nigeria, is it just because he happened to win election to be a governor; who is he, where is he?

The people of Nigeria, from the North Central, North-east, North-west, South-east, South-south and South-west must come together, and in the spirit of give and take, in the spirit of compromise and in the spirit of fraternal understanding, fashion out a real way of living together as a nation, and if they don’t do that the thing will collapse one day, either today or in the near future. In political power, you have to win it, and that is why I have told the Igbo, that if they want to be the president, they have to organise, they have to strategise, they have to plan, they have to work, they have to go out. You don’t become president by mere wishing to be one.

Nobody will give you president on a platter of gold; Ndigbo have to plan if they want to be president, but from what they are saying now, I don’t see them being ready for the presidency in 2023. I have talked to them about it, that is both the Igbo in the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Let them come to me now that I’m still alive, I will tell them what they should do to win the presidency in 2023. Nobody is going to concede it to them. If they don’t want to come to me let them take whatever they see. That key was given to me by Azikiwe few hours before he stopped breathing, and I hold that key; if they want the presidency let them come to me, and if they don’t want, let them stay, and what they see let them take it.

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2023 Presidency: If There Is No Zoning, There Will Be No Nigeria - Ayo Adebanjo Insisted

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Elder statesman and Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has scolded Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai for dictating the direction Nigeria should follow in determining the 2023 presidency. The governor had within the week said rotation of the presidency should stop and give way for competence. He warned that any attempt to arm-twist the South with the 1999 constitution may lead to the nation’s disintegration. “You want to dictate the term in which we are going to live together, who are you to do that? When the Whiteman amalgamated us, did they consult us?  Since the amalgamation is causing trouble, then let us de-amalgamate and let everybody go back to his father’s house”, he warned.

In this interview with VINCENT KALU, the leader of Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group, said Nigeria should restructure to come up with a people’s constitution, which should be a guide on how to live together, and who should occupy the presidency.

What do we do arrest the country’s current drift towards the precipice?

We are living in denial; even when the truth is staring us in the face, we choose to deny it. You can’t solve the problem of this nation in any form until you restructure the country. How can the President have to keep security from Abuja in Osogbo, that is the crux of the matter and everything you lay on it is false.

Of late, the Fulani herdsmen kidnap people in the South-west, South-east and South-south, and you deny it; they kill people, you deny, they rape and maim people, you deny and look the other way, but when they kidnapped the pastors of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, they released the victims immediately, but left the kidnappers, because you don’t want to stigmatise them; why are you hiding them and continue to deny? Each time you deny, evidences show they were responsible.

Last week in Taraba State, soldiers killed the policemen who arrested one of those responsible for kidnapping, and set him free. All these problems are interwoven. I say it, the Yoruba, the indigenes of this area don’t trust any security outside the people of our own area. This is how fundamental it is. Then you go over the governors and go to the traditional rulers, what type of regime is that  in a federal constitution?  We are not pretending, Buhari doesn’t want to do anything because  he is Fulani. We have every evidence to show that herdsmen are everywhere; they use sophisticated weapons, they kill people, they burn houses and sack communities, but those in authority claim not to know who are committing these atrocities.

When they committed the same atrocities in Benue, the  state government went to meet the President  and said the Miyetti Allah people were responsible, and he  asked the Inspector General of Police to go there, but the IGP didn’t go there; he disobeyed him. As the chief security officer and the commander-in-chief, what did Buhari  do to him? Nothing, he  even wanted to extend his tenure. You don’t waste your time pretending as if you don’t know where your problems are coming from. There is no honesty in the whole thing. Talking about security, Buhari and his government are not serious about it; if they are serious about it, they should do something; let the governors be responsible for security in their states; you call them the chief security officers of their states, but  have they got the instrument to control the police? The police are still controlled from above and we have evidence that police arrest these people, and they are asked to release them.

We have evidence that Fulani men who killed the daughter of our leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, her brother went to the police station, the police told him that Fulani people were responsible and that they knew them, then you are the leader, you look the other way and pretended that nothing happened. The head of the police would say they were setting up an inquiry, which doesn’t happen.

Under your watch, two security agencies are quarrelling and fighting, you say you are setting up inquiry. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) were fighting, and you said you were setting up inquiry. Till today, nobody has heard about the inquiry and its outcome.

This is not a pretending matter. We should sit and talk. We say let’s use the 2014 Confab report; you say you didn’t set it up, but it has farfetched recommendations. If you are serious about it, what is wrong there that you don’t want? Get along and get it right. You know what to do, but you don’t want to do it. You want to tell me that the local people of Benue were in charge of their security, the first time you attacked them it was by surprise, the second time the same, and the third time the same, killing thousands, and at each time it happens, you would say you are on top of it, another time it happens, you are on top of it or you say God would punish the killers. Who are you deceiving? You think you are deceiving people who don’t know that they are being deceived?

Buhari and his government know what to do and they refused to do it to end the killings and other security problems in the country because they are interested in the commotion.

Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai said that the presidency should go to competent person, and no more by rotation, do you share the same view with him?

He is talking nonsense; is he to make constitution for us? Let the people sit and say that is what they want, and not what the governor is blabbing. What is he talking about? So if he talks nonsense, you people can’t stop him; does he own the presidency?

What we are saying is that this constitution he is relying upon is not our constitution; let the people sit and make their own constitution. The constitution, which they make, you said you don’t accept because you didn’t set up the committee, which one are you setting up? You continue to rule us under a constitution which we say we don’t want. You use the provision of the constitution, which we have rejected to continue to oppress us.

Who is El-Rufai to tell us how we should be governed? How can a section of the country dictate the type of constitution of living together in this country, which is an objectionable thing and which is causing all the problems in this country. You want to have unity, while you are the rider and others are the horse. You want to dictate the term in which we are going to live together, who are you to do that? When the Whiteman amalgamated us, did they consult us?  Since the amalgamation is causing trouble, then let us de-amalgamate and let everybody go back to his father’s house.

Some people are asking, why is the Kaduna governor asking for the jettisoning of zoning now.  Any idea? 

I’m a consistent man, and I have questioned his power to direct us on what we should do. We have to go to the root; he is talking about it because that is what the fraudulent constitution says. Let him say it when we have an agreed constitution. What he is saying is what the present constitution says, but we are saying that the present constitution was not made by us, and so, it is a fraud. This nonsense he is talking will not save us, what will save us is for us to make a constitution that will pass through referendum and not this thing foisted on us by the military.

This argument that sovereignty is with the National Assembly is false. When we talk about a constitution that will pass through referendum, you say referendum is not in the constitution, which constitution? Is it the one that was imposed on us?

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Nigeria Will Break Up If South Failed To Hold Power Come 2023 - Senator Shehu Sani

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  Senator Shehu Sani ‎has warned Northerners, said it would be unfair for North to retain power beyond 2023 especially after the Southwest gave President Muhammadu Buhari all support he needed to win the 2015 and 2019 elections.  Sani made the remark on Monday 12 August 2019 at the residence of Balarabe Musa, former governor of Kaduna state, after paying his Sallah homage.  He advised that it would amount to an act of ungratefulness for the North to retain power beyond, after President Buhari’s tenure ends in 2023.  

Sani Shehu, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, also added that President Buhari was able to clinch the presidential seat in 2015 and 2019 because of the support he got from other geo-political zones after failing on three consecutive times.  In his words: “My views on that are very simple.

 It is an act of ingratitude for any northerner to think that by 2023, he or she should aspire for office in the view of the fact that, Southerners, particularly the Southwest did everything possible to support the northern candidate to emerge as the president in 2015.  

“It will amount to changing the rules of the game at half time, when you are leading two zero. It can also be likened to removing the ladder after you have plucked the fruit,” he said.  

According to the statement, Sani further stressed that the North should appreciate the support of progressive minded nationalists contributed by Southwest or southern part of Nigeria having worked tirelessly to remove the PDP out of power in 2015.  

The Senator advised, for North to make sustainable progress, they must address the problem of majority versus minority tribes in the region in order and put its house in order. 

  

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Taraba Killing : Exercise Patience, We Are Doing Something About It - Buhari Tells Nigerians

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The presidency has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is not indifferent to the killing of policemen by soldiers in Taraba State.

This was disclosed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

In his statement on Monday, Garba Shehu said Nigerians must be patient with Buhari, noting that the President will take action after the panel set up by Chief of Defence Chief, General Gabriel Olonisakin, has submitted its report following their investigation.

Garba Shehu who made the statement in response to press questions, confirmed that a committee was set up during the National Security Council meeting to investigate the killing of three policemen and a civilian by soldiers in Taraba State.

The President’s aide state that the insinuation of indifference on the part of President Muhammadu Buhari is untenable.

He said, “Contrary to those mischievous insinuations, President Buhari had ordered the Chief of Defence Staff to set up an investigation committee with representatives from all the security organizations in the country, including the police force.

“The President is not indifferent to the unfortunate incident, and would take decisive action as soon as the report of the panel is submitted to him. He is following due process and procedure.

“Putting the cart before the horse is not President Buhari’s way of doing things. Nigerians should show patience while the President awaits the report of the panel from the Chief of Defence Staff.”

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Anybody Who Tells You That Buhari Is Not Doing Well Is A Bloody Liar - Joe Igbokwe

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The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbowe, has asked Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Igbokwe, who appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday blamed the nation’s woes on the previous administrations since 1999.

According to him, anyone with the insinuation” that President Buhari’s government has not done well is ‘a liar from the pit of hell’.

“You (PDP) were there for 16 years and we didn’t see anything. In the midst of plenty, I cannot lay my hands on anything.

“Support your leader, don’t be a distraction. Anybody who tells you Buhari is not doing well is a liar from the pit of hell given where we are coming from,” he said.

His comments follow a reaction by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ken Okolugbo that the APC led-Federal Government has not fared well in its cardinal promises.

The APC had swept to power in 2015 promising to urgently address the nation’s security, economy, and fighting corruption.

On corruption, the PDP chieftain accused the President of favoritism in the graft war.

“I will never give a pass mark, the only pass mark I will give is in terms of security. And our security is in tatters now.

“On the issues of corruption, I have always said it that there is favoritism. Though they have made significant progress, a lot of money has been recovered,” he said.

But speaking on the home-grown school feeding program, he noted that the initiative does not cover more than 15 states.

While lauding the Federal Government for launching the Treasury Single Account (TSA) seen to encourage transparency in governance, he faulted the current administration for not tolerating criticism.

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Forget The Thought Of Dividing Nigeria, God Made Us One For A Purpose - Atiku Begs IPOB, Others During His Eid il Kabir Celebration Message

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With the reported cases of marginalization, insecurity, alleged socio-injustice and a call for secession by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has asked Nigerians to perish the thought of dividing the country, noting that ‘God made us Nigerians for a purpose’.

Disclosing this in his goodwill message, Atiku Abubakar admonished Nigerians to sacrifice for the country, noting that the feast of Eid al-Adha was a reminder for all of us to make sacrifices for the betterment of humanity.

Recall that the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, had asked the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to let the Igbo separate from Nigeria.

Eid il Kabir : FG declares Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th as Public Holidays(Opens in a new browser tab)

He accused the federal government of marginalizing the Igbo and favoring other parts of the country. He equally called Nigeria a ‘zoo’, inscribing and using fable to describe Nigeria Political system. Irked with his modus-operandi, the federal government described as treasonable felony his statements and proscribed the organization.

In view of this past development, Atiku Abubakar begged Nigerians not to divide the country. His words,

“Sacrifice To God For The Good of Others Is The Spirit of Eid al-Adha

During Eid al-Adha, we honour the submission of the Patriarch, Prophet Ibrahim to the wish of Almighty Allah to sacrifice his son. This feast is, therefore, a reminder for all of us to make sacrifices for the betterment of humanity.

There are happenings across the globe that tell us that the world is in dire need of love and peace. Our dear fatherland, Nigeria is currently at a crossroads. Tensions strew our nation and never have we been in dire need of love for our neighbour as today. Thus, my message to the nation as we celebrate Eid al-Adha s that we all have to sacrifice for the good of Nigeria.

Everybody cannot sacrifice everything for Nigeria, but everyone can sacrifice something for her to move forward from the place of anger, bitterness, distrust and disunity.

I urge all Nigerians of faith to remember that God made us all Nigerians for a purpose. If He wanted to, God could have made us into many distinct nations. But in His wisdom, He made us all into one corporate, indivisible country. We must accept that we are not wiser than our Creator. Therefore, let us perish every thought of dividing Nigeria and focus our energies on reviving our fatherland.

We should be willing to sacrifice for future generations of Nigerians who will not even be around to thank us. In my opinion, the first sacrifice we have to implement is to make Nigeria an equitable society where justice flourishes. Every cry of marginalization will be silenced when the aggrieved see that there is national assimilation.

Let us remember that Prophet Ibrahim left an inheritance and that is the cause of the celebration today. If we profess the faith of Ibrahim, we must likewise sacrificially manage our economy in a way that serves not just the present elite’s interests, but the interest of successive future generations.

Most importantly, at a leadership level, we ought to make sacrifices, the most immediate being to ensure that the fundamental rights of citizenry is respected and not repressed.

I wish all Nigerians a happy Eid al-Adha. I wish I could be in every Nigerian home to share my Sallah feast with you and your families, but as that is not possible, permit me to send my love into all homes in this country to wish you the best today, tomorrow and forever.

Source: dsnews.com

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Pray For The Peace And Unity Of Nigeria - Gbajabiamila Urges Nigerians

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has urged Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia to pray for the country’s unity as they join Muslims globally to observe Arafat.

Gbajabiamila made the plea in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Lanre Lasisi, on Friday.

Arafat, a 230 feet granite hill about 20 km east of central Mecca in the plain of Arafat is also known as the “Mount of Mercy.’’

According to Islamic tradition, the hill is the place where Prophet Muhammad delivered his farewell sermon to Muslims, who accompanied him for the Hajj towards the end of his life.

It is also said to be the place where Adam and Hawa reunite on earth after falling from heaven and where Adam was forgiven, hence it is known as the mount of mercy.

Islamic faithful believe that prayers offered on the mount receive speedy answers as it is a place of mercy and they are expected to fast.

Gbajabiamila, who is currently performing the hajj, expressed optimism that with prayers, Nigeria would move to the next level.

“I want to urge all our pilgrims to pray for the unity of Nigeria; we need the prayers because the government is not relenting as it is striving to make life better for the citizens.

“We also need to pray for the general wellbeing of all Nigerians; Arafat is a special day that Allah answers prayers.

“I call on Nigerian pilgrims to utilise the opportunity,’’ he said.

The speaker said that the importance of prayers in the life of any nation could not be over-emphasised.

He also commended Nigerians currently on pilgrimage for their upright conduct and abstinence from activities that could tarnish the image of the country.

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Breaking : Omoyele Sowore Finally Drags DSS, FG To Court

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Not backing down, the presidential candidate of the African Action Alliance in the February 2019 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, Friday applied to the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside its order permitting the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain him for 45 days.

Sowore, the convener of #RevolutionNow movement, through his lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), argued in the 19-ground application that the order breached his fundamental rights.

Filed along with his application on Friday was an affidavit of urgency seeking an urgent hearing of the suit on the grounds that it “is one of fundamental importance that affects salient fundamental rights of the applicant herein.”

Sowore is being detained by the DSS over allegation of treasonable felony. His #RevolutionNow movement was seen as an attempt to overthrow the President Muhammadu Buhari government.

Source: Ripplesnigeria 

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I Will No Longer Take Any Decision From My Party Again - Buhari Tells APC

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday assured members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, that he would be more conscious of the interests of the party when taking key decisions.

The president gave the assurance when he received members of the NWC of the APC at the State House, Abuja.

While pledging to uphold party supremacy, Mr Buhari commended the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and other members for their sacrifices and overall success in the last general elections.

He said: “It is obvious that the success of the party was more paramount in your hearts. You could have deployed the time and energy you deployed for the party for your own personal use.

‘‘I respect the sacrifices you are making; you can only derive satisfaction if you are working for your country and all our people because, materially, nobody can pay you for the sacrifices.’’

President Buhari appealed to NWC members to abide by the constitution of the party, adding: “It is not enough to just criticise certain decisions of the party without first understanding what the constitution says.”

The President assured the NWC that competent members with the requisite experience would be invited to contribute their quota to nation-building as heads and chairmen of boards of governmental parastatals and agencies.

Earlier, Mr Oshiomhole had congratulated the president on the electoral victory, and noted that the NWC was meeting with him exclusively, for the first time after the elections.

The party chairman regretted that the party lost some states, but observed that great victories were recorded in Kwara and Gombe states.

‘‘In Kwara, we uprooted the ruling dynasty and inaugurated absolutely loyal and totally committed APC men at the helm of affairs,’’ he said.

While commending the unique leadership style of the president, Mr  Oshiomhole thanked him for his unflinching support that ensured the success of the party in holding the principal offices of the 9th National Assembly.

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