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PDP Raises Alarm Over Alleged Plot To Arrest Lawmakers For Booing Buhari During Budget Presentation

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The PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation has raised the alarm over a plot by the Presidency to arrest lawmakers who booed President Muhammadu Buhari during his 2019 budget presentation to a joint session of the National Assembly last week.

This is just as the campaign organisation has insisted that over 90 percent of the projects listed by the President in the budget as completed projects are untrue.

Buba Galadima, PDP Presidential Campaign Spokesperson, stated this at an interactive session with journalists on Sunday in Abuja.

While stressing that lawmakers are protected by parliamentary immunity by their actions during the budget presentation, Galadima who doubles as National Chairman of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (R-APC) argued that legislators can pelt the President with sachet water if they deem it fit during his presentation.

He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari is a servant of Nigerians. He is occupying that seat by the power of our PVCs. Therefore he cannot be seen as a monarch or as a dictator. Once he subscribes to be a politician he should play by the rules of politics.

“We learnt under an impeccable authority that some of his close aides are meeting and taking names of those supposedly that booed the President in other to frame them either by EFCC or ask the Police to invite them. I don’t know for what purpose.

“For what they had done in parliament, I am saying here that the President’s assertions were full of flaws. If they want, let them come and arrest me. I am not even in parliament. They can’t arrest any parliamentarian for having booed the President on what he thinks is correct that the President misrepresented what had happened in his constituency”.

He described the N1.2 billion donation by farmers to President Buhari for his reelection bid as illegal, adding that the donors have contravened the Electoral Act, 2010 on donation to candidates.

He said the farmers association of which he is a member never endorsed President Buhari, even as he called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the donations.

Galadima therefore called for disqualification of President Buhari for receiving the donations.

“Those who made that contribution and those who received the contribution should be call to book and be arraigned before the appropriate court of law.

“I am a farmer, one of the largest farmers in Nigeria. Around me are also farmers with large investment. We have never sat down as members of farmers association of Nigeria and took a decision that we are supporting President Muhammadu Buhari candidature for a second term in office.

“Therefore, I want to assume that whatever they said about this is a lie. But if is not a lie then it is against the Electoral Act, this now calls for the disqualification of President Muhammadu Buhari as a candidate for the 2019 Presidential elections,” he said.

BIG STORY

Fubara Reshuffles Cabinet, Redeploys Wike’s Loyalists From Finance, Justice Ministries

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The executive governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has redeployed two commissioners in his cabinet in a major reshuffle since he took the mantle of leadership of the state.

Secretary to the state government (SSG), Tammy Danagoro, made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Fubara redeployed Zacchaeus Adangor, attorney-general and commissioner for justice, to the ministry of special duties.

The governor also deployed Isaac Kamalu, commissioner for finance, to the ministry of employment generation and economic empowerment.

Danagogo said the commissioners are to hand over to the permanent secretaries in their outgoing ministries, adding that deployment is with immediate effect.

Both commissioners are loyalists of Nyesom Wike, the immediate former governor of Rivers and incumbent minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

Last year, the commissioners resigned from their positions following the political feud between Wike and Fubara.

They were later reinstated after Wike and Fubara signed a peace accord facilitated by President Bola Tinubu.

Wike and Fubara are locked in a struggle for control of Rivers’ political structure.

The political crisis led to the defection of 27 state house of assembly members, who are loyal to Wike, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers have been threatening the govenor with impeachment.

The lawmakers have vetoed the governor in at least three bills after he refused his assent.

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BIG STORY

This Is Not A Time To Hold Grudges, We’ll All Gain — Aiyedatiwa To Guber Opponents

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Ondo State governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, says all the governorship aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state will all gain, but at different times.

Aiyedatiwa, on Sunday, said this in his acceptance speech after defeating 15 other governorship opponents to become the candidate of the APC in Ondo.

The gubernatorial candidate, who was deputy to the late Rotimi Akeredolu, took over the reins of the state after the latter’s demise.

The governor said a contest like the primary exercise comes with “discordant tunes”.

“Let me at this time acknowledge and thank all the aspirants who threw their hats into the ring in the family contest to be the flag-bearer: Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, Hon. Isaac D. Kekemeke, Hon. Gbenga Edema, Mr. Ohunyeye Olamide Felix, Hon. Olujimi Odimayo, Mr. Olusoji Ehinlanwo, Morayo Lebi Esq, Prince Diran Iyantan, Prof. Francis Faduyile, Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele, Mrs. Funmilayo Waheed Adekojo and Engr. Funke Omogoroye,” he said.

“Your participation has created so much awareness within and outside our party. You mobilized our members and removed apathy.

“You have also brought in numerous new members into the party. All of these have enriched our democracy and strengthened our party in the state.

“Democracy sometimes, after a contest like this, comes with discordant tunes. But this is not the time to hold grudges against anyone but for all of us to come together to work for the success of our great party so as to remain in power.

“We will all gain in this party, though at different times, if we keep faith. I salute your courage and keen interest to lead the State towards development. It is your right and you are qualified and worthy members of our party.

“I want to specially thank the President and Leader of our party, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his leadership.”

Aiyedatiwa encouraged everyone to work together to build Ondo.

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BIG STORY

Yahaya Bello: Lawyer Asks Kogi Assembly To Begin Impeachment Process Against Ododo

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Due to accusations of misconduct and abuse of power, human rights attorney Deji Ajare has urged Kogi State House of Assembly Speaker Umar Yusuf to start the impeachment process against Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo.

Through the House clerk, Ajare made the call on Friday in a letter addressed to the speaker.

He said that using the governor’s motorcade to transport the troubled former state governor, Yahaya Bello, to safety amounted to harbouring a wanted person, obstructing the course of justice, and misusing public funds.

It was earlier reported that the Governor had whisked away his predecessor at about 4:20 pm on Wednesday, after operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission besieged the latter’s Abuja residence, to arrest him in connection with an N80.2bn money laundering case.

Following his escape, the EFCC declared the ex-governor wanted while the Nigeria Immigration Service placed him on its watchlist. The Inspector General of Police also has directed the withdrawal of all Police units attached to the former Governor.

Ajare, in his letter, also called on the assembly to cooperate with the EFCC and ensure all individuals involved are available for questioning and investigations.

“In the light of the above allegations and the inherent potential breaches of statutory duties imposed by the Constitution and other relevant laws of our country, these actions, if proven true, amount to gross misconduct and warrant immediate investigation and commencement of impeachment proceedings.

“I hereby call on the Kogi State House of Assembly under your leadership to initiate a thorough inquiry into these allegations by Section 188 of the Nigerian Constitution, to ascertain the truth and to hold Governor Usman Ododo accountable if the allegations are found to be true.

“I also urge the Kogi State House of Assembly to cooperate with national law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC, to ensure all individuals involved are available for questioning and to facilitate a smooth investigation”, he said.

He further implored the House of Assembly to take swift and decisive actions, noting the effect of the “misgovernance implied in these allegations” on the people of the state.

“I thank you as I look forward to your urgent attention to this issue. I trust in your commitment to uphold the Constitution and the laws of our land for the betterment of our state and its people”, the letter also read.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mohammed Yabagi, who spoke to our correspondent via telephone, said neither the Clerk nor the Speaker had received such a letter.

Yabagi added that the House had not seen any valid reasons to begin impeachment processe against the governor and that there was no evidence that the governor prevented security agencies from arresting Yahaya Bello.

“Anybody in the public has their perception of the matter. But the House has not seen any reason, none of the members of the House were there, and none of them saw the governor trying to prevent the security agencies from doing their job. As far as the Assembly is concerned, the Assembly supports all constitutionally recognised security agencies. We have not seen any reason why the House should commence any impeachment processes.

“For context, as far as the Executive is concerned, the immediate past governor was not even at his Abuja residence, and there’s no concrete evidence that the Executive Governor prevented them from doing their constitutionally recognised job. The House is yet to receive such a letter, and the Speaker is yet to have any knowledge of such a letter,” he said.

Meanwhile, all efforts to reach the Special Adviser on Media to the Kogi State Governor, Ismaila Isah, proved abortive, as his number was switched off.

However, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, debunked reports that Ododo helped Bello, beat security operatives who wanted to arrest him.

Fanwo in an interview with Channels TV on Thursday said the governor was committed to upholding the laws of the country, including respecting its legal processes.

“Governor Ododo did not assist in Bello’s departure from his residence; the EFCC’s claims are misinformation aimed at furthering their objectives. Bello is not evading anyone; the existing court injunction protects his fundamental rights,” he said.

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