Ex-Gov. Adamu Mu’azu to Replace Tukur as PDP Chairman

Former Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the National Pension Commission, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu was on Monday chosen as the new Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party. The choice was made during a meeting by President Goodluck Jonathan and governors elected on the party’s platform. The meeting which was held at the Presidential Villa on Sunday dragged till around 1.30 am on Monday.

Mu’azu will replace the former chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who resigned his position last Wednesday.

It seems to be a good year for the former Governor who was sworn in as the chairman of the Pensions Commission just a week ago.

President Jonathan Sacks Nigeria's Military Chiefs, Appoints New Ones

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday sacked all the service chiefs and appointed replacements.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President, Reuben Abati, it was revealed that Air Marshal Alex Badeh has replaced Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim as Chief of Defence Staff, while Major-General Kenneth Tobiah Jacob Minimah has taken over from Lt. General Azubike O. Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff.

Rear Admiral Usman O Jibrin has also replaced Vice-Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba as Chief of Naval Staff while Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu has taken over from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff.

Obasanjo worsened Nigeria’s problem by imposing a sick man on us – Pastor Tunde Bakare

Frontline activist and Convener of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare, yesterday accused former President, Olusegun Obasanjo of worsening Nigeria’s problem through corruption in high places while he (Obasanjo) was in office.

The former vice presidential candidate stated this while speaking in Lagos as a guest lecturer during the 10th Chief Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture/Symposium, organised by the Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association.

The event, with the theme, ‘Nigeria at centenary: A nation still in bondage?’ was chaired by former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami (rtd.).

In his lecture, Bakare said Obasanjo raised the bar of corruption to an unimaginable level.

He said, “Media was censored, outspoken critics were targeted and judicial decisions were subjected to executive interpretations. Meanwhile, Obasanjo himself raised the mountain of corruption to an unimaginable level.

President Jonathan's Official Photographer Shot by Unknown Gunmen

Mr Callistus Ewelike, President Goodluck Jonathan’s official photographer and a staff of the News Agency of Nigeria has been shot by unknown gunmen.

The shooting took place between 10p.m and 11p.m in front of his residence at in Nyanya, Abuja. Two men were said to have alighted from motorcycle when the victim was coming out from his car. One of the assailants reportedly confronted him and shot him in the neck at close range. Nothing was stolen from him.

The gunmen ran away when the gunshot alerted residents of the area. Neighbours immediately rushed Ewelike to the National Hospital, Abuja where medical doctors stabilized him and prepared him for surgery.

DSP Altine Daniel, Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, confirmed the incident and added that investigation into the matter has begun.

President Goodluck Jonathan Signs Anti-Gay Bill into Law

President Goodluck Jonathan signed a bill on Monday that criminalises same-sex relationships, the presidency said.

The bill, which contains penalties of up to 14 years in prison and bans gay marriage, same-sex "amorous relationships" and membership of gay rights groups, was passed by the national assembly last May but Jonathan had delayed signing it into law.

Two similar bills have been proposed since 2006 but failed to make it through parliament.

"Yes, Mr President had signed the bill into law, a statement will be issued on it within the week," presidency spokesman Reuben Abati told Reuters.

2015: Gov. Uduaghan to run for senatorial seat

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Thursday, declared his intention to run for Delta South senatorial district election in 2015.

Uduaghan, while speaking with journalists in Asaba, said that there was an unwritten zonal arrangement on where the senatorial race would go at every point in time.

He said: “This unwritten understanding gives the opportunity to the Itsekiri race, in the senatorial district, to take its turn and I have every right to do that.

“When it comes to the issue of election, I have a lot to offer, but the election being one year from now is not what I should break my head  over.”

Refuting the allegation that he was defecting to another political party, Uduaghan said that there was no need for such a move.

He added that he was a foundation and a life time member of People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

Africa’s Richest Woman Denies Plans to Contest in Lagos Gubernatorial Elections

Folorunsho Alakija, Africa's richest woman has countered rumors claiming she intends to contest in the Lagos Gubernatorial elections come 2015. Her posters were seen at the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa on Thursday.

A statement issued on her behalf read, "It has come to my notice, that there are posters and fliers being circulated in Ikorodu and other parts of Lagos State announcing me as a Governorship aspirant.

"This is not true and I hereby confirm that I have no such intentions. Therefore, I disassociate myself from any persons or group of persons, posters or fliers in circulation about me contesting for governorship.

Itsekiri women confront Uduaghan on Ugborodo Crisis

The Itsekiri women on Wednesday stormed the Delta Government House annex, Warri, demanding explanations on the fracas in Ugborodo community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state.

Chief Rita Ogbebor, who led the women, urged Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan to tell the people the causes of the recent unrest in the Ugborodo community.

Ogbebor said that the women were worried about the various reports in the media that the community had been turned into a war zone.

“Since Monday, I have been receiving calls all over the world about the crisis in Ugborodo.

“Those who are dying are our sons and husbands, the children are becoming orphans and the women widows.

“With the intelligence reports available to you, you must be able to know what the problems are, so we are asking you to tell us sincerely the causes of the problem”, she said.

Buhari, Tinubu & APC Leadership are Bunch of Hypocrites – Presidency

The presidency has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and particularly its leadership comprising Major General Muhammadu Buhari and former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, of double standards and being inconsistent on national issues.

In a paper titled, “Nigeria in 2014: Facts Versus Fiction”, written by the Special Assistant to the President, New Media, Mr. Reno Omokri, the presidency described the opposition and its leadership as a bunch of “hypocrites” who would stop at nothing to “secure political power by whatever means necessary”.

Omokri recalled that on December 18, 2013, several newspapers had carried the statement from APC which called on President Goodluck Jonathan to respond to former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter on the grounds that the allegations contained in the letter warranted a response.

However, he expressed surprise that after the president did exactly what the APC had recommended, it changed its tune and on December 26, the party berated Jonathan’s response to Obasanjo’s letter.

Jailed Ibori sacks Daily Independent newspaper management from prison

Jailed former Delta State governor, James Ibori, has ordered the management of his newspaper, Independent Newspapers Limited, INL, to proceed on compulsory leave with immediate effect.

The order from Mr. Ibori, who is currently serving his jail term in a London prison, was handed top editorial and senior management and operations staff of the embattled newspaper by the Chairman of its Board of Directors, Lawan Gambo, during an emergency management meeting on Saturday, December 18.

Mr. Gambo, who presided over the brief meeting, held at the corporate headquarters of the newspaper in the Ogba area of Lagos reportedly told some top editors and management to go home till January 31, Premium Times learnt.

The board chair also indicated that only those of them relevant to the future of the company would be recalled. Those not recalled, he said, would be disengaged and communicated.

Governor Amaechi Denies Impregnating Soyinka’s Daughter

Rivers State governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on Saturday debunked the rumours making the rounds that he impregnated a daughter of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

According to an online publication, Premium Times, the governor denied the rumours through his twitter handle on December 18, but it became public knowledge on Saturday.

There had been rumours that a daughter of the Nobel Laureate was expecting a child for Amaechi and that she was already living in the Government House.

It was further alleged that the governor’s wife, Judith, had fled abroad following the domestic challenges she was having with her husband.

Pastor Bakare Blast Pres. Jonathan for sending him a cow as Christmas Gift

According to Sahara Reporters, the presiding overseer of the Latter Rain Church and the convener of Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare has lambasted the Presidency for giving him a cow as gift this Christmas.

“I had a cow from the Presidency. I didn’t ask for it. They dropped it at the Save Nigeria Group office… But is it cow that we need? If you check their books, one cow could have been bought for $5,000. The rest of the money is pocketed! We don’t need cow, we need a country that will move forward!” he told his congregation in Lagos on Sunday.

I’ll beat Fayemi in any election, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele boasts

A member of the House of Representatives and Labour Party, LP, governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele has boasted that he has strong political structure and goodwill in the state to defeat the incumbent governor, Kayode Fayemi in any election. Opeyemi declared that the image and popularity of his new party was increasing on daily basis despite its newness in the state.

The lawmaker, who recently decamped from All Progressives Congress, APC, to LP to pursue his governorship ambition, also told his political detractors to refrain from harassment, saying no amount of threats or killings would make him back down on his governorship ambition.

Bamidele, who is representing Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency, made the statement in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, during the grand finale of his tour of the 16 local government areas.

Deposed Deji of Akure Says ‘I’ve Learnt My Lessons, Reinstate Me’

The deposed Deji of Akure, Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina, has pleaded with the Ondo State government to vacate the deposition and banishment orders placed on him in 2010.

The deposed monarch based his appeal on lessons learnt from the ordeal, saying he was more prepared to return to the throne of his forefathers since it was the turn of the Adesina house to produce the next Deji.

His appeal is also sequel to the death of the former Deji, Oba Adebiyi Adesida, who died last month at the age of 63 after having reigned for only three years after Adesina’s deposition.

In a letter dated December 19 by his counsel, Sola Oke and addressed to the State Executive Council, Adesina said many of the allegations levelled against him that led to his deposition were as a result of gap in communication and information management.

I fasted for 10 months to become governor – Amaechi

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Rotimi Amaechi has said God, and not man, installed him as the state governor because he fasted and prayed for 10 months before he became the governor.

Amaechi said rather than chase criminals away from the state, the police had decided to shoot innocent citizens.

The governor, who spoke at Saint Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, said insecurity in the state was growing because the police had failed to do their job in an unbiased manner.

Maintaining that his government was installed by Jesus Christ, Amaechi urged the people to disregard those who claimed to be responsible for his emergence as the governor of the state.

OBJ's Letter: Al-Mustapha Challenges Obasanjo To Public Debate Over Allegations

The former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Sani Abacha, Hamza Al-Mustapha, has responded to the allegations by former president Olusegun Obasanjo contained in his famous letter to President Goodluck Jonathan that he (Al-Mustapha) was released from prison to help the president train assassins to eliminate opposition politicians.

Speaking to the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, VOA, monitored in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Al-Mustapha challenged the ex-president to a public debate on the allegations he raised.

Obasanjo Asked Me To Pay a Godfather ₦10m monthly as Anambra Governor –Mbadinuju

In a recent interview with Punch, former governor of Anambra State, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, speaks about the controversies which dodged his administration; godfathers and the inability of the People’s Democratic Party to form government in the state since he left office

Excerpts;

With your experience as governor, what would you say about godfatherism?

Well, a godfather has many connotations. You could have positive godfathers and negative ones. The good ones work towards making things work and succeed but if you have a godfather that is always challenging, he wants to make appointments, if you have 10 commissioners, he would want to have three or four. After you have given him two commissioners, he will say he wants Special Advisers, Special Assistants and he will even want to choose their portfolios but I said these things are not done like that and they said it is done like that, that is controversy.

You are bloody idiots – Obasanjo blasts Vanguard Newspaper

Apparently angered by the content of a purported letter written to him by his daughter, Iyabo, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday rained thunder and brimstone on Vanguard Newspaper over the missive.

The media was awash yesterday, with a purported letter written by Iyabo Obasanjo to her father, accusing him of being responsible for the nation’s many troubles.

Iyabo in the letter obtained by Vanguard, also accused the Otta farmer of abandoning his family.

Iyabo Obasanjo writes Father, Accuses Him of Having Egotistic Personality

It appears Nigeria is gradually moving into a new era where all political deeds are no longer hidden but exposed via open letters. Barely one week that former President, Olusegun Obasanjo took a swipe on Jonathan’s government in an open letter, Obasanjo’s daughter, Iyabo, has equally written an open letter to her father, disclosing that she would never be in talking terms with him (her father) again. Iyabo had described her father as a man with different faces, who is bent at manipulating situations at all times. She said her father was mischievously witch-hunting President Goodluck Jonathan due to his (Obasanjo) insatiable and inordinate quest for power and relevance.

Presidency Fires Back at Obasanjo over “Self-Serving, Provocative Letter”

The Presidency on Wednesday reacted to the letter written by former Preisent Olusegun Obasanjo in which he accused the President of returning Nigeria to the dark Abacha years. In a release, Media Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Reuben Abati described Obasanjo’s letter as self-serving and provocative.

Below is the text of the response from the Presidency.

“OBASANJO’S LETTER UNBECOMING, SELF-SERVING AND HIGHLY PROVOCATIVE”

We have noted the publication on several websites today of a letter recently written by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The Presidency acknowledges that it has indeed received the said letter from Chief Obasanjo.