Ize-Iyamu vs other candidates: Consensus candidacy not feasible - Onaiwu

• Ize-Iyamu Media committee Chairman allegedly dump boss

By Ehi Ekhator

One of the governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Earl Osaro Onaiwu has bestowed upon himself the only candidate worthy of anointment if need be.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu

Onaiwu claimed that he was the only person that can win the governorship election for PDP in the state because of his sound background.

He berated one of the major contenders of the party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu for making a certain statement to run other aspirants down.

Onaiwu said Pastor Ize-Iyamu only saw something wrong with Oshiomhole now after keeping mute when the governor insulted Chief Tony Anenih and Chief Lucky Igbinedion.

The aspirant advised the Pastor to sort his personal problems with the governor, Adams Oshiomhole instead of looking for ways to drag them into the fracas.

Onaiwu said ” If there is anybody that will be anointed, it is me. If there is anybody that can win the election for PDP, I am the one because I come from a sound background. I am the DG, PDP Governors Forum and I am very optimistic that the PDP governors will back me. I have been in PDP since 1999. I have never defected. I am working hard. I am in the field because I don’t want anybody to feel that the PDP governors want to impose me, no. I am touching the grassroots, I am everywhere and I will continue to work until the day of the primary.

We need to breathe a fresh air in PDP, we don’t want a candidate in PDP that everybody in the opposition will attack. People carrying the rumour that one person has been anointed that is not true.

Bombarding Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Onaiwu said “Why did you not remain with Oshiomhole? You were there when Oshiomhole insulted Anenih, you were there when Oshiomhole insulted Lucky Igbinedion and others, and you did not say anything. Is it now that you saw something wrong in Oshiomhole? You cannot take us to fight a personal quarrel with Oshiomhole. If you have issues with him, sort it out and leave the party out of it.

Onaiwu revealed that Consensus candidacy as suggested by some leadership of the party is no longer feasible, adding that all the candidates are going to the primary in the belief that it will be transparent. He assured that other candidates will throw weight on the emerging candidate only if it was transparent.

“Consensus candidacy is no longer on the cards. A few people believed we should adopt a candidate but we said no, we are going to go for a transparent primary. If we don’t do that, PDP will have a big problem in Edo. Go and defeat me in a transparent primary, let the delegates go and speak their minds. When you do that and I am defeated, I will celebrate whoever emerges. But when you manipulate,  there will be problem”

NAIJA CENTER NEWS had reported on Saturday that there was a gang-up ongoing against the Pastor who the other aspirants claimed is big headed. It was gathered that other aspirants are secretly meeting to strategise without inviting the Pastor.

Responding to the consensus claimed by Onaiwu, a source who spoke with our correspondent said “I told you (NCN) of a possible gang up. Didn’t I? The other three will soon reach a consensus. They have gone far and I do not see them stopping except something else comes up.  It is game over for Pastor”

However, NAIJA CENTER NEWS has gathered that there may be a problem in Pastor Ize-Iyamu’s media camp as the Media committee Chairman has dumped his boss for another.

Ize-Iyamu vs other candidates: Consensus candidacy not feasible - Onaiwu

Rivers Government announces free bus service for students

The Rivers Government, on Monday, announced that plans were underway to provide a free bus service for students in the state.

The Commissioner for transport, Mr Dagogo Fubara, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt.

He said the service would begin before July, noting that the gesture was to alleviate the suffering of students in their bid to go to school.

Fubara explained that buses would take off from Borikiri to Mile 3 and take back students after school.

He said the service was strictly for students, stressing that students must be in their school uniforms to enjoy the service.

The commissioner stressed the need for students to be orderly and disciplined while benefiting from the service.

Rivers Government announces free bus service for students

Breaking news: Many feared killed as Fulani herdsmen invade Enugu communities

ENUGU – Scores of persons have been reportedly killed in the Fulani herdsmen invasion of Ukpabi,Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State in the early of hours of today.

Natives have fled to neighboring communities of Nkpologu and Uvuru, even as Nkpologu natives fled to Nsukka in fear of attacks.

Police Public Relations Officer,Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the incident to Vanguard on the telephone. He said a combined team of police and Army have moved to the area.

Details later.

Read our earlier report on the invasion

Breaking news: Many feared killed as Fulani herdsmen invade Enugu communities

Edo 2016: Ex-PDP govt officials adopt Ize-Iyamu

BENIN—The governorship ambition of former Secretary to Edo State Government, SSG, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, weekend, received a boost following his adoption for the governorship race by past political office holders from Edo North senatorial district.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu

The decision to back Pastor Ize-Iyamu for the governorship ticket was taken at a meeting in Fugar, headquarters of Estako Central Local Government Area of the state by the former political office holders who are members of the PDP, as well as some other affiliate groups such as women and youths groups.

The ex-political office holders said that after a thorough check on all the aspirants jostling for the Edo State governorship seat in all the political parties, they had come to the conclusion that Ize-Iyamu was the best, considering his experience, clout and temerity.

A former Speaker of Akoko-Edo legislative council, Mr. Ade Ajayi, boasted that in Ize-Iyamu, the PDP’s hope of reclaiming Edo State from the All Progressives Congress, APC, was certain, adding that like minds from the APC were willing to team up with them once Ize-Iyamu emerged the PDP candidate.

He said: “We have made serious efforts to put this together. We have looked at the profiles of all the aspirants across the party and have no doubt that PDP’s chances are brightest with Ize-Iyamu. We have since discovered that he is capable of bringing together those things needed to ensure victory for the party.”

Mr.  Richard Olori from Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state moved the motion for the adoption of Ize-Iyamu, while six other persons from each of the six local government areas in the district seconded the motion.

Some of those who attended the meeting include Jaret Tenebe, Abu Dokpesi, Abu Maipata, former council chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries, supervisors and councilors in the six councils of Edo North district.

Edo 2016: Ex-PDP govt officials adopt Ize-Iyamu

Grazing Reserves Bill: Go and clear Sambiza Forest for Fulani Herdsmen, Activist tells Buhari

….Lauds Amnesty International on Nigeria Human Rights Violation

As controversy still surrounding the proposed Grazing Reserves Bill of President Muhammadu Buhari led-Federal Government to the National Assembly, a human rights activist and Executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), Comrade Adeniyi, Alimi Sulaiman, has counseled the Federal Government of Nigeria to go and clear the den of Boko Haram sect, popularly called ‘Sambiza Forest’ for its proposed ‘Grazing Reserve Project’ for the Fulani Herdsmen, insisting that the Fulani Herdsmen have portended danger to the peaceful co-existence of the country since assumption of office of the President Muhammad Buhari.

Fulani Herdsmen

Reacting to the controversial proposed bill on the ‘Grazing Reserves’, Comrade Sulaiman in a signed statement on Sunday, stated that the bill would increase avoidable crisis in the land through the violent resistance across the region of the country, saying that the Fulani Herdsmen have become dangerous species across the States of the

Federation.

Sulaiman who doubled as the Chairman of the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS), advised President Buhari to drop the idea of forcing the grazing reserves bill on the States contrary to section 17,18 and 20 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, in order to save the country from imminent violent problem.

He described the proposed grazing reserves idea as ill-conceived, illegal, unconstitutional, self-serving, retrogressive, day-light robbery and time bomb which capable of igniting monumental crisis across the length and breadth of the nation, noting that it is an evil to conceive such an impunity idea which poor farmers across the land, were victims of the Fulani Herdsmen.

He called on the well meaning Nigerians and organizations including; Civil Society groups, National Assembly, Political Parties, as well as International Community to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to jettison the criminal idea, urging Buhari to implement the 2014 National Conference where a section recommended the scrapping of grazing route for the establishment of ranches in the land.

Meanwhile, Sulaiman applauded the Amnesty International for exposing the high rates of human rights abuses of the nation’s security agents, especially, the Nigeria Military in the war against Boko Haram sect, saying that the country has lost thousands of civilians because of excessiveness of Military in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

He recalled the excesses of the Military forces operation in the zone which lead to the extra judicial killing of civilians mistakenly suspected to be the members of the Boko Haram sect.

According to the recent report of the Amnesty International in Abuja, stated that “the conflict between the military and Boko Haram resulted in death of thousands of civilians and over 2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the end of the year 2015.Torture and ill-treatment by the police and security forces were widespread.

Demolitions of informal settlements led to the forced eviction of thousands of people. Death sentences continued to be imposed; no executions were reported.

“The military committed war crimes and possible crimes against humanity in its response to Boko Haram between 2011 to 2015. President Buhari promised to investigate evidence of several instances of war crimes by the military between June and December. However, no further action was taken to initiate independent and impartial

investigations”.

Grazing Reserves Bill: Go and clear Sambiza Forest for Fulani Herdsmen, Activist tells Buhari

Campaign funds: Jonathan’s minister returns N23m to FG

Adelani Adepegba and Eniola Akinkuotu

The Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, has returned N23m to the Federal Government, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

President Jonathan

Usman was last Thursday arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly receiving N2.5bn which emanated from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

A reliable source at the EFCC told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that she had promised to return more funds.

“Nenadi Usman has been cooperating with us. In fact, she has returned N23m to the Federal Government,” he said.

Usman, who is being quizzed by the EFCC, told investigators that all she did was based on the instructions of Jonathan, adding that she did not know that the funds belonged to taxpayers.

According to the source, Usman told investigators that as the Director of Finance of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, she was asked to set up a bank account during the build-up to the election, which she did.

She allegedly said all donations were made to Jonathan’s campaign through Joint Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited and it was through the said account that funds were released to all campaign directors, zonal coordinators and other related parties and groups which campaigned for the PDP.

It was through the same account that the Director of Publicity, Femi Fani-Kayode, was paid N840m. It was also through the same account that the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae, and Rashidi Ladoja, allegedly received N100m each.

Ex-political adviser to Jonathan, Prof. Rufai Alkali, who was the Coordinator of the Goodluck Support Group, allegedly collected N320m on behalf of the group while several governorship candidates of the PDP equally received money from the account.

However, the EFCC source said, “She told us that she did not know the funds belonged to the Federal Government. However, we asked her why she didn’t verify and also why didn’t she set up an account bearing the name of the PDP. Why did she use her company account if not that she wanted to keep things secret.”

Meanwhile, one of the campaign managers of Jonathan’s re-election campaign said the National Intelligence Agency was aware of the alleged diversion of funds from the CBN.

It was reported that N4bn was transferred from the account of the CBN into a mysterious account known as the Ministry of External Affairs Library before it was moved to an account known as Joint Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited which is controlled by Usman.

However, the source said the account was set up by the NIA, which is under the Office of the National Security Adviser.

It was learnt that some officials of the NIA had been quizzed by the EFCC to explain why the account was set up.

A reliable source said, “During the build-up to the last elections, when monies were going to be diverted from the account of the CBN, the Ministry of External Affairs Library was set up with the connivance of officials of the NIA. It was done so that the transaction would seem as if the money was being transferred to a Federal Government account and it would not raise any red flags. The Permanent Secretary at the Villa then drew up a memo on the instructions of the President and the CBN deposited the funds into the account of the Ministry of External Affairs.

“From there, the money was paid into Joint Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited, from where monies were sent to all stakeholders during the electioneering. Preliminary investigations however suggest that the Ministry of External Affairs Library does not even exist.”

From the Ministry of External Affairs Library, N2.5bn was transferred to Joint Trust Dimensions Nigeria Limited while N140m cash was allegedly paid into her Zenith Bank Account with number, 1000158311, domiciled on 7, Kachia Road, Kaduna.

In a related development, security experts have called for investigation into the alleged diversion of N4bn through the NIA.

A former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said if it was true that the agency was used for money laundering, this means it had lost credibility.

“If they are using NIA for money laundering, it means it has lost credibility. If it was being used for money laundering, a crime against the nation, this means that NIA has totally lost credibility.”

Another security analyst, Max Gbanite, said it was unlawful for politicians to use an intelligence agency to divert public funds, adding that officers involved in the alleged crime should be interrogated and made to explain what transpired. “Politicians have been embezzling money before now, but if politicians used the NIA to divert money, it is criminal and the officers in the agency need to be interrogated,” Gbanite said.

Campaign funds: Jonathan’s minister returns N23m to FG

Muslim-Muslim ticket: APC keeps mum over Saraki’s claims

The All Progressives Congress has kept mum over allegations of political witch-hunting by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Bukola Saraki

Saraki,in an article published in a national daily on Saturday,had attributed his trial by the Code of Conduct Tribunal to political persecution for advising the party against fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket in the run-up to the 2015 presidential elections.

The article published by THISDAY newspaper, reads in part,”My concern was that it would not be politically smart for us to run with a Muslim-Muslim ticket. I doubt if we would have won the election if we had done this, especially after the PDP had successfully framed us as a Muslim party. This was my original sin.”

Attempts to get comments from the National Chairman APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun were futile as of 8:54pm.

Repeated calls to his mobile phone were neither picked nor returned. A total of nine calls were made to the APC chairman, the first being at 3:38pm and the last at 8:53 pm. A response to a text message sent to him was still being awaited when this report was filed.

Similar calls made to the party’s National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, indicated that it was switched off. A response to a text message sent to him was still being awaited as of 9:02pm

Calls also made to the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Timi Frank, were neither picked nor returned and he did not respond to a text message sent to him.

When contacted, the zonal Publicity Secretary of the APC (South East), Osita Okechukwu, said, “No comment.”

Also, the party’s Deputy National Vice Chairman (South), Segun Oni, neither picked nor returned calls to his line. A response to a text message sent to him was still being awaited as of 9:26pm.

Muslim-Muslim ticket: APC keeps mum over Saraki’s claims