Outcry as police retrieve Buhari’s campaign vehicles from APC members in Kano State

The Police in Kano State yesterday retrieved President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign vehicles from party members.

About 25 vehicles were purchased by former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano, Abdulmumini Jibrin and distributed to party loyalists before the presidential election.

The Guardian learnt that the gesture was part of Jubrin’s contributions to Buhari’s presidential campaign and All Progressives Congress (APC) victory in Kano.

An APC member from Kiru town, Aminu Abubakar, said the lawmaker drafted the police to recover the cars freely given out loyal APC members during the election as gifts to motivate them to campaign for Buhari and Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

Abubakar, therefore, expressed dismay that Jubrin could stoop so derogatory enough to order the police to withdraw the vehicles from members who had worked tirelessly to ensure the victory of APC in Kano.

He said: “I am surprised such a thing could happen. We have many political office holders, senators and members of assembly who gave out vehicles for use during campaigns.

“Go and find out, the governor distributed vehicles, senators distributed vehicles and at the point of collection, you know this is your car and that is part of the reason many of them put in even their lives to campaign. What surprised me more was the involvement of police.”

Another APC stalwart in Kano, who claimed anonymity, said besides the retrieval of the campaign vehicles, the Kiru/Bebeji representative ordered the withdrawal of cars and monies given to party chieftains in his constituency.

“We now understand that the lawmaker is not sincere with party members. Apart from the campaign vehicles that he recovered, he also collected money and cars he gave to some party leaders in the constituency.”

Meanwhile, when contacted on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kano State Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abdullahi Haruna, did not deny the involvement of the police.

He, however, sought time to enable him investigate the matter before response.

He did not respond as at the time of filing in this report.

But state Secretary of APC, Ibrahim Zakari Sarina, who confirmed the development, said that Jubrin’s action took the part unawares, insisting that such attitude was against all known norms of the party.

He posited that the state secretariat had directed the Kiru and Bebeji Local Council offices to report the matter officially for proper action.

However, effort to speak with Jubrin on the matter was not successful as the lawmaker did not pick his calls and declined response to text message.

9th Assembly: Lai Mohammed states Buhari govt’s position on next NASS

The Federal Government on Wednesday said without prejudice to legislative independence, the incoming administration will forestall a repeat of the conduct of the 8th National Assembly which it said worked at cross purposes with the executive arm of government between 2015 and 2019.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this on Wednesday when he featured on a Nigerian Television Authority’s (NTA) Programme, “Good Morning Nigeria”, NAN reports.

He said that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government was working towards having a National Assembly that would work in synergy with the executive for a seamless execution of its agenda towards the delivery of democracy dividends to Nigerians.

The minister stressed that for all the propounded programmes and policies of government to materialise in the next four years, there was the need for a legislative arm that would work in tandem with the executive arm.

“As far as we respect the independence of the legislative arm of government, we also believe that especially when a party has done very well in both legislative and executive elections, there should be a synergy between the legislative and the executive arms of government.

“I want to assure you that we are doing the right thing this time around and we will not end up with the kind of situation that we had in 2015 to 2019.

“We will not have a situation where it will seem that the leadership of the National Assembly is working for the opposition or where members of the same party are working at cross purposes.

“This time around we will get it right; we will have good relationship with the National Assembly and we will work very well with the legislature,” he said.

The minister discussed his recent visits to the United States and the United Kingdom where he met with the international media and Think Tanks in both countries, in the aftermath of the 2019 general elections.

Mohammed said that he used the opportunity of the tour to tell the international community how the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had delivered on the President’s promises, and how ready it was to do more in the next four years.

“I have a good product in President Buhari and selling it to the international community was quite easy.

“What endears him to the international community is the achievement in economy, how he nurtured the economy from recession to growth recording six consecutive quarters of growth in GDP.

“We have brought down inflation, foreign reserve has increased from 27 billion dollar to 45 billion dollar.

“Our reforms have earned us accolade globally.

“Post election, we have witnessed five billion dollar investment in Nigeria,” he said.

Mohammed said that the international community commended the Buhari government for its anti-corruption stance and the successes recorded in the agriculture sector among others.

Tinubu absent as President Buhari arrives Lagos

Bola Tinubu, the National Leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, was conspicuously absent as President Muhammadu Buhari visits Lagos State on Wednesday.

The President is in Lagos to inaugurate some projects.

Tinubu was said to be out of the country with some prominent members of the APC.

President Buhari landed at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos at 10.32 a.m on Wednesday amid tight security.

Buhari arrived aboard a Nigerian Air Force Boeing aircraft with registration number 5N-FGT.

He was received with a dance by cultural troupe and a Presidential Guard of Honour.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and Deputy Governor of Edo, Phillip Shuaibu.

Others include Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Governor-elect and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat .

My parents are from Sokoto and Jigawa — Atiku

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and the party have stated that he is a Nigerian by birth as his parents both have roots in the North West and is therefore qualified to seek office of the president.

Atiku and PDP stated this in reply to claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, filed at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal sitting at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

The APC in its reply to Atiku’s petition had claimed that he is Cameroonian by birth and not qualified to contest the office of president based on the Nigerian Constitution.

The party had claimed that Jada in Adamawa State, where Atiku was born on 25th November, 1946, was part of the Germany administered territory of British Cameroons which became a mandate territory of the League of Nations following Germany’s defeat in World War I in 1918, and opted to join Nigeria in a plebiscite in 1961.

But Atiku in a petition by his team of lawyers led by Livi Uzoukwu (SAN), stated that his father, Garba Atiku Abdulkadir was a Nigerian by birth who hailed from Wurno in present day Sokoto State, while his mother Aisha Kande was also a Nigerian who hailed from Dutse in present day Jigawa State. He said both were of Fulani tribe, indigenous to Nigeria.

“The birth of the 1st petitioner (Atiku) in Jada, in present day Adamawa State of Nigeria was occasioned by the movement of his paternal grandfather called Atiku who was an itinerant trader, from Wurno in present day Sokoto State to Jada in the company of his friend, Ardo Usman,” he said.

Atiku contended that he had served in the Nigerian Customs Service, and had been a presidential aspirant under the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1992, contested and won the governorship of Adamawa State in 1999 under the PDP, and became vice president under the same platform in 1999 with President Olusegun Obasanjo and was re-elected in 2003.

He further averred that he was the recipient of the National Honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), and was the traditional title holder of Turakin Adamawa from 1982 to 2017 when he was elevated to Wazirin Adamawa.

Atiku contended that APC’s reply was incompetent because the counsel who signed it did not reflect his National Identity Number “contrary to the provisions of the Mandatory Use of National Identification Number, Regulations, 2017, made pursuant to the National Identity Management Commission Act, 2007.”

Atiku also countered Buhari’s submission that his petition challenging his qualification to contest the election was not a post-election issue which could be entertained by the tribunal, insisting that the matter was both a pre-election and post-election matter.

He said the issue of qualification of the 2nd Respondent (Buhari) to contest election to the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was a mandatory statutory and/or constitutional requirement that cannot be waived by the petitioners as erroneously averred in paragraph 499 (d) of the 3rd respondent’s reply.

EFE OMOROGBE TO SUE UZOR CHIKERE & BEATS-ONIT.COM FOR N200M.

In reaction to defamatory article credited to Mr. Uzor Chikere and published on his beats-onit.com website on April 8, 2019, B. E. Ehiwele and Co., lawyers to Efe Omorogbe have written to demand immediate retraction, formal apology and the sum of N200,000,000.00 in settlement.

For this and a series of other articles published with the clearly malicious intention to damage the reputation of the respected creative entrepreneur and leading figure in the founding of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), the journalist will be slapped with a lawsuit if he fails to meet the demands within a 2-week period.

This move has become necessary in the light of constant libellous attacks on Efe Omorogbe since early 2018.

Upon receipt of the regulator's position on the illegality of the resolutions that purportedly reinstated Tony Okoroji after his December 7, 2017 sacking, Omorogbe convened a board meeting on March 6, 2018 in his capacity as legal chairman.

That board meeting which held at the main entrance of COSON House because the management had locked out the directors triggered a series of lawsuits and the eventual suspension of the operating licence of COSON.

Uzor Chikere and his news website, beats-onit.com, curiously adopting self-appointed role of Okoroji's cheer leader have subjected Efe Omorogbe to a barrage of attacks depending mainly on half-truths and blatant lies to malign his character and public image.

Against the basic ethics of the journalism profession, Uzor Chikere has repeatedly published false and maliciously skewed stories without extending to Efe Omorogbe, the right to state his side of the story in reaction to whatever his sources had alleged.

The day of reckoning seems to have arrived for the veteran journalist who may now have to defend his statements in court.

Obasanjo, Jonathan’s Administrations Have Over 2000 Accounts In Various Banks – FG

The Federal Government says it will be unfair for Nigerians to measure its achievements in the fight against corruption by the number of convictions it has secured.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this on Monday when he featured on a live TVC News Programme, “This Morning” monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Mohammed said that the administration has succeeded in laying enduring foundation for fight against corruption through sustainable policies including the Single Treasury Account (TSA), Whistle Blower Policy.

He said with the solid foundation, the fight against corruption will remain the bedrock of the administration in the next four years.

“Under this administration, we insisted and have succeeded in ensuring that all payments and revenues are paid into the TSA

“Before we came in, the federal government had over 2000 different accounts in various banks which resulted in paying several billions on Naira in charges.

“The government then also never had an idea of how much it had as revenue

“Today, over N9.3 trillion has gone into the TSA and that is why it is possible for us to invest especially in the area of infrastructure and social investment programmes,” he said.

The minister said with the TSA savings, the government spent unprecedented N2.7 trillion on development of infrastructure in 2017 and 2018 and also introduced accountability in spending of government resources.

He said the Whistle Blower policy has helped in blocking corruption and recovery of looted funds.

Mohammed disclosed that, the government has, so far, recovered several billions of Naira and about 53 million USD through the policy alone.

He said the administration’s fight against corruption has been recognised abroad with the AU recognition of President Muhammadu Buhari as the champion of anti corruption.

The minister said that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also recognised the efforts of the administration in fighting corruption.

“When we say the fight against corruption is successful is because we have laid the foundation that would make it difficult for people to engage in the evil act.

“For us success of the fight against corruption is the fact that we have driven corruption under the table and make it unattractive as it was before.

“Those who are corrupt are doing so with the fear of the law. It will be progressive,y become more and more difficult in Nigeria for corruption to be attractive,” he said

On the allegation that the government’s anti corruption fight was against perceived enemies and opposition, the minister said it was a misconception.

“We had 16 years of unbroken rule by the PDP so the likely people who will be accused of misuse of resources should be the people who were in charge .

“We also have some former governors who decamped to APC who have also been convicte,” he said.

The minister reiterated that the anti corruption fight would be frontal in the next four years of the administration of President Buhari.

How Security officers killed 9 children, injured 31 during Easter procession in Gombe

No fewer than nine children were confirmed dead and 31 others critically injured when a driver rammed into a procession of Boys Brigade members, celebrating Easter, late Sunday night in Gombe metropolis.

Daily Trust leant that the children were on the annual Easter Rally late Sunday night to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ when an unidentified policeman and Civil Defense personnel came across them around Alheri junction on Biu road in the metropolis.

Eye witness and chairman of the Gombe state Battalion of the Boys Brigade (BB), Isaac Kwadang said the incident happened around 11:30pm Sunday night.

According to him, the policeman and NSCDC officer, though not on official duty, met the procession while passing in their private car and exchanged words with some youth in the procession.

“After exchanging words with the youth, they allowed them to pass. However, they made a U-turn, put off the car’s light and rammed into them from behind, killing eight children on the spot and injuring 31 others.

“The unfortunate action provoked the survivors of the tragedy. Therefore, they chased the security officers, caught up with them and mobbed them to death,” Kwadang said.

He added that they were able to calm the youths and still prevailing on them against further confrontation.

The Chief Medical Director of the state Specialists Hospital, Dr Shuaibu Mu’azu confirmed that about 11 dead bodies from the incident, including the policeman and NSCDC officer have been deposited in the hospital mortuary.

Also, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr Godwin Omiko, confirmed the incident, he said the dead bodies were brought to the hospital by his men.

Our correspondent reports that the state Deputy Governor, Mr Charles Iliya had visited the Specialists Hospital to console the victims on admission and condole the parents of the deceased children.

He said the government will take action on the matter and brought whoever is behind it to book, adding that the government will provide free treatment to all the victims.

On his part, the state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Reverend Ibrahim Joda called on the Christians faithful to be patient and remain calm.

He assured them that action will be taken by the government to ensure justice and prevent a future occurrence of the bad incident.

Efforts to get response of the state Police Command proved abortive, as both the state Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Makwashi and the Command’s PPRO, SP Obed Mary Malum refused to either answer several phone calls or reply text messages placed to their mobile lines.