One Year In Office: Tinubu Warns Buhari, Reveals Top Secret Plots To Infiltrate His Govt.

As part of activities to celebrate the Democracy Day and one year in office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the national leader of the ruling All progressives Congress, APC and former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has made a shocking revelation to the President, News Punch understands

Tinubu has raised the alarm over moves by some members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to regain access into government through the backdoor, New Telegraph, reports

In a statement issued yesterday by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to commemorate the first year anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, Tinubu said the nation would forfeit her future if the present administration gives into their deceit.

His words: “Those who benefitted from injustices past energetically plot their return. The looters of yesterday to whom we waved farewell in the 2015 elections now try to shimmy through the backdoor to continue their pilfering ways.

“There is no progressive policy in your benefit they do not actively seek to undermine and make fail. They hope to use your kindness and patience against you. They seek to erect barriers to discourage us into believing there is no other way than the backward path they offer.

“We shall forfeit the nation’s future if we give into their deceit or if we fall into despondency because progress does not appear to come as fast or as systematically as we hoped. “You, the people, must participate in government as never before.

We cannot be passive onlookers when what lies in the balance is the future of our children and their sons and daughters after them. If someone tried to kidnap your child, you would not fold your hands and close your mouth.

Then we should not do so when the vultures and hyenas of yesterday sneak about in an attempt to steal, perhaps not our children, but their very futures.” Tinubu also decried the ousted PDP administration.

His words: “We have endured the harsh meter of authoritarian rule. After military rule gave way, we withstood the ambivalent nature of 17 years of civilian rule not as brutish as the military, but not quite democracy either.

We existed in the twilight between darkness and light. Yet, we refused to get lost or to avert your focus from what was better. “We lived in a land of elections the results of which were not always the expression of the sovereign will of the people, but of the will of a few people who mistook themselves to be the sovereign.

Instead of holding elections, they used a superficially democratic process to coronate themselves as modern royalty. They misbehaved and misgoverned according to this fouled perception. “The only honour such people could give democracy was to mock it.

When they celebrated democracy day these past 16 years, it was as thieves and burglars celebrating one of their own becoming the chief security officer of a bank.” While urging the government to urgently restructure the economy by initiating fiscal policies that stand unrivalled in its objectives, Tinubu said the government must summon political and social courage for the task ahead of it.

“There are many challenges our nation faces. Security problems trouble some areas, but thankfully government is making progress, particularly against Boko Haram. This brutal terrorist group will soon be a thing of the bleak past. The evil killing and destruction wrought will be no more.

“There is a problem that cuts all areas equally. If we are not careful, it will afflict us a long time to come. In a cold, swift stroke, the decline in oil prices has turned into a mockery the model upon which we had for so long based our political economy.

We either must waste away or construct a new model,” the former governor said. Advising the government on some fiscal policy route that may lead to the revamping of the nation’s economy, Tinubu said: “Government must dedicate unprecedented amounts for productive expenditure in our transportation infrastructure power generation, food security and job creation.

“We have entered a period of stagflation where recession or shrinkage of the economy is accompanied by higher prices. Unfortunately, if we try to fight both at the same time, we fight neither effectively.

“Given the rate of joblessness and poverty, it is more fitting to fight recession at this point than to focus on inflation. We can endure a bit more inflation if it means more jobs and greater aggregate demand that can develop the velocity needed to free the economy of recession’s gravitational pull. “We must resist recession; it is harder to shake off once it takes grip of an economy.

Our economy should diversify by expanding our infrastructural network, bolstering agricultural and farm incomes, as well as filliping industry and manufacturing to provide jobs for a rapidly expanding urban workforce. “We can institute policies that create new industries and businesses as well as improve old ones.

These measures will form the foundation of a diversified economy that will become more resistant to inflation because it is less reliant on imports. “Also, it will be more recession resistant because the economy will rest on multiple revenue sources instead of a single source that is dependent on foreign consumer preferences over which we have little control.”

The APC leader said all hands must be on deck to move the government forward. He said: “Now is not the time to lament, murmur or give into despair. It is time to summon once again the political and social courage that we well know and that well knows us.

“We need to push forward and to urge government forward to do that which it must to achieve this great generational feat. We stand between success and failure; but we cannot maintain this middling position forever. We must turn one way or the other.

To me, there is but one option. The other is unspeakable. We must be bold enough not accept an inferior destiny. We must win. “A great historic push and effort are mandated. Change takes boldness, perseverance and moral fortitude; profound change requires even more so.

The task is hard, but I neither fret nor worry. In my heart, I am comforted by the knowledge that we are so much better and stronger than the obstacle before us,” he said.

Credit: New Telegraph

Obasanjo'll Ruin Your Government, Buhari Warned

In an experience that portrays the popularly saying, "Once Beaten twice Shy", a former Senate President forced out of office during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and member Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Adolphus Wabara has warned President Muhammadu Buhari to be wary of the ex-President (Obasanjo), else he will ruin his administration, News Punch understands

Wabara in a recent interview with the Daily Sun Newspaper believes that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has its good and bad sides . While he praised the ongoing war against cor­ruption , he argued that the adminis­tration has not done well in address­ing economic issues. 

The former President of the Senate was of the opinion that the President must be wary of some personalities that swarm around him. One of such people he said, is former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, claiming that the latter would hurt the President if he con­tinues to allow him ample space in his government.

Below is an excerpt from Daily Sun Newspaper related to Obasanjo and Buhari's relationship cum the former's interferences in PDP crisis.

Many also feel that Obasanjo’s hand is seem­ingly in the problem that you are having right now. Some of his men who are fighting are believed to have links with him?

The problem with Obasanjo is he pursues his personal interest all the time and he’s a tactician. We worked together. If you are standing here with Obasanjo, if you look a mile from where you are standing, you will find him there. That is the type of person he is and it takes people like us who really understand him to talk about him. I think we will leave that for another day. He has so many people planted here and there. He has his hands in so many things in his government. But you probably will be lucky to pin him down to them. People are suffering on his behalf, whereas he should have been the per­son facing the music.

Do you regret becoming one of his loyal core men at a point in your political ca­reer?

I wouldn’t want to answer that question now. But I must thank him though for making me what I am. Without him, I wouldn’t have been the Senate President – that’s between myself and my God. He made that possible and I remain eternally grate­ful to him. But it’s his interest first all the time. If I go into that, how I exited and what have you; in fact in your papers, somebody wrote that I was impeached. I was never impeached. I voluntarily resigned to go and face the music. Where I studied, we were usually very rugged and we know that diamonds are not forever. When things like that come, we take the right step.

Obasanjo wanted a third term and he thought he had a willing horse in me but I refused and that is where the whole thing started. Some of his aides now told him that I even wanted to take over his job as the President of the country and stuffs like that. But I don’t want to talk. I leave everything in the hands of God.

If you are to advise Buhari on how to handle somebody like Obasanjo, what would be your advice?

Buhari should be very careful. He should be very wary of Obasanjo be­cause Obasanjo will hurt him. All he is doing around Buhari now is to feel his body language to know whether he has any plans in exposing him. The moment he now finds that some­thing like that is not happening and Buhari becomes a lame President, Obasanjo will hurt him, preparatory for the next President that is coming in because he must be in the Villa to protect himself from going back to prison and what he does is to run down whoever is there at the appro­priate time to paint a picture that he is supporting the incoming so that that one will draw him closer again. By so doing, he is shielded from being thrown back into prison.

Excerpts From Daily Sun Newspaper

#Dasuki Gate: Why I Opted To Refund The N400m - Metuh

Chief Olisa Metuh, the former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), through his counsel, has revealed why his client has agreed to return 400 million naira allegedly received illegally from the national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Speaking to journalists in court yesterday, May 25, Metuh’s lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu said that since his client have shown sufficient evidence that he (Metuh) did not know the source of N400 million transferred to his company account by Dasuki, he is willing to refund the said amount.

“Chief Metuh had shown sufficient evidence that he was not aware of the source of the N400 million made available to him by the former President and he has shown his willingness, since the commencement of this matter, to refund the said sum even when there is no guilt knowledge,” Ikpeazu said as reported by The HeraldNG

Ikpeazu also said that having lost an application made at the Appeal Court, his client has the right to go ahead to the Supreme Court to seek justice.

“There are issues in the Appeal Court ruling the defence team is not comfortable with, after due consultation with our client, he will instruct us on the next action. The client has the right of appeal all the way to the Supreme Court,” he added.

Ikpeazu also commented on the ruling that prevents Metuh from seeking medical help abroad.

“What is important to us for now is the health situation of the defendant whose situation has continued to deteriorate. Even the constitution recognizes the fact that an accused should be alive and fit to face trial and defend himself,” he said.

Omisore'Omnibus Troubles, By Goke Butika

'good morning owo'

'good afternoon owo'

'good evening owo'

'owo come look after me'

'the son of Omisore~~'

The above genre was waxed for Christopher Iyiola Omisore, the once impeached deputy governor of Osun state, the man who won his "senatorial election" from prison, and the erstwhile almighty chairman of Senate Appropriation Committee and two time governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), by King Sunny Ade who graced his chieftaincy ceremony in Osogbo in the mid 90s.

It was during the regime of military junta headed by the late goggled maximum dictator, Sani Abacha. Omisore was hangling to become a governorship candidate of one of the political parties established by Abacha called United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) then. At that material time, old politicians who were known with their brand political names had been banned from contesting any political offices by the military. So, Omisore was among the new breeds thrown up by the system.

His emergence on the political consciousness of Osun State was exciting, because he was seen as a young man loaded with cash known as war chest in the political parlance, and his flamboyant life attracted the youth with corrupted ideology of the 90s, and Omisore set to rule the state until Abacha, the strong leader who had languished activists and political actors of opposing views in perpetual detention, including yours sincerely, died like terribly sick chicken in 1998.

So, by the time Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalam took over and declared open a democratic space, his body language suggested that he meant business; politicians went to work and formed new parties to take power, and when the slain Chief Bola Ige and co formed Alliance for Democracy (AD), Omisore read the handwriting on the wall, and pitched his tent with the new fold with a view to realizing his ambition.

In the permutation to the candidacy of the party, Omisore was picked as the deputy governor to Chief Bisi Akande who was the pioneer chairman of the party in the state, and in fairness to him, Omisore brought his youthful appeal and wealth to the table, while Chief Akande brought only load of experience in governance. It ought to be a perfect combination, but the ambition differed and irreconcilable differences set in.

Akande once ran into a troubled water of industrial dispute, and the way the crisis was handled made the government unpopular, and Omisore could not stand the danger the unpopular opinions constituted to his ambition. So, he chose to betray the trust that bound him and his boss in order to gain from the crisis. The battle shifted to the state House of Assembly, and he obviously financed the impeachment exercise against Akande. Unfortunately for him, the impeachment was thwarted by the pro-Akande lawmakers amidst violence, and the table turned against the deputy governor Omisore.

Nobody envied Speaker Mojeed Alabi's job then, the very brilliant academic cum politician had to navigate between the turbulence of political red sea, and a devil spoiling for war. In the process, Bola Ige who came to express his disgust about the supposed rude of Omisore to his boss was molested by some thugs said to be loyal to Omisore  at the palace of Ooni of Ife, to an extent of being rescued by Ooni Okunade Sijuwade, and few days after, he was brutally slain at his Ibadan home.

At no distant time, a strong supporter of Omisore in the impeachment saga at the state parliament, Odunayo Olagbaju was also brutally killed, and Osun became a tension zone. Eventually, Omisore was impeached but Akande was not returned as second term governor in 2003. Perhaps, the pain of impeachment was deep in Omisore's mind that he vowed to become the governor by all means. And give it to him, he has been struggling to achieve his aim since.

The 2014 governorship election in Osun gave Omisore away as a politician with different worldview, he won the ticket of his party, (PDP) with ease, after he had reportedly subjected his perceived archival, Isiaka Adeleke, the first governor of the state to a threat to life and succeeded in easing him out of the party. To show his strength, he went to the presidency to take a walk with the then President Goodluck Jonathan who had pathological hatred for Rauf Aregbesola, the reigning governor, for denying him victory in 2011 general election in the state, and when the photo finish with the president went viral, Omisore boasted that he had become a governor already.

He had the federal might behind him, he was advanced with dollar dominated campaign machinery, he blared siren like a governor, he walked around with full military and police complement, and he threatened thunder against the sitting governor, to an extent that some political pundits had conceded victory to him, but Aregbesola was a different specie. He roared with political venom and hurriedly adopted a nickname "Dagunro" the poisonous plant that could not be consumed by anyone irrespective of his diabolical power.

Aregbesola moved to town and found shield in the fanatical support of the people who were determined to go to war with federal powers should there be an attempt to rig the election in favour of Omisore. Truth to plan, stern looking soldiers were deployed, masked DSS officials were deployed, and compromised policemen were deployed with sole aim of rigging the election in favour of the Ife born politician, but Daguro led by the front and peoples' eyes became red on the D-day, the election was held and the massive plan of the last chance fell, as the compromised security operatives were made helpless. The violence quietened.

However, the general election that saw to the ouster of Jonathan from Aso Rock appeared to be the demystification of Omisore, he lost the pecks of the centre, he was routed in the State, and he lost the great Ooni who had sympathy for him. And he walks around now like a political orphan. Hmmmm. What a law of gravity!

Today, Omiore is a fugitive, as he has been declared by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) wanted for N700 million fraud. Now, he wants his fundamental human rights established, and he wants the rights activists to take his case up. What a diminishing return! The instructive lesson from this politician is that everyone should be conscious of consequence of his or her action, for every step in life is a space in history.

My take is that I would not want Omisore to be persecuted for his political belief, but it would be to his best interest to surrender himself to the EFCC and clear his name, so that the fraud case would not be added to his perceived conspiracy in Bola Ige's murder. I love his zeal and drive to get his goal, but I hate his disposition to violence, nothing personal.

Butikakuro is an intercontinental journalist.

After Denial, Battered Metuh Pleads To Refund, 'Stolen' N400m

Despite earlier denial and pleading not guilty before the court of law, battered and disgraced Chief Olisa Metuh, the former lousy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has offered  and pleaded to refund the alleged N400 million  received from the national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Metuh made the through his lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, TheFact Times says.

Bar. Onyechi Ikpeazu, Metuh’s lawyer,  while speaking to journalists today said his client (Metuh) did not know the source of the said money transferred into his company’s account and therefore, ready to return the money.

 “Chief Metuh had shown sufficient evidence that he was not aware of the source of the N400 million made available to him by the former President and he has shown his willingness, since the commencement of this matter, to refund the said sum even when there is no guilt knowledge”, his counsel said:

Further addressing journalists, Ikpeazu said: “There are issues in the Appeal Court ruling the defence team is not comfortable with, after due consultation with our client, he will instruct us on the next action. The client has the right of appeal all the way to the Supreme Court,”. The Herald reports.

The former PDP spokesperson had earlier on been denied permission to travel abroad to seek medical aid for his failing health.

Meanwhile, the Federal High court of Abuja dismissed the application filed by the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, asking for permission to travel abroad for his medical treatment Premium Times, reported

The counsel to Mr. Metuh had on May 23 informed the court of an application dated May 16 seeking permission to allow Mr. Metuh travel to the United Kingdom for five weeks to attend to his failing health.

The counsel, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, had also asked the court to permit the release of Mr. Metuh’s passport so that if the first application is granted, he (Mr. Metuh) would be able to travel for the proposed treatment of his ailing spinal cord.

The trial judge, Okon Abang, had on that day said the court would decide on Mr. Metuh’s application on May 25.

Mr. Abang had also asked both counsel on May 23 whether his court had the jurisdiction to grant the second application by Mr. Ikpeazu, seeking for the release of Mr. Metuh’s international passport.

After listening to the arguments of both counsel, Mr. Abang stated in his ruling, Wednesday, that the application seeking the release of Mr. Metuh’s international passport should not have come to his court in the first place.

He noted that the decision was made with regards to the nature of Mr. Metuh’s trial and that the court cannot hold back its decision.

Mr. Abang further said the present condition of the defendant should not be a reason for the law to be compromised.

Sheriff Is Authentic PDP Chairman, Lagos Court; Sheriff Is No More, Port Harcourt Court

The woes of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was on Tuesday compounded as different court gives conflicting judgements on Saturday's botched conventions of the party

The party had at its national convention held in Port Harcourt last Saturday dissolved the National Working Committee, NWC of the party.

It also dropped Ali Modu Sheriff as its national chairman and picked former Kaduna State governor, Sen Ahmed Makarfi as chairman of a caretaker committee.

However, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted an interim injunction restraining Sheriff and Professor Adewale Oladipo who were removed from office from parading themselves as National officers of the Party pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice brought before it by the PDP.

In another ruling, Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos has declared as invalid the caretaker committee constituted over the weekend to take over the party’s affairs from Sheriff.

The judge, in a ruling on Monday, directed the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, to enforce his order, barring the members of the constituted caretaker committee from taking over the affairs of the party.

Heavily Armed Police Seal Off PDP Secretariat, 'Chase Off' Sheriff Faction From Entering As Crisis Messy

The lingering crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP assumes a new dimension on Sunday as some men of Nigeria Police Force, heavily armed sealed and took over the premises of the national headquarters of the party, prevention entrance to the secretary.

No fewer than 30 armed policemen, who were led by an assistant superintendent of police, Mr. Ime Obot, prevented journalists from entering or coming close to the two-storeyed building, Punch Newspaper reports this morning

Five security vehicles were packed around the building.

Two trucks were used to block the road in front of the secretariat.

One of the trucks, with number plate NPF 5209C, was used to block the road from the headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Three other vehicles, including a Hilux van, were used to block the back gate of the building which is used by the party’s national officers, especially the national chairman.

This step, which was noticed on Sunday, was said to have been carried out by the police to prevent the breakdown of law and order at the secretariat.

It would be recalled that a former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, was purported removed as the PDP national chairman at the party’s convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Saturday.

Sheriff, however, described his removal and the sacking of the members of the National Working Committee as a nullity.

Constitutionally, the ex-Borno State governor’s tenure expires on Saturday.

But some officers of the party, like the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, and the National Auditor, Adewole Adeyanju, including Sheriff, are in court, contesting their tenure.

They had secured a court order, restraining the party from filling their offices at the Port Harcourt convention.

Sheriff said the court action and the claim by the Independent National Electoral Commission that it would not monitor election into the above three offices were part of the reasons why he called off the convention.

He said he and members of his NWC were to meet at the party secretariat on Sunday.

Our correspondent gathered, however, that the policemen were deployed in the secretariat to prevent Sheriff and some members of his sacked NWC from meeting at the secretariat, Punch Newspaper reported

Sheriff had said the emergency meeting of his NWC would hold at the secretariat on Sunday (yesterday). He further stated that the constitution of the party does not provide for a caretaker committee.

In his argument, he said that the appointment of a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party was alien to the PDP’s constitution.

His media aide, Mr. Inuwa Bwala, who spoke with journalists while the meeting being held by the Sheriff group was still ongoing on in Abuja on Sunday, added that the meeting was discussing the four court orders which he said compelled Sheriff to call off the convention.

He said, “In Port Harcourt, the court papers were served on the chairman. He decided to summon the meeting of the governors, members of the Board of Trustees and others. Before then, he said he had not been served the court papers.

“He told the gathering that there could be a problem if the party ignored the orders.

“He informed the governors that the convention should be deferred. But they (the governors) were angry because they had already pencilled down those they wanted to put in offices.

“To show our sincerity, we approached the court in Lagos to vacate the order, we were denied. As of Friday, all the court orders were subsisting.

“Because of the conflicting interest, some agreed, some did not. He (Sheriff) went ahead to meet with the NWC members and they said he should address a press conference to call off the convention.

“All members of the NWC members, except the Deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, left. Their personal interest took the better of them. You can open the constitution of the party from the beginning to the end, you won’t find caretaker committee anywhere.

“If we are able to vacate the injunctions, we will meet and fix another date for the convention.”

Oladipo had earlier told Punch Newspaper correspondents that the group would address a press conference at the national secretariat.

However, the presence of policemen at the secretariat was said to have aborted the plan.

Report according to Punch Newspaper suggests that the policemen were drafted to the secretariat by the PDP governors.

The governors were said to have taken the action to prevent Sheriff and his faction from taking over the secretariat.

Excerpts From Punch Newspaper

I'm Still In Charge, Battered Sheriff Fights Back As PDP Struggles With 3 National Chairmen

The ex-governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff has declared that he is still the authentic party Chairman of the crisis-ridden opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, describing the conventions that reportedly sacked him as Illegal.

Yesterday, both Port Hacourt and Abuja version of the party's convention had produced two different interim leaders respectively. While the Abuja faction led by Jerry Gana picked Ibrahim Mantu, a former Senator; the Port Harcourt  faction led by Sheriff picked Ahmed Makarfi, a former governor; totalling 3 leaders who are all poised to lead the party, News Punch understands

Sheriff, who spoke with one of our correspondents through his media aide, Inuwa Bwala, said the constitution of the party did not give the governors any role in the party’s affairs, Punch Newspaper reported

He said he and other members of the NWC would meet to discuss the “charade” that happened at the “so-called convention.”

Bwala said, “The chairman had announced the suspension of the convention based on numerous and conflicting court judgments.

“He did that strategically in order not to embarrass the party and save it from further litigation.

“Those that met and said they were doing the convention did that on their own. The governors have no role to play in the party according to our constitution.

“Those who think they have money and that because of this they can run the party illegally will have to have a rethink.

“The NWC is still in office and we are meeting soon. The chairman remains in office. All other organs of the party like the Board of Trustees and the NEC will meet at the appropriate time. Sheriff remains the national chairman.”

It was, however, gathered that the party might witness a series of legal action in the days ahead.

On Friday, Justice Muhammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos ordered members of the PDP not to take any action that would void the proceedings of court on the issue of the parallel convention.

Also, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Friday refused to vacate the order not to conduct election into the offices of the National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor at the PDP national convention.