Jonathan Suspends Oduah

President Goodluck Jonathan may have placed the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, on  “tactical suspension,” findings have revealed. A reliable Presidency source said Jonathan decided on the  “tactical suspension,” hours before the signing of the Bilateral Air Service  Agreement between Nigeria and Israel on Monday.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Mr. George Ossi,  had on October 24 told the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation that Oduah led a Nigerian delegation to Israel to sign the BASA.
The House committee  is probing the  purchase of  two  bulletproof cars  at  a whopping N255m  price by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for the minister.
A source explained that  it was the ‘tactical suspension’ that made Jonathan to direct the Minister of  State (1) for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, to sign the  agreement instead of  Oduah.
When asked by one of our correspondents what ‘tactical suspension’ meant, he said, “Oduah will not be allowed to attend public functions that will have the President in attendance until the three-member  committee  set up to investigate the matter turns in its report.”
The source, who said he did not know whether the “tactical suspension” order had  been formally communicated to the minister,  stated that  the step became necessary in order to dissuade Nigerians who hold the opinion that the President  was  shielding  Oduah.
In what seemed a corroboration of the “tactical suspension,” the  Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, insisted that  Jonathan would not associate with or shield anybody found to be corrupt.
He insisted  during an interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, that the minister did not travel to Israel on the entourage of the President.
“Did you see them (Jonathan and the minister) together in Israel? The President will not associate or shield anybody found to be corrupt. That is why he set up that panel because he will not want to act based on media reports,” Gulak  said.

Culled from: Naij.com

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Igbo youths stage pro-Oduah protest in Enugu

October 27, 2013 By Ozioma Ubabukoh

Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah

Hundreds of Igbo Youths in Enugu, under the aegis of Igbo Progressives Union, on Saturday protested against calls for the sacking of the Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah.

Also, Oduah’s kinsmen, led by High Chief George Nwabueze, stood in defence of their daughter, exonerating her from any wrongdoing in the purchase of the cars.

The protesting young men and women, who carried placards with different inscriptions, accused an unnamed ‘cabal’ of being behind the calls for the removal of the minister.

The youths insisted that the intention of the cabal was to stop the minister from going ahead with her transformation agenda in the aviation sector.

The group, who spoke through their leader, Emeka Agbo, said Igbo youths were prepared to go the whole hog to ensure that their daughter was protected.

Agbo, who is a student at the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu said some highly-placed individuals were determined to rubbish the towering pedigree and achievements of the minister.

He said, “This is a woman that has given the aviation sector a new face since she came into office. Today, our airports can compete with airports in foreign countries.

“Before she came to office, we were hearing about international airport but today, it has become a reality in Igboland. We are ready to swim and sink with her.”

On their part, the people of Ogbaru, led by Nwabueze, said the battle was not about the minister but the 2015 presidential elections.

Nwabueze said some people who are not comfortable with the transformation agenda of the president had ganged up to tarnish the image of members of the federal cabinet.

“They also want to rubbish the President ahead of the next election,” he said.

Nwabueze said the criticisms against the minister of aviation were not based on genuine grounds, but were  politically motivated.

The Punch

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Defection: Rebel PDP governors meet today

Seven aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party will meet in Abuja on Sunday night (today) to strategise on how to face the challenges before them.

The meeting, which is holding at the Sokoto State Governor’s Lodge, is expected to be attended by all the seven governors, who claim to be disenchanted with the running of the party at the national level

PDP governors expected at the meeting are Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Babangida (Niger), Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and Rabiu Kwankwanso (Kano).

A very reliable source in the faction said senators, stakeholders, some members of the National Working Committee of the faction were also expected at the Sunday meeting.

Investigations by our correspondent in Abuja, on Saturday, showed that the agenda for the meeting, which is expected to begin around 8pm, include the refusal by the Independent National Electoral Commission  to grant the splinter group recognition the verdict of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which declined the request of the faction for recognition and the planned defection of the governors.

In addition to the the governors, others in the faction are former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and some former governors like Bukola Saraki (Kwara), Shaba Lagiagi (Kwara) and Abdulahi Adamu  (Nasarawa).

A former Acting National Chairman of the party, Mr. Kawu Baraje and National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, are both chairman and national secretary of the faction respectively.

It was also learnt that at today’s meeting, the faction would marshal its points on issues to be tabled before President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders of the party.

A peace meeting with the President, which was postponed due to the just concluded Hajji, was aimed at resolving the differences between the governors and the leadership of the party.

Before the postponement of the meeting, President Jonathan, his deputy, Namadi Sambo and the Chairman of the Board of a Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, and few governors from the ruling party, had met with the aggrieved governors on how to smoothen the relationship between the aggrieved governors and the party.

Our correspondent learnt that the next date for the meeting would be known as soon as the President returned from his pilgrimage to Israel.

A very reliable source among the rebel governors, added that the meeting would also decide on the way forward for the New PDP members.

He said, “We would meet on Sunday. We are calling the meeting, which we have named ‘caucus meeting,’ it will comprise governors, senators, former governors, stakeholders, few of our NWC members and very senior members of the party.

“It is a strategic meeting aimed at redefining the struggle and see whether to sustain it or not. The meeting will also see if there are possibilities for us moving to another party if all peace moves fail.”

When asked, the spokesperson for the New PDP, Chukwuemeka Eze neither confirmed nor denied the meeting. He merely said, “Just wait and see.”

It was gathered majority of the aggrieved governors were pushing for their defect to the All Progressives Congress, while few of them favoured the formation of new political party.

But the majority of the governors were said to have argued that it was too late to form a new party.

“So, we said it would be better to stay with the APC instead of forming a new party now. It is too late.” the source said.

 By Olusola Fabiyi for The Punch.

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Omeruo impresses Mourinho in Chelsea training

Omeruo (left) training with Chelsea teammates

Kenneth Omeruo has caught the eye of manager Jose Mourinho during Chelsea training, MTNFootball.com has specially learnt.

“Kenneth has impressed Mourinho at training with Chelsea and it is looking very good for him now since his surgery for a shoulder problem,” the player’s adviser Chika Akujobi informed MTNFootball.com

“The Special One has taken special interest in the player. He wants to give him a chance but first Kenneth must regain full match fitness.”

Mourinho is expected to soon take a decision on the immediate future of the 20-year-old defender, whether he stays put at Chelsea or goes on a short-term loan.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has already said he hopes to call up Omeruo for next month’s World Cup final playoff against Ethiopia in Calabar.

Meanwhile, Omeruo has expressed satisfaction over the recent screening by his academy in Abuja.

The screening exercise was rounded up on Friday with the Jobisports Academy winning a test game 4-0 against DEK Queen FC of Abuja.

The Punch

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Akpabio reportedly banned from Aso Rock over alleged dollar distributions

Akwa Ibom State governor, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, has reportedly been barred from the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, over what sources referred to as his “poor comportment and misbehaviour” inside the seat of the Nigerian federal government.
During a recent visit to the Aso Rock Villa, the governor of the oil-rich state and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum was said to have distributed large sums of dollars to security men and presidential aides who were on duty inside the Villa, which got to the knowledge of the President.
The seemingly corrupt influences of Gov. Akpabio may have prompted the decision of the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to bar him from the villa as Akpabio is said to be in the corrupt habit of sharing thousands of dollars to staff of the presidential villa during his visits so much so that staff of the villa always look forward to his visit and sometimes, hang around the premises even when they would have completed their shift in anticipation of Akpabio’s dollar rain!
Unaware of the President’s stance over his reckless behaviour, Akpabio recently paid another unscheduled visit to Aso Rock and was expecting the usual red carpet reception from the staff, but to his shock was denied entry and had to turn back with his entourage in shame.
The security details acting on “orders from above” refused to open the gate for him and asked him instead to go back to avoid further embarrassment .
The governor’s attempt to speak with the Nigerian First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, over the issue resulted in further rebuff as the first Lady in her characteristic bluntness told Akpabio who has made Abuja his second home to go back to Uyo and exercise his mandate of governing Akwa Ibom state instead of turning himself into a nuisance in Abuja.
Lately, Godswill Akpabio has acquired the reputation of an “unserious governor” who is always giving away hefty sums of state resources for flimsy reasons. His sponsorship of singer Tuface Idibia’s marriage to Annie Macauley, an indigene of Akwa Ibom state in faraway Dubai also earned him the nickname of “Donatus”.
Recently also, Akpabio’s gift of N50 million to the country movie industry, known as Nollywood, among several other donations seems not to have gone down well with some indigenes of the state who are wallowing in poverty over unpaid salary.
Residents of Uyo have also accused Akpabio of abandoning Akwa Ibom state, a state he fought so hard to govern especially during his campaign for re-election for Abuja, where he is said to be operating from.
“Our Governor now lives in Abuja and does not seem to care about whatever happens here. He only parachutes in to commission projects or declare open seminars and workshops and thereafter goes back to Abuja”, volunteered a senior party official who would not want his name in print.
His very frequent visits to the Presidential villa and his unruly behaviour were said to be giving President Goodluck Jonathan some serious concerns, and may have informed Jonathan’s decision to restrict his visit to the Villa. For now, Akpabio, a PDP poster boy is at some crossroads over the turn of events.

Source: The Herald

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Atiku recruited Tukur into PDP – New PDP condemns reactivation of disciplinary committee

By Tobi Adeyeye

The New PDP has condemned the Umaru Dikko-led National Disciplinary Committee of the PDP set up by Bamanga Tukur. In a statement released by the Baraje-led faction, the PDP stated that the committee was set up to witch hunt its faction members.
The statement continued: “By reviving the so-called disciplinary committee at a time the party leader, His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan, is busy holding peace meetings with the Baraje-led PDP, shows that Tukur is working at cross purposes with Mr. President.
“To call a spade a spade, it is tantamount to anti-party activity and exposes Tukur’s hypocrisy and vindicates our stand that he is an obstacle to peace in our great party.
“If indeed a disciplinary committee has been set up by Tukur, we make bold to say that he should be the first with his illegal NWC members to appear before it for usurping the office of the national chairman of our party even when he is not legally a member of the party; as he did not revalidate his membership of the party during the 2011 revalidation exercise.
“We commend our brother, Chief Olisa Metuh, the former National Publicity Secretary of our party, on his theory of institutional memory loss. Ironically, Metuh was referring to himself as he succeeded in exposing his ignorance about the party he assumes to be speaking for.”
The statement continued: “How can any sound member of PDP describe a party that still has Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of the Federal Republic, as a member as not knowing the history and records of the party?
“For the record, Atiku Abubakar, apart from being a principal member of the PDP, also recruited both Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Alh. Gambo Jimeta, Senator Jonathan Zwingina and Chief Joel Madaki, among others, to the party in 1988 through Chief Nat Yaduma.
“Metuh should properly research into the records of people in the Baraje-led PDP before trying to deceive Nigerians with his lies arising from institutional memory loss.”
The faction also said the Umaru Dikko committeeit should immediately investigate why Tukur,  ”a non-member of the party”, should be elected national chairman.
“If this step is not taken, the committee should try and save the nation from looking at our party as a funny and unserious group by dissolving itself on its own accord.
“In this regard, we still maintain that all actions assumed to have been performed by Tukur since his assumed election in 2012 as our party national chairman stand null and void and of no effect.
“This includes the last disputed special convention of the party where somes of the aides of President Jonathan who were not delegates voted to elect the outgone NWC of PDP,” the statement added.

Source: The Herald

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44 PDP LG boycott inauguration of caretaker committee chairman in Kano

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kano state is currently in crisis as the 44 local government chairmen of the party boycotted the inauguration ceremony of the newly appointed caretaker committee chairman of the state chapter of the party, Hassan Kafayos who is to run the affairs of the party following the expiration of the former party chairman’s tenure.
Alhaji Usman Adamu, a PDP chieftain in Tarauni local government, while speaking on the development said “what we are seeing today shows that Kano people are hundred per cent behind our governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso”

Also speaking during the inauguration proceedings held at the personal house of Ambassador Aminu Wali, along Gyadi-Gyadi Court road in Kano , Chairman of the Caretaker Committee stated that his committee will ensure the prevalence of equity and justice in the party. He added that the caretaker committee would not tolerate any form of disrespect to the party’s rules and regulations.
“I am here to see that the concept of justice and equity prevail in Kano state PDP. I and the party Secretary, Malam Andrew Musa will ensure strict adherence to the rules and regulations governing the party’s activities in Kano state. What we need is the cooperation of all stakeholders in the party to see that PDP in Kano state regains its lost glory, and I want to state here that the recent victory of Bamanga led PDP in INEC and in the court is a vivid evidence, showing that PDP is intact. You are either with Bamanga Chairmanship or you are not in PDP” the caretaker chairman stated.

"I wanted to be a nun' - BBA Beverly Osu says in new interview

BBA contestant Beverly Osu revealed in an interview published today that she'd wanted to be a nun but abandoned the vision in her fifth year in a convent school...

Beverly tells Punch

I attended Daughters of Divine Love Convent, Enugu State. I thought I would be a reverend sister but I abandoned the vision when I dropped out in my fifth year. I finished my secondary education in a secular institution before moving to Babcock University.  I could not finish from Babcock because I had some personal issues. Again, I dropped and enrolled at the National Open University.

It affected me in a very spiritual way. In as much as I know worldly things, I still fear God and have faith in Him. The reason why I wanted to become a nun was because I was raised in a Catholic home.  I just felt it was the best thing for me to do at that time. I used to see myself as a messenger of God. Even though I did not become a nun, I still remain faithful to God. Part of my dreams is to establish a church and do a lot of charity work.

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Patience Jonathan Honoured With Doctorate Degree In South Korea

Wife of Nigeria’s president, Patience Jonathan, on Thursday Oct 10th added one more Honorary Doctorate degree to her gallery after a South Korean University honored her.

It is Mrs. Jonathan’s fourth doctorate since becoming Nigeria’s First Lady.
The awarding institution, Hansei University, said they honoured Mrs. Jonathan because she had worked “hard for many good causes.”
“She’s a humanitarian who has dedicated her life to working for the less privileged in Nigeria and Africa especially for women and children,” president and Chancellor of Hansei University , Sung-Hae Kim said.
”Her vision as the defender of the poor in Nigeria fits into Hansei University’s motto of a practising Christian. Now she’s part of our community,” Prof. Kim added.
The university also said it chose her for the degree because of her dedication to prayer.
”I was surprised that she travelled here for the Church Growth International conference years back to pray for Nigeria. For her selfless work, Hansei University confers this degree on her,” Yonggi Cho, co-founder of the Hansei University.
“I was just doing my own thing not knowing that in far away Asia everything was being noted. I want to assure you all that with God’s help I will do more,” Mrs. Jonathan said, thanking the Koreans.
”My grandma used to say: `Whatever little you have, share; If you have a thousand and you can’t share, you won’t share a million if you have’.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the ceremony was attended by wives of the governors of Benue and Ebonyi, wives of the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff, among other dignitaries.

Source: Premium Times

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PDP truce bid fails, It’s fight to the finish – G7 Govs

By Henry Umoru
STRONG indications emerged yesterday that there was no end yet to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, following the rejection by the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led faction of the olive branch extended  to it by the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.
According to the Baraje – led  PDP, aka ‘New PDP’ (nPDP), with the stage it had reached in the struggle, it had gone beyond putting  the issues behind it and joining the Tukur-led PDP. The issues involved, among others, is the nPDP’s insistence that President Goodluck Jonathan should not seek re-election in 2015, Bamanga Tukur should resign and governors should have control of state PDP executives.
The Baraje led nPDP has in its fold  former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and aggrieved  Governors Sule Lamido of Jigawa State; Abdulfatah  Ahmed of Kwara; Aliyu Babangida of Niger; Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto; Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers; Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa, aka G7 Governors.
“It is grammar Bamanga Tukur and his men are speaking. They are looking for anything to hold on to. How can an illegal occupant of your house now come and say you should take part of the house”, the nPDP said yesterday.
The leadership of the PDP had, in extending an olive branch to the breakaway faction after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) endorsed it as the authentic PDP, on Friday, said:
“The position of INEC in affirming the leadership of the PDP under the National Chairmanship of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and rejecting the demand for recognition by our aggrieved brothers has indeed laid to rest all contentions regarding the authentic leadership of our great party.
“However, we wish to state categorically that this is not a time for us to gloat or preen ourselves over victory. We must use this window of opportunity to engender true reconciliations, put all the issues behind us and move ahead as one big united family that we are.
”In this light, we call on all our aggrieved brothers to relegate all personal interests and return to the fold so that we can ward off all external aggressions and forge a common formidable political front. We wish to assure that the PDP as the only true national party is large enough to accommodate all interests and persons as we remain loyal to the provisions of our constitution as a party.
“We must at this time close ranks and rally around President Goodluck Jonathan and our leaders at all levels so that collectively, we will ensure that our great party delivered on its mandate and promises as enshrined in the PDP manifesto, the ideals of our founding fathers and the Transformation Agenda of the PDP-led government for the overall good of our people.
“The challenges of the last few months, rather than detract, have proven that the PDP remains the preeminent party that will continue to win elections at all levels in the country.”
The statement urged all party leaders, elders and indeed all members of the PDP across the board to continue to support President Goodluck Jonathan and his Transformation Agenda.
But, in a response, yesterday, the nPDP, while speaking to Sunday Vanguard  through its National Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said,”They are just speaking grammar. When they are ready for the olive branch, we will know. They know us and we know them. They cannot go to the pages of newspapers and ask what they want from us.
We are not ready for that, we have gone beyond this level.
”They are so desperate, we are not children in this game of politics. If we could fight the military to get the present democracy we are enjoying today, this fight is a childish one.”
The Baraje-led PDP, had on Thursday, suffered a setback following the rejection of its officials by INEC, thereby endorsing Tukur and his National Working Committee, NWC, as the authentic and recognised PDP, even as a Lagos High Court same day threw out Baraje’s suit against the  Bamanga Tukur, led NWC.
According to INEC, in a letter by its Acting Secretary, U.F Usman, to the Baraje led group, it would not withdraw the recognition it accorded the Tukur-led NWC because, as an electoral umpire, it witnessed the processes that led to his emergence as National Chairman as well as other members of NWC.
The INEC’s letter to the PDP faction entitled, “ Notification of Change in the change of leadership of PDP and request for formal recognition”, read , “Commission acknowledges the receipt of your letter dated September 1 and 23 2013 respectively wherein you requested the commission’s recognition of the Abubakar Baraje faction of the newly elected National Working Committee.
“You will recall the commission monitored the national convention and the special national convention of the PDP held on March 12 2012 and August 31 2013 respectively which took place at the Eagle Square Abuja, after notices to the commission. A National Working Committee was elected at the two conventions wherein Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as the national chairman.
“The commission will not withdraw recognition from the leadership of the PDP elected at the election duly monitored by the commission”.
“Please be guided”, INEC said in the letter addressed to Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the nPDP National Secretary of Oyi River Crescent , Off IBB Boulevard, Maitama Abuja.”

Vanguard

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