North deceived Nigerians, pushed Jonathan- Senator Jibrin Wali

Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Jibrin Wali, yesterday said that the PDP failed in the last elections because the northern leaders deceived Nigerians and forced former President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the 2015 general election after completing the remaining two years of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
The BoT chairman, who stated this in Lapai, Niger State, during the wedding ceremony of daughter of former Governor of Niger State, Mr. Abdulkadir Kure, said the party is ready to correct the mistake of 2015 which cost it the election by zoning the Presidency to the North.
He also insisted that the tenure of Ali Modu Sheriff remains next month, saying that the Port Harcourt convention will produce the next chairman of the party, which he said, will not come from the North.
According to him: “We deceived ourselves from the beginning, that is why we failed the elections and we paid for it very costly. We deceived the northerners, the people of the party. We are all party to the downfall of the party.
“Most of us that served under Jonathan helped to manoeuvre and cheat our brothers from the North. This time, we are seeking for forgiveness from the North on what we have done.‎‎
“Let me tell you, during the late Yar’Adua, he was the first northern PDP President and it remained only two years for his completion. The northerners insisted that they must be given the opportunity to complete the two years because it was their time according to the zoning formula of the party. But that didn’t happen so all of us are guilty. We went ahead and push Jonathan into it‎ and this annoyed the North.
“Why are you trying to annoy the North again by asking them to take the chairmanship of the party. The party decided to compensate the North for the injustice done to them for not giving them that position of Presidency. Now, the President should go to the North. Why the maneuvering now to deprive the North of the Presidency.”
Speaking on Ali Modu Sheriff lobbying to remain as party chairman, Wali said: “How can we (PDP leadership) agree that the North should produce northern President and at the same time asking them to produce party chairman. It is not going to work. This is political cheating and impunity, which destroyed the party in 2015.
“In our committee’s findings, we discovered that there was impunity in our party; there was lack of party internal-democracy; there was godfatherism; lack of respect for the constitution of the party; lack of respect for the zoning and if this zoning has been given to the North, why are we saying it will not be possible.”
“Now, we have Ali Modu Sheriff as the Chairman. What is it that the North is looking for in the chairmanship that other zones cannot have? ‎Why have all those who laid down the rules refused to come out and talk‎? Rather, they are leaving me as BOT chairman alone to talk on this issue.”
He said that he does not have anything against Ali Modu Sheriff but the truth is that the North has had enough shot at the chairmanship position of the PDP since 1999, saying: “Does it mean that other zones cannot produce the chairmanship.

Super Eagles to play two friendly games in June

Determined to ensure that Nigeria qualified for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has arranged two friendly games for the Super Eagles, officials of the federation have disclosed.
The games, to be played in London in June, according to the federation, has been arranged by the new foreign coach, who will soon take over the Super Eagles.
NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, told journalists in Lagos on Thursday that the federation had reached an agreement with the foreign technical adviser, who in turn had started working to ensure that Nigeria utilized all the FIFA windows for quality friendly games.
Reports in the Internet yesterday added that the NFF has opened discussions with its London-based agent, who is expected to confirm the two top European countries for the friendly matches in the coming weeks.
It added that Pinnick was regularly in contact with the agent to ensure that the Eagles got two top grade A countries for the friendly matches.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2017 African Nations Cup and the feeling in the federation is that failure to make the 2018 World Cup would be a monumental disaster that could set the country’s football back many years.
An NFF official, who pleaded anonymity, said it was unfortunate that Nigerian football found itself in a situation that it has failed to make two consecutive African Nations Cup competitions despite the enormous talents available for the country. “So, we want to avoid another disaster hence the move to get everything in order before the next round of qualifiers for the World Cup.
“Fortunately, we have a crop of young players getting into the senior squads of their various clubs and with what we are doing now, I believe Nigeria will soon regain its position as Africa’s number one football nation,” he said.

Maigari : Forget local coaches for Eagles

IMMEDIATE past president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari has warned the current board of the federation to perish the idea of retaining any Nigerian coach as Super Eagles handler.
Speaking to SportingSun in Abuja recently, the former Glass House boss argued that having tried the indigenous coaches without getting the desired solution, it had become imperative to bring in a foreigner to handle the team.
Asked if he would subscribe to the clamour for foreign coach, Maigari said: “I will subscribe to the demand for foreign coach very well. I have continued to say that we need a foreign coach for the Super Eagles. We have tried almost all our indigenous coaches, but it could not just work out.
“I am sure that every Nigerian has now seen the situation we found ourselves. So, let us try foreign coach. I won’t say Nigerian coaches have failed, but they could not just give us what we want. Nigeria will not be an exception to the world trend because even in England, foreign coach is in charge.
“In the interest of the game, I don’t see the reason we should not follow suit. I am 100 per cent in support. I spoke as a football stakeholder and a Nigerian entitled to his views. If I were to head the football federation I will bring in a foreign coach.
“They have what our coaches don’t have. They will bring in discipline, unity, way and means of working together and game formation. Even at club levels, we can always see the impact of foreign coaches in a game, which indigenous coaches lacked.”

Can President Buhari Move Nigeria Forward?

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday in Washington DC assured Nigerians in the Diaspora of his administration’s determination to move the country forward as rapidly as possible.

The president gave the assurance at an audience with a group of Nigerians, who had distinguished themselves in various professions in the United States.

A statement issued in Abuja by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, President Buhari said that his administration was fully committed to correcting the errors that had hindered Nigeria’s progress as a nation.

``We are determined to get things done properly this time and God willing, we shall succeed.

``We are working diligently to correct our mistakes as a nation. We will rehabilitate and expand national infrastructure, and move forward as quickly as possible,’’ he added.

Buhari also said that his administration would maintain contacts with Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora and see how they could be best placed to contribute effectively to national development if they choose to come back home.

The President congratulated the five Nigerians he met with for their exceptional accomplishments, saying that he was very proud of them all.

According to the statement, the Nigerians received by President Buhari included Prof. Austin Esogbue, the only African to have served on the board of the United States’ National Aeronautical Space Agency and Jelani Aliyu, a leading car designer with General Motors.

Others were Prof. Nwadiuto Esiobu, a renowned Microbiologist and Biochemist, Dr Yemi Badero, an Assistant Professor of Medicine and 13-year old Muriel Oduwole, who has so far interviewed 18 world leaders.

Transport minister calls Gov. Wike a threat to democracy

Transportation Minister, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has referred to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State as a threat to democracy.

Amaechi took several swipes at the Rivers' governor while reacting to several allegations made by the governor saying the Transport Minister and the Independent National Electoral Commission are conniving to upturn results of 8 LG in the Rivers Rerun election.

The minister also insisted that Gov. Wike's ploy is a means of destroying a free and fair elections in the state.

Read: PDP claims Amaechi is pushing for State of Emergency in Rivers

In a statement by the media aide to the Minister, he said, “His resort to blackmail, threats and more violence is a clear danger to the practise of democracy, to free and fair elections in Rivers State.”

The statement read further, “You would recall that Wike has been threatening INEC and INEC officials. Before the re-run elections, he threatened INEC officials coming to conduct the elections to write their wills before coming as if they were coming to die in Rivers State.

“Sadly, an INEC ad hoc staff, a youth corper was murdered. This is a classic case of the owl crying in the night and the baby not waking up in the morning.

“He threatened INEC before the elections and an INEC official sent to conduct election was murdered on election day, what other evidence do we need to know who is responsible for the death of the INEC official?”

“Wike is loose cannon, threatening INEC with violence, fire and brimstone. This is intolerable and completely unacceptable. No democracy can survive with Wike’s kind of attitude and disposition to elections.

“Wike can’t just go on and on threatening crisis, war and more violence just because of his desperation to win elections.”

Continuing, he said, “He’s all over the place, threatening crisis, threatening INEC with fire and brimstone, for INEC to release a result that does not even exist, in the first place. You can now understand the kind of desperate fellow we are dealing with here. This must not be allowed to continue. Wike cannot hold an entire state, hostage.  He’s a clear danger and threat to the practice of democracy, and free and fair elections in Rivers State.”

Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu never begged Buhari for freedom –IPOB

THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday said that its leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu never begged President Muhammadu Buhari for freedom in a letter to the British Government.
The group noted that the central theme of the letter was to bring the attention of the British Government to the “shenanigans going on in the court, which include the disobedience to court orders by Buhari and his agents, the lack of confidence in both the Nigerian judicial system and the trial judge and the unarguable executive interference evidenced by the unguarded and prejudiced utter­ances of Buhari.”
A statement from the spokespersons of IPOB, Mr. Emma Nmezu, a lawyer and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya noted that the letter to the British Government through the counsel to their leader was twisted by the agents of the Federal Government to mean a plea to Buhari to release Kanu.
“It is disheartening though not surprising that Buhari and his lying group posited that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was begging the British Government to set him free from the illegal detention imposed by Buhari’s DSS. Nothing could be further from the truth. Buhari and his lying media henchmen have indeed sunk irretrievably into the abyss by this gross misrepresenta­tion of facts as can be seen on the attached letter from IPOB Law­yers.”
The group continues: “It is in­teresting to note that none of the issues of miscarriage of justice contained in the letter was re­ported, which goes to prove that some segments of the media, like the judges in Nigerian courts, are purveyors of evil and inequity. Only a country of liars could have come up with such fabrications.”
“Buhari is desperate to wash his hands off the case and is looking for a way out hence the glee with which they spun the news about the letter to the British High Commis­sion. Buhari’s plan is to hide under this misinterpreted letter and release Nnamdi Kanu to British Govern­ment and then avoid facing him in the court of law.”

Expose Nigeria looters, Kalu tells US, UK, other governments

Eminent businessman and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has challenged the governments of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Germany and other developed nations to support the anti-corruption war of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration by exposing Nigerians who have looted the nation’s resources.
Kali said previous administrations only paid lip service to the war against corruption.
According to the former governor, the EFCC, which was established by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003 to prevent, investigate, prosecute and penalize economic and financial crimes, became an instrument of political witch-hunt and victimization.
He said the pioneer chairman of the anti-graft agency, Nuhu Ribadu, allowed himself to be used by former President Obasanjo for unpatriotic motives.
Kalu made these remarks on Tuesday while hosting a group of graduate African students of the National War College at Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The businessman-cum-politician, who has a pending case with the EFCC, said: “Before venturing into politics, I was an accomplished businessman beyond the shores of Nigeria having built a conglomerate with vast business interests in trading, aviation, publishing and oil and gas.
“During my stint as Governor of Abia State, despite the slim resources then, I improved the lives of the people through the execution of a wide range of projects, including free medical and educational schemes across the 17 local government areas of the state.
“In less than six months into my first tenure of office, the then President Obasanjo, who was on a working visit to the state, named me “Action Governor” based on the massive rehabilitation and construction of roads embarked upon by my administration.
“It is unfortunate that due to my campaign against the third term bid of former President Obasanjo, he used the federal might against me.
“He directed Mr. Ribadu, former EFCC boss, to clamp down on my businesses, including SLOK Airline, SLOK oil, Southgate and Hallmark banks).
“It is saddening to note that Obasanjo, who was using the EFCC to crush his enemies, spent $16 billion on power without any significant improvement in electricity supply in Nigeria.
“What about the $74 million Halliburton bribe to Obasanjo and his cohorts?
“It is only in Nigeria that a corrupt person can label another person corrupt.
“In 2005, President Obasanjo wrote to the UK and US authorities to indict me of financial crime, but I was cleared innocent by former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and former US President, George Bush.
“I am a victim of political blackmail as I ruled Abia State with my conscience and the fear of God.
“However, I am happy that the current leadership of the anti-graft agency under the new Nigerian government has been focused on delivering on its mandate without fear or favour.
“I wish to appeal to the western world to help Nigeria by exposing those Nigerians who have looted the country’s resources to invest and buy choice properties in Europe, USA, UAE, Asia and Middle East.
“The international intelligence agencies have a critical role to play in fishing out those that have stolen the common wealth of Nigerians.”
On the issue of Boko Haram insurgency, Kalu applauded President Buhari for keeping to his promise of restoring peace in the North East of Nigeria.
He said: “The President used his experience as retired General to devise combatant means to crush the terrorists.
“The Nigerian military deserves commendation for their gallant strides in the devoted fight against terrorism.
“I salute the courage, boldness and patriotism of the military personnel who have contributed to the success of the anti-terrorism war.
“I want to admonish the Federal Government to reconstruct the villages that were wiped out by the deadly Boko Haram insurgents through the provision of special intervention fund for the North East and Plateau State.”
Speaking on the pro-Biafra agitators, Kalu lamented the marginalization of the South East in all ramifications.
He said 46 years after the civil war, the region has not been fully integrated into the Nigerian nation, adding that the poor state of federal roads and other social amenities in the South East is alarming and disturbing.
He said: “The Indigenous People of Biafra and the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra are borne out of the grievances of Ndigbo.
“Even though there is a law in the United Nations that recognizes the right to self- determination, as I have mentioned in the past, the approach of the IPOB and MASSOB are faulty as dialogue is a better medium for the people to express their concerns to appropriate authorities.”
On President Buhari’s several visits abroad, the former governor said: “No country can exist without the support of others.
“Mr. President’s visits to different parts of the world are in best the interest of Nigeria.
“In the area of investment, the President has been able to woo foreign investors to Nigeria by giving them confidence.
“Image is key and Mr. President has done well in redeeming the damaged reputation Nigeria had in the global community.
“Just recently, the Nigerian government signed an agreement with the UAE to ensure the repatriation of stolen wealth housed in Dubai.
“I want to use this opportunity to call on President Obama to pay a working visit to Nigeria in order to further strengthen the bilateral relationships between Nigeria and USA.”
The former governor poured encomiums on the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassadot James Entwistle, and the former and incumbent British High Commissioners to Nigeria, Sir Andrew Pocock and Paul Arkwright respectively, for promoting diplomatic ties between Nigerian and their home countries for the sake of social, economic and political development of Nigeria.
Kalu, who is a big player in the upstream sector of the Nigeria oil and gas industry, said: “In view of the drastic fall in the price of crude oil globally, the time is now for the Nigerian government to roll out entrepreneurship programmes in the agricultural industry in order to diversify the economy.
“The era of white collar jobs is over.
“Everyone has to go into farming for the sake of Nigeria’s ailing economy.
“I personally have diversified into commercial agriculture with the establishment of a large farm covering over 10,000 hectares of land in Ugwueke in Bende LGA of Abia State.”
Kalu, while decrying the state of the Nigerian economy, called on the Federal Government to set up an independent economic management team in the face of the global economic challenges to advice government on a road map to reposition the local economy, adding that government must provide the enabling business environment for local and foreign investors to invest.
On the Abia North Senatorial District rerun poll, Kalu said: “The rerun election was marred by widespread irregularities perpetrated by the Peoples Democratic Party and it agents.
“The same atrocities that were committed at the March 28, 2015 election was again repeated at the March 5, 2016 rerun poll.
“However, I wouldn’t want to go into further details as I have protested the controversial result at the tribunal through my legal team.”
Nigeria born Habib Kamil of the prestigious institution, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, expressed appreciation to Kalu for giving them an insight into the state of affairs in Nigeria with particular reference to politics and economy.