EFCC closes case against Onnoghen at NJC

Justice Walter Onnoghen

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has rested its case of alleged misconduct against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, at the National Judicial Council, Gateway News  has learnt. Our correspondent learnt from multiple sources conversant with the proceedings of the five-man investigation panel of the NJC that the EFCC rested its case after calling seven witnesses. 

The commission was said to have called its first witness on March 12 and rested its case within one week.

It was learnt on Sunday that Onnoghen has since opened his defence and called two witnesses on Wednesday, March 20.“The EFCC has rested its case and Justice Onnoghen has opened his defence. With this, we expect that the NJC will soon end its investigation,” one of the sources told our correspondent.

In its petition before the NJC, the EFCC, it was learnt, accused Onnoghen of having some suspicious lodgments of huge funds in his bank accounts.

The other petition against the suspended CJN was reportedly by a civil society group, the Anti-Corruption and Research-Based Data Initiative, and its Executive Director, Mr Dennis Aghanya.

The allegations in the petition sent to the NJC by the group were said to be a replica of the petition sent to the Code of Conduct Bureau which informed the six counts filed before the Code of Conduct Tribunal accusing the suspended CJN of failure to declare some bank accounts with huge funds in foreign currencies as part of his assets.

The NJC had at its February 13, 2019 meeting reviewed the pre-assessment report on the petitions written against Onnoghen and the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tahko Muhammad, and considered the complaints worthy of being investigated.

The council then set up the five-man panel led by a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice S.A. Akande, to investigate the petitions.

There are at least two petitions against each of Onnoghen and Muhammad to be heard by the Justice Akande-led panel.

Gateway News

I’m targeting 68 million voters who shunned 2015 polls – Durotoye

Durotoye

Motivational speaker and candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria, Mr. Fela Durotoye, tells SUNDAY ABORISADEhis strategy to win the 2019 presidential election

If you are elected President of Nigeria, kindly summarise what you hope to do differently that will make the country great?

If Nigerians give me the privilege to serve as their President, one of the first things my Presidency would instantly achieve on the first day is a Presidency with a clear vision for Nigeria. I have been an avid proponent of the New Nigeria for at least 14 years. My vision for Nigeria still remains that we become the world’s most desirable nation to live in by December 31, 2025. This nation must become the most preferred destination to live, work and do business in.

Dubai came up with an audacious vision to become the tourism capital of the world, and they achieved it in 26 years. Rwanda, after a terrible civil war with over one million casualties, set a vision to become Africa’s most desirable nation and they achieved it in 15 years. We do need visionary leadership to make our nation the most desirable nation to live in and I believe this is possible.

What specific thing will your administration do differently?

My cabinet will consist of experts with proven track records who will manage ministries, not people who are rewarded with political favours. Every goal and milestone of each ministry and agencies will be galvanised towards our most important goal, which is becoming the world’s most desirable nation. For example, the Ministry of Education will have a clear goal; which is to be the first choice for Nigerians to educate their children and the preferred destination for foreign universities to set up their campuses in Africa by December 31, 2025. This decision alone will drive us to reinvest in our education system, retrain our teachers, revise our curriculum, and retrain our students to not only be employees but employers in a globally competitive labour market.

My administration will measure our milestones and make its officers responsible to execute on our main goal. But you can’t have a new Nigeria without having new Nigerians. So, another thing I will do differently is to clearly define who a Nigerian is. For too long, we’ve been told we are fraudsters, cheats and rule breakers. That’s not who we are. The Ministry of National Orientation is such an important vehicle in clearly defining and (allows me to say), indoctrinating Nigerians the right kind of values and behaviours that describe us as new Nigerians. That’s a clear example of what I will do differently when given the opportunity to serve as President.

You begged Nigerians to contribute N1,000 each to enable you to purchase your party’s nomination form. Are you encouraged by the response you got?

I will like to reframe a word in this question. We didn’t ‘beg’ Nigerians to contribute N1000 to purchase my party’s nomination form. We asked Nigerians to own the campaign. To be honest, our campaign has been funded by everyday Nigerians who gave their N500, N1k, N5k and more to support our movement. Our campaign has been very transparent with the donations; we have been faithful stewards towards these donations. We have published monthly financial reports of our donations and expenses, which can be seen on my website or on my social media pages. No other candidate or campaign has done that as far as I’m aware of.

I’ve always said the Nigerian people are the only ‘cabal’ I will ever need. I don’t have any godfather. Most politicians are funded by the same establishment they try to change, and realise too late, that he who pays the piper calls the tune as we saw in Lagos State recently. I want to be accountable to millions of Nigerians and not a few moneybags or godfathers who would determine whether I run or sit down. So when everyday Nigerians saw and heard my request on social media to own a piece of the campaign, they came through and in 24 hours, they had given N5.5m. Nigerians know that every donation they give to my campaign is for me to represent their values and interests and I will never betray that trust.

Were you able to realise the money and are you convinced that the people’s response to your call will determine your acceptance at the presidential polls in 2019?

Yes, Nigerians were very gracious to support us and we not only raised the money to purchase the form, their donations allowed us to go to several more states, spreading the vision of the New Nigeria and our role to deliver it, starting in 2019. As of today, our movement has reached 22 states, speaking to everyday Nigerians. I’ve seen so far – whether in Nasarawa or Ebonyi, Ibadan or Port Harcourt – Nigerians are tired of the present political situation. They want hope; they want a New Nigeria and that’s what my Presidency intends to deliver.

Some 13 aspirants, including you, formed an alliance to produce a consensus party which did not succeed. Are you sure that you still have a strong platform to actualise your dream?

About 20 presidential aspirants came together to form an alliance called PACT (Presidential Aspirants Coming Together). Our goal was never to form a party. We recognised that we were stronger together than divided. So, we needed to come together, place our personal interests aside for the good of Nigeria and ultimately come up with a process to choose a consensus aspirant, who we would all throw our weight behind. Eventually, 13 aspirants followed through those conversations and I emerged from that process.

Therefore, I would say we achieved our goal. The truth is one person alone cannot defeat the political goliaths; it’s going to take a movement of like-minded candidates who I believe we still have to come together, bring their ideas and strengths to the table and form a united and formidable bloc to bring these giants down.

Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, who contested the ANN ticket with you, withdrew from the race, alleging that some desperate elements in the party were working for the ruling APC. What is your reaction?

I will simply say that those of us who remain in the Alliance for New Nigeria are patriots who want the best for our nation. Those who have sown discord, lies and propaganda in order to further their own personal agenda to the detriment of true democracy are no longer with us. I wish Mr. Olawepo-Hashim good luck on his journey as he recently emerged as the candidate of the People’s Trust party.

The National Chairman of the ANN, Mr. Emmanuel Dania, said the party would reach out to all aggrieved members. Has the process started?

Our National Chairman, Emmanuel Dania, is a man of integrity and high values. The national convention was an incredibly transparent process, supervised by INEC, and live-streamed on social media for all to see. There were only two names on the ballot – mine and Mr. Olawepo-Hashim – who withdrew from the primary a day before and tried to pull down what many incredible people had built. Money politics has no place in the Alliance for New Nigeria. Our delegates voted for a candidate they could trust to deliver a new Nigeria; and I was privileged to win 240 votes to seven. Mr. Olawepo-Hashim wanted a platform and luckily, he has found one in People’s Trust.

As the party’s candidate, have you made personal efforts to speak with your aggrieved colleagues?

Sincerely, I wouldn’t say we have any ‘aggrieved colleagues’ in the ANN. We all spoke clearly with one voice. Those who were aggrieved for their personal reasons and tried to pull down a party of integrity have followed Mr. Olawepo-Hashim. The rest of us are united in our resolve to sharing our ideas and winning the hearts of Nigerians across the elective positions we are running for.

A political analyst described other political parties apart from APC and PDP as mere social clubs. Do you agree with him?

No. I don’t believe Nigerians only have a choice between two clear evils, or different sides of the same bad coin. Both parties have clearly given Nigeria 20 years of rot and devastation and I’m not sure any Nigerian wants more of the same for their children. We can’t say ‘both parties are bad, but this one is clearly worse, so I’ll vote for the least bad option’. Neither of these parties have an ideology; which is why politicians cross carpet from one (party) to another. You don’t see Republicans become Democrats or vice versa, simply because the parties share two different ideologies. It’s not about shouting ‘Power to the People’; their policies showed it was never about the people. It’s not about shouting ‘Change’. They forgot to mention that after ruining our economy, all we’d have is change.

Nigerians are looking for a credible alternative to the status quo. And that’s where the other parties must step up and offer true leadership, different from what we currently experience. We need a candidate that is the picture of the New Nigeria we all desire and that’s what Alliance for New Nigeria offers.

Politicians spent huge sums to buy votes in recent polls held in the country and the highest bidder won. Do you think the electorate would listen to your message and ignore cash from other candidates in 2019?

When people are poor, their first loyalty is to their stomachs and you can’t blame them for that. They know the politicians are lying to them, but it’s their only opportunity to get anything tangible from them; so they’ll sell their future for N5,000. These politicians deliberately impoverish the people; they can control the cost of elections. When you educate people, you remove their chains. Politicians know that they can’t bribe an educated electorate. They keep them uneducated and poor.

About 98 million people were registered to vote in 2015. Only about 30 million votes were counted. That doesn’t necessarily equate to 30 million voters. Where were the 68 million people who didn’t vote? They were absent at the polling booths because they were protest voters. They looked at the choices for President and said, ‘I don’t believe in any of these guys; I’m not going to waste my votes on either of them’.  So, they stayed at home.

Speak to your drivers, gatemen, home-helps, the people on your street; tell them who to vote for and why. My immediate goal is to go after the 68 million people; particularly, the first time and disenchanted voters. My goal is to create a new grass roots of 30 million first time and disenchanted voters.

If 30 million people decide to waste their votes on the new Nigeria, the new Nigeria will be born. Fela Durotoye is just like you and knows exactly what you go through.

Do you have confidence in the ability of INEC to conduct a free and fair poll in 2019 based on its performances in the recent polls held across the country?

I believe that INEC is not yet either truly independent or still has a long way to go. I feel like INEC tends to look the other way, not enforcing things that can curtail the excesses of campaigns. Not only at the polling centres. For example, in campaign finance, INEC regulations state that the largest single donation a candidate can receive is N1million. Do they check to see if those rules were followed? Do they sanction rule breakers? My campaign has consistently told donors to follow INEC guidelines, because one of my personal values is doing the right thing irrespective of who’s doing the wrong thing.

INEC has the opportunity to become a bastion of democracy by delivering free and fair elections. But questions remain like why was the PVC registration closed three months before December when their regulations say it should end 60 days to the general elections? These are questions that must be answered or is it a case of the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob? We may forgive the mistakes of the past as a learning curve, but INEC must get it right in 2019.

Gateway News

We won’t tolerate rigging in 2019 –Useni

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lt. General Jeremiah Useni (retd)

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni (retd), on Saturday, warned that the alleged electoral malpractices in the Plateau State local government election should not be repeated in the 2019 governorship election in the state.

Useni, who represents Plateau South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, spoke to journalists in reaction to alleged irregularities in the LG polls conducted on Wednesday by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission and the violence which erupted before and after the inauguration of the chairmen by Governor Simon Lalong.

Palpable tension had enveloped major communities in the state on Thursday as  PLASIEC announced the All Progressives Congress as winner of the LG elections held in 13 LGAs.

Useni, who is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 election, said, “Rest assured that we shall not take this injustice lying low. Among other things, we, the people, will re-express our will in February 2019, and no one can manipulate it again. The APC on the Plateau has shown its hands. We shall not allow them to subvert the people’s will again.

“This is not only a promise to the good people of Plateau State. It is also a call to action. We cannot sit by and watch the destinies of our youths and children being traded and sectioned by political desperadoes, who do not have the decency to allow the people to choose their leaders freely.

“The impunity we have witnessed these past few days is an eloquent testament that the governor does not understand the link between peace and justice. This godless act did not end there. Governor Simon Lalong, as if listening to a spirit that had sworn to destroy him, decided to redefine rigging and elevate it to the level of a state craft.”

Useni further alleged that the PLASIEC chairman, on the governor’s instruction, announced the APC as the winner of the LG elections, though, according to the former minister, there were no numbers to back the results at the time of the announcement.

But Lalong, in his reaction, asked indigenes of the state not to do anything that might affect the peace of the state.

He advised that anyone, who felt aggrieved over the result of the election as announced by the SEIC, should toe the democratic line by approaching the Local Government Election Appeals Tribunal to ventilate their grievances.

The governor, speaking through the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Yakubu Dati, in a statement, said the LGEAT was inaugurated even before the LG poll took place, adding, “PLASEIC is headed by a credible leadership that is ready to make clarifications on the polls.”

Gateway News

On my UK hospital bed, doctors felt winning Ekiti election would be a therapy — Bamidele

Opeyemi Bamidele

The Director-General of the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, Opeyemi Bamidele, tells JOHN ALECHENUthat the electorate will consider the character of candidates rather than political parties’ popularity to cast their votes in 2019

The inauguration of your principal as governor is scheduled for Tuesday. How do you feel, considering the events that led to your being shot and hospitalised? 

To begin with, I thank God for his mercy which is new every morning in my life. The 16th of October, 2018 is one day that we had all looked forward to. This was a day which, at some point, looked like it wasn’t going to come; but we choose to work by faith not by sight. If we were to walk by sight, we would have abandoned that struggle at some point because of all the circumstances we had to operate in but the to glory of God, we survived it. And it’s not so much about us; it is more about the people of Ekiti State. Those of you who know Dr. Kayode Fayemi know that he is one person who feels so passionate about the plight of our people and development. He is someone who understands the language of development. Ekiti State is retrogressing rather than progressing in the last four years but we are happy that by God’s intervention and the resolve of the people of the state, that is coming to an end. For us, October 16th, 2018 is going to mark a new beginning in our own perspective of what ought to be done. Ekiti State has the potential that could be harnessed and become a great state. It will be a new beginning for those who have carried in their heads the hope of a massive transformation that will help us to build a new and united Ekiti. In terms of manpower, there is no deficit whatsoever and Dr. Fayemi understands that very well and by the grace of God, he will be surrounded by people who also feel as much as possible that we all need to work together to make a difference.

There was this issue of vote buying during the election. What actually happened? 

I was on my hospital bed in London while the election was going on but I participated as if I were on the ground in terms of calling virtually everyone and it was one day that even my doctors agreed that I should just be left alone to do whatever would help because then, they had come to a conclusion that winning that election could be a form of therapy for me. So, I was in touch with virtually everyone I needed to be in touch with and I knew it was one election that Ekiti people had looked forward to. Vote buying is still an aspect of our electoral process that we still need to work towards defeating. I know and I can tell you that we never sat anywhere to even discuss vote buying as a strategy for winning that election. Then, there would be the question of who was buying votes from whom? Definitely, the Peoples Democratic Party paid a lot of money to get votes. We have documentary evidence to show that people received credit alerts dropped in their accounts two days to that election and on the day before the election. Some people will tell you N3,000 dropped in their accounts. Some will tell you N4,000 dropped in their accounts. It was done with so much impunity than squeezing money into people’s palms on Election Day.  The PDP was actually doing it through bank transactions. If that happened and we have evidence to show that, then, I will not be in a position to stand here to tell you that there wasn’t anything like vote buying.

Your party primary was fraught with a lot of crisis. Don’t you think this will adversely affect your party’s chances in the 2019 elections?

It is characteristic of any party that is most likely to win a general election, especially a ruling party. I am sure if the APC had not won the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State, you probably would not have had these many aspirants showing interest and contesting election to the various offices. In the same vein, were APC not be in control of power at the centre as the ruling party, you probably would not have had this number of people showing interest on its platform across Nigeria. I want to say all these things happening are part of democracy. As for how it will affect us, it is much of a problem in our party as it is in the PDP. At the end of the day, it is the character of the individual candidate that the electorate will consider while casting votes.

Gateway News

We won’t endorse Buhari, Atiku for 2019 presidency –ACF

Buhari, Atiku

The Arewa Consultative Forum has said the group is not in a hurry to endorse either President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, or the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2019 presidential race.

The Secretary-General of the ACF, Mr. Anthony Sani, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, stated that the northern body was of the view that there were other presidential candidates of northern extraction from other political parties who might need endorsement too.

According to Sani, the forum cannot afford to ignore the other candidates at the expense of Buhari or Atiku.

He noted that the emergence of both candidates from the northern region was heartening, adding that it would make irrelevant the age-old politics of identity, which sought to promote cleavages of the nation along ethnic, religious and regional lines.

The ACF secretary said this would pave the way for “real issues of genuine concern to ordinary Nigerians.”

He said, “Though Atiku and Buhari have emerged as presidential candidates of the two main political parties, it is important to note that there are other presidential candidates of northern extraction in some other political parties who cannot be ignored.

“Unlike the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, which planned to endorse a yet unidentified candidate, Sani insisted that it was not practicable for the forum to endorse the candidate of a political party.”

He said, “What the ACF does is to enlighten the electorate about the qualities to look for in candidates who can provide purposeful and effective leadership.

“It will further enlighten the public about the party manifestos that can deliver on what most northerners share.

“In the case of the incumbent President, the performance of the administration by way of fair and realistic assessment of progress against plans by the government for the purpose of informed judgment on election day is expected to form part of the enlightenment of voters.”

Atiku, Buhari’s manifestos ’ll determine our votes — Yakasai

On his part, the Chairman of the Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai,  said the programmes put forward by Atiku and Buhari would determine which of them the group would support.

He said, “In my opinion, this is not the appropriate time to start making decisions about where the votes will go. Neither of the two candidates has published a clear-cut manifesto or programmes. I am advising that people wait for the programmes put forward by the candidates before we make our final choice.

“I was not even in Nigeria when the conventions of the parties took place. By the provision of the constitution of Nigeria, no organisation, other than a political party, is allowed legally to solicit for votes for any candidate.

“Those who are doing it are doing it against the law. The Peoples Democratic Party did their convention with 13 aspirants and one emerged. The APC did theirs also. It is a matter for Nigerians to make up their minds to decide who they will vote for.”

Gateway News

When clerics are partisan, they lose public respect —Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday, advised religious leaders in the country to eschew partisan politics ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He said those engaging in partisan politics or political controversies among the clerics risked losing their public respect.

Buhari said this at the Interfaith Initiative For Peace Conference tagged, ‘Religious harmony in Nigeria: Towards the 2019 general election’ in Abuja.

The President said his advice became necessary having witnessed the roles religious leaders had been playing so far ahead of the elections.

He expressed the hope that the electoral process would be completed peacefully without resorting to negative use of religion and ethnicity.

The President said, “Very soon, political campaigns will commence leading to elections in February next year.

“It is my hope and prayer that we will perform even better at the polling stations and see to a peaceful completion of the entire process without resorting to negative use of religion and ethnicity.

“Having witnessed the roles our religious leaders have been playing so far, I appeal to them to eschew partisan politics. I also appeal to their respective members to read the manifestos of each political party, discuss and pray for God’s guidance before casting their votes.

“Religious leaders should not be seen to involve themselves in partisan politics or political controversies. Otherwise, they risk losing their status and public respect.

“Buhari also requested traditional rulers to enlighten their subjects and encourage them to ask questions and seek clarifications before going out to vote.

“As your President, I will request that you encourage your subjects to come out and exercise their voting rights as responsible citizens.

“To all of us politicians, I ask that we discharge our political responsibilities with integrity, bearing in mind that we will one day give an account to God, the Almighty.”

Buhari expressed joy that the country had moved forward under him.

He said the era of free money, lack of transparency and accountability was over in the country.

He said, “We deserve continuity; we deserve a better future for the coming generations.

“I sincerely hope 2019 will move us closer to these goals, so I look forward to peaceful, fair and credible elections come 2019.

 “Finally, I implore you to continue praying for the country’s unity, peace and progress.”

Gateway News

PDP, others attack Buhari as FG bars 50 VIP Nigerians from travelling

President Muhammadu Buhari

Niyi Odebode, John Alechenu,Olusola Fabiyi, Olalekan Adetayo and Eniola Akinkuotu

The Federal Government has put about 50 prominent Nigerians on its watch list in its resolve to fully implement the Executive Order 6 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Saturday.

The presidential spokesman said the prominent Nigerians put on the watch list had also been restrained from travelling outside the country pending the determination of their cases in court.

But the Peoples Democratic Party, which believed its members, among others, were the targets of the watch list and the travel ban, has berated Buhari, describing the move as full-blown fascism.

Also, the CUPP said the government move was the final unveiling of tyranny.

Shehu said following the judicial affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of the Executive Order, Buhari had mandated the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to implement the order in full force.

He, however, did not name the affected persons.

He said, “A number of enforcement procedures are currently in place by which the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies have placed no fewer than 50 high-profile persons, directly affected by EO6, on (their) watch list and restricted them from leaving the county pending the determination of their cases.

“Also, the financial transactions of these persons of interest are being monitored by the relevant agencies to ensure that the assets are not dissipated and such persons do not interfere with, nor howsoever, corrupt the investigation and litigation processes.

“It is instructive to note that EO6 was specifically directed to relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that all assets, within a minimum value of N50m or equivalent, subject to investigation or litigation, are protected from dissipation by employing all available lawful means, pending the final determination of any corruption-related matter.”

Shehu reiterated the present administration’s commitment to the fight against corruption in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the general principles of the Rule of Law.

“Accordingly, this administration will uphold the rule of law in all its actions and the right of citizens would be protected as guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said.

PDP, CUPP condemn travel ban, monitoring of dignitaries

But the PDP has rejected the travel ban, saying the action was an attempt by the Presidency to foist what it called a full-blown fascism on the country.

The opposition party stated, “This draconian step is clearly targeted at members of the opposition parties, perceived political enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari, well-meaning Nigerians, including members of the business community, religious leaders, former political leaders and traditional rulers, who are perceived to be averse to President Buhari’s re-election bid.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday that “this ‘decree’ is a direct clampdown on our democratic order and an overthrow of the rights of our citizenry as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”

Ologbondiyan added, “The whole world can now see how fascism is fast taking over our democracy and judicial system and how the Buhari administration, by fiat, has directly ordered that citizens be secretly trailed, their movements and financial transactions restricted by government agencies without recourse to due process of the law.

“While the PDP notes that the Buhari Presidency has gone into panic mode since the popular emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate and the spontaneous jubilation his emergence has evoked across the country, the party maintains that the resort to total clampdown on the opposition and our supporters will be totally unacceptable.”

Ologbondiyan believed the alleged ‘nightmare’ must end on May 29, 2019.

In its reaction, however, the acting National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, said the President’s action was in tandem with the dictates of the law.

Nabena added, “We don’t know what the opposition PDP is afraid of. Like I told you before, the President is acting within his powers. The war against corruption is real and only those who have something to hide are afraid. As a party, we support Mr. President in the war against corruption.”

Also, the CUPP, in a statement on Saturday by its spokesperson, Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the President’s action was “the final unveiling of forewarned tyranny.”

It stated, “Recall that the CUPP had warned Nigerians that a desperate President Buhari, realising that he has already lost the favour of Nigerians, will bare his tyrannical fangs and intimidate opposition.”

According to the coalition, key opposition leaders, who are part of the international negotiation team, are all on the list.

It added, “The action of the President is nothing but another futile attempt by the Presidency to muscle the opposition and deny them the required funds for the election; but this is coming too late in time as Nigerian electorate is already fully mobilised and ready to punish bad governance with their votes.”

In similar vein, a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, argued that the 50 prominent persons banned from travelling were members of the opposition.

Fani-Kayode, in a statement on Saturday, said, “The ban on 50 prominent Nigerians, who are all members of the opposition from travelling out of the country by Buhari’s Executive Order and the power to confiscate their assets even though they have not been empowered to do so by a court of law or convicted of any offence, are utterly shameful and condemnable.

“Buhari is so desperate to remain in power that he has now resorted to attempting to muzzle and intimidate the opposition. He forgets that he is not God and that he will soon leave power.”

Gateway News

“I will be a listening governor” – Sanwo-Olu

Sanwo-Olu

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday said he would run a government based on the wishes of the people if elected.

He made the pledge at Ikeja while speaking during a ‘Thank You’ visit to party members in the Lagos West senatorial zone.

The APC candidate said his policies and programmes would be based on the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

He added that he would always keep a listening ear in serving the state.

Sanwo-Olu, who spoke in Yoruba, said he was seeking the number one seat in the state out of the passion to serve the people and take the state to greater heights.

”I am in the governorship race because I want to serve the people.

”I promise, when we are elected by the Grace of God, I shall run a government based on the aspirations of the people.

”I will be a listening governor. I will attend to the needs of the people.

”I am here to serve and I will do my best to take the state to greater heights,” he said.

While appreciating party members for electing him as the candidate in the just concluded primaries, Sanwo-Olu said he believed his choice was out of the confidence they had in him to address issues needing attention.

The candidate, however, urged members to brace for the challenges ahead by mobilising members and residents to secure victory in 2019.      Sanwo-Olu urged members to put the primaries behind them and work together to ensure that APC was victorious in 2019.

Ga 

Jubilation As Another Identical Twin Brothers Are Ordained Catholic Priests In Imo State (Photos)

A Facebook user identified as Amicable Amara Emenalo Odibeze, has taken to the social networking platform to share the photos and story of an identical twin brothers, Rev. Frs. Emmanuel Ukachukwu Nwokeji and James Okechukwu Nwokeji, who have been ordained Catholic Priests in Imo State. 

The priestly ordination was held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Orlu on Saturday, August 18th, making them the second set of Twins in the Local government to be ordained as catholic priests.

Recall that last month, TORI News had reported that identical twins, Rev. Fr. Francis Arinzechukwu Offiah and Rev. Fr. Cornelius Nzubechukwu Offiah were also ordained Catholic Priests in Aguluezigbo, Anambra State.

Amicable who shared the photos wrote: "And again history repeated itself today for the second time since the creation of the Orlu Diocese as another Twins emerges a full Catholic ordained priests.

"Congratulations to you both Rev.Frs Emmanuel and James Nwokeji on your priestly ordination as catholic priests. It was indeed a huge sacrifice from your family to God. Father in heaven I pray thee to continue to fuel the zeal they have to serve you, Amen, and may God Almighty continue to bless and take care of the womb that begot you both, Amen!!!!" 

See more photos below of the new twin priests below;

Gateway News

2019 president: Presidential candidate, Moghalu speaks on representing only Igbos if elected

The Presidential Candidate of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, has said that he was contesting for the office of the President as a Nigerian and not as an Igbo man.

Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, stated that the country’s problem was not about tribes, but socio-economic problems that touched every part of the country.

In a statement he made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos on Friday, Moghalu said that anything limiting his presidential ambition to any tribe was the handiwork of mischief makers.

“Almost a year since I started to engage Nigerians on my candidacy and vision for the country; I have held town hall meetings in nearly all the states in the country, with more still to be done.

“Anyone who has listened or paid attention to our interactive session with various groups will realise what our single message has always been that Nigeria’s problems are not about tribes.

“We all, as Nigerians, have the power to choose something new, something different that will redirect the country into an upward trend.

“Our politics has always been plagued by the scourges of tribalism, nepotism, and corruption, a colonial tool that the political class has exploited in order to divide and control us,” Moghalu said.

He further stated that “Nigerians cannot afford to keep thinking about whether a candidate is Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Efik, Ijaw or Ibibio.”

The Presidential candidate pointed out that Nigeria needed competent and trustworthy leaders which had been the focus of his talks about his aspiration.

“It is time to put aside these differences and aim for something that unites us all, to deliver a country that works for every citizen,” he added.

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Atiku: Even Aso Rock staff will vote against Buhari – Frank reacts to Obasanjo’s endorsement

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo for making peace with his former Vice and the presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

He restated that President Muhammadu Buhari had failed, adding that even Aso Rock villa staff will vote against him.

Frank, who also defended the presence of some religious leaders at the peace meeting in Abeokuta, said all the leaders of note across the country, irrespective of political and religious affiliation, have now accepted the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar as a consensus President to be.

In a statement signed in Abuja on Friday, the former APC spokesman said history will never forget those leaders who came together to rescue the nation from the current incompetent handlers.

Frank said “President Buhari’s government of nepotism, abuse of rule of law, incompetence, hunger, killings, poverty and joblessness has given credibility to Atiku’s candidacy as the only viable option for Nigerians capable to right the wrong. This yearning is premised on Atiku’s antecedents both in his private and public life.”

“Nigerians now know that Buhari’s acclaimed integrity has not helped them neither has it put food on their table . His integrity did not stop Fulani herdsmen from killing, and has not ameliorated the high cost of businesses and the geometrical rise in the price of dollars. When the D-day comes, voters will let Buhari and his team know if they still want them or not. They should not cry for now,” he said.

While warning that 2019 general elections is not one the ruling party can rig like what happened in Ekiti and Osun states recently, Frank added that the ineptitude of the Buhari administration is the highest in the history of Nigeria.

He also urged the APC to rather campaign on issues if the party has anything to offer, instead of attacking Atiku,his supporters or whoever endorses him.Frank stated;such act can’t get President Buhari anywhere but rather keep making PDP presidential candidate more popular and stronger on a daily basis.

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