Court Case: APC Disowns BCO, EFCC detains Atiku’s Lawyer

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March 6, 2019

By Uche Mbah

Festus Keyamo, the Official spokesperson of the All Progressives congress, APC, has distanced the party from the call by the Buhari Campaign Organization, BCO, urging the International Community to call the Presidential candidate of the main opposition party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, to order by prevailing on him to jettison plans to contest the 2019 presidential elections in Court.

This Magazine had reported that the Buhari Media Organization had asked EU, US and UK to intervene in prevailing on Atiku not to go to court. This was one of the series of efforts being made by the Presidency to stop Atiku from going to Court. He has, however, defied them and gone to Court.

But Keyamu, speaking on behalf of APC, said that, for the second time, he is telling the general public that the Buhari Campaign Organisation does not represent the party.

“This is the second time we will be informing the public that the said “Buhari Campaign Organization” does not act at the behest of the APC Presidential campaign council no does it represent Muhammadu buhari Campaign organization in any way”, he said in a release. “As a result, whatever they have released does not represent the position of the APC Presidential campaign council or President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Our official position is that we believe that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has a constitutional right to seek redress in court and we do not seek in any way to curtail that right. In fact, it is the resort to court that is the only democratic way to ventilate his perceived grievance and an attempt to restrict or discourage the exercise of such rights will be an invitation to anarchy.

“In addition, we are very anxious to meet Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in court in order to show the world in a conclusive manner the free and fair nature of the comprehensive defeat of Atiku at the polls. An election is not termed “rigged” only by the mere claim of it by the loser. That is what Atiku and the PDP want to ram down our throats. Unfortunately for them, international, continental and subregional observers (who can be seen as neutral by all standards) ALL declared the election to be free, fair and credible. No ego massaging narrative can change that.

We therefore totally dissociate ourselves from the letter purportedly written by one of, perhaps, many support groups of President Muhammadu Buhari. They may have a right to their opinion, but it does not represent our official position”

Meanwhile, in a move feared by the opposition PDP as targeted at sabotaging the court cases, Tanimu Turaki, who is part of the legal team of Atiku Abubakar, was detained when he went to bail the financial controller of part of Atiku’s business, who doubles as his son-in-law, Abdullahi Babalele, who was recently arrested. Opposition believe that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which arrested and detained him, are seeking to extract information from him on who are going to be their principal witnesses “so that they can be hounded”.

Seme: How Customs Facilitates Trade At JBP

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Bayo Bernard

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March 6, 2019

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By Bayo Bernard

President Muhammadu Buhati was somehow prophetic last year October 22, 2018 when he said the Seme/Krake Joint Border Post would strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and Republic of Benin.

‘As we all know, Nigeria and Benin share many things in common. Hence the establishment of the Joint Border Post will certainly promote out brotherliness and emphasize our common interest, Buhari said adding that the JBP is “ a symbol of integration that brings together the people of Nigeria and Benin”

But neither the president nor the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) would have imagined the magnitude of progress made in the last few months.

Importers too had initially thought that the arrangement would impact negatively on their business, but it has turned out otherwise, a blessing to all the stakeholders in the importation business chain using this corridor.

Ask Mohammed Uba Garba, Area Controller, Seme Customs command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, he’s not likely to contradict the fact that the decision to establish a one stop border post between Nigeria and Benin Republic has turned out a win-win situation for the two neighbors.

He recently told the magazine that things are moving faster than expected. He’s however more impressed with how the JBP has led to more cooperation between the two sovereign countries.

The frequent clashes of interest between the two para-military bodies had at a point nearly put the two countries on the edge of diplomatic squabbles.

But the tension was somehow reduced after Comptroller Garba assumed duty sometimes in August last year, close watchers of Seme border told the magazine.

The clashes were usually over modalities to adopt for movement of goods and persons along the shared border.

But no more, the JBP now allows the two customs authorities to share information and iron out grey areas to avoid confrontation, thereby eliminating mutual suspicions, the controller said .

Few weeks ago, some officials of the Benin Customs approached their Nigerian counterpart, to seek their understanding to allow passage of some used imported vehicles into the country.

Their request also included the clearance of some cargo laden trucks to move into the Nigerian territory.

The goods were mostly contrabands, it was learned.

The magazine was told by a Chief Superintendent of Customs, privy to the issue that Nigerian officers stationed at the joint border post plainly turned down the request on the basis that such will compromise the Federal Government’s policy banning the importation of vehicles through the land border.

The Buhari’s government has restricted the importation of used vehicles, also known as tokunbo through the seaports since it took power in 2015.

This has obviously hampered the business interest of her neighbor because most vehicles shipped through Benin ports most likely end up in Nigeria.

Some importers, backtracked this policy in the past by smuggling vehicles through various land borders along Seme and Idi Iroko axis, but things became difficult after the NCS under the current Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali(rtd), blocked every avenues to acquire customs papers for smuggled vehicles.

“So we understand the situation with our counterparts in Benin Republic. Despite this, we cannot compromise our duty as customs officer, if anything is to be done, that should happen at top levels of the two governments” one officer told the magazine on why they turned down request by some Benin customs officers, to allow imported vehicle pass through the JBP.

He said Comptroller Garba has warned officers that anyone caught in the act will be dealt with accordingly.

The officer disclosed that the Benin officers accepted their decision by showing understanding “such situation would have resulted in confrontation and stalemate in the past’” he said adding that “the customs at both ends now understand that trade can only thrive in a peaceful atmosphere.”

Things are moving fast in a manner that was not initially envisaged said Controller Uba as there are more gains on the Nigerian side.

For instance, the speed at which cargo laden trucks are now cleared will confound anyone who knew what obtains in the past.

Some agents told the magazine recently that they now take delivery of their goods within the within the day.

‘As long as you have made all the documentations and payment, you are home and dry, no one will delay your cargo” James Aiki, an agent told the magazine last week at the border.

He explained that men and officers of the Seme customs command are now working as if their lives depend on it.

Indeed. The magazine learned from competent sources in the command that Comptroller Uba has instructed his men that they must earn their pay.

“The era of free money is gone. In the past the many checkpoints from Seme to Badagry provided avenues for some lazy officers to make money from traders. But now that half of the checkpoints have been dismantled officers have been recalled back to the desk,” he said.

The controller has recently dismantled most checkpoints, reducing them to three in line with the CG directive, the magazine was told.

Public outcry has grown against customs officers who allegedly extort traders on the route.

“I have directed the Enforcement Unit to ensure compliance” in line with the CG order to reduce these checkpoints to allow for seamless movement of goods and persons along the corridor, Comptroller Uba told the magazine recently.

Gubernatorial Elections: PDP Writes Yakubu, Seeks Improvement on Presidential Election

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Uche Mbah

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March 6, 2019

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By Uche Mbah

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Uche Secondus, has written a letter to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral commission, INEC, Mahmud Yakubu, on the forthcoming governorship election, listing INEC’s sins of omission and commission during the presidential elections.

The Governorship elections are billed to take place nationwide on Saturday the 9^th of March, 2019, after it was postponed by the electoral umpire.

There has been complaints by the main opposition party, PDP, about the outcome of that election. Consequently, the party rejected the results, and Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential flag bearer, has headed to court to “reclaim” his mandate.

Secondus has noted the unconstitutional deployment of the military as one of the major anomalies of that election.

Below is the full text of the letter.

Dear Sir,

CASES OF INFRACTIONS AND DELIBERATE VIOLATIONS OF THE ELECTORAL LAW AND GUIDELINES

We want to place on records and bring to your attention the very obvious and noticeable infractions and violations of the Electoral Law and the Regulations/Guidelines regulating the 2019 general elections which have very negative implications on the credibility, transparency and integrity of the entire electoral processes particularly the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections.

This has become imperative as we approach the Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections billed for Saturday, March 9,2019.

These infractions and deliberate violations include but not limited to the following:

The non-usage or selective enforcement of the Smart Card Reader (SCR) machines across the country. We observed with regrets that the usage of the SCR machines were enforced strategically in the South-South, South-East and the North-Central zones of the country which are essentially PDP strongholds. This is radically different from what transpired in the North-West, North-East and the South-West which were estimated as the APC strongholds. This is quite contrary to the provisions of Paragraph 10(a) & (b) of the Regulations and Guidelines governing the 2019 General Elections and all the assurances you, Prof. Yakub Mahmood, frequently gave up to the last hours before the elections.

The deliberate non-deployment of the Electronic Collation System (E-Collation) for the elections results from the units, through the ward centers to the Presidential Collation Center in Abuja as provided for in the 2019 Electoral Regulations and Guidelines made by you, and as contained in your several official Press Statements is very suspect. This is more so when you have never bothered to explain to Nigerians the justification for this sudden official somersault on such a critical component of the electoral process especially with all the tax payer’s money spent to install the facilities.

The unconstitutional deployment of the armed forces especially soldiers and police for the illegitimate purposes to harassing, intimidating, suppressing of leaders of the PDP and suppression of voters in PDP strongholds across the country which are very well known to you. The use of these same security agents by the government to harass and intimidate Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and certain INEC’s National Commissioners for the sake of forcing them to declare votes for the APC’s candidates throughout the country have been officially or otherwise brought to your knowledge by the affected officers who even threatened to resign from their positions, yet you have decided to keep mute over it in a way portraying outright conspiracy and collusion of yourself and the commission with the APC government perpetrators.

We also want to bring to your knowledge that most of the collation centers in the country were cordoned off by officers and men of the armed forces who chased away accredited agents and or candidates of our party, the PDP, from such centers while the results of the elections from the units were being manipulated, mutilated and altered to suite the dictates and criminal desires of the APC led government. These results that were tampered with were accepted by you and your commission and announced as the results of the elections.

In places like Lagos, Rivers, Nassarawa, Abia, Benue, Plateau, Ondo, Osun States el al, results of duly conducted elections were illegally canceled especially in the PDP dominated areas to reduce the margin of victory in those states in Favour of APC candidates. Is it not surprising to you that Lagos state with over six million voters can only return less than one million votes? This was the case in virtually all PDP dominated states where voter’s suppression was deployed as a major strategy by you and the APC government in active collaboration of some of your unscrupulous RECs and staffers.

We are sure that till date the commission does not know the number of polling units where elections were cancelled and the total number of registered voters at such polling units. Yet you hurriedly announced the results of the elections especially the Presidential election only to come up with a Press Statement that supplementary elections will be conducted on March 9, 2019 along with the Gubernatorial and House of Assembly Elections. This to say the least is a major dent on the credibility and image of the commission.

Under your watch as Chairman of INEC for the first time in our nation’s history, the election materials of all categories; sensitive and non-sensitive, were contracted to be printed by a person who is not just a card-carrying member of a political party; the APC but also a Senatorial Candidate of the party in Niger State. Arising from this, these sensitive materials were seen in several wrong and unauthorized hands and places before and during the elections. Till this moment your commission has not raised any concerns or set up any enquiry to uncover the immediate or remote causes of such criminal and unconstitutional bastardization of the electoral process.

We have taken time to chronicle the above fundamental deliberate violations and infractions of the Electoral Law, Regulations and Guidelines and all known canons of electoral best practices by your Commission in obvious complicity and collaboration with APC and security agencies to rig the elections and rob our party of victory.

We want to remind you that as we inch towards Saturday, March 9, 2019 elections, you must do everything to right these grave anomalies to save yourself and the commission from this woeful embarrassment as you may go down in history as the worst Chairman of INEC in our history.

Accept our regards.

Prince Uche Secondus

National Chairman

Sen. Ibrahim Umaru Tsauri

National Secretary

Atiku Seeks Court Order to inspect INEC Register, Buhari Calls Emergency Security Meeting

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Uche Mbah

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March 5, 2019

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By Uche Mbah
The Legal fireworks has started for the last concluded presidential election in Nigeria as the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, flag bearer, Atiku Abubakar, files an ex parte Motion in an Abuja Appeal Court seeking access to all Documents used by the Commission in the prosecution of the election.
Atiku has been under tremendous pressure not to go to court but has maintained that he must reclaim his mandate through legal means so as not to violate the peace accord that he signed with other Presidential aspirants, including president Muhammadu Buhari.
The motion, dated March the fourth and filled the following day and supported by a twelve paragraph affidavit, has President Buhari, the Independent National Electoral commission, INEC and the All Progressives Congress, APC, as respondents.

He appealed to the court to allow him obtain copies of the INEC register, noting that the information obtained thereof will be used in prosecuting their case at the tribunal.
The affidavit was deposed by Colonel Austin Akobundu, Director of Contact and Mobilization in Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council.
No date has been fixed for the hearing.
Meanwhile, President buhari summoned an emergency security meeting in Aso Rock. Though the Agenda of the meeting is unknown as at press time, it is believed that it is not unrelated to the upcoming governorship elections as well as the Atiku court case. Feelers also indicate that it is also related to the role of the military in the forthcoming elections. The presidency has been under fire for the use of the military in the just concluded presidential elections despite the supreme court ruling to the contrary.
Meanwhile, leaders of the PDP were on Tuesday led by the party Chairman Uche Secondus to a protest march to the office of the INEC. The protest started from the Party’s national secretariat Abuja. They were heard chanting “give us our votes” “we voted Atiku”. According to the PDP official twitter page, the march was for the return of their stolen mandate.

Speakership: Tinubu Loses Out As Lawmakers Reject Gbajabiamila

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Bayo Bernard

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March 4, 2019

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Bola Ahmed Tinubu has started having problem with some leaders of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC over his insistence to impose his protege Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives.

The former Lagos state governor is the National Leader of the ruling party.

Recall that Tinubu failed in his bid to install the lawyer cum lawmaker, speaker following the party’s victory in the 2015 general elections.

Yakubu Dogara, representing Dass/Toro/Tafa Belewa Federal constituency won that epic contest after securing the backing of PDP lawmakers.

Gbajabiamila is currently the Majority Leader of the house.

But the magazine has learned from some lawmakers that they will not allow the former Lagos governor to choose their leader.

This follows reports that Tinubu has been meeting with other chieftains of the party across the six geo-political zones in the country, in the last few days, particularly APC lawmakers to ensure that his surrogate safely land the speakership this time around.

The APC leader, it was also learned has also tried to enlist the support of President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter.

The APC has retained a comfortable majority in the nation’s lower house according to the results of the elections of February 23 declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Even though the onus to elect the Speaker rests on the APC as the party with the majority lawmakers, the magazine learned that the party stand the chance of losing the same way it did in 2015, should it go ahead to adopt the 2015 template.

Both Gbajabiamila and current Senate Majority Leader, Ahmad Lawan were the candidates of Tinubu for Speakership and Senate President in 2015, they lost out in the power game after some lawmakers backed Dogara and Bukola Saraki for the two positions.

APC has again zoned the Speakership to the South West based on the power sharing arrangement adopted by the party after its victory in the presidential election two weeks ago.

“We agreed to zone the speakership of the house of reps to the south west after serious consultations among the leaders of the party. The President comes from the North east while the vice president Yemi Osinbajo is from the west,” an APC leader from the North told the magazine yesterday.

But in swift reaction to Asiwaju Tinubu to make Gbajabiamila, representing Surulere, Lagos in the House of Reps Speaker, some lawmakers, the magazine was told have been meeting secretly to frustrate the move.

Those who spoke with the magazine said the race to become the nation’s number four citizen will be keener now that the current speaker is believed to have joined the race.

Dogara had last week warned ninth National Assembly lawmakers to wait for inauguration in June this year before deciding who becomes speaker.

It was learned that Dogara made the comments as a result of ongoing consultations among lawmakers who have indicated interest in the position.

According to sources in the Assembly, some returning lawmakers, particularly APC have vouched to resist the imposition of Gbajabiamila.

“If we are not allowed to choose our leaders, what played out in 2015 will repeat itself. Though we have the majority but that should not translate to choosing those that will lead us.

If care is not taken some ambitious lawmakers could team up with the opposition to achieve their aim the same way it happened four years ago,” one returnee lawmaker from Kano told the magazine today.

The situation is more complicated for Tinubu because of perception in the house that his choice candidate is not very popular among lawmakers from the North.

The Governor of Sokoto state, said last month in an interview that the reason why the lawmaker from Lagos lost the position in 2015 was because he was not popular among his colleagues.

The former speaker said the North capitalized on this to snatch the fourth national position from the west.

“We are likely to see popular lawmakers from the North coming out to challenge Gbajabiamila in the contest. Some APC governors from the north will support them as a way of sending strong message to Tinubu that APC is not his property,” another APC lawmakers from Sokoto told The Source.

It’s not yet clear whether President Buhari will intervene in the matter despites pressures from some of his aides to show interest in who become the leaders of the two chambers.

In 2015 President Buhari plainly told the lawmakers that he was prepared to work with whoever they chose as their leaders.

Even if the president indicates more than a passing interest this time around on who become Speaker and Senate President as the case may be, the arrangement will likely fail considering the fact that the National Assembly has a history of choosing among themselves who to lead them, keen watchers of the nation’s politics told the magazine.

Meanwhile, competent sources from the camp of the ex-Lagos helmsman told the magazine that the politician is poised to have his way this time around.

Much Ado About Buhari’s Cabinet of Integrity

By

Oji Odu

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March 4, 2019

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By Oji Odu

The recent disclosure by President Muhammadu Buhari that his new cabinet will be comprised of people of integrity, has rather elicited skepticism among not a few Nigerians on what to expect on the ‘Next Level’ promise of the government, bearing in mind what many perceive as failure on the part of those that ran the first four years of his administration.

President Buhari disclosed this at a dinner organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) women and youths to celebrate his re-election. He acknowledged the vital role they played in his election victory, promising to appoint more women and youths in his second, while noting that he was still considering the older people with him

“I will not disappoint you. Our objectives are the same. We have to fix this country so that the next generation can have a country to be proud of. We are working very hard to get the infrastructure in place, the roads, the railways so that Nigerians will mind their own businesses.

“I assure you that I have listened to the representation made that my cabinet should include women and the youths. Don’t celebrate it yet; I said I have listened to some of the representation made here. Well, I myself, I’m considering some of the old people and I will protect my constituency too. But I will assure you that I will continue to have a team of people of integrity that are really concerned about Nigeria and Nigerians.”

Who are these people of integrity? Do Nigerians really know them? Have they been tested and proved to be such? Is the integrity which the President is referring to subject to his personal definition of the word which many have before now described him? Are these older people that he is considering people of integrity?

National Chairman of the Reformed All Progressives Congress(R-APC), Buba Galadima, does not want President Buhari to keep deceiving Nigerians with claims to integrity. He said that both the President and the APC do not have that in their dictionary.

“I can’t see any integrity whatsoever on the side of Mr President. Which integrity? Somebody, who condones corrupt people around him? We know of his relatives We know of his friends who were bankrupt before 2015. We know of his relatives who take N2, 000 transport from us to go to Kaduna, today they are multi-billionaires. They have assets all over the world. They have estates all over the world. I can show anybody that wants to know. So the issue of integrity with this government is not an issue.

“Go to Daura GRA, those houses that look like you are in Dubai or you are in London or Beirut, are built by who? To whom do those properties belong. So please, I don’t want anybody, any APC man to talk to me about integrity. This will be the last time anybody will engage me in a debate will talk to me about integrity. I will take them to the marketplace.”

For Segun Sowunmi, public affairs analyst and spokesperson of the Atiku Campaign Organisation, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has zero integrity.

Sowunmi said this when he featured on a Channels TV programme
alongside Festus Keyamo, spokesman of the Buhari Re-election Campaign
Organisation.

However dismissing the Buhari’s anti-graft war, he said Nigeria’s economy “ran
into a slump because of the corruption under the Buhari-led
administration.”

Sowunmi described the present administration under President
Muhammadu Buhari as having “zero integrity,” adding that “whatever arguments
they (the administration) have now about fixing the economy is laughable”.

“They say one thing in the morning, they do another. First, they said they
don’t even know the meaning of subsidy. Right now, they can’t explain to
us who is paying subsidy or who is appropriating it. Now we’re finding out
that $25 billion is somewhere lost within NNPC.

“All over the places where you turn, all the principal officers of this
government are just deep in sleaze, made worse, made totally worse, is
that they really have no care for any section of the country; When they
are not calling young people lazy, they are telling the women that their
position is just in the bedroom, whatever that meant.

“When they are supposed to be looking for ways to bring the nation
together, they are running a percentage that doesn’t even add up in
mathematics; 97 to 5. Worse is that they go all over the world shaming the whole country,
claiming that Nigeria is corrupt, even applauding other nations who call
us ‘fantastically corrupt’.”

In a chat with the Magazine, Peter Odobong, a Social commentator, said: “ Judging from the caliber of people that worked with the President during his first tenure, and who many Nigerians see as people of questionable characters judging from their utterances and allegations against them both financially and otherwise, including how he got his re-election, only President Buhari can define his integrity.

“ It will be a miracle if he appoints people with real integrity. How will he settle those who helped his re-election who are alleged to have dark clouds on their personalities? Even if he appoints those with integrity, will the system allow them to perform credibly without fear or favour? We hope integrity will not be hunting down the opposition and recovery of public funds which have translated to more hardship.”

Meanwhile, President Buhari has said that the last lap of his four years as Nigerian leader would be tough. He stated this when members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) gathered at the presidential villa to congratulate him on his victory during the last presidential election.

“My last lap of four years, I think it is going to be tough because people are being forgetful. That was why wherever I went, I reminded them of the campaign promise of our party, particularly security, as I kept on saying that you have to secure the country well and institutions.

“If you don’t secure the country, you can’t achieve anything no matter how many programmes you put in place. Secondly, on the economy, unemployment is a problem of this country as a whole. More than 60 per cent of the youths need to be kept busy. I realised that God heard our prayers.”

Ogun 2019: Royal Rumble

By

Akinwale Kasali

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March 4, 2019

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By Akinwale Kasali

With few days to the 2019 governorship election in Ogun State, politicking, alignment and re-alignment of political bigwigs is at its peak.

Canvassing and soliciting of votes from the electorates in the state is also on the high as politicians are jostling for the electorates, promising them (electorates) juicy packages in other to have their votes.

No doubt, the battle for the Oke Mosan seat will be fierce among the leading contenders which include; Allied Peoples’ Movement, APM, candidate, Abdulkabir Akinlade, All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Dapo Abiodun, African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Kashamu Buruji.

The governor of the State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who recently won the Senatorial seat, representing Abeokuta Central Senatorial District, under the All Progressives Congress, has not hide his intention to make APM’s candidate, Akinlade succeed him as the next governor of the state, which recently saw him been suspended by the APC National Working Committee, accusing of Anti-Party activities.

During last week’s rally in Abeokuta, organised by APM. Amosun was seen hoisting the flag of the party in support of his stooge, Akinlade, to the disappointment of APC’s members, who faulted the party for allowing Amosun be its candidate in the February 23rd, elections.

Dapo Abiodun on the hand is not leaving any stone unturned, as he remained confident that Amosun will fall alongside his stooge, Akinlade.

Abiodun has the presidency’s backing, which gives him an edge over other contestants for the Saturday gubernatorial poll. His rally has seen mammoth crowd rallying him around him, promising to cast their votes for him.

Senator Kashamu Buruji, the PDP candidate could be said to be one of the moneybags, who is ready to dole out cash to electorates for the election to go his way, by buying the electorates to cast their votes for him.

Buruji has promised to dole out cash to see that he becomes the next governor of the state. The magazine also learnt that APC are also flying a kite by reaching an agreement with Buruji to forfeit his governorship ambition for the APC to win the election, however becoming a spoiler for Amosun’s candidate.

This the magazine learnt will make the presidency give Buruji a clean bill of health on his extradition battle, which he has been facing for some years.

Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, aka, GNI, has he fondly called by his admirers, his coming inot this contest for the third time.

Having lost on two previous occasion to Amosun, GNI believes this is the best time to get his mandate by taking another shot to become the number one citizen of the state.

GNI is popular in the state, and have an edge over the rookies that are contesting alongside him, but the party he is using to actualise his ambition his a huge problem, political analyst insist.

GNI had previously worked with former governor Gbenga Daniel, which shows that he is not a novice when it comes to governance.

He will certainly give other contestants a good run for their money.

It is however going be a fierce battle among the four top contestants, as all hands are on the pump to know the outcome of the polls come Saturday.

The profile of the contenders are as follow:

Gboyega Nasir Isiaka

Gboyega Nasir Isiaka is from Imeko in Imeko Afon local government area of the state. He is a two-time gubernatorial candidate, both on Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) in 2011 and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015. GNI, as he is fondly called, is a 1986 first class graduate in Accounting from University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University). The 55-year-old politician served in the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the immediate past governor of the state, between 2003 and 2011, and was Group Managing Director (GMD), Gateway Holdings Plc, an investment portfolio of Ogun State.

Prince Dapo Abiodun

Prince Dapo Abiodun is an indigene of Ikenne in Ikenne local government area of the state. He is considered by aggrieved APC members as an imposition or a candidate, who emerged surreptitiously through the conspiracy of some powerful forces within the party against a rather popular choice. So, now, he has been foisted on the party whereas, to some, he does not have the clout to create any upset whatsoever, even in his Ogun East senatorial district.

Talking about strong political figures in that area, anyone conversant with the Ogun East political terrain would first mention Buruji Kashamu, the Adebutu Kessington family and of course, the Daniel factor. Of these power blocks, Abiodun is APC’s weakest links. Even if the ticket was withdrawn from Kashamu as some PDP members are currently rooting, contending with Mr. Ladi Adebutu, scion of the Adebutus in the East is still a tall order for Abiodun, given the investment of the Adebutus in that part of the state.

However, Abiodun has some very strong forces behind him like former governor Olusegun Osoba, former Lagos State governor and National Leader of the APC, Senator Bola Tinubu; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshimhole and a billionaire businessman from the north, believed to be funding him.

Senator Kashamu Buruji

Senator Buruji Kashamu is contesting the governorship seat on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He is an institution on his own in Ogun State political firmament. He has grown to become a menacing political force that must be factored into considerations, when discussing Ogun State politics.

Kashamu is contesting the ticket with Hon. Ladi Adebutu on the platform of the same party. Kashamu in relying on series of court judgements which recognize his faction till 2020 as the authentic PDP in Ogun State, but the faction does not enjoy the support of the national leadership of the party. The two factions are still in court ‘dragging’ the party ticket among themselves.

Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinalde

Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade is the governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and the anointed candidate of the outgoing governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

The governor is not hiding his preference for him. To his advantage is the fact that he is from Ogun West, the part of the state currently clamouring for governorship. He is a sitting House of Representatives member and so, he is likely to get widespread support among his people, who are considering him as being persecuted without justification. And with the backing of Governor Amosun, Ogun Central is equally sure and on lockdown for him.

In other words, the battleground for him will be the East. So, expectedly, he would simply join other candidates to slug it out in the east. The calculation in his camp is that he would hold his West for himself while Governor Amosun will hold Central for him, so whatever he gets in the East, perhaps through alliances with the like of Adebutu, would only come as an addition for him.

So, in theoretical calculations, Akinlade stands a pretty good chance to clinch victory in the Ogun 2019 poll. Nothing however lends credence to than his kick-off rally last in December with an unprecedented crowd that shook the whole town. He is currently the man to beat and certainly the issue in the election.

Fidelity Bank: Teacher, Others Win N18m In GAIM Promo

By

Bayo Bernard

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March 4, 2019

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FIDELITY Bank has again made good its promise of changing the lives of ordinary Nigerians by making them millionaires.

Oghenewajutome Ezo, a teacher is among the latest millionaires that emerged in the ongoing Get Alert in Million Promo.

The Mathematics teacher could not belief his luck when he received a whopping N3 million cash prize at the week end.

He was part of the loyal customers of Fidelity Bank who received N18 million cash prizes and 18 consolation prizes during a presentation in Lagos.

“I am a teacher. I teach physics and further mathematics. I am here today because Fidelity Bank smiled at me. At first, I thought it was a joke, so I have to call my account officer number who confirmed it was actually true. I am really happy that I am a millionaire today, ” Ezo said after receiving his prize.

The managing director/ chief executive officer of the bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo disclosed that more cash will be doled out to winners across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Okonkwo who was represented by Chijioke Ugochukwu, Executive Director, Shared Services and Products said the bank has lived up to its promise of making more millionaires in the country in the last four years.

“This is the fourth prize presentation in our GAIM season 3 Promo and our 8th promo in the last four years.

We are very proud of this promo, focusing very tightly on giving away millions, money that will improve the standard of living of our customers,” Okonkwo said.

The bank’s CEO said further that “We have two categories of draws in the GAIM season 3 promo, the monthly and the bimonthly draw and today we are here witnessing the fourth monthly and the second bimonthly draw.

We have 12 cash prize winners and 18 consolation prize winners across the entire country, 30 in all. The cash draws were in categories of N3 million, N2 million and N1 million, totaling N18 million.”

According to him “Today we are here to witness for the Lagos zone the presentation of two cash wins, one of N3 million and one of N1 million as well as the consolation prizes that are waiting to be taken away.

I will like to place on record that similar presentation will be done to all the other cash prize and consolation prize winners across the country.”

Court Case: BCO Writes EU, US; Afenifere, Ohaneze, NCF And PANDEF Back Atiku

By

Uche Mbah

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March 4, 2019

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By Uche Mbah

The Buhari Campaign Organization, BCO, has written to the International Community-specifically the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom urging them to prevail on the Presidential Candidate of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, not to go to Court over the 2019 Presidential Poll. Writing separate letters to EU, US and UK through their consulates and High Commissions in Nigeria, the group said the International Community should emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded defeat without going to Court.

“We are writing to inform you of the undemocratic tendencies of the presidential candidate of the main opposition party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar, who has chosen to take the electoral process in Nigeria backward after a peaceful and credible presidential and National Assembly elections conducted penultimate Saturday”, they wrote. “In spite of reports by foreign observers acknowledging the polls as free, fair and peaceful, the opposition party and its candidate have chosen to discredit the entire process and make the Observation Missions look as if they are biased in their assessment of the just concluded presidential poll. Apart from blatantly refusing to congratulate the winner of the said poll, President Muhammadu Buhari, the PDP and its candidate have taken the battle to court apparently to cause distractions with a view to slowing down the wheels of governance in the country. The PDP is still inciting the Nigerian public against the government of the day irrespective of the fact that President Buhari had been magnanimous in victory. He has pledged to run an all-inclusive government and has even urged us, his supporters, not to gloat or humiliate the opposition, an enjoinder we have adhered strictly to the letter. We deem it fit to draw your attention to this brazen attempt to frustrate the democratic process hoping that you will intervene by calling the PDP and its presidential candidate to order and ensure that the tenets of democracy are adhered to in the ongoing electoral process in Nigeria. Atiku should follow former President Goodluck Jonathan’s example. Nobody’s life should be sacrificed for any politician’s ambition. He should abide by the agreement signed by all presidential candidates with the National Peace Committee to accept the results of the just concluded presidential poll in good faith.”

Former President Goodluck Jonathan called Muhamadu Buhari to concede defeat in the wake of the 2015 presidential elections. He never went to court to challenge the results.

In a related development, the ethnic Nationalities has endorsed the intention of the former Vice President to go to court over the 2019 presidential election.

The Ohaneze Ndigbo led by Nnia Nwodo, Aenifere led by Ayo Adebanjo, Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF led by Edwin Clark, AND Northern Elders forum, NEF led by Ango Abdullahi, all rejected the election of President Mohammadu Buhari .

In a joint communiqué, the group urged Atiku to exhaust the entire democratic process by challenging the results in the courts as provided for in the Constitution.

“The Forum commends the statesmanship and commitment to the democratic process of the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON, Wazirin Adamawa, to exhaust the entire democratic process by challenging the results in the courts as provided for in the constitution”, the group said. “We see his decision as patriotic, responsible and ultimately the highest contribution to the democratic system. Some other person would by now be soaking ‘baboons and dogs in blood.

“The Peace Accord was ridiculed by deliberate and open abuse of organs of the state, the denial of rights of many citizens to vote and blatant abuse of all the commitments made by the administration. To decline to challenge obviously fictional figures, failures to respect key elements of the electoral process such as use of Smart Card Readers and preventing agents and observers access to all processes is to condone the massive setback which this election represents for the country. The outcome of the elections were clearly premeditated in the refusal of the President to sign the Electoral Act and the orchestrated suspension of Justice Walter Onoghen as the CJN shortly before the composition of Electoral Tribunals. The Forum calls on the judiciary to uphold the highest standards of integrity and commitment to its hallowed role by doing justice to the appeals that will come before it knowing that the eyes of the world would be on them .We are aware that attempts are being made to demoralize and intimidate the judiciary to remove a conducive context for litigations. We remind the judiciary that it is the last defence of our democratic process. We appeal to all Nigerians to continue to show faith in the democratic process and remain law-abiding as we await the decisions of the judiciary on a matter that will ultimately determine the quality of our democratic process and the nature of the nation we all call our own. We recall that in endorsing the candidature of Atiku for the election ,we did anchor our support on identifying a candidate among many good candidates we interacted with who can retool Nigeria to move on the path of development as a true federal entity ,the pattern of voting in areas where there were semi- free elections showed an overwhelming endorsements of our position by popular votes. And the polls results have shown further a badly divided polity that needs a unifier and not a divisive person as a leader. We insist Nigerians must stand firm and ensure that they are governed by a legitimate leadership.”

Meanwhile, Atiku has assembled his legal team, headed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Livey Uzoukwu.

Inaugurating the team, Atiku said through his spokesperson Paul Ibe: “I have just inaugurated my legal team and charged them with the responsibility of ensuring that our stolen mandate is retrieved. I am encouraged by the presence of fearless men and women of the Bench. The judiciary which had in the past discharged itself ably is once again being called upon to deliver judgment on this matter that will be untainted by lucre and uncowed by the threat of immoral power.”

Expressing confidence in the Judiciary, he believes that soon “these noble dispensers of justice will give a judgment that will represent a historic denunciation of electoral fraud and mandate bandit.”

Imo: Uche Nwosu May Stand Down

By

The Source

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March 2, 2019

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By Chidiebere Onyemaizu

More trouble is in the offing for the embattled outgoing governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, if feelers from the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC are anything to go by. Multiple sources close to the party hint on an outright expulsion of the governor before the March 9 governorship election.

Recall that the APC’s National Working Committees, NWC, led by its Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, at its meeting on March 1, suspended both Okorocha and the Ogun state governor, Ibukunle Amosun, over alleged anti-party activities. The NWC has, also, recommended both governors to the party’s NEC for expulsion.

“Okorocha and Amosun have to be prevented from benefiting from their brazen anti-party activities by crowning candidates of unknown parties governors”, one of the sources explained.

Uche Nwosu, Okorocha’s son-in-law, and Adekunle Akinlade, Amosun’s boy, moved to the Allied Peoples Movement, AMP and Action Alliance, AA, respectively, after losing APC guber tickets. Both candidates left on the promptings of their godfathers, governors Okorocha (Imo) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) .Nwosu decamped from the APC to AA after losing the APC guber ticket to Senator Hope Uzodinma.

Ihedioha: A coalition is working for him

Okorocha, according to reliable sources, is set to inflict mortal blow on the APC should the party insist on disgracing him further. “He is determined to go down fighting and if the APC insists on stripping him naked, he will ensure the party too goes down with him, at least in Imo state”, a prominent member of Imo APC faction loyal to the governor, told The Source.

Governor Okorocha’s suspension Friday alongside Amosun, VON DG, Osita Okechukwu and Niger Delta Minister, Uguru Usani Uguru, confirms this Magazine’s report late last year that the Adams Oshomhole-led NWC of APC was waiting for the appropriate time to strike at highly placed party chieftains it considered recalcitrant and working against the party’s interest.

Party insiders inform that the APC national leadership was not prepared to watch Okorocha and Amosun install non- party members as their successors, and at same time prance the National Assembly, Abuja, as APC Senators. Both Okorocha and Amosun are Senators-elect. The source was told that the suspension was to come early Febraury, but the fear of backlash, especially, its likely effect on the party at the presidential polls, held the party leadership back.

It was particularly feared that suspending Okorocha before the presidential election could cost President Buhari votes, no matter how meagre, in the South east.

The Source learnt that the APC was ready to sacrifice the senatorial seats of the two governors in order to stop them from having their ways at the governorship election. To this end, the expulsion hammer, it was gathered, could come down on the two governors few days to the election. Political and legal analysts suggest that since the two men were elected Senators on the platform of a political party, and are yet to take their seats in the upper chamber, their expulsion from the party that gave them victories could invalidate their election.

This magazine had reported, a few months ago, that Okorocha’s suspension and expulsion late last year by a faction of the party in the state loyal to Senator Uzodinma, would be upheld by the National Working Committee of the party.

Hope Uzodinma:Bookmakers project his victory

Meanwhile, several top members of a faction of the party sympathetic to Okorocha have told The Source that while they are not comfortable with Uche Nwosu, candidate of AA, as the governor’s successor, and are not working for him, they will not work for the APC candidate, Senator Uzodinma either.

“To this end I can confirm to you that a solid grand coalition of anti- Nwosu/AA and Uzodinma/APC is in place, and is working for Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. We reject Nwosu because the governorship of Imo state is neither a family business, nor a learning ground for political experience”, one of them told the magazine.

The Source further learnt that Okorocha is not averse to the coalition, and will be springing a surprise on the APC should the party push him further by expelling him. If the party expels him before the election, the magazine was told, the governor will ask his son-in-law to stand down, and will then go on air and ask all his supporters and those of Nwosu in AA and APC to vote PDP/ Ihedioha. It was learnt that should this scenario play out successfully and Ihedioha emerges victorious, Nwosu will be rewarded with the post of Secretary to Imo state government.

Okorocha’s trump card in checkmating APC/ Uzodinma is Orlu zone.The governor in the last National Assembly election, allegedly, won 10 out of the 12 local governments in the zone to clinch a seat to represent it in the Senate, and is hoping to use the same template of his senatorial victory to frustrate Uzodinma’s victory in the guber polls.

Ironically, both men hail from the same zone. While Uzodinma is from Omuma, headquarters of Oru East local government, Okorocha hails from Ogboko in Ideato South local government. The two councils are part of the 12 that make up Imo West senatorial district or Orlu zone.

The implication of any guber candidate in Imo having an Orlu zone in his kitty is that the zone is the largest in the state, and determines where the guber pendulum swings. Out of the 27 council areas in the state, 12 is in Orlu while Owerri and Okigwe zones share the remaining 15 between them.