PDP Orders Sheriff's Arrest As He Issued Certificate of Return To 2nd PDP Candidate In Edo

The leadership crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party seem not to be heading to an end soon as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to immediately order the arrest and prosecution of the factional National Chairman of the party, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, and Mr. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

Both men, according to Makarfi should be charged with contempt for disobeying a court Judgment, Nigerian Pilot reports

Makarfi’s call came in reacting to the issuance of certificate of return to Iduoriyekemwen as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the forthcoming governorship election in Edo by Sheriff.

The former Kaduna State governor was quoted in a statement by Prince Dayo Adeyeye as saying, “We are shocked at the attitude of Sheriff who has become an authority in the country with flagrant disobedience of the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act and the PDP constitution without being arrested or detained by security agencies.

“Is he above the law, if we may ask?”

He argued that Justice Abdullah Mohammed Liman’s Judgment of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt on the 4th of July, 2016 was superior to all other court rulings, ex-parte orders or Interlocutory injunctions procured by Sheriff and his supporters.

He added that Sheriff’s reliance on Justice Okon Abang’s ruling ofThursday, June 30, 2016 was an attempt to confuse unsuspecting members of the public as he has done in previous times.

As a result, he said, “We are calling on the Police to do the needful by arresting Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, his co-travelers and Iduoriyekemwen for disobeying Court Judgment.”

But Sheriff said that what Makarfi was merely asking for impossibility.

However, Sheriff, speaking though the National Secretary of his faction of the party, Prof. Wale Oladipo, said Makarfi was asking for the impossible.

He said, “It is wishful thinking of the group, but it won’t happen. They know that we have court orders that say our candidates should be accepted by the INEC.

“Whatever they are saying, they should wait for the Court of Appeal to decide. Without that, they are wasting their time. I only wish that they are not out to destroy the party.

At Last, Jonathan Breaks Silence On His Reported '2019 Presidential Ambition'

Some section of the online media, News Punch not inclusive, were awash with reports that Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan declared the intention to vie for the Presidency again come 2019. But the former President has denied the report

Jonathan through his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, denying the report said  the former president never made any declaration on 2019 election, either in May or this month.

Jonathan contested the 2015 presidential elec­tion on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

Before the final count at the International Confer­ence Centre (ICC) in Abuja, Jonathan called Buhari to congratulate him on his victory.

It was reported that Jonathan was inundated with calls from Nigerians “to recontest and salvage the economy from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

in the denied reports, ex-president Goodluck Jonathan was quoted to have said;

“A while ago I stood at the stood Eagle Square, to offer myself for election as the President of our beloved country on the platform of our great party; the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). I decided to run for office because of the many troubles our dear country faced. In a hotly contested election, we ‘lost’ the election to the opposition. We would have rejected the election results but decided my personal ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.
“I made it clear then that when I leave office, Nigerians will understand the freedom they enjoyed under my administration. Are my I saint? Certainly not. Were my Ministers saints? Certainly not. But the opposition have unleashed untold hardship on Nigerians. I read from the news how power generation dropped to zero for a few hours. I read how the minister of State petroleum told Nigerians that he is not a magician to fix Nigerian oil problems. As we speak, subsidy regime has returned. As we speak the current government have reverted pump price to where we left it.
“Over the years, the Almighty God has made it possible for me to develop a bond with you and I am grateful for your support and understanding in the difficult periods we have journeyed through. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, as I stand here this day being April 1, I declare to you that our stewardship has not been without challenges. We dealt with waves of insurgencies, vandalization of our nation’s pipelines and armed banditry. Let me crave the indulgence of all present here to stand up to observe a minutes silence in honor of fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers who lost their lives in Agatu. The situation in Agatu and elsewhere has cast a dark cloud on our Nation but we will surely win. A number of young men and women have been kidnapped by these criminal elements including our daughters from Enugu and Kanu States.
“During my tenure, we established a Presidential Initiative for the North East, the Victim Support Fund and the Safe School Initiative. These programs built Almajiri schools and opened brand new universities across all regions in this country. I read how the APC led government dissolved the governing board of universities and sacked the vice chancellors. We did what we did to better the lots of less privileged among us. Today, those dreams are but a mirage.
“I am grateful to all Nigerians for standing with me and my ministers despite the persecution we have so far face by the current administration. Let me also thank the leaders and elders of our great party, the People’s Democratic Party, for the opportunity reposed on all PDP governors and House of Assembly members. I am overwhelmed by the trust, confidence and support of the various organs of our party, the Board of Trustees, the National Caucus, the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee, the PDP Governors Forum, members of the PDP Caucuses of the National Assembly, and others. This trust showed itself in the just concluded Rivers state re-run elections. This day affords me the opportunity to continue the conversation of development we started together. We must develop our country."

These the former President had denied totally.

Ohaneze, Afinifere Attack Buhari, Say Nigeria's Unity Not By Force

Following President Muhammadu Buhari reaffirmation on Sallah that the unity of Nigeria in not negotiable, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the pan-Yoruba socio-political body, Afenifere, have faulted the position of the President on his position, stating Nigeria's oneness is not by force.

Buhari had said these when Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello, led residents of the FCT to pay the President Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja

The organisations, on Wednesday, told Buhari that the unity of the country was negotiable.

Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka had, on Tuesday last week, described the oneness of Nigeria as “very negotiable”.

The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, believed Buhari might not be reading the mood of the nation correctly.

Odumakin in an interview according to Punch Newspaper said, “I think the President is a sincere man but he may not be reading the mood correctly. The country is divided under him than before. Amalgamation and armed dialogue are going on all around us over the unity of Nigeria which many sections perceive has treated them unfairly.

“To continue to insist that the unity is not negotiable is aping that bird which buries its head in the sand and believes, because it is seeing nobody, it has become invisible too.”

Similarly, the Ohaneze, the President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, aligned with Afenifere’s position, saying the unity of Nigeria was negotiable, saying the current structure of Nigeria had not favoured all parts of the country, Punch Newspaper says

According to him, Nigeria’s unity should be subjected to periodic review.

The OYC leader noted that the Igbo, as a group, canvassed the restructuring of the country during the last constitutional conference.

Isiguzoro said, “We (Ohanaeze Ndigbo) believe that Nigeria’s unity is negotiable. The principles and structures on the co-existence of the various nationalities that make up the country should be reviewed periodically.

“At the moment, the structure that is in place is not in favour of everybody.

“Those that it is favouring are the ones who want the status quo to be maintained, but those it has not favoured, like the Igbo, are open to a negotiation of the country’s unity.”

He added, “The Igbo demanded restructuring at the last constitutional conference and we are still holding on to that demand. We believe Nigeria’s unity should be subject to periodic review.

“We are not calling for secession, but a periodic review of the terms of the country’s unity is necessary for peaceful coexistence, otherwise agitations for separation would continue to grow.”

Former V. Presidential Candidate, Umaru Shinkafi Dies In London

A former presidential aspirant, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, died in London on Wednesday 

Shinkafi, according to Thecable, died after a prolonged illness.

The Marafan Sokoto was the vice-presidential candidate of Olu Falae in the APP/AD alliance in 1999, although they lost to the Olusegun Obasanjo/Atiku Abubakar PDP ticket.

He was also head of the secret police, the Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO), which has been rebranded Department of State Services (DSS), from 1979 to 1983.

He was running neck-and-neck with Adamu Ciroma in the race for the presidential ticket of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1992 before the military government cancelled the primary.

Pastor Kumuyi Predicts Economic Rebound In Ebonyi

A renowned  preacher and the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Christian Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, has declared that the wealth hidden in the land of Ebonyi State  would henceforth  flow out for the economic well-being  of the people.

Kumuyi, who was in Abakaliki for a one-day Bible Study/ prayer programme organised by  the church, on Monday described Ebonyi  as a state bestowed with abundant natural resources.   

He admonished the people of the state to refrain from sin  in order to overcome their  economic challenges as it is only through this way that the blessings of God will be made manifest to  them.

The cleric, according to a statement by Umahi's Chief Press Secretary, Emma Anya, offered special prayers   for  the governor  and his family, the  state Executive Council  members and the entire state. 

Earlier,  Governor Umahi had described   Kumuyi's visit   as a huge  blessing to the people of the  state.

He said, "By your coming here sir, our suffering has ended.  I thank God Almighty who brought you at a  time we needed you most. 

"We don't have much to say but we want you to know that we are  very expectant. We have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible tells us that when God calls a man, he enables him. And we are confident  that  you are going to  bring  huge blessing to each and every one of us.

"I know that our state is going to be richly blessed through you."

The  event was attended also by the wife of the governor, Rachel Umahi;   Deputy Governor Kelechi Igwe;  Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Francis Nwifuru; members of the State Executive Council and other top government functionaries.

Messi, Father Jailed For 21mnts Over Tax Fraud

Lionel Messi, the Barcelona superstar has been given a suspended term by a Spanish court, meaning he is expected to avoid spending time behind bars

Barcelona star Lionel Messi has been handed a 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud but is unlikely to serve time in prison.

Any sentence under two years can be suspended under Spanish law, meaning Messi is expected to avoid spending a day behind bars, according to widespread reports.

Messi, one of the world's highest-paid footballers, was tried alongside his father, Jorge Horacio Messi, for deceiving Spain's tax authority of €4.1 million (£3.19m) between 2007 and 2009.

The forward, who recently announced his retirement from the Argentina national team, has also been fined six weeks' wages worth £1.7 million.

The 29-year-old was accused of creating a number of fake companies in Belize and Uruguay to avoid taxation on his lucrative image rights.

Messi claimed he never suspected any wrongdoing about his financial affairs, but a court has found both he and his father guilty in the crime.

Jorge has also been given the same sentence and both can appeal through the Supreme Court

Bukky Ajayi, Nollywood Renown Actress Is Dead

Bukky Ajayi, a veteran Nollywood actress has been confirmed dead.

Mama Bukky died at the age of 82. 

She died today, Wednesday, a family source have confirmed

Media reports suggest she has been ill for some time.

Her last public appearance was in March at the 2016 AMVCA event, where she received a Merit Award.

At the event, the actress said, “I am very happy from the bottom of my heart. I wish I could stand up but if I do I will fall. But you all standing for me. I say thank you.”

Fayose's Son On The Run Over N200m Traced To His Account

Following the heightened investigation into the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose’s connection with the embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and his office, ONSA over the diversion of arms fund, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has made staggering discoveries.

The discoveries have led to the arrest of a close associate of the Ekiti State governor, Abiodun Agbele and also exposed the alleged transaction between Ayo Fayose and the former minister of Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.

The Investigation also branched out into the source of the Ekiti State Governor’s election campaign funding.

However, according to Sahara Reporters, the anti-graft agency has allegedly traced the sum of N200 million to the state Governor’s son’s account.

The news source reported that Ayo Fayose’s son, Rogba Fayose has since fled to Brussels following the discovery.

FLASH: @GovAyoFayose 's son Rogba has absconded to Brussels after @officialefcc traced ₦200million state funds to his personal account

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 3, 2016