IDPs return home to Konduga two years after

Party chiefs urge appeal committee to cancel exercise
Senatorial chair resigns over primaries outcome
All Progressives Congress (APC) Ondo Central Senatorial District Chairman Adegboyega Adedipe yesterday resigned his position in protest against the handling of the party’s governorship primary election.
Adedipe, one of the leaders of the party who petitioned the leadership over the ‘fraud’ that pervaded the primary, calling for the cancellation of the “corrupt outcome.” He claimed that the list of delegates from his senatorial districts was “padded”.
Publicity Secretary of the party Abayomi Adesanya, confirmed the resignation of Adedipe, adding that the party official had returned all the party’s property in his care to the secretariat in Akure, the state capital.

“I can confirm to you that Mr. Adedipe has resigned as the chairman of Ondo Central Senatorial District of the APC. He said he took the decision for peace to reign in the party and also for the progress of the party”, he said.
It was learnt that State Chairman Isaac Kekemeke, who was disparaged by Akeredolu before the primary, might also resign.
It was gathered that Kekemeke had removed his personal effects including his photographs from the secretariat.
AFTER the initial calm that followed its Ondo State governorship primary, the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday got the signs that all was not well.
Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) was declared the winner of the election, which some stakeholders have rejected, urging the party to cancel the exercise. They said the list used for accreditation of delegates was not authentic.
One of the petitioners, Mr Akintunde Temitope, chairman of APC, Ondo East Local Government, premised his disapproval of the primary election on what he described as doctored delegate, list used for the exercise in his area. He attached the list of delegates and marked out fictitious names in the list.
Temitope said: “We were shocked to discover the massive fraud that characterised the September 3, governorship primary.  A strange delegate list was introduced on the night of the election after everybody had gone to sleep only for us to wake up on the morning of election to see a massively adulterated delegates list.”
According to him, names of 47 per cent of the legitimate delegates in Ondo East Local Government were either deleted or substituted with people who were not known to the party as executive committee members.
He said contrary to the agreement between the APC national secretariat and the aspirants  that only the list of those who had voted in the National Assembly election and other previous primaries  would be used for the governorship primary,  the list used was different.
“The national secretariat of the party released a definite delegates list, which is in tandem with correct realities in our Local Government,  among others, to all the aspirants three days to the election  on Wednesday 31st of August, 2016, only for the midnight list to surface on the morning of the election.
“We wrote a petition to the Primary Election Petition Chairman on the morning of the election and he repeated the fact that only people that had been voting in previous primaries would be allowed to vote, with a promise to stand down the voting process for Ondo East and Ondo West Local Governments. We were shocked that the committee never honoured the pledge,” he stated.
APC Ondo Central Senatorial District Chairman Mr Adegboyega  Adedipe said the result “is not anywhere near  the true reflection of the opinion of our party in the state”.
Adedipe stated that “the delegates list used for the primary was so padded that no meaningful results could be based on such a warped list. Ondo East and Ondo West were the worst-hit in my senatorial district where about 50 per cent of the legitimate delegates were disenfranchised.
“Many non-delegates were seen  voting on Saturday with the connivance of the corrupt security agencies. In view of the corrupt practices that dominated the primary, Ondo Central is calling on you to quickly investigate the huge fraud and order a fresh primary that will be a true reflection of the opinion of our party.”
In a letter of protest, the APC Chairman, Ondo East Local Government, Mr Akintunde Samuel said it was disheartening that the election committee had reneged on the promise to use the official delegates list released by the APC national secretariat which had been previously used for primary elections.
The letter dated September 2, 2016 which was addressed to the Chairman, Governorship Election Committee, the leader of APC in Ondo East said: “We were shocked to find fictitious names thaty have never voted before, and even names from Ward 2 that never held congress, talk more producing delegates from same.”
An APC chieftain,  Comrade Sola Iji,  said the delegate list was manipulated . He cited the case of Ondo South Senatorial District Woman Leader, Ms Toyin Ajinde whose name was substituted with unknown name. He said there were similar cases of authentic delegates whose names were missing on the list.
Iji said on the surface value the process appeared transparent but the exercise was bungled with multiple delegates list flying around among the aspirants and stakeholders.
A staunch supporter of Chief Sola Oke, one of the aspirants, Mrs Simisola Jegede-Ayoade, said: “When we heard about 3 a.m. on Saturday the day of the election that they had changed the delegates list, we called our candidate to ask if he was aware. Chief Oke told us he was aware but that nothing could be done about it because the time was too short.”
Mrs Ayoade said there was confusion over list for Ondo East, Ondo West and Ondo South. “Even Ese-Odo Local Government, where Oke hails from, only 11 delegates on the list were authentic. Oke has every right to complain. If he had started raising alarm on the day of election, people would have misconstrued his position.”

IDPs return home to Konduga two years after

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from Konduga Local Government of Borno State have returned home after about three years of residing in refugee camps in Maiduguri.
Governor Kashim Shettima urged them to be law abiding while at home. He added that the action was aimed at allowing the IDPs celebrate Sallah in their homes.
“We thank God for today because it is significant in our efforts to return people back to their liberated communities.
“Government has set aside 25 hectares of land to allow the people engage in meaningful ventures. We will assist those wishing to engage in agriculture in terms of improved seedlings and other things,” he promised.
Last week, the state government announced its intention to relocate IDPs from Konduga, Mafa and Dikwa councils back home following the return of peace to the areas.

Govt: no fuel price hike

•NNPC chief Kachikwu

Kachikwu, Baru: nothing like that
The Federal Government has no plan to increase fuel price, despite the dwindling fortune of the naira, two officials said yesterday.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Ibe Kachikwu and Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Maikanti Baru doused the tension building up following the suggestion by former NNPC Group Managing Directors (GMDs) at the weekend.
Baru and the ex- NNPC GMDs, after what was tagged a strategic meeting on sustenance of availability of fuel amid the forex crisis,  said the  N145 petrol pump price cap would have to be lifted to avoid acute scarcity.
The group noted that allowing the pump price to remain at that peg might lead to a crisis, including  a resurgence of  huge subsidy which could cripple the economy further.

Kachikwu and Baru spoke separately with reporters at the State House after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Baru, who was the first to come out of the meeting, said “there is nothing like that”.
Kachikwu, who came out 15 minutes later directed reporters to speak with Baru and when told that Baru had declined comments said there was no memo before the Federal Government asking for a review of the price.
Last month, oil marketers pushed for the liftig of the N145 petrol price cap because of the scarcity of foreign exchange to finance import.
The Federal Government on May 11 began the liberalisation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry when petrol price increased from N86 and N86.5 per litre to a N145 cap. Importation of products was liberalised. The policy effectively ended the long queues. Some marketers sell the product below N140 per litre.
The chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, also yesterday took a swipe at Baru and his predecessors over their call for further increase in the pump price of petroleum products.
Senator Abdullahi (Niger North) cautioned the Federal Government against heeding the call, especially when Nigerians are groaning under severe economic hardship.
He described the oil chiefs as “enemies of Nigerians and the government”.
The lawmaker, who said that he was speaking in his personal capacity, noted that it was obvious that the ex- NNPC GMDs contributed to bringing the country where it is today.
“The NNPC as an institution was expected to be the life wire of this nation. As we have all known, refineries that we have in Nigeria have not been functional because if they had been functional and if that institution had been up and doing in tandem with its peers in other countries that have similar resource endowment like ours under the directorship of these former GMDs, we wouldn’t have been in this mess.
“All the problems we are having is as result of what all these people who have assembled now to be the wise men and to tell us what should be done…
They do not have the moral standpoint to even advise us on what to do because they had a hand in it. I cannot see how you can solve a problem under the same condition that created it. They are more or less acting as enemies of the people and even the government they are advising.
“As far as I am concerned, maybe they were sent to destroy this government and as far as I am concerned we would not allow them to do that”
Abdullahi noted that President Muhammadu Buhari and his economic team were doing their best to turn things around for better.
He insisted that if supported by Nigerians, the government would succeed to turn things around for the good of the country.
But the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) said it will resist any attempt by the government to increase the petrol price, adding that the NNPC management is not fit to manage the oil sector.
In a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Acting General Secretary Simeso Amachree, the congress said the statement by ex-NNPC chiefs calling for an increase in the price of petrol from N145 was an act of provocation of Nigerian workers.
The TUC said it was sad the call came when the Federal Government is yet to fulfil its promises and agreement reached with organised labour during the protest against the last hike in May.
It said: “In case the management of the NNPC has forgotten, the economy is in crisis and life has become very difficult for the common man who now can hardly afford two meals per day. The present minimum wage can longer purchase a bag of rice.
“Businesses are shutting down, leading to millions of job losses, which of course have accentuated increased cases of crime and other vices. If all the members of the NNPC team can offer as recipe to curtail this scourge of economic downturn is to hike the price of petroleum products, then they are not fit to manage the sector and should throw in the towel.
“If the country had other sources of forex or produces most of what it imports, the economy would not be what it is now. What stops the government from building more refineries and diversifying the economy?
“The Federal Government should maintain some stability of forex, taking into cognisance the fact that Nigeria is an import-dependent country. The implication of refining outside the country is enormous: if you are refining outside you must pay for cost of transportation, insurance and port charges etc. We just cannot continue to tow the same line.
“The economy is already on its knees, and it is our thinking that the priority of government now should be how to salvage the situation through other creative and resourceful avenues, such as: downwardly reviewing the cost of governance, creating friendly business environment and jobs, diversifying the economy, setting up an economic team that would creatively fashion out modalities to navigate the stormy waters of recession.
“If persons in government feel our pains as it claims to do, then the news that people are already exchanging their children for bags of rice should prick their conscience.
”The Congress will resist further hike in the price of petrol if that is what it will take to get the government into thinking out of the box. We do hope it doesn’t get to that.
“We urge the government to fulfil its promises for which it set up the joint Governemnt-Labour Committee to determine a new more economically realistic national minimum wage and proffer ways by which pains of the last increment can be ameliorated.”

Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/govt-no-fuel-price-hike/

See The New Weapons, Armoured Tanks Buhari Sent To Finish Niger Delta Avengers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kib5F2aInIE

Police Arrests House Guard Who Killed Employer In Ajah, Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested one Tanko Abdulateef, a 22-year old House guard who allegedly killed his employer, Mrs Mabel Mba Okafor in Ajah area of the State on August 17, 2016.

The suspect, who was arrested from his hiding in Bali, Taraba State, was said to have stabbed the victim in the stomach and left her stomach ripped open.

It was also gathered that the suspect took away valuable items from the victim including three phones, trinket and a lot of clothes, all of which were recovered from him.

When contacted, Public Relation Officer of the State Command of the Nigerian Police, Dolapo Badmos confirmed the arrest, adding that the suspect would be charged to court after conclusion of investigation.

Ugandan Man Jumps From A Six-Storey Building (Photos + Video)

A young man shocked passersby in Uganda this afternoon after falling from the rooftop of Mabirizi Complex in the city Centre. The man who was seen on the roof top of the six story building -suddenly jumped with his arms spread out to the shock of those wondering what he was doing there.

Instead of dying as he wanted, he landed on top of a car parked by the roadside, thus escaping death with serious injuries. He however left the car damaged.

No one knows the reason for his action as he was rushed to a Hospital for treatment.

Source; http://www.nationalhelm.net/2016/09/man-falls-from-rooftop-of-mabirizi.html

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Man who named dog Buhari names newborn daughter Aisha

The man, Joe Fortemose ‎Chinakwe, who named his dog after President Muhammadu Buhari, has sparked another social media ‘discourse’ as he named his newborn baby girl, Aisha. The 30-year-old trader named his child Aisha, purportedly after the wife of the president on Sunday.
It would be recalled that for naming his dog Buhari, Chinakwe was arrested and charged to the Ota Magistrate Court 2, Ogun State by the police with conduct likely to cause breach of public peace, in a case with suit number MOT/617c/2016.

He was, however, freed from detention after he fulfilled his N50, 000 bail condition.

PDP condemns alleged order to Edo workers to support APC

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State has condemned an alleged directive to all civil servants in the state to wear APC arm bands and adorn their walls and tables in the office with the party’s posters and flags or risk being sacked. State Publicity Secretary of the party in Edo, Mr Chris Nehikhare, in a statement said whereas, “Civil servants are supposed to be apolitical, the trend where they were ordered through text messages ostensibly from the Head of Service to immediately adorn the arm bands, paste posters and put the APC flag on their desks, ‘with immediate effect’ is a tragedy.
“Although the text messages were also forwarded to local government employees in the state, indications are that they will not comply owing to the several months’ arrears of unpaid salaries.

“Even the orders to the head of Service who was also said to have received orders to proceed to collect consignments of the arm bands, flags and posters of the APC candidate from the party secretariat along Airport road, Benin City, is pathetic as it shows a desperation on the part of APC government to win the September 10 elections at all costs”.

Why we took over Jonathan cousin’s firm –Army

The Nigerian Army has explained why the men of the Army Headquarters Garrison, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, took over the premises of a company belonging to Mr. Robert Azibaola, a cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday.

 The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, told one of our correspondents in a text message that the land in question belonged to the Army.

 Usman said the Army decided to take over the property because the service did not want any further encroachment on the property.

Buhari can contest in 2019 – Obasanjo

 

A former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday denied a media report that he asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.

A former Chief Press Secretary to Mr. Obasanjo, Alex Nwokedi, was said to have made the comment on behalf of the former President in an online publication.
Mr. Nwokedi was reported as saying Mr. Obasanjo warned President Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.
Mr. Obasanjo, in a statement made available to journalists‎, said there has been no communication between him and Mr. Nwokedi in the last three years.
“My belief is that democracy allowed for anybody including President Buhari for that matter to contest any election and it is the prerogative rights of Nigerians to vote or not to vote for them,” the ex-president said.
“I have not communicated with Alex in the last three years, so how a story could be credited to me, when I did not authorize such or communicate with him in the last three years?”
The former leader said he could never give Mr. Buhari such advice.
“I condemn in the most highest manner the story and those behind it. And for those behind it, they are simply enemies of democracy and freedom of expression,” he said.

Mr. Obasanjo is a supporter of the current president whom he backed against the immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan.

INEC bars suspected bribe takers from Edo, Ondo polls

The commission said the action was taken in order to give credibility to the two elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has stopped its officers, who are currently undergoing investigations for alleged corrupt practices, from taking part in the conduct of the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states.

 Governorship elections are to hold in Edo and Ondo states on September 10 and November 26 respectively.

Obaseki ‘best at Edo poll debate’

•Obaseki

All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Godwin Obaseki came tops after last night’s debate by candidates in Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State.
Three other candidates —Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Osaro Onaiwu (APGA) and Amos Areleogbe (LP)— fielded questions from a team of Channels Television interviewers.
Some of those who watched the 90-minute debate rated Obaseki ahead in the way he spoke on the economy; how he would tackle the problem of insecurity in the state; plans to diversify and significantly boost the economy; and steps to tackle unemployment and create 200,000 jobs in four years.
Twenty-one old Joy Iredia, a student of the University of Benin, said: “Until now, I did not take much interest in politics. But listening to all the candidates speak, I was drawn in by the candidate of the APC, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and how kept his focus on the issues and articulated his plans to take Edo State forward, particularly the use of technology as a tool for effective governance and job creation.”
A civil servant Mr. Osahon Bello, said, “The civil service forms the major workforce in Edo State. I align with Obaseki’s plan to restructure the civil service for efficiency and productive through robust training strategies to meet the challenges of fostering strong, sustainable and balanced economic growth.”

Fayose: dead civil servants’ names on Ekiti’s payroll

•Fayose

The names of many dead civil servants are still on Ekiti State’s payroll, Governor Ayo Fayose said at the weekend.
He warned that officials in charge would henceforth be held responsible to prevent financial leakages, which, he said, are robbing government of millions of naira.
According to the governor, such funds supposed to be channelled to other places for people’s benefit.
The governor handed down the warning at the weekend during a meeting with Directors of Finance and Accounts, Directors of Administration, Chief Internal Auditors and others from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The meeting was convened to find solutions to the problems associated with generating wholesome nominal and pay rolls by the MDAs.

Alamieyeseigha’s N2.8b hotel rots away in Abuja

•dying: Chelsea Hotel, Abuja taken over by weeds...yesterday

Almost seven years after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) handed over the N2.8billion Chelsea Hotel to the government of Bayelsa State, the hitherto money-spinning edifice is rotting away in Abuja.
The hotel was seized from the state’s first civilian governor, the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
A Federal High Court, Lagos in 2007 ordered the forfeiture of the hotel by Alamieyeseigha after the ex-governor was sentenced for corruption.
Besides the hotel, the EFCC sold other Alamieyeseigha assets in Nigeria and realised N3, 128, 230, 294.83billion; $441,000; E7, 000 and £2,000.
The money was remitted to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in accordance with the law, for onward delivery to the state government as ordered by the court.

Former EFCC Chairman Mrs. Farida Waziri on September 7, 2009 handed over the hotel to ex-Governor Timipreye Sylva in Abuja. The thinking was that it would be a source of revenue for the state.
Seven years after the asset was returned to the state government, the hotel has become a haven for miscreants, men of the underworld, rodents and reptiles.
Shady activities are being perpetrated at the abandoned hotel, which poses danger to some shopping malls and banks in the Central Business District of Abuja.
Some of the miscreants have stripped the hotel of vital materials, which has no security.
An EFCC source, who spoke in confidence, said: “As at the time we handed over the hotel, in 2009, the asset was worth N2.8billion. We returned the hotel to Bayelsa State with another asset at No. 2 Marscibit Street, Off Aminu Kano Crescent Wuse II Abuja which was valued at N210million.
“We took a step further by instructing Diya Fatimilehin and Co., former managers of the hotel to provide the state with detailed inventory of assets of the hotel.”
“It is unfortunate that nothing has been done in the last seven years. The land where the hotel is sited attracts either up to N800million to N1billion in Abuja. Yet the asset is allowed to lie fallow
“To the source, the fate of the once throwing hotel is a typical case of how the anti-graft war is being “frustrated and rendered meaningless”
“A former Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu worked day and night to bring Alamieyeseigha to justice but the efforts have come to naught,” he said.
Asked if the EFCC can query the state government on why the hotel has been abandoned, the source said: “Well, there is not much we can do because we have done our best.
“The state’s funds were looted and used to buy the hotel; we traced the loot and recovered the assets. It is left to the state to live up to its pledge to make judicious use of the asset or sell it.
“We have been expecting a status report from Bayelsa State on how it has spent the recovered funds and the utilisation of the returned assets.”
Upon the receipt of the hotel in 2009, Sylva said: “The Bayelsa State Government will not be able to manage the assets by itself. The fund that the state government will receive will also go to building what is called the Transparency Plaza, in the middle of the Yenagoa Central Business District, so that this plaza will be a monument that will be a constant reminder of today.
”As soon as the fund is accessed, we will like to ask you to come to Bayelsa State to lay the foundation of this plaza.
“We will welcome your close monitoring of the expenditure of this fund, after all without the instrumentality of EFCC, we would not have accessed this fund, so it is only good that you know exactly what we are doing. We are running an open government; our budget is on the website, anybody can access it. We are fully committed to transparency and to partner fully with EFCC.”
As at press time, rodents, reptiles, rodents, miscreants, drug addicts have taken over the hotel.
It was gathered that many posh cars and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) massed up in darkness at the hotel at night for what a source described as “nocturnal deals”.
A concerned bank executive said: “The activities of some miscreants at the old hotel premises constitute security threats to commercial entities in CBD, including choice malls and banks nearby.
“Security agencies and the police should have more than a passing interest in some activities at the old hotel.”

Boko Haram bomb maker ‘fails in bid to join army’

DSS arrests 21 suspects
Boko Haram members are planning to infiltrate security agencies, it was learnt yesterday.
Part of the plan is to insert an Improvised Explosives Devices specialist into the Army, the Department of State Security Services (DSS) said.
In a statement issued by its spokesman Tony Opuiyo, the DSS disclosed the increasing desperation and sophistication of criminal elements, noting that about 21 suspected assasins, fraudsters, kidnappers and others have been picked up during various operations across the country.
“In response to the regrouping of Boko Haram elements in Kano State, the Service in concert with the military, carried out coordinated operations in the State which led to the apprehension of two high profile members of the sect, namely Ibrahim Ustaz Abubakar and Idris Audu (aka A.Y.A.).

Edo, Ondo polls: Court orders INEC to accept candidates from Sheriff camp

Another twist was added to the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday, as a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept only candidates from the Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee (NWC), for the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo.

Justice Okon Abang, in a ruling yesterday, granted an order of interlocutory injunction restraining INEC, the PDP and their agents from dealing with or according any facility required by law (regarding the governorship elections to be conducted by INEC in Edo and Ondo states) to any other persons or group other than the Senator Sheriff, Prof Wale Oladipo and Fatai Adeyanju-led NWC of the party

The judge directed INEC and the PDP and their agents to “recognise, deal with and accord all facilities required by law“(regarding the elections in Edo and Ondo states) to the Ali Modu Sheriff, Prof Wale Oladipo and Fatai Adeyanju led NWC.

Senate rules forgery: I am not a presidential witness – Enang

Enang

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, has said he was not a witness in the ongoing forgery case against some senators.

Enang told journalists in Abuja on Friday that contrary to reports, the Presidency was not lining up its aides as witnesses in the case.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that he clarified that the police only invited him for questioning in 2015 as the chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business of the 7th Senate.

He explained that he was invited as a principal suspect in the forgery case and on July 3, 2015, he made his statement on the matter to the police.

“I was the chairman of the Rules and Business Committee of the 7th Senate, which ended plenary on June 4, 2015 and the 8th Senate was inaugurated on June 9, 2015.

The inspector-General of Police wrote to the Clerk to the National Assembly requesting him to ask some key officials of the 7th Senate to have an audience with the police.

“The Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Majority Leader, Clerk of the National Assembly, Clerk of Senate, Chairman, Rules and Business and Secretary, Rules and Business, were invited.

“ l, on July 3, 2015 met with the police who alleged that I am suspected to have amended the Standing Orders in issue being the Chairman of Rules and Business committee of the 7th Senate.

“l was asked to make a written statement on the matter and I did on the said July 3, 2015, denying the allegation.

“It was from the statement of other persons of interest, after my statement that the police may have formed an opinion as to who did what.

“The police listed me as a witness as to the procedure for amendment, having made a statement on the matter,” Enang said.

Sheriff to Makarfi: Join me in moving PDP forward

The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, has called on the party’s caretaker committee chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and the party’s governors to join hands with him in moving the party forward.

Speaking in Abuja through his National Deputy Chairman, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Sheriff said there was urgent need for stakeholders to consider political solution to the party’s festering crisis.

According to him, the various court cases instituted by the various groups against the party could drag till 2019, thereby robbing the party of the opportunity to present a common front for the 2019 general elections.

He described the party’s governors as the most vulnerable should the crisis continue, stressing that they could lose the opportunity for re-election.

Ojougboh said, “I appeal to governors and elders of the party to join hands with the leaders in moving the party forward. We need to find political solution to this crisis because the pending court cases could drag till 2019.

“We should be able to sit together and look at the problem dispassionately. The Port Harcourt convention was illegal so the caretaker committee is null and void.

“Sheriff is ready and willing to make peace but we must be ready to obey the rule of law and respect internal democracy. He is ready to hand over any day, but he is not prepared to be stampeded out office.”

The party chief noted that the crisis in the PDP is all about the 2019 presidential ticket, which he said has set different groups and interests against one another.

Insisting that the courts cannot solve the party’s crisis, Ojougboh said Sheriff was ready to organise a proper convention to elect a new set of national officers to run the affairs of the party.

He called on the governors and the party elders to formally dissolve the caretaker committee to enable the PDP make progress.

“The PDP under Sheriff will not rely on government or governors to fund its activities because members will be made to pay their dues and a system of accountability will ensure the judicious use of the funds,” Ojougboh added.

He described the awaited July 4 judgment by a court in Port Harcourt as a mere academic exercise, declaring that the June 30 ruling by another Abuja court had rendered the pending Port Harcourt ruling ineffectual.

Diezani alone extended oil contract, says ex-NNPC GMD

Mrs.-Diezani-Alison-Madueke

Oniwon testifies before House probe panel on crude swap

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison-Madueke unilaterally extended crude oil for refined products (oil swap) contracts, a former Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director (GMD) Austin Oniwon alleged yesterday.

Oniwon alleged that “the minister at the time extended the contract between the Petroleum Product Marketing Company  (PPMC) and its trading partners Duke Oil Company Incorporated and Trafigura Ltd, a non-resident trading company, without recourse to due process.

Stolen funds: EFCC has recovered billions, says Magu

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu yesterday said the agency has recovered billions of stolen funds.

He said the anti-corruption war is “the war of the people.”

He also said that  “apart from the fear of God, we have no other fear.”

Magu, who made the submissions in an address to a coalition of Civil Society Groups who marched to EFCC for a solidarity rally, said senior lawyers were frustrating the war against corruption.

He however said the days of impunity are over.

He said: “ We want the Nigerian people to continue to support us, continue to support Mr. President’s war on corruption.

“We have many corruption cases in court. We are getting them every day from everywhere and we are recovering stolen money and taking corrupt people to court.

“ The money we have recovered and the money we are going to get back from them -billions and billions of Naira- is being paid back to government and will be used to do what it was originally meant for -to build hospitals, send our children to school, build roads and railways, create employment and defend our country.

“ We have no other country than Nigeria. This war is the war of the people.

“ Apart from the fear of God, we have no other fear.  Apart from the interest of Nigeria, we have no other interest. And apart from the Rule of Law, we have no other rule guiding the work we are doing today.  The days of impunity are over.

Victory is certain for the common man! Aluta continua!”

Magu expressed regrets that some senior lawyers had been frustrating the war against corruption.

He added:  “One of the big challenges we have in the effective prosecution of the war on corruption, is that of very senior lawyers who Nigeria has been very kind to: They who went to good schools here, when Nigeria was good, many of them, on government scholarship; they who Nigeria has given so much opportunity.

“When we have corruption cases, cases of people who have stolen food from the mouths of our children; when we have cases of people who have stolen money meant to build hospitals and buy drugs; when we have cases of people who have stolen all the money meant to buy guns for our soldiers to fight Boko Haram, when we have all these cases of wicked people who have stolen Nigeria’s money, they run to these same senior lawyers, give them part of the stolen money and mobilise them to fight us, to delay us in court and to deny Nigerians of justice.

“ These are the people who do not want justice for the common man.

“ The other day, 34 Senior Advocates of Nigeria fought against only one small EFCC lawyer in court and he defeated all of them!  What we are doing today is not by our power, it is the power of the Nigerian people and the power of God behind us!”

The EFCC chairman debunked insinuations that the EFCC does not follow the rule of law.

He said: “ Corrupt people hire journalists to abuse us every day, they say we are not doing the work according to the law.  But, that is not true.

“There is no agency that follows the law more than EFCC.  None.  Before we arrest you, or seize your property or do anything to you, we check the law, we go to court and get court order.  That is why we are winning; that is why we are defeating them everyday.”