Ekiti Assembly shut as APC lawmakers resurface

In a dramatic turn of event, the 19 All Progressives Congress, APC, members in the 26-man Ekiti State House of Assembly surfaced at the House of Assembly complex yesterday after being locked out since November 17 last year.

The Dr Adewale Omirinled lawmakers, who held a session that lasted about 10 minutes, arrived in the complex in a convoy of 14 vehicles about 11:30am and entered plenary.

However, to safeguard lives, apprehensive staff of the Assembly picked up their belongings and rushed out of the complex.

Omirin, the speaker before his purported impeachment by seven members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers, which elected Dele Olugbemi in his place, spoke on behalf of members after the session.

He said the APC lawmakers were in the Assembly to begin their legislative duty, describing Olugbemi as an impostor.

Omirin said: “Why are you surprised that we are here? I don’t expect you to be surprised that we are in our offices because we are duly elected as members of the House of Assembly.

“This is my office and I shouldn’t be asked why I am here. Though, we have instituted a case against the seven lawmakers for the fake impeachment against me, but that would not prevent us from doing what we are supposed to do.”

He, however, said their return to the Assembly was not prompted by the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, adding, “it is a mere coincidence. Although I have not been here since November, that does not mean I have not been performing my duties.

“So, whether Buhari is declared winner or not, we have to do our work. I have been attending Speakers’ meetings in Abuja and attending to my people at my constituency, so we haven’t abdicated our duty,” the speaker said.

However, Police Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, who led a detachment of security agents to the Assembly to save the situation from degenerating, ordered closure of the complex.

Consequently, stern-looking policemen and soldiers took over the complex.

However, the factional Speaker, Olugbemi, criticised the police commissioner for shutting the Assembly.

“I don’t think it was right to have closed the Assembly. We have the capacity to contain the APC lawmakers. We are ready to meet them fire for fire,” he said.

But Lakanu said he took the action to prevent violence in the state, saying the police must be proactive to prevent the state from being plunged into crisis.

It will be recalled that Omirin and the remaining 18 APC lawmakers had stayed away from the Assembly grounds since November 17 last year when the seven lawmakers loyal to Governor Ayodele Fayose took over.

Subsequently, Omirin was impeached by the seven lawmakers on November 20, 2014 and Olugbemi was elected the new Speaker

PDP govs commend Jonathan

Governors on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship and sacrificial decision to accept the result of the March 28 presidential election.

Speaking with State House Correspondents after the governors met with Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, said the PDP remains the party that has maintained peace and refrained from violence in spite of anomalies witnessed during the election.

According to Akpabio, the PDP remains undaunted, the party would record victory in the gubernatorial election scheduled for April 11.

Akpabio said: “As governors, we came to show solidarity with our president and to commend him for being a statesman.

“He (Jonathan) has done something no African leader has done in such a flawed exercise, with under-aged voters everywhere, and disparity between states.

“Some using card readers, some failed card readers, some using manual and some states not using manual and some just taking ballot papers to government houses, particularly in certain parts of the country.

“It was a very flawed exercise; yet he looked at it and said in spite of it all I want to ensure peace, unity and stability of the country, let me give opportunity to the APC presidential candidate to come in and then give his own to the country”

“That kind of sacrificial stand by a president can only come from a PDP president and that is why we are very proud of what has happened,” Akpabio said.

The meeting with the governors came shortly after former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as winner of the March 28 presidential election.

Jonathan, who was defeated by Buhari in the election, had congratulated the former Head of State on his victory at the poll.

The PDP governors who met with Jonathan yesterday at the Presidential Villa included Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Theodore Orji (Abia); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River).

Also at the meeting were Idris Wada (Kogi); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi); Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe); Murktar Yero (Kaduna); Jonah Jang (Plateau); Sullivan Chime (Enugu).

Some ministers, who also met with the President were Dr. Akinwumi Adesina (Agriculture); Ibrahim Shekarau (Education); Musiliu Obanikoro (State, Foreign Affairs II); Professor Viola Onwuliri (State, Education); Mohammed Adoke (Attorney General); Abba Moro (Interior); Aminu Wali (Foreign Affairs) and Suleiman Abubakar (National Planning).

A group of female ministers were also at the Presidential Villa, they included Zainab Maina (Women Affairs); Omobola Johnson (Communication Technology); Sarah Ochekpe (Water Resources); Laraba Mallam (Environment); Akon Eyakenyi (Land and Housing).

I am no longer interested in INEC job

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, said he would not serve another term, in the same capacity, even if his tenure was renewed.
Jega who spoke in Abuja last night, said another person should be given the opportunity to serve after his (Jega) tenure ends in June.
“I am grateful to God. I was asked to come and contribute my own quota to the national development and I have done my bit to the best of my ability. Whatever assignment one will do for five years – just like this difficult one, to me if one is able to successfully accomplish the task, someone else should be given the opportunity, because for me I am not interested and if I am requested to serve again, I will not do it, by God’s grace,” Jega said.
Jega, who anchored the March 28 presidential election, admitted that the INEC task was a difficult one, adding that he was not interested in tenure renewal and would not accept an offer of extension.

Alleged Boko Haram Sponsor 'Ndume' Celebrates Re-election to Nigerian Senate

Ali Ndume, alleged sponsor of the boko haram terrorist group and Senator representing Borno South at the National Assembly (NASS), on Tuesday, said his re-election into the Senate was a call to service.

Ndume stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

He said ''in 2011, my intention was to seek re-election into the House of Representatives, but my people said I should go for the Senate and that was how I became a Senator today. I believe that it is still the wish of my people to seek re-election and that is why I won.’’

''Going to the Senate is not just about representation but about giving quality representation to the people.’’

He thanked the electorate for voting him for the second time and promised to work toward enhancing their standard of living.

''I thank God that I have won and I thank my people for their support.’’

President Jonathan - The Happiest Man In Nigeria

Despite losing to the opposition party in the keenly contested presidential elections, Nigeria's president Goodluck Jonathan is probably the happiest man in the country today.

He delivered on his promise of free and fair elections and also was true to his word that nobody's life was worth his ambition.

Minutes before Gen. Buhari of the APC emerged winner in the keenly contested election, Jonathan called to congratulate the president elect, saving the country a lot of misery.

Nigeria is experiencing a violence free post-election atmosphere because of this single act.

In his official statement after the elections results was announced, Jonathan laid the foundation of how a proper opposition party should act and behave.

He accepted defeat graciously and commended the Nigerian populace and everyone who made the elections a success.

He also quelled any bad blood towards the results among his party members.

Nigeria, with over 300 tribes has never been an easy country to govern but Jonathan has done his best in the past 6 years.

Jonathan has established a legacy of democratic freedom, transparency, economic growth and especially free and fair elections- which is rare for an African leader.

Many will argue about his achievements and accomplishments but we should be able to get more details, beyond the propaganda, about what sort of regime Jonathan ran.

Jonathan has done his best- now he can heave a sigh and leave the rest.

He probably got the best night sleep he has had for 5 years yesternight.

Obasanjo Congratulates Buhari And Takes Another Swipe At Jonathan

Former President Obasanjo has released a statement congratulating Nigeria's President-Elect Buhari. He however could not resist taking another swipe at President Jonathan. Read statement below:

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“With so much harm already done to many national institutions including the military, which proudly nurtured you and me, you will have a lot to do on institution reform – education, healthcare, economy, security, infrastructure, power, youth employment, agri-business, oil and gas, external affairs, cohesiveness of our nation and ridding our land of corruption.

“Your varied and wide experience will undoubtedly stand you in good stead.”

“is blessed with men and women of goodwill, character and virtue across the board that you can mobilise to join hands with you in the reform, repairs and re-direction that will be imperative to put Nigeria back on the fast lane of good governance, unity, cohesiveness, development and progress.”

“For me, the totality of 2015 elections hold many lessons for our democracy and democratisation process, which are both maturing.

“On this occasion, the system has been unnecessarily overheated before and particularly during the campaigns when emphasis was more on trivialities and hate, divisive, undignifying and disrespectful statements and comments rather than on pressing issues requiring attention.

“I know that in victory, you will be magnanimous to start binding the wounds and bitterness occasioned by the campaign and the evil disciples.”

How Buhari Won

Shortly before the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega formally announced the final collated results for Saturday Presidential elections yesterday; President Goodluck Jonathan put a phone call to General Muhammadu Buhari to congratulate him on his victory and emergence as President- elect. The President in his call, which he made at 5:15, even before the results of the last state, Borno, was yet to be taken from the state Collation Officer in the situation room of the INEC in Abuja, promised the president-elect cooperation and smooth transition.

According to the results released by the INEC, the APC won out rightly in 21 states while the PDP won out rightly in 15 states including the FCT, Abuja. But in terms of spread the APC and the PDP fulfilled the Constitutional provision by securing 25 per cent in 24 of 36 states with the APC achieving that feat in 27 states, while the PDP also fulfilled it in 25 states.It was in the second Constitutional requirement of majority of votes cast that the APC clinched the ticket by securing the total votes cast in the 36 states of the country, including the FCT, Abuja.

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