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  • PDP, Bala Mohammed assemble 5 SANs, 60 other lawyers to defend victory

    Bauchi State Governor-Elect Sen. Bala Mohammed on Saturday stated the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the state will engage the services of 5 Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SANs ) 10 other senior lawyers and 50 indigenous lawyers from Bauchi in defense of his mandate at the Election Petition Tribunal.

    The disclosure followed the Petition filed on Saturday by the outgoing Governor, Mohammad Abubakar and the All Progressive Congress in Bauchi State challenging his victory in Court at the last governorship election.

    Addressing journalists shortly after the submission of the petition on Saturday at the Tribunal, the APC Chairman Uba Ahmed Nana had said Gov Mohammed Abubakar the gubernatorial candidate of the party at the last election is seeking justice from the Court.

    The governor-elect however noted that though his party is yet to be served a copy of the petition, it is readily prepared to tackle Gov Abubakar and the APC in the foreseeable judicial contest.

    Read also: Ideology and PDP’s electoral resurgence

    Addressing newsmen at the Command Guest House in Bauchi while receiving the group known as the Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience who volunteered to mobilise 50 lawyers in his defense, Mohammed said: “The issue of APC taking me to the Tribunal is a normal thing , that is why  it is provided in the electoral act.

    “I want to use this opportunity to thank my supporters and the people of Bauchi for their show of patience. The petition is nothing to worry about because we have taking necessary measures.

    “Though we have not been served, once we are served and we see the details and we are going to respond

    “We are also going to engage our lawyers, about five Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, about ten other senior lawyers and 50 Bauchi indigenous lawyers.

    “That is to say the APC petition at the Tribunal is dead on arrival due to the support of the Body of Bauchi Lawyers of Conscience (BOBALAC).”

    Mohammed, while accepting the offer of BOBOLAC to be part of his legal team, said he is highly privileged to be rendered such services by the lawyers of conscience and quality.

    “My legal team has accepted your partnership as your kind gesture shows patriotism,” he said.

    He said further that his election is an act from God saying it has come to many as a surprise.

    Honorary President of BOBOLAC, Jibrin Sa’id Jibrin, said his team of lawyers is ready to work with the legal team of the governor -elect.

  • APC finally files petition against PDP’s victory in Bauchi

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bauchi State on Friday filed a petition at the Election Petition Tribunal, challenging the victory of the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Sen Bala Mohammed at the last gubernatorial poll.

    According to its chairman in the state, Uba Ahmed Nana, Gov Abubakar, the gubernatorial candidate of the party at the last governorship election, is seeking justice from the tribunal.

    “We are here to file a suit on behalf of the APC challenging the results of the governorship election in Bauchi State held some weeks ago.

    “What we want is Justice, as always from the Court because we know that the Court will do just that,” he said.

    It would be recalled that Governor Abubakar had backed down on his earlier decision to concede defeat following declaration of Bala Mohammed as the Governor-elect.

    The governor had said after due consultations with the national leadership of the APC, the party has agreed to go to court to reclaim his mandate from the PDP.

    He said it was a decision from the party hierarchy.

    Abubakar said: “The party has concluded its plans and has hired four Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) to file this suit in court in a short while from now.”

    But in a swift reaction, the state chapter of the PDP alleged the litigation initiated by the outgoing governor was only meant to waste government resources.

    It vowed court will validate its victory at the last governorship election.

    The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Zainabari Yaya in an interview with newsmen, said it was ridiculous for the governor to allege that he was rigged out when he was the one with incumbency power and control of security agents.

    “Just like we won the case filed by the governor at federal high court in Abuja against the results of Tafawa Balewa local government, we will win again in tribunal.

    “We are ready to defend our mandate and over 50 independent lawyers have indicated interest to defend us in any court,” he said

  • Govt warns Atiku against self-help

    The Federal Government yesterday warned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar against resorting to self-help over the outcome of the February 23 election.

    It asked Atiku to realise that the only lawful channel for challenging the result of an election is the court.

    Any act capable of triggering a crisis will not be condoned, the government said.

    The government said it was absurd that Atiku had hired a lobbying firm to convince the United States not to recognise the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari until the Supreme Court has ruled on the suit he filed. Atiku has denied this.

    It said having lost by almost four million (4m) votes, it was  unfortunate that Atiku is seeking US recognition as the winner of the election.

    To the government, it is unfortunate that Atiku is thinking of replicating the Venezuelan model in Nigeria.

    The government made its position known at a briefing in Abuja by Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, which was attended by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

    Mohammed said: “As you must have noticed in recent times, posters bearing the picture of former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, with the inscription: ‘’THE PUKKA, H.E. ATIKU ABUBAKAR, THE REAL AND THE RIGHT’’, have surfaced across major streets in Abuja.

    “The appearance of these posters coincide with the media report  that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has hired a US lobbying firm to convince the United States not to recognise the re-election of President Buhari until the Supreme Court has ruled on the suit by the PDP presidential candidate

    “The posters and the hiring of U.S. lobbyists, the latest of such by the PDP candidate, have triggered questions about what Alhaji Abubakar is up to. Is he starting a fresh campaign after the elections have been won and lost?

    ”Has he rescinded his decision to challenge the results of the presidential election in court, perhaps after realising that the results he claimed to have obtained from the INEC back server are cooked? Is he now going for self-help? What really is Atiku’s motive?

    “Gentlemen, we are aware of media reports that the PDP presidential candidate on Wednesday distanced himself from the posters that are circulating in Abuja. He also reportedly denied hiring U.S. lobbyists, claiming tongue-in-cheek that the APC fabricated the report.

    “If the media reports are right, it means that the former Vice President has suddenly realised the grave implication of his actions, hence has decided to beat a quick retreat before it is too late.

    “As a self-avowed democrat, he should realise that the only lawful channel for challenging the result of an election is through the courts. Resorting to self-help, as he seems to be doing now, is an act of desperation and the consequences are dire.”

    The Federal Government described Atiku’s plot to replicate the Venezuelan model in Nigeria as sheer daydreaming.

    Mohammed added:  “There is no doubt that the PDP presidential candidate, out of desperation, is thinking of replicating the Venezuelan model right here in Nigeria. But he should realise that Nigeria is not Venezuela, and that the situations in both countries are not the same.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari won the Feb. 23rd 2019 presidential elections fair and square, with a margin of 3,928,869 million votes. The election’s credibility was attested to by local and foreign observers.

    “There is no doubt that President Buhari’s victory is well- deserved. As I said at a different forum, it represents the triumph of the ordinary Nigerians over the elite.

    “The election is a direct contest between ordinary Nigerians and the elite, most of whom are rent seekers. Of course, the ordinary Nigerians have won. This is not a surprise, considering the pro-poor policy of the Administration.

    “Despite the antics of the naysayers, Nigerians demonstrated that they appreciate the giant strides that have been made by the administration; whether in the areas of economy, fight against corruption or in tackling insecurity.”

    Although the minister admitted that it is within the fundamental human rights of Atiku to go to court on the results of the Presidential Election, he cautioned him against seeking U.S. recognition as the winner of the poll.

    He said: “ Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has the right to do whatever is lawful to challenge the outcome of that election. But he cannot get through the back door what he couldn’t get through the front door. That will be a pipe dream.

    “ If he believes hiring a foreign lobbying firm will advance his quest, we wish him the best of luck. But seeking U.S. recognition as the winner of an election that he lost by almost four million votes is unconscionable.

    “Recall, gentlemen, that after the result of the presidential election was announced, the U.S. joined other countries to congratulate President Buhari.

    “Let me read a part of the statement by Michael Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State: ‘We commend all those Nigerians who participated peacefully in the election and condemn those whose acts of violence harmed Nigerians and the electoral process. We note the assessments of international and domestic observer missions affirming the overall credibility of the election, despite localised violence and irregularities.  Going forward, the United States remains committed to working together with Nigeria to achieve greater peace and prosperity for both our nations.’ I think that says it all.

    Mohammed said losing an election is not the end of the world and warned Atiku against resorting to self-help.

    He said: “Yes, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has lost an election. But he will not be the first or the last person to lose an election, and he should realise that losing an election is not the end of the world.

    “He has challenged the result of the election in court. That’s just as well. However, he should not give the impression that he does not have confidence in the judicial process, which is what resorting to self-help implies.

    “He should stop overheating the polity and quit trying to instigate a political crisis in Nigeria. No citizen, no matter how highly placed, is above the laws of the land. Enough is enough!”

    Responding to some questions, Mohammed added: “To answer your question, I won’t use the word as strong as treasonable felony. I will simply say that any act of  anybody capable of triggering local crisis will not be condoned by this government.

    “We are glad he has distanced himself from the posters. But we will want to sound a warning to him that elections are not a matter of life and death; that this country is greater than anybody’s ambition

    “To the question that whether or not we are trying to intimidate Atiku, I think he is the one trying to intimidate this government. A  government is not just there for elections, a government is there to preserve law and order and ensure that every citizen, no matter what his interest and rights are, is free to go about and achieve his or her aspirations.

    “But when you now overheat the polity and you behave as if the country is at war, no responsible government will sit by and overlook it.

    Read also: Atiku hails Fintiri’s election

    “Atiku has gone to court and the court process is on, what is the point of asking whether we will accept the verdict of the tribunal or not. Don’t forget, there is a process in Nigeria. If the tribunal pronounces one way or the other, you will appeal and go to the Supreme Court. The question of whether or not we will accept the verdict of the tribunal does not even arise. To me, his going to the tribunal is an exercise in futility. Look at the figures, look at the spread. We won fair and square. We have six zones and Buhari won comfortably in four of the zones.”

    The minister insisted that Buhari won the presidential poll based on his integrity and performance in office.

    He added: “This is a government that has done so much with less in restoring decency and integrity to governance. Like the New York Times said, the re-election of President Buhari is a referendum on honesty.

    “Of course you know that the policies of the administration endeared President Buhari to the ordinary Nigerians: The government feeds 9.3 million school children every day; 500,000 unemployed graduates have been employed under N-Power; 300,000 families are benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer; Interest-free loans of between N10,000 and N100,000 under the TraderMoni and the MarketMoni Schemes, respectively, to small business owners; Pensioners who have been left in the lurch are being paid – ex-workers of the Nigerian Airways, NITEL and former Biafran policemen; fight against corruption is being institutionalised with a number of policies that include Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Whistle-blower policy that has led to the recovery of huge amounts of money as well as property from looters.”

     But the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar said he did not pay a United States lobby group $30, 000 to prevail on the US Congress to stop the May 29 inauguration of President Buhari.

    The Buhari Campaign Group had alleged that Atiku paid the group to push for his recognition as the winner of the February 23 presidential election.

    Reacting through his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Ibe, Atiku said the allegation was “diversionary”, adding that they are “shameless lies and dirty propaganda” against Atiku.

    In a statement, he said lying had become a culture of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration and, the Atiku camp was not surprised by the diversionary allegations.

    The statement said: “Since Atiku resisted pressure not to go to court, the APC has been behaving like a cat on hot bricks  because the outcome of the 2019 elections has exposed and shattered the facade of their dubious integrity.

    “The APC are behaving nervously like a thief living under the fear of being exposed and shamed. They are now using fake news against Atiku instead of focusing on defending themselves in the court.

    “For a party that has broken the worst record in election rigging, the APC doesn’t have any iota of integrity to be taken seriously by anybody.

    “Atiku’s court case has become their biggest burden because it exposes their integrity as a sham, and instead of defending their stolen mandate in court, they are now using fake news to divert public attention from the historic electoral heist they have committed against Nigerians.”

    The statement added that no amount of diversionary propaganda and fake news campaign by APC will stop Atiku Abubakar from continuing the court action he started to reclaim the “stolen mandate”.

  • PDP accuses APC, Presidency of plots against Atiku

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency of plots to frame up its presidential candidate in the February 23 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

    The opposition party however said no amount of fabrications, attempt at set-up as well as veiled and open threats by the APC)-led Federal Government can stop Atiku from reclaiming his mandate at the tribunal.

    Atiku, who lost the election to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, has gone to court to challenge the President’s re-election.

    In a statement Thursday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party rejected a declaration by the  Presidency that Atiku Abubakar is “lucky to be walking free”,.

    It described the statement as inciting, adding that it has brought to the fore the unwholesome intention of the APC-led administration against Atiku Abubakar for seeking to retrieve his “stolen mandate” at the court.

    The PDP further noted what it termed series of orchestrated calumny against Atiku Abubakar and the PDP by agents of the Federal Government, officials of the Presidency and the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO).

    The main opposition party alleged well-coordinated plots against Atiku, including a resort to unfounded claims of links with a foreign lobby group.

    This, the PDP said, was part of attempts to frame Atiku up, cause tension and ultimately derail the recovery of the “stolen mandate” at the presidential election tribunal.

    “Such orchestration are also targeted at instilling fear, cause apprehension in the citizenry and create opening to further suppress genuine public opinion and the course of justice in the quest by Atiku Abubakar and the PDP to restore the will of the people.

    “Part of the motive is to use lies, fabrications, threats and sponsoring of Atiku campaign posters to portray Atiku Abubakar and the PDP as being desperate and ready to subvert the rules in the pursuit of our mandate; and by so doing discredit our candidate in the eyes of the judiciary and the public in general.

    “This explains why agents of the APC-led government fabricated and pushed into the public space, bogus and laughable claims that Atiku Abubakar paid $30,000 to a U.S. lobby group to assist in the quest to reclaim our mandate only for the Federal Government and the Presidency to turn around to feast on the fabrications with threats against Atiku Abubakar.

    “The PDP calls on Nigerians to take copious note of threats by the Presidency through the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, to jail Atiku Abubakar based on trumped up allegations, while describing him as “one who is lucky to be walking free”.

    “Nigerians now know who to hold responsible should any harm come to Atiku Abubakar, his family or any member of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO) in the course of the pursuit of the mandate at the tribunal.

    “Moreover, it is instructive to state that the PDP and Atiku Abubakar do not need any foreign lobby group to prove our case before the tribunal as Nigerians themselves have been at the forefront of this pursuit, especially with our overwhelming evidence before the court.

    “The PDP therefore cautions the APC-led Federal Government to allow the tribunal to judiciously carry out its responsibilities without let or hindrance as well as stop their unrelenting plots to overheat the system and derail the course of justice as such will all come to naught”, the statement added.

     

  • ‘Rebel’ lawmakers who won’t return

    The final results of the 2019 general elections have shown that defections of some All Progressives Congress (APC) federal lawmakers to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had no effect on the ruling party’s electoral fortune. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines how some of the defectors fared in the election.

    Majority of senators and members of the House of Representatives who dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2019 general elections have failed in their bid to return to the 9th National Assembly.

    Some of them were defeated at the poll by APC candidates. They include Senate President Bukola Saraki, Senators Suleiman Nazif, Monsurat Sunmonu, Barnabas Gemade, Abdul Azeez Murtala Nyako, Rafiu Salami and Ubale Shittu. Those that didn’t seek re-election include Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso, Isa Misau and Usman Nafada.

    Those in the House of Representatives that contested on the platform of the PDP and lost include Aminu Shagari and Razaq Atunwa. Other members that defected along with them were Sani Rano, Ali Madoki, Hassan Saleh, Shehu Usman, Danburam Nuhu Abubakar, Tope Olayinka, Ahman Pategi, Samuel Udende, Abubakar Kannike, Abdu Samad Dasuki and Bode Ayorinde.

    Justifying their defection in July 2018, the lawmakers said the decision was taken after due consultation with their constituents and stakeholders in their constituencies, in proper recognition of Section 61(1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution, and for the fact that the APC then was factionalised.

    In actual fact, they were aggrieved PDP members that formed the so-called ‘new PDP’ in 2014 and later merged with the APC towards the build-up to the 2015 general elections. Again in 2018, they contrived another crisis and formed what they called the ‘reformed APC’ to create the impression that there was crisis within the party. Analysts said they were forced to return to their former political party because they had failed to hijack the APC machinery. The defection did not affect APC status, as it maintained majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

     

    Saraki

    At a meeting held with Kwara PDP stakeholders in August 2018, Saraki predicted that his new party would win the 2019 presidential election. He said: “I am confident that PDP would emerge victorious at all levels in Kwara State. The victory of PDP at both federal and state levels would be beneficial to all Nigerians.” He added that the victory would wipe off the challenges that confronted Nigerians under the Muhammadu Buhari administration. “If we emerge at the federal level, all of us will be the beneficiaries. With your support we will win the state,” he said.

    But eight months after, his prediction fell on his face. Saraki lost his re-election bid. He was defeated by the APC senatorial candidate Alhaji Ibrahim Oloriegbe who polled 123, 828 votes against Saraki’s 68,994. Rather than accept defeat Saraki said he lost to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the military.

    A political observer in Kwara State, Dr Abubakar Malik, said Saraki’s defeat was not by accident. He said: “Saraki’s game is up. He is reaping what he sowed. Remember how he emerged as Senate President. He stabbed the party at the back. He connived with the PDP to frustrate President Muhammadu Buhari’s programmes and policies. The budgets sent to the National Assembly were not passed as at when due. List of government nominees were not approved months after they were sent to the Senate.  The results of elections in Kwara State has nailed political coffin of Saraki.”

     

    Danbaba

    Abdullahi Danbaba represents Sokoto South Senatorial District. He was elected on the platform of APC in 2015, but defected to the PDP in 2018. He was very critical of the Buhari administration. His words: “The APC-led Federal Government has derailed from its mandate and failed to meet the yearnings of Nigerians. The APC has failed to address the three core issues facing the country which are those of security, economy and corruption for which it was voted into power in 2015.” The senator said he opted to leave the APC because of lack of equity, justice and fairness to all members.

    Danbaba had boasted that the defectors would not regret dumping the APC for the PDP. He expressed optimism that the PDP would return as the nation’s ruling party in 2019. He was one of the strong supporters of Saraki when the APC was calling for the Senate President’s resignation, after his defection from the APC to the PDP.

    His dream that the PDP would bounce back as ruling party was not fulfilled, as the opposition party lost the 2019 presidential election to the APC.  He boasted that the PDP would win 10 northern states in the general elections. Danbaba also failed to realise his ambition to return to the Senate. He lost the senatorial election to the APC candidate, Shehu Tambuwal, who scored 134,224 votes to Danbaba’s 112,546 votes.

     

    Nazif

    He was elected on the platform of the APC to represent Bauchi North Senatorial District in 2015. He was among the 14 senators that dumped the APC in 2018. He is the Chairman at Employment, Labour and Productivity Committee. Born in 1970, he is one of the youngest senators in the National Assembly.

    Nazif belongs to the Abuja-based political group that was determined to unseat Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abubakar. With the result of the supplementary election released by INEC, Abubakar lost to the PDP governorship candidate, Bala Muhammed.

    However, Nazif was not lucky in his bid to return to the 9th Senate on the platform of the PDP. He came third in the contest won by Alhaji Muhammed Bukachuwa of the APC who polled 110,631 votes. Nazif garnered 56,379 votes.

     

    Shittu

    Senator Ubale Shittu represents Jigawa North East Senatorial District. His defection from the APC to the PDP was opposed by his constituents. They protested and told him that he was on his own. Shittu had vowed before his defection that he would work to unseat the state Governor Abubakar Badaru. He premised his defection on the failure of APC government to fulfil its promise.

    He alleged Badaru of poor performance. According to him, “Governor Badaru deceived my senatorial district because since he came on board he didn’t commission a single project in Hadejia emirate. All the projects in the district were inherited from previous regimes.

    Shittu who vowed to unseat the governor and the APC controlled Federal government was instead stopped from returning to the 9th Assembly. He lost the senatorial election to Ibrahim Hassan of APC who scored 184,185. Shittu got 103, 039 votes.

    Misau

    The senator representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Isa Misau had boasted that he didn’t need the APC to win election. He claimed that despite his defection from the ruling party to the PDP, his popularity has not been affected. Explaining why he defected, he said: “The APC’s lack of internal democracy and justice for all members were some of the reasons that informed my decision to quit the ruling party.

    “I was a founding member of the APC, but we and our supporters were short changed in the local and state congresses of the party. Our people were denied forms and election officials were hidden from us. So the injustice in the APC is worse than what we accused the PDP of in the past. In APC, if you are maltreated, you have nowhere to channel your grievances. Everybody knows there is discipline in the PDP. If you are treated unfairly you know where to report your grievances and you will be heard.”

    Though Misau didn’t get PDP’s ticket to contest, the APC candidate, Mr Haliru Jiga won the Bauchi Central senatorial seat. He polled 66,024 to defeat Bappa Aliyu of the PDP who scored 57, 069. Thus, Misau’s popularity failed to see Aliyu through.

     

    Atunwa

    Rasaq Atunwa represents Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency, Kwara State in the House of Representatives. He is a disciple of Saraki. He had benefitted immensely from being loyal to Saraki leadership. His political career started in 2005 when Saraki appointed him as a commissioner; in 2011, he was elected member of Kwara House of Assembly and became Speaker of the House. In 2015, he was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of APC. He followed his political godfather to PDP in 2018.

    He called President Buhari a tyrant while commenting on the Supreme Court judgment which cleared Saraki of wrong asset declaration. Atunwa said “the Supreme Court has just declared that the action of the tyrant in harassing Saraki with CCT is unlawful.” He also berated the performance of the Buhari administration which he said was responsible for defection of some federal lawmakers from the APC to the PDP.

    Atunwa who contested 2019 Kwara governorship election on PDP’s ticket lost to APC candidate, AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq.

     

    Muhammed

    Zakari Muhammed is a member of the House of Representatives from Kwara North. He has had longstanding political ties with Saraki, a relationship that has advanced the political career of Muhammed. In Baruten Local Government where he hails from, a prominent politician said Muhammed’s blind loyalty to Saraki was responsible for the former’s meteoric rise within the Saraki political camp. He has been touted as a possible governorship candidate, if Saraki decides that power should be zoned to Kwara North.

    Though Muhammed didn’t seek re-election but the APC won his seat. The APC candidate, Malam Mohammed Bio scored 37,914 to defeat Alhaji Abubakar Musa of the PDP with 14,476 votes.

     

  • PDP and energy sector reforms

    In August 2013, 15 companies made up of 10 Distribution Companies (DISCOs) and five Generation Companies (GENCOs)  paid $2.238billion to  take over 60% of unbundled PHCN after federal government’s injection of between $8.2b-$15b of taxpayers money. President Jonathan on the occasion assured Nigerians that his administration will ensure that “Nigerians enjoy a minimum of 18 hours of electricity supply a day”, while Prof. Chinedu Nebo, the minister of power, described the development as “a great milestone in the power sector reform roadmap that should give hope to all Nigerians, and inspire confidence in government’s power reform programme and President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda”.

    But as against 10,000-15,000MW promised in the roadmap which Jonathan had earlier launched with fanfare in Lagos on August 26, 2010, Buhari inherited less than 4000MW when he was sworn in as president  in May 2015.

    The privatisation of the power sector was meant to ensure adequate, regular and stable supply of electricity to the consumer at a reasonable cost. It however failed because of our environment. First, privatisation itself according to the World Bank, its architect, was designed for high and middle-income countries ‘with a competitive market, a market-friendly environment with a good capacity to regulate’. Besides it has been established we are a ‘fantastically corrupt’ nation. The new investors were for instance, mainly PDP stalwarts doubling as Disco owners. Jerry Gana headed the delegation of Disco owners to government where the former minister of petroleum promised a facility of N213billion. As it later turned out, the biggest donors, (N2b – N5b) to President Jonathan’s failed re-election bid in 2015 were Disco owners.

    Even with the best efforts of the current government, the nation today faces serious energy crisis with factories either closing down or relocating out of the country. The result is the massive unemployment of our youths and impoverishment of craftsmen and other Nigerians who depend on cheap Chines generators to run their businesses and power their houses. To change the narrative, many concerned Nigerians have called on stakeholders in the energy sector and government to address issues of appropriate tariff, inefficiency of the Discos and the need for the Discos to give up part of its equity for new investors to come in with fresh capital to make the industry more efficient.

    In this regard, the Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alex Okoh, was recently quoted as saying “If the Discos currently in place, because of the way their balance sheet is compromised, are not able to raise sufficient investment capital, to recoup the distribution network and improve the provision of meters, then we have to look at the possibility of admitting other investors who may have the capacity, financially and in terms of the technical expertise, to improve the distribution infrastructure. We cannot continue to have a situation where the general populace is at the wrong end of the stick all the time. What the public wants is power supply delivered at a reasonable cost”.

    Bola Tinubu, APC national leader and former governor of Lagos State added his own voice during   the 11th Bola Tinubu Colloquium that took place in Abuja recently. According to him, “The PDP administration shared our generation, distribution and transmission to their friends and cronies without very deep and thoughtful research and evaluation. It has now become pork chops”; he therefore  suggested  that “for a more constructive reform to improve generation, transmission and distribution, this privatisation must be reviewed by putting experts together at all costs”, without prejudice to the legal implications of the privatization of the sector.

    Unfortunately, while others are trying to find a way forward, those who as a result of massive fraud wrecked the energy sector privatisation initiative are refusing to be part of the solution. Speaking for PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan has said his party is opposed to the review of the current position because President Jonathan, according to him, ensured due diligence in the privatization sector’ while in office. “In as much as the nation deserves improvement in our power sector, whatever we must do must be guided by the law if we do not want to cause confusion and crisis”, he says.

    Ologbondiyan is speaking of laws as if it is not on record that PDP bungled the whole privatization effort between 1999-2014 by breaching the laws. It was on account of this the 7th Senate report of November 30,  2011 directed the National Council on Privatization to “rescind the sale of Abuja International Hotels Limited (Nicon Luxury Hotel) as well as Sheraton Hotel and Towers;  that the sales of assets of Daily Times Nigeria PLC  by Folio Communications Limited and its directors  be investigated by anti-graft agencies and the sold assets recovered; that the Share Purchase Agreement of Volkswagen Nigeria Limited now (VON)  be rescinded and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the economic crimes being perpetrated against the nation at VON Automobile Nigeria Limited premises in Lagos by Barbedos Ventures Limited; that NICON Insurance PLC  should immediately refund with interest ,the sum of N900 million to the federal government being money paid by BPE in February 2007 as contribution for recapitalization with accrued interest; that Nigeria Re-insurance Plc should immediately refund the sum of one billion naira paid by BPE in February 2007 as contribution of the federal government for recapitalization with accrued interest and that  the former Directors-General, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Dr. Julius Bala and Mrs. Irene Nkechi Chigbue be reprimanded by the National Council on Privatization; and the then Director-General, BPE, Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa be relieved of her appointment for “gross incompetence in the management of the Bureau of Public Enterprises and for illegal and fraudulent sale of the 5 % FGN residual shares in Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited (EPCL)”.

    When PDP was not breaking laws as they did above to impoverish Nigerians, they were passing self-serving laws such as the PPPRA bill or the monetization bill to short-change Nigerians. Under the former, PDP leaders and their children defrauded the nation to the tune of about N1.7 trillion under the fuel subsidy scandal. With the latter, Dimeji Bankole, former speaker of the House of representative was accused of immorally purchasing  his official house  while David Mark, former senate president is currently in court in a suit Okoi Obono-Obla, the chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property (SPIPRPP), described as a “a disguise to scuttle criminal investigation”, trying to prevent EFCC from questioning him on the “2011 purchase of the official residence of the senate president,  built on 1.6 hectares of land, a national monument that was not meant to be acquired by an individual and was never reflected in the federal government’s gazette as required”.

    Ologbondiyan and PDP understand that that while many Nigerians have short memories, a great many others cannot articulate our problems. It is obvious many of the 11 million Nigerians who voted for PDP in the March presidential election were unable to link the massive unemployment and impoverishment of our people to the bungled privatisation programmes that ceded ownership of our budding industries to those who were only interested in asset-stripping which eventually reduced the nation to a net importer of the labour of other societies while our qualified university graduates roam the streets. Ologbondiyan and his PDP exploited the lacuna in our laws to short-change Nigerians and are now trying to use same to hold on to their disproportionate share of the nation’s resources they immorally confiscated.

  • Rivers election tribunal grants substituted service on PDP, SDP

    The Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal yesterday granted applications for substituted service filed by two candidates for the House of Representatives.

    The Tribunal Secretary, Simon Aniefu, who addressed reporters yesterday after a sitting at the High Court, identified the candidates as Tony Boms of the Accord Party and Darlinton Peter Anaelechi of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Read also: Abe: I knew Supreme Court would strike out my motion

    Aniefu said the two have are challenging the declaration of Kingsley Chinda and Chisom Dike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winners of Obio/Akpor and Oyibo/Tai/Eleme Federal Constituencies.

    He said: “The respondents and their party will be served through substituted means to wit, pasting at their party secretariat. The mattered has been adjourned till May 9, which coincides with the inaugural sitting of the tribunal.”

    The Tribunal Secretary said six petitions have been filed, and while two have been entered,  substituted service have been granted for two, service is still ongoing for the other two.

  • PDP is bad loser, says Ganduje

    Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje has described the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as bad loser in elections.

    The governor, however, said he is ready to meet the party at the Election Petitions Tribunal.

    He spoke with State House correspondents at the weekend after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He also said that there was jubilation in Kano State when he was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after the Supplementary elections.

    The whole state, he noted, has also been peaceful since his victory.

    He assured that his second tenure will favour the people.

    He said, “I came to consult with the Chief of Staff that Kano is peaceful, people are jubilating and I am happy to inform him that everything is normal.”

    Speaking on the petition by the PDP to challenge his victory at the Election Petitions Tribunal, he said that it was common for the PDP to go to tribunal.

    “Well we are waiting for them; we know that they are not good losers anyway. So, it is common to go to the tribunal, we are ready to meet them because the first election they committed a lot of fraud, a lot of irregularities and the Supplementary election was fair and free.

    “It was carried out in 28 local government areas, they didn’t win a single local government out of the 28, so that is paining them a lot. So we are ready to go to the tribunal.”

    On his blue print in the next four years, he said, “The next four years is going to be a very interesting four years because we are going to consolidate on what we have achieved so far.

    “In particular we see what we can do in order to make education is free, affordable and also to ensure that girl education is being given prominence.

    Read also: PDP blackmailing Supreme Court, APC alleges

    “Of course, agriculture is another issue that we must take the state to another level. So far we have done a lot and the production of rice is now we feed ourselves. We are happy Mr. President has stopped the importation of rice into the country and farmers are very happy.

    “What is existing now is agric mechanisation; we can see what we can do so that our farmers can achieve maximum production with ease.”

    On how reassuring his second term will be in terms of holding unto his promises to the people of Kano state, he said that he was taking the state to the next level.

    He said, “Our first term is very successful, if you go to Kano you will see how we have changed the face of Kano and in terms of youths empowerment we have also done very well we have even built multi billion naira ultra-modern skill acquisition centre in Kano.

    “Very soon, Mr. President will go and commission it. So as I told you that we are taking Kano State in the next four years to next level,” he stated.

  • PDP calls on N/Assembly to probe FG’s N24.3 trn debt profile

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised questions over Federal Government’s “unwholesome” borrowings amounting to N24.38 trillion debts, from 2015 debt stock of N12.12 trillion.

    Revelations on the government’s current debt profile were contained in a report released by the Debt Management Office (DMO) last week, prompting the PDP to call on the National Assembly to investigate how the monies were spent.

    In a statement Monday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition party blamed the Buhari administration for what it described as saddening and devastating debt overhang on the nation.

    According to the PDP, the rising debt profile was a product of the government’s manifest incompetence and lack of initiative to stimulate and run a productive economy.

    It blamed the administration for its reliance on heavy borrowings and unbearable tax regimes, which the party said have crippled productivity, caused untold hardship and mortgaged the economic future of the nation.

    The PDP said there has been a culture of unexplained borrowings leading to a steep rise in the debt stock from N17.5 trillion in 2016 to N21.72 trillion 2017, rising to N24.387 trillion in 2018.

    The PDP said, “It is shocking and completely insupportable that our nation’s debt had risen from N21.72 trillion in December 2017 to N24.387 trillion in December 2018, showing an accumulation of a whopping N2.66 trillion in a space of one year.

    Read also: PDP blackmailing Supreme Court, APC alleges

    “President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, therefore, has a huge explanation to make to Nigerians for its borrowing spree, especially as it cannot point to any meaningful development project into which the borrowed funds were invested.

    “This is particularly against the backdrop of allegations in the public space that the borrowed funds, which were taken as development funds, were diverted to 2019 general elections campaign activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a huge part of which ended in private pockets of corrupt APC leaders.

    “This is in addition to direct frittering of public funds through the alleged N1.4 trillion sleazy oil subsidy regime, the looted N9 trillion detailed in the leaked NNPC memo, the alleged N33 billion fraud in the handling of funds meant for the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North East, among other sleazes”.

    The party called on the National Assembly to commence a system-wide investigation into the borrowings by the administration, particularly the terms of the borrowing and the handling of the funds.

    It charged the federal legislature to save the future of the nation by restricting the Buhari administration from taking further loans on behalf of the country until explanations are provided on the terms and handling of the borrowed funds.

    “Nigerians cannot afford to continue to bear the burden of an incompetent and insensitive administration and that is why they eagerly await the retrieval of our stolen mandate at the presidential election petition tribunal”, the statement added.

     

  • Onnoghen’s resignation: ‘PDP should hide their faces in shame’

    The Buhari Media Organisation on Monday lashes out at the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over their support for the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, asking them and their leaders to go hide their faces in shame after Justice Onnoghen tendered his resignation letter over corruption allegations.

    In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, the pro Buhari group said it is funny that the opposition elements and their allies stood firmly behind a senior judicial officer that was facing serious charges and sought to make political capital out of it.

    He said that the resignation of the former Chief Justice has proven that President Buhari acted in national interest by suspending the tainted Chief Justice, saying “Nigerians all saw the manner PDP and its leaders, including its former Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, ran from pillar to post before the election in a bid to defend Justice Onnoghen.

    “The party leaders even suspended their flagging Presidential campaign at that time for 72 hours! Just to be seen to be fighting perceived injustice, but discerning Nigerians knew they were playing to the gallery.

    “They were quick to shout political witch-hunt to the high heavens and that was in spite of the overwhelming evidence which they insisted on not interrogating because the CJN’s suspension tallied with the wrong impression of a dictatorial government that PDP was keen on selling to the electorates in the run up to the election.

    “We were also not surprised that another key PDP leader, the usurper Senate President Bukola Saraki, attempted to drag the Senate into it until the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus which had a clear majority shot it down.

    “We won’t also forget PDP governors in the South-South region in the hall of infamy, especially as they encouraged the man who was at the time the custodian of the nation’s law not to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    “And now that Onnoghen has done what he should have done in the first instance rather than engage in judicial rigmarole, does it not amount to a smear on what is left of the character of these PDP elements. All these prove that PDP is still what it is-a party that supports and glorifies corruption.”

    Read Also: Onnoghen case ends anticlimactically

    According to them, President Muhammadu Buhari also deserves an apology from a segment of the civil society who castigated him for suspending Justice Onnoghen on the basis of a valid order from the CCT.

    The group said: “We at BMO have every reason to demand an apology on the President’s behalf from everyone, including the latter-day rights activists who were actually paid hacks, and the real ones who failed in their duties to hold people in government accountable.

    “These are the people that used the traditional and social media to whip up enough sentiments that some members of the international community bought the lies and took the unusual step of upbraiding the Presidency in a move that amounted to interference in the country’s internal affairs.

    “The positive take away from this is that those who made genuine mistakes in misreading the situation would now see President Buhari from our own perspective as one who acts always in national interest, no matter whose ox is gored.”