BREAKING: PDP National Chairman, Secondus, Wike, Others Meet Saraki

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, alongside some PDP leaders and governors on Wednesday held a meeting with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at his residence in Ilorin, Kwara State capital.

The governors include Abdufatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Nysome Wike of Rivers State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State and Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

The meeting was held after the dignitaries attended a prayer session organised for the late mother of Abubakar Kawu Baraje.

A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, Senator Lawal Shuaibu, Senator Barnabas Gemade and other prominent political figures were also in attendance at the meeting.

Earlier reports had indicated that Ahmed, Tambuwal and Ortom were plotting to pull out of the APC.

On Monday, Ortom announced his defection from the APC noting that he had been given a “red card” in the ruling party and is currently exploring a new option to actualise his future ambition.

Although some of the leaders explained that the gathering was for a religious purpose, Rivers State Governor Wike after the closed-door meeting with Saraki said, that there is nothing wrong for political friends to come together and discuss.

“As top officials, we have come here to rally round him (Baraje) at this moment that he lost his lovely mother. We came here only for that purpose.

“And even if you say the meeting is for politics of course when you see your colleagues, you need to chat and compare notes from what you have been doing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Ahmed says he is yet to take a decision on his political future with the APC.

A statement signed on Wednesday by his Senior Special Adviser on Media, Muyideen Akorede explained that his presence today in Ilorin, alongside that of the Senate President, Saraki, PDP Chairman, Secondus, Governors Ortom, Tambuwal, Wike, and other prominent political figures was for the burial rites of the late mother of the politician, Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

He said the meeting was not for the purpose of a political realignment and he is yet to be briefed on any planned defection.

APC crisis: Oshiomhole is coming too late, we are leaving- Shehu Sani

Senator Shehu Sani (APC, Kaduna) has revealed plans by aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress in Kaduna State to leave the party.

He told reporters in Abuja, on Tuesday, that the new APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole  assumed office at a time it had become too late to reconcile them with the party.

Sani said, “I wish Adams has come earlier because like I said these grenades that were laid by the former chairman will explode in a matter of days.”

2019: PDP will easily defeat Buhari — Kwankwaso

Rabiu Kwankwaso, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress who is increasingly becoming estranged from the ruling party, has said President Muhammadu Buhari will be defeated in 2019.

Ekiti 2018: No force on earth can save Fayemi from defeat – Fayose

….Jonathan, Wike, Udom commission project

Ado Ekiti-The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, on Friday boasted that there is no force on earth that would save the candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Dr Kayode Fayemi from being disgraced in the July 14 governorship poll.

2019: GoFundMe suspends Omoyele Soworek The Sahara Reporters publisher's campaign to raise $2million for his Presidential bid

The 2019 ambition of Omoyele Sowore suffered setback on Wednesday after GoFundMe suspended his bid to raise $2 million towards his ‘Take Back Nigeria Movement’.

The Sahara Reporters publisher told PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday night that he could not immediately say why the crowdfunding platform suspended his account, but said he would not be discouraged.

How Jonathan Was Picked By Yar’Adua As Running Mate - Amadu Ali Ex-PDP Chairman

Ex-PDP chairman gives fresh insight into intrigues that threw up Jonathan as VP candidate.

Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Ahmadu Ali, has provided fresh insights into the intrigues that led to the emergence of Dr Goodluck Jonathan as the presidential running mate to the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, at the party’s convention on December 16, 2006.

Buhari meets Obasanjo, Jonathan, others over insecurity today

President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to preside over a meeting of the Council of State on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

This is the third time Buhari will be hosting the meeting of the council that has all living former Presidents and Heads of Government as members since he assumed office in 2015.

Fayose And His Jokes Will soon End In Jail – Fayemi Dares Fayose

"Now, tell me: is Fayose a serious human being? I’m told he’s now cooking up a white paper that he can shop around with a view to getting me banned from public office. Can you imagine? What a joker! Anyway, the less said, the better on the panel. We will see who would end up in jail in Nigeria between Ayo Fayose and I. You see me in Ekiti all the time, I walk around Ekiti freely. We shall see if Ayo Fayose will be able to walk freely after October 16, 2018."

The cause of the hostility between the Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State is believed to be buried in the speculated interest of Dr. Fayemi to contest the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Turmoil in PDP over Tambuwal

•Jonathan, associates kick

•Obasanjo schemes to impose crony on CNM

A fresh crisis is looming in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2019 elections.

The threat to party peace stems from alleged plan by some powerful forces to hand over the PDP presidential ticket to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

Tambuwal is currently in the All Progressives Congress (APC) but he is being wooed by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and some other PDP governors to return to the party he dumped ahead of the 2015 elections.

Inside Lamidi Adedibu’s Empire, The Deserted Ibadan ‘Palace And The Crumbled Political Dynasty

Ajacent the main building that was Lamidi Adedibu’s main building. There, he held sway as an oracle and dished out orders that were considered laws at a time in Ibadan and other parts of Oyo State. Time was 3:45 p.m. and this reporter just swaggered into the ‘Molete Palace’ of the late Ibadan politician and stalwart of the then ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party.

The afternoon sun baked the skin with fiendish delight. At the entrance of the commodious ‘palace’, about five weird-looking middle-aged men sat on a bench, leaving the gate ajar. A banner displaying Mr. Adedibu’s image occupies a part of the gate, swinging slowly to the rhythm of the afternoon wind. Easily noticeable was a narrow, tarred, deserted road that connects the entire ‘palace’ with the major road linking Molete and Oke-Ado.

"Original statement stands": "the second statement was issued by friends and had nothing to do with me "— Babangida finally speaks

Former military President Ibrahim Babangida has spoken on the controversy around the statement he issued about the 2019 elections.

In the statement well-circulated in the media on Sunday, the retired military ruler, better known as IBB, asked Nigerians to have patience with President Muhammadu Buhari till his tenure ends in 2019.

There comes a time in the life of a nation, when personal ambition should not override national interest. This is the time for us to reinvent the will and tap into the resourcefulness of the younger generation - IBB

Former military president Ibrahim Babangida has asked Nigerians to co-operate with President Muhammadu Buhari until his tenure ends — but vote for a new generation of leaders in 2019.

In a press statement released on Sunday by Kassim Afegbua, his spokesman, Babangida said it was time to sacrifice “personal ambition” for the “national interest”.

His statement is coming on the heels of a similar intervention by former president Olusegun Obasanjo who asked Buhari not to seek re-election.

APC Leaders Move to Stop Kwankwaso’s Defection

Apparently worried by the plans by former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and his huge supporters to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) — over the lingering crisis in the state, President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the John Odigie Oyegun-led national executive committee of APC have held different meetings with Kwankwaso in the last few days to persuade him to drop the ideal of leaving the party - close source. 

This came as a close associate of Kwankwaso and former Managing Director of the Nigeria Port Authority, Arc. Aminu Dabo, friday cautioned the presidency and the national leadership of the party against the huge consequences of taking sides with Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State in the pronounced disagreement between the governor and the former governor.

Okonjo Iweala meets Obasanjo in Addis Ababa

- Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has expressed her joy at meeting former president Olusegun Obasanjo during the AU meeting in Addis Ababa 

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

8 hours ago

Images from yesterday's AU meeting in Addis, tapping the wisdom of elders and encouraging 'youngers' - with Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Thabo Mbeki, AUC Chair H.E Moussa Faki, AUC Deputy Chair H.E.Thomas Quartey, Ambassador Gambari and Dr. Emmanuel Nnadozie of ACBF with Former Deputy AUC Chair H.E Mr. Mwencha and Dr. Michel Sidibe Executive Director UNAIDS.

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- The former Nigeria's finance and coordinating minister for the economy says she also tapped from Obasanjo's wisdom - Iweala also met former Nigeria head of state, Abdusalami Abubakar and Thabo Imbeki of South Africa Nigeria’s former minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has expressed her joy at meeting her former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, during the AU meeting in Addis Ababa. Iweala who posted picture of of her meeting with Obasanjo and former head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar on Facebook and Twitter, noted that she tapped from the wisdom of the elder statesmen. 

Nigeria’s former minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has expressed her joy at meeting her former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, during the AU meeting in Addis Ababa. Iweala who posted picture of of her meeting with Obasanjo and former head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar on Facebook and Twitter, noted that she tapped from the wisdom of the elder statesmen. 

Obasanjo’s Statement To Buhari To Dismount The Horse: El-Rufai Lies,“We are not aware of any letter written by the former Nigerian leader"

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has reacted to a statement by former President Olusegun Obasanjo advising President Muhammadu Buhari not to contest the 2019 election.

El-Rufai said he would react to Obasanjo’s position at the appropriate time.In a statement through his Special Adviser on media, Muyiwa Adekeye, the governor said he was not aware of the letter.

“We are not aware of any letter written by the former Nigerian leader. But if we grab it we will study it and see whether it affects us or not.

“We will react at the right time,” he stated.

Dear Daddy, You Don’t Own Nigeria: Iyabo Obasanjo's Letter To Her Father Over Former President Olusegun Obasanjo's Letter To President Goodluck Jonathan In December 2013

 In what is turning out to be a season of open letters, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo described his father as a liar, manipulator, two-faced hypocrite determined to foist on President Goodluck Jonathan what no one would contemplate with him as president.

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo in a letter to her father accused him of having an egoistic craving for power and living a life where only men of low esteem and intellect thrive.

Don’t use Me To Fight My Father, Iyabo Blasts Buhari’s Apologists, The wise should listen.

 – Take help wherever it comes from.

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, first child of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has blasted apologists of the Muhammadu Buhari administration for recycling an old and settled issue with her father in defence of the former president’s stinging rebuke of the incumbent administration.

Hard Copies Of Obasanjo’s letter to Buhari on sale in Abuja

Hard copies of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s 13-page letter to President Muhammadu Buhari are currently being sold in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

Okorocha, Wike, Kaduna senator reject cattle colonies

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said he will not give any land in Imo State to the Federal Government for a cattle colony.
Okorocha also dismissed the speculation that he had adopted the proposed colonies and ceded a part of the state to herders as wicked, unfounded and untrue.

 The governor who spoke on Tuesday in Owerri, the state capital, through the state Commissioner for Information, Prof. Nnamdi Obiaraeri, said there was no law, policy, decision, plan, request or intention to cede, allocate or designate any part of Imo State as a cattle colony.

THE WAY OUT: President Buhari Needs A Dignified And Honourable Dismount From The Horse - President Obasanjo CLARION CALL FOR COALITION FOR NIGERIA MOVEMENT.

THE WAY OUT: A CLARION CALL FOR COALITION FOR NIGERIA MOVEMENT

Special Press Statement By President Olusegun Obasanjo
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Since we are still in the month of January, it is appropriate to wish all Nigerians Happy 2018.

 I am constrained to issue this special statement at this time considering the situation of the country. Some of you may be asking, “What has brought about this special occasion of Obasanjo issuing a Special Statement?”