Anxiety mounts as polls draw near

The Following last minutes intrigues and multiple legal battles, there is tension and confusion in Ondo State ahead the November 26 governorship election, reports Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan

From the very start, the race for the succession of the outgoing Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has been crisis-ridden. First, it was the anxiety over who the incumbent governor would endorse for the plum job among the many aspirants jostling for the ticket of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Later, the fierce struggle for the ticket of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) caught the attention of pundits.

Many had expected that the dust of uncertainty raised by early events in the governorship race will clear after the leading political parties would have chosen their respective candidates. But that is not to be as uncertainty still pervades the political firmament of the oil-rich state about two weeks to the November 26 date of the election and several weeks after candidates have emerged from the two frontline parties.

For analysts, it has nearly become impossible to predict how the people may vote. What with the ruling party having its candidate changed midway to the election with the possibility of another change, as several cases are in court over who flies the banner of the PDP? The APC too is at the risk of having its candidate either changed or stopped on account of a case instituted by an aggrieved aspirant.

Thus, as the people, as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) count days in expectation of the much discussed election, it is with bated breath. For INEC, there is the worrisome uncertainty of whose name should be written on the ballot papers for the disputed tickets; for the people, it is the uncertainty of who will eventually fly the banner of their preferred parties.

To hold or not to hold

Such is the seriousness of the uncertainty in the state ahead of the scheduled date that talks are rife about the possibility of the election being postponed by INEC. Those angling for a postponement hinged their demand on the need for the electoral commission to allow for the resolution of the court cases over the candidates before holding the election.

Dr. Yomi Olowolafe, former spokesperson of the Action Alliance (AA) in the state, while speaking with The Nation during the week said it will be improper for INEC to continue with the election until the suit filed by Eyitayo Jegede, the substituted candidate of the PDP, is decided for or against him and his camp.

He argued that given INEC’s position that it is acting in tandem with the rule of law, it is expedient for the commission to prevent a constitutional crisis by ensuring that justice is done before proceeding with the election. I am very optimistic that except the case is speedily decided, as we hope, the election may not hold as scheduled.

“My candid opinion is that INEC should ensure that the suit filed by Eyitayo Jegede, the substituted candidate of the PDP, is decided by the courts before the election is held. It will be unimaginable to ignore the suits and go on with the election, fielding Jimoh Ibrahim, who the party says it does not know. The cases are important to the success of the election,” he said.

Earlier in the week, Mimiko had told party supporters that INEC) should forget about conducting the governorship election in the state if the issue of the candidacy of the PDP, was not resolved. At a stakeholders’ meeting held in Akure, the governor said the PDP as a party in Nigeria and Ondo State in particular, is a major stakeholder in election matters and no one can prevent the party from participating in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

“I don’t know how they will do it; it is impossible for them to deny us our right. Justice will stand and Jegede will contest this election. Election can’t take place in Ondo State without the PDP. Justice will stand and Jegede will contest the election. Election can’t take place without the PDP. We know those behind this. It is beyond the President. Their thinking is that without Jegede, they will win but their plan will fail, “he said.

But the opposition APC and INEC disagrees with Mimiko and other protagonist of a shift in the date. According to a statement by the state chapter of the APC, the crisis within the ruling party should not be allowed to disturb the conduct of the election as at when due. The party urged Mimiko and his party to manage their affairs well in the interest of the state.

For INEC, the commission will not abdicate its duty of deciding when election will hold to any other individual, group or institution. The commission also insisted that the Ondo election will go on as planned, irrespective of what is happening in any of the participating political parties.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, said in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday that the commission would go ahead with the planned election. He said, “The process for postponing or shifting of elections is spelt out in the Electoral Act as amended. One of the reasons is natural disaster.

“No aspect of the reasons stated for this include intra-party crisis as we are witnessing in the party you have mentioned. Under the Electoral Act, intra-party conflict is not recognised as one of the reasons why INEC must shift the date of an election we have given notice of since March. As I speak today, there is no plan to postpone it. We are going ahead with the election as slated for November 26.”

Unending confusion

While the commission has allayed fears about the election being shifted, it can do little or nothing in allaying the confusion in the land over the candidates of leading political parties. Although many of them have been adequately sensitised and mobilised by weeks of electoral campaigns by the parties and candidates, quite a number of the would-be voters are uncertain about who the candidates of their preferred parties would be eventually.

For many who desire to vote for the candidates and not the parties, it is even a more difficult situation. The substitution of the candidate of the PDP, Jegede, with Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, and the subsequent court case instituted by the former, according to sources, have created confusion for voters willing to vote for or against the two contenders.

“I want to vote for a particular candidate. I need to be sure he will be on the ballot. If he is not on the ballot of his current party, I will rather vote for another party. But with the confusion over the ticket, it is difficult to make up my mind how to vote. Don’t also forget Amaechi’s experience in Rivers State. I wouldn’t want to vote for someone and another person get declared as governor on the platform of the same party,” a source said.

PDP is not the only troubled party ahead of the election. The candidate of the Alliance for Democracy, Olusola Oke, is also struggling to keep his name and that of his deputy, on the ballot paper. The threat to his candidacy heightened during the week when a human rights activist and former governorship aspirant of the APC, Tunji Abayomi, said Oke was not qualified to contest the November 26, governorship election.

 He wrote INEC to disqualify Oke and his running mate, Gani Dauda, for allegedly not being eligible to contest the poll, alleging that both Oke and his deputy did not participate in the primary of the AD, which according to him, was against provisions of the Electoral Act.

“Oke can only be a candidate of the APC where he contested but he didn’t win the primary. The Electoral Act says he must be elected by the members of AD and they must vote for him in a primary,” Abayomi said.

Similarly, the National Legal Adviser of the party, Kehinde Aworele, has filed a suit challenging the eligibility of Oke to contest as AD’s candidate in the November 26 governorship election. In a suit, number FHC/ABJ/CS/881/2016 before a Federal High Court, Abuja, dated November 4, he prayed the court to determine whether Oke is qualified to contest on the platform of the party in the election.

Other defendants in the suit are the AD National Chairman, Joseph Avaci, National Secretary, Akin Fashogbon, and the Independent National Electoral Commission. The suit was attached with a 42-paragraph affidavit in support of the Originating Summons and disposed to by one Babatunde Tijani of No. 7, Kwali Close, Area B, Abuja.

The plaintiff urged the court to determine whether Mr. Oke, being a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contested in APC primary of September 3, can surreptitiously become the candidate of AD in Ondo State in the 2016 Governorship Election having regard to the provisions of Article 21.4 of the Constitution of AD.

The court is also to determine: “Whether by Article 21.4 of the Constitution of AD, Oke can be said to be eligible to contest on the platform of AD.

“Whether, having regard to the provisions of Article 21.4 of the Constitution of AD, Oke, not being a member of the AD for duration six months, can lawfully contest for the 2016 Governorship Election in Ondo State on the platform of AD.

The APC is also not spared some worries as Olusegun Abraham, one of the aspirants in the primary election that produced Rotimi Akeredolu as flag bearer is insisting that the court should rule that the purported governorship primary election in Ondo State held on the 3/9/2016 is in clear violation of sundry provisions of the APC Electoral Guidelines for Governorship Primary Election 2014 and provisions of the Constitution of All Progressives Congress, 2014 as Amended and therefore invalid, null, void of no effect.

Abraham said he is in court seeking an order setting aside the Ondo State Governorship Primary Election of Akeredolu held on the 3rd of September, 2016 for “non-compliance with provisions of the APC Elections Guidelines 2014 as Amended for Primary Elections, and Electoral Act 2010 as Amended, APC Constitution 2014 as Amended.”

“The situation in nearly all the three leading political party is such that nothing is certain. With INEC’s declaration that it will continue to obey court rulings on the matter of party candidacy, it is now nearly impossible to say who exactly is the candidate of any of these troubled parties. This is making the election really chaotic and voters confused,” a chieftain of the ruling party said.

Allegation and counter allegations

Determined to hold on to the ticket of his new party, Oke has blamed an alleged plot to stop him from participating in the election on a cabal in the ruling APC. He said this when he cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari to save him from those who want to stop him from contesting the November 26, 2016 governorship.

He named the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Badaru, Minister of Works, Raji Fasola, Minister of Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi and the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosu, and others, as people determined to prevent him from participating in the governorship election, so as to ensure the victory of Akeredolu, the APC candidate.

“This plot to stop Chief Oke from contesting the election is simply to clear the way for their protégé, Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is also vying for the Ondo State governorship position. Their best joker, which has been lent credence to by the popular boasts in town in the past few days by Akeredolu and his minders, is the ploy to instigate the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to invite and possibly detain Chief Oke days before the election, over phantom allegations.

“Chief Olusola Oke has been severally investigated and cleared by the anti-graft agency of any financial impropriety, but of recent, they have been putting a lot of pressure on the Commission to harass him of late with a view to make him look as if he is guilty, a development which is far from the truth,” his campaign office said.

In a related development, a group, Ondo Young Leaders in Diaspora, has accused governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Jimoh Ibrahim, of working for the APC. The group, therefore, warned Ibrahim against “trading the state into the hands of political merchants.”

In a statement issued by its president, Tomide Akinribido, the group warned Ibrahim against allowing himself to be used as “a tool in the hands of some people operating from the ruling APC government.” The statement said it became necessary for it to talk because of what it called “unfolding dangerous situation in the state.”

“It is of great importance to issue this press statement at this time, when our attention has been drawn to this revelation by an online newspaper on how controversial businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, knowing full well that he cannot win an election, wants to cause distraction and commotion within the ruling party in the state, with intent to give way to the APC candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu.”

The statement said that Ibrahim has no good record either as public or private figure, alleging he was out to attract “cheap public attention not minding its outcome.”

But the APC has denied the allegation and instead, accused Governor Mimiko and his party of plotting to throw the state into crisis following realisation that the PDP will lose the governorship election. Akeredolu and his party warned its opponents to solve their problems and focus on the election ahead.

“We have been reliably informed of the intense mobilisation of thugs and militants, running into thousands, by the Executive Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko. The governor intended to use the recruits to ”protest and unleash terror on the good people of the state. He has also started disbursing money to mobilise militants and hoodlums from Delta and Edo states as well as a faction of Oodua People’s Congress from Ekiti and Lagos states,’ the APC said.

With the current state of the political atmosphere in the state, many pundits are already predicting a tough election, should the election hold as scheduled without the many contentious issues resolved before then.

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The Ripples in the Senate over TETFund abuse allegations

Reactions of lawmakers at the Red Chamber during the week show that in the days ahead, the Senate will take the initiative to pass a bill that will reform the Technical Education Fund (TETFUND), reports Assistant Editor, Onyedi Ojiabor

IT was one of the high profile motions ever proposed in the Senate. Senators were agitated as the mover of the motion, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, reeled out mind bugling allegations of gross mismanagement of hard earned education tax funds.

It was not difficult for the backers of the motion to secure the mandate of the upper chamber to launch investigative hearing into the management of funds by officials of the money spinning education agency.

The Senate had on December 2nd, 2015 resolved to deliberate on a motion on alleged gross mismanagement of Education Tax Fund between 2011 and 2015. The adoption of the resolution was unanimous, apparently due to the weight of the claims.

The allegation however collapsed like a pack of cards after what was described as a meticulous investigation by the committee saddled to dig into the charges.

The assertions contained in the motion may have crumbled under the weight of investigation but Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, strongly believed that Senate should take immediate steps to block loopholes in the management of funds especially when it has become obvious that some agencies are becoming larger than the government that created them.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFund, Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano North), who was mandated to lead a team of his committee members to probe the allegations, presented report of the investigation of the allegations, detailing how the funds under probe were spent.

 The motion, he said, raised the following issues: That some institutions got multiple allocations of special interventions while institutions that are their peers did not receive any;

That TETFund granted a loan to the Federal Ministry of Education to organise a workshop and retreat in United States and Kenya in 2014 and 2015 outside the guideline of the Act;

That a whooping sum of N500 million was spent on advertisement and media in 2015;

That TETFund spent nearly N1trillion between 2011 and 2015 without visible outcome; and

That N200 billion collected between 2012 -2013 was diverted to unknown and unspecified uses not recognized under the Act.

Senator Barau said that as part of its methodology for the probe, the Committee held several meetings with TETFund officials, Ministry of Education officials, Ministry of Finance, Accountant General and Debt Management Office.

On the allegation that some institutions got multiple allocations of special interventions while institutions that are their peers did not receive any, Barau said top officials of TETFund explained that though the provisions of Section 7(2)(b) stipulates that the Board of Trustees shall “administer, manage and disburse tax on the basis of equality among the six (6) geo-political zones of the federation in the case of special intervention”, Section 7(4) further states that the Board of Trustees ”shall have power to give due consideration to the peculiarities of each geo-political zone in the disbursement and management of the tax.”

It is in exercise of this power that TETFund gives grant of special intervention. However it is on record that there is no tertiary institution in the country that have not benefitted from the Special Intervention at one time or the other.

On the issue of granting of loan to the Federal Ministry of Education and organising a workshop and retreat in US and Kenya in 2014 and 2015 outside the provision of the Act; Barau informed that it was submitted that no loan was granted to the Federal Ministry of Education and that the Fund did not organise any retreat or workshop in US and Kenya. However, a staff management retreat was organised in Abuja, anchored by the Public Service Institute of Nigeria during the period in question.

The committee was also told that the Fund equally ran a one week capacity building programme for professors and researchers in the universities to build their capacity in research and development skills. According to him, plans were already on to extend the programme to senior researchers in Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

On the issue of a whooping sum of N500 million budgeted for adverts and media in 2015, Barau said it submitted that the money came from the administrative cost which is five percent of the total education tax collected which is allowed under the Act. The probe committee was further told that the N500m was not from intervention fund set aside for rehabilitation, restoration and consolidation projects in the tertiary institutions.

Barau said top official of the agency justified the expenditure on the ground that stakeholders, investors and citizens needed to be encouraged to pay education tax by showcasing the numerous achievements which the Fund had made over the years.

On the issue of spending nearly N1trillion from 2011to 2015, Barau said that TETFund submitted that the total money received by the Fund between 2011 and 2015 amounted to N507‚090‚848,969.87 and not N1 trillion as alleged.

The amount, he said, was corroborated by Accountant General and the Central Bank of Nigeria

The officials are said to have stated further that TETFund intervention had evidently improved the state of physical infrastructure, research, teaching and learning environment in the country’s institutions nationwide while Executive Secretary maintained that before the establishment of Tetfund, no Nigerian university was ranked among the top 100 in Africa, but that as at today, 28 Nigerian universities are now ranked among the top 100 in Africa.

On the issue of diversion of N200 billion collected between 2012 -2013 to unknown and unspecified uses not recognised under the Act, Barau informed that the Executive Secretary informed the Committee that there was no diversion of funds whatsoever by TETfund rather the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan in response to Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) agitations, in 2012, took the money and spent it on the implementation of agreement with ASUU on Revitalisation of Universities’ Infrastructural Needs in which the Federal Government committed to spending N1.3 trillion in six years beginning with N200 billion in 2013 and N220 billion yearly from 2014 to 2018.

The panel boss said the actual money belonging to TETFund that was diverted to other uses by the former administration of President Goodluck Jonathan that was to be refunded was N273.99billion. This was the actual amount due to TETFund from Education Tax for 2013.

The Committee was also informed that the approval for the refund had already been given in May, 2015 by former administration and that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has revalidated the approval of the refund in September 2015 and directed that provision be made in 2016 budget.

On allegation that some institutions got multiple allocations for special interventions while institutions that are their peers did not receive any, Barau said the Committee found out that Special Interventions were introduced to address critical needs of the institutions in areas where their normal allocations could not address such as programme upgrades, improvements of learning and teaching environments.      Besides, the committee discovered that there is no tertiary institution in the country that has not benefitted from special intervention at one time or the other.

On the allegation that about N200 billion of the Education tax collected between 2012-2013 was diverted to unknown and unspecified uses not recognised in or permitted under the Act, the committee found out that funds which amounted to N273‚931‚254‚708.51, (two per cent Tertiary Education Tax) collections for 2013 was not transferred to TETFund project account in 2014.

Committee, Barau said, discovered that the amount was diverted to finance various expenditures, including the Revitalisation of Universities’ infrastructure and payment of allowances of Academic Staff of Nigerian Universities during the period under reference on the approval of the former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The committee informed that the diversion of TETFund money to other uses was possible because: The loophole in the TETFund Act, which allows only the President to be the approving authority for this very important agency that always has huge amount of money in its coffers without including the requirements of the National Assembly’s approval in line with the democratic dictate of checks and balances. This is in clear violation of Section 82(4) of the Constitution of Nigeria which states that “no moneys shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any public fund of the Federation, except in the manner prescribed by the National Assembly,” and the fact that the Executive Secretary and the members of the Board of Trustees were all solely appointed by the President and not confirmed by the Senate made them not to have the strength to raise objection or to nip in the bud the diversion of TETFund money to other uses.

Barau said the Committee recently found out long after the conclusion of its investigation that contrary to the assertion by a former Executive Secretary that the whole N273,931‚254‚708.51 billion was diverted to meet the expenditure as stated above, it was later revealed to the Committee by the recently appointed Executive Secretary that N10 billion out of the N273,931‚254‚708.51 billion was actually loaned to the PTDF which the PTDF had recently refunded to TETFund, leaving a balance of N263‚931,254‚708.51 billion to be refunded by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The revelation, Barau said, was made to the Committee about three weeks ago during an interactive meeting with the officials of TETFund, led by its new Executive Secretary, Dr. A. B. Baffa.

On the claim that the Board granted a loan to the Federal Ministry of Education and also organised a workshop and pre-retreat in US and Kenya in 2014-2015 without recourse to guidelines of the fund, “the Committee found out that the Board did not give a loan to the Federal Ministry of Education and did not organise any retreat or workshop in US and Kenya as alleged.”

 On the allegation that the sum of N500 million budgeted for advertising and media 201S budget contravened rehabilitation, restoration and consolidation of Tertiary Education in Nigeria in accordance to section 3(i) of the TETFund Act 2011, the Committee agreed with Executive Secretary’s detailed explanation that the internal working budget was always from the five percent cost of administration provided by the Act and not from the intervention Fund.

 That after spending nearly one trillion naira between 2011 and 2015 by TETFund, the state of infrastructure in the country’s tertiary institutions is still very shabby, and mostly run down ”The committee found out that the Fund did not receive or spend N1 trillion between 2011 and 2015. The actual funds collected amounted to N507‚090‚848‚967.87.The 2013 collection as explained earlier was not remitted to TETFund but was diverted.”

 On recommendation, the committee said approval for allocation and disbursement of fund belonging to TETFund is vested entirely in the Executive Arm of Government, the Board of Trustees, the Minister, and Mr. President, to the exclusion of National Assembly against the democratic practices of checks and balances which makes for proper accountability. Thus, to prevent future diversion, misallocation and or any tendency inimical to the TETFund, the Committee recommends as follows:

That in addition to the approval of Mr. President, the approval of National Assembly should be included in the process of allocation and disbursement of funds belonging to TETFund; that the appointments of the Executive Secretary and that of the chairman and members of the Board of Trustees of TETFund should be made by Mr. President and confirmed by the Senate; that the TETFund Act be amended to include (a) and (b) above; and that Senate should work to ensure the refund of all monies borrowed from the Education Tax Account as there are numerous infrastructural projects to be executed in the tertiary institutions around the country.

The recommendations were adopted. The implication is that in the days ahead, the Senate will take the initiative to pass a bill that will reform the Fund fundamentally, especially in the management and disbursement of funds.

 In the words of Senator Solomon Adeola, (Lagos West) “the Senate must amend the Act setting up the Fund for the National Assembly to be involved in the budgeting, allocation of funds and even disbursement of funds.

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The PDP Convention: Rivers govt threatens to sue police, DSS

An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and other security vehicles barricading the road to Sharks Stadium, venue of the PDP convention in Port Harcourt...yesterday. PHOTO: 

NAN IT WOULD BE RECALLED THAT THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT SITTING IN PORT HARCOURT IN A JUDGMENT ON TUESDAY RULED THAT POLICE AND DSS SHOULD PROVIDE SECURITY FOR THE NATIONAL CONVENTION. 

COURT ALSO DECLARED THAT ITS JUDGMENT OF 4TH JULY, 2016 VALIDATING THE NATIONAL CARETAKER COMMITTEE OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY REMAINS VALID AND SUBSISTING UNTIL VACATED BY THE COURT OF APPEAL. HOWEVER, JUSTICE OKON ABANG OF ANOTHER HIGH COURT GAVE A RULING TUESDAY EVENING IN ABUJA STOPPING THE CONVENTION BUT LAWYERS EMPHASISED THAT A RULING IS LESS EFFECTIVE THAN A JUDGMENT. 5762/17/8/2016/OCC/BJO/NAN

Rivers State Government is taking the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to court for preventing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its much advertised national convention at the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt last Wednesday.

Police and the DSS sealed up the venue, citing possible breakdown of law and order. But host Governor, Nyesom Wike, and chairman of the convention planning committee yesterday faulted the law enforcement agencies’ action.

Governor said that the people only decided to allow the security agencies have their way out of respect for visitors from other states.

Inaugurating the Peace and Security Committee of the State, Governor Wike said that the state government had decided to seek judicial interpretation on whether the two agencies were right to get involved.

Governor warned against rigging during the forthcoming rerun elections in the state. He charged members of the Peace and Security Committee to work towards promoting security of lives and property within the ambit of the law.

The members of the Committee include the Commander of the NNS Pathfinder, representative of the Nigerian Army, Rivers State Police Commissioner, Director DSS, Comptroller of Prisons, Comptroller of Customs, Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps, Comptroller of Immigration, Commander of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and a representative of the State Traditional Council.

Responding on behalf of the Committee, Navy Commodore Obi Egbuchulam assured that the security agencies would work towards promoting peace in the state for businesses to thrive.

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The PDP lacks moral right to criticise Fed Govt, says APC

All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lacks the moral right to criticise Federal Government. It accused the PDP of ruining the economy.

The party’s National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, in a statement by his Media Office in Abuja, said: “It is stomach-churning and downright immoral for the ruinous PDP, which has yet to show remorse or exhibit any form of penitence for presiding over the mindless looting of the nation’s treasury, to now put itself up as the saviour of Nigerians.

“Nigerians, who are now bearing the brunt of the economy that was mindlessly mismanaged by the PDP, cannot forget in a hurry that some $15 billion – which is about half of the nation’s foreign reserves at the end of the tenure of the PDP-led Federal Government – was mismanaged under the guise of the equipping the military, when in reality the funds were largely salted away by PDP fat cats.

“Just before the last general elections, some $2.1 billion was shared out to just a few PDP faithful, either to be used for praying again Boko Haram or for phantom communication purposes, when in reality the soldiers whom the money was meant to equip were dying in droves.”

Chairman listed other instances of the alleged looting of the national till to include:

— The $20 billion in oil proceeds that was never paid into the Federation Account

— The N33 trillion in national oil revenue that was not accounted for, considering that while the nation earned in excess of N56 trillion over five years under the last Administration, the total budget for those years amounted to about N23 trillion

— The $47 million that was distributed to a few individuals just to oil the election process before the last polls.

‘’What is happening now is clear: Just because the farmer has not checkmated the thief, he (thief) has become so emboldened that he is now making a move to even cage the farmer from whom he has been stealing.

“How else can one characterise the most annoying statement by the PDP that it is on a mission to rescue Nigeria, the tale of a killer presenting himself as a life saver! Are these people jokers? Do they think Nigerians do not realise that the stage for today’s tough economic situation was set by the same PDP that is now masquerading as a saviour? Worse still, is this PDP’s bold face not a ploy to distract the Administration that is on a rescue mission?

“Nigeria is currently in ICU (Intensive Care Unit), after it was rescued from PDP.  Yet, the same PDP has the audacity to constantly pillory the ‘doctors’ trying to save the ‘patient’,’’ the Chairman said.

He went on: ‘’Yes, we knew the situation was bad, but we never imagined that it was this bad. Yes, we knew that the vast majority of our national patrimony had been stolen and converted by PDP and their cronies, but we clearly under-estimated the scope of the stealing. The fact that our country and people survived the PDP and the last administration is perhaps the 8th wonder of the world.”

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Police seal off PDP convention venue

The Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State venue of today’s National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been sealed off by a combined team of security personnel from the police and Department of State Services (DSS).

The Rivers Commissioner of Police, Francis Mobolaji Odesanya, said in a telephone call that : “We are obeying court order.”

It was gathered that policemen and other security operatives moved to the sharks stadium at the old Port Harcourt Township, popularly called Town, as early as 4 a.m. today, to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

Sharks stadium was ready last night, while the Outside Broadcasting (OB) vans of the Africa Independent Television (AIT), Channels Television and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) were mounted Tuesday evening and early this morning, but the security men asked the teams to quickly vacate the stadium, while journalists who got to the venue as early as 6 a.m., were ordered to immediately leave the stadium.

Our correspondent who was at sharks stadium at 6 a.m. was prevented at the main gate by fully-armed and stern-looking policemen, DSS operatives and other security personnel from gaining entrance into the venue.

Journalists, politicians and other persons who had already entered the stadium were ordered out, with more journalists and PDP members still milling around the stadium, as at press time, in case of further developments.

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Mimiko’s commissioner, aide join APC

There’s greed in PDP’ Ondo State Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperative Services Mrs Yetunde Adeyanju has resigned her appointment.

She submitted her resignation letter yesterday afternoon, and issued a press statement where she announced her defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, Giwa Rasheed, a special assistant to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, also resigned and defected to APC.

Adeyanju said with the resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government, “ a huge burden has been lifted off my shoulders. The relief came from a refreshing freedom a political family where impunity reigns, freedom from subversion of democratic principles and indeed, freedom from deification of sycophancy.”

Statement continues:” In the last seven years, I have served in various executive capacities in the state. I started as executive chairman of Ondo State Waste Management Board, moved to head Ondo State Development Company Limited as executive chairman and finally, as commissioner in the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperative Services. Wherever I served, I discharged my duties with utmost dedication and unassailable integrity; notwithstanding the culture of greed, avarice and absolute disregard for the masses.”

She added: ”Having exited the conundrum of capricious politics, I have, therefore, decided to align myself with true progressives in APC.  While I salute the patriots in the APC, I also want to hail President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade.

“It is, therefore my great pleasure to renounce my membership of PDP and announce my membership of APC.”

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PDP convention: Courts give conflicting rulings

The Judge: convention is hereby suspended, Port Harcourt judge: provide security for convention, Uncertainty reigned yesterday over tomorrow’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention slated for Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Though, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt ordered that security  be provided for the convention; another Federal High Court in Abuja suspended it.

The Justice Ibrahim Watila of Port Harcourt ordered the convention to go on because there was nothing before him seeking otherwise, but Justice Okon Abang of Abuja suspended the convention because it was being planned in disobedience of his order.

Justice Watila ordered acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, Commissioner of Police Francis Mobolaji Odesanya and Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) Lawal Musa Daura to ensure “adequate security at the meeting”.

He also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to  monitor the  convention. PDP is expected to elect its national officers at the convention.

The party on May 21 held parallel conventions in Abuja and Port Harcourt. The events ended in crisis. Rather than the proposed election, the party settled for a caretaker committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi. But Makarfi has since been embroiled in a battle of supremacy with Acting National Chairman Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff.

Justice Watila’s orders followed a motion brought by Convention Planning Committee secretary Senator Ben Obi for an order to compel the Police, the DSS and INEC to do their jobs anytime the convention is to hold.

Ruling on the motion on notice, with number FHC/PH/585/2016, Justice Watila said: “The defendants are hereby mandated to provide security for the national convention of the PDP scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 or any other date and venue, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice or the originating summons as the honourable court may decide.

”INEC is mandated to monitor the national convention of the PDP  scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 or any other date and venue, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice or the originating summons as the honourable court may decide.”

The defendants were not represented in court.

The judge ordered that the police, DSS and INEC be served by substituted means through their respective offices in Port Harcourt.

He said the July 4 judgment  of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt that recognised the  May 21 national convention which produced the Makarfi-led caretaker committee has not been  appealed against  or set aside, hence it behoves  the court to protect that judgment.

Justice Watila held that there was no injunction stopping the convention brought to his notice during the hearing of Obi’s application.

He adjourned the case to today for hearing of the originating summons.

In Abuja, Justice Abang granted an interim order suspending plans for the convention, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice for injunction filed by the plaintiffs.

The case was filed by Ali Modu Sheriff and other members of PDP National Working Committee (NWC).

The substantive suit was filed before the court’s vacation and was assigned by the Chief Judge to Justice Abang.

The plaintiffs’ July 20 motion for injunction is seeking, among others, an order restraining INEC from monitoring the convention

The motion was slated for hearing on July 28 after the plaintiffs obtained the court’s leave for the motion on notice to be heard during its long vacation.

But it was not heard because of a motion for joinder filed by Senator Makarfi and six other members of his committee.

The motion was, again not heard yesterday because of the rulings on some applications, including the joinder application by Makarfi and others.

In one of the rulings, the judge granted the prayer by Makarfi and others and joined them as defendants in the suit.

The others are Senator Ben Obi, Odion Ugbesia, Abdul Ningi,  Kabiru Usman, Dayo Adeyeye and Alhaja Aisha Aliyu.

After his clients were joined in the suit, their lawyer, Yunus Usman (SAN), applied for adjournment to enable him study the plaintiffs’ motion for injunction, which was served on him in court yesterday by their lawyer, Adeniyi Akintola (SAN).

Akintola, who did not object to Usman’s application, prayed the court for an interim preservation order to restrain parties from taking steps to dissipate the res (substance of the case).

Akintola, who drew the court’s attention to an order ex-parte order obtained last week by Senator Obi from Port Harcourt, noted that the respondents have the habit of flouting court orders.

He said the order obtained by Obi from Port Hacourt was intended to frustrate proceedings before the Abuja court.

Akintola said the court would be rendered helpless if no positive order was made and the case adjourned.

Ruling, the judge said it was shocking that, despite being aware of the plaintiffs’ motion for injunction, and also being aware that a ruling was to be delivered in his application to be made a party in the case, Senator Obi, on August 9, obtained an ex-parte injunction from Port Harcourt, directing INEC to monitor the convention and security agencies to provide security.

“The action of Senator Ben Obi is unlawful and unfortunate. A court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot make an order that will neutralise the proceedings in another court of coordinate jurisdiction. The Port Harcourt division of this court cannot make an order to neutralise proceedings in this court.

“Any court of coordinate jurisdiction that takes delight in making ex-parte order in frustrating another court of coordinating jurisdiction’s proceedings is entirely on its own,” the judge said.

He said he would have adjourned proceedings on the plaintiffs’ motion for injunction without making any preservative order, as requested by lawyer to Makarfi and others, but for a compelling need for such order because of Senator Obi and the need to take care of the conflicting interests of parties before the court.

“Senator Ben Obi, with the greatest respect to him, is a senior and responsible citizen of this country. He cannot undermine the authority of this court. He ought to have waited for the court to deliver ruling in his application, which has now been delivered in his favour.

“Senator Ben Obi cannot slap the court in the face and expect the same  court to grant him an adjournment in this matter without making any interim preservatory order.

“Democracy is anchored on the rule of law, not on the rule of self help; not on the rule of might. Democracy is not anchored on the whims and caprices of any person, no matter his position in the society. If we are to sustain this democracy, no body should be above the law.

“Senator Ben Obi, with the greatest respect to him, cannot treat this court with disdain and levity. What is the need for rushing to another court for an order, when a court is already seised of your application? This is unfortunate and unfair,” the judge said.

Relying on the Supreme Court decision in the case of Lagos State v. Ojukwu1986 1 NWLR pt 18 at page 621, he noted that on no account must a party to a suit resort to self help.

He said where a party takes the laws into his/her hands, the court must invoke its disciplinary jurisdiction to curb the excesses of the recalcitrant party, in exercise of the court’s power for the maintenance of its dignity and integrity.

“In the light of this, lawyers and politicians must ensure that the hard earned democracy is protected to avoid anarchy. If there is a breakdown of law and order, it is the masses of this country that will suffer. The politicians and senior lawyers will quickly find their way out of the country. The court is here to ensure that there is no anarchy.

“Therefore, in the exercise of my disciplinary jurisdiction, where a party has taken the law into its hands, and in line with the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Lagos State and Ojukwu, in the interest of justice and competing interests of parties, an order is hereby made in the interim, suspending PDP convention slated for the 17th of August 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, pending when the plaintiff’s motion on notice dated 20th July 2016 is heard and determined,” the judge said, and adjourned to noon today, hearing of the plaintiffs’ motion on notice for injunction.

Earlier, the judge dismissed a motion filed on behalf of PDP by Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), seeking an order for stay of proceedings, pending the determination of an appeal he filed against the court’s ruling.

Court had, in the ruling, held that Orbih, who appeared for PDP on the strength that he was briefed by the Makarfi leadership of the party, cannot appear in the case because the Makarfi group lacked the power to act on behalf of the party.

Judge allowed Olagoke Fakunle (SAN) who was briefed by the Sheriff’s faction to represent PDP in the case.

Ruling on Orbih’s application for stay of proceedings, Justice Abang held that the notice of appeal filed by Orbih was incompetent as he was not known by the court as PDP’s lawyer.

The Justice Abang dismissed a motion filed by Sikirula Ogundele, seeking among others that the judge should disqualify himself from further hearing the case.

In the motion said to have been filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Yemi Oke, Ogundele, who is not a party to the suit, accused the judge of bias.

The judge felt slighted by the applicant’s decision to join him as a respondent in the appeal against the court’s July 28 decision by Ogundele.

A lawyer, Dolapo Kehinde, who initially held Oke’s  brief,  withdrew his appearance when he could not defend the motion.

Upholding Akintola’s and Fakunle’s request for the dismissal of the motion, Justice Abang described Ogundele “as a meddlesome interloper”, adding: “He is a busybody wandering about.”

He said Ogundele and his lawyers also flouted Section 188 of the Evidence Act which grants a judge judicial immunity against being sued over his decision in the line of duty.

Judge said but for the decision of Ogundele’s lawyer not to proceed with his application, he (the judge) would have cited him (Ogundele) for contempt for making contemptuous depositions in the affidavit supporting his application.

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The PDP gasping for breath, says Obasanjo

Have quit for good, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday dismissed his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as divided, factionalised and gasping for breath.

Former Obasanjo, seemingly annoyed by media reports that he was sighted at a PDP event at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja at the weekend, said the reports were aimed at scoring “cheap political gains.”

Former president sensationally tore his membership card of the party ahead of the 2015 elections, saying he was through with party politics.

PDP went on to lose that year’s presidential elections and its control of the majority of the 36 states.

Former president said having announced his exit from partisan politics publicly, it is unthinkable and preposterous for anybody to contemplate that he would reverse himself and return to a comatose PDP

Ex – Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP made this known to reporters in Abeokuta, yesterday, in a statement. He said he was at the Yar’Adua Centre as a guest of the Commodities Association Stakeholders which had no relationship with the PDP.

His words: “Those who know me, know that I have publicly announced my quitting partisan politics and those who will believe the purported story will believe anybody who tells him that his or her mother is not a woman.

“If I quit a party when it was alive and seemingly united, how could I go back to a now divided, factionalised party gasping for breath?”

His office followed up with another  statement, saying: “While ordinarily his first reaction to the news was that those behind it targeted to get him annoyed and embarrassed him, his conclusion was that he has told the world that he has quit partisan politics and that is final. Anybody hoping to drag him back will fail like any man feeding mice to a dead cat.

“To clear the minds of doubting Thomases and those behind the orchestrated news in circulation and particularly those who had been calling to ascertain what actually happened at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, on the invitation of the Commodities Association Stakeholders, His Excellency was invited to the “Zero Hunger Nigeria” event at the Centre’, the statement said.

“He arrived at about 10.00am and immediately moved to the meeting. The meeting commenced but few minutes into the session, his attention was drawn to the presence of some people walking up to where he was seated.

“At closer glance, he recognised them to be politicians and they exchanged pleasantries, saying they came to greet him and they walked out again from the meeting. The former president cracked jokes with them calling them “invaders and gate crashers”.

It said as soon as the programme ended Obasanjo and his entourage headed back to Lagos.

He said he was barely hours in Lagos when he started receiving calls from far and near wanting to find out about his presence at a political party programme in Abuja.

Statement added, “The photo news in circulation, which claimed that he was spotted at a political party event is therefore mischievous, and  a responsible journalist ought to have gone further to ascertain his actual destination. 

Shocking also to note that the picture was actually taken while on his way out of the centre after the programme he had attended had finished.”

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PDP knocks Dokpesi, Secondus out of chairmanship race

Zones position to Southwest desire of media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, to lead the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to have been truncated by leaders of the party from the three geo-political zones in the south –Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth.

The PDP governors, National Assembly members, former ministers and other leaders from the south at a crucial meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, ahead of the August 17 national convention billed for the city opted to zone the post to the Southwest.

Also out of the race is Uche Secondus, former acting national chairman of the PDP, who is from Rivers State.

Dokpesi is from Edo State.  Both Edo and Rivers are part of the Southsouth geopolitical zone.

Although Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who briefed journalists at the end of the meeting, said any party member willing to contest any position was free to do so, he was quick to advise party members to respect the zoning formula.

Also zoned to the Southwest are the positions of national treasurer and deputy national publicity secretary.

Party zoned the positions of first deputy national chairman, National Legal Adviser, Deputy National Women Leader and Deputy National Auditor to the Southsouth, while South-East got National Organising Secretary, National Youth Leader and Deputy National Financial Secretary.

The PDP stalwarts from the Southwest who have signified their intention to contest the PDP national chairmanship include former Chairman of the Nigerian Port Authority, Chief Bode George, and a former minister, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.

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Bode Ojomu join race for PDP National Publicity Secretary

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Bode Ojomu has joined the race for the party’s National Publicity Secretary at the National Convention billed for August 17, at Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

Ojomu who hails from Irepodun Local Government area of. Kwara State, North Central, Nigeria said he’s going into the race to enhance the rebuilding of the party and return it to the people.

He promised to impact and mobilize Nigerians through all forms of media to return PDP to power in 2019, rallying all media professionals in the party together.

PDP had earlier zoned its National Publicity office to the North Central geo-political zone.

Bode Ojomu had been a tested student activist at national level before his admission into the University of lbadan, having participated actively in NANS as Speaker of Oyo State College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife.

Bode holds a Masters’ Degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies and B.A. Hons in language and Communication Arts and he is a member of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

During the tenure of Chief Barrabas Gemade as National Chairman, Bode was appointed as a Member of the PDP National Committee on Media and Publicity to formulate a Media Policy for the Party.

He was the Director, Media and Publicity, MANDATE 2003 – the Governorship Campaign Organization of Dr. Bukola Saraki in Kwara State.

In 2004-2005, he served with both Chief Audu Ogbeh and Dr. Amadu Ali as Deputy National Publicity Secretary and Acting National Publicity Secretary for 3 months.

During his tenure, he participated as Member of so many important Committees including the Governor Joshua Dariye Investigation Panel under the Chairmanship of Governor Donald Duke and functions very effectively with the several Organs of the Party.

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APC tell itself?

Govs’ meeting with Buhari looks like the familiar ‘family affair’, If I had known on time, I would have sent an item for possible consideration at the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling All Progressives Congress’ (APC) governors under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum at Aso Rock on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, I read about the meeting in the papers less than 24 hours to the parley.  But, did anyone frown out of the meeting? It is important we have an answer to this question because, if everybody came out all smiles, something must have gone wrong. It means they did not tell themselves some home truths. 

A meeting at that level and at this point in time ought to produce frank talks. And if indeed truth is bitter, when it is told, it must necessarily provoke anger in some of the participants at the meeting. Most of the pictures of the meeting that were published did not reflect that frank discussions took place about the most pressing matters in the land; otherwise, the governors and the president would not have been laughing as they reportedly did. The issues on ground are no laughing matter.

We read that part of what was discussed was the continued occupation of the seat of deputy senate president by Ike Ekweremadu of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Yes, the issue is important; first because with some people in certain positions, anti-corruption war cannot make any significant progress. Second, it is an aberration that a member of the opposition party would be sitting pretty on that chair; but that is part of the fallout of the rain that mixed up the pigeon with the fowl in the APC. The governors and the president cannot forget so soon how Ekweremadu got the position; when the party succeeds in reinventing itself; that will naturally disappear.

However, my worry is particularly about the APC as it concerns the south-west. Even at the risk of being accused of parochialism, I understand why. The region, (or, if we choose to use today’s political description) the geo-political zone had a political culture that was unbroken for years. Once its leaders decided the way; that was the way. Although at some point, some people started this talk about a region or zone putting all its eggs in one basket. 

I see nothing wrong in that if the people were sure of their choice. We have seen the folly in joining the party at the centre for the sake of it. It did the zone no good. Unfortunately, things have changed fast, especially in the immediate past era of the PDP, with some of the states in the geo-political zone falling like pack of cards into the hands of the then ruling party with little or no resistance. We’ll get back to that shortly.

My main worry today stems from the handling of the salary crisis in some of these  south west states. For sure, the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo who made the Western Region a cynosure with the many firsts that he wrought there when he was premier: first television station in Africa; first skyscraper in Africa; first stadium in Africa; free education, also the first of its kind in Nigeria would be wondering in his grave what happened to enterprise and creativity in the zone. He would be asking himself what could have made things so bad that even governors of the zone cannot pay civil servants’ salaries for months, simply on account of a slump in the federation earnings.

Although this is a national problem, the point is that the way some of the governors in the geo-political zone handled or are still handling the matter suggests that they have not learnt much lesson from the past. There may not be money to pay; but there is a way this should be relayed to those affected that they would know their leaders understand what they are going through. It is regrettable that some of the governors in the zone keep behaving as if the place is still there all for their plucking. This is fallacy of the highest order.  Unfortunately, these governors are in their own second term; so, there is nothing at stake for them again. But what of their party, the APC?

It does not seem to me that they care what happens to the party after they might have left the scene. The question to ask these governors is whether they would have handled the matter the way they are handling it now if their second term was at stake? We have a situation where the party was in charge before the governors were elected but suddenly lost control after, with the role reversal which now makes the party subservient to them. This is dangerous. 

Yoruba people might be sophisticated politically; they sometimes may shock people with their voting pattern, especially when they perceive that their leaders have become unapproachable or cocky. When that happens, they can decide to put their caps on their navel instead of their heads, contrary to a popular saying in the area. Unless the party reclaims its mandate from the governors, the mess that some of them would leave when their second term lapses would be too much for the party to clear.

Moreover, the party has to do soul-searching on how its other governors are running their states. From reports, little has changed in some of these states; except that there is not much money to fritter as in the past. Otherwise, we would have seen the same display of ostentatious lifestyle by some of these governors as we used to complain about in the past.

Then there is the general performance of the Buhari government in the eyes of Nigerians. The governors could have pledged their support and loyalty to the administration. That was expected. It was also good they lauded the ongoing anti-corruption war. But beyond all of these, as people who are closer to the people (I hope I am right) they needed to have let the president know that Nigerians are not particularly happy that their lives are not being touched positively yet by his programmes. 

They may not be expecting miracles; and even if they are, it would not be an illegitimate expectation. But the point is; they think the government is not working as if it knows that it has less than three years to go. It is the same mouths they used to sing ‘Hosanna’ last year that they would sing something else if things continue like this till 2019; we need to start warning now so that the president would know the urgency of the matter. 

It is true the problems were inherited yesterday, but the way out too was expected as early as yesterday. When expectations take too long in materialising, doubts and frustration set in. It has been like that since creation. The government needs to think of something earth-shaking to rekindle hope that it is truly on top of the situation. Nigerians would not perpetually want to live under assurances by the president and his officials that they know they (the people) are suffering.

Then, some of the nonsense that the party inherited in the National Assembly – constituency projects and jumbo pay, to mention just two, ought to have become history by now in a government that came on the mantra of change. But what do we see? It is the people in the same ‘change party’ that are defending some of these things. Even while the generality of Nigerians are suffering; the lawmakers want to keep their rotund bellies.

I cannot imagine such a situation where people who won elections into the National Assembly under the banner of Chief Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) would be collecting the scandalous pays that members of our present National Assembly are collecting. They would not have been party to it and it would have been clear that it was only the then ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) that was involved. 

That it is taking this long even under the ruling party to abolish these ungodly perks for part-time lawmakers is worrisome. Change cannot make sense when members of the National Assembly collect such monies, even when the economy is in crisis as it is today. Look also at the budget-padding issue; it was unthinkable in those days of the UPN.

The APC must demonstrate change, not by sloganeering but more by action. I have said it before that as far as Nigerians are concerned; there is little difference between the progressives and the others. That was why people would not lift their fingers even when votes were blatantly rigged here in the south west in the PDP years. 

Was it not the same geo-political zone that was noted for its stout defence of its votes in the first and even second republics? So, why was the PDP able to get away with votes stolen in the region, not once, not twice, but severally, without any strong challenge? For votes to count in the region, for people to take the party seriously there and elsewhere, APC leaders must show that they are not like the first and last-born of pigs that all play in the mud.

If some people are still proud to say they are PDP today, it is partly because of the way and manner some leaders of the ruling party at all levels are conducting affairs and themselves. That explains the audacity. Ordinarily, one would not be thinking of the PDP in the picture at all by now because that party had sufficiently messed up the chances of its resurrection. 

But this is a country where anything goes; that is why some people would still be parading themselves as PDP members in the first instance. That is why such people would be hallucinating about returning to power under the banner of the godforsaken party, come 2019. It can be so in a nation where we have many shameless people around who have kept recycling themselves in the corridors of power.

The saving grace for the APC for now is Buhari’s integrity as well as the curse of Nigerians who are bearing the brunt of PDP’s misrule that have kept the PDP in disarray. We need much more than that to keep them down and out. And that can be achieved only when the difference is clear between the progressives and the others. So, when next the APC meets, these are issues to ponder.

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The ‘APC governors’ meeting with Buhari not on Saraki’

The Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar yesterday said All Progressives Congress (APC) governors’ meeting with President Buhari has nothing to do with the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Bukola Saraki also said the APC governors raised a committee to look into the crisis and other problems confronting  the party.

Abubakar said in as much as the APC governors would look into party issues in the National Assembly, they will  not dabble in either any case in court or the crisis in the legislature.

Although he was silent on names, it was obvious that he was referring to the trial of the president of the Senate, Saraki, and others for forgery.

Abubakar, who made the submissions at an interactive session with reporters in Abuja, said the APC governors would not intervene in any criminal matter.

He said: “The APC is a party that has come to power and it has come to power from an opposition political party, and I must confess that we are experiencing teething problems in the APC because being in government is a new phenomenon for us.

“ I cannot say that things are going on smoothly and that is why yesterday we paid a visit to Mr. President and we expressed the need for governors to be called upon to delve into the problems of the party, with a view to reinvigorating the party so that it can continue performing the functions of a party in power, so we are trying to address this issue.”

Asked of  the extent to which the APC governors will intervene in the trial of some National Assembly leader, Abubakar said: “…I assure you we are not going to tamper with cases that are before courts or tribunals and we are not going to delve into the issue at the moment.

“We are only going to touch on the political issues pertaining to the National Assembly. As for what is before the court, those of us who are lawyers, we know that we cannot touch them and the issue is just coming up but it is not politics. 

As far as I am concerned, If any proof is found to the  allegations, these are criminal offences so there is no way any committee of governors can delve into that, I can assure you.

To address the problems in APC, Abubakar said the APC governors have raised a committee to look into it.

He added: “Mr. President has graciously allowed us yesterday and we have in fact formed a committee of the APC governors’ forum to address this and other issues bedeviling the ruling party.

“At the state level, there are problems, I must confess, particularly with our representatives at the centre. What I always say is the most beautiful form of government is constitutional democracy, especially where the constitution is written in Nigeria. 

The Britain practises constitutional democracy but their own constitution is not written; in our case, our constitution is written and the beauty is that at every level of government, the functions and powers of every level of government have been stipulated in the constitution

“So, if we are going to abide by the functions and powers allocated to us in the constitution, there will not be any areas of friction. As I said,  the APC is new to governance; it has come from many years in opposition. To attaining the position of the ruling party, we are having teething problems.

“I call all these teething problems, and I assure you that we are addressing these problems; even the Bauchi State problems that are seen today in the pages of the newspapers are not insurmountable and even as I speak, there are moves to address these problems in the APC in Bauchi State.”

Governor refused to  say how much had been recovered from those who looted the state.

He said he would prefer to confirm the figures based on fact-sheet, which was not available.

He also said: “The question on the recovery and how much, I always feel shy of sharing out figures that I am not certain of.

“All I can say is definitely that there will be revelations from the little I have seen. For example, I know of a situation of which in one day N1 billion was taken from one account of the government through several N10 million cheques, but I will not be able to put a figure on total recovery. As I said, the work of the committee is ongoing.”

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The PDP senators deny impeachment plot against Buhari

They say this is no time for politicking

The Senators elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday denied their involvement in any alleged plot to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari.

They dismissed reports of the impeachment plot as “false, baseless and unfounded.”

PDP Senators were apparently reacting to a statement by a former Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees  (BoT),Chief Tony Anenih, asking  the National Caretaker committee Chairman – Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, to “dissuade the PDP caucus in the National Assembly from participating in the alleged ‘ill advised’ adventure of removing President Muhammadu Buhari from office.”

Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio; Minority Whip,  Philip Aduda; and Deputy Minority Whip, Biodun Olujimi, said in a joint statement  that the PDP Senate Caucus had “neither discussed nor participated in any discussion or congregation on the issue of impeaching and/or serving notice of impeachment on President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Asked Nigerians “generally to be cautious in spinning and/or peddling rumours capable of heating up the polity.”

Said their main concern for now is the national economy and not impeaching the president.

Their words: “By the admission of the Minister of Finance when she appeared before the Senate on Thursday, July 21, 2016 at plenary, the Nigerian economy is technically in recession. Therefore, this is no time for politicking.

“Rather we should all join hands together to address the problems of unemployment, hunger, poverty and insecurity currently ravaging our country.

“Downturn in the economy is of more concern to us as PDP Senators who are known patriots. Nigerians are passing through very difficult times and our immediate concern is how to assist in proffering solutions to the economic crises that we are presently faced with.

“Before the Senate proceeded on a six-week recess on Thursday, July 21, 2016 there was no such item as impeachment of President Buhari, on the agenda of the PDP Senate Caucus or that of the Senate.”

They pledged to work with other Senators to enact legislations that will uplift the living standard of Nigerians.

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Brexit vote worsens global economic outlook

The Britain’s decision to exit the European Union (EU), has further depressed the global economic outlook in the years ahead, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has said.

The global financial institution said in a publication due for release today, that the outcome of the U.K. vote, which outcome it stated came as a surprise to the global financial markets, implies the materialisation  of an important downside risk for the world economy, saying as a result, “the global outlook for 2016-17 has worsened, despite the better-than-expected performance in early 2016. 

This deterioration reflects the expected macroeconomic consequences of a sizable increase in uncertainty, including on the political front. This uncertainty is projected to take a toll on confidence and investment, including through its repercussions on financial conditions and market sentiment more generally.”

The IMF said the initial financial market reaction, expectedly “ was severe but generally orderly,” stating that  as of mid-July, the pound in response to the unexpected development, “weakened by about 10 percent. “ It said despite some rebound, equity prices stayed lower in some sectors, especially for European banks; and yields on safe assets have declined.

However, before the June 23 vote in the United Kingdom in favor of leaving the European Union, economic  data and financial market developments suggested that the global economy was evolving broadly according to forecast in the first month of the second quarter of the year, the IMF said in its  World Economic Outlook (WEO).

It said growth in most advanced economies remained lacklustre, with low potential growth and a gradual closing of output gaps, pointing out that prospects remained diverse across emerging markets and developing economies, with some improvement for a few large emerging markets, amongst which were Brazil and Russia, indicating a modest upward revision to 2017 global growth relative to the April’s 2016 forecast.

The IMF said  with “Brexit” still very much unfolding coupled with  its unpredictable outcome, the extent of uncertainty complicates the already difficult  task of macroeconomic forecasting.

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APC releases time-table for Ondo governorship poll

All Progressives Congress (APC) has released the time-table and schedule of activities for its governorship primary election in Ondo State.

The National Organising Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso said this yesterday in a statement.

Izunaso said the announcement was in line with provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines and party guidelines.

According to the time-table and schedule of activities, sale of forms will begin at the party’s National Secretariat, from tomorrow to August 5.

Governorship nomination forms will be sold at N5 million, and intending aspirants will pay N500,000 to pick expression of interest form. The forms are free for female aspirants.

Statement added that the last day for submission of completed forms is Monday, August 8 at the party’s National Secretariat.

Screening of aspirants will be in Abuja from August 9 to August 12.

Primary election will hold on August 27 and election appeal is scheduled between August 29 and September 1.

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