SPEAKER: :MONGUNO STEPS DOWN FOR GBAJABIAMILA
Re: I am stepping down for Femi Gbajabiamila
It is incumbent upon me to react and to respond to that gesture. Let me very quickly say that for me that is a welcome development. It is a welcome development. Apart from the fact that any time somebody steps down for another person, again, it is a welcome development. But it is even more welcoming when it comes from no less a person than M.T. Monguno. The gesture becomes even more valuable at that point.
Let me say that I have known M. T. Monguno as long as I have been in the National Assembly. He is a fourth termer as well. He has spent about 12 years in the House of Representatives. I have come to know him. I have come to understand him. I have seen hm from afar and I have seen him from near as a very upright, very sound, competent and astute politician legislator. And to have Hon. Monguno on your side or in your corner when you are going into a contest, it gives you a lot of courage. He has been in the house for 12 years without blemish and all of us will understand that to stay in any legislative house, not to talk about here in Nigeria, for 4 years without any blemish says a lot not to talk about for 12 years. It says a lot about the character and person of M.T. Monguno.

I am happy to be working with him from this point. I know I would be learning a lot from him and he would be learning a lot from me and that is all about a symbiotic relationship and that is what him and I are bringing to the table. And we believe that Nigerians, legislative colleagues in the House will be very happy with this team because it is a team that can be described as a dream team and I believe it will be to the benefit of the House of Representatives and Nigeria

Liverpool's Oshoala Wins BBC Footballer Of The Year

Asisat Oshoala Wins BBC Women's Footballer Of The Year

Nigeria and Liverpool's Asisat Oshoala has won BBC Women's Footballer of the Year.

Oshoala beat Spain's Veronica Boquete, Germany's Nadine Kessler, Scotland's Kim Little and Brazilian forward Marta for the award it was announced today.

Oshoala has been the shining light in Nigerian football over the past year, starring in every tournament, and for every team she has played for.

 Power Bank Kills Young Girl

The parents of a young Ghanaian girl were thrown into untold sorrow on May 25, after they discovered the lifeless body of their daughter, Blandine, lying on the bed with her power bank stuck up on her chest.

The sad incidence was said to have happened on Monday night, May 25, 2015. She was said to have been electrocuted to death after the power bank she was using to charge her phone got stuck on her skin and electrocuted her.

Court Strikes Out Ufomba’s Suit Against APGA, Otti, Others

Factional Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance ( APGA) in Abia State, Chief Reagan Ufomba has lost the suit he filed at the Federal High Court, Umuahia, challenging the authenticity of Dr. Alex Otti’s candidacy in the April governorship election in the state.
Presiding Justice Folashade-Adejoke Olubanjo struck out the suit for lack of merit while delivering judgement on the matter yesterday in Umuahia.

Ufomba had argued that Otti had not resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, when his name was submitted by the National Chairman Chief Victor Umeh as APGA’s governorship candidate for Abia State.
He argued furtherthat Umeh was no longer the party’s National Chairman when the primary that produced Otti was held, alleging that Umeh lacked the powers to present Otti as the party’s flag bearer.
The third argument he presented to the court was that the primary election conducted by the Umeh’s leadership was illegal, having joined APGA, Umeh and the Independent National Electoral Commission in the suit.
In her judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Olubanjo observed that there was a subsisting court of Appeal decision over the leadership of APGA by Chief Umeh, stating that the issue of who is APGA’s authentic candidate is not justiciable.
Striking out the suit, Justice Olubanjo said that it lacked merit, meaning that Otti still stands as the authentic APGA Candidate in the state.

Court strikes out Ufomba’s suit against APGA, Otti, others 0 By Our Reporter on May 27, 2015 Uncategorized FROM CHUKS ONUOHA, UMUAHIA. Factional...

Yoruba cardiologist apologises for alleged hate message against Igbos

Posted by: admin May 28, 2015 in News

NIGERIAN cardiologist of  Yoruba extraction, who is based in Dallas, Texas, United States of America, Dr Abraham Ariyo, has apologised to the Igbo, at home and in the Diaspora, and other people affected, over an alleged hate message he posted on his facebook account, insinuating that the Igbo would suffer same fate as foreigners did in South Africa recently.

In a statement by Dr Ariyo, made available to the Nigerian Tribune by the founder of  Agbole Oduduwa, a radio programme in the United Kingdom, Honourable Alderman Erelu Lola Ayorinde (Conservative), the cardiologist debunked the allegation that he canvassed on facebook that the Igbo of Nigeria should be slaughtered.

Dr Ayorinde stated that his internet post was manipulated by some people who felt aggrieved that he supported the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, on his stance during the just held gubernatorial election in Lagos State.

“My attention has been drawn to the news circulating in the social media attributed to me captioned ‘US-based Nigerian calls for the killing of the Igbos.’ This story is categorically FALSE. It was generated by computer fabricators, manipulated and bandaged to create havoc. Our investigations indicate that this horrible story was cooked, seasoned and delivered to get back at me for my sympathy for the Oba of Lagos during the recently concluded, highly contested Lagos State gubernatorial election. At the peak of electioneering debate, there were heated exchanges and at the heat of the moment, statements were made from both sides that could be misconstrued. The subsequent distortion by these sophisticated fabricators is causing significant injustice to us all.”

 To all the people affected by the original debate or subsequent computer distortions, I hereby apologise. No matter what, these stories are offensive and highly regrettable,” he said.

The Igbo community in the United States and elsewhere are already calling for the head of Dr Ayorinde, with a protest in Dallas that the cardiologist should be sacked by his employers, while he also claimed to have received over 500 death threats on his phone since this crisis erupted.

Meanwhile, Agbole Oduduwa, in a bid to douse tension, has fixed Monday, June 1 – Friday, June 5, 2015, by 7p.m. (UK/Nigerian time) for discussions with the leaders of the Yoruba and Igbo, who stand with one voice that one ethnic group is not against the other, and that the issue should be resolved amicably without spreading any hate messages among the two tribes.

According to the Agbole Oduduwa founder, listeners can join the programme online through zippedmultimedia.com/live-radio or tunein.com/get-tunein/. She added that the one-week programme is “to explore the possibility of a solution and to ensure that inaccurate third party information does not lead to spreading of the belief that the Igbo are anti–Yoruba, and vice versa, among the descendants of both tribes in Europe and at home.”

YOU DESTROYED OUR ECONOMY ..OSHIOMHOLE TO OKONJO-IWEALA

By Edem Darlington
The Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has lambasted outgoing finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over her claims that states received N2.92 trillion excess crude money between 2011 and 2014 with little to show, the latest in a series of tit-for-tat between governors and the minister over allegations of mismanagement of oil revenues.
Mr. Oshiomhole accused the minister of gross mismanagement of the Nigerian economy, saying she was merely feeding Nigerians with half-truths in the last four years.
Mr. Oshiomhole said the minister has herself to blame as she ran the Excess Crude Account as a “one-man show”.
The governor said Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala’s recent outcry against oil marketers over falsification of fuel subsidy claims may have been out of in fear about the incoming President, Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is quite intriguing that with barely few days left in office, she has suddenly woken up from her slumber to realize that oil marketers have all along been falsifying subsidy claims and defrauding the nation of billions of naira and dollars,” the governor said.
He said the person best placed to explain the state of the country’s economy at the moment was Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala.
As a member of the National Economic Council, Mr. Oshiomhole said he had spoken out publicly at different times about the way the economy was managed by Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala.
He said the minister’s silence over the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) audit on the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation is “deafening”.
The audit revealed “massive abuse of public trust and stealing of our common patrimony in high places under her watch and the government she serves”, Mr. Oshiomhole said.
Criticising what he called “latter day policy activism” by the minister, Mr. Oshiomhole said apart from the subsidy regime, the minister must also come clean on some other critical issues that demand accountability from her.
“The question to ask is: how come that it is now, for the first time, that we are hearing from the Minister of Finance about fraudulent claims by the oil marketers amounting to billions of Naira? At what point did the Minister of Finance and CME realize that these fraudulent and similar claims are going on? When did it start? Is it just recently or it has been going on all along? These questions are pertinent because we know that if the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) were doing its work diligently, all claims by oil marketers would be vetted on a daily basis before their payments are processed by the Ministry of Finance. Hence, there should be no dispute about the amount due to oil marketers at any point in time.
“What the foregoing, therefore, suggests is that all along, PPPRA, the Ministry of Finance and the oil marketers have been involved in an unholy alliance, in the mismanagement of the fuel subsidy regime and in the process defrauding the nation of its revenues,” the governor said.
Mr. Oshiomhole said the Minister cannot stop at simply shedding “crocodile tears” about fraudulent claims by oil marketers, saying she should ensure full disclosure by giving the full details of subsidy payments to oil marketers in the last four years, including the parameters used to calculate the subsidies.
“The recent nationwide fuel and energy crisis, adjudged the worst in the economic history of Nigeria, is merely a reflection of the gross mismanagement of the economy which characterized Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s tenure since 2011,” he said.
Mr. Oshiomhole said state governments, who are joint owners of the Excess Crude Account, were not properly briefed on the status of the account, and challenged the minister to shed more light on the spending from the account.

Simon Lalong, Plateau Governor-elect Refuses To Move Into N15b Government House 

 

Governor-elect of Plateau state, Simon Lalong, Tuesday said he won’t be moving into the State’s government house. Explaining why he won’t be moving in, the governor elect said that other than the place being uncompleted, he does not need such luxury to serve the people.
His words in part: “I am not going to occupy an uncompleted building as a government house. In any case, I don’t need such a house to work for the people of Plateau State. In serving Plateau people, I don’t need a luxury office. I’d rather prefer people of the state live in luxury homes with all social services provided. So, I don’t think a new government house is a priority of Plateau people. I don’t need such an office to serve my people.”
“I was told that new government house has cost over N15 billion and it is still uncompleted. I can’t live in such an office when Plateau people have no water to drink, children are not going to school, civil servants are not paid, there is no medical care in rural areas and most villages have no roads. So, I don’t need such capital-intensive government house. Such a project amounts to a misapplication of scarce fund,” he said.

Top FIFA officials arrested in corruption case

Swiss authorities have confirmed the arrest of some top FIFA officials over corruption charges on the eve of fresh elections set to be conducted by the world football governing body.
While current President, Sepp Blatter, was not part of the six men picked up by the Swiss Police, Vice-president Jeffrey Webb from the Cayman Islands was arrested, according to the Press Association.
As reported by Sky Sports, authorities in Zurich launched an early morning operation to detain the officials on corruption charges amounting to as much as $100m, and extradite them to the United States.
It was reported that as much as a dozen plain-clothed Swiss police officers arrived unannounced at the Baur au Lac hotel where the officials were lodged.
The police officers took the room keys from the reception and headed to the room of the officials to effect the arrest. The New York Times said the operation was carried out peacefully.
The identity of some of those arrested has been given by the BBC to include Jeffrey Webb – head of the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Others are Costa Rica’s Eduardo Li, who was due to join Fifa’s executive committee on Friday, Uruguay’s Eugenio Figueredo, president of South American football governing body Conmebol and Brazil’s Jose Maria Marin, a member of Fifa’s club committee.
Presently, officials from 209-member nations including Nigeria are gathering in Zurich for the FIFA Congress where incumbent Blatter faces a challenge from Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein in a presidential election on Friday.
FIFA has overtime has been at the center of myriad of corruption accusations and this may prove to be the final straw that would break the multibillion dollar organization.

How Jonathan used EFCC to force Mu'azu's
resignation over N19.8bln fraud
Contrary to the health reason cited as basis for his
resignation as National Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu,
actually quit his job to avoid prosecution for corrupt
practices.
A source revealed, yesterday that the presidency
had perfected plans to make the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reopen
Mu'azu's file for prosecution before he suddenly
travelled abroad Mu'azu has a pending case with the
EFCC bordering on the alleged mismanagement of
public funds to the tune of N19.8 billion when he was
governor of Bauchi State between 1999 and 2007.
It was learnt that President Goodluck Jonathan
bowed to pressure from some of his aides to allow
EFCC prosecute Mu'azu following his resistance to
resign after he led the party to its first humiliating
defeat in 16 years.

Breaking NEWS
WE WILL NOT USE MARKETERS FOR PMS IMPORTATION
"...in the short run, we will not use the marketers for the PMS importation...we shall give all our local PMS needs that NNPC cannot refine to foreign firms to refine for us and pay them the cost of refining...we shall provide transport to ship crude to and from the foreign refineries and pay the cost of refining for us...I believe that will remove the subsidy fraud in the short run...when I give you 200,000bpd to refine, you must give me the equivalent outputs that it will bring in kerosene, PMS, Diesel etc... ...But in the long run, we shall encourage local refineries..."

Nigerian Breaking News
We lied, there was nothing like SURE-P fund –Gov. Aliyu
Barely three days to the end of his tenure, the Governor of Niger State, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, on Tuesday said Nigerians were deceived that there was a special fund for SURE-P by the government.

Aliyu said the money deployed for SURE-P was from the normal allocation from the federal allocation to states.
He said also fuel subsidy was the main form of corruption in the country, adding that the total removal of subsidy from petroleum products by the Federal Government is the only solution.
The outgoing governor made this disclosure in Minna at the inauguration of a N620 million three-star hotel constructed jointly by the Niger State Development Company Limited and the state’s SURE-P

Jonathan to Buhari: If you must probe, start from 1960.

Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has advised the incoming president, Muhammadu Buhari, not to single his administration out for probe.
He said if Mr. Buhari must investigate him and his administration, he should do the same for the past governments.
A probe centred only on the Jonathan administration will amount to a “witch hunt”, the president said Wednesday at a valedictory cabinet meeting attended by ministers ahead of his handing over to Mr. Buhari on Friday.
Mr. Jonathan said his comments followed calls from different quarters for his administration to be investigated.
“Some people are even calling for the probe of the government, but I think in Nigeria, there are a lot of many things that will be probed, very many things, even debts owed by states and debts owed by this country from 1960 up to this time.
“They say it is Jonathan’s administration that is owing these debts. I believe that anybody that is calling for probe must also ensure that this probe is extended beyond the Jonathan administration.
“Otherwise, to me, it will be witch-hunt. If we are very sincere, it is not only the Jonathan administration that should be probed,” he said.
He said his government has had to operate under the harshest of conditions, some of which were politically motivated.
Mr. Jonathan attributed the just abating fuel scarcity and the strike action by the oil union to sabotage.
He noted that as a cabinet, all ministers had done their best despite the challenges faced during their tenure.
Noting that Nigeria has twice sat on the Security Council during the life of the outgoing administration, the president said it was obvious that the rest of the world appreciated the little contribution of Nigeria under his leadership.

Labaran Maku

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2015 elections in Nasarawa State, Mr Labaran Maku has said that Gov. Tanko Almakura’s occupation of the Nasarawa State Governor’s office beyond May 28 will constitute an illegality.

Maku, who said this while addressing a news conference at his Abuja Apo residence, insisted that the governor did not win the April 11 governorship election in Nasarawa State.
According to Maku, "I clearly won the April 11 election and this has been affirmed by the actions of the people of Nasarawa State who have remained in a mourning mood since the manipulated results were declared.
``I have called this press conference to say that, as far as am concerned, as far as the people of Nasarawa State are concerned, as far as God Almighty who giveth power is concerned, Gov. Almakura’s tenure expires midnight of Thursday May 28, 2015.
``His tenure will expire in the hearts of the Nasarawa people, before God and in the minds of all those who believe in the tenets of genuine democracy, so anything done by the governor crossing into May 29will be illegal.
``It is important to state clearly that as far as what took place on April 11, 2015 was concerned, Almakura ceases to be governor by midnight of May 28, 2015,’’ Maku said.
He called on Gov. Almakura not to take the oath of office as the governor-elect in respect of the wishes of the people of the state whom he said voted overwhelmingly against at the polls.
According to Maku, it is hoped that Almakura will hear the clarion call of the people and of God and not step into office on May 29 on account of his defeat at the polls.
Maku explained that his victory in the governorship elections of April 11 in Nasarawa State was purely on merit, noting that Gov. Almakura had performed poorly and was no longer wanted by his people.
He said the people of the state saw his candidature as the change that was being awaited and had voted overwhelmingly for him on April 11.
Maku said he would pursue his stolen mandate to a logical conclusion, but stressed that the governor should not present himself for the swearing in ceremony.
Maku wondered why the precedence set by President Jonathan in the 2015 elections was not being replicated in some of the states where the incumbents clearly lost the elections.
``In 2011, Gov. Almakura defeated an incumbent who had all the resources and power and the federal might to have manipulated the outcome but that was not done, the incumbent left office.
``Today, a sitting President lost, congratulated his opponent and will be vacating the office in respect for democracy and the wishes of Nigerians.
``Why is it that some people in Nasarawa State are insisting on a stolen mandate and this clearly contradicts the atmosphere that Jonathan has created at the Federal level, the idea that an incumbent must always win is condemnable and am fighting this on principles.’’
Maku called on the Nigeria media to re-echo the need for the entrenchment of democratic tenets in the country.
He called on the incoming members of the legislature to push for robust reforms in the nation’s electoral system.
According to Maku, there is no reason why anybody who did not win an election should be sworn in before the disputes are resolved at the tribunals.
``This has happened before in this country in 1979 during the second republic under the 1979 constitution, it was done and everybody was satisfied.
``It is also done in other parts of the world, election disputes must be settled before the winner is sworn in, this will end the trend where people with stolen mandates use state resources to protect stolen seats for sometimes more than one year,’’ he said.
Zakari Edego
Director Publicity
Maku Campaign Organsation

President-elect considers only 19 ministries

*The Guardian
AS part of measures to reduce the cost of governance, the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari may retain only 19 ministries from the present 31.
Consequently, most of the candidates being considered for the federal executive council (FEC) will end up as ministers of state, after all.
Besides, the president-elect is said to be considering the feasibility of announcing his Chief of Staff, Principal Secretary and a handful of Special Advisers before Friday so that there can be some semi-official interface between the outgoing government and the incoming one in the context of handing over of tangible assets in the State House.
The Guardian was told last night that there is one mind in all policy advisory committee members that the number of the ministries should be pruned to about twenty as part of over-all strategy to reduce high cost of governance in Abuja.
It was learned that the cost-of-governance-reduction strategy is not by intuition or a flash in the pan as various advisory committees of the new governing Party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) have been considering the new deal for some time.
Besides, The Guardian confirmed that President-elect, Buhari, is fully persuaded too that he would not be able to deliver on promises without shedding the weight of the federal bureaucracy and indeed the number of ministries and agencies of government that consume the more than 70 per cent of the federal budget through the recurrent expenditure instrument.
The Guardian was told too that the Stephen Oronsaye’s report of 2012, a comprehensive blueprint on the fundamentals of reduction of cost of governance has become handy for the technocrats crafting working papers for the in-coming administration.
It was gathered too that the former Head of Service, Oronsaye, has been consulted on the report details that the outgoing administration has failed to implement.
Specifically, Ahmed Joda, chairman of the transition committee of the APC has collected a copy of the Oronsaye panel report from the former Principal Secretary/Permanent Secretary State House, (Oronsaye) himself. The former Permanent Secretary, Finance confirmed the development on telephone last night.
In the same vein, a retired federal permanent secretary, who was pioneer director-general the federal government’s reform bureau, has just completed a book in which a cost-of-governance reduction strategy too is a major chapter. Specifically, the book on the expediency of radical reform of the civil service recommends 18 ministries, among other features that the advisers of the APC and the president-elect are said to have adopted. The book, which will be publicly presented in June this year is said to have raised some dust on so many other issues including the tenure policy that Oronsaye’s regime as head of service adopted; the office of the First Lady and even the controversial designation of “Coordinating Minister for the Economy”.
The Guardian was told that the author of the book on reform too has spoken to the Joda Committee on the policy thrust of the administration, which is likely to touch on the quality
Federal bureaucracy.
Meanwhile, The Guardian gathered from well-placed sources close to the president elect’s men that the expediency of getting some vital information pieces from the outgoing president’s men may compel him to name a few personal aides ahead of inauguration

PDP chieftain advises Buhari to talk less and focus on delivering on campaign promises

A PDP chieftain in Delta State, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has told President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari to talk less and focus more on how he would fulfil the various campaign promises he made to Nigerians. Onuesoke gave the advise while addressing journalists in Asaba, Delta State.
He said he remembers vividly how Buhari during his presidential campaign promised to fight corruption, reposition the economy, provide jobs, reduce fuel price to N45.00 per liter, pay N5,000 per month to every unemployed youth, generate 48,000 megawatts of electricity within 4 years and stabilize oil price among others. “It was Buhari’s lofty promises that made Nigerians vote for him in the election,” he said, adding that as such, Nigerians are expecting a lot from him. “Why should Nigerians not expect miracles from Buhari after all that he promised? “Buhari and his APC should immediately after the swearing in start serious work,” Onuesoke said.

Tinubu’s libel suit: AIT lists witnesses, claims it didn’t libel politician

 

Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communication Plc, and seven seven others have been listed as witnesses to testify in a N150 billion libel suit filed against African Independent Television, AIT, by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Others listed to testify against Tinubu are:  Namure Joy Edoimioya, Chief Medan Tenke, Ajibola Adewusi, Olumide Idowu, Chief Stanley Odidi, Engr. Nwabueze and Dr. Stanley Bassey.

Tinubu had approached an Ikeja High court praying it to declare that the AIT has libel him for allegedly peddling false accusations about his personality in the documentary titled “Lion of Bourdilion” relayed in the broadcasting house.

According to him, the documentary was politically sponsored to tarnish his reputation in the eyes of the populace.

He therefore demanded a sum of N150 billion as damages against AIT and its owners.

The presiding judge, Justice Iyabo Akinkugbe had on April 1 granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the AIT from further airing the documentary, pending the determination of the libel suit.

In a statement of defence and counter-claim filed by AIT yesterday, the defendants denied Tinubu’s allegation as contained in his amended statement  of claim.

AIT averred that Tinubu’s claims were based on non existent ground and it lacked any cause of action because contrary to his (Tinubu) claim, the documentary aired by its media outfit is not titled “The Lion of Bourdilon”, but “Unmasking the Real Tinubu

JONATHAN-LED ADMINISTRATION INCURRED JUST $18.1BN DEBT - OKONJO IWEALA.
HERE'S THE BREAKDOWN- NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA

1) Nigeria’s total debt indeed stands at $63.7 billion but it is the totality of all the debts incurred by successive governments since 1960.
2) “No $60 billion was accumulated under the Jonathan administration,”
3) “Current debt stock includes both federal and state governments debts made up of $9.7 billion external debt or 15 per cent of total debt stock and $54 billion or 85 per cent domestic debt stock.
4) “Nigeria is still repaying the multilateral loans it collected on concessionary terms with as long as 40 years maturity periods.”
5) The breakdown of the accumulated domestic stock is $18.575 billion outstanding by 2007, $17.3 billion accumulated between 2008 and 2011 and $18 billion accumulated between 2012 and 2015. “This is so because of something that happened in 2010 because of the salary increment under Yar’Adua administration which increased civil servants salaries by 53 per cent.
6) “Those bonds have been rolled over and government had to weather the difficulties because resources to fund such increase were not there,” she said. She described Nigeria’s debt to GDP ratio as one of the lowest in the world.
7) On the domestic debt stock, she said 20 per cent is owed by state governments with Lagos state having an external debt burden of N1.169 trillion while the balance of 80 per cent belongs to the federal government.

Reviewing her tenure, Okonjo-Iweala said she has no regrets in serving the country and declared that anyone called upon to serve Nigeria should consider it a privilege.
“Some people criticize from afar but some came home in spite of challenges to serve,” she said.
She faulted suggestions that the economy was mismanaged, saying:
“The economy is reacting to the forces of demand and supply but there is hope for the country. Only that people will have to make sacrifices.

P

FOCUS ON MY ACHIEVEMENTS, LEAVE THE HUGE DEBTS

Governor of Lagos state, Babatunde Fashola has called on Lagosians to excuse the huge debt he’s leaving behind and instead focus on the achievements of his administration, during the past eight years.

Fashola made the comment during an interview session with Punch newspaper, when asked about the N418bn debt his administration is leaving behind.

He said, ”I have answered this question many times and it seems people just dwell on debt, but in the context of debt, let us look at the assets too. I am leaving behind hundreds of kilometres of roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, courtrooms, social services, skill centres, streetlights and traffic lights.”

Governor Fashola added that “I am leaving behind also people who now have jobs, who did not have jobs seven years ago. I am leaving behind a stronger security force; a stronger LASTMA, a stronger KAI. That is where the money went. I am leaving behind a rail system. I am leaving behind so many assets for the continuity of life. I am also leaving behind a bigger workforce – a better equipped workforce. I think we should talk less about debt and more about development.”

He spoke on the potentials of the state generating revenue to cater for its expenditures as well ”Lagos State Government still has to continue to raise more money and this takes me to the Internally Generated Revenue that you are talking about. The IGR – standing on its own – is averagely N20 billion. Let us do the math. Some months it is more than that, some months it drops. The monthly allocation from the Federation Account is averagely N10 billion; sometimes it goes up to N11 billion, sometimes it drops to N9 billion. Let us use an average of N10 billion, even though in the last few months it dropped to six and half (N6.5 billion). If we have averagely N30 billion, do the math, divide it by 21 million people. You will get one thousand four hundred and something naira per person in Lagos. It is easy then to say let us collect the IGR you think is big but you are seeing the IGR alone and not seeing the responsibilities.

”Our population has also grown by forced migration in terms of the Internally Displaced Persons across Nigeria. I just sent a team to somewhere in Apapa where there are people displaced from the North-East of Nigeria in camps. We have to go and intervene; we cannot leave them there without help.

“The sanitary condition there is horrendous. If we want a government that only deals with what is available, then every month is the government going to tell everybody, ‘go and take your N1,400; go and build your roads, go and build your schools, go and build your hospitals, manage your security?’ But we have to be futuristic, we have to think ahead. The IGR that you also talked about does not come as N20 billion to us. It comes when somebody pays N1 million for land today, somebody pays for his vehicle registration tomorrow, and somebody pays his ground (land) rent. It is because we are accountable that we always announce at the end of the month, ‘this is what we got.’ If we wait for 30 days for the money to accrue, it means we won’t do any work.

”People should understand that we won’t do any work because the money has not accrued. What do we do? We borrow against it. The banks which we collect it from know that we will pay because the money (IGR) comes through them. So, we take a loan. But we don’t borrow to pay salaries; we don’t borrow for recurrent expenditure, we borrow for capital investments.

“I cannot go and tell the person who is waiting to take his child to the hospital and there is no hospital space; that they should ‘wait, I am waiting to collect money.’ If I give you the contract to build a hospital, I cannot tell you ‘take one naira today, I am waiting for two naira tomorrow.’ It is not a way to plan construction. You must gather your building materials and you must move men to the site. We borrow from the banks. When the monies come, the banks deduct them.”

”The borrowing you are even talking about, measure it against the assets. We took N275bn bond over eight years. The first thing we had to do was to repay the old bond of N15 billion because the Lagos State Government drew N15 billion out of the N25 billion bond. We had to repay that so that we could take the full benefit of what we were planning to do, which was going to be issued in series. And we did all these in public.

Fashola went ahead to justify the spending “What did we use these monies to finance? We used them to finance infrastructure. As the monthly IGR is coming, we are returning 15 per cent of the IGR into a consolidated debt service account. We can’t touch it. Take out 15 per cent of N20bn. We have over a N100 billion in that account to pay the debts. Those who are saying we owe, the system for paying bond is secured. We just paid the second bond, which was the first that I took. We paid it last year. The next bond will be due in 2017 and it is about N60 billion or N70 billion but we have N100 billion in the account. In any event, we have over-secured our liabilities as far as the bonds are concerned. As far as the local short-term loans from banks are concerned, we were able to pay.

”If we don’t want a life of debt, then Lagosians must agree that we reduce our budget to what we earn. We have a budget of about N489 billion. Let us use our IGR as an example: N30 billion multiplied by 12 months is N360 billion. We are already in a hole of about N119bn. If Lagosians want us to reduce it, then will Lagosians agree to stop demanding more services? Certainly, no! Thus, this is the context. And when you look at the countries we aspire to be like: America owes $16 trillion – they owe the whole world – but they have the best space ships, aircraft and army, and they can decide what our military does with the debt they owe the world.

5 Reasons Why Wike Cannot Dissolve The Newly Elected LG Chairmen In Rivers State by NgeneUkwenu

These are the reasons why Wike will not dare to dissolve the newly elected LG Chairmen without going through the tedious route of the Judiciary.
1. Rule Of Law: Barring any unforeseen circumstances, May 29th will mark a Turning point in Nigeria's nascent democracy, when the amiable and people general Muhammadu Buhari will return to power the second time. Buhari known for his strict adherence to Rule of Law will not condone any act of brigandage from Nyesom Wike or any of his lieutenants, and wike will not like to dare him either. Whatever it is wike feels about the election should be channeled through the court just like Peterside Dakuku, his main rival in April 11 election was advised to do.

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The Police and Lawful Order: Just like the first point above, No commissioner of police Under the government of Buhari Post May, will be willing to carry out any unlawful order that is contrary to the Rule Of Law. So Wike's hope of using the police or the military to effect the removal of the LG Chairmen will collapse on his head.
Tinubu's Treatment: Should Wike goes ahead to square up with Buhari's commitment to the Rule of Law by unilaterally dissolving or removing the Local Chairmen, I am sorry, Wik e will have to make to do with State's allocation to fund the local governments, as the statutory allocation for the LG will be kept in a special account pending when normalcy and legitimacy returns to the LG.
Absence Of Jonathan and His Wife: Wike may have been used to the life, where he gets everything arranged, fixed and cornered for him, owing to the impunity in governance of his "Jesus of Okrika" and her husband are noted for. This time around, he will have adjust to a new life, where his supposedly enemy, the Lion of Ubima, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi will be fully and firmly in charge of the "home affairs". So no cover for the "Wicked" here!
The Law Of Karma: In a saner Clime, person like Wike would have been cooling in himself in one of the dilapidated prisons dotting our land, pending when the State DPP finish preparing his murder charges. But hell no! This is a Nigeria of PDP, where murderers, Drug Peddlers, thieves and ex Convicts are rewarded with public posts to keep them afloat. Or how else could one best describe a situation, where someone who has been universally adjudged to have benefited from the worst electoral process in Nigeria, in which more than 94 Nigerians were alleged to have been killed, coming out to say he was not going to accept a mere LG election, because his party was defeated or he was not allowed to make use of the State machineries?
Consequently, with above points in mind, there is no way, Wike should unilaterally contemplate of dissolving the newly constituted LG authorities without recourse to the Rule Of Law by going to the court to seek redress.
Article written by Miss NgeneUkwenu:

House of Reps’ Speakership: Tambuwal’s associates propose Gbajabiamila, Dogara joint ticket

Adebayo Hassan

SPEAKER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AMINU TAMBUWAL

Some ranking members of the House of Representatives, who belong to the camp of the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, have decided to fashion out a strategy to ensure stability of the camp and retain their position in the in-coming 8th Assembly, a reliable source close to Mr. Tambuwal told PREMIUM TIMES.
According to the source, two leading legislators eyeing the position of the speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila and Yaqub Dogara, belong to Mr. Tambuwal’s camp. This reality has made supporting one of them impossible for Mr. Tambuwal or any of the “leaders” of his camp.
These leaders are therefore proposing a joint ticket of Messrs Gbajabiamila and Dogara.
“Let me tell you the position of things,” the source said. “Some leaders in the camp have intervened and are now proposing a joint ticket of Dogara and Gbajabiamila. The issue now is: who becomes the speaker and who becomes deputy speaker?
“Whichever way, it is promotion for both of them. Dogara is a floor member; if he becomes speaker or deputy, it is promotion. Also, should Gbajabiamila emerge speaker or deputy speaker, it is also promotion. That is what the leaders in the camp are proposing.”
The source said Mr. Tambuwal, who is now the Sokoto State Governor-elect is playing a neutral role between Messrs Gbajabiamila and Dogara since both legislators are from his camp.
“Tambuwal has therefore decided not to support any of them, especially since he is not voting on that day,” the source said. “Tambuwal cannot support any of them or impose anybody. You know he himself is a product of rebellion and independent legislature. So, count him out of imposition.”
However, the speaker-ship campaign organisation of Femi Gbajabiamila has expressed confidence that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal is “strongly” in support of Mr. Gbajabiamila’s ambition to lead the coming 8th Assembly due for inauguration on June 5.
The organisation, in a statement signed by its chairman, James Faleke, Monday, debunked claims made by a major supporter of Mr. Gbajabiamila, Aliyu Madaki, that Mr. Tambuwal was supporting Yaqub Dogara, Bauchi State, to succeed him.
The purported support by Mr. Tambuwal for Mr. Dogara is suspicious and rooted in “selfish interest”, Mr. Madaki had said Sunday.
However, Mr. Gbajabiamila’s campaign organisation disputed the claim.
“The attention of Femi Gbajabiamila Speakership Campaign Organisation has been drawn to a statement purportedly made by one of our honourable members to the effect that the incumbent Speaker, Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal is supporting another candidate other than Femi Gbajabiamila,” Mr. Faleke said.
“We hereby state categorically that in a democracy every member is entitled to their own opinion, however, as a secretariat we are of the strong opinion that Rt. Hon Aminu Tambuwal is purely interested in bequeathing a strong legacy in the House of Representatives, which our candidate, Femi Gbajabiamila represents.
“I can therefore confirm that Rt.Hon Aminu Tambuwal is strongly in support of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as Speaker of the 8th House of Representatives.”
Another supporter of Mr. Gbabiamila, Rufai Madaki, Kaduna State, had said he did not believe Mr. Tambuwal was supporting Mr. Dogara who currently heads the Committee on House Services.

http://www.niagrawatch.blogspot.com/2015/05/house-of-reps-speakership-tambuwals.htm

IMO PDP WIELDS THE BIG STICK

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Imo State, has expelled Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Araraume and 19 others from the party. Those affected in the expulsion included two other governorship aspirants in the persons of Jerry Chukwueke and Humphrey Anumudu.
Others were Gibson Achonwa, C. Y Amako, Charles Amadi, Kingsley Onunuju, Ethelbert Okere, Jones Uzoka, Nkem Nwankwo, Independence Ogunewe, Nnamdi Obiaraeri, Bethel Nzimako, Celestine Uwakwe, J.C.N. Harcourt, Sunny Heart Ibe, Aznubuike Ekwegh, Jeph Ojinaka, J. I. J. Njoku and Stan Nzekwe.

A statement issued in Owerri, yesterday, said that after an executive committee meeting of the party on May 4, 2015, attended by the chairman of the party in the state, Barr. Nnamdi Anyaehie, deputy chairman, Gen. S.Nlemchukwu Chikwe, and 49 others, the people were expelled from the party for alleged gross anti-party activities during the recent governorship election in Imo State.
The statement said that the 20 expelled leaders worked against the interest of the party in the just concluded general elections, a situation that confirmed their involvement in gross anti-party activities.
___________________________

PDP APPOINTS EX-MINISTER, HALIRU MOHAMMED, ACTING CHAIRMAN
• Jonathan declines BoT Chairmanship Position
The Board of Trustees of Nigeria’s ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has appointed a former acting national Chairman of the party, and ex-defence minister, Haliru Mohammed, as its acting Chairman.
However, President Goodluck Jonathan rejected the position of the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting held at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, the board’s secretary, Senator Wali Jibrin, said Jonathan declined the offer.
Mr. Mohammed’s nomination was endorsed Monday night by the PDP’s BoT at a meeting at the Aso Rock presidential villa, Abuja.
Mr. Mohammed emerged against widespread belief that President Goodluck Jonathan would be assuming the position as he leaves office Friday.
Outgone Chairman of the BOT, Tony Anenih, had, while resigning last week, said he was vacating the office to allow Mr. Jonathan to assume the post.
A former Customs officer, Mr. Mohammed served as a Commissioner, Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission in 1999, and later as Minister of Communication in 2001 under the Olusegun Obasanjo government.
He later became the National Vice Chairman of the PDP, North West Zone. In March 2008, he became the Deputy National Chairman of the Party and Acting National Chairman in 2010.
Mr. Mohammed was appointed defence minister by President Goodluck Jonathan between 2011 and 2012.
Lately, he was appointed by Mr. Jonathan to oversee his declaration for re-election.
Later her told journalists that his preoccupation would be to reposition the party in a manner that it would remain the largest in Africa.

Tragic man hangs himself – 'because his penis was TOO BIG after enlargement op'

A TRAGIC man allegedly hung himself after a penis enlargement went wrong.

By Tom Parfitt / Published 26th May 2015

FRUITY: The man recently had penis enlargement surgery [GETTY FILE PICTURE]

The 45-year-old, known only as Suea, recently had an injection to increase the size of his manhood, according to reports.
But it's claimed his wife stopped sleeping with him after the surgery – because his penis was too big.
The well-hung man was found dead at work last week with bottles of alcohol by his side.
But his wife claimed Suea was an alcoholic and often hallucinated about "the people above".
Cops in Chiang Mai, Thailand allegedly ruled the case a suicide without determining the motive.

Economic mgt: No one is perfect, says Okonjo-Iweala - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/okonjo-iweala/#sthash.nI7ciBd5.dpuf

Economic mgt: No one is perfect, says Okonjo-Iweala - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/okonjo-iweala/#sthash.nI7ciBd5.dpuf

NO ONE IS PERFECT.

 

Her words: “The first thing we did to encourage young entrepreneurs was to introduce YouWin and we made a target of about 80,000 jobs both direct and indirect. This was an idea I got when I was at World Bank. “As of today, 3, 900 people have benefited from grants of between N1 million and N10 million, and they got it and they did not know anybody. We also gave grant to 1,200 women because women are good entrepreneurs. Today, 22,000 direct jobs have been created and also 88,000 indirect jobs.
“This is one of the programmes I hope the incoming administration will continue because it is a laudable programme and I think is something that will stay a little bit more. We were also able to place 32,000 youths under the Graduate Internship Scheme.”
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/okonjo-iweala/#sthash.nI7ciBd5.dpuf
Economic mgt: No one is perfect, says Okonjo-Iweala
By Gabriel Ewepu
ABUJA— Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said managing the Nigerian economy under the present administration might not be perfect but the government made good efforts to improve the lives of Nigerians. She spoke in Abuja, Sunday night, at a reception organised in her honour by Ndi-Igbo Youth Organisation in partnership with Voice of All Arewa Youth, in Abuja.

*Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The minister, who also received a certificate for meritorious service, said she will never regret serving the country under President Goodluck Jonathan despite the criticisms and attacks she has been receiving because, the lives of Nigerians, especially youths and women improved significantly under the Jonathan administration.
According to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, “the youths have been at the centre of the work done by this administration and these are facts on the ground. You cannot change facts but you can try to twist them and at the end of the day facts will come out. You cannot re-write history, and wake up and say these are things we have done or have not done. A lot of things have been accomplished to transform this economy.
“Is it 100 percent? No, and are we to do more? The answer is yes. Have we done everything perfectly? The answer is no and no one is ever perfect. But have we made very good effort to do? and the answer is a resounding yes. “The support for the various sectors that created jobs that needs to continue and programmes like YouWin, they need to continue and those that are not good by all means you can do away with them or make them better. “No one is perfect but let us build on what is there in order not to lose time on this economy.
Advises youths
“For the youths, don’t allow anyone to re-write history, don’t let anyone change the story because what has been done has been done well and let others who are coming in build on this. When they see they are good let them pick them up and build on them.” The minister noted that based on statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, the nation needed to create about 1.8 million jobs each year and that the administration put in place, various programmes towards achieving that goal.
Her words: “The first thing we did to encourage young entrepreneurs was to introduce YouWin and we made a target of about 80,000 jobs both direct and indirect. This was an idea I got when I was at World Bank. “As of today, 3, 900 people have benefited from grants of between N1 million and N10 million, and they got it and they did not know anybody. We also gave grant to 1,200 women because women are good entrepreneurs. Today, 22,000 direct jobs have been created and also 88,000 indirect jobs.
“This is one of the programmes I hope the incoming administration will continue because it is a laudable programme and I think is something that will stay a little bit more. We were also able to place 32,000 youths under the Graduate Internship Scheme.”

Economic mgt: No one is perfect, says Okonjo-Iweala

on May 26, 2015   /   in News 10:06 am   /   Comments

By Gabriel Ewepu
ABUJA— Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said managing the Nigerian economy under the present administration might not be perfect but the government made good efforts to improve the lives of Nigerians. She spoke in Abuja, Sunday night, at a reception organised in her honour by Ndi-Igbo Youth Organisation in partnership with Voice of All Arewa Youth, in Abuja.

*Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

The minister, who also received a certificate for meritorious service, said she will never regret serving the country under President Goodluck Jonathan despite the criticisms and attacks she has been receiving because, the lives of Nigerians, especially youths and women improved significantly under the Jonathan administration.
According to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, “the youths have been at the centre of the work done by this administration and these are facts on the ground. You cannot change facts but you can try to twist them and at the end of the day facts will come out. You cannot re-write history, and wake up and say these are things we have done or have not done. A lot of things have been accomplished to transform this economy.
“Is it 100 percent? No, and are we to do more? The answer is yes. Have we done everything perfectly? The answer is no and no one is ever perfect. But have we made very good effort to do? and the answer is a resounding yes. “The support for the various sectors that created jobs that needs to continue and programmes like YouWin, they need to continue and those that are not good by all means you can do away with them or make them better. “No one is perfect but let us build on what is there in order not to lose time on this economy.
Advises youths
“For the youths, don’t allow anyone to re-write history, don’t let anyone change the story because what has been done has been done well and let others who are coming in build on this. When they see they are good let them pick them up and build on them.” The minister noted that based on statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, the nation needed to create about 1.8 million jobs each year and that the administration put in place, various programmes towards achieving that goal.
Her words: “The first thing we did to encourage young entrepreneurs was to introduce YouWin and we made a target of about 80,000 jobs both direct and indirect. This was an idea I got when I was at World Bank. “As of today, 3, 900 people have benefited from grants of between N1 million and N10 million, and they got it and they did not know anybody. We also gave grant to 1,200 women because women are good entrepreneurs. Today, 22,000 direct jobs have been created and also 88,000 indirect jobs.
“This is one of the programmes I hope the incoming administration will continue because it is a laudable programme and I think is something that will stay a little bit more. We were also able to place 32,000 youths under the Graduate Internship Scheme.”

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/okonjo-iweala/#sthash.nI7ciBd5.dpuf

BICKERING MUST STOP
Elections are over, bickering must stop. It is time to unite our country. Those that predicted doom for Nigeria were disappointed as we are stronger now. I pray opposition leaders will come together to further unite the country. I wish the opposition at state and federal levels will attend the inauguration of the winners. Let's put politics aside while working for our people. The voice of the people must guide government actions at all times. - Sultan of Sokoto

8 people reached

Dickson Ndukwe-agbai (nigerian) Best Doctorate Student In UK University

A Nigerian, Dickson Ndukwe Agbai has emerged the best doctorate student with the highest grade from the Newcastle University, England.
Dickson, a native of Ugwueke Community in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State was adjudged the best for the award of the doctorate degree following his outstanding thesis on: ‘Analysis of Biofuel Potential in Nigeria.’

A joint report of examiners endorsed by Dr. Paul Wilson of University of Nottingham and Dr. P. J. Dawson of Newcastle University testifying to Dickson’s outstanding performance reads: ‘That the candidate be admitted immediately to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.’ This is the very best and the topmost Ph.D viva/thesis examination grade based on the university’s grading system.”
The report further reads: “This thesis examines the potential of biofuel production in Nigerian using programming methods. Various scenarios are estimated and appropriate policy recommendations follow. It is an interesting and worthy piece of research which tackles a problem that is highly relevant to the Nigerian Government. The method of analysis is appropriate and while not novel, the application is. The thesis is well-written and well-presented, and its structure is appropriate. It is of doctoral standard.”
Continuing he said: “During the oral examination of about two hours, the candidate defended the thesis well. He demonstrated a thorough understanding of his work and he can place his research in the wider context of the literature. “He understands and appreciates the advantages and disadvantages of the alternative methods and provided a convincing argument for that chosen. The policy recommendations, which should be helpful to the Nigerian Government in its development of a biofuel policy, follow from the results and the candidate understands their implications.”
Dickson’s academic feat has also not gone unnoticed back home. A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Eco Empowerment & Sensitization Initiative (ECO-ESI), Aba, Abia State has also commended him for bringing honour to Nigeria.
A statement signed Dr. Bari Brown Malachi Elisha, secretary to ECO-ESI, noted that Dr. Agbai had through his academic feat ‘placed the Nigerian flag at the pinnacle of academic excellence in a highly-competitive global stage.’
The NGO expressed its profound gratitude to the Federal Government and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) for their financial sponsorship and support to Dr. Dickson Ndukwe Agbai and other Nigerian scholars during their programmes.

RITUALIST TRIED TO KIDNAP A FARMER IN OGUN

According to the eyewitness, it was a terrible experience this morning at my farm located at Odoyanta, Ijebu Ode. I just finished feeding the fish, so on my way back I heard a loud noise and the noise was coming from the father of the boy working for me although the man speaks in Igbo language.

I had to ask the boy working for me to translate what his father said.

He told me that his father said there are ritualist in the bush that they’ve taken someone from a fish farm nearby. That we should come out on time.

It happened that the ritualist tried to kidnap a fish farmer. They have succeeded in beating and chaining him like a dog. It was while the incident was going on that someone in the bush saw them and quickly ran back to town to alert guys in the community. They were able to arrest two out of the three ritualists and the last one escape.

The woman who is iyalode in the town was behind the operation Here are the pictures: pic 1 and 2 are the kidnappers, pic 3 is the iyalode of the town and pic 4 is the guy they were trying to kidnap and use for rituals.

PDP says Buhari was almost stranded in UK, blasts him for shunning handover events

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says it views with disappointment the alleged snub by the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the handover programme lined up by the Federal Government to transmit power to him by Friday, May 29, 2015.
The PDP said such behavior was a measure of lack of democratic discipline.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement on Sunday said the President-elect owed Nigerians explanations on why he snubbed the prayer sessions scheduled for Friday and Sunday for Muslims and Christians respectively, to usher in four years of his in-coming administration as well as the embarrassing protocol gaffe and low-down treatment that characterized his visit to British Prime Minister David Cameron last Saturday.
The PDP said it was disgraceful that due to poor coordination and crass ineptitude in the handling of issues, the President-elect was left almost stranded while waiting for about thirty minutes before he was received by the British leader and wondered if such was a foretaste of the muddling to be experienced under the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s administration.
Metuh noted: “Nigerians, as citizens of a sovereign nation were thoroughly embarrassed when they saw their President-elect cheapened and kept waiting at the door of 10 Downing Street to see the British Prime Minister due to shoddy arrangements by his handlers.
“Indeed, they are becoming increasingly worried about the frightening unpreparedness of the APC for governance and the huge embarrassments they have been attracting to our nation. We know that the APC has been lying over issues. We also know that the APC and the President-elect have been flip-flopping and reneging on their campaign promises; but to embarrass the nation by embarking on such a sensitive visit without adequate preparations is shameful and completely unacceptable.
“We share the fear of well-meaning Nigerians on how a party which cannot adequately handle a simple task of organizing a diplomatic outing will effectively administer a country as complex as Nigeria.
“The APC has continued to give signals that it lacks capacity to face the challenges of governance. Such has been evidenced in the uneasiness of the President-elect who in apparent loss of confidence in himself has started reneging on his promises of quick fixes while confessing in a meeting with APC governors-elect on May 5, 2015 that he has ‘started nervously to explain to people that Rome was not built in a day’.
“Instead of settling down for governance and working out how to fulfill its promises of making the naira the same in value with the dollar, paying N5, 000, 000 monthly to 25 million poor Nigerians, providing electricity on 24/7 basis, providing free meals for school children and allowances for discharged but unemployed youth corps members among others, the APC is busy inventing excuses for failure and blaming everyone else but themselves. We hope they will not blame the PDP for their Saturday’s embarrassing outing at 10 Downing Street”.
“Furthermore, we find it curious and more than a co-incidence that the nation is experiencing an acute shortage of fuel and electricity supply at this point in time, when such has not been the case under the current PDP-led administration. We ask, are there some forces sabotaging the system to create an impression that the APC is inheriting poor infrastructure and complete system breakdown?
“Is this also part of the larger plot to embarrass and defame the PDP-led administration in an attempt to justify APC’s excuses for failure”, the PDP probed.
The party insisted that despite the challenges of insecurity and global economic recession that negatively affected many other nations, its administration had in the last 16 years worked very hard in repositioning critical sectors of the polity and laying strong infrastructure backbone that that any prepared and result oriented in-coming administration can comfortably leverage on.
PDP, therefore, asked the APC to get ready to apply its much-mouthed manifesto or be bold to apologize to Nigerians for presenting false messianic posture and making false promises to them.