Fayose Celebrates President Buhari's 75th Birthday (See His Wishes)

Fayose Celebrates President Buhari’s 75th Birthday (See His Wishes) People’s Democratic Party chieftain, Governor Fayose has shelved aside political differences to celebrate President Buhari on his birthday. Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of his 75th birthday, and urged the president to quit the stage when the ovation is loudest. Fayose said the President had served the nation as far as he could with his advance age. In a statement on Saturday by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the Fayose said the President required the prayers of all Nigerians. This is to congratulate Mr President as he clocks 75. I want to thank God for his life and pray for good health in the service of our nation and that he continues to age with grace. I wish him the best. He represents us all and we owe him prayers and cooperation where necessary, just as we also need to criticise him too where necessary, he said Asked what he would tell the President if he sees him on his birthday, Fayose said he would congratulate him, not minding the political differences between them. On what would be his advice to the President on his rumoured second term bid, Fayose noted that it would be honourable for the President to call it quit now.

Yoruba PDP caucus attacks Wike over Obasanjo comment

The congress of Yoruba Sons and Daughters within the Peoples Democratic Party say they are outraged by the insults allegedly hauled on the Yoruba by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. They said they took a strong exemption to Wike’s comment that the Yoruba are inconsequential and have no practical political importance in the PDP. According to them, Wike also described former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a failure. The group lamented that Wike’s comment was a reflection of how much the Yoruba in the PDP had been “pushed to the edge of the cliff” and relegated in the opposition party’s scheme of things. The group said the Yoruba in the PDP had been cheated by the failure to elect a Yoruba man as the national chairman of the PDP. This was contained in a statement titled, “The Yoruba people: Time for reflection,” made available to our correspondent on Wednesday. “Our leaders are being mocked. Our symbols of truth and sincerity are now being derided, snubbed, treated with contempt and disowned. “The irreverent, scandalous, arrogant and most myopic statement of the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, is the crowning of all insults upon our people. “Wike, in his most arrogant and selfish swagger, openly derided our people as being inconsequential and of no practical political importance in the PDP. “This is rather scandalous and very benighted. He even insulted our former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as a failure. This is an aberration. “We at the Congress of Yoruba Sons and Daughters within the PDP fold are outraged, angry, disappointed, very sad and sickened about this very primitive utterance of Governor Wike. “We demand an immediate and full apology from Mr. Wike for his gutter language against our people,” the group said in the statement signed by its chairman, Dayo Ogunjebe. Ogunjebe said the Yoruba did not deserve to be unfairly treated in the PDP, having “worked assiduously for the growth and development of the PDP.” He said, “In both financial and moral terms, the Yoruba people have been selfless, making tremendous sacrifices. (They have been) consistent and devoted to the growth of our party. “But we have been cheated. We have been maligned. The chairmanship position that rightly belongs to us has been taken away. It has been sold to the highest bidder. “Let Wike and the Yoruba betrayers at home know that we will never play the role of a second fiddle to anyone. We are proud of our heritage. We are proud of our achievements across this nation. We do respect the feelings and the tradition of other people. Surely, we will never sit idle while anyone attacks the collective interest of the Yoruba race.” The group insisted that Wike must apologise for “his indecent statement.” It argued that with the failure to give the PDP National Chairman’s position to a Yoruba man, the opposition party had “slowly dwindled into a regional party with Wike swaggering like an overlord.”

Uche Secondus Elected As PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus being sworn in as PDP’s National Chairman A former acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Uche Secondus, has emerged as the party’s National Chairman, ending its long and troubled quest to elect leaders after it suffered defeat in the 2015 Presidential election. Mr Secondus defeated a former Minister of Education, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Founder of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, as well as a Former Minister of Sports and Special Duties, Taoheed Adedoja, in a controversial election at its national convention which commenced on Saturday at the Eagles Square in Abuja. The results of the elections, announced by the immediate past Governor of Benue State and Chairman of the electoral committee, Mr Gabriel Suswam, showed that Secondus polled 2,000 votes, compared to the 231 votes secured by Professor Adeniran and the 66 votes that went to Dokpesi in the election. Shortly after he was declared the winner of the election, around 3:30 am on Sunday, Mr Secondus was sworn in. Twenty other elected officials were sworn in right after that, ensuring that there was no vacuum in the party’s leadership as the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee was dissolved ahead of the elections. The election has, however, been condemned by both of his challengers as fraudulent with Professor Adeniran calling for its cancellation. It wasn’t long after voting commenced that the process turned controversial. A ‘Unity List’ allegedly compiled by governors and which was circulated to some delegates led to discontent and allegations of fraud. The list contained the names of purported ‘unity candidates’ identified for delegates to vote, a development which Adeniran and Dokpesi said amounted to rigging. Although Adeniran walked out of the convention in protest, the process continued. All of the candidates that were declared victorious in the election and subsequently sworn in were on the ‘Unity List’. See the winners as declared by Suswam below: 1. National Chairman – Uche Secondus (Rivers, South-South). 2. Deputy National Chairman, South – Yemi Akinwonmi (Ogun, South West); unopposed. 3. Deputy National Chairman, North – Senator Gamawa Babawo Garba (Bauchi, North East); defeated six others. 4. National Secretary – Senator Umaru Ibrahim Tsauri (Katsina, North-West); defeated others 5. Deputy National Secretary – Emmanuel Agbo (Benue, North Central); defeated four others 6. National Organising Secretary – Austin Akobundu (Abia, South East); defeated two others 7. Deputy National Organising Secretary – Hassan Yakubu (Nasarawa, North Central); unopposed 8. National Publicity Secretary – Kola Ologbondiyan (Kogi, North Central); defeated four others 9. Deputy National Publicity Secretary – Diran Odeyemi (Osun, South West); defeated two others 10. National Financial Secretary – Abdullahi Husseini Maibasara (Niger, North Central) 11. Deputy National Financial Secretary – Irona Alphonsus Gerald (Imo, South-East); defeated on contestant 12. National Treasurer – Aribisala Adewale (Ekiti, South-West); unopposed 13. Deputy National Treasurer – Wada Masu (Kano, North West); defeated one contestant 14. Deputy National Auditor – Miss Amina Arong (Cross River, South-South); unopposed 15. National Auditor – Adamu Mustafa (Yobe, North East); unopposed 16. National Women Leader Mariya Waziri (Kebbi, North West); defeated one contestant. 17. Deputy National Women Leader – Umoru Hadizat (Edo, South-South); defeated three others. 18. National Youth Leader Udeh Okoye (Enugu State, South East); defeated three others. 19. Deputy National Youth Leader – Umar Babangida Maina (Adamawa, North East); defeated Yahaya Salisu 20. National Legal Adviser – Emmanuel Enoidem (Akwa Ibom, South-South); defeated two others. 21. Deputy National Legal Adviser – Ahmed Bello Liman (Sokoto, North West); Unopposed. Nine candidates had been in the National Chairmanship race as of Friday evening, seven from the South West and two – Secondus and Dokpesi – from the South-South. Six of the candidates from the South-West, however, pulled out of the race starting late on Friday with a former National Deputy Chairman of the party, Bode George. Before the election commenced, Professor Adeniran became the sole candidate from the South West.

Raymond Dokpesi Calls PDP Convention ‘A Charade’

Raymond Dokpesi Calls PDP Convention ‘A Charade’ Founder of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, has expressed disappointment over the emergence of a list called the ‘Unity List’ in the National Chairmanship Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The list, a copy of which was obtained by Channels Television on Saturday, contained the names of purported ‘unity candidates’ identified for delegates to vote, a development which Dokpesi and another contestant, Professor Tunde Adeniran said amounted to rigging. Speaking to reporters at the Eagles Square in Abuja on Saturday, Mr Dokpesi also alleged that the names on the list were those who won various seats in the party’s leadership structure. “Our attention has just been drawn to an impunity and illegality that has been going on since we started voting about three hours ago. “Apparently, every delegate that is available a copy of what you can find here, they call it the Unity List (raises copy of ‘Unity List’), which bear the same thing and all the names that are here are number 1 on all the cubicles for voting and this is supposed to be the list prepared by the governors. “Our agents have been very disturbed. Everybody has come out to vote, has this list.” Read Also: Adeniran Walks Out Of PDP Convention, Rejects Electoral Process He, however, noted that although he was not angered by the situation, he just wanted the press as well as observers to see that the process was not free and fair as claimed. According to him, he had reported the case to the Chairman of the electoral committee, Mr Gabriel Suswam, as well as the chairman of the planning committee Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, but both seemed equally overwhelmed by the situation. “I have personally approached governor Suswan who is involved in the management of this electoral process and he told me that he was taking necessary steps and that he personally even collected this Unity List from a governor. “I approached governor Okowa who is chairman of the planning committee – he too is helpless so the names you have here is not unlikely to be what you will find announced later today. “But unfortunately I am not pained, I am not angered, but the younger ones that are involved have come up with cries to me and I must take an appropriate step. “Distinguished ladies and men of the press, the purpose of just drawing your attention and showing you this – collected from various delegates is to show very clearly that the process that is going on is very seriously marred,” Dokpesi stressed.

WHERE IS MAINA?

Where is Maina? The story of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, the Chairman of the defunct Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, is like a tale straight out of a Hollywood movie. Like a Mario Puzo spellbinder, the plot is full of suspense, intrigues and surprises. As yet, the real life drama is still unfolding with dizzying speed and before the day runs out, this report may read like history as new developments may render it obsolete. In fact, the story is full of twists and turns but it actually started in 2010, when former President Goodluck Jonathan drafted Maina to clean up the corruption in pension system. In 2012 , the tables turned against Maina, when he was accused of embezzling pension funds. Vehemently, he had denied the allegation but the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) had dragged him to court on alleged Procurement Fraud and Obtaining by False Pretence. Maina, according to the charges, is allegedly complicit in the over N 2 billion Pensions Biometric Scam in the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation. Disappears into thin air Significantly, the pension Task Force boss became elusive as he never appeared in court to defend himself. In a bid to stop his arrest, Maina had approached the court, seeking an order perpetual injunction, restraining the EFCC from inviting, arresting or prosecuting him through a exparte motion dated February 14, 2013, pursuant to the fundamental human right enforcement rules 2009 and section 42 sub 3 of the 1999 constitution. Simultaneously, Maina was being chauffeur-driven with police escorts and was allegedly holing up in the presidential villa. Ironically, President Goodluck Jonathan ordered disciplinary action to be taken against Maina, following pressures from the National Assembly. Subsequently, he was dismissed from service for absconding from duty. In 2015, the anti graft agency had had declared Maina wanted and even secured an arrest warrant against him. Subsequently, the pension boss sneaked out of the country to the United Arab Emirate(UAE). Thereafter, nothing was heard about Maina until recently, when news broke that he had returned into the country, reinstated into service, deployed to the Ministry of Interior and even promoted to acting Director of Human Resources on October 23. . Claims and counter claims After the expose, Nigerians were outraged by the brazen illegality of his return and the impunity of his reinstatement to service. Almost immediately, the Minister of Interior, Lt -Gen Abdulrahman Danbazau confirmed the resumption of Maina as an Acting Director, two days after the news broke out. However, he washed his hands off the entire process that led to his reinstatement . According to him, “Maina was posted few days ago to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head Of Service, on an acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the ministry”. He added that ” for the avoidance of doubt, issues relating to discipline, employment, re- engagement ,posting, promotion and retirements of federal civil servants are the responsibility of the Federal Civil Service Commission and Office of Head of Service of the Federation”. Significantly, the Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Eyo-Ita, denied the minister’s claim which linked her to Maina’s reinstatement. Speaking through her Assistant Director, Media Relations, Alhaji Mohammed Monga, she informed “the public that the reinstatement and posting of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdulahahi Maina never emanated from the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation “. According to the statement, ‘’the purported reinstatement and posting by the office of the head of civil service of the federation is totally erroneous and misleading “. Rather than shed light on the issue, the claim and counter-claim added fire to the anger of Nigerians. Malami, Dambazzau aided his return However, a series of alleged correspondences between the Ministry of interior, Ministry of Justice Abubakar Malami and the Head of Service, suggest that Dambazzau and the nation’s Chief Law officer might have aided the process that exonerated, reinstated and promoted Maina to Acting Director at the Ministry of Interior. A letter signed by one Mustapha Suleiman dated September 17, 2017 on behalf of the Chairman of Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), made a strong case for Maina’s recall. Malami, according to the letter, had requested the FCSC “to give consequential effect to the judgement that voided the warrant of arrest issued against A.A Maina, which formed the basis for the query and his eventual dismissal “. Subsequently ,the FCSC deliberated on the Attorney General’s letter and requested the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), “to advise the permanent Secretary ministry of interior to consider the AGF’s letter, the officer’s case and make appropriate recommendation to the commission. ‘’ Reports indicated that “the OHCSF accordingly advised ministry of interior to consider the matter”. Thereafter, the ministry’s Senior Staff Committee deliberated on the issue and recommended Maina’s reinstatement into the service as a Director. Afterwards, OHCSF forwarded the recommendations of the Ministry of Interior’s Senior Staff Committee to FCSC for necessary action. The FCSC then approved Maina’s reinstatement, according to the leaked correspondences. Buhari weighs in Probably concerned by the level of criticisms that greeted Maina’s reinstatement and the embarrassment that trailed the action, President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the immediate sack of Maina from the federal civil service last Monday. Simultaneously, he directed the Head of Service of the Federation to submit a full report surrounding Maina’s reinstatement, promotion and posting to the Ministry of Interior, to the office of his Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari that same day. The president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina who broke the news of Maina’s sack, said that Mrs Eyo-Ita had already complied with Buhari’s directive. Lack of inter agency cooperation Speaking to Blueprint, elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai said that the Maina saga has shown lack of coordination amongst security agencies. EFCC declared Maina wanted and the commission even issued a warrant of his arrest, according to EFCC, the spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, ” wherever in the world”. But the said fugitive entered the country almost without notice, Yakasai lamented. In addition, the Maina story also shows the security lapse in the country. The question on most lips is, how did the alleged culprit sneak to UAE without being arrested? More so, reports indicated that Maina was protected by the operatives of State Security Service (SSS) and the police even when his name is on the wanted list of the EFCC. Similarly, Maina was allegedly given cover at the presidential villa by former president Goodluck Jonathan when an arrest warrant was issued against him . In addition, the claim by the Nigerian Immigration service (NIS) that it did not get any official notice for Maina’s arrest , and that it was unaware of his exist from the country and re-entry, further exposed the lack of collaboration among relevant government institutions towards achieving a common goal. According to NIS, the service merely read about the Maina’s arrest warrant on the pages of newspapers, just like other Nigerians. NIS spokes man , Mr James Sunday feigned Ignorance on how the fugitive former pension boss came into the country, in spite of INTERPOL’s international warrant for his arrest . According to Mr Sunday, ‘’the controller general of Immigration would have acted promptly on it if such order was ever communicated to the service; when such orders are given, our officials act promptly and such wanted individuals will hardly escape”. The spokesman however said that fugitives can escape ‘’ if they use any of the several illegal entry and exist points which are not manned by immigration officials” . APC, PDP trade blames As expected, there was a war of words between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the Maina saga. Specifically, the verbal warfare was triggered by the PDP which accused APC of complicity. In a press statement, PDP said it was not surprised that the present administration reinstated Maina, describing them as birds of the same feather. For this reason, ” we are not too shocked by the steps taken by the administration of APC in reinstating a supposed criminal and fugitive ,Abdulrasheed Maina to the office instead of getting him arrested. Birds of a feather flocked together”, the opposition party had declared. In a swift reaction , APC’s National publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described Maina as one of the toxic elements that was left behind by the opposition PDP. In a statement, the spokesman reminded PDP of Maina’s original sin. The fugitive, according to him, ‘’ has been accused of one of the most monumental act of corruption in the nation’s history but that was only possible under a PDP government. ‘’ Similarly, Maina’s family rose to their son’s defence in Kaduna, saying he is not a thief but a Messiah who was engaged by the Buhari administration to cleanse the Nigerian pension scheme. Family spokesman Aliyu Maina also alleged that it was the APC-led administration that facilitated Maina’s return, ” to assist its change agenda “. Aliyu blamed his brother’s travails on a cabal which is bent on tarnishing the image of Maina in the media and that the family is in possession of facts that will expose its motive . Presidency denies claim However, the presidency has denied Aliyu’s claims, especially that the government invited Maina to help in the change agenda. Garba Shehu, a presidential spokesman, had described the claim as ridiculous and ‘’ a freshly minted falsehood. Nobody should believe that”. The spokesman advised Nigerians to ignore Aliyu’s statemen. Senate, House set up committees Significantly, the senate has directed its Committee on Public Service and Establishment to investigate how Maina, who was on security watch list, got into the country after absconding for some years without being arrested. In addition, the Senate also ordered an investigation in the circumstances leading to Maina’s reinstatement into the public service and promotion to the level of a Director. In addition, Chairmen of Human Rights and Legal Matters, Financial Crimes and anti corruption, and Internal Affairs were co-opted into the investigative committee. Similarly, the House of Representative also set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the matter and to recommend strong sanctions against any person or persons implicated in the scandal. Attorney General Malami keeps mum On his part, the Minister of Justice has assured Nigerians that they will know the truth when he obtains clearance from the president to appear before the senate. ” I believe that Nigerians are entitled to know the truth in the entire saga, and I am ready to speak directly to them when I appear before the senate. I will not however talk until I get clearance from my principal”. The minister also denied any wrong doing in facilitating Maina’s return, describing the whole issue as a “grand conspiracy ” and that his actions didn’t breach public service interest. Public sceptism However, there are genuine concerns that the planned probe by the National Assembly might not yield any positive result going by precedents. Like previous probes, recommendations will be made but they will not be implemented . According to Malam Adamu Shehu, a Kaduna-based public affairs commentator, ‘’this is not the first time that the presidency will institute probes but the findings will not be made public.’’ He pointed out that the HOS has sent her report on how Maina was reinstated for close to a week now but nothing has been heard about it. ‘’Like the Babachir report, this one will also be left on the shelves to gather dust,’’ he lamented. Where is Maina ? Surprisingly, Maina is still elusive as even his counsel, Barrister Esther Uzoma does not know where he is. Last Friday, Blueprint Weekend called her and she said ‘’no comment.’’ . However, Maina spoke last Tuesday, via telephone, to an Abuja-based Human Rights Radio, on its popular programme, ” Brekete family ” . The fugitive said he was ready to spill the beans with documents on the pension fraud in the police and the civil service . He added that he was ready to come out of hiding if the president would provide him with adequate security. In 2015, on the same programme, Maina had earlier stated he had recovered N282 billion and handed it over the Ministry of Finance and that the then Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okojo-Iweala had deposited the money in the Central Bank of Nigeria. However, as at last Friday, Buhari had neither given Maina the security that he had requested nor has the former pension boss come out of hiding. Reports indicate that Maina has fled to Niamey, the Niger Republic capital. In his absence, However, supporters have been ‘’telling his own side of the story on social media’’ but Maina is still at large . Meanwhile, EFCC operatives have been sealing his properties, starting from last Monday. In particular, officials of the anti graft agency sealed a $2 million mansion at Jabi district of Abuja. The next day, they descended in Kaduna and marked six properties allegedly belonging to the elusive Maina. Certainly, the last has not been heard of this story with no end in sight.

Dasuki Sues FG, The Amount He’s Asking for Damages will leave you speechless

Dasuki Sues FG, The Amount He’s Asking For Damages Will Leave You Speechless Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd), has filed a suit against the federal government before the ECOWAS Court in Abuja over his continued detention. In the suit filed by his lawyer, Robert Emukpoeruo, Dasuki wants the court to declare among others, that his continued detention after been granted bail by three different courts and met the conditions for his release, was “unlawful, arbitrary and an egregious violation” of his human rights. File photo of former NSA, Sambo Dasuki Daily Sun reports that the former NSA is demanding that the sum of N500 million damages be paid for alleged rights infringement. Also, the former NSA wants the sub-regional court to declare that the alleged invasion of his privacy, home and correspondence at his Abuja and Sokoto residences on July 16 and 17, 2015 and the “forceful and unlawful seizure” of his properties, “without any lawful order or warrant” constituted a gross violation of his fundamental rights and offended the country’s treaty obligations as a signatory to the listed legal instruments. READ ALSO: How Much Money Dasuki Gave Out To High Officials (Chart) Dasuki is also urging the ECOWAS court to order his release forthwith. This is even as a Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday ordered the federal government to produce him by February 16, the next adjournment date. Justice Ademola Adeniyi in his order said the court has not excused his absence and that Dasuki must be physically present to face the criminal charges against him. Dasuki was arrested last November for allegedly diverting the $2.1billion meant to aid in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the north east. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is currently probing the $2.1 billion arms contract scandal involving Dasuki. So far, over 20 prominent Nigerians and politicians have been implicated in the arms deal scandal.

Tension In House Of Reps As 11 Lawmakers drag Dogara to Court

‎ Tension In House Of Reps As 11 Lawmakers Drag Dogara To Court ‎ Crisis rocks the House of Representatives as 11 lawmakers have sued Yakubu Dogara, the speaker of the House, and its clerk, Sani Omolori, before an Abuja High Court over the new Standing Orders.‎ Daily Sun reports that the lawmakers led by Aliyu Sani Madaki (APC, Kano) filed a suit by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Ahmed Bello Mahmud, seeking 12 reliefs from the court, among which is a declaration that the new House Standing Orders is null and unconstitutional. It would be recalled that on October 8, 2015 the House adopted the report of its ad-hoc committee that had to review the Standing Orders, 2011 edition, in which the Speaker is vested with the powers to suspend any member that approaches the mace, the symbol of authority in the House, with whatever intent. The Standing Orders also provide that the speaker can suspend any member of the House for 30 plenary days for failing to obey the presiding officer’s directive for such a lawmaker to assume his seat during plenary sessions. READ ALSO: It’s An Award Winning April Fool Stunt: Dogara Reacts To Missing 2016 Budget‎ According to some lawmakers, the new rules are restrictive and conceding much power to the speaker. Therefore, in the suit they asked the court to restrain the House, Dogara or any of its agents from exercising “the purported amendments” vested on them in the newly adopted Standing Orders. They also prayed the court to declare as “repressive, susceptible to abuse and breaches” of their constitutional rights, the powers granted Dogara to present any proposal for the suspension of any member. When contacted, Abdulrazak Namdas, the chairman of the House committee on media and publicity, said: “Although I have not seen the court papers, but since the matter is in court, it will amount to contempt of court for me to say anything. All I can say is that the court should be allowed to do its work and determine the matter”.‎