Benue Command Of Nigeria Prison Service Appeals To FG For Operational Vehicles

    

The Benue Command of the Nigeria Prison Service, on Wednesday appealed to the Federal Government for operational vehicles to enhance its effectiveness in conveying inmates to courts.

The State Comptroller of Prisons, Mr Peter Pevigo said this in Makurdi that the command has no single official vehicle for the movement of inmates.

Command now uses all kinds of buses, including ambulances to move inmates to courts.

Pevigo explained that the command had no option but to improvise, by exploring alternative means of conveying inmates to court to avoid any breakdown of law and order in the prisons.

“We do not have any Black Maria, the official car for the movement of inmates from one place to the other, so we have to improvise alternative means of solving the problem.

“This is a very sensitive issue, because if we fail to take inmates to court at the appropriate time, they may cause havoc or cause any unlawful thing within prisons yards.

“At the moment, we have 858 inmates out of which only 86 are convicts.

“It is incumbent on us to take 772 inmates awaiting trial to court as at when due, that is why we are using our discretion to solve the issue.” he said.

The comptroller explained that the command had officially communicated to relevant authorities about their condition and expressed the hope that the situation would be addressed soon.

He commended prison warders under the command for their hard work and dedication to duty, and ensuring peaceful coexistence at all times.

CNPP Rejects Benue Council Elections, Demand its Annulment

 


The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), umbrella organization of all registered political parties and associations in Nigeria, has rejected the process and the outcome of the Saturday’s local government election in the Benue State.


It described the outcome as an “unprecedented rape of democracy and rubbishing of every tenet of free, fair and credible election at the local government level”.

The CNPP in a statement by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, while demanding for its cancellation, observed that “the process was tailored by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) and the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) and Governor Samuel Ortom to produce APC Chairmen in the state irrespective of the people’s choice.

It said, “The voters apathy marred the election in all 23 Local Government Areas of Benue State on Saturday, which resulted in low turnout of voters across the state clearly indicate that the people rejected the process and a remarkable statement that the election outcome is a fraud.

“We, therefore, call on the National Assembly, the international community and all well-meaning Nigerians to take note of the unprecedented rape of democracy and rubbishing of every tenet of free, fair and credible election at the local government level through electoral process manipulation by the Governor Samuel Ortom led administration.

“For us, no election took place in Benue on Saturday and we demand immediate cancellation of the election”, CNPP stated.

Tinubu did not assist me into becoming APC National Chairman – Oyegun

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Oyegun has said a National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu was not responsible for his emergence as the ruling party’s National Chairman.
Oyegun made the remark in an interview with Vanguard while responding to a question that some people are alleging that he has not been fair to those who assisted him to emerge National Chairman of the party, especially, Bola Tinubu.

The APC Chairman insisted that everybody in the party and not a particular individual aided his emergence.
According to Oyegun, “Everybody assisted me to this position and I am grateful to all of them. The only thing is my personality and integrity; I don’t joke with these two things because they are the only currency that I have and I will defend them at any time.
“I don’t believe one particular person solely assisted me to this position, everybody assisted me and someday, the story of how I became chairman of APC will be told.

“You will then see that everybody did assist me to become National Chairman. This means that I am there for everybody. I don’t belong to any camp in the APC. I belong to all members of APC high and below.”

APC tells Buhari to leave Jonathan alone, says his government losing direction

The Arewa Peace Coalition, APC, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop blaming his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan and focus on his government which is “losing direction.”
A statement by its Coordinator, Abdulkadir Mohammed said the President should pay more attention to the prevalent national issues among which are lopsided appointments and the economic hardship facing the country.

The group urged Buhari to discourage the “current negative campaign” against Jonathan and focus on improving the quality of lives of millions of Nigerians.
It also advised Buhari to acknowledge some of the successes of his predecessor and consolidate on them.
The statement reads,“Nigerians didn’t vote Buhari to come and give excuses on why he cannot perform… they believed he was capable and particularly fit for the job of president.

“Since you won the 2015 election, we have been waking up almost every day to hear stories about how Jonathan did this and Jonathan did that. We have become tired and fed up.
“When will we begin to hear what Baba Buhari has done? When will we begin to hear of what our Baba has done to salvage Nigeria?
“Bashing Jonathan at every opportunity has not solved any of the problems you met as president. Nigerians have already voted Jonathan out. They are disappointed that years after Jonathan has left, there is no day that the Buhari presidency does not attempt to feast on Jonathan. Why then did we vote for you?

“Mr President, there were quite a few successes of the Jonathan presidency. Acknowledge those successes and use them to your advantage.
“And then work to correct and avoid the mistakes that dogged the Jonathan presidency. That is how successful nations work.
“Please leave Jonathan alone. Go around the country and ascertain things for yourself. Two years into your presidency, you are yet to visit more than 30 states in Nigeria.”
The group also the president not to leave out any section of the country in his appointments.
“Appoint a competent team to assist you in the onerous task of fixing Nigeria. Appoint people in every nook and cranny of Nigeria.
“The Buhari presidency must not be over-saturated by people from the northern part of the country or people who share a peculiar history with you.
“You are now a Nigerian president NOT a Northern, Daura or CPC president. You are president over Muslims the same way you are president over Christians.
“It is with great discomfort that we write you this piece. In 2015, many of us came out in large numbers to vote for you because we believed that things would change for the better if you became president of Nigeria.
“When you ascended to the position of President of Nigeria. We rejoiced across the streets of northern Nigeria. Some of our kinsmen trekked hundreds of kilometers to celebrate your win in the 2015 elections.
“Two years into your administration, everything has turned on its head. The price of food has skyrocketed across Nigeria. The quality of education has nosedived. Access to affordable health care has become a problem. Farmers are no longer encouraged to go to their farms. Nothing seems to be working.”

2017 budget: Why NASS leadership met with Osinbajo – Spokesman

The leadership of the National Assembly has revealed why it met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during the Easter recess.
Abdulrazak Namdas, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs who made the revelation on Monday said the purpose of the parley was to put both the Legislature and the Executive on the same page concerning the 2017 budget.

The lawmaker said that since the National Assembly and the presidency had agreed on key aspects of the Budget, it will ensure speedy passage of the budget.
He said: “The topmost priority will be the passage of the budget. We want to ensure that within a few weeks, the budget will be passed.
“I can tell you that during the Easter break, the leadership of the National Assembly met with the Executive over the budget so that budget will be streamlined in a manner that it tallies with priority areas of the Federal Government and I can tell you that if this budget is passed, there will no little or no issues with the Executive implementing it”.

He said important legislations which both chambers have to harmonize are the amendment of the Electoral Act 2010 as passed by Senate on Thursday, March 30 where in the Senate version passed include the use of electronic voting in future elections and electronically transmission of results to collation centers.
“Any bill that is passed by the Senate must be given concurrence by the House and vice-versa. But you also have to understand that concurrence by either House of the National Assembly is not automatic, neither is the rule that the bill be passed the exact manner it was sent to either house.
“But what is important is that we will work hard to pass bills that will enhance good governance on time,” he stated.

Namdas also said that the House has been serious with carrying its constitutional responsibility of investigations, adding that in spite of the dissolution of ad hoc committees by the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, inquiries into issues by the House would not be truncated. According to him such probes would also be done in a “timely manner,” he said.
“The Speaker dissolved ad hoc committees but my understanding is that next action on investigations undertaken by these committees will either be taken over by standing committees or be reassigned as decided by the leadership of the House.”

Use your energy to attract projects to Kogi – APC chieftain mocks Dino Melaye

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kogi State, Hon. Attayi Okolo Musa, has advised the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye to stop his constant attacks on Governor Yahaya Bello.
He advised Melaye to use his vibrancy to attract federal projects to his home state.

Addressing newsmen in his office on Monday, the APC stalwart and amember of the administrative team of Omala Local Government Area of the state, expressed disappointment with Senator Melaye’s recent actions and outbursts.
“Instead of attracting federal presence to the state to complement the good works of the governor, Senator Melaye is busy distracting Governor Bello from delivering the needed democratic dividends to the people of Kogi”, he said
He advised the Senator to play his own role instead of demonising the state government.

Reacting to the assasination attempt on Melaye and his accusation that Governor Bello was the mastermind, Musa advised the Senator to look in another direction.
“The governor of the Kogi state is too ethical and level-headed to be linked to
such an inglorious act”, he said.
He advised other members of the National Assembly from the state not to lock horns with the governor, but join hands with him to drive the ‘New Direction’ policy of the stategovernment.

Recall that Bello in his reaction to Melaye’s accusation, said he was unaware of the incident since the lawmaker never informed him.

Rivers APC congratulates Peterside on his election

Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said​ t​he election of Dr Dakuku Peterside, Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), as the new Chairman and President of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) is well deserved.
​APC in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt,​ describ​ed​ ​the election as​ a testimony to ​Peterside’s ​exceptional leadership qualities.

“Dr. Peterside, who was the APC governorship candidate during the 2015 polls, is an astute and seasoned administrator with a Midas touch who has repositioned and turned around the fortunes of NIMASA within one year of his appointment as the DG of the Agency​.​
​”​We are, therefore, not surprised that Maritime Administrators from 32 countries in Africa have found him worthy of piloting the affairs of AAMA for the next one year,” Rivers APC said in a statement signed by the State Chairman, Davies Ikanya.
“He has in so short a time made NIMASA an institutionalised institution with the right structure, the right work ethics; an institution which Nigerians are proud of.

“Today, NIMASA is a model of reference on the continent of Africa, an agency that understands that it is set up to serve the Nigerian people”​, he added.
It further noted that Peterside had within one year ensured the full implementation and enforcement of the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) code in the nation’s ports, and shut three jetties and port facilities for non-compliance with the provisions of the ISPS Code.
“NIMASA under Peterside’s watch has commenced the full implementation of the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act 2003, also known as the Cabotage Act, and forged strategic partnerships with the Nigerian Air Force as well as other naval assets to patrol and monitor the country’s waterways with a view to enhancing maritime security by decisively tackling piracy and criminality on the high seas”​, he said.​

​APC added that​ President Muhammadu Buhari captured the mood and minds of Nigerians in his congratulatory message​.​
​”​We stand with our beloved President that given NIMASA’s encouraging performance under Dr. Peterside especially in the fight against sea piracy through inter-agency cooperation,​ his new position provides him with even bigger platform to forge ahead in doing the nation proud by meeting the objectives of AAMA.
“We thank President Buahri and Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi the Minister of Transportation for their support to this gem and revolutionary leader that have made us all proud by becoming the first Nigerian to head such an international organisation”, the party stated.

Why Nigerians should support Buhari for second term – APC chairman, Chief Odigie-Oyegun

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has explained why Nigerians should queue behind President Muhammadu Buhari for second term in 2019.
Odigie-Oyegun said Buhari had performed excellently and should be given another opportunity to finish what he had started.

Meanwhile, Presdient Buhari is yet to indicate interest in second tenure.
Speaking with Vanguard, the APC leader said, Buhari’s fight against corruption should earn him automatic ticket for second term.
His words, “This is a free country. I have my views and I have expressed them. Why do I say so? I said so because the main gift President Buhari is giving to this country is what he represents and that is his absolute integrity.

“What Nigerians should aspire to be, the kind of country that we want Nigeria to be, a country where a man’s yes is his yes. A country with leadership that treats with respect public resources, a nation that is disciplined; a nation that is not wallowing in indecent corruption that we have today that is making one ashamed, that is what Buhari represents. He is like a General leading a charge against the major ills of this country.”
Odigie-Oyegun added that even when Buhari finally leaves office, Nigeria still needs a man like him to continue the good foundation he had laid for the nation.
“The job is so enormous that one term cannot do it. The job is so enormous that two terms cannot do it.

“Even after President Buhari’s tenure, we still need people like him to continue in office.
“So, my prayer is that God gives him robust good health and once he enjoys that, of course as an individual, I will work that he comes back for another term. But those things are in the hands of God because we are not God and we cannot play God.
“I am only saying that because of the enormity of the task that we are facing. When we talk of change, a lot of people talk about physical change.
“The main one is the change in the mentality and ethics of Nigerians, especially the attitude of Nigerians to right and wrong. So, the task is enormous and we need continuity in principled leadership which President Buhari represents,” he said.

Buhari considering Oshiomhole, Mamora to replace Babachir Lawal as SGF

Former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole and former Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora are being considered to replace the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, if the Yemi Osinbajo-led panel indicts him.
According to This Day, both men are on a shortlist currently before President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke, were suspended last week by Buhari, over alleged mismanagement of the funds allocated to the Presidential Initiative on the North-east (PINE) and the discovery of $43million in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The panel responsible for investigations is headed by Vice-President Osinbajo, with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), as members.
However, proactive measures are being taken, before the panel concludes its findings and submits a report.

“The general belief is that Babachir Lawal may not survive the findings of the probe panel, so a shortlist has been drawn up.
“Two names featured prominently on the list. They are Adams Oshiomhole and Olorunnimbe Mamora,” a reliable presidency source said.

How ex-INEC Chairman, Jega disappointed me in 2015 – Goodluck Jonathan

The immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan despite conceding defeat after the 2015 Presidential election ha expressed disappointment with how the then Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega conducted the election.
This revelation was contained in a book written by the Chairman of THISDAY editorial board, Segun Adeniyi.

In the book which will be launched on Friday, Adeniyi quoted the former President as saying Jega disappointed him.
The former President also said he had a meeting with Jega to express his reservations about the preparedness of INEC for the exercise, but the ex-INEC Chairman maintained that the election would go ahead as scheduled.
According to Jonathan, “I was disappointed by Jega because I still cannot understand what was propelling him to act the way he did in the weeks preceding the election.

“As at the first week in February 2015 when about 40 percent of Nigerians had not collected their PVCs, Jega said INEC was ready to conduct an election in which millions of people would be disenfranchised.
“Of course, the Americans were encouraging him to go ahead yet they would never do such a thing in their own country. How could we have cynically disenfranchised about a third of our registered voters for no fault of theirs and still call that a credible election?”
“The interesting thing was that the opposition also supported the idea of going on with the election that was bound to end in confusion,” the former president said.

The book which was seen by TheCable quoted the former President as saying security reasons was responsible for the postponement of the election.
“When the military and security chiefs demanded for more time to deal with the insurgency, the reasons were genuine.
“As at February 2015, it would have been very difficult to vote in Gombe, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
“But the moment all the arms and ammunition that had been ordered finally arrived, the military was able to use them to degrade the capacity of Boko Haram to the level in which they posed the threat to the election,” he said.

Buhari restates vow to probe present, past corrupt officials

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated that all past and present corrupt officials will be probed.
He said the anti-corruption agencies have been repositioned to undertake the legal battle against them.

Buhari said this in his address at a summit on Security and Development Agenda for Northern Nigeria organized by Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation on Tuesday in Kaduna.
Buhari vowed that under his administration, money meant for the citizenry will not be looted by a few corrupt individuals.
President Buhari who was represented by Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazau, said the challenges confronting the nation included terrorism.

“The Herders-Sedentary farmers’ conflict is very rife with us, even though it also has a regional dimension,” he said.
“This is one serious matter that affects most concerned persons in this forum, next is the collateral kidnapping for ransom and problems associated to it.
“As you are all aware, the security forces, including the intelligence outfits, have been mandated to combine their efforts to rid our people of the violent levels it has escalated in recent times, leading to regrettable loss of lives and property, at a national scale.”

How Obama helped Buhari defeat me in 2015 election – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has claimed that he lost the 2015 presidential elections, because of a conspiracy between the USA, Britain and France.
In a new book “Against The Run of Play” authored by the Chairman of ThisDay Editorial Board, Olusegun Adeniyi, Jonathan said former US President Barack Obama, ex-British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande helped President Muhamamdu Buhari win the election.

He said: “President Barack Obama and his officials made it very clear to me by their actions that they wanted a change of government in Nigeria and we’re ready to do anything to achieve that purpose. They even brought some naval ships into the Gulf of Guinea in the days preceding the election.
“I got on well with Prime Minister David Cameron but at some point, I noticed that the Americans were putting pressure on him and he had to join them against me.
“But I didn’t realise how far President Obama was prepared to go to remove me until France caved in to the pressure from America.

“But weeks to the election, he had also joined the Americans in supporting the opposition against me.”
On why Obama was not confident in him, Jonathan said, “There was this blanket accusation that my body language was supporting corruption, a line invented by the opposition but which the media and civil society bought into and helped to project to the world. That was the same thing I kept hearing from the Americans without specific allegations.”
Jonathan also admitted that Buhari’s administration was doing a better job on the fight against insurgency.

“What is happening now with regards to Boko Haram was the same thing that happened to me regarding Niger Delta militants in 2007.
“I did my best and so did the military, though I can understand if there is greater commitment to the fight now than in the past. In my time, Boko Haram said they were fighting an infidel government. That naturally has to change since they cannot also call Buhari an infidel.
“There is a feeling of ‘our man is there now’ that you cannot discountenance. It was the same feeling with me with the Niger Delta militants at the initial stage in 2007,” he said.

PDP demands update on Buhari’s health

The Ahmed Markafi faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the presidency to give Nigerians update on the health status of President Muhammadu Buahri.
Dayo Adeyeye, spokesman of the Markafi group, said this in reaction to the expulsion of Olalekan Adetayo, state house correspondent of Punch, from the presidential villa in Abuja.

Although the presidency has distanced Buhari from the saga, PDP said the action by Bashir Abubakar, chief security officer to the president, was an attempt to gag the media and an assault on the country’s democracy.
“The PDP acknowledges Mr. President’s health challenges; and as a human being and an elder statesman, we quite understand the need for him to have adequate rest and continuous medical attention,” Adeyeye said in a statement.
“We are therefore not too surprised that the president has not in recent times been able to fully face the rigours of government and has to make very rare public appearances.

“This is pretty obvious to all Nigerians. The PUNCH story is therefore nothing extraordinary. It merely reflects what Nigerians already know with perhaps a little bit of speculative license. It therefore should not have elicited the extreme reaction from the president’s chief security officer.
“The media as the fourth estate of the realm is an important pillar of any democracy. Any attempt to gag the press in whatever guise is an abridgment of the rights of the people and a direct assault on our hard earned democracy.
“We therefore totally condemn the action of the president’s CSO. He must realise that we are in a democracy and not military dictatorship.

“For the umpteenth time, we want to reiterate that Nigerians deserve to know the health condition of their president. No one has the right or power to hide the president behind the curtain while dishing out instructions to Nigerians in the name of the president,” it read.
“We join all well meaning Nigerians to wish the president a speedy recovery and pray that the Lord Almighty will grant all that is required for him to fulfill his responsibilities to our dear country.”

Update On Suswam’s Continued Detention By DSS

The Department of State Security has accused Benue State former Governor, Gabriel Suswam of having links with a militant group that recently attacked Zaki Biam, which led to death of hundreds of people.


The agency disclosed this Tuesday when it brought a fresh application on why Suswam is still detained in its cell.

The office of the Attorney General of the Federation filed the application which stalled the hearing of a Fundamental Human Rights enforcement suit filed by the former Governor.

Suswam has been in the custody of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) since 25 February.

When the suit came up before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of a Federal high court Abuja, applicant’s counsel, Adedayo Adedeji, informed the court that the respondent was served with the originating summon on April 19, 2017.

“However, this morning at about 9.45 am in the court I was served with counter affidavit (by the DSS) and a written address in opposition to the motion,” he said.

“We want to exercise right of reply and in the circumstance ask for short adjournment”, he said.

The DSS counsel, Terhemba Agbe said they have no objection to the prayer for an adjournment. Agbe did not comment on the application he filed but he admitted that the applicant was served with it in the court room.

The counter affidavit in question sworn to by Abdullahi Adamu, an operatives of DSS, is praying the court not to release Suswam because he is linked with the militant group that attacked Zaki Biam, Benue State.

The DSS also stated that a security report from Benue state government alleged that the state will be ungovernable if Suswam is released.

An attempt on Tuesday by Adedeji to move an ex-parte motion earlier filed that seeks to compel the 1st respondent to unconditionally release Suswam was refused by the Judge who noted that it was no longer necessary as the respondents have joined issues.

Suswam who is currently held in the custody of the DSS had asked the Federal High Court in Abuja in the substantive suit for an order of unconditional release from detention.

The ex-governor has also asked the court in the suit for N10bn compensation for unlawful incarceration and violation of his rights.

Justice Kolawole has adjourned further hearing till May 10.
In the suit, Suswam is seeking compensation for unlawful incarceration and violation of his rights.

He also asked for another order directing the respondents to tender public apology to him in seven national dailies of very wide circulation for the “illegal arrest and detention.”

Suswam further asked for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents particularly the DSS from torturing him and if proven that he had been tortured, the court should “nullify any statements, documents or other materials that may have been extracted or obtained” from him under “such unwholesome and constitutionally prohibited circumstances”

In a related development,‎the paramount ruler of the Tiv Traditional council and the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse Tuesday sent a high power delegation headed by a first class Chief, Tor Jechira, Chief Clement Uganden to visit the Director General of the DSS, Lawal Daura over the continued detention of former Governor of Benue State.

Tor Jechira was accompanied by Ter Ukum, Chief Teran Kwaghbo, Ter Logo, Chief Jimmy Meeme and Ter Katsina/Ala Chief Fezanga Wombo.

Suswam was taken into custody by the States Security Service on 25 February, 2017 when he was invited by the service for some interactions over alleged discovery of firearms in his car in Dunes maitama, Abuja.

A member of the delegation who pleaded anormity with our correspondent said that the essence of the visit was to see their son as well as the Director General and find out what is actually the case against their son and to report same to the Tor Tiv Professor Ayatse as directed by the Tiv Traditional Council,TTC.
 

Army Disowns Soldiers Who Raided Priest's Home In Benue

The ​Nigerian Army says men in military uniform,‎​ who​ invaded the official residence of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Vesue, in Katsina Ala,​ ​of Benue State​, may be impersonators.​


The incident was said to have taken place ​at the weekend at St. Paul Parish, Aye-Twer, Katsina-Ala Diocese.

The suspected soldiers were said to have invaded the residence in search of arms but did not find anything.

Fr. Vesue ​told Punch that his residence ​was invaded by military men ​and that he was not at home when the soldiers came.

He said, “The soldiers stormed the parish I oversee as early as 6am and turned the house upside down claiming they were searching for weapons.

“They searched everywhere and did not find anything. The soldiers came from Takum in Taraba State. I was not around when they came.”

​In his reaction, ​spokesman of Special Force 707 Brigade, Major Olabisi Ayeni, said they would carry out investigation to ascertain the incident, adding that there was possibility that those who carried out the search impersonated soldiers.

Katsina-Ala is the stronghold of the dreaded criminal Terwase Akwaza also known as Gana who has since been declared wanted by the state government. The sum of N10m was placed on him.
 

Buhari is after my family – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is hounding his family.
Jonathan made this claim in a yet-to-be released book, “Against The Run of Play”, written by the Chairman of ThisDay Editorial Board, Olusegun Adeniyi.

“I feel sad about the way my family is being hounded.
“Society is like a building. You build it one block at a time. If every president decides to go in to dismantle what his predecessor did, society will never make progress. I expected President Buhari to correct whatever mistakes I may have made and then carry on from there.
“But a situation in which people go into exile for political reasons is not good for us.

“His style of fighting corruption is different from mine and since most Nigerians apparently prefer his style, it is okay. There are steps you take that will help in retrieving ill-gotten wealth and punish offenders while restoring confidence in the system. But there are also things you can do to damage the system,” he said.
Jonathan also stated that some security officials and the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adamu Mu’azu, sabotaged his chances of winning the 2015 elections.
“I felt really betrayed by the result coming from some northern states. Perhaps for ethnic purposes, even security agents colluded with the opposition to come up with spurious results against me.

“You saw the way the Inspector General of Police, a man I appointed, suddenly turned himself into the ADC to Buhari immediately after the election.
“How could we have lost Ondo, Benue and Plateau states if our people were committed to the cause? If you examine the results, you will see a pattern: in places where ordinarily we were strong, our supporters did not show enough commitment to mobilise the voters.
“What happened was very sad not for me as a person, but for our democracy.”
“Take, for instance, the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu. I believe he joined in the conspiracy against me.
“For reasons best known to him, he helped to sabotage the election in favour of the opposition,” Jonathan said.

Photos: Military Allegedly Invade Catholic Parish in Search of Weapons

A Facebook user identified as Vesuwe Benjamin, has taken to the social networking platform to share photos and condemn the alleged invasion by the Nigerian military on his parish in Benue State.


Here’s how Benjamin reported the story;

“Today (April 18th) my house and the entire parish was turned inside out by the military in-search for weapons. They say I keep weapons, for heaven sake, I don’t do weapon. The Fulani herdsmen go about with heavy weapons killing innocent people and never a day has any one of them been harassed by the military.

“There are instances where the military have even assisted them to carry out their attacks on Defenseless citizens. The soldiers we have in this country are one sided. Why are they trying to divide the very country they are called to defend on religious line. Would they have done this to an imam or the mosque.”

Provide Tractors For Mechanised Farming Kuku Appeal To Benue Government

An Agriculturist, Mr Joseph Kuku, has appealed to the Benue Government to acquire more tractors to cater for the growing needs of farmers who intend to engage in large-scale farming.


Kuku made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Makurdi.

He underscored the need to discourage farmers from practising the traditional methods of farming, so as to boost the government’s efforts to achieve food security.

Kuku said that the Benue Tractor Hiring Agency should be repositioned and well-equipped to provide quality tractor hiring services for farmers, particularly now when the government was striving to diversify the economy.

“Agriculture is the major option in the new arrangement because agriculture was the mainstay of the country’s economy, prior to the discovery of oil.

“Groundnut, cocoa and rubber, among other agricultural produce, were then sustaining the country’s economy.

“The current potential of agriculture is enormous because modern farming techniques have made faming less tedious,’’ he said.

Kuku said that agriculture had the capacity to turn the nation’s economic fortunes around, if the government decided to give it priority attention to the development of the sector.

 

Tsav Calls On Buhari Not To Deny Others Their Right

A former Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to deny others their right now that he is the leader of the country.


Tsav, in a statement on Monday, said he could recollect that Buhari wept when he contested for the Presidency and lost and then the Supreme Court now delivered a judgement he considered unfavourable.

Tsav declared support for the position of a former Governor of Kaduna State, retired Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, said Buhari should not use detention as a means of punishing those who are undergoing trial.

He said like Umar noted in a statement on Sunday, the likes of a former National Security Adviser, Colonel Tambo Dasuki (retd), should not be denied their rights to bail after it was granted them by the courts.

Tsav said in the statement: “I totally align with Colonel Abubakar Umar over the long detention of Colonel Sambo Dasuki and others without trial.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. After all we are not under a Military Administration where the notorious Decree 2 would be used to detain Accused Persons ad infinitum and without trial.

“We are in a Democracy and it is unconstitutional to detain suspects for more than 24 hours without trial.

“I remember when General Muhammadu Buhari appealed his election case to Supreme Court and his appeal was disallowed, he felt justice was denied him and he wept.

Why will he now allow security agencies to detain accused persons for long without taking them to court, now that he is a democratically elected President? Is he not denying these people justice? It is wrong to use detention as punishment for an accused person.

“Let us observe the golden rule by doing unto others what we would like others to do unto us.

“Democracy should not be expressed by mere words of mouth but by action and conduct.”
 

Buhari punishing Ndigbo over 2015 election – Ex-Minister, Odom

Former minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development under President Umaru Yar’Adua, Chuka Odom, has claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari is punishing Ndigbo for refusing to support him during the 2015 presidential election.
Odom admitted that though, the marginalisation did not start with Buhari, it, however, took a different dimension under his administration.

Speaking with Daily Sun, Odom, who also served in the administration of the former Abia governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, as commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Planning as well as commissioner for Special Duties, said “the marginalisation of the South-East zone did not start with him. It has always been the story since the end of the Civil War.
“The only thing is that it assumed another dimension under President Buhari. While others pretended to be in love with the South-East, President Buhari has no such pretensions. He announced from the beginning that those who voted for him would benefit more from his government; he put us on notice that he would not do anything for us.”
He noted that the continuous detention of founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu‎ had caused serious tension in the south east region.

“This is one of the reasons there is tension in the South-East. Not that we have been accommodated in the past and President Buhari came and reversed it. It’s just that Buhari made it clear that we will not get anything from him. He did not pretend about it.
“That is why I believe that the President needs to consider if the current policies have worked. He also needs to check if his policies have served the long-term political interest of his people. These are questions that should be answered by the President and the people close to him.
“When the South-South agitation started, there were hawks that told late Yar’Adua to ignore the people. But he knew that he had a problem in his hands. He quickly got the stakeholders in the region and had a discussion.

“Eventually, the amnesty programme was worked out. What is wrong with extending that same approach to the youths of the South-East?
“Instead, you are sending soldiers to go and kill them. Did they do that with the Niger Delta? This is where I do not agree with the Federal Government. As far as I am concerned, the Federal Government needs to find a solution. The solution is not in policing the South-East.
“The solution also does not lie with the continuous agitation for Biafra. The solution lies with constructive engagements that will involve the leaders of South-East. The Federal Government needs to be told that the continuous detention of Kanu is not the solution,” he added.