Tambuwal sue PDP, 6 others over plot to remove him from office

The Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, has approached a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to stop the Peoples Democratic Party and six others from removing him from office.

Aminu Tambuwal

This came on the heels of his historic defection from the ruling PDP to the All Progressives Congress during the week.

The Speaker, who dressed in white flowing gown popularly called agbada and a white cap to match, was accompanied to the court premises by his supporters. He left the court premises shortly after completing the process with his lawyers.

The six other respondents in the suit are the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Muazu; the House of Representatives, the Deputy Speaker of the House, the Inspector-General of Police, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Tambuwal prayed the court to hold that he still remains a member of the House of Representatives and its Speaker.

He further explained that he was elected the House’ Speaker on June 6, 2011 by members of the House, not because he was a member of the PDP, but by virtue of his being a member of the House.

He further explained that he had been a member of the New PDP faction of the party when it became factionalised late last year. He added that his faction of the PDP merged with the APC on November 26, 2013 and that by virtue of the merger he became a member of the APC.

According to the Speaker, the PDP still remains factionalised in his home state of Sokoto. This, he said, informed his decision to defect.

He also asked the court to grant an order of injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from taking any step to remove him from office as Speaker and member of the House or in any manner.

He said, “I know as a fact that all efforts to harmonise the factions of the PDP in my home state in Sokoto has failed as there are still factions in the state. I informed the members of the 3rd defendant (House of Reps) while announcing my decision to join the New PDP faction, who merged with the 2nd plaintiff (APC) that my membership of the 2nd plaintiff was based on the circumstances in my home state.”

Tambuwal further stated that since he announced his defection, the PDP and its Chairman have consistently threatened to declare his seat vacant and withdraw all rights and benefits including security details attached to him.

The Speaker is praying the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from taking any step or further steps to abrogate or diminish or take away or interfere with or infringe his rights and privileges as Speaker and a member of the House before the expiration of his term of office on June 5, 2015.

He is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from accepting any nomination of candidates or otherwise organising or conducting a bye-election for the purpose of replacing him or taking over his seat as Speaker and member of the House before the expiration of his current tenure of office on June 5, 2015.

Tambuwal equally prayed the court to grant an order of mandatory injunction compelling the IGP and AGF to restore his security details and all other rights, benefits and opportunities appurtenant to members of and office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Speaker also seeks a declaration that the decisions or threatened decisions of all the defendants, except INEC, purporting or planning and or attempting to declare the seat of the 1st plaintiff in the 3rd defendant vacant as a member and Speaker thereof, is unlawful, unconstitutional and ultra vires the powers of the defendants

He is also seeking for a declaration that he remains a member and the Speaker of the 3rd defendant until the expiration of his current term of office on June 5, 2015 notwithstanding his membership of APC unless he is removed in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Razak Atunwa, have decried the withdrawal of the security details attached to Tambuwal by the Federal Government.

They described the withdrawal as unconstitutional and an executive rascality.

El-Rufai said it was a deliberate plot by the Federal Government to kill Tambuwal.

The former minister alleged that Tambuwal was one of the targets of snipers being purportedly trained by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had, in an open letter to Jonathan last year, alleged that the President was training snipers for the purpose of killing some prominent Nigerians.

Addressing journalists on Friday shortly after he picked his expression of interest and nomination forms as the All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Kaduna State, El-Rufai insisted that Tambuwal was one of the targets of the President’s killer-squad, saying, “That was why the Inspector-General of Police, on the order of Jonathan, withdrew his security aides.”

Atunwa told journalists in Ilorin that in as much as Tambuwal remained the Speaker, it was wrong to strip him of the security perequisites of his office. A group, the Ndigbo Unity Forum, also condemned the withdrawal, saying that the action reminded Nigerians the dark days of the military regime.

The Forum’s President, Mr. Augustine Chukwudum, told Saturday PUNCH on Friday that the incident happened when Nigerians had forgotten the dictatorship of the military government.

The APC on Friday also warned the Federal Government against compounding illegality by inducing members of the House of Representatives to sign a paper seeking to reconvene the House ahead of the December 3rd adjourned date.

The party said in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja that it heard from the grapevine that the Federal Government was inducing lawmakers with a view to reconvening the House.

This, the party said, would amount to piling illegality upon illegality since only a resolution by all principal officers of the House could reconvene the House.

For defecting to the APC, the PDP has vowed to remove Tambuwal, at all cost via legal means.

Speaking in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Thursday, the National Secretary of the party, Prof. Wale Oladipo, described Tambuwal as “a shameless political nomad and charlatan,” who is out to create problems for the country and President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said, “The PDP will use all legal means to get our right to produce the Speaker. We will not foreclose any possibility in ensuring that we get the speakership, which rightly belongs to us.

“Tambuwal should not only vacate the Speaker’s position, he must vacate the Federal House of Representatives because the people of his constituency voted for the PDP and not for him. It was the logo of the party that the people voted for and not Tambuwal. He should go for a bye-election. If he is sure of himself, he should resign and contest again. If he wins, good luck.

“It is morally reprehensible for him to defect from the PDP and still hold on to the position of the Speaker because he was elected as Speaker as a result of the fact that his party at the time, the PDP, was in the majority.

“Tambuwal has embarked on a perilous journey that will lead to his political oblivion. He is a problem to the country. He defied party’s directive on the speakership and teamed up with the All Progressives Party to take away a position that belongs to the Yoruba.”

Commenting on the possibility of removing the Speaker through an impeachment process, Oladipo, who described impeachment as a parliamentary affair, however, maintained that the PDP legislators in the House “know what is good for the country and as patriotic Nigerians, they’ll do the needful. We will react within the confines of the laws of the land.”

Tambuwal had during plenary on Tuesday told his colleagues that he heeded the calls of members of his constituency to dump the PDP.

The Speaker said, “Based on the provision of the 1999 Constitution, and having regard to the development of the PDP in my own state, Sokoto, I hereby announce my membership of the APC.”

The defection ended months of speculation over his political future.

A Board of Trustees member of the PDP, Alhaji Shuaib Oyedokun, said the House should reconvene immediately even as he maintained that the Speaker should be recalled forthwith.

He said, “The House should convene immediately. They (House) have to call the Deputy Speaker to reconvene immediately. This period when the Speaker adjourned the parliament should be used to consider the budget.

“This is a period leading to an election year. This will affect budget presentations by various agencies such as the Independent National Electoral Commission and security organs and others.”

Describing Tambuwal’s action as unpatriotic, Oyedokun, who spoke in a telephone interview, said the defection was executed to cripple the Jonathan-led administration and the parliament.

“It is morally wrong for Tambuwal to still hold on to the position of the Speaker. If you want to rule a country, you don’t need to dismantle the country. The PDP will certainly not fold its hands. The PDP will react. Nigerians too should react; how can someone close the parliament down? We (PDP) will look at all possible options. Whatever the party chooses would be constitutional.”

Another member of the BoT, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said Tambuwal had embarked on a political gamble which he would regret.

Babatope, who spoke on the telephone on Thursday, stressed that the Speaker had “taken a decision that will be disastrous to his political life.

“This is a mark of disorder. The honourable thing for him to do is to resign, otherwise, history will not judge him well.

“The PDP will study the situation very well and get loyal party members to queue behind the party. The PDP will have the last laugh. The position should be given back to the choice of the PDP, Mulika Akande. The South-West has been cheated.”

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the PDP-led Federal Government which withdrew the speaker’s security details on Thursday, is determined to elevate loyal party members in the house.

Members of the opposition APC are however not prepared to take things lying low. Counter moves are also under the way as APC dared the President, warning that there would be grave consequences if the PDP attempted to induce lawmakers to remove Tambuwal as being planned.

Viewed 1 times
Tambuwal sue PDP, 6 others over plot to remove him from office

The Amaechi I know must be regretting joining APC now –Nyesom Wike

The immediate past Minister of State, Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, in this interview with OLALEKAN ADETAYO, speaks on his ambition to become the governor of Rivers State, his quarrel with Governor Rotimi Amaechi and his stewardship as a minister

Nyesom Wike

How will you respond to those who hold the view that by resigning your ministerial position for your governorship ambition, you are leaving certainty for uncertainty?

If you say I left certainty for uncertainty, you are asking whether I am sure of winning the election. What you should understand in life is that there is nothing that you partake in that does not involve risk. Every human endeavour involves taking risk. However, this type of risk, I can tell you, is the one that has a success rate of 80 per cent and a failure rate of 20 per cent. So I will say that I am not leaving certainty for uncertainty.

The Peoples Democratic Party is the predominant party as far as Rivers State is concerned. So there is no fear for anything. The structure is on ground. What we need to do is to work with everybody to ensure that the All Progressives Congress does not go back to the Government House although we know that it was the mandate of the PDP that the governor took to the APC.

The current governor is said to be doing well. What new things are you planning to bring on board if elected governor of Rivers State in 2015?

We are bringing so many things. We will ensure good governance. Good governance is not only about constructing roads. Good governance also includes or respect for the rule of law. Look at the state House of Assembly, today, state lawmakers sit in the Government House. So they are at the beck and call of the governor. Whenever he wants them to sit and approve something for him, they sit in the Government House and do it. Thereafter, they adjourn.

That is not democracy. We will give the legislature the required independence.

We will also give the traditional rulers their deserved respect. We will also give attention to infrastructure. Take for instance, there are only two roads in Rivers: Ekwere Road and Aba Road. Port Harcourt roads are bad, go and check. Look at the schools too. As the Minister of State, Education, I had to apply to the Presidency to intervene in some schools. We have been able to intervene in not less than 20 schools in the state.

So, as far as education is concerned, the state government will just build one modern primary school along the road and showcase it to every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes into Rivers State. Meanwhile, these schools are not in the rural areas. What the governor does is to build some of these schools on the road to deceive people that more schools have been given a facelift. Look at the health sector, all the general hospitals are dead. No one is functioning.

Look at how the government has wasted millions of naira talking about the mono rail. Is that what the people need now? What traffic are they going to curtail From what point to what point? Where the mono rail is, there is no single traffic. There is no population there and it is not more than 2km. As I speak to you, the mono rail is stalled. Each day, they advertise that they are on course. As I speak to you now, when they read this interview, they will tell workers the next day to move there so that people will see them working.

Look at the Karibi Whyte Hospital, the governor demolished the teaching hospital we used to have in Port Harcourt and said he was going to build a 1000-bed hospital. As I speak to you, nobody knows where that hospital is located. We have a lot of things to do, particularly in building our people’s confidence. Everybody has lost confidence in Amaechi’s administration. That is where we are. So, there are so many things that we are going to do and we are going to drastically pursue them. I have talked about the education sector, health sector, judiciary, etc.

We have a stadium within the city, he abandoned that stadium and said he was going to build a new stadium where there are no people living yet. That is to just let it be that he built a stadium, meanwhile there is Liberation Stadium in the city.

How will you react to reports that the political calculation in the state does not support an Ikwerre man becoming the governor after Amaechi who is also from Ikwerre?

Who does the calculation? Politics is all about propagating theories. If you say it does not favour one area, which area does it favour? I do not want to become governor because I am an Ikwerre man. It has to be put in perspective that I want to become governor to redeem my party, to make sure that APC which has no business to be in Rivers State is gone forever.

I don’t want to see myself as running because I am an Ikwerre man. I want to see myself as running because I have something to offer, to make a change for Rivers State to become the state that people want it to be.

PDP is not the ruling party as it is today in Rivers State. As an opposition party, what you are required to do is to field a candidate that has the capacity to match the ruling party for it to be able to take over the machinery of government. Opposition parties do not talk about whose turn it is. You only talk about whose turn it is when you are in government. The circumstance the PDP found itself today is such that it must go for whoever has the capacity and the confidence of the electorate to win the election. That is what the PDP needs.

All these talks are the imagination and propaganda of the APC government in Rivers State because they know who to be afraid of. They have said bringing out Wike is a walk-over for them, so we are helping them to win. They should not bother themselves.

How will you rate your performance as a minister?

How will I set examination for myself and mark it? Those of you who are out there should be able to know. When we were given the opportunity, did we make any impact? But as a human being and with the kind of support I got from my colleagues and the President, I think we did make a lot of impacts, particularly at the basic education level.

You can see it everywhere. Take for example, when we came on board, how many people wanted to go to Unity Colleges? But now, look at the huge number that apply to go to the colleges, not less than 200,000 for only 20,000 capacity. That confidence has been brought back. There were so many changes brought to the colleges, employing new teachers, putting basic infrastructure that were hitherto not there.

It was when we came on board that we pursued the issue of almajiri education; it was not there before. The issue of girl education was tackled. We are not saying we have achieved what we ought to achieve but we can see the progress that we have made. Look at the issue of vocational schools not only for skill acquisition but also for basic education. Fundamental changes and innovations have been put in place during our administration.

What were the personal efforts you put in to resolve the crisis between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities?

For me, it is not a personal thing. It was a collective effort put together by the government. The President in particular played a lot of role; although it was when I was there as the Supervising Minister of Education that the matter was resolved. Prof. Ruqqayatu Rufai did a lot before she left. I continued from there. We thank God that we were able to resolve it but I cannot say it was my personal effort. But as the then Supervising Minister, obviously, I did make a lot of impact to see that the strike was called off. But fundamentally, the President played a very crucial role in resolving that impasse.

How do you feel when people speak harshly about the quality of Nigerian graduates, describing them as half-baked?

Well, because of the quality of education we have had, you know that education was bad in the past 10 to 20 years. That is why it is not easy for you to see a turn-around immediately, it takes time. That is why the Federal Government is injecting fund to revitalise not just the higher institutions but also the primary education because if you get it wrong at the primary education level, it will be difficult at the tertiary level.

Lack of basic infrastructure is a problem. Lack of qualified teachers is also a problem. The Federal Government has been able to focus on these issues: infrastructure and quality of teachers. Training and re-training of teachers, making sure that teachers are availed with current happenings and are able to compete globally with their colleagues. You can see today that out of 13 centres of excellence by the World Bank, Nigeria alone has 10. Ten Nigerian universities are centres of excellence for research purposes. It has never happened before.

Back to Rivers politics, is it true that Governor Amaechi was instrumental to your appointment as a minister?

It depends on what you mean by being instrumental. He sent more than 10 names to the President for nomination and my name was one of those names. The word “instrumental” may be difficult because people have submitted names and Mr. President rejected such names.

He may be right after all by accusing you of stabbing him in the back?

That is a laughable thing. When you say “betrayal” and “stabbing,” we must have agreed on something. Maybe he said when you go to that place, do this and now you are not doing that. Or that there is something we agreed on that I refused to implement, that is when you can talk of stabbing or betrayal. Did he tell me that as I go to the Federal Executive Council, I should oppose Mr. President’s policies and I am not doing that? Did he tell me that as I get to that place, he will leave the PDP and I will have to join him? So when he says stabbing and betrayal, one should ask what actually he is talking about. Or is he expecting that as he is taking on Mr. President and ridiculing the office of the President, I should have supported that? Is it that because I did not support him in abusing the President and his office, I have stabbed Amaechi and betrayed him?

Look at the person talking about betrayal. Everybody in this country knows that Governor Amaechi was not in the state, he was in Ghana. Most of the people who are running around Amaechi now were nowhere to be found. I challenge anybody. I know that when I did my thanksgiving, when God saved me from the hands of those who wanted to assassinate me, the governor said one quality I have is that I am a man of character. He is on tape. He said this because when he was in Ghana, I championed his fight here. I knew what was on ground. There was everything for me to have betrayed him and I did not do that. So is it when he became a governor that I will start betraying him? When I had all the opportunity to betray him, I did not do that. It is laughable. I championed his re-election, I did not betray him. It was a big hell. You see, in politics, when you disagree with somebody, the only way you describe it is that the person has betrayed you. Where is the betrayal? If you hear the circumstance of my appointment as a minister, you will know who really betrayed who. If not by God’s grace, I won’t have been a minister. You can submit somebody’s name and go back to say that he is not the person you want. You can submit somebody’s name and the State Security Service will disqualify the person and you will come back to tell the person that it is no longer your business since it is the SSS that disqualified him. We know what happened in my case. So who actually betrayed who? Amaechi stabbed me in the back after I had passed through what I passed through for him and with him. When he got the power, he now saw that I was a threat. People started telling him that this man that did everything and made sure you became a governor, what you should do first is to edge him out.

You worked with the governor as his Chief of Staff and the Director-General of his campaign organisation, what is the cause of this current disagreement?

When he saw that I was to run for Senate, he denied me that with the hope that he was going to run for Senate in 2015. Unfortunately or fortunately for him, he became the chairman of the Governors Forum. He then saw the forum as an avenue to really launch his political aspiration in the country, which is now manifesting. The whole essence of Amaechi was not really to make me a minister, he believed that if he sent me out of the state, my influence would be cut and I would lose the support of the people because I will not always be there. He does not understand that God does not work that way. While he pushed me away so that I would not be relevant in the state, he did not know that God had a different plan. God said you are not just pushing him away, you are making Nigerians to know him more. Before he knew it, it was too late for him.

So it was like ‘let me push him out’ and God turned it around. He lobbied that I should be given a Minister of State. Of course, as a Minister of State, what are your powers? But God does not work that way. The whole thing is ‘take him out of the state, I will see how he wants to do whatever he wants to do. I will be free to put anybody I want to be the governor. If this man is in the state, he will likely give me a problem, so let me push him out.’ But pushing me out even became more problem for him.

With this glaring difference between you and the governor, is there any possibility of the two of you reconciling and becoming best of friends again?

The issue of best of friends is neither here nor there. We are both in different political parties. I think one day, he will realise that he has made a mistake and come back to the party that produced him. The party that made him to be speaker for eight years, the party that made him to be governor for almost eight years and the party that made him whatever he is today. I believe knowing him well, at his most quiet moment, he is regretting. Also knowing him well for his ego, he will say instead for him to do that, people will now know that he has lost his conscience, so he will remain where he is. If not that, if you ask him very well, he knows that he made a terrible mistake.

Like I said, PDP is a family, we will welcome anybody, prodigal sons can change. There is nothing wrong in forgiving him.

The Grassroots Development Initiative is an association you are sponsoring in the state to add to the political strength of the PDP. Do you think the group is achieving this aim?

Absolutely yes. That is what you can see today. Before now when Amaechi was in the PDP, we knew it, we saw it coming. We did not have the capacity to use the PDP to mobilise. So we formed this association to use it to mobilise, knowing well that he would one day jump ship. We want to ensure that the PDP does not die. So when he was moving out, the GDI became the strength of PDP. That is why we can talk about PDP in Rivers State. A party that has no governor, a party that people thought it was over when the governor jumped ship. GDI has done tremendously well.

How do you react to reports that the group is responsible for some of the political violence recorded in some of the local government areas of the state, especially in Obio/Akpor, Etche and recently in Port Harcourt and of course in Abuja?

What was the violence in Obio/Akpor? APC wanted to hold a rally and the police said they did not obtain permission, which is the normal thing to do. Where is the violence in Port Harcourt?

In Abuja, we came here for the reintegration committee. I was there and those who petitioned were there. A BoT member was there, former governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, was there, all National Assembly members were there, all assembly members were there. They were there to make presentations to the committee. Where was the violence?

You know that in politics, we can be here discussing while supporters may be quarreling outside. So where is the violence? Of course, they may be struggling to come in. Those are natural things in politics. Did it affect us not to do what we were doing? Did it stop the panel from taking reports from people? It did not. So I don’t know the violence they are talking about. GDI is not a violent group.

What is your response to insinuations that you are a stooge to the President and his wife?

What is the meaning of a stooge? Stooge to do what? Do I need to wait for the President to tell me that somebody wants to cut short my political participation? Do I have to wait for the wife of the President to tell me that I should participate actively in politics? We are not kids here. Does the President need to tell me to go to court to realise our mandate? So, if I am the President’s stooge in Rivers State, who are his stooges in other states? I am very happy with the kind of President we have: very calm, very humble. We decided not to even tell the President when we were fighting this war because he is somebody who does not believe that there should be crisis.

But for us, we know Amaechi very well. My father tells me that when a mad man flogs you, one mistake you must not make is to start running. When you are running, the mad man will continue to flog you. But if a mad man flogs you, take something and hit the mad man back. He will feel the pain and he will start running. That is what is happening in Amaechi’s case. One mistake you must not make is to allow him intimidate you. So, I am not a stooge to anybody. Mr. President has never called me one day to go and fight Amaechi, neither has his wife done that.

As the primaries of the PDP draw nearer, what are you expecting as an aspirant?

You don’t prepare for examination because it holds tomorrow. You start preparing for examination from the day your lecture starts. The problem of most people is that they only prepare for election when the timetable is out. For those of us who know politics, we have been involved in it. We have started participating from time, to make ourselves available to the party, to make sure that we build the party to make it strong. You can see the difference. A student who starts preparing from the first day of lecture and a student who starts preparing because there is examination cannot be the same.

I have never asked anybody to impose me and I don’t want any imposition. What I want is for people to test their popularity; that is internal democracy. But a situation where somebody will come and tell you that it is his father’s turn, therefore somebody should not run for election, is that democracy?

Our team is quite sure today that if they do free and fair election in Rivers State, we will win very well. We are ready to face anybody in the election. Even at the general election, we are ready for the APC. They know we are ready, that is why APC people cannot sleep. The members can’t sleep and so they planted their moles in the PDP to cause problems, to say that it is the turn of A or B, when they know that we are in the opposition.

Viewed 1 times
The Amaechi I know must be regretting joining APC now –Nyesom Wike

Boko Haram Releases New Video, Debunks Ceasefire And Says Kidnapped Girls Married Off

The leader of Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, has released a new video, a military source in Maiduguri confirmed to SaharaReporters.

According to the source, in the new video Shekau dismissed the much-publicized ceasefire with the Nigerian government as announced by Nigeria’s military chief, Alex Badeh, whose hometown of Vintim was captured today in Adamawa State.

On the 200th day since they were kidnapped, Shekau also said the 219 Chibok secondary schoolgirls have been married to members of the sect.

Shekau further said some of the girls, who earlier refused to convert, have finally accepted Islam.

Viewed 1 times
Boko Haram Releases New Video, Debunks Ceasefire And Says Kidnapped Girls Married Off

El-Rufai accuses FG of plan to kill Tambuwal

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, in Kaduna on Friday said the withdrawal of the security details of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, was a plot by the Federal Government to eliminate him(Speaker).

El-rufai

The former Minister, who accused President Goodluck Jonathan of masterminding the withdrawal of Tambuwal security aides, alleged that the Speaker was one of the targets of snipers being purportedly groomed by agents of the government.

Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo had in his open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan last year alleged that agents of the Federal Government was grooming snipers that would target some prominent Nigerians.

Speaking to newsmen after picking his expression of interest and nomination forms as an All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Kaduna on Friday, the former minister claimed that the Speaker was one of the targets of the killer squad.

“That was why the Inspector-General of Police, on the order of Jonathan(president), withdrew the Speaker security aides,” he added.

Warning that no harm must befall the Speaker, the former minister noted that it was irresponsible on the part of the Inspector-General of Police and the Federal Government to have withdrawn the Speaker’s security details.

The APC chief explained that the withdrawal was done deliberately so as to pave the way for the “killer squad” to eliminate the Speaker for defecting to the APC.

According to el-Rufai, the removal of the Speaker’s security is part of the continuation of the Jonathan-led government’s penchant for impunity.

The former Minister, however, reminded the Jonathan government that impunity had limitations, saying that the Nigeria government should learn from Burkina Faso when the people were fed up with the government.

El-Rufai said, “The withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security aides is on the order of the President Goodluck Jonathan. The IG doesn’t act that way. The president ordered the IG to order the removal. Its just the continuation of the Jonathanian impunity.

“This people have no respect for the law. They have no respect for rules. They think they are in power to abuse their control of coercive instruments of power and we should warn them that impunity has limits. If anything happens to Tambuwal(Speaker), the whole world would hold them responsible.

” He(Speaker) was on the list of those to be taken out by snipers. So, if anything happens to him, we know that it was done intentionally so that this will succeed.

“They should look across Burkina Faso and see what is happening when a government overstays its welcome or engages in wanton impunity. They should learn from history. I think it is very irresponsible on the part of IG and the government to do that.”

He also warned the police and other security agents to desist from being partisan in the run-up to 2015 general elections, saying Nigerians were fed up with the current government of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Viewed 1 times
El-Rufai accuses FG of plan to kill Tambuwal

Tambuwal: APC warns against attempt to reconvene House

The All Progressives Congress has warned the Federal Government to desist from “compounding illegality” by compelling members of the House of Representatives to sign a paper seeking to reconvene the House ahead of the December 3 adjourned date.

Tambuwal, Tinubu

This was contained in a statement in Abuja on Friday by APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The party said, ”We have heard from the grapevine that the FG is inducing legislators with a view to reconvening the House, but this will amount to piling illegality upon illegality since only a resolution by all principal officers of the House can reconvene the House.

”We cannot put anything beyond a government that will unlawfully withdraw the security details of the country’s number four citizen, who has not been removed as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, simply because he defected from the ruling party to the opposition. For as long as he remains Speaker, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is entitled to all the statutory perks of his office.”

APC accused the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government of “ruling by vindictiveness,” rather than in accordance  with the rule of law.

It added, “Despotism, arbitrariness and impunity are the watch words of the Jonathan administration, hence it has

desecrated most national institutions, including the judiciary, and has now put the legislature in its cross hair.

”The legislature is one of the last standing institutions after the onslaught of the ravaging Jonathan Administration, which has nothing but contempt for the concept of the separation of powers, the rule of law and perception of the country by the international

community.

”For this government, it is power for the sake of power, not for the achievement of anything ennobling. That is why the police and State Security Service details of a man, who remains the country’s number four, can be removed without consideration to what the law says.

“That is why public funds will be used to induce lawmakers to sign for the reconvening of the House when it is clear that only the principal officers, and not even the Speaker alone, can reconvene the House before the adjourned date.”

Viewed 1 times
Tambuwal: APC warns against attempt to reconvene House

Civilian JTF beheads 41 Boko Haram in Gur village

Forty one members of the Islamic fundamentalist group, Boko Haram, were beheaded by the vigilante group in a Borno village, Gur, it was gathered on Friday.

A member of the youth vigilance group in the area, Mala Yusuf, recounted that after a failed attack on Sabon Gari in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno state, a combined team of military men and members of the vigilance group otherwise know as Civilian JTF, went after the insurgents and killed 41 of them.

He said the militants were pursued from Sabon Gari, in Damboa Local Government to Gur area around Mandafuma village, in Biu Local Government Area, where they engaged the sect members in a gun battle which lasted for about two hours.

He said after the clash, 41 members of the sect were killed.

He said as a proof that they were killed, the youth vigilance members severed the heads of the terrorists and brought their heads to show to the public.

He said,  “The vigilance beheaded the insurgents after the shootout and took their heads to Biu to show the people that the Boko Haram insurgents are human and not some beasts and so, people should not fear them but to join hands with security operatives to ensure that the sect, who are enemies of Islam and the people of Nigerians, are defeated.

We heard that the insurgent went to attack Sabon Gari, where people are just returning to their homes after three months of exile as internally displaced persons in various camps across the state. We went after them to foil the planned attack.

“We were able to repell them and seeing that they headed towards Mandafuma in Biu Local Government, we went after them and we were able to ambush them at Gur.

“We engaged them in fierce battle with the soldiers and 41 of them were killed, one of them was taken alive.”

Viewed 1 times
Civilian JTF beheads 41 Boko Haram in Gur village

Jang suspends Plateau varsity vice chanchellor

Plateai State Giverbor, Mr. Jonah Jang, has suspended the Vice Chancellor of the Plateau State University, Bokkos, recently rechristened Solomon Lar University, Prof. Danjuma Sheni

Our correspondent gathered that Sheni was suspended because of what the governor described  as an “inappropriate behaviour.”

A statement from the office of the Secretary to the State Government on Thursday, did not however elaborate on what  was termed an “inappropriate behaviour.

Our correspondent gathered that the action might be connected to the reappointment of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Dadi Davou.

The VC had been having a running battle with the Pro Chancellor, Ptof. Sam Ale, who is an in-law to the governor, over the utilisation of the university funds and alleged interference with university administration.

The matter came to a head when a group of teachers in the university petitioned anti-graft bodies, alleging shady contract deals in the school.

Matters worsened when the governor, as the Visitor to the university, ordered the reappointment of  Davou, an action said to have violated the university laws.

Davou, who was on sabbatical with the university, was appointed the DVC for a term of two and half years.

On the expiration of his appointment, the governor, as the Visitor, had reappointed Davou without the consent of the Senate, prompting some members of the Senate to file an action against Davou’s reappointment.

The new development, some lecturers alleged, was the second time Jang was interfering in the administration of the institution.

On September 7, 2007, few months after his election, the governor had ordered the suspension of academic activities in the school, sacking the then pioneer Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Wade, and sending  over 500 students to the streets.

However Wade was reinstated and the school reopened after a three-year long legal tussle.

Viewed 1 times
Jang suspends Plateau varsity vice chanchellor

Deputy Speaker In Trouble For Hosting Tambuwal

DEPUTY Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Emeka Ihedioha, appears to have landed in trouble, for hosting the Speaker, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, to a reception, after the latter’s defection to opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

Emeka Ihedioha and Tambuwal

Sources in the National Assembly told the Nigerian Tribune that President Goodluck Jonathan and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were angry with the Deputy Speaker for hosting Tambuwal to a warm reception, few hours after the Speaker defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to APC.

But the spokesman of Ihedioha, Oke Epia, on Thursday, said the allegation that Ihedioha hosted Tambuwal was not true.

He stated that the duo could meet as presiding officers of the House and not as party members.

“Are they saying the deputy speaker is no longer a chieftain of the PDP? I can tell you that his loyalty is unshaken. He remains committed to PDP. These are political times and all sort of things could be raised by political opponents,” he said.

Sources, however, said the meeting between Tambuwal and Ihedioha took place at the Deputy Speaker’s guest house in Pope John Paul Street, off Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja.

“Ihedioha has been asked to explain whose master he has elected to serve; because we cannot understand why he chose to host Tambuwal to a warm reception, a few hours after he defected from our party to APC.

“Is the deputy speaker with us or he is planning to move to APC with his boss? The PDP deserves an answer from him,” a source said.

The source further said at this “critical moment of political decision,” President Goodluck Jonathan wanted to be very clear on whose side Ihedioha belonged.

Viewed 1 times
Deputy Speaker In Trouble For Hosting Tambuwal

Eight Igbo Men arraigned in Cambodia for drug trafficking

BY HAY PISEY

The Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Thursday charged eight Nigerian nationals with drug trafficking following their arrest in Phnom Penh on Sunday night for possession and distribution of crystal methamphetamine, but their interrogation will continue as police try to identify other members of their distribution ring, officials said.

Nigerians arrested in Cambodia for drug trafficking

The men were arrested at three separate locations in the city after undercover anti-drug police set up a deal to purchase 100 grams of crystal methamphetamine from one of the alleged distributors at an address in Daun Penh district.

Deputy municipal prosecutor Sieng Sok said that he charged the Nigerian nationals, who were in Cambodia illegally, with drug trafficking on Thursday morning and sent the case to an investigating judge.

Yin Panharith, acting chief of the Ministry of Interior’s anti-drug police Bureau 9, which carried out the bust, said the suspects would be sent to the court again today to be questioned by the investigating judge, but that the men remained in police custody as they were still being interrogated.

“They are still under my temporary supervision, but they will be sent to the court tomorrow,” Mr. Panharith said.

Drugs trafficking, The drugs

He added that questioning of the suspects had led police to request further arrest warrants for at least two other Nigerian nationals, who police believe have been importing crystal methamphetamine from Africa for up to three years in 20- to 30-kg shipments.

“The Nigerian gang operates with three to five ringleaders that each have five to 10 people working under them who sell the drugs. We have already sent documents to the court to get arrest warrants for more of the suspects involved,” he said.

He added that investigators had pinpointed two other alleged drug smugglers and dealers, but they escaped when his officers headed to arrest them shortly after apprehending the other men on Sunday.

“We have their names and photos and know who one of them is, and I believe we will have them arrested within a week to 10 days,” he said.

A ninth Nigerian national arrested on Sunday, who is a legal resident of Cambodia and plays football with NagaCorp FC, was later released after police determined he was not involved in the drug ring.

Viewed 1 times
Eight Igbo Men arraigned in Cambodia for drug trafficking

Why I go to beer parlour every Friday – Fayose

Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has said he patronises drinking joints every Friday in order to get close to the ‘common man’ in the state.

Fayose, Govenor elect in Ekiti State

The governor said this in Abuja on Thursday while defending the concept of “stomach infrastructure” introduced by his government.

He told journalists that it would be wrong to assume that stomach infrastructure meant only sharing of food and money to the people.

Fayose said, “I also go to beer parlour on Fridays to stay with the common men there. Governance is not church; it is about diverse characters and you must relate with them as such.

“Christmas is coming, why do people go out of their ways to be shopping or doing other things if it is not just to make people merry?

“So, I’m grooming chicken, buying rice, yams, plantain, and the rest of them. I am sure if I give them to families during the festive period, they will be happy. So, stomach infrastructure is a way of life.”

The governor said that most people who committed crime did so because they felt that life was no longer worthy of living for them and that there was no one to tell them that there is life for them.

He said it was because of this that he set up a department for stomach infrastructure and also appointed a special assistant and a personal assistant on it.

“So, my style, without apology, is that stomach infrastructure is a way of life for me, I will relate well with my people to alleviate poverty and hunger,” he added.

He said that the welfare of the people in the society mattered, hence his condemnation of spending N3.3bn on the building of Governor’s House by his predecessor, ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi.

“That is not to condemn or fight anybody but I have another instance, the University of Ado Ekiti has most of its courses yet to be accredited and they needed about N800m to sort out those problems, will the governor be living in affluence when the whole state is in darkness?,” he asked.

On the face-off between him and members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, the governor said he was already discussing with the speaker.

He said he was sure that the leadership of the House was ready to work with him.

He said, “I am an experienced governor and I know the game. Very soon, my House of Assembly will be together, working to keep the ground running; they want to work with me and I want to work with them.”

Viewed 1 times
Why I go to beer parlour every Friday – Fayose

Tambuwal remains the speaker of the House, says Ozekhome

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA – Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Constitutional lawyer and human rights activist in his reaction said, “Section 68 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution as altered, merely prohibits carpet crossing or defection from the original sponsoring political party to another. Where that happens, a member of the Senate or House of Representatives is to vacate his seat.

Mike Ozekhome

“Though the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal has decamped from PDP to APC, he has not yet been pronounced upon as having lost his seat in the House. For now, it is presumptuous. Even at that, we should rise above the level of petty politics and do the right thing by not desecrating our institutions and the quintessence of our democratic culture through actions that call to question the institutions of the Nigeria Police and the National Assembly.

“Tambuwal remains the speaker of the House, at least till December 3, when the House resumes Plenary. He has not been impeached. He remains the number four (4) person in Nigeria. He therefore deserves full complement of security, not because of his person as an ordinary Nigerian, but as the Speaker of the lower House, the 4th person in order of protocol.

“If the speaker can show that his defection is as a result of a division in PDP, or that PDP has lost its identity because of its merger with another Political party, he will be excused by the proviso to Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution. For now, the Police should immediately restore his security aids without much ado.

Also some Senators yesterday reacted to the withdrawal of security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal over his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC, by the Inspector-General of Police, Abba Ibrahim.

As most of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senators that were contacted refused to talk, saying that it was a sensitive matter and that their comments may not go down well with the position of their party (PDP), Senators of the opposition political parties condemned the act by the IGP, describing it as an impunity taken to the highest order.

Senator Kabiru Marafa, representing Zamfara State on the platform of APC, said the action of the IGP was highly unconstitutional even as he cautioned the PDP-led federal government to handle the matter with a lot of caution.

According to Senator Marafa, “We are occupying the various offices we are occupying today, courtesy of the constitution. Whatever we do should be in conformity with the constitution and the rule of law. The action is wrong and unfortunate because mere defection does not remove him as speaker”

Senator Babafemi Ojudu, APC, Ekiti Central in his own reaction said, “The withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security details is unfair, uncivilized. How can a government order the withdrawal of the security personnel attached to the number four citizen of the country?

“Why can’t they withdraw the security of Governor Olusegun Mimiko when he defected from Labour Party to the PDP? If the government continues like this, they will kill Nigeria’s democracy. The federal Government will be held responsible if anything should happen to Tambuwal today.

“The IGP is not there to serve the interest of his party, he is there to protect all Nigerians. He should therefore in the interest of peace, restore the security details of the number four citizen of the country without further delay.”

Senator Robert Boroffice, APC, Ondo North; said, “Tambuwal remains the Speaker until he resign from office ir removed. The constitution does not say that the speaker must emerge from the majority party in the House. It only provides for the members to choose the presiding officers from among themselves.

“Withdrawing Tambuwal’s security details is an act of impunity and it is very shameful. He is the Speaker and the security personnel were attached to his office.”

Also reacting to the development, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, representing Oyo South on the Accord Party platform insisted that since Tambuwal still remained the Speaker, his security details should be restored.

Senator Lanlehin said, “The Federal Government should follow the right process. Tambuwal still reserved his rights to have access to security until he is formally removed by two-third majority.”

Viewed 1 times
Tambuwal remains the speaker of the House, says Ozekhome

200th day: Make rescue of Chibok girls top priority, Ezekwesili pleads

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

The rescue of the 219 girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State by insurgents of the Islamist Boko Haram group must take priority over every other activity, Bringbackourgirls campaigner, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili has said.

Speaking ahead of the 200th day today, of the abduction of the school girls, Mrs. Ezekwesili expressed sorrow over the continued abduction of the girls who she said, should not be allowed to abide a day longer in the captivity of the insurgents.

She rebuffed a direct response to the spate of political activities connected to the forthcoming elections saying tersely that every other thing was insignificant to the efforts to liberate the girls.

“As far as we are concerned, we are not looking at any other thing, we are just interested in the Federal Government living up to its responsibility, the need to rescue the Chibok girls,” Mrs. Ezekwesili a former minister of education and vice-president in World Bank said.

“Every other thing pales into insignificance to the lives of 219 citizens of Nigeria who should not be in the enemy’s den for 200 days now,” she reiterated.

276 girls of the Government Secondary School, Chibok were abducted by the insurgents on the night of April 14, 2014 in an operation that initially raised doubts among some sections of the government and the polity. 57 of the girls reportedly escaped from the captivity of the insurgents the abduction has drawn worldwide condemnation from all sections of the world.

Efforts by the government to rescue the girls have so far been unsuccessful despite the alleged deployment of international assistance from some western nations.

The Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, AVM Alex Badeh had on October 17, 2014 announced a ceasefire with the insurgents in a move that was believed to be a step towards the release of the school girls, but the ceasefire has so far failed to lead to a truce with continued reports of attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Viewed 1 times
200th day: Make rescue of Chibok girls top priority, Ezekwesili pleads

Defection Saga: IGP breached the law - Tambuwal

By Emman Ovuakporie

ABUJA-THE speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal Thursday told the acting  Inspector General of Police, Sulaiman  Abba that he breached the law by ordering that his security details be withdrawn from his residence.

Aminu Tambuwal

In a statement issued and signed by his media aide, Malam Imam Imam  Tambuwal said he  received with shock and amazement the statement issued by the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters justifying the withdrawal of Police Security Personnel attached to the Hon Speaker, by the Acting Inspector General of Police.

In the said statement, the Force has stated to the effect that by his defection from the PDP to the APC, the Hon Speaker is in breach of Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution and is consequently no longer entitled to police security. Nothing can be further from the truth.

The implication of the Inspector General of Police’s statement is that as sanction for this alleged constitutional breach, he has removed Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from office of Speaker House of Representatives.

For the avoidance of doubt the question of whether or not there is a division or faction in the PDP has been resolved by Lord Justice Faji of the Ilorin Division of Federal High Court in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/605/2013 in which the court held that indeed there were factions in the PDP.

Again in suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/ 605/2013, the Sokoto Division of the Federal High Court per Justice Aikawa, the judgment of the court was that there was not only Division but faction in the PDP which later merged with the APC.

As the number four citizen in the hierarchy of protocol in the country,  the Speaker is entitled to security protection by the security agencies, therefore we see the action of the Acting Inspector General of Police as not only contempt of the courts but a ploy to bring harm to the person of Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

We are on authority that nothing in the 1999 Constitution nor the Police Act confers on the police force adjudicatory powers including the interpretation of the constitution.

In any case even Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution does not contemplate the issuing of or compliance with unlawful orders by the President and or the the Inspector General of Police respectively.

What the Acting Inspectorr General of Police has done therefore has no basis in law including the 1999 Constitution which he has cited. It is a brazen act of crass impunity, gross Constitutional breach and contempt of court, The Inspector General should desist from assuming or usurping the constitutional functions of the Judiciary.

For the avoidance of doubt the Speaker of the House is elected by members from among themselves under Section 50(1) (b) of the constitution and vacates office under Section 50 (2) (a) (b) &(c), in the case of (c) by two-thirds majority of members of the House.

The Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution which refers to a member vacating his seat on grounds of defection, which the Inspector General of Police refers to,has a proviso which has been and still is a matter for judicial and not police interpretation.

We have faith and confidence in our judiciary and are persuaded that it cannot by stampeded into administering injustice.

Viewed 1 times
Defection Saga: IGP breached the law - Tambuwal

2015 Presidency: Kwankwaso picks nomination form

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA—Forty-eight hours after he publicly declared his intention to contest for Presidency on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2015, Kano State governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, has purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Presidential Nomination forms for N27.5 million.

Kwankwaso

He will be the third on the list of presidential aspirants on the party’s platform to take delivery of the forms.

The first to do so was former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, while the second was former Head of State, General Mohammadu  Buhari (retd).

Speaking in a brief ceremony to mark the outing at APC’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Kwankwaso said the forms were paid for by some of his supporters, compri-sing members of the National Assembly, Kano State Assembly and elders across the country.

He allayed fears of any impending crisis over the number of presidential aspirants in the party, saying their entry was to add value to the race.

Kwankwaso, who defected to the APC from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, last year, assured the party that many more politicians from other political parties would soon join APC.

He also declared his commitment towards ensuring APC’s victory at the polls.

He said: “I want to thank those who contributed in one way or the other in purchasing this form. Mr. Chairman, while I am thanking the National Working Committee, NWC, I want to also thank those who contributed money to purchase this form: members of National Assembly, state assembly, elders not only from Kano, but across the country.

“Mr. Chairman, I have the capacity to buy this form. But unfortunately or fortunately, they did not tell me. They just went ahead. Not only did they purchase the forms, they told me they have a lot of money for us to start the campaign.

“So, I want to thank all those who initiated this. That is what I can call a pleasant surprise.”

Viewed 1 times
2015 Presidency: Kwankwaso picks nomination form

President Jonathan picks nomination forms

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday stormed the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where he collected the expression of interest and nomination forms of the party to vie for the 2015 presidential election.

Jonathan takes nomination form

President Jonathan, whose nomination form was funded by contributions from a wide gamut of stakeholders was led in a carnival-like procession that included the top hierarchy of the ruling party, governors and senior stakeholders to the national secretariat of the PDP yesterday afternoon.

In his entourage were Vice-President Namadi Sambo; the national chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu‘azu; Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, other members of the National Working Committee, NWC; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, governors of Delta, Katsina; Akwa Ibom; Enugu; Cross River; Ekiti; Bayelsa states; ministers, political adviser to the president, Professor Rufai Alkali; Political Adviser to the Vice President, Mallam Abba Dabo.

Others are Senators Emmanuel Paulker and Clever Ikisikpo; National Vice Chairman, South South, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh; National Vice Chairman, South East, Col. Austin Akobundu; Prince Arthur Eze, among others.

The president, who arrived the hall at exactly 2.08 pm, was presented the forms by the National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha at 2.20 pm following which the president responded for five minutes.

Presenting the forms to the president, Mustapha who announced that Jonathan had paid for the form earlier, a reason he cited for giving him the form, declared that history had been made by the PDP, explaining that it was the first time the party had given a sitting president the right of first refusal.

Handing over the form to the President, Mustapha prayed that God should grant him victory in the election.

Following that, the president in his response thanked all those who have supported him in the quest towards the second term pointing out the Chief Ifeanyi Ubah-led Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, the PDP Governors Forum, among others who provided the money for the form, promised to work in a way not to disappoint them.

“Let me use this unique opportunity to thank the PDP Governors Forum for providing the two million for the procurement of the expression of interest form and the 20m for the procurement of nomination form.

“Let me also thank members of TAN for providing N2m for the expression of interest form and N20m for the procurement of nomination form. And let me really thank so many Nigerians that I cannot enumerate because it is quite difficult. It has been formally announced; youth groups, women groups, civil society groups, even students from the northwest, northeast, north central, south west, south east and south south; contributed to the procurement of the forms today.

“I remain most grateful for their gesture and I thank them for believing first in this country, secondly for believing in the PDP because they know that this form is for the PDP ticket and lastly for believing in me.”

“What I can say is to reassure them that I will work with all Nigerians, and I will always maintain that no matter how strong a president is all over the world, the president is only one individual and you alone can’t do anything. You alone cannot change the society. For you to succeed, you work with people. So, if you are succeeding, that means we have a team that is working to transform this country. So, I will work with all Nigerians to make sure that we move our country to the next level.

Soon after the presentation of the forms to the President, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State immediately raised the song “This is the day that the Lord has made” and everyone in the hall immediately stood up and started singing, including the president.

Meanwhile, the PDP national chairman, Muazu speaking at the occasion said the party owed it a duty to encourage a performing president and governors desiring a second term.

“As you see I am not supposed to be in the progeramme but it gives me great pleasure this afternoon to, on behalf of the National Working Committee of the PDP welcome our president, our leader who has been given the right of first refusal by our party as our own candidate.

“We have decided that our governors, president running for a second term that have performed creditably will be given the right of first refusal and all of us know that Mr. President has done so many things. This is not the forum for us to enumerate. We look forward to the campaign that we will unfold to Nigerians.”

It would be recalled that the PDP NEC had at its 66th session on September 18, 2014 adopted President Jonathan as the party’s sole presidential candidate with a decision to ratify the adoption at a national convention to be held on December 6.

Viewed 1 times
President Jonathan picks nomination forms

Breaking: 30 fear dead as explosion rocks Gombe

About 30 were reported dead after there explosions rocked the popular Gombe Line Transport Services Limited in Gombe State.

According to the police and an eye witnesses the explosions were reported to have occurred around 9:30 am Friday leaving many dead.

The Three bombs which were said to be concealed in bags went off during Friday morning rush hour, the latest in a series of attacks targeting commuters blamed on Boko Haram, police and witnesses said.

“We had explosions at the Gombe line motor park…As for the death toll, we are still working on that,” said area police chief Abdullahi Kudu.

An employee of the state-run bus park, Lawanti Aliyu, and other witnesses said three men left bags packed with explosives among the buses which went off at 9:00 am (0800 GMT).

Fuller account of the story will be brought to you soon

Viewed 1 times
Breaking: 30 fear dead as explosion rocks Gombe

Boko Haram takes over CDS Badeh"s home town

By Umar Yusuf & Ndahi Marama

YOLA —Few hours after the commercial nerve centre and the second biggest town in Adamawa State fell into the hands of Islamic sect, Boko Haram, the insurgents, yesterday, overran Vimtim, the home town of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh.

The terrorists have thus rubbished the purported ceasefire agreement announced by the Chief of Defence Staff and his earlier vow on January 20 this year that the Boko Haram menace would end last April.

Mubi town was invaded, yesterday, by the terrorists who stormed the 234 Nigerian Army Battalion, burnt down the police station and the Mubi prison, setting the inmates free. The insurgents also hoisted their flag at the Palace of the Emir of Mubi. When the insurgents invaded the town, the troops and the residents fled while they had a field day looting and burning property.

As at yesterday, Mubi was like a ghost town as the entire residents have deserted it even as some edifices like the Mubi International Cattle Market, the local government secretariat as well as some private buildings were still burning.

Having taken over Mubi, the insurgents marched on to other surrounding villages and towns before storming Vimtim, the home town of the Chief of Defence Staff.

How we escaped from Mubi –Redeemed pastor

A Zonal pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG,who escaped from the insurgents in Mubi, told Vanguard that the Boko Haram sect had conquered Mubi and were fully in-charge.

Asked how he escaped, he said he was just getting to Yola, the Adamawa State Capital at press time last night, after a scary run through Mubi bushes and farm roads.

“For over two hours, we ran and crawled through bush tracks and farm roads to get to where I got a bus to Yola. I am just getting to Yola. I thank God.”

Asked what he was doing in Mubi, the pastor said he was transferred to somewhere in Borno where he stayed for several days. According to him, “there was no telecommunication network in the area, I could neither call nor receive calls. The insurgents were terrorizing the area and one of my zonal pastors at the headquarters advised that I should not stay there hence, I had to leave”.

Before he fled Mubi for Yola, he said the security problem had worsened. “However, the men and the youths said they were not going anywhere, that enough is enough. They have been killing the militants. Yesterday, they killed two. But they withdrew the soldiers and mobile policemen and yesterday the insurgents attacked. They have conquered Mubi. That is why most people are afraid.”

Adamawa Govt moves to send trapped residents to IDP camp

Meanwhile, Adamawa State Government has dispatched over hundred buses to comb Mubi and its environs for people who were trapped and stranded in buses and villages for onward transit to the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in the State capital.

Governor Bala James Ngilari gave the order yesterday afternoon, when concerned citizens of Mubi visited him to brief him on current development in the area.

Briefing the Governor, leader of the group, Mr. Joshua Atiku told him to consult with the Federal Government to persuade the Cameroonian authorities to allow fleeing people access into that country.

Atiku disclosed that hundreds of thousands of people escaping into Cameroon were stranded at the borders owing to the fact that the Cameroonian gendarmes have denied them entry.

He added that the situation was causing concern to the people, who have fled their homes due to insecurity only to run into diplomatic problems with their neighbours.

Atiku charged both state and federal governments to as a matter of urgency do everything humanly possible to evacuate people still trapped in Mubi and its environs as the insurgents continue to lay siege to the town.

What Badeh said in January

On January 20 this year when Air Marshal Alex Badeh assumed office, he expressed optimism that there would soon be an end to insurgency in some parts of the country. He said with the support and co-operation of the new service chiefs, the Boko Haram menace would be stamped out in the next three months.

He said it was mandatory for the military to eliminate the menace of Boko Haram before April to avert a constitutional problem in the polity. The CDS said it was possible to bring the insurgency in the North East to an end if the military approached its security responsibilities cohesively.

“We must bring it to a stop before April so that we will not have constitutional problems on our hands. We don’t want to go back to the Senate to start begging and lobbying. If we do our work cohesively, I can tell you, Gen. Minimah, you will finish your work in no time.

“I can say confidently that this war is already won,” he had said.

NEMA expresses shock, fears over humanitarian challenges in Adamawa, Borno

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the North East sub region yesterday, expressed “shocks and fears” over Wednesday’s multiple attacks on Mubi town in Adamawa state, as the number of displaced persons continued to rise with increased humanitarian challenges at various resettlement camps.

The North-East Zonal Information Officer of NEMA, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, who addressed newsmen on Mubi’s multiple attacks and eventual capture by Boko Haram insurgents said: “We are very much alarmed and worried by the latest attacks on Mubi and Uba towns of Adamawa and Borno states; which have sacked many residents from their houses and displaced over 8, 950 refugees from their existing camps in the two affected communities.

“It is disheartening that this is happening when a humanitarian agency like this, was doing everything possible to cushion the devastating effects of the attacks on Madagali, Michika, Gulak and other surrounding communities through intervention by providing relief materials to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Mubi and Uba which were also attacked by insurgents yesterday (Wednesday).

“Many victims fled into mountainous border areas of Cameroon while others fled to Yola for safety, leaving the existing camps empty”.

Viewed 1 times
Boko Haram takes over CDS Badeh"s home town

Withdrawal Of Tambuwal"s Security Details Executive Radicalism - RIVERS APC

….says it’s an abuse of the constitution

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State this afternoon reacted with outrage to the news of the withdrawal of the security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, in the wake of his defection to the party from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Rivers APC in a statement signed by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, described the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security details as “executive radicalism and abuse of the country’s Constitution.”

“We wish to call on Nigerians to condemn this affront on the fourth citizen of our nation and insult on our representatives. Let us reiterate that it is the constitutional right of Tambuwal to freely associate with any party of his choice, including, of course, APC,” Dr. Ikanya said in the statement issued in Port Harcourt.

He said that “it is only an unserious politician who will continue to stay in a sinking party like PDP that has brought our nation shame and pains and made us a laughing stock before the international community. We therefore ask for the immediate reversal of this obnoxious order and commend Tambuwal for the bold step he has taken to join the party for a new Nigeria.”

Continuing, Ikanya said: “As we sympathise with the present leadership of PDP for making the party the largest undemocratic party in Africa and leading it to its present sorrowful state and imminent demise, we wish to further state that those calling for the resignation of the Speaker are just exposing their level of ignorance of the functions of the House of Reps and our Constitution. Speaker Tambuwal was duly elected by the generality of the House members and can only be removed by impeachment by 240 members of the House. With only 180 PDP members in the House, from where are they are going to get the extra 60 members to aid them in the impeachment of Tambuwal? They should accept the reality that an APC Speaker is now in place, signaling the beginning of the take-over of the mantle of leadership by our great party on 29th May, 2015.”

Rivers APC advised the ignorant PDP leadership to try and read Section 50 (1)(b) of our Constitution, which states: ‘There shall be a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves.’ The party pointed out that the Speaker was elected as the representative of the “generality of Nigerians” and not necessarily because he belonged to a particular political party.

“As we await the mass decampment of the remaining 50 PDP members of the House we wish to urge President Jonathan to stop overheating the polity and start writing his handover note because he stands no chance of implementing any third term agenda next year as we will resist such an unholy attempt,” Rivers APC said. The party insisted that all hope is lost for both Jonathan and PDP, asking: “With Kano, Lagos and Rivers states in the kitty of APC and with the likely elimination of rigging during the 2015 general elections, what realistic chances does PDP have in the 2015 general elections?”

Viewed 1 times
Withdrawal Of Tambuwal"s Security Details Executive Radicalism - RIVERS APC

Osun Tribunal: Heavy security as tribunal defers ruling on Omisore’s petition

The  Election Petitions Tribunal hearing matters arising from the August 9th governorship  election held in Osun State on Thursday deferred ruling on an application by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to challenge the competence of the petition of Senator Iyiola Omisore before the panel.

Omisore

Counsel to the petitioner, Dr. Alex Iziyon SAN, told the tribunal that the application challenging the competence of the petition should be heard alongside with the substantive petition.

Iziyon said hearing the applications and the petition together would ensure speedy dispensation of justice in the case.

He said, ” We have already taken two months out of six months. You can take the applications together. I know justice will be done.

Various applications which bother on the jurisdiction of the tribunal should be taken together with the petition.”

The counsel cited Paragraph 12 of the first schedule of the Electoral Act to back up the appropriateness of his prayer.

But Chief Akinlolu Olujinmi SAN, who appeared for Aregbesola said the tribunal could not go ahead since the application filed before it bothered on the competence of panel to hear the petition.

Olujinmi said that the objection raised by the petitioner was challenging  the competence of the petition and the petition should not be heard based on this.

Counsel to the second respondent ( All Progressives Congress), Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, aligned himself with the argument of  the first respondent.

He said going ahead to hear  the substantive case while the application challenging the petition’s competence had not been resolved would  be out of order.

He argued that hearing the application on competence and the petition could be likened to hearing a petition filed out of time.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commissioner,  Mr. Ayotunde Ogunleye, also adopted the arguments of the respondents in the matter.

Iziyon in his reply told the panel to discountenance the augment of the respondent describing them as Old Testament.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime, after listening to the arguments of counsels to the the petitioners and all the respondents  said the panel would deliver its ruling on the application.

Ikpejime and two other justices, Vincent Ofosi and A. I. kutigi who are members of the newly reconstituted panel sat on the case and the tribunal adjourned the ruling to Monday November 3.

There  was tight security  around the Osun State Judiciary complex in Osogbo  the venue of the tribunal.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abubakar Marafa, led other senior police officers to the venue to ensure that there is no breach of security.

Roads leading to the court were condoned off while anti bomb experts and officials of State Security Service  searched vehicles and individuals going inside the court.

Viewed 1 times
Osun Tribunal: Heavy security as tribunal defers ruling on Omisore’s petition

Enugu police arraign three over stolen mace

The Enugu State Command Police Force has arraigned three persons before a chief magistrates’ court for allegedly stealing the mace of the legislative council of Awgu Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects Umuokeke Izunna Romeo, Okolo Olisa Solomon and Enekwechi Ray Onyimba, were charged with conspiracy, breaking and entry, malicious damage and unlawful possession.

According to the police, the suspects, with others still at large, had on October 28, allegedly forcefully broking into the offices of the legislative council, stealing the mace and also damaging other properties in the complex.

The police said the suspects fled after committing the alleged offence, but, unfortunately for them, were arrested by operatives at Agbogugu junction.

The stolen mace and other materials were recovered from the vehicle conveying the suspects.

The suspects have been remanded in Oji River prison, Enugu, while the case has been adjourned to November 7 for hearing of their bail application.

The Enugu State police command said it has intensified efforts to apprehend the accomplices of the suspects, who are still at large.

Viewed 1 times
Enugu police arraign three over stolen mace

Breaking: Defection saga: Police withdraws Tambuwal security details

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal may have beaten more than he can chew as the security personnel attached to him have been withdrawn after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).

Aminu Tambuwal

The Police Public Relationship Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu confirmed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. The PRO gave reasons for the security withdrawal by referring to a session in the Nigeria constituion.

The statement reads Statement reads, “In view of the recent defection by the Right Hon.  Aminu Waziri Tanbuwal, CFR, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republicof Nigeria, from the People Democratic Party to the All Progressive Congress and having regard to the clear provision of section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Nigeria Police Force, has redeployed its personnel attached to his office.”

It could be recalled that the governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Mimiko had defected from the Labour Party to the Peoples Democratic Party few weeks ago but did not witness any of the treatment melted on the Speaker

Text message sent by a medium (Not Naija Center News) to explain the reason why Tambuwal is treated differently has not yielded any responses.

The FPRO did not respond to calls to his phone and he has yet  to respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.

 

Viewed 1 times
Breaking: Defection saga: Police withdraws Tambuwal security details

Breaking: Emir of Kano, Sanusi reconciles with Jonathan

After nearly a year of bitter relations, President Goodluck Jonathan and the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, met Thursday in Abuja and reconciled differences that once drove both men to the extremes of their offices.

Sanusi and Jonathan

After nearly a year of bitter relations, President Goodluck Jonathan and the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, met Thursday in Abuja and reconciled differences that once drove both men to the extremes of their offices. Pres. Goodluck Jonathan And Emir Sanusi in A handshake State House Photo

Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, was fired by the president in February after accusing the government of diverting $20 billion oil revenues.

The government denied the claim, and in turn, accused Mr. Sanusi of “financial recklessness”.

After leaving office, Mr. Sanusi was appointed the Emir of Kano in June, assuming one of the most powerful traditional stools in Nigeria.

His appointment by Kano State’s Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, a member opposition All Progressives Congress, was opposed by the presidency which ordered the emir’s office blockaded for days.

The emir reportedly initiated peace moves, and the two men met for the first time in July during the breaking of the Muslim fast, a yearly routine in which the president meets top government officials who are Muslims and other prominent Islamic leaders in the country.

Our sources say Thursday’s meeting was essentially for reconciliation between the two sides.

The emir was accompanied to the meeting by all senior members of the Kano Emirate council, while Vice President Namadi Sambo, the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Aminu Wali also attended the meeting.

Group photograph of Presidnt Jonathan, VP Sambo , Emir Sanusi and members of the Kano Emirate Council in Abuja today State House Photo

Officials at the meeting say the president urged peace, and announced that he had nothing against the emir and that he had forgotten everything that happened.

In return, Mr. Sanusi also preached peace saying he too had let go of the past.

The president and the emir later met privately for about 15 minutes, according to our sources.

Mr. Sanusi and his entourage left for Kano shortly after, and were on their way to the Abuja airport at the time of this report. Emir Mohammed Sanusi ii arriving the Aso Rock Villa for a reconciliation meeting with Pres. goodluck Jonathan State House

Viewed 1 times
Breaking: Emir of Kano, Sanusi reconciles with Jonathan