APC Settles for Buhari as Presidential Candidate

Former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress Atiku Abubakar and former military Head of State and chieftain of APC, General Muhammadu Buhari.

The All Progressive Congress (APC) may have decided to settle for former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, as its presidential candidate in next year’s election.

Some of the notable leaders who spoke with Sunday Independent were of the opinion that a Buhari candidature would guarantee a lot of things, which include massive support from the Northwest and Northeast, because, according to them, most people in the North still see him as the messiah and would go out en masse to vote for him any day. They also said Buhari is perhaps the only person that has qualities that are antithetical to anyone the PDP would bring forth. This, according to them, would give the voters an alternative that would be favourable to the opposition party.

It was also gathered that the leaders are mindful of the effects a rancorous primary would have on the party and are doing everything to avoid it.

One of the leaders from the Middle Belt even said that Buhari is not only one of the leaders in the country who is not corrupt and have lived above board, he is also a unifying figure within the party.

The major headache of the party today, however, is how to conduct a credible and transparent primary in which Buhari will emerge the clear winner.

Sources said the party leadership is being very conscious that Nigerians are watching its nomination process, as a litmus test of whether or not the party will respect its own constitution and shame it’s traducers, is committed to a credible and transparent nomination process.

To this end, it was gathered that the leadership has urged all Buhari’s sympathisers within the party to redouble their efforts to ensure that he wins the Presidential ticket in a democratic manner.

“You can only envisage what would happen if the party failed to field Buhari. Remember that there are many people who joined the APC because of Buhari and they are ready to do everything for him.

“So, it’s something we have to manage very well. In fact, I can tell you emphatically that the unity of the party would be greatly affected if Buhari is not picked as our presidential candidate,” said the source, who craved anonymity because the party did not authorise him to speak on the matter.

Another party leader in a phone call from Abuja went out of his way to explain why the party would be better placed to field Buhari.

He said the leaders were well aware of the tag of a serial presidential loser placed on Buhari due to his inability to win previous elections, adding however that 2015 would be different, because of the increasing dynamics of the presidential race and the determination of APC leaders to forgo their personal interests to that of the party.

He said even though there are other presidential hopefuls in the party that are being speculated to have an ambition, like the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and the Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, he however said that the party cannot afford to take a gamble in presenting an electable candidate that can defeat the PDP.

His words: “With Buhari, we are already sure of 16 million votes; and if you look at the current spread of our party’s configuration in the country, we are going to do well in the Northwest, Northeast, North-central and very well in the Southwest.

“The only problem we are likely to have is the Southeast. The Southsouth is going to be keenly contested because of the twin-factors of Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who are top contenders for the Vice-Presidency.

“Apart from this, don’t forget that Buhari has cult followership in the North and that he lost many of states in 2011 because he did not manage the nomination process of the candidates well.

“This time around, the APC is ready to exploit these advantages in our bid to defeat President Goodluck Jonathan.”

However, this implicit endorsement of the 71-year-old former Head of State by the APC leaders has not stopped former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, Speaker Tambuwal and Governor Kwankwaso from strategising for the plum job and animating their structures.

It was gathered that even though they might not openly challenge Buhari if he decided to contest, they are not however unmindful of eventualities that could prop up their candidature before the primaries.

Sources within the party said the three contenders have formed committees and have been holding series of meeting across the country for an eventual entrance into the presidential race.

Meanwhile, substantive National Leaders of the APC are to emerge at the National Convention of the party slated for May 24.

The convention will be preceded by Ward Congresses on April 5, Local Government Congresses on April 12l and State Congresses on April 23.

The party will also not adopt zoning formula in deciding the occupiers of the offices, preferring however, to leave it open and allow people who are interested in any particular position vie for it.

Group Accuses APC Lawmakers of Demanding N135 Million Bribe from Fayose

 CRISIS seems to be brewing in Ekiti State over allegations and counter allegations of bribery levelled against All Progressives Congress, APC, members in the State House of Assembly by a group, the Ekiti Movement for Good Governance, EMGG.

The group accused the APC lawmakers of demanding a sum of N135 million to clear commissioners and local government caretaker committee members appointed by Governor Ayodele Fayose.

But in a swift reaction, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, described the allegation as blackmail and intimidation of Ekiti State House of Assembly by the state government.

He also said some lawmakers were molested for refusing to change parties as requested by Governor Ayo Fayose.

But the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi dismissed the allegation, saying Governor Fayose did not order the account of the House to be frozen nor instigated assault on any member of the House.

"The allegations are very untrue. Governor Fayose has not ordered the freezing of account of the State House of Assembly. And neither has the governor asked anybody to either insult or assault the speaker.

"The speaker is only playing politics and in the essence of that maligning the governor."

N135m bribery allegation

According to the group, the APC lawmakers were said to have demanded for the payment of their outstanding subvention of N48 million as condition to clear the commissioner nominees and the local councils caretaker committee, which Governor Fayose acceded to.

The group said the N48 million subvention had already been released to the lawmakers.

In a statement by the EMGG's Secretary, Dr Abiodun Aina, the group alleged that after collecting the N48 million subvention approved by the governor, the APC lawmakers declined to attend to the screening and confirmation of the commissioner nominees.

The group alleged that, "this morning (yesterday), the APC lawmakers were called by their party leaders in Lagos, who prevailed on them to continue with their agenda of frustrating Fayose's efforts to develop Ekiti State and render his government impossible."

The group added that "instead of performing their legislative duties, for which they are being paid by Ekiti people, the APC lawmakers are asking Governor Fayose to give each member of the House of Assembly a sum of N5 million and the Speaker, N10 million, totalling N135 million.

"In a State already ran aground by the immediate past APC government of Dr Kayode Fayemi, it is ridiculous that some people will allow themselves to be tele-guided by some foreign political merchants such that they will be asking for N135 million bribe in a State where public servants are being owed two months' salary.

"We are aware that Governor Fayose has declined this obnoxious demand, opting to concentrate the State resources on welfare of the entire people, instead of a few APC lawmakers.

"It is therefore our plea to the APC lawmakers to allow Governor Fayose to perform his duties as a governor. The lawmakers should know that they are members of Ekiti State House of Assembly and not APC or Tinubu's House of Assembly."

It's cheap blackmail -- Speaker

Reacting to the claim made by the group, the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, voiced concern over incessant blackmail and intimidation of Ekiti State House of Assembly by the state government, saying that Governor Fayose's reactions to refusal by the APC members to dump their party for PDP are going beyond approved standards of modern governance.

A statement by the Speaker's Special Adviser on Media, Wole Olujobi, said the latest allegation of demanding N135 million for the screening of Governor Fayose's commissioner-nominees was a "propaganda taken too far and went against the grains of decency in a fledgling democracy."

Omirin, who said he would not have reacted if not for the gullible public that would be deceived by lies by the Executive, expressed worry over media reports casting the House of Assembly as a stumbling block to the governor 's bid to constitute his cabinet, noted that the reports in the media on the nominees are "misleading."

He, however, stressed that the House will not be distracted from its record of integrity in making quality laws for Ekiti people as done in the last four years in making 74 laws without demanding for money.

Procedure for clearing nominees

Setting the records straight, he said: "The standard practice is to present the list of the nominees in the plenary while the nominees will follow with the submission of their credentials. They will be screened before confirmation.

"The governor sent three nominees on Monday and the list was read. Since it is a public document, we read the letter second day in the plenary. Nobody submitted any credential. We don't know the nominees. They have not submitted their credentials for the appropriate committees to screen them. It is surprising that the governor expects the House to confirm the nominees as sent. This is strange in parliamentary conduct."

Freezing of House bank accounts

Omirin, who regretted that the governor responded by freezing the bank accounts of the House of Assembly, maintained that "one arm of government cannot close down the activities of the other."

His words: "How can you elevate intimidation and blackmail to an art of governance? The Chief Judge was blackmailed that he took bribes of N20 million to stall hearing on local council development areas case and another alleged N200 million to reassign the E-Eleven's perjury case to Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi to return guilty verdict on the governor.

After the judiciary had been blackmailed to submission, it is now the turn of the parliament to be brought to its knees by blackmailing members and freezing the accounts of the House as if the House is a department in the Governor's Office."

The lawmaker further warned that the governor will have "himself to blame if he continues in his anti-democratic conducts while all members mentioned in the bribery scandal would go to court to seek justice."

He also threatened that that managements of the Ekiti radio and television would account for libel contained in their broadcasts, adding that "those involved in concocting these damaging acts will be made to account for their actions."

See the New Nigerian Commemorative N100 Notes

 

Earlier, we reported that President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, unveiled the new N100 note at his villa in Abuja.

The commemorative notes, designed in honor f Nigeria's 100 years of amalgamation, will be in circulation from December, 2014.

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) has told Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose not to give the opposition an opportunity to get at him.

Fomer Nigerian Bar Association National President, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) has told Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose not to give the opposition an opportunity to get at him.

Olanipekun gave this advice today as he paid a visit to the governor in  his Ado Ekiti office.

This was revealed by a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, and  Olanipekun  told the governor that his victory was a well deserved victory.

The statement read: “You are an achiever going by your performance during your first term in office. Your victory in the June 21 governorship election is well-deserved. You laid the foundation for the state during your first term.

“I am sure you are going to do more this time around. Don’t allow the opposition to distract you. The people of the state have not made a mistake by voting for you, as they made the right choice.“Face the implementation of the programmes you have lined up for execution as Ekiti people will not judge you by how you have replied the opposition, by what you do to improve their living standard,” the statement read.

The Ex NBA head said that the Fayose government inherited some challenges expressed but he believes that the new government will overcome.

Olanipekun also promised that he would support the Government as they aim to bless the people of Ekiti with good governance.

How 62-year-old man paid assassins N40,000 to kill son-in-law

A 62-year-old man, Dotti Jumba, has been arrested by Bauchi state police for paying N40,000 to have his son-in-law killed.

Jumba, who is from Tumbarja in Kubdia district of Gamawa Local Government Area of the state, hired assassins to eliminate his son-in-law, Ahmadu Wakili Guji.

A statement was made available to journalists in Bauchi by the police spokesman in Bauchi State Police Command, DSP Haruna Muhammed, who stated that Jumba was arrested by detectives attached to Gamawa Division on Friday, 31 October 31, at about 1pm.

Furthermore, Muhammed revealed the man allegedly contracted four people with N40,000 to kill his 28-year-old son-in-law, a resident of Matamu in Gamawa Local Government Area.

According to him, the hired killers missed their target, and killed his father.

The police spokesperson also disclosed that two other suspects, 22-year-old Sani Jumba and 20-year-old Bura Manu and two others, including the middleman who collected the money from Jumba and paid the others, were now on the run.

Female suicide bomber hits college in Nigeria's Niger State

A female suicide bomber blew herself up on Wednesday at a college in Kontagora in Nigeria's central Niger State, close to the capital Abuja, a police spokesman said.

The bomb went off as the woman was trying to enter the college's library, a witness said.

"The female suicide bomber blew herself up before reaching her target," the police spokesman told Reuters by telephone.

Lagos APC Governorship Aspirant and Fashola's Aide Arrigned For Murder

Tola Kasali, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC and Musiliu Folami, Special Adviser on Politics and Legislative Matters,to Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state were on Tuesday arraigned for murder.

According to PUNCH, Kasali’s Chief Security Officer, Tobun Abiodun was also arraigned.

The trio were arraigned before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court on a four count charge bordering on murder and unlawful possession of firearms.

The trio allegedly killed one Musiliu Lamidi, who was a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on November 9, 2014, around 2pm at Eko Tourism Hotel, Akodo, in the Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.

Police report claims that they were found in possession of a pump-action gun, with number 6381, without a valid licence issued by the appropriate authorities. The corpse of the deceased was said to have been found on the premises of one of the defendants.

Pleas were not taken at the hearing although the accused persons were granted bail and the case adjourned to December 11, 2014.