AljaziralPress

Nasarawa Governor: I’m Not In Charge of The State. Former Governor Tells Us What to Do.

“Even as a brand New Governor of Nasarawa State, I am not incharge of the affairs of the Government in the State.

Governor Sule added that Anybody that wants to be appointed should kindly go to 68 Mississippi Crescent Maitama, Abuja for recommendation from the immediate past Governor of Nasarawa State.
We are his boys and he is our leader, in fact we can not take any decision without consulting him as our oracle.

He was the person that made all the appointments so far including that of the SSG, so nobody should blame me for incompetency” – Governor Sule of Nasarawa State.

Dr Uche Diala

The United States President Donald Trump stated yesterday that he pulled the plug on plannned US strikes on Iranian targets in retaliation for Iran’s downing of an unmanned Drone reportedly ’10 minutes’ away, after he learnt the strike would cost 150,000 Iranian lives.

Some people believed that and are even praising him for being humane and all that. Some actually said he saved the world from a war? Really? A war that he is inadvertently provoking either deliberately or ignorantly. Never mind that the actual reality is that one of the first information that is put before the Commander in Chief in contemplating any war or military strike is the proportionality of the response, potential casualty count and possible consequences. How plausible then is that the American President did not have this full information before the Forces were prepped, guns loaded and ready to pull the trigger? That remains to be proven but this notion that America and its Military are the bad guys while Trump plays the good guy is erroneous and deceptive.

Beyond that, let me remind everyone that the current tension and stand off with Iran with the accompanying dangerous situation in the Strait of Hormuz was directly triggered by the United States nay Trump unilaterally pulling America out of the Iran Nuclear Deal or JCPA signed on July 2015 in Vienna Austria spearheaded by President Barrack Obama and other world leaders. A deal which the world painstakingly put together and which the World, including the UN acknowleged that Iran was keeping to. Trump pulled out of that deal simply because he vowed to roll back every achievement made by Barrack Obama without thinking of the consequences.

It was good that President Trump called off those strikes but I think more than that, he should re-calibrate and re-evalute his stance and understanding of how the world works. The world is so complex that the only way to make it work for everyone and maintain some level of peace and stability is cooperation amongst nations. That was the wisdom behind the formation of the United Nations. No nation in the world can really function or survive alone no matter how rich or powerful.

Iran on its part has not been a responsible global actor historically and it has a lot of bad influence especially around the Middle East but in this particular case of the Iran Nuclear deal, America appears to be agent provocateur as the world acknowledges that Iran had verifiably kept to the deal. The fact that the West has sided with Iran and not the US in this respect tells the entire story.

It must be pointed out clearly that a military conflict between Iran and the United States will have worldwide impact both militarily and economically that would be felt by nations far removed from and uninvolved in the conflict, including Nigeria which depends heavily on crude oil. With Iran proxies scattered all over the Middle East; Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, Houthis in Yemen, Iran-backed Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan, a conflagration of global and historic proportions is brewing if reason does not prevail.

Some have spoken about the Military superiority of America over Iran. While that is very correct, a war with Iran would be messy and anything but conventional. With these proxies fully engaged in the war, with Houtis engaged with Saudi Arabia, Hezbollah and Hamas with Isreal and other theatres opened around the Middle East targeting American assets and personal across the region, the potential of thousands of missiles flying across the region and beyond and maybe even nuclear weapons with attendant collateral damage, the prospect is very real and scary. This happening at a time America in itself is deeply divided, the world fragmented and the UN weakened, all of which are largely traceable to the unstable and disruptive style of Trump’s leadership would be no tea party.

The instant global economic impact of such a conflict, starting with disruptions of oil production and supplies (because international oil transport routes would be closed) would unwittingly draw the world into such a conflagration. While the US may be territorially removed from the theatre of war and have billions of barrels of crude oil in reserve, the rest of the world is not that lucky.

I wish President Trump would have a rethink and return to the Iran Nuclear deal. Any misgivings he has about the deal could be addressed on a multi-lateral platform. That is a more reasonable and sustainable path to follow than this policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran. There’s no way the politicians in Iran would roll over simply because of the pressure because they have their own complex political environment to contend with. I actually feel that Trump is not a good student of history and world politics. Because if he were, he would have realised that the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani who is one of the moderate voices in Iran had to navigate a fine line while negotiating that Iran deal because any failure to somehow appease or at least carry the hardliners in Tehran along would alienate him, make a deal impossible and strengthen their hands. That was clearly understood by Barrack Obama. Sadly Trump’s actions seem to be strengthening those hardliners and giving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) which answers directly to the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei an excuse to misbehave.

The West should ramp up its effort in finding a way to circumvent the Dollar and give Iran some leeway to alleviate the economic pressure and sanctions while working with the UN to de-escalate tensions and find a more enduring solution. Otherwise the world would be faced with a monumental crises. It is not an US-Iran problem. It is a brewing global crises that the world can ill afford now and everyone should be concerned.

T H E All Progressive Congress (APC), witness, One Mr. Adehor Ochuko Albert who bomber Agege that there was a court order. The Agege Versus Oboro Beyond the Elections and it was wowing. Ok, the truth was that I skimmed through, I didnt have the patience to read over 6,000 words and I am sure not many people did, perhaps they skimmed through like I did although I recognized the fact that there was a lot of pointers, facts, numbers that the Judge need to be aware of. Before I continue here is an excerpt from the piece.

Justice Toyin Adegoke of the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta state in a ruling on 17th of October, 2018, ordered the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, the APC, INEC, Prophet Jones Erue and the plaintiff, Chief Cyril Ogodo to maintain status quo and desist from submitting any list of candidates from Delta State from the two factions to INEC till the substantive suit filed was heard.

In total disobedience to a subsisting valid Court Order, the Prophet Jones Erue faction of the APC went ahead to submit list of candidates to INEC on 18th of October, 2018

It is likely going to be a PYRRHIC Victory for Barr . Evelyn Omovovwan Oboro Esq. The Delta Central Senatorial Chair election will not be decides through back Door system but by the quality of issues raised by Oboro and testify by the APC witness.

Many Delta Central people’s take is that more than 80% have already feel so disarpointed by Agege choice of Yoruba appointment , that Hon. Oboro will considered her own people first before outsider no matter the National politics played. They have pretty much made up their minds based largely on other considerations towards Oboro as their trusted Ally .

The tregedy that struck in the Courthouse on Monday last week is a missing Golden opportunity for Agege. I think they should mobilise for the inevitable.

So as not to waste your time, read the above infographic it will visually communicate some of those facts and numbers to you. Please kindly read and share.

Barely 48 hours after his appointment as Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Festus Adedayo, was yesterday fired by Senator Ahmed Lawan after excessive pressure from the Presidency and APC Chieftains in the South-West.

Meanwhile, a Northern pressure group, Arewa Journalists Forum, has demanded his replacement with a professional from the North, similar to the appointment made by the Deputy Senate President, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege who chose his principal officers from the South.

In announcing the removal of the spokesperson to the Senate President, the Special Assistant Media to Lawan, Isa Mohammed wrote: “The office of the President of the Senate has reviewed the appointment of Mr. Festus Adedayo as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate and decided to rescind its decision on the appointment, and wishes Mr. Adedayo the best in his future endeavours.”

This came after prominent loyalists of President Muhammadu Buhari and especially Office of Vice President Osinbajo and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) condemned Adedayo’s selection by the Senate President.

The agitation for Adedayo’s removal was spearheaded by a horde of pro-APC loyalists on various social media platforms.

They cited the columnist’s history of anti-government rhetoric, pointing out that it was inconsistent with the ideals of the ruling party.

Recalled that a group known as APC stakeholders, on Thursday morning, had accused the Senate President of rewarding President Buhari’s enemies, after Lawan retained some aides of the immediate-past Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

At a protest march, Abu Andrew, spokesperson of the group, noted that the appointments were “glaring” reward to people who have insulted Buhari.

He said: “No doubt, the appointments are glaring reward for people who have not only insulted the person of President Muhammadu Buhari, but also severally maligned the integrity of the office he occupies.”

However, PRNigeria authoritatively gathered that the massive pressure mounted by some influential APC South West politicians, and powerful individuals in the Presidency, compelled Sen. Lawan to immediately reverse the appointment of Mr. Adedayo.

A credible source in the Presidency, who observed how the high-wire intrigue played out, told PRNigeria that even some elected legislators of Yoruba extraction vehemently kicked against the appointment.

The source said the pressure mounted on the Senate President since Tuesday afternoon when the news of Adedayo’s appointment broke, till yesterday afternoon, was quite immense.

He added that Senator Lawan was summoned to Presidential Villa to explain why he should offer such a delicate job to someone who is known to be an irrepressible critic of Buhari and APC.

“Several forces conspired to oust Mr. Adedayo, due to his style and writing antecedent. They were not just pleased that someone who ‘mercilessly’ vilify Mr. President will be invited to come and work for a distinguished politician in the APC central government,” he said.

The source, however, said the ‘Number Three’ citizen did not consider trivial factors such as ethnicity, religion or even party affiliation before picking Adedayo.

“He (Senator Lawan) had first conducted an interview among celebrated Nigerian journalists. He did not just woke up and appointed Mr. Adedayo. One thing those who kicked against Adedayo’s nomination failed to understand is that the Senate President finally settled for Adedayo because of his track record of performance as a one-time media aide to three former governors under PDP and APC in South-East and South-West respecrtively. The Senate President took into cognizance the much-espoused criteria of competence, merit and diligence to work, before picking Adedayo, an erudite journalist,” the source added.

Lawan should now appoint one of our own—Northern Communicators

In the wake of Mr. Adedayo’s sack, a group of communication specialists and notable journalists under the platform of Arewa Journalists Forum, have strongly demanded that the Senate President should now appoint a Northerner as a replacement for Festus Adedayo, who is from South, saying that he should emulate his deputy Senate President who appointed his aides from the South.

Hassan Galadima, a spokesperson for the group, said there abound several media practitioners, acclaimed writers and exceptional journalists of Northern extraction, who have paid their dues in the country’s media and PR industry that deserve such appointments.

Galadima said: “The only way young journalists from the North can be motivated and Northern journalists seen to be giving a sense of belonging, is for Senator Lawan to now appoint a veteran journalist who is a Northerner, to fill the vacancy created by the sudden termination of Mr. Adedayo’s appointment. He should not create an impression that the North doesn’t have capable hands. He just need to emulate his deputy.

I enjoyed the ‘drama’ my appointment, sacking elicited, Adedayo says
Meanwhile, the man who was in the eye of the storm, Mr. Festus Adedayo, said he had hitherto enjoyed every of the diatribes provoked by his appointment.

“As at the time of writing this, the issue (of my appointment) was said to be the most-discussed in Nigeria on the social media. Said to be the brainchild of some hired Rottweiler dogs loyal to some lords in the APC, a campaign dubbed #SackFestusAdedayo was mounted immediately and within hours, had given birth to thousands of recruits. Many of the commentators who took liberty to harangue me have no idea of who I am and went on a railroaded binge to dress me in an alien robe.

“Since 1998 when I began column-writing, I have a graveyard of public personalities whom my cudgel has whiplashed for perceived infractions in power. Give me 10 pieces I wrote in uncomplimentary review of President Buhari, I will give you 20 I did in utter vilification of Jonathan, his ministers and those close to him. Jonathan never raised a voice against me. One thing my traducers don’t know is that I have no attachment to those criticisms. I am like a prophet; once I deliver my message, I move on.

“What those who are vilifying me for always writing against government should have done was to rise from their laziness and conduct an x-ray of my writing. In my close to 20 years of public sphere intervention, I am a rabid anti-establishment person. I believe that in establishment lies the plague of the Nigerian state and my writing reflect this much. Even though, I am everything but a saint, I believe that government should reflect the highest moral echelon of society and those who run it should make covenant of chastity and fidelity with themselves

“The truth is, my writings are political party and tribe-blind. I detest injustice, politics and run away from politicians as much as I can. One thing you cannot accuse me of being complicit of is the vermin that has eaten into fabrics of my journalism profession. While I am not saint, I have never blackmailed anyone in my life and I have very scant veneration for the god of Mammon,” he said in an online article.
Called from PRNigeria

Three notorious kidnappers were among 122 suspected criminals paraded at the Bompai Police headquarters for various crimes ranging from armed robbery, car theft, burglary, scamming, drug peddling, theft, conspiracy and banditry.

Addressing Reporters on Friday, Kano state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Iliyasu said the suspected kidnappers were arrested at Falgore Forest.

He explained that the kidnappers waylaid newly married couple on the road and kidnapped bride, and vanished into Falgore Forest.

Upon receiving information, a team of policemen were deployed into the Falgore Forest where 20 teenage suspects were apprehended and the woman rescued.

When they were paraded, the victim was able to identify three of them, while 17 others were released.

He said police will soon charge them to court for prosecution.

According to him, “on June 20, 2019, the police in Kano with the help of technical intelligence at their disposal, arrested seven suspects in possession of various types of dangerous weapons and house breaking implements.

“They specialized in armed robbery, extortion, house breaking and theft. They have been terrorizing Sabon Gari area of the state. Suspects confessed to the offence and they will be charged to court after investigation.”

Iliyasu said that during a raid carried out on criminal hideouts within the period, 80 hoodlums popularly known as Y’andaba were arrested, adding that seven suspects were equally arrested in possession of 53 different belts used by police, army and the Immigration service.

Upon investigation, it was discovered that two bags filled with uniform of police, army, and Customs officers were found in their possession.

He said items recovered from them include 14 black berets cap, six jack-knives, eight pistol holders, adding that one suspect was arrested in possession of a pump action rifle and 15 rounds of live cartridges.

Other items recovered from the suspected criminals include 115 live ammunition of 7.62x39mm of AK47 rifle, 53 bags of powder suspected to be cocaine, nine cartons of expired Bio-Vein injection used for insemination and hallucination.

Other items include 43 knives, 10 handsets, one laptop computer, three stolen vehicles, 58 clubs, 20 dangerous weapons and breaking implements and large quantity of laptops.

Iliyasu said in line with the Inspector-General of police mission on Puff Adder operation, the Kano Police Command will continue the raid throughout the state until all criminal-minded persons will either repent, relocate and leave the state completely or are arrested and brought before the law.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in totality, the invasion of the Abuja residence of Taraba state Governor, Arc. Darius Ishaku, by police operatives alleged to have been detailed by Presidential authorities.

This invasion is unlawful, provocative and cannot be justified under any guise whatsoever.

The PDP insisted that such assault on a governor’s residence was a direct attack on the nation’s democratic order and must not be swept under the carpet like previous invasions of residents of some PDP elected officials under the domineering All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

Our party holds that the invasion of Governor Ishaku’s residence is criminal and in total violation of the spirit of the immunity clause under the 1999 Constitution (as amended); a desecration of the sanctity of the government house and a rude assault on the sensibility of the people of Taraba state and Nigerians in general.

The PDP invites Nigerians to note that such invasion of the resident of an elected state governor is a direct pointer that our democracy is under attack by anti-democratic forces that seek to subvert the rule of law, foist a siege mentality on the citizenry and ultimately destabilize our nation for their selfish political gains.

The PDP therefore calls on the Inspector General of police to immediately fish out those behind the invasion and unravel their intensions.

The party also urges the police to beef up security around Governor Ishaku and his family members as well as take steps to forestall a repeat of such unwarranted attack.

The PDP however charges Governor Ishaku and all other officials elected on the platform of the party to remain undeterred in their commitment in serving the people despite the intimidations, harassments and distractions by the APC-led administration.

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has ordered a fresh congress to elect new officers for its Kogi State Chapter.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja on Friday.

Ologbondiyan said that the decision to hold the congress was due to the fact that the tenure of the present state officers will come to an end on July 22.

He, however, said that the congress will not hold at local government and ward levels of the party.

The PDP spokesman said that a date and guidelines for the Governorship primaries of the congress will be announced in due course.

He also confirmed that the fee of the Governorship nomination form of the party had been increased from N5 million to N10 million.

Ologbondiyan urged all aspirants to guide against misconduct and utterances that are capable of negatively affecting the chances of the party in the Nov. 16 Governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States. (NAN)

An 18-year old girl identified as Favour Ogheneyenrowho has been reportedly strangled to death by suspected ritualists in Abraka, Ethiope-East council area of Delta state.
The incident has thrown the community into serious tension.
The Nation gathered that the victim’s pubic hairs were shaved off before she was murdered and her remains kept in a “Ghana-must-Go” bag which was disposed at a dump site behind Ozoro park in the town.
Witnesses said there were violent marks around her neck area, indicating that she was violently strangulated.

Ogheneyenrowho hailed from Ughere in Abraka Community.
Recounting the incident leading to the teenager’s demise, Maureen Sunday, her elder sister, told the police that Favour, had received a call from a male at about 10 a.m, requesting that she met him at the Abraka park.
She, however, replied the caller that she was going to the market with her elder sister.
Miss Sunday added that on their way out of their residence located along Winners Road, a young man, whom she had never seen before (whom she believed was the same person that called her sister earlier), boarded a motorcycle that stopped at the junction and approached them.
A short conversation ensued between them and her late sister, Favour, joined him on the bike and they rode off, even as she called after her to return early.
Unfortunately, it was the shocking news of her sister, dead and tied with ropes in a sack, that reached her the following day.
When reached for confirmation, the Delta State Police Commissioner, Mr Adeyinka Adeleke, explained that what had been discovered so far revealed that the killing of the victim was more of a murder case and not ritual killing.
The police boss also revealed that the suspected killer, who is believed to be Favour’s boyfriend, has since been on the run, adding that the state police command was already on his trial.

Explaining the circumstances around the killing of Favour, CP Adeleke said “the lady in question was with the sister and she had a call. When she wanted to leave, she told her sister that it’s her boyfriend that she wanted to go and see.
“After some time she disappeared, they did not see her. the next day they saw her body tied in a sack in a plantain/ banana plantation and her boyfriend runaway.
“So it is not a ritual, but a murder case. The physical sign in her body shows in the neck that she was strangulated. Maybe somebody tempered with her neck and throw her body into the bush and now the boyfriend disappeared till now. He is on the run.
“If he had nothing to do with what happened, why did he disappear? Why is he on the run? That is exactly what happened; not ritual killing, but a case of murder. Her body has been taken to the mortuary”, he explained.

High Court sitting in Kano State on Thursday again ordered Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje and Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi ll to maintain status quo in respect of the interim order issued against the governor on May 10.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that on May 10, the court through the ex-parte application by the applicant, Rabiu Gwarzo restrained Ganduje and all other respondents in the case from appointing or recognising any purported emir under the Kano state Emirs Appointment And Disposition Amendment Law 2019, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
In his ruling, Justice Nasiru Saminu ordered that all the parties in the suit should still maintain status quo pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

Saminu adjourned the matter until July 15 for hearing.

Earlier, the Counsel to Ganduje, the former Attorney-General of Kano State, Mr Ibrahim Mukhtar, urged the court to vacate the order since it was issued over 20-days-ago and has expired.

An ex-parte order has seven days life spam under, Section 39 subsection III and Section IV grants the court power to extend the life seven days life spam of the ex-parte.

The Counsel to the applicant, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, objected to the oral application to vacate the order, by informing the court that the application should be accompanied with a written address.

“On preliminary urge the court to allow the motion to keep it cause, it is not ripe for hearing”

Members of the ninth Bauchi Assembly after the first election which saw the emergence of Abubakar Suleiman as Speaker

Bauchi State House of Assembly is currently in disarray as members have elected two Speakers in separate elections.

Eleven out of the 31 elected members of the Assembly sat as early as 7:00 am and elected Abubakar Suleiman as the Speaker of the House.

Suleiman is a member representing Ningi Central Constituency and a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Danlami Kawule a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Zungur/Galambi was also elected as the Deputy Speaker by the same group of lawmakers.