"Buhari’s Ministers Are Unhappy" - Bishop Kukah

Matthew Kukah, bishop of Sokoto diocese of the Catholic Church, says President Muhammadu Buhari and some of his ministers are not happy.
Kukah said this in an interview with Abang Mercy , a social media expert.

The cleric said those currently in charge of this nation did not envisage that things would take this turn.

There has been an outcry of hardship among some Nigerians.
“We must get our people to a point in which they appreciate when the value of their life is
depreciating. And that is what is happening to us now,” he said.

“In most part of northern Nigeria for example where children are stunting, when those children turn 30, 40 and they become part of your workforce, their capacity to interpret data, grasp the urgency of development is severely constrained.

“For me, these are some of the issues and that is why I say Buhari himself is not happy… except a few ministers, but even the ministers themselves are unhappy because they didn’t imagine that they would be going through the difficulty that they are going through.

“If I ask you to point at one department of government that is so upbeat about what people have achieved, I think it will be hard to find out any.”

Kukah said some of the president’s “new friends” in the All Progressives Congress (APC) were those he sent to jail while serving as the military head of state in 1984.

He said it was worrisome that the president has not changed the approach he used to fight corruption during his military regime.

Kukah added that the Nigerian leader was not brought into power by angels.

“I have known Buhari for a while but I don’t want to claim I am close to him but he is a man I have tremendous respect for,” Kukah said.





“My worry is that President Buhari thought and probably still thinks corruption is stealing money, and the people stealing money are largely bureaucrats or government officials, which was what happened in 1984.

“Buhari simply went around and arrested all the people who were holding government offices.

The only thing we feel very sad about Nigeria is our collective amnesia. There are people who are key kingpins in APC today who were sentenced to various years of imprisonment by Buhari in 1984, some up to 100 years.

“But since this is Nigeria, many of them have finished serving their 100-year jail term. They have come back, joined APC and are active members of the party.

“Buhari was not brought into power by angels. We know the nature of the vehicle that would bring anybody to the presidency of Nigeria.”

Although the cleric said he was not in the position to access the Buhari administration, he maintained that the president still had the time to make right his wrongs.

“I am not the one to measure Buhari’s competence. It will take us four years to decide if Buhari is the man for the job or not. Or we have the national assembly; if they are serious and up to their job, they can stop an incompetent president mid-way,” he said.

“Buhari is going to be president for four years. We are just gone past the first half. And like the game of soccer, until the final whistle is blown, you can’t say who has won.

“It is quite conceivable that he might probably do something quite spectacular. For example, he is going to the south-east, which I think is quite unfortunate because it came so many years too late.

“But notwithstanding that, I think with a certain kind of smartness, and if the president has the ability to look back and say what could we have done differently, and if he can take his attention away from some of the hypocrites around him, I think Buhari is free to step forward and say he wants to run for the 2019 election.”

Source: thecable.ng

"APC Promised 3m New Jobs But Lost 3m Jobs" - Atiku Tu APC At PDP Convention

Former vice-president Atiku Abubakar says the All Progressives Congress (APC) promised to fight corruption but instead has delivered a war on the opposition.

Atiku said this on Saturday at the PDP’s national elective convention at Eagle square Abuja.

The former vice-president said under current APC administration, the country is not working and the people are jobless.
He said the PDP has a lot to be proud of as in the last 16 years, Nigeria prospered and was recognised as the largest economy in Africa.

“Under the APC Nigeria is not working, under the APC our people are not working. Let us consider what the APC has achieved versus what they promised in the last election. The APC promised us N3 million new jobs a year, in government the APC has lost N3 million jobs a year,” Atiku said.

“The APC promised us unity, under APC Nigeria is more divided and acrimonious since the civil war. The APC promised us restructuring, in office the APC denied restructuring. The APC promised war on corruption but all they have delivered is a war on the opposition.

“Comparing the APC in government and the record of the PDP in government, we in the PDP achieved a 10-year expectancy of our people. We the PDP helped Nigeria become the largest in Africa. As members of the PDP we all have a lot to be proud of. in the 16 years that we governed we made Nigeria prosperous. We made mistakes, we are human beings but we put our nation first.

“We now have an APC government which continues to blame the previous governments rather than solving the problems. The PDP is the party that will restructure Nigeria into a modern nation with working institutions.”

Gbenga Daniel, three others withdraw from PDP chairmanship race

Chief Gbenga Daniel, a former Governor of Ogun and an aspirant to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairmanship position has stepped down from the race.

Daniel at the convention ground on Saturday in Abuja, said he was withdrawing from the race to ensure peace and unity in the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jimi Agbaji and Dr Aderemi Olusegun had also withdrew from the race.

It is expected that some others may also withdraw from the race.

Agbaje said he withdrew from the race to reduce the number of aspirants from the South-West in order to brighten their chances in the race.

The withdrawal of the three aspirants including Chief Olabode George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees brought the number of those who had withdrawn from the race to six.

George earlier withdrew from the race on Friday night, saying that the South-West was already cheated with the entrants of aspirants from the South-South.

George, who said he stood for the party`s micro-zoning principal which had been jettisoned, also said that the Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike abused the Yoruba people on national television.

According to him, Wike accused the Yoruba people that they have never contributed anything meaningful to the success of the PDP.

A statement George described as an insult.

He maintained that Wike must tender an unreserved apology to the Yoruba people for his utterances against the race.

He also alleged that the PDP chairmanship position had been sold to the highest bidder.

“It appears the PDP is bent on self-destruction. I can’t be part of this, the chairmanship position has been sold to the highest bidder,“ George stated while announcing his withdrawal from the race.


“It appears that PDP is bent on self destruction. It has lost its soul. I cannot be part of this criminal allegation, the PDP is now mangled.

“I hereby withdraw from the fraud. As a Yoruba patriot, I will stand for our people,’’ George said.

He added that he entered the race due to the micro zoning arrangement which he said had been trashed.

He, however, explained that he did not step down for anybody but for the process and on principle, adding that his measure of experience was too heavy.

Chief Raymond Dopeksi, a frontline aspirant in the race, however, said he would go through the process till the end and stand by its outcome.

Dokpesi advised the party`s leadership to evolve ways of financing it, rather than depending on some of its bigwigs.

This, he said was critical to avoid imposition of candidates by those who were seen to be financing the party and money politics.

Gov. Dickson Seriake of Bayelsa, however, said that George deserved to be treated with respect and dignity as a stalwart of the PDP and a man that had put in so much in the country`s development.

Seriake added that leaders of the party would do everything possible to ensure that aggrieved nerves were calmed.

In his remarks, a former Governor of Akwa Ibom, Sen. Godswill Akpabio said that the party stalwarts were prepared to support and work with whoever emerged as its chairman.

He assured that better days were ahead of the PDP and Nigerians generally.

Governor Umahi's Aide Arrested For Raping Facebook Friend (Photo)

The Ebonyi State Government has denied any incidence of alleged rape by the Technical Assistant to the Governor on the New Media, Mr. Francis Nwaze.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Emmanuel Uzor, said the government believed it was a case of blackmail, adding that it was only being celebrated by members of the opposition party.
Our correspondent had reported that Nwaze and an undergraduate of the Ebonyi State University, Esther Odinakachi, were friends on Facebook.

Odinakachi was said to have asked the Governor Umahi David’s aide for help to defect from the All
Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.

The suspect reportedly invited her to his office for a discussion.

After a brief meeting on the appointed day, Odinakachi asked to leave when it became dark.

When the social media friends met for another discussion the following day, Nwaze was alleged to have driven her to his house where the alleged rape occurred.


While the undergraduate student insisted that she was raped, the governor’s aide denied having any sexual contact with her, saying he was being blackmailed.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Odah Loveth, had on Thursday confirmed that the matter was being investigated at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.

However, on Sunday, the police spokesperson called our correspondent, saying she could not remember ever speaking with him.

She also noted that she had checked her call records and could not find any trace of our correspondent’s phone number to show they spoke.

“I have searched my phone and didn’t see any trace of speaking with anyone from Lagos to confirm a matter. The person (Nwaze) was just arrested yesterday (Saturday) and he is in custody as I am talking to you now. I wonder how I can confirm a matter before the arrest.

“The issue is that I have not been aware of that case. I called the Officer-in-Charge of SARS this morning (Sunday) and he told me that the guy was arrested yesterday for allegedly raping a girl; they even came to release him on bail, but they refused for now because a lot of people are interested,” she said.


Our correspondent sent a snapshot of his call history to her on a social media application, Whatsapp, to prove she spoke with PUNCH Metro.

The victim, Odinakachi, told our correspondent on Sunday that she led SARS operatives to Nwaze’s house where he was arrested.

She said, “He lied to you that he didn’t touch me. If he never touched me, how did I know his house? Even though the incident happened late in the night and I was helpless because of the reckless way he drove, I was able to identify the location. But I don’t know the address. He was arrested around 10pm. When he was arrested, he started making calls to the state governor to intimidate me.

“He thought he could take advantage of me because I am a student. His family members have been begging me, but I have refused to back down. I have a lot of evidence against him.”


She claimed that the result of a labouratory test conducted on her showed there was forceful penetration.

When our correspondent called back the state police spokesperson, Loveth, for a confirmation of the suspect’s arrest, which she had mentioned earlier, she said she could not confirm it.

The governor’s CPS, Uzor, said the government did not have any record of the case being reported to the law enforcement agencies.

He said, “There was no report of such an incident to the government or the security agencies. We read about it on Facebook and then The PUNCH. It was your paper that informed us. I am not aware that he was arrested by the police. I spoke with him yesterday (Saturday).

“This is a government that believes in human rights. If this (rape) truly happened, she should have explored the option of the office of Her Excellency, the wife of the state governor, to tell her story. The wife of the governor has been an advocate of such cases, whether sexual or otherwise. We also have the Ministry of Women Affairs and Youth Development.

“Personally, I believe if such a thing happened, the victim should have come to the government to let us know about it. As it stands now, I don’t have any case of rape. Whatever is happening in that case is shrouded in mystery. There is no proper channel to link the government with what is happening.

“When I first read it on Facebook, I called Nwaze to know what really happened. From what he said, it is a case of blackmail because of the way it is being celebrated. It is being celebrated by the opposition. So, I see it as one of the efforts to silence a voice that has been terrorising them. If he was arrested, I am not aware. If he raped anybody, I am not aware. And that is the position of the governor.”

When our correspondent called the suspect, Nwaze, his line indicated it had been switched off.

Source: Punch

My Defection To APC Is In The Best Interest Of Igbo- Says Ojukwu

First son of late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Mr. Emeka Ojukwu Jr. has reacted to the controversy trailing his recent defection to All Progressives Congress, APC, saying he was merely following his father’s steps.

Ojukwu, who spoke in Awka insisted that he would never return to the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the state, describing the alleged overtures being made to by Governor Willie Obiano to him to return to APGA as infantile, adding that it smacked of ignorance on the part of the governor about the workings of politics in Nigeria.


According to him, the action he took was in the best interest of Igbo, recalling how, shortly after his return from exile in 1982, his father joined the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), rather than the then Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) dominated by the Igbo.

He said: “I can afford to stay back in APGA and wallow in sentimental politics that ‘this is our own’, but in the long run, what becomes of our tomorrow and place in the greater Nigeria project, for which our forefathers laboured, invested their time, talent and even their blood?"

“Which is preferable: to be a big fish in a small pond or a big fish in the ocean? Real champions are never afraid of the big league. That could be why late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, asserted that if you cannot reason beyond petty sentiments, you are a liability to mankind. Igbo people are not better off with emotional politics."

“So, while they seek to crucify me for joining APC, they express support and solidarity for the APC leader. Which is worse, to walk the talk or pander to politics of deceit and duplicity? What is the essence of being in a party that would rather support the presidential candidate of another party than choose its own?”

He said the governor was still playing kindergarten politics, wondering why Obiano and other party chieftains should condemn him for identifying with APC, while they struggled to impress President Muhammadu Buhari that they support him for a second term in office.

He observed that having supported Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan in office, Igbo have decided to support President Buhari in the spirit of fairness and political goodwill, so that when a president of Igbo extraction emerges, other ethnic groups would reciprocate.

Source: saharareporters

former Kogi state deputy governorship candidate, James Faleke, and House of Reps member reportedly survives assassination attempt

A member of the House of Representatives and former deputy governorship candidate of the APC, James Faleke, has reportedly survived an assassination attempt. A statement released today by the Director, Media and Publicity of the Audu/Faleke Political Organisation, Duro Meseko, states that Faleke was attacked by suspected assassins on Sunday Nov. 6th. Meseko said the suspected assassins rained bullets on Faleke's SUV at the overhead bridge at Gwagwalada, Abuja around 7 p.m.

The statement in part reads

"The news of the assassination attempt on our leader, Hon James Faleke came to us as a big shock. How could any sane mind contemplate such evil on an innocent soul who though shamelessly robbed of his governorship mandate has remained humble, calm, peaceful, and law abiding. What else could those wicked masterminds want? His political foes had resorted to this dastardly plan to assassinate him. We thank the almighty God for sparing his life. Some desperate and wicked people would want to cause more pain and misery to an already pained citizenry who aside having lost the creme of its political class to both natural and unnatural causes like Barrister James Ocholi, Prince Abubakar Audu, Senator Ohize and even Senator Ohiare who narrowly escaped death recently, are also undergoing the most unprecedented socio-economic crisis ever.”

APC Debunks Claims That Godwin Obaseki Does Not Have Certificate

The publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, Comrade Godwin Erhahon has described the allegation by the People’s Democratic Party that the APC Governorship candidate Godwin Obaseki does not have certificates to back his educational qualification as seriously  laughable.


The APC publicity Secretary, Comrade Godwin Erhahon is quoted as saying that the 'PDP is allegedly raising false Alarm'.