Kemisola; Kidnapped & Released In Lagos Few Weeks After Relocating to Nigeria

The recent kidnap of 29-year-old Kemisola Ogunyemi, a lady who returned to Nigeria with her husband to bury her late mother and settle down has stirred up some apprehension among Nigerians living abroad who plan to return home.
Kemisola lost her mother on Wednesday 26th December 2012 and returned to Nigeria with her husband, Akin  from the United States for the burial after living there for about a year. Sadly, she was kidnapped at about 8.30pm in Ajah, Lagos on Sunday 10th February 2013.
She was kidnapped about one minute’s drive to her Abraham Adesanya Estate home in Ajah. A family member who spoke anonymously told Punch:
“Kemisola and her husband just got an apartment in Abraham Adesanya Estate. In fact, they moved in less than a month ago. The day she was kidnapped, she was coming back from a visit to her father who lives in Ikorodu. When she got to Jeffery Plaza, which is about a minute’s drive to her house, some men double-crossed her Murano Sport Utility Vehicle, took control of the car and took her away in it. We actually got the details from people who witnessed it around the plaza. They said the kidnappers shot into the air and zoomed away with her in the car.”
The following day, her SUV was discovered in the front of Ogombo Police Station, Ajah with one of her shoes in it. The kidnappers later called her husband with Kemisola’s phone, Punch reports.
“They called about 11.41 am on Monday. The speaker clearly sounded like an Igbo man. He said, ‘Where are you?’ But when Yinka said he was in the house, the speaker asked again ‘Are you sure? Are you sure you are in the house? Yinka insisted that he was in the house. He told them he wanted to speak with Kemisola and they gave the phone to her. Kemi sounded very distraught on the phone. She was begging her husband to please help her and do everything the men demanded.”
But it was learnt that the kidnappers disconnected the call after they instructed Yinka to call them later by 2pm on Monday. The kidnappers later called on Monday night and demanded N60 million for Kemisola’s release, the relation told Punch.
 “When they asked for the money, we were all shocked. We pleaded with them, but they were threatening to kill her. How do we get N60 million? We are not politicians. Yinka is just a salary earner while Kemisola has not even got a job since they got back to Nigeria.”
On Tuesday, the kidnappers called again with their own number, sounding anxious and insisting that the N60 million should be paid as soon as possible. She said the kidnappers called about 10 times repeating their demand and asking when it would be paid.
“The man who spoke on the phone said, ‘We will kill her if you don’t pay. We kidnapped two other women and we have already killed them because they did not pay what we demanded’.”
But thankfully, a family member, who spoke with Punch last night confirmed that Kemisola has been released.
“Kemi told us she was beaten brutally. They dropped her off along the Lekki-Epe Expressway around 8pm on Thursday. Luckily, she was able to get help from motorists and later contacted us. We paid the ransom on Thursday morning after the kidnappers played different tricks to ensure they evaded capture. They thought we had involved the police. We just thank God we have her back. But she’s not in any condition to answer any questions for now. She is resting.”
This unfortunate incidence coming just weeks after this family returned back home with the intention of settling down must have raised a lot of doubts about the decision and the security situation in Nigeria. The rate of kidnappings keeps rising daily and Nigerians are very upset about this.
Naij.com

Why Super Eagles Still Rank Below Cote d’Ivoire, Mali (Despite Winning AFCON)

Many Nigerians felt last Sunday’s victory for the Super Eagles in South Africa will automatically make them the number one team in the continent. That was not the case, even though the Nigerian team moved up 22 places to 30th position in the world and to 4th in Africa having previously occupied the 10th spot.
Two of the teams ranked above Nigeria in Africa, Cote d’Ivoire (1st) and Mali (2nd), were defeated by the Super Eagles en-route the Nations Cup final.
With questions and queries flying in the air over the February rankings released on Thursday, and whether it’s indeed a reliable ordering, here are the procedure involved.
What Is FIFA’s procedure for ranking teams?
The basic logic of these calculations is simple: any team that does well in world football wins points which enable it to climb the world ranking.
A team’s total number of points over a four-year period is determined by adding:

the average number of points gained from matches during the past 12 months and the average number of points gained from matches older than 12 months (depreciates yearly).
Calculation of points for a single match. The number of points that can be won in a match depends on the following factors:

• Was the match won or drawn? (M)
• How important was the match (ranging from a friendly match to a FIFA World Cup match)? (I)
• How strong was the opposing team in terms of ranking position and the confederation to which they belong? (T and C)
• These factors are brought together in the following formula to ascertain the total number of points (P).
• P = M x I x T x C

The following criteria apply to the calculation of points:

M: Points for match result
Teams gain 3 points for a victory, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a defeat. In a penalty shoot-out, the winning team gains 2 points and the losing team gains 1 point.

I: Importance of match
Friendly match (including small competitions): I = 1.0
FIFA World Cup qualifier or confederation-level qualifier: I = 2.5
Confederation-level final competition or FIFA Confederations Cup: I = 3.0
FIFA World Cup final competition: I = 4.0
T: Strength of opposing team
The strength of the opponents is based on the formula: 200 – the ranking position of the opponents
As an exception to this formula, the team at the top of the ranking is always assigned the value 200 and the teams ranked 150th and below are assigned a minimum value of 50. The ranking position is taken from the opponents’ ranking in the most recently published FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
C: Strength of confederation
When calculating matches between teams from different confederations, the mean value of the confederations to which the two competing teams belong is used. The strength of a confederation is calculated on the basis of the number of victories by that confederation at the last three FIFA World Cup competitions. Their values are as follows:
InformationNigeria

Anambra Governorship 2014: Those Aiming to Succeed Obi

As the people of Anambra State wait for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release the timetable for the state's governorship election scheduled for this year, under ground politicking is taking place, as aspirants prepare to test their popularity.
Indeed, as the days go by, more and more aspirants are directly and indirectly joining the fray. While some personally want to contest, some are being asked by those who know their potentiality, to join the race. At the last count, there are no fewer than 42 aspirants in the People Democratic Party (PDP alone. Also, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) have many aspirants.
However, checks revealed that while some of the aspirants are serious, many others are pretenders.
In the race for the Anambra governorship seat are two former governors, who incidentally, were both removed by the court, for the current governor, Mr. Peter Obi to assume and continue office, at different times.
Below are some of the top contenders, including those who joined on their own and those being lobbied to contest.
Barr Dr. Obinna Uzoh:
This urbane, and unassuming politician hails from Ihiala, in Ihiala Local Government Area. He contested the state’s governorship election in 2003 but lost out in the PDP due to the imposition of candidate. Later, his campaign for the seat, on the ticket of the National Democratic party (NDP), was devoid of bitterness. The fact that the court eventually annulled the victory of Ngige and gave it to Governor Obi shows that the contest was not free and fair and therefore, Uzoh’s popularity cannot be rated with the outcome of the 2003 election.
Uzoh, who holds Bachelor’s degrees in Law and Business Administration, master’s degree in Marketing and PhD in Economic, from the University of Lagos and Lagos State University, has been under pressure to contest this year’s election. He has the support of Catholic Church youths, who openly endorsed him last year. Also, the South East Students Association has thrown their support behind him. He could be said to have won the hearts of youths because of his philanthropic gestures. He has offered scholarship to indigent youths in various fields, in Nigerian universities and abroad. He is completing a students hostel at the Catholic Youth Village, Awka, which will be commissioned on March 16, 2013, ahead of his 50th birthday coming up the next day.
Even when he was not talking about being Anambra governor, Uzoh has done much to help the downtrodden. Not long ago, he was among the first individuals to donate relief materials to flood victims in Anambra State. He also donated sachet and bottled water to the people of Amansea, whose source of drinking water was polluted by the dumping of corpses in the Ezu River. He also put on ground a tanker to fetch water and dispense to the villagers for one month, to solve the drinking water problem of the community. Also, he recently sponsored free rural health treatment in some communities Anambra.
Uzoh, as chairman of GOCUZ Group Limited, which is into rural electrification, oil and gas, law, properties, engineering etc, has run a successful business and has therefore, enough experience in economy. He said that his aim is to restore the glory on Anambra, through the transformation of its infrastructure, health care, education, commerce and industry, to create wealth and employment, etc.
If antecedent and what he has done to help the people of Anambra are the yardsticks to picking the governor, Uzoh stands a good chance of emerging in PDP and he has all it takes to beat other candidates in the contest proper.
Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige:
Despite the fact that the court said that the election that brought him into Government House, Awka in 2003, on the platform of the PDP, was fraudulent and therefore he must vacate office, Ngige has remained a popular politician in the state. Currently a senator on the ticket of ACN, he was governor for t three years, during which he had running battle with his political godfathers.
While in office as governor, Ngige, won the hearts of the people, with what he did as well as his resistance of political godfathers. Since he left office, he has had his eyes on the throne. In the last governorship election, in 2010, he came third. He was to contest the senatorial seat in 2011 and won with a little margin against Prof Dora Akunyili, former Minister of Information and Communication. If he contests for this year’s governorship election, he will remain as a senator, which his tenure would end in 2015. Therefore, if he loses the election, he will continue in office as senator.
Senator Andy Uba:
Senator Andy Uba, like Dr. Chris Ngige, was a governor of Anambra State. In fact, he would pass for the governor who served the shortest tenure, as he was sacked by the courts two weeks after being sworn in. He is presently the senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District.
Uba had served as Personal Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and commends influence and wealth. His generosity has endeared him to a lot of people, despite the fact that he contested the Anambra guber in 2010 on the ticket of Labour Party and lost.
Many Anambra people are however, critical of Senator Uba’s ambition for the governorship of the state. This not withstanding, his grip of the structure of PDP in Anambra gives him an edge in the party. However, some people believe that if he succeeds in picking PDP’s ticket he may not win the election. This is so because people remember the battle between his brother, Chris Uba and Ngige, especially the role they played in the flawed election that gave Ngige victory before the court sacked him.
Senator Annie Okonkwo
Senator Annie Okonkwo has represented Anambra Central Senatorial District in the past. He lost his reelection bid, when he could not pick the PDP ticket and also when he could not muster enough popularity as the candidate of Accord Party.
Now, Okonkwo is aiming at contesting the election. This is why he has been romancing APGA and of late the opposition coalition, Action Progressives Congress (APC). He has tried to be governor a number of times in the past and failed at various stages, either at nomination or actual election level.
Some people say he lacks the gift of the garb or the eloquence, which is essential for any politics. The presence of Senator Chris Ngige, from his local government area and senatorial zone, in the same APC makes Okonkwo’s ambition a mirage.
Prof. Chukwuma Soludo
Former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Soludo hails from Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State. He lost the guber election in 2010, to Governor Obi, after his controversial emergence as PDP candidate. In the last election, PDP stakeholders felt that he failed to go through the normal process and therefore have not forgiven him. Nothing at the moment suggests that these people have forgiven him. If they have not, it would be an uphill task for him to get the party’s ticket again.
However, Soludo’s recent encounter with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over his tenure as CBN governor may adversely affect his ambition.
Hon. Uche Ekwunife:
She’s a flamboyant member of House of Representatives. She tried her hands in the governorship race in Anambra State in 2010 as a candidate of the Progressive people Alliance (PPA) and lost. She has, at one time or another been a member of PDP, PPA and APGA.
Although Ekwunife is popular, which explains why she has been winning elections to the House of Reps, political analyst believe that the fact that she’s a woman will always count on her in a contest for Anambra guber seat. This is so because nothing has shown that Anambra people want a female governor.
Dr. Chike Obidigbo
Dr. Chike Obidigbo from Umunya, in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State is one of the highly rated governorship aspirants from Anambra North, which is saying that it’s their turn to produce the governor. Basking in Governor Obi’s promise to zone the seat to the senatorial zone, many aspirants have joined the race.
Obidigbo is reputed as one of the leading industrialist in Nigeria, with a record of more than 50 products. Although he has not contested any elective position, he is believed to have enough resources to fund his campaign, which is a factor most other aspirants cannot boast of. However, the fact that Anambra North is looking for a consensus candidate may be a minus for him, as Governor Obi appears interested in another aspirant.
Chief Akachukwu Nwamkpo:
Chief Akachukwu Nwamkpo, who hails from Okija, in Ihiala Local Government of Anambra State is the Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters. He’s a classmate of President Goodluck Jonathan and has worked with him right from Bayalsa State and up till now.
At present, there’s nothing on ground to show that Nwamkpo is serious about being governor, except his belief that Jonathan will give him PDP ticket.
Prince John Emeka
Prince John Emeka from Mmiata Anam, in Anambra West Local Government Area, was the former Minister of Water Transport. He had earlier contested and won the senatorial seat for Anambra North Senatorial Zone, but the election was eventually mollified by the Supreme Court, which gave victory to Senator Mrs. Okadigbo, over the PDP senatorial primaries.
Emeka is, among other things, banking on the decision of Governor Obi to allow Anambra North produce the next governor of the state. Recently, he summoned a meeting of political stakeholders in the area, to intimate than of his desire to seek their mandate.
Hon. Victor Afam Ogene:
A member of the House of Representatives, he appears to be the only aspirant who has mustered the courage to post his posters around the state. He is from Ogbaru Local Government, in Anambra North Senatorial Zone. He is one of those who believe that the governorship of the state should be reserved for his senatorial zone, which has not produced the Governor of the state before now.
Ogene is a fine journalist and has done well in the House of Representatives, where he is representing Ogbaru Local Government. Political analysts said that if he is good at the House of Representatives, it is an indication that he could be good as a state Governor. The fact that he made it to the National Assembly in his first attempt shows his popularity and acceptance.
Naij.com

JIM OVIA JOINS NIGERIA’S USD BILLIONAIRE’S CLUB

According to a report on Ventures Africa, Jim Ovia, the founder and largest individual shareholder of Zenith Bank, is conservatively worth $1.1 billion.
Jim Ovia co-founded Zenith Bank in Nigeria in 1990, and made his fortune providing financial services to Nigerians. He successfully transformed Zenith bank from a small commercial bank into a fully-fledged financial services conglomerate with operations in investment, private and retail banking across Africa and beyond.
In 2007 he founded Visafone – a Nigerian mobile and fixed telecommunications provider. Ventures Africa reports that the firm has amassed a subscriber base of about 4 million and is worth at least $400 million.
He also owns an expansive real estate portfolio consisting of dozens of landmark commercial and residential properties including The Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos and Aquamarine, an exclusive boat club catering to Nigeria’s richest folks.
His newly formed Quantum Luxury Properties signed a multi-million dollar deal with Marriott- the New York based global hotel group to develop a 150-room five star hotel on the Ozumba Mbadiwe Waterfront in Victoria-Island, Lagos.
Jim Ovia is 58 years old and is now the fourth Nigerian to be listed as attaining the USD billionaire status after Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga and Folorunsho Alakija.
AfricaOnTheRise

PDP sacks Obasanjo’s loyalists

 by Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja and Segun Olatunji, Abeokuta 

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Loyalists of former President Olusegun Obasanjo were on Friday removed from office by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Those sacked from office were the National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha, and the National Vice-Chairman (South-West) Mr. Segun Oni.

In Ogun State, the national leadership also sacked the Obasanjo-backed executive led by Senator Dipo Odujinrin.

The decision to remove these officers were taken at the meeting held in Abuja on Thursday by members of the National Working Committee.

The meeting was presided over by the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

Mustapha, an ally of Obasanjo, was replaced with Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju.

A statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the party took the decision on the affected officers following series of suits on the congress that brought them to office.

The statement said, “Following protracted dispute on the Ogun State and south West Zonal Exco of the Party, a series of suits were filed on the matter, amongst which include FHC/L/CS/1248/2011, FHC/L/CS/282/2012 and FHC/L/CS/347/2012

“That Chief Bode Mustapha is removed from office as the National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“That Alhaji Fatai Adewole Adeyanju is the validly elected National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“That the Peoples Democratic Party is to rectify its records by deleting the name of Chief Bode Mustapha as National Auditor and replacing the same with Alhaji Fatai Adewole Adeyanju.

“That the South-West Zonal Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party conducted in March 2012 is nullified.

“That the Executive Committee constituted for the PDP in Ogun State at congresses conducted by the Bashorun Dayo Soremi led harmonised Executive Committee for the wards, local governments and in the state in March 2012 are valid Exco of the Party at the various levels in Ogun State and are entitled to their 4-year  tenure.

“That the PDP is to organise a fresh South-West Zonal Congress at which access is to be given to delegates elected at congresses conducted by or under the supervision of the Soremi-led Ogun State Executive and accept the candidacy, for offices zoned to Ogun State, of only the persons nominated at the said congresses for the said offices.

“The National working Committee of the Party met on 14th February 2013 and gave careful consideration to the issues and decided that, in line with respect to the rule of law which is a cardinal principle of the present administration, the PDP as a law abiding party, will immediately comply with the said judgment.

“This is all the more so that same has not been set aside or reversed by any superior court.”

At the Ogun State PDP congress conducted by Soremi, Mr. Bayo Dayo, had emerged as the party chairman.

Dayo is being supported by  businessman, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, while Obasanjo is backing Odujinrin-led executive.

With the decision to party to embark on fresh congress in the zone, it may have sealed the dream of the sacked National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to return to office.

Oyinlola was removed from office by an Abuja Federal High Court based on the faulty congress.

But the former governor of Osun State is at the Court of Appeal contesting the decision of the lower court.

In a separate statement, Metuh said the party had constituted a 17-member committee headed by Chief Ishola Filani to run the South-West zonal chapter.

The members are Chief Pegba Otemolu, Secretary; Adedeji Doherty, Organising Secretary; Rasak Akanni, Auditor; Bolaji Jeje, Youth Leader; Orimolade Olanrewaju, Treasurer; Olawunmi Yuba, Woman Leader; Banji Obasanmi, Financial Secretary and Shola Oludipe, Legal Adviser.

Others are Lawal Olatunde, Publicity Secretary; Emmanuel Oladejo, Olalekan Abubakar, Seun Adesanya, Samiu Babatunde, Tope Ademiluyi; Tunde Olowofoyeku and Omoniyi Alo (all ex-officio).

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Ogun State Executive of the PDP, Chief Adebayo Dayo, has described the decision as “a victory for the rule of law.”

But the Obasanjo faction denied any knowledge of the action.

Dayo said on the  telephone that he would immediately start the moves to reconcile all the estranged members of Ogun PDP.

He also said he had received a letter from the PDP National Secretariat directing the police in the state to re-open its state secretariat closed at the height of the crisis in the state chapter.

Dayo said, “The situation is that for a very long time, dictatorship has been reigning in so many areas, not only in our party but all over Nigeria. But this time around our party sat down, we had a lot of deliberations and they decided that the only way out is to have a very clean party by following the rule of law. So, the rule of law has prevailed. Our party does not want any imposition. We want to have a very clean internal democracy. That is what is happening now.

The Publicity Secretary of the Odujinrin-led faction, Mr. Bidemi Osunbiyi, told our correspondent on the phone that he was not aware that his group had been sacked by the PDP National Secretariat.

Osunbiyi promised to get back to our correspondent but as at the time of filing this report he had yet to do so.

“I’m not aware, please I will call you back,” he hurriedly said.

Several calls to his phone were also not answered.

February 16, 2013 by Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja and Segun Olatunji, Abeokuta 9 Comments

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Loyalists of former President Olusegun Obasanjo were on Friday removed from office by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Those sacked from office were the National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha, and the National Vice-Chairman (South-West) Mr. Segun Oni.

In Ogun State, the national leadership also sacked the Obasanjo-backed executive led by Senator Dipo Odujinrin.

The decision to remove these officers were taken at the meeting held in Abuja on Thursday by members of the National Working Committee.

The meeting was presided over by the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

Mustapha, an ally of Obasanjo, was replaced with Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju.

A statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the party took the decision on the affected officers following series of suits on the congress that brought them to office.

The statement said, “Following protracted dispute on the Ogun State and south West Zonal Exco of the Party, a series of suits were filed on the matter, amongst which include FHC/L/CS/1248/2011, FHC/L/CS/282/2012 and FHC/L/CS/347/2012

“That Chief Bode Mustapha is removed from office as the National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“That Alhaji Fatai Adewole Adeyanju is the validly elected National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“That the Peoples Democratic Party is to rectify its records by deleting the name of Chief Bode Mustapha as National Auditor and replacing the same with Alhaji Fatai Adewole Adeyanju.

“That the South-West Zonal Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party conducted in March 2012 is nullified.

“That the Executive Committee constituted for the PDP in Ogun State at congresses conducted by the Bashorun Dayo Soremi led harmonised Executive Committee for the wards, local governments and in the state in March 2012 are valid Exco of the Party at the various levels in Ogun State and are entitled to their 4-year  tenure.

“That the PDP is to organise a fresh South-West Zonal Congress at which access is to be given to delegates elected at congresses conducted by or under the supervision of the Soremi-led Ogun State Executive and accept the candidacy, for offices zoned to Ogun State, of only the persons nominated at the said congresses for the said offices.

“The National working Committee of the Party met on 14th February 2013 and gave careful consideration to the issues and decided that, in line with respect to the rule of law which is a cardinal principle of the present administration, the PDP as a law abiding party, will immediately comply with the said judgment.

“This is all the more so that same has not been set aside or reversed by any superior court.”

At the Ogun State PDP congress conducted by Soremi, Mr. Bayo Dayo, had emerged as the party chairman.

Dayo is being supported by  businessman, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, while Obasanjo is backing Odujinrin-led executive.

With the decision to party to embark on fresh congress in the zone, it may have sealed the dream of the sacked National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to return to office.

Oyinlola was removed from office by an Abuja Federal High Court based on the faulty congress.

But the former governor of Osun State is at the Court of Appeal contesting the decision of the lower court.

In a separate statement, Metuh said the party had constituted a 17-member committee headed by Chief Ishola Filani to run the South-West zonal chapter.

The members are Chief Pegba Otemolu, Secretary; Adedeji Doherty, Organising Secretary; Rasak Akanni, Auditor; Bolaji Jeje, Youth Leader; Orimolade Olanrewaju, Treasurer; Olawunmi Yuba, Woman Leader; Banji Obasanmi, Financial Secretary and Shola Oludipe, Legal Adviser.

Others are Lawal Olatunde, Publicity Secretary; Emmanuel Oladejo, Olalekan Abubakar, Seun Adesanya, Samiu Babatunde, Tope Ademiluyi; Tunde Olowofoyeku and Omoniyi Alo (all ex-officio).

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Ogun State Executive of the PDP, Chief Adebayo Dayo, has described the decision as “a victory for the rule of law.”

But the Obasanjo faction denied any knowledge of the action.

Dayo said on the  telephone that he would immediately start the moves to reconcile all the estranged members of Ogun PDP.

He also said he had received a letter from the PDP National Secretariat directing the police in the state to re-open its state secretariat closed at the height of the crisis in the state chapter.

Dayo said, “The situation is that for a very long time, dictatorship has been reigning in so many areas, not only in our party but all over Nigeria. But this time around our party sat down, we had a lot of deliberations and they decided that the only way out is to have a very clean party by following the rule of law. So, the rule of law has prevailed. Our party does not want any imposition. We want to have a very clean internal democracy. That is what is happening now.

The Publicity Secretary of the Odujinrin-led faction, Mr. Bidemi Osunbiyi, told our correspondent on the phone that he was not aware that his group had been sacked by the PDP National Secretariat.

Osunbiyi promised to get back to our correspondent but as at the time of filing this report he had yet to do so.

“I’m not aware, please I will call you back,” he hurriedly said.

Several calls to his phone were also not answered.

Punch

2015: Presidency, govs move to stop Buhari

 by Niyi Odebode and John Alechenu, Abuja and Ozioma Ubabukoh, Enugu 

Maj-Gen. Mohammadu Buhari

Some Presidency officials and second term Northern governors have begun discreet overtures to top shots in the All Progressives Congress to stop Maj-Gen. Mohammadu Buhari (retd.) from picking the new platform’s presidential ticket in 2015.

Buhari, who ran on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change in the 2011 election, has indicated intention to run again in 2015.

CPC is one of the parties in ongoing talks to form the APC. Others are the Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance.

It was learnt that at least one of the governors had reached out directly to APC top shots to indicate his interest. Others are said to be making indirect contacts through members of the parties in the alliance.

They fear that it might be difficult to jostle for the Peoples Democratic Party’s ticket with President Goodluck Jonathan, who is strongly believed to be angling for a second term, a source who is knowledgeable about the matter said on condition of anonymity.

Saturday PUNCH’s investigation showed that some Presidency and PDP officials were working on ways to thwart Buhari’s bid to strengthen Jonathan’s chances.

Two APGA leaders confirmed to Saturday Punch that the platform was under pressure from Presidency and PDP officials for the party to stay away from the merger. They said the objective was to reduce Buhari’s chances of making significant inroads into the South-East.

Also, it was learnt that they were targeting the retrieval of APGA’s certificate of registration from its former National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, through the legal process.

Umeh is aligned with Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who has shown strong interest in the merger. The other APGA governor, Peter Obi of Anambra State, has not associated with APC so far.

Umeh was sacked last week by an Enugu High Court, but he told Saturday Punch on Thursday that he  would appeal the judgment.

“To be frank with you, Buhari is a source of worry to PDP and Presidency officials. Many of the people in the alliance are actually there because of him. So far, he is the only figure who can guarantee a national spread in the 2015 election and give Jonathan a good fight,” a PDP source said.

A member of the APC merger committee, who pleaded anonymity, told one of our correspondents that the governors had reached out to the new party.

He said, “The governors are really interested in joining us, as they have been advising us to look for a younger person as our presidential candidate. We know this is to achieve their selfish aim of contesting on our platform.

“We are also aware that PDP top shots and some Presidency officials are afraid that the APC would provide Buhari a nationwide platform to realise his ambition in 2015. That is why they are jittery.”

However, Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Dr. Ahmed Gulak, said Jonathan was ready to face Buhari or any candidate in 2015. Although he said the merger was good for democracy, he said its leaders must strive to build a national platform for them to be taken seriously.

He said, “My Principal, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is not jittery over anything. Buhari was there in 2003, he was there in 2007, he was there in 2011.

“Are they going to rebrand him? No matter how they rebrand him, the fact still remains that Buhari is not the type of politician that can gather people that will build bridges for him to win national elections; the facts are there.

But dismissing Gulak’s argument, the CPC spokesman, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said, “They are afraid of the alliance, but they are more afraid of Gen. Mohammadu Buhari. As we speak in today’s Nigeria, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari has attracted to himself solid people across the geo-political zones in the country because of the solidity of his own character; because of the high moral fibre that he brings to the party.

“What is the need for a big platform? The need for a big platform is that whatever is happening in the nooks and crannies of the country, there will be enough people  to really stand strong against the manipulations of the PDP.”

Also  speaking, the National Publicity Secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, Osita Okechukwu said, “I’m not surprised that PDP is working extremely hard to ensure that our merger does not succeed by pressurising some APGA members and using them negatively. Whatever the Presidency is doing to frustrate the merger won’t succeed.”

Punch

APC Takes Root In More States

Leaders of the major opposition parties across the states of the federation yesterday said they were taking all legitimate steps to ensure the success of the newly formed All Progressive Congress (APC).
In separate interviews with LEADERSHIP WEEKEND, the leaders, who included state and national chieftains of the parties that formed the APC, said they had placed national interests above regional and personal ambitions in mobilising support for the party.
In Kaduna State, the affected party chairmen said they were adequately carried along in all of the processes leading to the merger. They expressed optimism that the merger talks would work, adding that APC’s chances of wrestling power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria and in the states were very bright.
The Kaduna State chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr. Musa Muhammed Soba, said “the opposition parties that are making arrangement to merge into APC held their respective National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings where resolutions were passed in support of the merger. What remain is for the parties to hold their conventions where the decision for the merger would be ratified in accordance with the constitutions of the respective opposition parties. The merger is on course and every necessary sacrifice is needed to make it successful.”
Also, the chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the state, Alhaji Ahmadu Yaro Cocacola, said the party at the state level was working assiduously for the success of APC. He said they were adequately briefed of the merger arrangement. “We are in support of all that is being discussed to see to the reality of the merger,” he said.
The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) said the state party was well represented at the talks.
According to the state party chairman, Senator Lawal Aliyu, “our party at the national level is carrying the state along; the state is being represented in the committee discussing the issue; the state chapter is regularly briefed on all deliberations on the merger.”
In Rivers State, the ACN has said it was part of the formation of APC and was liaising with other parties to make impact at future polls in the state.
The publicity secretary of ACN in the state, Jerry Needam, told LEADERSHIP WEEKEND in Port Harcourt that their involvement in the merger marked the end of flagrant disregard for the rule of law and acts of prodigality in the state.
Needam said: “The merger is a welcome development. It shall entrust political leadership of Rivers State in the hands of progressives, God-fearing democrats and men and women with the highest sense of frugality with respect to taxpayers’ money.”
In Kwara State, the chairman of ACN, Mr Kayode Olawepo, said “the merger of the major opposition parties will radiate to states at the end of the party’s national convention. It is at the convention that the new APC logo, name, flag will be ratified”.
Olawepo, who expressed optimism about the workability of the merger plan, said “the PDP’s view of this arrangement notwithstanding, the merger remains the best thing that has happened to Nigeria in recent times”.
The state chairman of ANPP, Alhaji Taiwo Eleja, said the party at the state level participated actively in all the arrangements that led to the merger of the opposition parties.
“We are very, very much involved in this merger arrangement. I spoke with my national chairman last night (Thursday) and he briefed me on the development so far as well as on the next line of action”.
The state APC chairman, Alhaji Buhari Suleiman, said as disciplined members of the party they have no option but to toe the line of the party’s national leaders. “All along, the national secretariat of our party has been briefing us on the development and we are all in support of the merger arrangement,” Suleiman stated.
The situation is the same in Niger State where the opposition parties said they had started working together in principle to confront the PDP in 2015.
The chairman of CPC, Shuaibu Umar, said that they were duly consulted before the merger and that it would be made easier in the state because of the longstanding working arrangement among the opposition parties.
The secretary of ACN in the state, Alhaji Salman Yusuf, disclosed that they were aware of the merger talks and were carried along.
He restated that, before the talks, the parties in the state had been working together as one body and that the merger would not pose any problem to the parties.
But, in Edo State, the Accord Party (AP) has dissociated itself from the merger. It expressed the fear that the presidential ambition of some key players in the alliance, if not well handled, could truncate their quest to unseat  the PDP.
In an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP WEEKEND in Benin, the national secretary of  the party, Dr. Samson Isibor, hinged the decision of the party to back out of the merger on the need to strengthen the party, adding that “Accord Party is new and untainted for the future”.
The state chapters of the CPC, Labour Party (LP) and the ruling A CN have jointly expressed sincerity, unity and selflessness devoid of vaulting ambition that truncated past attempts at merger.
The chairmen said they were waiting for further directives from the national merger committee before taking the next action.
The Katsina State caretaker committee chairman of the CPC, Faruk  Adamu  Aliyu, and his ACN counterpart, Ibrahim Maidabino, said they were still awaiting the directive of their national headquarters.
In Oyo State, the ACN said that the merger of the parties was in fulfilment of the prophecy of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, while the ANPP noted that APC had come to stay as “nobody can sabotage it”.
ACN’s publicity secretary Mr Dauda Kolawole said that the former premier of the defunct Western Region (Awolowo) had predicted that time would come in the history of the country that progressives would come together for the benefit of the country and its people.
The state ANPP chairman, Alhaji Rasak Folorunso, who said that the party was the initiator of the merger, said that there was no going back.
Former governor of Ogun State and national leader of ACN Chief Olusegun Osoba  said the coming together of the progressives was not for political reasons but to salvage the country from drifting further from the years of the PDP misrule.
Osoba said the soul of the country must be redeemed from the scavengers.
In Benue State, only the ACN is visible in the state’s politics. The acting deputy chairman of ACN, Mr Tersoo Har Orpiin, said the leadership of the party in the state was still waiting for the national leadership for further action.
Leadership