Revolt against Buhari, APC: 2 former PDP govs fingered

Two former governors of the Peoples Democratic Party have been fingered as the arrow head of the revolt against President Muhammadu Buhari and his party in the choice of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The two politicians who are former governors of a South-South and South-East states, are said to be the main financiers of the revolt against the president and his party, the APC.

The governors are said to have mobilised a huge war chest for bankrolling the political revolt against the candidates endorsed by the president and his party for the post of Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The former governors are reported to have hatched the plot in a desperate bid to ensure that the APC , which controls the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, does not produce the two key principal officers in the 8th National Assembly.

They are said to have mobilised their members in the two chambers of the NASS and directed them not to work with the two men endorsed by the APC but to work with those who have defied the leadership of the APC and Buhari in the choice of the two principal officers.

The attention of the President is said to have been drawn to the activity of the two former governors before he departed Nigeria for the G7 meeting in Germany.
Apparently not being able to proffer a response to the development, the President is said to have referred the matter to the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, and asked him to take steps to douse the tension being generated over the election of the two principal officers.

However, while Tinubu has waded into the matter with a view to ensuring that the APC produces the two leaders in the NASS, key loyalists of the president are said to be peeved that many senators and House of Representatives members on the platform of the party had openly revolted against the party.

A top source told Vanguard last night that the affected men would be made to face some disciplinary actions to be decided at the highest level of the party.

“We are sure that some of them would be made to sight their report cards with the new EFCC to be put in place by the president, which will not tolerate graft in any form. The feeling seems to be that the name of a former military officer being suggested as the chairman of the anti-corruption agency is already sending shock waves to some of the political actors in the country and they may not like to be caught on the wrong side of history,” the source explained.

On the other hand, the two former governors, who are now Senators on the platform of the PDP, are said to have argued that they needed to work out alliance with the APC members to take over the National Assembly so as to cover their tracks in the states they recently left behind.

A lawmaker close to Senator Saraki and Representatives Dogara vowed last night that they were going ahead to contest the election despite threats from the APC leadership.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/revolt-against-buhari-apc-2-former-pdp-govs-fingered/#sthash.FmkCxOn4.dpuf

Ekweremadu becomes Deputy Senate President

The immediate Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu defeated Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume as he scored 54 votes against Ndume’s 20 votes.

75 Senators-elect participated in the election and there was one voided vote.

Both Senators Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu were immediately sworn-in by the Clerk of the Senate, Alhaji Salisu Maikasua.

Confusion as Saraki emerges new Senate President

Senator Bukola Saraki from Kwara State has emerged the Senate President for the 8th Senate.

He was returned unopposed by 57 Senators who attended the inauguration of the 8th Senate today.

He was the only candidate that was nominated on the floor of the senate as his contender, Senator Ahmad Lawan and some of his supporters were absent with all the People’s Democratic Party Senators intact.

Buhari is our product not Apc party leader- lai mohammed

National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lai Mohammed has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari is a product of the party and not the party’s leader .

Lai Mohammed made this statement during an interview session with Channels Television on Tuesday while addressing the crisis rocking APC as a result of  the race for Leadership in the 8^thNational Assembly.

Mohammed said the party has the capacity to resolve the National Assembly leadership crisis.

***Mixed reactions trail Lai Mohammed’s statement on social media

Saraki Denies Snubbing Truce Meeting Called By Vice President Osinbajo

A former governor of Kwara state, and senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District in Nigeria’s upper legislative chamber, Bukola Saraki, has issued a statement debunking reports that he snubbed a truce meeting called by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Mr. Saraki is a leading contender for the presidency of the Nigerian Senate, but he is not the official candidate of his party, the All Progressives Congress, which is rooting for his main challenger, Ahmed Lawan.

A report had indicated that Mr. Saraki boycotted a meeting called by Mr. Osinbajo to explore the possibilities of the APC having a consensus candidate ahead of the election of principal officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives Tuesday.

But the former governor has now issued a statement, saying he received no invitation to any meeting called by the vice president.

He also denied making disparaging comments about the vice president.

Read full statement below.

SENATOR SARAKI HAS GREAT RESPECT FOR THE PERSON AND OFFICE OF HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF OSINBAJO VICE PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

The attention of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s media office has been drawn to a publication by an online tabloid which insinuated that “Senator Saraki Boycotts APC Leadership Meeting To be Chaired by VP Osinbajo”

We wish to categorically state that up to this very point 10:50pm, 8th of June 2015, senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki is yet to receive any official invitation from His Excellency Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria or through any other source for any meeting; political, social or otherwise.

Understanding the importance of last-minute consultation required for the inauguration of the 8th Assembly, Senator Saraki has been attending to meetings with colleagues and friends on the program for the 8th assembly.

Senator Saraki having been in public service in different capacity knows the importance of respecting the office and person of the Vice President. And therefore advise those spreading false news to cease and desist.

Senator Saraki therefore, uses this opportunity to assure His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria of his highest regards.

Signed:
Bamikole Omishore
SA Media & Advocacy

source: www.premiumtimesng.com/news/184639-saraki-denies-snubbing-truce-meeting-called-by-vice-president-osinbajo.html

President Buhari Returns from germany (pictures)

President Muhammadu Buhari returned from a trip to Germany early Tuesday.

Buhari arrived in Abuja after attending the G7 Summit in Germany. 

Saraki To OSIBANJO: "I Cannot Be Summoned By A 'Mere Commissioner" - SaharaReporters

BREAKING: Senator Saraki Boycotts APC Leadership Meeting To Be Chaired By VP Osibanjo, Says He Could Not Be Summoned To A Meeting By A ‘Commissioner’

A truce meeting called on Monday by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been boycotted by Senator Bukola Saraki, one of the party’s top contenders for the presidency of the Senate. 

A truce meeting called on Monday by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been boycotted by Senator Bukola Saraki, one of the party’s top contenders for the presidency of the Senate. 



by SaharaReporters, New York

Jun 08, 2015

A truce meeting called on Monday by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been boycotted by Senator Bukola Saraki, one of the party’s top contenders for the presidency of the Senate. 


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Senator Saraki boycotted the meeting after reportedly telling party leaders that as a former governor he could not attend a meeting summoned by a ‘mere commissioner’, referring to Professor Yemi Osinbajo, whose previous public office was as Commissioner of Justice in Lagos State.  Saraki then became a Senator, while Osinbajo is now the Vice President.

Following Saraki’s snub, Prof. Osinbajo didn’t bother to attend the meeting, but the party met with its elected lawmakers, with some of Saraki’s earlier supporters joining the meeting.

Sources at the meeting told SaharaReporters that the leaders of the National Working Committee of the APC reaffirmed their support for candidates chosen during Saturday’s mock primaries of the party.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are expected to be inaugurated tomorrow.  President Muhammad Buhari has given his blessing and dispatched a letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly asking to declare the two chambers inaugurated.  Buhari is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday evening, according presidency sources.

APC is expected to hold a final meeting tonight to prepare for the elections of its principal officers 
SOUCRE: http://saharareporters.com/2015/06/08/senator-saraki-boycotts-apc-leadership-meeting-be-chaired-vp-osibanjo-says-he-could-not

Aregbesola dares SDP to publish his assets

OSOGBO—Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola has dared the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the state to go ahead and make public his assets.

Aregbosola

The party had said that the governor should declare his assets publicly without delay or it will be forced to publish what it knows about his alleged massive wealth.

SDP described Aregbesola’s defence on how he spent several billions of the state funds as a mere rhetoric, laughable and inconsistent going by the facts in its possession.

The SDP said it has conducted its private investigations and discovered how the governor allegedly acquired enormous assets in the last four years in a state where millions are living in abject poverty.

The Chairman of the party, Mr. Ademola Ishola in his speech during the party’s Performance Assessment meeting held in Osogbo at the weekend to deliberate on how SDP performed in the last National Election said what his party uncovered about Aregbesola’s wealth would stun Nigerians.

But Aregbesola in a statement by Semiu Okanlawon, Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Osogbo, stated that SDP was looking for things to hold on to ”so as to be relevant”.

The statement read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement said to have been issued by the Social Democratic Party in Osun where it asked the Governor of Osun Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to publicly declare his assets.

“The SDP is obviously looking for things to hold on to in order to be relevant for the party was not the one that asked Aregbesola to fulfil the constitutional duty of declaring his assets before and after his first term”.

“The SDP and it’s leaders cer

- Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/aregbesola-dares-sdp-to-publish-his-assets/#sthash.sjHdqzn3.dpuf

Buhari’s Refusal to Move to Aso Rock, Slowing Down Governance – Villa Staff

One week after the inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as president and Yemi Osinbajo as vice president, both men are yet to settle into the presidential villa, the country’s seat of power.

Goodluck Jonathan, the immediate past president and Namadi Sambo, his deputy, had taken Buhari and Osinbajo on a familarisation tour of the villa a day before handing over. Buhari and Osinbajo, after the inauguration dinner at Aso Rock, have been operating from different locations.

President Buhari has been performing his duties at the Defence House, official residence of the president-elect where he met with the National Security Adviser on Tuesday. The Defence House is a federal government owned guesthouse located opposite the PDP Campaign Headquarters (Legacy House) in Maitama. Former head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, was rumoured to have been poisoned at the Defence House before his death.

On his part, Osinbajo has been operating from his private residence in the Asokoro area of Abuja. Buhari does not reside at the Defence House, situated in the Mataima area of the federal capital territory (FCT). He only hosts visitors there, and returns to his private residence at Aso Drive, still in the FCT.

A source at the Presidential Villa who spoke to BREAKING TIMES on Friday noted that the President’s refusal to vacate his Defence House residence is unsettling and disrupting the smooth flow of governance.

According to the source, key security, protocol and media staff have been “rendered redundant” at the Defence House where they have to “report daily on a schedule that keeps everyone practically idle”.

In a similar development, a state house correspondent confirmed to TheCable that “Nothing happened at the defence house today (Friday).”

“We were told to go to his [Buhari’s] residence at Aso Drive for some assignments only for us to get there to discover that they had finished. We went to the mosque after we left the house and it has been very quiet since then. We heard this might continue for another two weeks or more” the source disclosed.

source: http://www.thebreakingtimes.com/buharis-refusal-to-move-to-aso-rock-slowing-down-governance-villa-staff/

Revealed: Reason Buhari Is Yet To Move Into Aso Rock-Breaking Times

Fresh indications emerged on Monday on the real reasons President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to officially move into the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.

According to a Villa source who spoke to BREAKING TIMES on Monday on condition of anonymity, President Buhari will not take residence at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa until the necessary “spiritual cleansing” has been carried out at the Villa by a team of Senegalese Marabouts.

“The Senegalese Marabouts engaged to carry out the cleansing of the Villa before Buhari moves in are yet to arrive. It is not immediately clear why they have not arrived. But I can authoritatively tell you that the President will move in to the Villa once the cleansing is done”, the source said.

The source debunked claims by Presidential Spokesman Garba Shehu that the President was yet to move in as a result of ongoing renovation work. “It’s a blatant lie. The Villa has been renovated and completed even before President Jonathan left office. So what is he saying? The Villa, without renovation is in good enough shape for any President to function. The renovation was only carried out as a routine requirement for the new President”, the source disclosed.

Since his inauguration as President on May 29, 2015, President Buhari has been operating officially from the Defence House, Maitama and sleeps in one of his private residences in Aso Drive, Abuja. This has drawn complaints from several Presidential Villa staff who say Buhari’s refusal to move into Aso Rock is slowing down the business of governance

During the regime of the late Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha, it was common practice for Marabouts flown in from Mali and Senegal to perform spiritual cleansings in Aso Rock. A similar practice was witnessed during the administration of the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua. In spite of these heavy spiritual fortifications, General Abacha died on June 8, 1998 after a suspected case of alleged poisoning at the Defence House, Maitama, where President Buhari currently uses as his official headquarters. President Yar’ Adua died on May 5, 2010 while serving his term in office as President.

On his part, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has also stalled plans to move into his Aguda House official residence at the Presidential Villa as a sign of respect for his principal. The Vice President has also been constricted to functioning from a private residence in Abuja.

It is not clear how long the current situation will last. A state house correspondent toldTheCable on Friday that it could take another two weeks.

agrement at the G7 summit in Germany

The leaders of the Group of Seven industrial nations met for a two-day summit in the Bavarian Alps with a heavy agenda including global terrorism, Ukraine and climate change.

Following are the main points of what was agreed at the stunning Elmau Castle location, taken from the final statement:

– UKRAINE –

Leaders said they were “ready to take further restrictive measures in order to increase cost on Russia should its actions so require.”

They said the “duration of sanctions should be clearly linked to Russia’s complete implementation of the Minsk agreements and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty.”

The leaders also voiced concern about the recent flare-up in fighting and urged “all sides to fully respect and implement the ceasefire and withdraw heavy weapons.”

– TERRORISM –

Unusually, the G7 leaders invited several heads of government from countries fighting jihadists to attend the talks.

“In light of the Foreign Terrorist Fighters phenomenon, the fight against terrorism and violent extremism will have to remain the priority for the whole international community,” the G7 communique said.

“In this context we welcome the continued efforts of the Global Coalition to counter ISIL/Daesh. We reaffirm our commitment to defeating this terrorist group and combatting the spread of its hateful ideology.”

They pledged to “strengthen our coordinated action” against terrorism, including in the fight against “terrorist financing”.

– CLIMATE CHANGE –

The leaders said “urgent and concrete action” was needed to address climate change.

They said “deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions are required with a decarbonisation of the global economy over the course of this century.”

“As a common vision for a global goal of greenhouse gas emissions reductions we support … the upper end of the latest IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) recommendation of 40 to 70 percent reductions by 2050 compared to 2010, recognising that this challenge can only be met by a global response.”

– GLOBAL ECONOMY –

“The global economic recovery has progressed since we last met,” leaders noted, with the decline of energy prices having “supportive effects in most of the G7 economies.”

“However, many of our economies are still operating below their full potential and more work is needed to achieve our aim of strong, sustainable and balanced growth,” they stressed.

“Overall G7 unemployment is still too high, although it has decreased substantially in recent years,” the statement said.

– TRADE –

Fostering global economic growth by reducing barriers to trade remains “imperative” and the leaders “reaffirm our commitment to keep markets open and fight all forms of protectionism, including through standstill and rollback.”

The seven leaders also “welcome(d) progress on major ongoing trade negotiations, including on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the EU-Japan FTA/Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

– HEALTH –

The Ebola crisis has shown that the world needs to “improve its capacity to prevent, protect against, detect, report and respond to public health emergencies,” the communique said.

Leaders said they were “strongly committed to getting the Ebola cases down to zero” and recognised the “importance of supporting recovery for those countries most affected by the outbreak.”

“We must draw lessons from this crisis,” they said.

– LABOUR SAFETY –

“G7 countries have an important role to play in promoting labour rights, decent working conditions and environmental protection in global supply chains,” the statement said.

– WOMEN –

The leaders noted that “across G7 countries and around the world, far fewer women than men run their own businesses often due to additional barriers that women face in starting and growing businesses.”

“We agree on common principles to boost women’s entrepreneurship … We will make girls and women aware of the possibility of becoming entrepreneurs,” the statement added.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/what-was-agreed-at-the-g7-summit-in-germany/#sthash.3DQIXiZQ.dpuf