Why we can’t declare late Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s seat vacant – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it cannot declare Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s seat vacant, because the National Assembly has not informed it about his death.

The Administrative Secretary of INEC in Osun, Mr. Ademusire Emmanuel, stated this in Osogbo on Thursday, while addressing a press conference shortly after the official commencement of the continuous voters’ registration exercise.

He also confirmed that those to be registered now, would not be part of the by-election.

“Newly registered voters won’t be part of the by-election that would be conducted in Osun West Senatorial District to replace Senator Isiaka Adele.

“That election is for the 8th assembly and the voters register used for the election initially would be used for the by-election.

“I also need to tell you that INEC is not yet aware of the death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke because the commission has not been told officially. When we are informed, necessary process would be carried out and the bye-election would be conducted at the appropriate time,” he said.

Senator Adeleke passed on last Sunday.

Final top four place between Liverpool, Arsenal and United – Mourinho

Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has said that Manchester City will surely finish in the top four and the last spot was between his team, Liverpool and Arsenal.

Mourinho was speaking after their 0-0 draw with City on Thursday, a result that leaves United one point outside the top four places.

“I think Man City is going to finish top-four, the matches they have to play I see them doing that. I think it’s between us, Arsenal and Liverpool [to finish in the top four].

“We are going to try, but the reality is that we have a Euro semifinal to play, we have lost a lot of players but we are going to fight until, mathematically possible,” the Portuguese said.

Mourinho will be without midfielder Marouane Fellaini for at least three of their remaining five fixtures, after he was shown a red card with five minutes left.

Real cause of Abubakar Audu’s death revealed

After a long silence, Mohammed, the eldest son of Prince Abubakar Audu, a former Governor of Kogi State and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the November 21, 2015, governorship election in the state, has finally revealed what lead to the death of his father.

Audu died on November 22, 2015 shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the elections inconclusive.

Speaking with The Sun, Mohammed said his father died of ulcer and not spiritual attack as was widely reported in the media.

He said, “We didn’t grow up to believe in any spiritual attack. More so, I know that he died of bleeding peptic ulcer. I knew he was under pressure, I knew a lot of things went wrong at the time, but then, as for the election, he was coasting home to victory.

“Not that he was going to win; he had won. It was just for the miscalculation of INEC that made them to say it was inconclusive. But in my opinion, he had won fair and square.”

On how the family is copping since the father died, Mohammed said, “The family is good. We are just trying to put the pieces together.

“You know when the head of the family goes like this, the process of recovery and trying to step into his shoes is not exactly very easy.

“So, we are all pulling together, trying our best to see how we can come out of the shock and continue with his legacy.”

I was not aware of Yar’adua illness before making him president – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has claimed that he was not aware of Umaru Yar’adua’s illness, when he picked him as his successor during the 2007 election.

Yar’adua was declared the winner of the controversial presidential election held on April 21, 2007, and was sworn in on May 29, 2007.

In 2009, Yar’adua left for Saudi Arabia to receive treatment for pericarditis. He returned to Nigeria on February 24, 2010, where he died on May 5, 2010.

His vice president Goodluck Jonathan became president.

In a book ‘Against the Run of Play’ authored Olusegun Adeniyi, Obasanjo insists that Yar’adua’s response to two clarifications he sought from him, convinced him (Obasanjo) to go ahead with his decision.

“One, the lingering doubts about his health, while the other was a very pervasive allegation that he had a manipulative wife who had too much influence on him,” Obasanjo said.

“Not being a medical practitioner, I gave the report to a friend and renowned professional in the medical field who reviewed it and told me that the person in the report was not on dialysis, which meant either he didn’t have a kidney problem or that he had successfully undergone a kidney transplant. That was the report I had about his health,” Adeniyi quoted Obasanjo as saying.

Why I picked Jonathan instead of Odili for Yar’adua – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed why he picked Goodluck Jonathan instead of Peter Odili, as President Umaru Yar’adua’s running mate.

In a book, ‘Against The Run Of Play’, written by a former Yar’Adua’s spokesman, Mr Segun Adeniyi, which is to be launched today in Lagos, Chief Obasanjo confirmed that Odili, a former Governor of Rivers State, was actually his first choice as Yar’adua’s running mate. But there some hurdles that did not make it possible.

“Of course, Jonathan was not my first choice as running mate to Yar’Adua; it was Dr. Peter Odili. But whether by fate or some conspiracy, Odili had hurdles that made it impossible for him to take that position. That was how I settled for Jonathan,” Obasanjo said.

The late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, once said in an interview that Obasanjo chose Jonathan to be Yar’adua’s deputy in the 2007 election because he, Obasanjo, wanted to stop his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, from running for president.

“Olusegun Obasanjo told me that since Atiku and I wanted to take his job, that it would be over his dead body, and that unless he died, Atiku cannot be president of Nigeria.

“Obasanjo said since Atiku had picked me as his running mate, he would make sure that he dealt with and disgraced us. He said he was going to use my deputy to rubbish me before everybody,” Alamieyeseigha had told journalists.​