Lessons Buhari Must Learn from Jonathan – Olu Wole Onemola

“I am whatever you say I am. If I wasn’t, then why would you say I am… In the paper, the news, everyday I am…” – Eminem
On the 1st of October 2010, while the former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was inspecting a military parade in commemoration of Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary, a bomb went off less than one kilometer away from the venue of these celebrations, killing sixteen people. Immediately, media reports attributed the attacks to the radical group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), who had said that they would be carrying out an attack within that period.
Nevertheless, a day after the aforementioned episode, in a shocking reaction that was rightly or wrongly attributed to ethnic sentiments, Dr. Jonathan, who hails from the Niger Delta region, while speaking at the ECOWAS parliament, absolved MEND of the attacks, and stated that it was “erroneous” to think that his people – namely the Niger Delta militants – could have been involved in such attacks. This statement by Dr. Jonathan drew the intense scrutiny of the press and the public because MEND had released an unambiguous statement claiming responsibility for the attack.
Two years after the MEND incident, in June 2012, while engaging Nigerians in a primetime media chat, President Jonathan again raised eyebrows when he responded extemporaneously to a question about public asset declaration that he did not “Give a Damn” what Nigerians thought about the issue as he was not legally required to declare his assets publicly. This was in spite of the fact that the issue of public asset declaration was less about the legal requirement, and more about the personal integrity of the former President.
Recently, less than a hundred days into his tenure, President Muhammadu Buhari has been stirring up some controversy of his own that can be attributed to both his actions and his utterances.
First and foremost, there is a concerted clamour from many Nigerians about the obvious tilt in political appointments from the Northern region thus far. Even though the number of appointments that have been made by the President stands as less than 20 – with over 5000 still left to go – many opposition politicians and groups are using this development as an avenue to tell Nigerians: “We told you so.” These groups of Nigerians are basing their argument on the 2003, 2007 and 2011 general elections, where presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, was carefully (and falsely) painted by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) machinery as an individual with religious and sectarian tendencies due to many of his intentionally misinterpreted utterances.
Additionally, President Buhari’s recent gaffe about treating constituencies that gave him 97% of their votes differently from those that gave him 5% at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), has given fuel to those that preach anti-Buhari fire. This is happening despite the President clearly stating in his inaugural address that he is committed to being a leader that belongs to everybody, and nobody.
What the President, and specifically, his media team must understand is that these mistakes are inexcusable in this honeymoon period of the administration. Less, than 100 days in, many Nigerians who want this administration to succeed will be sure to forgive these mistakes. However, many others – who have been opposed to this dispensation from the get-go – will be sure not to forget them. As in the case of Dr. Jonathan, who lost the 2015 elections gradually from eroded press and public support, President Buhari must be conscious that if it takes a thousand chinks to break armour, after a thousand chinks that armour will surely break. Hence, the number of useless chinks to the President’s armour must at once be limited to a bare minimum, and self-inflicted chinks by the President

Lol. 50 cent says he's so broke he even owes his Grandfather

We all know 50 Cent isn't really broke, but he's making it look like he is, he recently gave the bankruptcy judge a list of his many creditors, and his Grand Dad, Curtis Jackson Sr. is among them.
According to the documents, 50 owes grandpa Jackson $1,737.33.

50 also owes $137,880 to Bentley, $64,909 to American Express (Credit card) and, 2 court judgments totaling more than $23 million. And there's more that's just boring debt.

The rapper is laughing off the bankruptcy, he was even most recently seen making it rain on Monday night at Ace of Diamonds strip club in West Hollywood.

In his interview with Levinston on Wednesday, he said:
“You get a bullseye painted on your back when you’re successful, and it’s public to know you’ve become the ideal person to have lawsuits for.”

Eid-el-Fitri: Buhari, Saraki, Tinubu

Buhari, Saraki

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said if the country must quickly recover from its numerous problems and start moving in a positive direction, Nigerians must be ready to display higher level of self-denial, sacrifice and patriotism.

Buhari said this in his Eid-el-Fitri message to Nigerians, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent.

He said a greater acceptance by Nigerians of Ramadan’s key lessons of self-denial and sacrifice would serve the country well. He said his administration was striving to overcome present challenges, undo the damage done by years of bad governance and accelerate the pace of national development.

The President said, “Reviewing our dire circumstances and the many missed opportunities of the past, some commentators and observers have said that this is Nigeria’s last chance to get its act together and finally begin to fulfil its God-given potential of greatness.

In his message, former Lagos State governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, in his message, called on all Nigerians to be prepared to contribute to the realisation of the kind of change they want to happen.

“The change we desire, as promised by the APC, requires our collective effort to make it a reality. We must individually and collectively make sacrifices where necessary to help the APC leadership move Nigeria on the right path of development and growth,” he said.

Tinubu called on all Muslim faithful, who recently completed the 30-day fast, not to depart from the attitude of prayer, supplication and sacrifice for the country. While praising them for the discipline and purity of the last 30 days, Tinubu said he believed Allah has recognized their devotion and “will bless Nigeria and bring solutions to our problems.”

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, on Thursday asked Nigerians to offer special prayers for Nigerians living in the north-eastern part of the country who were being assailed by insurgents, known as Boko Haram.

The senate president also urged all Nigerians to continue to pray for the military which are engaged in the war against insurgents so that by the period of the next Ramadan, peace would have been totally restored to the whole of the North-East and other parts of Nigeria.

The Deputy Senate Leader, Ike Ekweremadu, in his statement, urged the Muslims to carry the lessons and virtues of love, tolerance and perseverance imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan into every aspect of their daily lives in order to move the nation forward.

He said, “We are blessed with religious and cultural orientations that teach us to place general good above personal interest; show love and kindness to all; live holy and to be our brother’s keeper.”

In his greetings, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar urged Muslims in the country to embrace the virtues of forgiveness and common understanding as they join counterparts across the world to celebrate the end of the Ramadan fasting season.

Atiku said that one of the basic components of Ramadan fasting is to seek the mercy of God in seeking forgiveness for our sins.

He said, “It thus becomes imperative for us as humans to extend the grace of forgiveness and common understanding to other human beings as well.”

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed; the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr. Ali Ahmad, and the Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, urged Nigerians, irrespective of their religious beliefs to imbibe the lessons of Ramadan.

They urged them to imbibe especially the virtues of peaceful co-existence, good neighbourliness,, patriotism and respect for the sanctity of human life.

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, enjoined Muslims and indeed all Nigerians not to forget the gains and lesso

US President Obama Reduces Sentences Of 46 Convicts

President Barack Obama cut the prison sentences of 46 non-violent drug offenders on Monday, including 14 who were sentenced to life in prison, saying “their punishments didn’t fit the crime.”
“These men and women were not hardened criminals,” Obama said in a video released by the White House, noting that the overwhelming majority of the 46 had been sentenced to at least 20 years.
The move was part of a broader ongoing effort by the administration to make the U.S. criminal justice system fairer. Obama has now issued 89 commutations during his presidency, most of them to non-violent offenders sentenced for drug crimes under outdated sentencing guidelines. A
commutation leaves the conviction in place, but reduces the punishment.
Obama wrote a personal letter to each of the 46 individuals to notify them of their commutations. Their sentences all now expire on Nov. 10, 2015.
In a letter to Jerry Bailey, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to violate laws against crack-cocaine, Obama praised Bailey for showing the potential to turn his life around.
“Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity,” Obama wrote in the letter, which was sent to Bailey’s address at a federal correctional facility in Georgia,. “It will not be easy,” Obama said, “and you will confront many who doubt people with criminal records can change.”
Obama’s lawyer, White House counsel Neil Eggleston, predicted the president would issue even more commutations before leaving office in early 2017. But he also said that Obama’s powers to fix the problem were limited, adding that “clemency alone will not fix decades of overly punitive sentencing policies.”
Obama this week is devoting considerable attention to the criminal justice system. He plans to lay out ideas for how to improve the fairness of the system during a speech to the NAACP in Philadelphia on Tuesday. And on Thursday, he is to become the first sitting president to visit a federal prison when he goes to the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution outside of Oklahoma City. While there, he will meet with law enforcement officials and inmates.
Obama said that after his commutations, there is still “a lot more we can do to restore the sense of fairness at the heart of our justice system.”
Julie Stewart, president and founder of Families Against Mandatory Minimums, a group seeking changes in sentencing, said the organization was “thrilled to see that more folks serving excessively long sentences for non-violent drug offenses are going home.”
“But they’re leaving behind many equally deserving people,” she said, “so let’s keep these commutations coming, while remembering that clemency is a tool made necessary by our failure to reform mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Congress simply can’t act fast enough.”
The 46 sentence reductions announced Monday are the most presidential commutations in a single day since the Lyndon Johnson administration in the 1960s.
Obama has commuted the sentences of 89 people, surpassing the combined number of commutations
FNC granted by Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Nigeria, Ghana, S’Africa top ECA’s road safety ranking

The Economic Commission for Africa has adjudged  Nigeria as one of the best three performers among 23 countries in accomplishing activities of the African Road Safety Action plan.

The commission listed Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa as the leading countries with clear prospects of accomplishing the activities of the African Road Safety Action Plan.

It added that 40 per cent of member countries are in the process of implementing more road safety management activities.

The ECA gave the rating in a mid-term review report from the Third African Road Safety Conference in Addis Ababa, according to a statement on Sunday in Abuja by the Head, Media and Strategy, Federal Road Safety Corps, Bisi Kazeem.

The statement said the Corps Marshall, Boboye Oyeyemi, in his reaction to the ranking, appreciated the Federal Government’s efforts in ensuring that enduring road safety culture was continually imbibed.

He also lauded “the resilience of the officers and men of the Corps.”

Oyeyemi pledged that the Corps would not rest on its oars, but will  rather continue to devise ways to improve on its achievements and meet the standards of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety declaration.

According to the ECA report, performance of the plan is measured based on road safety management, mobility, vehicles, road users and post-crash response.

It noted that varying results had defined the afore-listed performance indicators, given that some countries record high rates of successes in some areas, but record low performances in others.

The commission however observed that progress had been made.

“More than 30 per cent of countries have not taken significant steps to harmonize data processing formats, and use of international standards in reporting road safety incidents; countries are encouraged to invest in research and develop safety audits,” the ECA stated.

Bailout To States: Stop Deceiving Nigerians, PDP State Chairmen Tell Buhari

(THEWILL) – Chairmen of State branches of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop deceiving Nigerians about the true source of the bailout he recently granted to the states of the federation for the purpose of paying workers who are being owed salaries for months.

The PDP stalwarts in a statement issued by their chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo , from Benue State, noted that Buhari was economical with the truth from the defence put forward by his spokesman that the Excess Crude Account (ECA) was intact.

They wondered why Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) would continue to mislead Nigerians, especially now that the campaigns were over, forgetting the need for government to always give truthful information to the people.

The statement reads: “The media adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari is economical with the truth. By denying release of funds from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), he is being economical with the facts regarding the bailout by Mr. President. The era of campaigns and deliberate distortion of facts by the All Progressives Congress (APC) are over.

“The APC should know that government is a sacred order built on trust and therefore must at all times give accurate information to Nigerians. There is no way that only $2bn from NLNG will equal N804 billion released for sharing by the three tiers of government.

“The bank loan arrangements are not physical cash on the table for direct disbursements to the tiers of government.

herefore, the media adviser's claim of the ECA being intact is misleading and deliberate distortion of facts. While applauding Mr. President's gesture in the bailout to help refinance local economy, we want to advise against measures that will see Nigeria totally and comprehensively on her knees economically and therefore want to opt for a phased and gradual bailout scheme instead of an outright emptying of the nation's Reserved Accounts.”

Serena wins sixth Wimbledon

Serena Williams beat a battling Garbine Muguruza 6-4 6-4 to claim her second ‘Serena Slam’ and win her 21st Grand Slam title in the Wimbledon final on Saturday.

After losing a close first set and battling bravely to come back from 5-1 down in the second, the 21-year-old Spaniard was eventually downed after one hour and 23 minutes to leave Williams to receive the acclaim of the Centre Crowd.

At 33 years and 289 days, Serena surpasses Martina Navratilova as the oldest player to win Wimbledon, or any of the other three Grand Slams, in the Open era.

“It feels so good. Garbine played so well. I didn’t even know it was over because she was fighting so hard at the end. She will be holding this trophy very, very soon. I am happy it was such a great match,” said Williams.

“I can’t believe I am standing here with another Serena Slam. It is so cool. It has been a pleasure and an honour to give so many years in this unbelievable place.”

Muguruza, born in Venezuela and raised in Barcelona, had insisted facing Serena was a task to be relished rather than feared.

She was proving true to her bold claim and, by the time Muguruza moved into a 4-2 lead, it seemed an epic shock was on the cards.

However, Serena had recovered from worse predicaments earlier in the tournament.

And with the pressure ratcheted up, the inevitable Serena break back arrived in the eighth game when Muguruza missed with a wild forehand.

Williams scented blood and Muguruza crumbled, a double-fault on set point gift-wrapping the lead to Serena in a set that had been the underdog’s for the taking.

Williams had won 28 of her last 30 tour-level finals, including her last nine at the majors, and, in her eighth Wimbledon final, she was finally back in that muscular groove.

Serena’s fierce grimace and clenched fist after breaking in the fourth game of the second set suggested the finish line was in sight

But serving for the match with 5-1 and then 5-3 leads, Williams was gripped by a bad case of nerves and Muguruza broke twice to prolong the contest.

Finally able to compose herself, Serena broke in the next game to seal yet another legacy-defining success.

Serena’s sixth Wimbledon crown brought with it a slew of other remarkable landmarks that underline her credentials as one of the greatest female athletes of all time. The American’s 21st Grand Slam crown and 68th tour-level title earned her a cheque for £1.8 million.

But it is her legacy rather than her bank balance that concerns Williams these days and she now holds all four Grand Slam titles at the same time – the rare ‘Serena Slam’ she last achieved in 2002-03.

Buhari Recalls All Ambassadors Appointed By Jonathan

President Muhammadu Buhari has recalled Nigerian ambassadors in foreign countries. The ambassadors were recalled as part of efforts to reposition the country’s foreign policies.

When contacted, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, confirmed the recall. He however said only non-career ambassadors are affected in the recall.
“Yes, I can confirm to you that non-career ambassadors have been recalled by the Federal Government,” the presidential spokesman said.

‘My wife died 14 days after God told me

After 44 years of marriage, Sir James Joseph Itapke,  a knight of the Catholic Church, lost his wife and mother of his five children, Lady Angelina Itakpe, to a brief illness on October 1, 2014. He told Sunday Vanguard that 14 days before then, precisely September 17, that year, God informed him  that He would take away what Itakpe loved most.
Itakpe retired as a Manager in Union Bank and  hails from Afowoh in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.
“I usually gather my family every morning and evening for prayers. On September 17, 2014,  I told my wife to read the Bible and pray before we went for the activities of the day. My wife and I read the daily verses according to the Roman Catholic Church. We read Ezekiel in which God was talking to Ezekiel, sending a message to Israelites. We read the gospel and we did all normal prayers,”he started.
The knight continued: “But when we finished, she took her Bible and went into the room. She said l should expatiate more on what God was telling Ezekiel. All of a sudden, a paper appeared before me.

James-Joseph-Itapke
“The Lord said in that paper, ~Very soon, I am going to take the one you love most. I am going to kill your wife and, when that happens, do not mourn, do not cry, do not shave your hairs as mourners do’.
“I could not completely digest it; so I took the Bible and went into my room and I asked if it was me God was talking to or Ezekiel. And I said, ‘ No, it couldn’t have been me but Ezekiel’. I  came out  of my room and behold my wife was coming out of her room looking gaunt in her structure, weary and weak. I kept my gaze, I just shook my head and turned my face.
“On September 21, 2014, we had our annual harvest thanksgiving during which  my wife danced to the altar, and we presented  gifts with smile and everything..The  following Sunday, September 24, she did her work as Church Warden in the parish. During the Holy Communion, she caught a small girl in the parish with the Holy Eucharist on her palm even as the church had ordered that only priests should serve the Eucharist because of the fear of Ebola.
“This little girl went to the altar, took the Eucharist and closed her hand without anybody seeing her and was going to her seat. Mumise, as my wife was fondly called, took the little girl to the priest after Holy Communion and opened her hand and the Eucharist was there. She asked her where she was going with it. The little girl replied that she was going home with it. The priest  took her to the altar and  told the congregation that girl had committed a sacrilege. The priest then took the little girl to his office and started interviewing her; more revelations came out after which we left.
“By September 27, 2014 midnight, my wife broke down. She said  her stomach was cold, and I said we had to go and see a doctor. She agreed but said we would go in the morning as it was risky to go out that late. Efforts to persuade her failed and we waited till early morning of the 28th and phoned our doctor for an appointment and the doctor said he would be at the clinic by 5pm; we had to wait till 5pm to see the doctor.
“When we got to the hospital, the doctor was in the theatre, so we waited. After the operation, around 6pm, the doctor came our and administered some drugs to calm her. While we were at it, Mumie started belching and wanting to vomit. I held a bowl by her mouth, she vomited in it. It was then that the doctor realised it was more serious than is he looked. She was admitted and given drip. She felt better  and was subsequently discharged.
“On the way home, she started belching again, trying to vomit but nothing to vomit because she had  not eaten. By midnight of the 30th of September, the sickness got worse, Mumise became very restless. She advised against going out in the midnight. She sat down and requested

Secret Details of how Saraki used Credit Card to Launder Funds Stolen from Banks and Kwara State

According to SR, they just received exclusive documents of a police investigation revealing how the current Senate President, Bukola Saraki, made a series of questionable deposits and illegal withdrawals from banks in order to launder stolen funds through shell companies and an American Express credit card.

The report was authored by a team of detectives at Special Fraud Unit, SFU, of the Nigerian police headed by a Commissioner of Police.

The police investigation found that Saraki, in his tenure as Kwara State Governor, was the “prime promoter” of several shell companies, including Skyview Properties Ltd., Limkers Ltd., Dicetrade Ltd., Carlisle Properties and Investment Ltd., and the parent company known as Joy Petroleum.

Senator Saraki’s moneymaking scheme, according to details of the SFU’s investigation, was to:
Withdraw millions of naira disguised as loans from GTBank, Intercontinental Bank, Zenith Bank Plc. The funds were then moved into different accounts, sometimes under the guise that the purpose was to pay off some bank debts with other “loans.”

A part of the investigation discovered that Senator Saraki at various times withdrew 11 billion naira from the Intercontinental Bank, 160 million naira from Zenith Bank, and 204 million naira from GTBank. According to the report, “the investigation also saw evidence of a 200 million naira loan facility that was availed by Zenith Bank to Joy Petroleum Ltd.”

During an interrogation, Mr. Saraki admitted to owning all these companies with the exception of Joy Petroleum. The owner of Joy Petroleum, the senator claimed, was his former personal assistant, Mathew Obahor. He also added that Mr. Obahor administered the other companies throughout his tenure as Governor of Kwara State.

However, the investigators believed that Mr. Saraki lied to them about Obahor’s role. They found out that Mr. Obahor was “sick and in a vegetative state and could not have instructed the bank” to make financial transactions in the name of Joy Petroleum or any of other companies.

As the special investigators reviewed Bukola Saraki’s statements they found that Zenith Bank issued a loan in Saraki’s name on November 25, 2009 for N160 million.

When pressured, the bank provided two incriminating documents including “(1) an internal [bank] ledger statement of account in the name of Dr. Bukola Saraki showing a debit withdrawal of 160 million on 26/11/2009 and a credit deposit of 11,901369.98 on 26/05/2010. (2) A page of the bank’s Manager’s Cheque register showing that a draft of 160 million [naira] in favor of Joy Petroleum Ltd was signed for by one Uche Phillips.”

The investigation noted, “Bukola Saraki, who was purportedly granted a N160 million loan with which a draft of N160 million was made in the name of Joy Petroleum Ltd, was not a customer of Zenith Bank. He neither maintains a current nor saving account with the Zenith Bank that claimed to have granted him the loan.”

The report also added that Bukola Saraki did not apply for that loan with a “formal request as is best practice.”

The police also concluded that the “purported loan has remained unpaid and un-serviced and there is no evidence that the bank has made any demand on Dr. Bukola Saraki to repay the purported loan.”

The Special Fraud Unit extended its investigation into companies belonging to Bukola Saraki, and discovered “evidence indicative of money laundering.” The investigation found that “a series of cash lodgments were found in accounts of the companies solely belonging to Dr. Bukola Saraki within the period he was the Executive Governor of Kwara State. The investigation observes that the monies were deposited in cash by personal aides of Dr. Bukola Saraki, especially one Abdul Adama.”

The investigators found that the total sum of money laundered by Mr. Saraki was more than two billion naira. They also remarked on numerous sneaky tact

Our love will never wane' - read Alibaba's loving birthday message to wife

Alibaba took to his Instagram page this morning to send a loving shout out to his wife, Mary, who is a year older today July 11th. Happy birthday to her. See what he wrote below...
"Happy Birthday to my Soulmate, MaryB, my lover, my friend, my babe, my wife, babes! Love you to heaven and back! What more can I say? Today as you turn a year older, God will perfect his plan for your life. God will fulfill his purpose and cause his glory to envelope you day and night. You will be a shining example onto many.
Your joy shall be full. You shall be called blessed. His miracles in your life will be living testimonies that will inspire people to greatness. God will protect your going out and your coming in. No weapons formed against you shall prosper. Our love will never wane and our happiness will grow till our last breath. I love you, Ochuko me, Ayeme!".

Freeze and Wife Divorcing after 13years of Marriage

Sometimes, no matter how much you try to manage a fraudulent marriage, it just can't stand. Lagos based OAP Freeze has finally filed for divorce from his wife, Ope. The couple has two kids together before things went south between them. Below is what the husband wrote about his experience with her:
"The Lord’s goodness is awesome. His love conquers all. This birthday has been my best in over 15 years!! The Lord has removed the monster that tormented me all this while. The cause of all my misery and affliction, the plaque in my tent, the thorn in my flesh, the source of my torment that bedeviled me, taunted and teased me, yet was the force behind my ordeal. Thank you lord for setting me free."
If you're lucky to have a good wife or good husband, cherish him/her dearly. What some folks go through can be classified as hell on earth, all thanks to fraudulent marriages. See their kids...

...I just feel for their kids!

Buhari, Osinbajo to take 50% pay cut — Presidency

President Muhammadu Buhari will take only half of the salary paid to former head of state Goodluck Jonathan, his office announced on Friday.
“President Muhammadu Buhari will only receive 50 percent of the salary paid to his predecessor,” the head of state’s spokesman Garba Shehu said in an emailed statement.
“The president’s decision to take a 50 percent cut was conveyed to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation yesterday (Thursday),” he added.
The annual salary of Nigeria’s president is currently set at 14,058,820 naira ($70,000, 63,500 euros), including allowances, according to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
Shehu said Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would also draw only half of his salary of 12,126,290 naira per annum.
The announcement comes as Africa’s leading economy faces the fall-out from the slump in the global price of crude oil, which provides most of Nigeria’s government revenue, and a public outcry over the remuneration of lawmakers.
His move is likely to add pressure on members of parliament and state governors to follow suit.
This week Buhari approved a package of measures to bail out cash-strapped states to enable them to pay public sector workers, some of whom have not received salaries since the end of last year.
Buhari has accused Jonathan’s government of leaving the treasury “virtually empty” while figures showed debts totalling some $63.5 billion at the end of March.
The 72-year-old is unusual among Nigerian politicians for eschewing the trappings of power and has earned a reputation for austerity, with apparently little personal wealth.
The former military ruler was said to have had to take out a bank loan to pay the fee to stand in his party’s presidential primaries.
Buhari defeated Jonathan in March elections — the first democratic transfer of power at the ballot box between political parties in Nigeria’s history

I’m Not a Replacement for Don Jazzy…D’Banj’s Producer, Deevee

Music producer behind some of D'banj's recent hit singles, Divine Austin, aka Deevee, has disclosed that he does not see himself as a replacement for Don Jazzy as he has been able to learn a lot from him.

The music producer who now works with D'banj in a recent interview with fujiipop, stated that when the duo went separate ways, he had to make a choice of what he wants and who he wants to work with which made him make a choice of working with the singer.

According to him, “One day, he came across me in the studio. That was how we met each other. And, when the Mo Hits split came up, I asked myself where do I stand? I realized working with D'Banj would give me more advantages and leverage. It would also give me knowledge about Nigerian entertainment industry business wise. In fact this is what I needed. I also got to work with Don Jazzy during Mo Hits era. My experience working with him was awesome as I learned a lot of things. So from there, I could continue from where he stopped with D'Banj. I want to declare to everybody reading this interview that I'm not a replacement for Jon Jazzy.

LPPC :approved the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on 21 lawyers.

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) on Friday in Abuja, approved the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on 21 lawyers.
Mr Ahmed Saleh, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the Committee, said that LPPC took the decision at its 119th General Meeting.
The chief registrar said that 124 applications were received this year.
He said that three academics and 18 advocates, including a woman made the final list.
The new SANs, he said, would be sworn-in on Sept. 21, at a special session of the Supreme Court to mark the beginning of the new legal year.
Those conferred with the rank, which he described as “a mark of excellence’’ to the conferees are:
Mr Edward Ashiekaa, Mr Benson Nwankwo, Mr Joseph Bamigboye, Mr Patrick Okolo, Prof. Maxwell Gidado, Dr Tahir Mamman, Dr Akinpelu Onigbinde, Mr Ibrahim Bawa and Mr Samuel Zibri.
Others are: Mr Adeniyi Adegbonmire, Mr Aderibigbe Adedeji, Mr Emmanuel Aguma, Dr Muiz Banire, Mr Emeka Etiaba, Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu, Mr Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Mr Gordy Uche, Mr Uchechukwu Obi.
Mr Kehinde Eleja, Prof. Paul Idornigie and Dr Oladapo Olanipekun, also made the list. (NAN)

B’Haram attacks: Desperate pangs of dying monster, says APC

The All Progressives Congress has said what Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu interpreted as the worsening cases of Boko Haram attacks under the current Administration are actually the desperate pangs of a dying monster.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said if the distinguished Senator had leveraged his high office to get the necessary information from those involved in the Boko Haram fight, especially the Nigerian military, he would not have made the kind of partisan and incautiouscomments attributed to him, which he has not denied.

It said the truth of the matter is that Boko Haram, having been uprooted from its hideouts and put on the run, has become very desperate, hence it is now using its last arsenal to inflict as much damage as it can before it is annihilated, which is just a matter of time.

”Lone wolf suicide bombings and the choice of soft targets by retreating gunmen are now the order of the day, as against the terrorists’ previous coordinated actions of seizing and holding territories,” APC said.

The party said contrary to what Senator Ekweremadu said, the terrorists have been weakened by the more methodical and focused approach of the present administration to the anti-terror fight, which includes the tightening of security at border locations that has made it difficult for the terrorists to manoeuvre. This approach is a far cry from the previous haphazard activities.

It said the necessary structures for the effective coordination of the battle against the terrorists have been put in place both within and outside the country, thanks to the regional rallying efforts of the Buhari Administration.

”Now, due to the government’s broad consultations, vital international input and support have become more real and are adding value to the counter-terrorism campaign. With the Nigeria-led Multi-National Joint Task Force due to be deployed by month’s end, it is a matter of time for Boko Haram to be defeated. This monster cannot and will not survive.

”Against this background of a more purposeful and coordinated approach to the Boko Haram battle, Nigerians are assured that the senseless killings and maiming that have characterised one of the most brutal terrorist campaigns ever will soon be over. Nigerians should therefore refrain from making comments that can only serve to create panic rather than alleviate the situation,” APC said.

President Buhari Moves to Make Peace with Bola Tinubu

President Buhari Moves to Make Peace with Bola Tinubu

President Muhammadu Buhari is trying to pacify the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, with ministerial appointments, following crisis over National Assembly leadership.

Sources close to the ruling party confirmed to Tribune that Buhari has learnt that Tinubu is unhappy about the current trends in the National Assembly and the president intends to calm down the national leader of the party.

Tinubu’s camp is said be displeased with the president for failing to back the election of candidates of the APC for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Reps. It was gathered that Tinubu is angered by the fact that Buhari did not make good his promise to address APC lawmakers at the ICC on June 9, leading to the election of Bukola Saraki as Senate President. 

It was also learnt that Tinubu’s supporters named Buhari’s men in the uprising that shut out the party’s national leader from the last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party, held in Abuja. While Tinubu is not a member of NEC legally, no one made matter out of that until Buhari was sworn into office. Some supporters of the former Lagos governor suggest that the presidency might have given his backing to the group of ex-governors, who threatened to storm the meeting if Tinubu was permitted at the venue. 

Meanwhile, it was revealed that Buhari has decided to calm down Tinubu, so that the APC would not break up under his watch. A source said the president was planning to give the national leader four ministerial positions, to reward him for the loss of Speaker and Senate president. It was also learnt that Buhari’s late rally of Senator Ahmad Lawan group and loyalists of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila was stopped out of his confidence that Tinubu had to be lodged to further unite the ruling party. 

But insiders added that there are some party members from the North who were of the view that Buhari could continue to call Tinubu’s bluff, having assumed the position of party leader. 

A former security chief and another retired secret service agent, were said to be heading the crew of Buhari loyalists advising the president to call Tinubu’s bluff. The source said: “A number of some hardliners in the party are insisting that Buhari should ignore anything from Tinubu, believing that the party can do without him.”

But it seems Buhari is finally ready to make peace because without Tinubu he would still be in his farm.

Port Harcourt refinery misses June target

Despite assurances by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation that the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited will start refining crude oil by the end of last month, findings have shown that the plant has yet to start delivering on the target.

This is coming as civil society organisations have called on the Federal Government to cut down the volume of crude being supplied to the four refineries based on the fact that the facilities are producing far below the 445,000 barrels, which they get on a daily basis.

It was, however, learnt that the Port Harcourt refinery had started receiving crude oil through boats for commercial processing, but it had yet to commence the production of refined petroleum products.

Our correspondent gathered that the rehabilitation of the plant had reached an advanced stage, but sources explained that the refinery was far from being ready to refine crude.

Mid last month, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, disclosed that the PHRC would start refining crude oil and contribute to petroleum products’ availability by the end of June.

Dawha had said, “Presently, the refineries are undergoing rehabilitation and we are undertaking what we call a new strategy to carry out the turnaround maintenance on them. Basically, what this means is that we are carrying out phased implementation of the rehabilitation of the refineries. We are taking the refineries unit by unit and carrying out turnaround maintenance on them.

“Most of the refineries have advanced to a certain stage where they will be able to operate very soon. For example, the Port Harcourt refinery, which has reached an advanced stage, will start receiving crude by end of this month and then, of course, will start contributing to the available products in the country.”

The NNPC has four refineries, two in Port Harcourt, and one each in Kaduna and Warri. They have combined installed capacity of 445,000 barrels per day. A comprehensive network of pipelines and depots strategically located throughout Nigeria links these refineries.

But sources confirmed to our correspondent that the pipelines were hardly being used to transport crude and refined products to and out of the refineries due to the activities of vandals who regularly rupture the pipelines.

The Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, stated that crude oil was being transported to the Port Harcourt refinery through boats, and noted that the natural resource would get to the facility by the end of this week.

“Crude is being supplied to the Port Harcourt refinery, and you know we are using marine to do the supply. Before the end of the week, they will get crude in Port Harcourt,” he said.

When asked if the refining process would start once the crude oil hit the refinery this weekend, Alegbe replied, “It is a long process. However, once they start production and get the crude, I will let you know.”

Meanwhile, the representative of civil societies on the Board of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiatives, Mrs. Faith Nwadishi, has argued that the four refineries combined are refining far below the 445,000 barrels of crude being supplied to them daily.

Nwadishi, who is the National Coordinator, Publish-What-You-Pay as well as the CSOs representative on the global EITI board said, “We all know that when the four refineries perform at optimum capacity, they can only produce at 50 per cent. They cannot deliver 100 per cent of the 445,000 barrels per day that they get.

“Now, even if the NNPC decides today that the four refineries will work at 100 per cent capacity, we know that their 100 per cent capacity can refine only 50 per cent of the 445,000 barrels that they get on daily basis.”

She added, “So, what we are saying is that the four refineries put together in Nigeria operate around 20 per cent average and by the time the Port Harcourt refinery is operating at 80 per cent capacity, it can only raise that average to about 25 or 30 per cent. So, the problem still persists.

“Therefore, what we are asking for is that there should be transparency in the turnaround maintenance of our refineries. Why should Nigeria to go to smaller countries like Chad to refine our crude? If we know that the NNPC does not have the capacity to refine 445,000 barrels per day, let us give them exactly what they can refine.”

The Managing Director, Pipelines Product Marketing Company, Mr. Haruna Momoh, had stated last month that the NNPC was importing 50 per cent of the refined petroleum products being consumed in the country.

He explained that when the ongoing rehabilitation and turnaround maintenance of the Port Harcourt refinery was completed, the plant would run at 80 per cent of its installed capacity and produce five million litres of petrol on a daily basis.

The report that nailed Stephen Keshi

The report that nailed Stephen Keshi 

 

- The Disciplinary Committee report that recommended the termination of Nigeria coach’s contract

-Stephen Keshi was sacked as Nigeria coach on Saturday after a committee of the Nigeria Football Committee put together a damning report that recommended his sacking.

  

IN THE MATTER OF APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT INTO THE LES ELEPHANT OF IVORY COAST BY MR. STEPHEN KESHI ( HEAD COACH OF THE SUPER EAGLES OF NIGERIA AND OTHER BREACHES OF HIS CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT.

REPORT BRIEF

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation, representing the Executive Committee and Management referred to the Disciplinary Committee for investigation and adjudication an allegation reported widely and in particular in the official website of the Ivorian Football Federation that Mr Stephen Keshi applied and sought employment in the vacant position of Head Coach of the Les Elephants of Ivory Coast and was consequently shortlisted among 58 others that did apply for the job while he is still an employee of the Nigeria Football Federation having a two year unexpired contract as Head Coach of the Super Eagles.

The Nigeria Football Federation also stated that the said publication embarrassed it as well as the Nigerian populace.

They claimed that they were not owing the coach any arrears of salaries or emolument and that the coach is being paid as at when due.

They further buttressed that they fear that they could no longer trust the coach as his action was unwarranted.

They further gave instances that in 2013 the said coach minutes after the Super Eagles won the Nations Cup in South Africa, resigned his appointment even when his contract was yet to expire.

That it took the intervention of the former President of Nigeria and the former President of Senate for him to reverse his decision.

They also alleged that standards in the team were compromised and that the coach has not used the best of his skills and commitment to develop the game. They stated an instance when he without the knowledge of the Technical Committee nor the Technical Study Group brought in a player Gabriel Okechukwu under circumstances not clear to the federation into the Super Eagles team and made him to put on the iconic No. 10 jersey only for him to be kept as reserve in a match that we needed to use the best of our players.

They stated that on further enquiries they discovered that the player had not played football for any notable team in country or beyond. In fact they concluded that the player was favored and or smuggled into the team when in fact he had not played for any of the football leagues in the country or even abroad despite the avalanche of better talented players.

HEARING :

Mr. Stephen Keshi was invited to appear before this panel in respect of the allegation on the 23rd of June, 2015.

In his testimony before the panel, Mr Stephen Keshi denied the allegation and further stated that neither he, his agent or anybody acting on his behalf did not apply for the vacant position in the Les Elephants of Ivory Coast.

He did not back his statement with any evidence.

ISSUES TO BE DETERMINED :

If Stephen Keshi, his agent or anybody acting under his authority applied for the vacant coaching position in Les Elephant of Ivory Coast when he has a two-year running contract with the NFF.

Whether Stephen Keshi was right by applying for the vacant coaching position or if it breaches his contract with the nff or international best practices.

If Stephen Keshi has acted competently  by inviting a non league player Gabriel Okechukwu to play for the Super Eagles.

ISSUE NO. 1

It is an uncontroverted fact that Mr Stephen Keshi’s name was listed amongst 58 others that applied for the vacant coaching job in the Les Elephants published in the official website of FIF and reported widely by local and international media such as BBCsports, Supersport, Goal.com etc.

At no point did FIF deny the report or stated that Mr. Stephen Keshi,s name was listed in error.

During further investigation it was discovered that an application together with the CV of Mr. Stephen Keshi were sent by his agent Hermann Brice De Souza to the panel set up by FIF to screen and recommend for appointment coach for the Les Elephants on 11th June, 2015.

It was also discovered that the said Hermann Brice De Souza did also write to withdraw the said application on 20th June, 2015 without any reason adduced for the withdrawal.

It is worthy to note that this withdrawal was made after the story had broken in Nigeria and has been queried verbally by the President of the NFF.

ISSUE NO. 2

Mr Stephen Keshi has a two-year contract with the NFF which commenced on 1st March, 2015 and ending on 28th February, 2017.

During the period already spent in the contract, NFF has fulfilled all its obligations in the contract and has not fallen short in any aspect of the contract.

Consequent upon the above it will be said that MrKeshi was wrong in applying for another job.

ISSUE NO. 3

From the facts given and evidence of the fact that Gabriel Okechukwu was invited from a non-league football club that only existed by name whereas there are a number of talented players who play in the leagues thereby compromising his position and failing in his duties in flagrant breach of Clause 5.8 of his contract of employment.

He also did not consult and there is no evidence suggesting that he consulted with the Federations Technical Study Group in the selection of players invited to the Super Eagles in breach of Clause 5.4

CONCLUSION:

From the conduct of Keshi it is easy to conclude that he secretly was seeking employment from another federation. This conduct is unethical and unprofessional .

He has by his conduct demonstrated that he is not capable of being trusted and has breached Clause 4.3 of his contract with the NFF.

His conduct as demonstrated negates all international best practices and norms and has not displayed the highest sense of dedication and professionalism at all times during the tenure of his contract thereby breaching Clause 5.1.

By applying for the vacant position in the Les Elephant, he has expressed his willingness to engage in other services which is in conflict with his present job and has not devoted all his time and attention to the service of NFF during the term of his contract with the NFF thereby contravening Clause 10.2.4 of the contract.

It is said that a contract is an oral or written, express or implied agreement specifying terms and conditions under which a person consents to perform certain duties as directed and controlled by an employer in return for an agreed upon wage or salary. Whether stated or not in a contract, both the employee and the employer owe the duty of mutual confidence and trust.

Similarly in the case at hand Keshi has breached the mutual confidence and trust imposed on him by the contract with NFF by applying for the vacant position in the Les Elephants of Ivory Coast without seeking the consent of his employers.

It is important to note that Stephen Keshi through his agent applied to coach the Les Elephants of Ivory Coast just two days before the Super Eagles crucial AFCON qualifying match against Chad.

It can be said that Mr Stephen Keshi if employed by FIF would have abandoned the Super Eagles in the middle of the tournament or he would have approached the game lethargic.

That his action for applying for job in FIF while in the employment of the NFF has clearly put him in the position of not being competent and able to achieve the set goals of his contract.

He has also manifested by this act that he is not satisfied with his job and contract thus looking for greener pastures.

ELUCIDATION OF FINDINGS

It may appear that the contract of employment entered between the NFF and Stephen Keshi is silent on whether during the subsistence of the contract Stephen Keshi could apply for another coaching job i.e with FIF?

It is the view of this Committee ( August Body ) that the contract which commenced on 1/03/15 to end on 28/02/17 is for a 2-term certain. It is a contract for a continous period of 2 years wherein he is expected to qualify Nigeria in the 2016 and 2017 CHAN. See Clause 4.

The above suggest that at no point that this contract envisage or contemplate Stephen Keshi to apply for another job within the subsistence of the two years.

Invariably, there is an implied condition that Stephen Keshi cannot seek another job or greener pasture while the contract subsists without disclosing same to the Nff for its consent. CLAUSE 9, contemplate good faith from both parties in order to achieve the overall objective of the contract which is for Stephen Keshi to get Nigeria to take part, qualify and play in the Semi-final of Chan 2016 and AFCON 2017. Good faith requires being honest and open to the NFF.

Stephen Keshi’s conduct did not suggest good faith to give life to the objective of the contract which he executed thus make the contract voidable.

CLAUSE 10.2.4 provided that Stephen Keshi shall not during the pendency of this contract engage in any business of sort. This is to enable him dedicate his time to the objective of this contract as well as avoid conflict of interest.

” That he shall not engage in any other service or business whatsoever during the term of his employment and shall unless prevented by ill-health devote all his time and attention to the service of the NFF as may be necessary for the proper exercise of his duties.”

This is bad enough that he took steps and applied for coaching job with FIF after he had entered into a contract of employment with the NFF. It is even worst when his name was published by FIF amongst 58 other candidates. It must be noted that Stephen Keshi did not deny his agent. In law a disclosed Principal is liable for acts and conduct of his agent. Even if it were a personal engagement the contract requires consent of the NFF but this is not the case.

“…All such personal endorsements shall however be subject to the concurrence, approval and consent of the NFF first had and obtained”.

Stephen Keshi’s act and conduct can be best described as one of insubordination against the NFF and Nigeria as a whole.

From the way he is going it is evident that he will abandon the NFF when it need him the most and go for greener pastures thus will not discharge his duties.

5.6.1 Ensure that the Super Eagles qualify and play in at least the semi finals of the African Nations Championship ( CHAN ) 2016.

5.6.2. Ensure that the Super Eagles qualify and play in at least the semi finals of the African Cup of Nations ( AFCON ) 2017.

By the above clause, he has irrevocably bind himself and to dedicate all his time and energy to the Nff activities that will lead to achieving the above conditions of his employment rather than using his time and energy searching for greener pastures against the tenure of his contract. The implication of clause 5.6.1 & 2 is that he is bound to the NFF until he discharge the above responsibility and not to go looking for a coaching job elsewhere.

Gentlemen keep to their agreement and will put national interest first. The said application has indeed put Nigeria in odium and public ridicule thus: Nigeria cannot pay him hence he is looking for another job; Nigeria is a responsible football nation and this is setting up a bad precedent if it is allowed to continue.

GABRIEL OKECHUKWU:

It was established by the Technical and Development Committee as well as the Technical Study Group that Gabriel OKECHUKWU was brought into the Super Eagles by Stephen Keshi without consultation with them. For purposes of elucidation Clause 5.4 of the contract states ” The Head Coach shall select the best crop of players of the Super Eagles who are ready to excel in friendly and competitive games.
It is true that the Head Coach in this case Stephen Keshi has a duty to discover young talents but such young talents must have played or are playing in either a local league or leagues abroad. In the case of OKECHUKWU he hasn’t any such record yet he was given the coveted No. 10 shirt. This is indeed a violation of the contract and a deliberate ploy to grand stand the NFF which is unacceptable.

5.8 The Head Coach shall on assumption of duties embark on discovery of new talented players both from the local league and other leagues abroad.

If Okechukwu did not and does not play for any known league locally or internationally, then the only probable and safe conclusion why Keshi brought him to the Super Eagles is for personal interest or on the basis of ethnicity or religious lines which is a grave violation of the code of conduct for coaches in schedule 1 of the contract.
( b ) Coaches must not take decision based on personal interest e.g. collecting gratifications, insisting on becoming players’ managers or players’ agents.

( c ) Coaches must not use ethnic or religious criteria for evaluating.

CONCLUSION :

1.StephenKeshi by his conduct and or that of his agent is clear that he is not capable of achieving the objectives set out under Clause 5.6 of the contract of employment.

He has also breached the provision of Clause 10.2.4 of the contract of employment by engaging in any other business of soliciting or looking for greener pasture while he has not deliver on 5.6.

He is in breach of clauses 5.4 and 5.8 of the contract of employment which violates schedule one of the contract i.e( b ) and ( c ) as above.

RECOMMENDATION :

We recommend that the Head Coach Mr. Stephen Keshi is in breach of the contract of employment hence same has become voidable. His contract should be terminated summarily in reliance with Clause 4.3 of the contract.

Lesser Hajj: 'Nigerian embassy did not snub Pres. Buhari's family'

Lesser Hajj: 'Nigerian embassy did not snub Pres. Buhari's family'

Yesterday yesterday reported that the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia side-stepped protocol by giving preference to former VP Namadi Sambo and his family over that of Pres. Buhari when both arrived for the lesser Hajj (Umrah) in Saudi Arabia. They have now retracted the report. Read below

The consular-general in the Nigerian embassy in Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Umar, neither side-stepped protocol nor accorded preferential treatment to the family of former Vice President Namadi Sambo over that of President Muhammadu Buhari when both arrived for the lesser Hajj (Umrah) in Saudi Arabia.

A senior consular official, who is privy to the protocol arrangements for both families, told LEADERSHIP Friday that contrary to media reports that the consular-general is a protégé of Sambo and that the former vice president influenced his appointment, Umar was appointed to his present position based on his competence and experience.

The source, who craved for anonymity, also denied insinuations that Umar snubbed the wife of the president and her children, saying that the consular-general joined the Nigerian ambassador in Saudi Arabia to receive Buhari’s wife, Aisha, and her children at the airport.

LEADERSHIP had been informed that both families had arrived in Saudi Arabia earlier this week for the Umrah and while Aisha Buhari and her five children were allotted a two-bedroom accommodation, the former vice president was allotted an eight-room apartment.

But the source said the accommodation arrangements for both families were the prerogative of Saudi authorities and that any guest was at liberty to get another accommodation at his or her expense if dissatisfied with the official arrangement.

On the alleged preferential treatment given to the former vice president by the consular-general, the source also said Sambo actually paid for his hotel accommodation, save for the fact that he was ferried from the airport, the same privilege accorded to Hajia Buhari.

“Then the issue of the wife of the president paying for her accommodation is a normal practice, and the same thing applies to other wives of presidents who visit Saudi Arabia when they are not satisfied with the accommodation provided.

“In fact, we tried to get her a much better accommodation but that was what was provided by the Saudi Arabian authorities.

“So, this is the true state of things and not the other way round as reported. It is also not true that the consular-general is a stooge of the former vice president; they met each other when he had already been appointed to his present position,” he explained.

The source further claimed that the embassy extended all the required protocol due to the First Lady.

@MBuhari 40days. CBN is working, DSS is acting, armies are pushing, EFCC is rising, courts are ruling, change has come!!! @APCUKingdom

Tambuwal Peace Move In House of Reps Crumbles

Tambuwal Peace Move In House of Reps Crumbles

The peace committee chaired by Sokoto State Governor, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, appeared to have failed to resolve the leadership tussle in the caucus of the All Progressives Congress at the House of Reps.

The indication of this came on Wednesday as the House leadership dismissed as “nothing like party position” an earlier letter the APC wrote to Speaker Yakubu Dogara, on the zoning of principal offices.

After the Tambuwal committee met with the group led by Dogara, and that of a former Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the crisis - the sharing of four principal offices - remained unresolved.

Findings showed that the Gbajabimaila group, at its meeting with Tambuwal, had restated its stance that the decision of the APC on the allocation of the offices must stand.

The party had written to the Speaker that the South-West should produce the Majority Leader; North-West, Deputy Leader; North-East, Chief Whip; and South-South, Deputy Whip.

However, the North-East and the South-South later swapped their positions, but still said they remained loyal to the APC.

An offer to Gbajabiamila to head the AdHoc Committee on Constitution Review in place of being the majority leader of the 8th Assembly, was also reportedly turned down by the former minority leader.

“The entire APC members would hold an election to elect the House leaders. If someone says he has 174 members, fine; let us hold an election and see if he actually has that majority he claims,” Jibrin said.