NewStats: 3,262,013 , 8,175,874 topics. Date: Saturday, 31 May 2025 at 02:34 PM 4414q

Buhari the man we want

Haters be like what is doing dis one.

President Muhammadu Buhari arrived Munich,
at about 15.25 Hours Sunday to begin a
two-day official visit in the course of which he will
participate in the G-7 Outreach program for invited
heads of government and global institutions.
President Buhari who was received on arrival by the Vice
Minister-President of Bavaria, Mrs. Inge Aigner was
accompanied by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State,
former Governor Babatunde Fashola, Gen. A. Dambazau
(rtd.) and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Amb. Paul B. Lolo.
Other invited Heads of State and international institutions
who will President Buhari at the working session with
G-7 leaders tomorrow at Elmau include President Jacob
Zuma of South Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of
Liberia, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Beji
Caid Essebsi of Tunisia and Prime Minister Hailemariam
Desalegn of Ethiopia.
Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi of Iraq, the Secretary-
General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, the
Secretary-General of the OECD, Mr. Angel Gurria, the
Managing Director of the IMF, Mrs. Christine Largarde, the
President of the World Bank Group, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, the
Director-General of the International Labour Organistion,
Mr. Guy Rider, the Chairperson of the African Union
Commission , Mrs. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and the
Director-General of the World Trade Organisation are also
scheduled to participate inMonday's Outreach Session with
G-7 leaders.
Before leaving Munich for home tomorrow, President
Buhari will hold bilateral talks with the Chancellor Angela
Merkel of and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of
Canada on the sidelines of the G-7 Outreach Programme.
He is also expected to meet President Barack Obama,
President Francois Hollande of , Prime Minister
David Cameron of Britain, and other G-7 leaders in the
course of the Outreach Session and a working lunch at the
Elmau Castle.
The Head of the Bavarian regional government will host a
dinner in honour of President Buhari and other leaders
invited to the G-7 Outreach Programme tonight.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)

Datazone:

who's this persona non grata?

Thought u are matured enough never knew u r toddler fool.

dominique:
Exactly what is stopping this Code of Conduct Bureau from revealing this declaration to the general public? We also deserve to know. A lot of people are counting on PMB. Hope he doesn't let us down.

They are allowed to read it to the public after enough fact dat the asset they declaref are true.

vjsmiles:
[size=14pt] do you sell crayfish at alaba?
No offense [/size]

now i know the limit of ur thinking.

Buhairi b e like who among u kept my certificate

Senators and of the House of Representatives will
go home with the operational vehicles of the National
Assembly currently in their possession as the 7th Assembly
winds down on Friday.
Each of the 109 senators has a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado,
commonly referred to as ‘jeep’, assigned to them for
“operational” purposes like carrying out committee and
oversight duties.
The story is the same at the House, where each member
has a 2011 model Toyota Camry attached to them for
operational duties.
Apart from the operational vehicles, principal officers,
including the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the
House, have additional vehicles assigned to them.
The Prado jeeps and Camry are properties of the National
Assembly that should have ordinarily been left behind by
the departing legislators.
But, The PUNCH gathered on Tuesday that, with the
understanding of the management of the legislature, the
vehicles have been valued, taking note of the years of
depreciation, to allow lawmakers who wish to go home
with them to do so by paying 30 per cent of the purchase
price.
The money is to be deducted from the severance package of
the senators and the House .
Findings showed that in line with the arrangement, the
Prado jeeps, valued at the market price of about N9m,
would be given away to senators for around N2.7m.
In the same vein, of the House will each part with
about N1.9m to go home with the Camry, valued at N6.5m.
An official of the National Assembly management, who
confirmed the “deal” to The PUNCH in Abuja on Tuesday,
said, “The cars have been used for four years, so this
valuation has taken cognisance of the years of
depreciation.
“The vehicles are not taken away free of charge and as a
matter of fact, it is optional. A lawmaker who does not want
to go with the vehicle will submit it to the National
Assembly and it will be so documented.
“The deduction will be done from their severance package
at source, which makes it easier.
“It is a practice that has been on over the years.”
Investigations also showed that, aside the operational
vehicles, each of the senators, on resumption in 2011, was
given 300 per cent of their total basic salaries as car loans
and 300 per cent as housing allowance. About 250 per
cent was advanced to them as furniture allowance.
Each of the senators, according to investigations, is
receiving N1.8m basic salary monthly while the Senate
President’s basic salary per month, is N2m.
One of our correspondents learnt that the car loan, which
was about N6.5m per senator and N7m for the senate
president, was used to buy a brand new Toyota Camry car
each.
The amount, according to a senior member of staff of the
National Assembly, was deducted from the basic salaries of
the senators within two years.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because
he was not authorised to speak to the press, said the
arrangement was a departure from the past practice
whereby some senators went away with their operational
vehicles as parting gifts.
He said, “The loans were obtained for the lawmakers
through the banks where their salary s are
domiciled, hence the bankers usually deduct certain
percentage agreed upon from their monthly payments to
service the car, housing and furniture loans.”
Attempts to get an official reaction from the Deputy Director
of Information at the National Assembly, Mr. Ishaku Dibal,
were unsuccessful as calls put through to his mobile
telephone did not connect.
However, the Deputy House Majority Leader, Leo Ogor,
confirmed that the operational vehicles would be taken
away “but certainly not for free.”
Ogor explained that the “normal procedure” was that the
vehicles would be evaluated and an agreed sum deducted
from the severance package of departing legislators.
“I don’t know what the amount will be; but I know that the
cars are not for free. The management of the National
Assembly will work it out and communicate to
accordingly”, he stated.
Investigations further revealed that of the House
were also offered the choice of taking home the plasma TV
sets in their offices on the condition that they would pay 50
per cent of the purchase price.
The PUNCH learnt that a 40-inch TV set for example, was
supplied for a contract sum of N600,000 in 2011. This
means a member planning to take it home will pay
N300,000 to the management of the legislature.
Another House official however disclosed to The PUNCH
that most of the House turned down the Tv set
offer.
“They agreed to take the vehicles but almost all of them
rejected the offer of the Tv sets on the grounds that they
were too expensive.”

MAKURDI—The defeated All Progressives Congress, APC,
candidate during the Benue South Senatorial District
election, Mr. Daniel Onje has accused the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC, of allegedly denying
him the right to inspect the materials used in the conduct of
the election, thereby frustrating his petition against the
election of the Senate President, Senator David Mark..
Onje is challenging the re-election of Senator Mark at the
Legislative Houses Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in
Makurdi.
At the resumed hearing on the matter yesterday, his
counsel, Adetunji Oso told the tribunal that, “we had
applied since April 14, 2015 for inspection of materials used
during the election, but regrettably, INEC has not given us
the desired cooperation.”
He sought the court’s order to compel the commission to
allow his client access to the materials.
In his response, counsel to INEC, Godwin Manswa,
complained that owing to the enormity of the materials
involved, it had been hectic to make them available to the
petitioner but promised that the commission would avail
the petitioner with the needed materials.
In her ruling, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Mosunmola
Dipeolu adjourned further hearing on the matter to June
12, 2015.
Meantime, the immediate past Governor of Benue State, Mr.
Gabriel Suswam has withdrawn his petition challenging the
election of Senator Barnabas Gemade.
Counsel to Suswam, Mr Andrew Wombo who sought the
withdrawal through an application told the court that, “my
client has decided to withdraw the case in the interest of
peace and harmony of the society.”
Wombo then prayed the tribunal to grant the request without
any costs

Late Umaru Yar’Adua was sworn in on May 29th 2007
but didn’t submit his declaration form to code of
conduct bureau, CCB on June 28th 2007-the day he
publicly declared the assets, like President Buhari he
turned in his assets immediately after he was sworn in,
in May to satisfy the conditions of the law which states
that you cannot act as President until you have sent it
to CCB.
It was a month later, on June 28th that year that he
made public duly signed copies of the assets list he had
turned in a month earlier.
According to procedures, you would give CCB time, up
to30 days to whatever assets you had claim you
have as contained in your submission. This explains
why late Yar’Adua’s public declaration didn’t happen
until one month after his swearing in. A little research
reveals these points.
Quoting the CCB, verification is done thus: “First, is the
examination that is carried out at the point of
submitting the Assets Declaration Form. Second, is
during individual or conference verification when
documents are cited for authentication. Third, is when
there is a need for field investigation when an offer goes
to the field to see the houses, the landed properties
etc.”
This process takes time. It is responsible to wait till
your assets have been verified before they are made
public.

The Peoples Democratic Party has raised the alarm
over what it called an illegal plot by some
of the ruling All Progressives Congress, to oust Ekiti
State governor, Ayodele Fayose.
Mr. Fayose, who has been having a running battle
with the of the State House of Assembly,
had obtained a court order restricting the
from proceeding with the impeachment process.
The Acting Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus,
while addressing a retreat of elected lawmakers
under the party holding in Port Harcourt this
morning, said the Ekiti lawmakers “are presently
camped at a location in Osun in preparation to be
moved to Ekiti”.
Mr. Secondus said the party considered it illegal and
a test of its patience if the Ekiti lawmakers and their
backers will be allowed to make real their intentions.
“We call on President Buhari to intervene. As a
party, we will not sit down and watch democracy
being derailed. We have been working on deepening
democracy for the past 16 years. We must continue
to deepen it and I call on you to continue to depend
democracy.”
Mr. Secondus, in a reaction to brickbats that followed
the party’s abysmal performance in the last round of
elections, called on of the party to bring an
end to the blame game and face the task of
rebuilding the party.
He said the PDP plans to rev up its research and
communication units to reposition itself as a
formidable opposition party.
Earlier, the President of the Senate, David Mark, said
as a minority party, the PDP is prepared to provide
“credible, focused and vibrant opposition” at the
National Assembly.
He said with unity among party and
synergy between leadership of the party and elected
persons under the party, the PDP would be stronger
and capable of giving the ruling APC a tough fight.
“We will very credible in our opposition. We will
prepare ourselves so that we will have ability
and good governance”.

Source:www.timesng.com/news/top-news/184146-pdp-raises-alarm-over-fresh-plot-to-remove-fayose-begs-buhari-to-intervene.html

With response to allegation that the President did not declare his asset publicly he doesnt have to since he has submitted to the code of conduct bureau it is their duty to announce to the general public about the asset not the president himself.

Good

God bless Akpabio

Lovely.Goodluck to you.

Love democracy.

Really love the sportmanship of president Jonathan.

love Gej

Ahead of his inauguration as Kaduna state
governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai on
Wednesday announced the appointments of
key officials in his incoming government. El-Rufai, in a statement he personally signed in Kaduna,
named Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal as Secretary to the
State Government (SSG).
The statement further said that Malam Salisu Suleiman has
been appointed Principal Private Secretary, while Mr. Abu
Musa Sheyin will serve as Private Secretary to Mr.
Barnabas Yusuf Bala, the deputy governor-elect.
The Governor-elect also announced the appointment of
Hon. Bala Yunusa as deputy Chief Of Staff (Legislative
Affairs) and Samuel Aruwan as his Special Assistant, Media
The appointments take effect from Friday, 29 May 2015.
Lawal, a former lecturer, served as Chief of Staff when El-
Rufai was minister of the FCT. He was a director in the
Nasir El-Rufai Campaign Organization and currently chairs
the Kaduna State APC Transition Committee. Lawal had
previously taught in the defunct College of Advance Studies,
(CAS) now Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, and at the
istrative College of Nigeria (ASCON), Badagry,
Lagos.
Suleiman, the incoming PPS, holds a Ph.D in Public Policy.
He has worked in the public sector and the academia.
Sheyin is a former secretary and acting chairman of Jemaa
Local Government, among other positions he has held in the
public service.
Yunusa, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly,
worked in the Kaduna State APC Campaign Council and is
serving on a sub-committee of the Transition Committee.
Aruwan worked as spokesman of the Kaduna State APC
Campaign Council in the 2015 elections. He began formal
media practice in LEADERSHIP Newspapers, rising to chief
of its Kaduna Bureau. Until his appointment, he was
heading the Kaduna bureau of the Blueprint Newspapers
Limited.
Meanwhile, the governor-elect has wished the appointees
success in their new assignments.

it was not due to fuel shortage ooo the student have been expriencing shortage of power supply which makes it difficult for them to pump water to use.

The weekend stand off between Nigerian Senator-elect,
Kasha Buruji and the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) will most likely end this morning as the
fugitive politician indicted for heroin dealings in the US
prepares to surrender peacefully to agents of the NDLEA
that had laid siege on his residence since Saturday morning.
A spokesperson to Mr. Buruji told SaharaReporters that his
principal was getting ready to meet with agents of the anti-
drug law agency any moment from now.
Mr. Buruji had threatened to commit suicide on Saturday as
NDLEA agents invaded his home in the posh Lekki
neighborhood ready to capture him based on an extradition
request by the United States government. After a long
standoff, the NDLEA agreed to place him under “house
arrest” pending a court appearance slated for Lagos today.
Earlier today NDLEA spokesperson, Mitchel Ofoju, could not
provide specifics as to what next steps will be taken by the
agency going forward, he asked our reporter to give him
more time to liaise with agents on the field.
Meanwhile, ant-corruption activists have expressed worry
that the long weekend standoff between Kashamu and the
NDLEA could provide leeway to help him find a pliable
judge that could stall his extradition considering that some
judges are on his payroll.
Last week, Civil Society Network Against Corruption led by
Olarenwaju Suraj petitioned the National Judicial Council
over the controversial role of Justice Okon Abang in
entertaining a fresh lawsuit by Kashamu when already a
similar suit is pending at the Supreme Court.

The weekend stand off between Nigerian Senator-elect,
Kasha Buruji and the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) will most likely end this morning as the
fugitive politician indicted for heroin dealings in the US
prepares to surrender peacefully to agents of the NDLEA
that had laid siege on his residence since Saturday
morning.
A spokesperson to Mr. Buruji told SaharaReporters that his
principal was getting ready to meet with agents of the anti-
drug law agency any moment from now.
Mr. Buruji had threatened to commit suicide on Saturday as
NDLEA agents invaded his home in the posh Lekki
neighborhood ready to capture him based on an extradition
request by the United States government. After a long
standoff, the NDLEA agreed to place him under “house
arrest” pending a court appearance slated for Lagos today.
Earlier today NDLEA spokesperson, Mitchel Ofoju, could not
provide specifics as to what next steps will be taken by the
agency going forward, he asked our reporter to give him
more time to liaise with agents on the field.
Meanwhile, ant-corruption activists have expressed worry
that the long weekend standoff between Kashamu and the
NDLEA could provide leeway to help him find a pliable
judge that could stall his extradition considering that some
judges are on his payroll.
Last week, Civil Society Network Against Corruption led by
Olarenwaju Suraj petitioned the National Judicial Council
over the controversial role of Justice Okon Abang in
entertaining a fresh lawsuit by Kashamu when already a
similar suit is pending at the Supreme Court.

The National Drug Law enforcement
Agency, NDLEA, on Sunday told Buruji
Kashamu to be set for extradition
proceedings and not blame anyone for
his predicaments.
Mr. Kashamu, a senator-elect, has been
under house arrest by the NDLEA since
Saturday morning, with the agency set
to drag him to court on Monday to face
extradition to the U.S. where he his
wanted for drug-related offences.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,
politician blamed his current
predicament on former President
Olusegun Obasanjo and a PDP leader,
Bode George, whose wife heads the
NDLEA.
However, in a statement on Sunday,
the agency’s spokesperson, Ofoyeju
Mitchell, said, “We expect Kashamu as
a distinguished senator-elect to
demonstrate ample confidence in the
Nigerian judicial system and stop the
blame game.”
“The fact is that a formal request for
his extradition had been received from
the Embassy of the United States of
America. According to official report,
Kashamu has been on the wanted list
of both the U.S. Drug Enforcement
istration (DEA) and Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the
Department of Homeland Security
(DHS),” the drug agency stated.
“Kashamu was indicted in the
Northern District of Illinois, United
States on charges brought against him
by ICE. According to the United States
court documents, Kashamu in his days
as the leader of a prolific heroin
trafficking ring based in Chicago,
Illinois was known as “God,” “Daddy,”
and “Kasmal”. He is wanted to stand
trial on charges of conspiracy and
importation of controlled substances,
namely heroin, into the United States
dating back to 1994.”
The NDLEA added that Mr. Kashamu,
“who holds dual Nigerian/Beninese
citizenship, has taken multiple
preemptive actions to thwart U.S.
extradition efforts such as making fanciful claims
that his is a case of mistaken identity, and that his
deceased brother is responsible for the crimes he is
being sought after in the United States. He has filed
injunctions at the federal court both in the Northern
District of Illinois, United States and in Nigeria to
prevent his arrest and prosecution.”
Mr. Kashamu, a close ally of outgoing President
Goodluck Jonathan has been making efforts to stop
his extradition in the U.S. including filing cases at
different Nigerian courts to stop the process. He was
one of the major reasons given by Mr. Obasanjo for
refusing to the re-election of Mr. Jonathan
and choosing to dump the PDP.

A former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party,
PDP, Vincent Ogbulafor, has accused his party of
helping its presidential candidate lose the last
elections and called on the of its National
Working Committee, NWC, to resign.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in
Umuahia on Sunday, Mr. Ogbulafor said the
should take the path of honour by bowing
out of the committee.
He added that the should resign in the
interest of the party and pave the way for fresh
hands to pull the party out of the woods and
reposition it ahead of the 2019 general elections.
He described the resignation of the National
Chairman and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees
of the party, Adamu Muazu and Tony Anenih
respectively, as a welcome development.
“I feel happy about their resignation because I feel
they did so in the interest of the party.
“So, I feel it is better for all the committee
to voluntarily resign if they love the party and want
it to survive,’’ he said.
Mr. Ogbulafor further urged the NWC to accept
responsibility for the party’s poor performance in
the 2015 general elections and the failure to win a
second term in office for President Goodluck
Jonathan.
“The party played the politics of hate and exclusion,”
he said, adding that “past national chairmen were
completely excluded and were never invited to offer
our own ideas on how to deliver Jonathan.
“When I was the chairman, I controlled 28 states and
a majority in the National Assembly and also won
additional four states for the party.
“Some of us performed better and have good ideas
on how to keep PDP in power for as long as I
predicted,’’ he said.
Mr. Ogbulafor, who predicted that the party would
rule Nigeria for uninterrupted 60 years, said that the
feat was possible had the party sustained the line-up.
“I made the prediction in clear conscience and
realisation that it was achievable, given that PDP
controlled 28 states, majority in the National
Assembly and local government istration.
“So, there is nothing that could have stopped PDP if
we were able to control the line-up.’’
Mr. Ogbulafor blamed the woes befalling the party
on the emergence of a ‘’reform group,’’ saying that
the group created factions within it.
He also said that the incessant change in the
leadership, with five chairmen so far produced
within a space of five years after his exit was
counter-productive.
“Since I left office, PDP has changed its chairmen five
times. This is a pointer that all is not well with the
party.
“This is why I am calling on the NWC to
quit without compulsion to pave the way for fresh
blood that will bring vibrancy and help to move the
party forward,’’ he said
Mr. Ogbulafor said that the incoming governors, who
would be the financiers of the party, would also wish
to inherit a fresh NWC, populated by fresh people.
He said he was not planning to leave the party in
view of the current challenges.
He said his visit to the National Chairman of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, John Oyegun, on the
heels of the party’s electoral victory was to
congratulate him in the spirit of sportsmanship.
Mr. Ogbulafor, who also congratulated President-
elect Muhammadu Buhari described his election as
compensation to Katsina and the north over the
death of late President Musa Yar’Adua.
‘’I feel happy that the presidency went to the north,
particularly Katsina, the home state of late Yar’Adua,
who died in office without completing his tenure and
the slot for the north,’’ he said

This picture was taken around 9pm in my area,then i wept for my country.

Buruji Kashamu’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, told SaharaTV
during an exclusive interview that there was no way that
“Kashamu will be taken to America alive.” Buruji Kashamu
is the Senator-Elect for Ogun State and his residence has
been under siege by Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA) agents since early this morning.
Mr. Oludeye was referring to the ongoing saga centered on
the extradition order from the United States for Mr.
Kashamu on drug-related charges. He repeatedly told
SaharaTV that this police action amounts to nothing less
than an abduction of the Senator-Elect.
Mr. Oludeye spoke with SaharaTV from inside Kashamu’s
residence, which was under total police control. He told a
SaharaTV correspondent before the interview “I cannot
provide my phone to Buruji Kashamu because the police
are denying entry to everyone to his bedroom.”
At 4:30am in Lagos, according to reports, the NDLEA
agents surrounded Mr. Kashamu’s residence while he was
asleep inside. According to the narrative provided to
SaharaTV by Austin Oyinokor, the Senator-Elect’s Media
Adviser, the NDLEA agents attempted to break his house for
the purposes of arresting Kashamu.
Mr. Oludeye confirmed to SaharaTV that the NDLEA agents
were attempting to arrest Mr. Kashamu on the drug charges
and warrants from the United States. However, when asked
whether Senator-Elect Kashamu will be placed on a plane
to the United States Mr. Oludeye said that, “Kashamu won’t
be taken alive to America.”
After lengthy negotiations between Kashamu’s legal team
and the Attorney General, it was decided that rather than
jail Senator-Elect Kashamu today that he would be “be put
under house arrest until Monday” where he will be moved
to the Court for a formal legal proceeding.
When asked who was behind these latest legal problems,
Mr. Oludeye said that, “We have mentioned Obasanjo’s
name as the instigation of the house arrest. It’s no longer
an issue of suspicion, we believe very strongly that
Obasanjo was the instigator for this abduction plan.”
As the situation continues to develop it is unclear whether
Senator-Elect Buruji Kashamu will be arrested at the Court
House on Monday, or whether his arrest would lead to
extradition to the United States.

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA) on May 23rd, 2015 placed Senator-elect Buruji
Kashamu from Ogun State under house arrest. This is
sequel to a formal request for extradition received from the
Embassy of the United States of America pending his
arraignment before the Federal High Court on Monday, May
25th, 2015.
Kashamu has been a target of both the U.S. Drug
Enforcement istration (DEA) and Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) for over 20 years and was indicted in the
Northern District of Illinois, United States on charges
brought against him by ICE.
KASHAMU, who U.S. court documents allege was known in
his days as the leader of a prolific heroin trafficking ring
based in Chicago, Illinois as “God,” “Daddy,” and “Kasmal,”
is wanted to stand trial on charges of conspiracy and
importation of controlled substances, namely heroin, into
the United States dating back to 1994. Kashamu, who
holds dual Nigerian/Beninese citizenship, has taken
multiple preemptive actions to thwart U.S. extradition
efforts such as making fanciful claims that his is a case of
mistaken identity, and that his deceased brother is
responsible for the crimes he is being sought after in the
United States. Kashamu has filed injunctions in federal
court both in the Northern District of Illinois, United States
and in Nigeria to prevent his arrest and prosecution.
At the time of his arrest, NDLEA officers allowed
Kashamu’s legal attorneys – Daniel Onamusi and Barrister
Oloyede – and close family including his wife and
adult daughters to speak with him and attest to his well-
being. The NDLEA has assured Kashamu that he will be
afforded all the protections of the law and will be given his
day in court. Assertions that he will be bundled up under
cover of darkness and whisked out of the country are
untrue and should not be given any credence. We expect
Kashamu as a senator-elect to demonstrate confidence in
the Nigerian judicial system and not insinuate otherwise.
Ofoyeju Mitchell
Head, Public Affairs
08034088136

I vote Twaci cc:NLJega

Vice-President Namadi Sambo, and
wife, Amina Sambo, on Monday urged
Nigerians they offended while they
served as the nation’s number two
family, to forgive them.
The vice-president, who spoke to
newsmen shortly after a valedictory
meeting with his ing
of staff, at Aguda House, Abuja, said he
had forgiven all those he had
interacted with in the last five years.
According to him, he has enjoyed good
and cordial working relationship with
all his ing of staff.
“Whether in government or outside
government, we will continue to
contribute towards the development of
the country.
“And also, we have enjoyed working
together and we have become one
family with our staff and we assure
them that we shall always be there for
them.
“Also, we pray that all those that we
have offended during this period, we
beg for their forgiveness and we
forgive all those that have done
anything wrong to us.’’
Mr. Sambo thanked the staff for their
and cooperation and urged
them to extend the same to the
incoming istration.
In her remarks, the wife of the Vice-
President, Amina Sambo, said the
Sambo’s family would forever remain
grateful for the ,
encouragement and prayers they
enjoyed from the staff.
The farewell meeting was attended by
all the ing staff, including
Special Advisers and Senior Special
Assistants to the vice-president and his
wife.(NAN)

A prominent former President of the National Association of
Nigerian Students (NANS), Emma Ezeazu, has died.
Emma Ezeazu
Mr. Ezeazu, who was in his late 50s, led Nigerian students
between 1986 and 1988, the longest span of NANS
leadership by one person in history. He was also credited
with reviving students’ unionism at the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka. Sources say he had been diagnosed with
a kidney ailment.
Mr. Eleazu ran for the House of Representatives on the
platform of the APC, reportedly collapsing during the
primaries. Still, he lost the contest by only 14 votes,
despite being on a hospital bed.
He was also a former National Secretary of the Civil
Liberties Organizations, and Executive Director of
Community Action For Popular Participation (CAPP]. He
later founded the Alliance For Credible Elections (ACE).
He and the late Chima Ubani also ran an “underground
railway” somewhere in Lagos, described as a place where
activists stayed beyond the reach of overzealous security
agents.

Mohammed Shehu, an aide to President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, has advised youths to pray instead of trekking for the incoming leader’s istration.

Mr. Shehu gave this advice during interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, the incoming istration acknowledges the excitement of youths over Mr. Buhari’s election but would prefer that they channel their energies towards praying than embarking on, sometimes dangerous, journeys.

“It’s kind of overwhelming. Last week, I told youths to stay where they are, stop trekking, and pray for the incoming istration instead.

“We have a lot of challenges; light, unemployment, insecurity, and so on.

“So it is more profitable for them to stay where they are and pray instead of taking the dangerous risk of walking all the way to Abuja,’’ Mr. Shehu said.
On the allegation that the trekkers were ignored, Mr. Shehu said: “that is not true. Even outsiders have been bringing gifts and food for them out of goodwill.

“It is untrue that they have been ignored or starved and this is not the first batch but you know the problem with this kind of situation is that when others hear, they keep coming.”

Several young Nigerians have in the past weeks announced solidarity trekking from distant towns and cities to Abuja.

The only female among the group of 22, Lauratu Musa, said she took off from Kaduna eight days ago with her 15 year-old son, Adamu Abdullahi.
“I collected 28 goodwill letters from the various villages I lodged in on my way. This is my son, he was bitten on the way by plenty mosquitoes but we thank God we are here,’’ she said.

NAN reports that the trekkers, 22 in all, cut across various ages ranging from 20 to 63, and came from different parts of the country including Katsina, Kano, Adamawa, Yobe, Anambra and Kaduna States. (NAN)

http://www.timesng.com/news/183242-stop-trekking-pray-instead-buharis-aide-tells-youth.html