Nigerian Eye

Governor Bindow wins controversial Adamawa APC guber primary

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Muhammadu Bindow, governor of Adamawa, has emerged winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in the state. 
 
He earned 193,656 votes to defeat two other candidates. 
 
Ahmed Jibrin, chairman, APC committee on the primary election, said Halilu Ahmed scored 15,738 votes while Nuhu Ribadu came third with 8,364 votes. 
 
He said: “I, Ahmed Jibrin, chairman committee of the APC Adamawa governorship primary election with the power conferred on me and my members by the national secretariat declared Muhammadu Jibrilla Bindow as the winner of the Adamawa governorship primary election with the total of 193, 656 votes.” 
 
Ahmed, Aisha Buhari’s brother, has kicked against the primary election, calling for its cancellation. 
 
Ribadu had also cited various irregularities in the exercise. He said party members in all the 226 wards of the state could not vote. 
 
The former EFCC chairman had initially pulled out of the governorship race, arguing that the exercise would not be free and fair. 
 
He, however, backtracked when the election was rescheduled. 
 
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But after the exercise on Saturday, he said, “the electoral process was completely hijacked across the state”. 
 
Ribadu added: “Thousands of our supporters trooped to all the 226 wards early enough on Friday to exercise their rights. They waited for hours under the sun till the sunset without sighting any official. 
 
“Personally, I visited some of the wards within the metropolis where we met anxious people that were angry at the absence of persons that would coordinate the elections. It is similar report we got from our agents from across the state. 
 
“The election materials distributed at the local government headquarters were hijacked by government officials and party leaders, who went on to fill out funny figures and return them to the returning officers as results from the wards.” 
 
Ribadu called on the national working committee (NWC) of the party to declare all the results null and void.

Latest-News Governor Bindow wins controversial Adamawa APC guber primary

Muhammadu Bindow, governor of Adamawa, has emerged winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in the stat...

BREAKING: First lady, Aisha Buhari blasts her husband's party APC

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Nigeria's first lady, Aisha Buhari has taken to Twitter on Sunday to blast her husband's party , with respect to the conduct of the All Progressives Congress primaries. 
 
She also took a very bold swipe towards the national party chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole 'whose main concern is for the common man, yet, such impunity could take place under its watch' 
 
Taking to her official and verified Twitter handle, Mrs. Buhari said; 
 
“It is disheartening to note that some aspirants used their hard earned money to purchase nomination forms, got screened, cleared and campaigned vigorously yet found their names omitted on Election Day, these forms were bought at exorbitant prices. 
 
“Many others contested and yet had their result delayed. Fully knowing that AUTOMATIC tickets have been given to other people. 
 
“All Progressives Congress being a party whose cardinal principle is change and headed by a comrade/activist whose main concern is for the common man, yet, such impunity could take place under its watch.” 
 
"It is disheartening to note that some aspirants used their hard earned money to purchase nomination forms, got screened, cleared and campaigned vigorously yet found their names omitted on Election Day, these forms were bought at exorbitant prices" 
 
"Given this development one will not hesitate than DISSOCIATE from such unfairness, be neutral and speak for the voiceless." 
 
 
READ HER TWEETS BELOW... 
 
 
 
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<div dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">It is disheartening to note that some aspirants used their hard earned money to purchase nomination forms, got screened, cleared and campaigned vigorously yet found their names omitted on Election Day, these forms were bought at exorbitant prices. 
 
1/6 <a href="https://t.co/OIrdXy8fzy">pic.twitter.com/OIrdXy8fzy</a></div>
— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/aishambuhari/status/1048833034215202816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<div dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Many others contested and yet had their result delayed. Fully knowing that AUTOMATIC tickets have been given to other people. 
2/6</div>
— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/aishambuhari/status/1048833145032921088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">All Progressives Congress being a party whose cardinal principle is change and headed by a comrade/ activist whose main concern is for the common man, yet, such impunity could take place under its watch. 
 
3/6</div>
— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/aishambuhari/status/1048833224582057984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">Given this development one will not hesitate than DISSOCIATE from such unfairness, be neutral and speak for the voiceless. 
 
4/6</div>
— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/aishambuhari/status/1048833648907243520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<div dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">It is important for the populace to rise against impunity and for voters to demand from aspirants to be committed to the provision of basic amenities such as: 
1. Potable drinking water 
2. Basic health care ( Primary Health Care centers) 
 
5/6</div>
— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/aishambuhari/status/1048833769577357314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" type="text/javascript">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">3. Education within conducive & appropriate learning environments. 
 
Let us vote wisely! 
LONG LIVE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA! 
 
6/6</div>
— Aisha M. Buhari (@aishambuhari) <a href="https://twitter.com/aishambuhari/status/1048833871196950529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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NigerianEye recalls that Mahmoud Ahmed, a brother of Mrs. Buhari alleged that the APC gubernatorial process in Adamawa State was hijacked. 
 
Ahmed, as well as Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) are contesting for the APC ticket along with incumbent governor Mohammed Bindow. 
 
Ahmed said his agents at various local governments were barred from election centres and, in some instances, threatened with violence.

Latest-News BREAKING: First lady, Aisha Buhari blasts her husband's party APC

Nigeria's first lady, Aisha Buhari has taken to Twitter on Sunday to blast her husband's party , with respect to the conduct of th...

2019: Donald Duke emerges SDP Presidential candidate

08:51 Unknown 0

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Former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, has emerged as Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the 2019 general election. 
 
Duke polled 812 votes to defeat his close rival, former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, who polled 611 votes at the party’s National Convention held at Old Parade Ground, Abuja. 
 
The Convention Returning Officer, Dr Abdul Isiaq, declaring the results of the presidential primary election at the early hour of Sunday, said Mr. John Dara, former Special Assistant to Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma, former Defence Minister, scored 104 votes. 
 
He also announced that former Ambassador and former Minister, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher 
polled 72 votes; former Ambassador, Felix Osakwe scored 10 votes, while the number of invalid votes was 63. 
 
Duke in his acceptance speech, described his emergence as collective victory for all aspirants that participated in the contest, as well for the party and the nation. 
 
He said that primary was just a step in the contest, saying he will go through the nation to campaign and sell the party and it’s polices to citizens. 
 
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Duke called for the support of all aspirants, the party officials and Nigerians to win 2019 general election, saying “we will reawaken in Nigerians that yearning that we are destined to be, but we cannot do this alone.” 
 
He said that Nigeria was not a divided nation but a country of common purpose. 
 
“What divides us is inadequacy and wants, because in the face of this survival of the fittest comes in, which ought not to be so because there is more than enough for everyone.” 
 
He said if Nigerians were productive and abide by rules and regulations , the nation would grow from strength to strength. 
 
“This is what good governance is all about and that is what I stand for. “(NAN)

Latest-News 2019: Donald Duke emerges SDP Presidential candidate

Former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, has emerged as Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the 2019...

Aisha Buhari’s missing N2.5 Billion

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By Sonala Olumhense 
 
As Aisha Buhari left for the 73rd United Nations General Assembly two weeks ago, she was seething with rage. Aisha is the spouse of Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari, who came to office on an anti-corruption horse. 
 
Entering New York with her husband, Aisha was reported to be angry with her aide-de-camp (ADC), Chief Superintendent of Police Sani Baban-Inna. To be an ADC in Nigeria is to arrive at the table of privilege. 
 
Baba-Inna had been present for two years when Aisha ordered his arrest, alleging that he received huge donations from politicians and business people on her behalf but did not deliver. 
 
At stake: over N2.5billion: enough money to buy loads of luxury homes and cars in the world’s most expensive capitals. Enough money to buy a living-room load of Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond handbags, which are worth $3.8million apiece this year. 
 
Baban-Inna was arrested on September 21. The police upturned his home; no N2.5bn. They rifled through his bank accounts; no N2.5bn. In fact, they reported finding a combined N31, 200 in both locations. 
 
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But Mrs. Buhari would not hear of it. Reports said she accused the police of covering up for her suspect. 
 
Curiously, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, whom she first ordered to arrest Baban-Inna, was alleged to have been among the donors, a charge he denied. 
 
The furious First Lady then snatched the case from the hands of the police and turned it over to the Department of State Service (DSS), who took the ADC into custody. 
 
Mrs. Buhari, it may be remembered, is not an official of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She neither ran for any office nor was she appointed. In fact, Buhari said on several occasions he would abolish the office of First Lady. 
 
Nonetheless, there have been occasional reports that the Office of First Lady, which was well equipped and had been extensively deployed by her predecessor, Patience Faka Jonathan. Those reports say Aisha is served by her own array of protocol and security officers, and personal aides. Baban-Inna was one of those aides. 
 
 
 
But that is beside the point. Where, in her moment of anger, was her elected husband and anti-corruption “champion”, Muhammadu? He was preparing to talk to the United Nations about important subjects such as democracy, the rule of law and individual rights, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and the conquest of corruption. 
 
In a press statement on September 25, the same day President Buhari took the microphone at the General Assembly, Aisha denied a hand in Baban-Inna’s arrest for using her name to defraud people. 
 
“CSP Sani Baban-Inna has been her ADC since 2016 and has been associated with her ever since,” her spokesman said. “To the utter dismay of Her Excellency, he has used the opportunity to defraud unsuspecting associates and officials as initial investigations have shown.” The police, as his employers, had “arrested him to investigate the allegations levelled against him.” 
 
She did not say at what point she lost faith in the police and handed the matter over to DSS, and the government, characteristically, has not said one word about the matter. 
 
“Oga’s Wife” has been a principal player in the Nigeria corruption mud for a long time. By “Oga’s Wife,” I mean the wives of Nigeria’s leaders, including governors and ministers. Some older Nigerians know stories from the 1970s and 1980s of crafty foreign businessmen who compromised Oga through their wives they met “accidentally” in the streets and shopping malls of Europe. Few of those wives could resist lavish baits thrown at their feet, particularly when, in addition to cash, their expensive shopping included delivery to any address in Nigeria. 
 
Clearly, that pattern, and of generous Nigerians delivering 100-dollar bills in cement-block packs, has continued, anti-corruption speeches be damned. It may be remembered that earlier this year, following the disclosure by the EFCC of a “major (international) breakthrough” of uncovering two of her domiciliary accounts containing $11.8m, Mrs. Jonathan proposed an out-of-court “amicable resolution of all cases” against her. 
 
Two years earlier, in October 2016, she had explained her fortune came from gifts she received over a period of 15 years from many persons,some of whom she said she couldn’t recall, in contributions sometimes “as small as N250,000.” 
 
Yes, it is an investment game that is boosted by the greed which rules Nigeria. Those who play it know how it works. Among its principles, they know that a person who accepts one gift will accept a second. They know if he accepts in Nigeria, he will accept abroad; that if she accepts naira gifts, she will accept US dollars as well. You can see it as a gift. Its real name is a bribe. 
 
Despite Mrs. Buhari playing it as if it is an aberration, it is to be remembered that her husband’s party re-nomination forms of N45million were bought for him last month by such an investor called Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors Network (NCAN). The president took the bait, setting an atrocious public example. 
 
Worse was the suggestion in it that Mr. Buhari, trying to perpetuate the myth that being a “corruption-fighter” could not afford the forms becausehe is not rich. There may be no law against such a practice, but the absence of a law has never made a wrong thing, including bad judgement, right. 
 
Mrs. Buhari stressed that she has never asked anyone “to collect any favours on her behalf or on behalf of her children.” 
 
Perhaps not. But Yusuf, her son who graduated from the University of Surrey in 2016, reportedly owned—within one and half years—two BMW motorbikes each of which was said to cost $157,000, and one of which he destroyed in a crash in December 2017. A father who can afford $314,000 for two motorbikes can certainly buy an election form for $125,000, unless those bikes were accepted from NCAN-style political investors or speculators. 
 
What all of this means is that the Baban-Inan case underlines is that the anti-corruption war of Mrs. Buhari’s husband is a farce. Every time that “war” is challenged by simple events that ought to be taken care of by commonsense and the law, the government is exposed and defenceless. 
 
In this one, Mrs. Buhari clearly lacks the authority to order national institutions around at her convenience. This is not the living room or any other household room, but a nation and a democracy: if an aide has offended a relative of an official, that should not cause the subjugation of national institutions to that relative no matter who they think they are. 
 
But it would have been fascinating had Mrs. Buhari—were she convinced of an anti-corruption battle—to identify the persons who tried to put a price on her, and hand them over for possible prosecution. 
 
And because I also counsel people—towards combating and converting vote-buyers—to accept any monetary inducements but to support non-traders, I would have loved to see Mrs. Buhari collect the N2.5 billion and, acting outside the government because she is not an official, build libraries and buy books for our children nationwide to feed the future.

Latest-News Aisha Buhari’s missing N2.5 Billion

By Sonala Olumhense As Aisha Buhari left for the 73rd United Nations General Assembly two weeks ago, she was seething with rage. Aisha i...

2019: DPC elects Awosola as presidential candidate

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Ahead of the 2019 General Elections, the Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) yesterday elected Elder Williams Olusola Awosola as its Presidential candidate. 
 
He would contest the election against incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). 
 
Awosola emerged the DPC candidate after an election at its national convention witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials in Abuja. 
 
At the DPC convention, Awosola defeated Mrs Seiyefa Sounie Eches by 45 to nine votes by delegates. 
 
In his acceptance speech, Awosola said the party made history by conducting the first presidential primary election since the party was registered in 2015. 
 
“I am humbled by delegates and party members’ confidence in me to fly the flag of our great party for the 2019 Presidential Election. 
 
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“I will by the grace of God justify the confidence you reposed in me. We have the confidence that we shall win the 2019 presidential election and use our mandate to reform and transform our great nation and build the Nigeria of our dream, which future generations will be proud of,” he said. 
 
The National Chairman, DPC, Rev. Olusegun Peters, lauded the delegates for their patriotism and commitment. 
 
He pledged that the party’s manifesto he handed over to Awosola would be implemented to the letter by his administration after his emergence as President. 
 
The presidential candidate, Awosola, is a retired engineer with Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Latest-News 2019: DPC elects Awosola as presidential candidate

Ahead of the 2019 General Elections, the Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) yesterday elected Elder Williams Olusola Awosola as its Presi...

PDP Convention: We have learnt our lessons - Secondus

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The Peoples Democratic Party has enumerated its success stories in the past years, adding that though the party has learnt its lessons, it has graduated from being an opposition party in 2015 to a ruling party in the waiting in 2018. 
 
Prince Uche Secondus, National Chairman of the Party, said this in an address at the opening of the PPD 2018 Special National Convention which he also declared open on Friday in Port Harcourt. 
 
Secondus, who expressed pleasure in welcoming members from all over Nigeria to Port Harcourt, said that the subject of this year’s national convention was: “Nigerians Take Back Your Country’’. 
 
The party boss also boasted that “today PDP is now in control of the leadership of the National Assembly, adding that “the convention is a crucial stage in PDP’s “ unstoppable march to regain power’’. 
 
He said that the selection of aspirants for the convention was done through Indirect Primaries, adding that the convention would be orderly, fair and transparent. 
 
He said the party was determined to organise a convention that would remain a reference point for other parties. 
 
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He also recalled that the party gathered in Jos, Plateau State, about 20 years ago for a similar convention to herald a new democracy in Nigeria. 
 
Secondus said the party started the Contributory Pension Scheme and reformed the Electoral Process, among others. 
 
Secondus, who said the party members had “Indeed learnt our lessons’’, added that the PDP had “graduated from an opposition party in 2015 to a ruling party in waiting’’ in 2018. 
 
(NAN)

Latest-News PDP Convention: We have learnt our lessons - Secondus

The Peoples Democratic Party has enumerated its success stories in the past years, adding that though the party has learnt its lessons, it...

Dream Come True: Boy who found site of crashed air force jet in Benue joins Nigerian army — 12 years later

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Detimbir Chia, the 14-year-old boy who discovered the site of a Nigerian air force jet that crashed in 2006, has joined the army. 
 
On Saturday, Chia graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) after spending four years, and was decorated as a 2nd lieutenant, the lowest rank of a commissioned officer in the Nigerian army. 
 
One of the most gloomy moments in the history of Nigeria was on September 17, 2006, when an aircraft conveying 15 senior military officers and three crew members crashed into a hill in a remote village in Kwande local government area of Benue. 
 
The officers were on their way to Obudu cattle ranch in Cross River, to attend a retreat when the Dornier 228-212, crashed. 
 
The plane had on board eight major-generals, two brigadier-generals, two wing commanders, one lieutenant colonel, and three crew members. 
 
Chia, who was working at his family farm not far from the scene of the incident, called his father with the phone of one of the victims. 
 
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Thirteen lives were lost in the tragic incident, with five survivors. 
 
Late Patrick Owoye Azazi, then chief of army staff under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, had asked Chai what he wanted to become. 
 
He had replied, “a soldier”, and Azazi promised to help him secure admission into the NDA. 
 
Azazi was said to have missed death as he decided not to go with the senior officers when he found out that the plane was already full. He would later die in a helicopter crash on December 15, 2012. 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en" xml:lang="en">In Sept 2006 a NAF Plane crashed in Benue killing 13 officers on board. 5 survived after 14 yr old Detimbir Chia found the crash site and called for help. 
He was asked what he'd like to be. He said 'Soldier'. 
Today Detimbir is getting decorated as a 2nd Lieutenant.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrueHero?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TrueHero</a> <a href="https://t.co/H7gcIruGSi">pic.twitter.com/H7gcIruGSi</a></div>
— Callings (@CollinsUma) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinsUma/status/1048513418725081088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The officers who died in the crash J.O. Adesunloye, S.O Otubu, J.O Agboola, S.M Lemu, A.N Bamali, P.M Haruna, J.T.U Ahmedu and B. Duniya, all major-generals. 
 
Others were Y.J Braimah, M.B Bawa, and wing commanders O. Balogun. EO Adekunle (pilot) and lieutenant-colonel N.A Mohammed, brigadier-generals. 
 
Luther Agwai, then chief of defence staff, said the 13 officers represented some of the best in the Nigerian military. 
 
During the 10th year remembrance anniversary of the fallen heroes, Agwai said the Nigeria may have surmounted its insurgency crises if the officers were alive. 
 
“I can make bold to say that if they were around, may be some of the challenges that we are facing today wouldn’t have gotten to the level that they reached”, Agwai said in 2016. 
 
“Their death up to their burial was one of the most trying, most difficult time I ever had in my career. And if you remember my military career, I have been involved in Sierra-Leone, Dafur, but all what I saw there did not traumatize me like what happened to these people because these were officers that I knew personally.”