EFCC Press Release: Metuh Seeks Suspension of N400m Fraud Trial

The trial of Olisa Metuh, a former spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, continued on March 22, 2017 with his counsel, Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, moving a motion seeking for what was tantamount to a stay of proceedings pending the ruling of the Supreme Court on his "no-case submission" appeal.

Metuh, who is standing trial along with Destra Investment Limited for an alleged N400 million fraud, filed an application through his counsel at the Supreme Court, appealing the judgement of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja. The trial judge ruled that he had a case to answer in the seven-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. 

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AFTER A MEETING OF STAKEHOLDERS OF THE PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY ON THE 20TH FEBRUARY 2017

WHEREAS:

A.​ Following the repugnant attempt by Sen. Ali Modu Sherrif and other undemocratic forces to undermine and take over the Peoples Democratic Party, the National Convention of the party held at Port Harcourt on the 21st day of May 2016 dissolved the then National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee and replaced the National Working Committee with a 7-member National Caretaker Committee under the leadership of Sen. Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi as Chairman and Sen. Ben Obi as Secretary with a mandate to run the party and organize an elective National Convention as soon as practicable;

B.​ The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in FHC/PH/CS/524/2016 PDP & ORS. Vs. SHERRIF & ORS in its judgment endorsed the decisions of the 21st May 2016 National Convention, holding that the Convention did not violate any extant Order of the Courts or any provisions of the Party’s or Country’s Constitution.

DEFECTION: I AM GOING NOWHERE, SAYS EKWEREMADU

The Office of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has dismissed as false, insinuations and reports that the Senator could be on his way to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to save his job.

In a statement made available to reporters in Abuja, the Special Assistant (Political Matters) to the Deputy President of the Senate on Political Affairs, Hon. Okey Ozoani, described the reports as “a fantasy of those peddling it”.

He assured the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, faithful and Nigerians that “Ekweremadu is going nowhere”.

BREAKING: Jimoh Ibrahim is the Authentic Candidate of PDP - Supreme Court Judgement!

The unconfirmed Information reaching us indicates that the Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP  in Ondo state has finally been declared the authentic candidate to stand the about to be conducted governorship election in Ondo state. The Supreme Court today affirmed the candidacy of Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim of the Sheriff faction as the real candidate, upturning the yesterdy ruling of the Court of Appeal.

More details soon>>>>>>>

And You Call Them Innocent: Again, Metuh Offers to Refund N400 Million

So The reports says the immediate past spokesperson of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, has again offered to refund to the Nigerian government, the N400 million he received from the office of the National Security Adviser in the build up to the 2015 general election. 

Mr. Metuh, who is facing trial at the Federal High, had said he did not know that the money given to him by the ONSA, when Sambo Dasuki was NSA, was meant for arms procurement. He said former President Goodluck Jonathan gave him an assignment and ordered for the release of the funds to him.

And do we now called them (all Looters) innocent? Yeah, right! Metuh innocently stole N400 Million that belongs to about 175 million Nigerian, because there was free money flying around Nigeria and now he is innocently returning the N400 Million he stole. In Stan's world, all you need to do is innocently steal some money in Nigeria and you can innocently return the money until you're proven guilty.

Dasukigate: Why Okupe went rolling on the floor at OBJ's house in Abeokuta

Former Media aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathanhas, Dr. Doyin Okupe said that he and former President Olusegun Obasanjo has settled their differences.

The Ex-media aide said in a Facebook post on Friday that he prostrated before Obasanjo, pleading earnestly for forgiveness. 

How EFCC arrests oil baron Laitan Adesanya over N23bn bribery scam

In a continuation of the probe into how the Peoples Democratic Party allegedly bribed some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission before the 2015 presidential election, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested an oil tycoon, Mr. Laitan Adesanya, for his alleged role in the $115m (N23bn) bribe funds.

It was learnt on Sunday that Adesanya, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Lenoil Nigeria Limited, was arrested by the EFCC in Lagos on Friday.

The anti-graft agency had, last week, arrested the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo and the bank’s Head of Operations, Mr. Martin Izuogbe.

President Buhari blames, Obasanjo, Yar Adua, Jonathan for current economy troubles

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday blamed the previous administrations for the current bad economic situation in the country.
Buhari while addressing workers during the May Day celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja said the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC, brought an end to the 16 years of squander by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

According to the President, challenges will always arise in life, “but how we go about solving them determines the outcome.”

Buhari said, “Labour remains unarguably an important element in any policy, programme and project propagated for national development. This year’s celebration is significant in a number of ways.

Crisis hits Osun PDP over ward congress

There was crisis and confusion at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State on Saturday over the conduct of the ward congresses to elect delegates, who will eventually elect the state executives of the party.
One of the chairmanship aspirants of the party, Dr. Bayo Faforiji, and thousands of his supporters stormed the party secretariat as early as 8:30am to protest the alleged hoarding of the forms by the State Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa.

Faforiji’s supporters almost lynched a supporter of Mr. Soji Adagunodo, who is also a chairmanship aspirant but for the timely intervention of security men at the scene.

World leaders’ summit: Mu’azu, Obanikoro, others’ extradition tops Buhari’s wish list

Former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party,
Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu

The diplomatic process that will ensure the extradition of suspected looters who have fled the country will dominate President Muhammadu Buhari’s discussions with his counterparts when 60 world leaders meet in the United Kingdom next month.
It was learnt on Friday that the President would at the summit explore ways of bringing to the country politicians who were being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

It was gathered that the outcome of the summit would speed up the extradition of individuals, including a former Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro; a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu; and a former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force, Abdulrasheed Maina.

Others are the ex-Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; her son, Ugonna; and a former Comptroller-General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko, whose house was raided in Abuja in January by the EFCC.

PDP Congresses and National Convention Postponed, New Dates Announced

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has shifted its national and ward congresses.

The ward congress has been rescheduled from Saturday, April 23 to Saturday, April 30.

A statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh read:

“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has adjusted the timetable for its Congresses and National Convention

The adjusted timetable is as follows:

Senate President Bukola Saraki Prepares to Return to PDP as APC Strips Him 'Unclad'

Senate president Bukola Saraki could be coerced into a shocking return to the opposition party after losing the support of his APC counterparts.

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kwara State Chapter, Iyiola Oyedepo has alleged that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki is desperate to return to his former party where he served as a governor for eight years, according to the Dailypost.

Oyedepo while speaking with some party leaders from the 16 local government areas of the state in Ilorin, the state capital on Monday said the All Progressives Congress, APC, was out to render Saraki “politically unclad.”

He said, “The senate president is about to be made Unclad by the APC. APC is in disarray and he is about to be made politically unclad.

Focus On The Economy’ - PDP Charges New Ministers Says Nigerians Will No Longer Condone Propaganda, Lies And Deceit

The Peoples Democratic Party has charged the in-coming cabinet of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government to quickly settle down, move fast and focus on the economy.

In a Press Statement released today by Chief Olisa Metuh who is the PDP National Publicity Secretary, said economy must be given urgent and due attention.

The party said that the present administration has so far played heavily on dramatizing routine procedures and processes, which was even glaring in the prolonged swearing-in ceremony of the ministers.

 Metuh  on Wednesday said the much-expected assignment of portfolios to the ministers did not inspire confidence that there is indeed any change being introduced in the system.

The party said with the inauguration, the APC administration should fully resolve the issues on the actual position of the nation’s economy and the direction therein

“Whereas President Muhammadu Buhari had announced that the nation is bankrupt to the extent he cannot pay his ministers, his new Minister of Information had contradicted him directly by stating how the government is buoyant and ready to deploy $2.5 billion infrastructure fund, saved N1.4 trillion with another N2.5 trillion ready as special intervention fund, which goes to say that the country is not actually broke.

I don’t need your praise, Tinubu tells Kashamu

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has rejected the praises showered on him by Ogun-East senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu.

Kashamu, who is the Chairman of the Organisation and Mobilisation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, had last week, described Tinubu as his role model and the architect of modern Nigeria.

However, Tinubu, in a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Sunday Dare, described Kashamu as a pretender.

The former governor of Lagos State said there was no basis for comparison between himself and Kashamu, adding that he felt insulted by the open letter addressed to him by Kashamu. “The days of false adulation are gone in Nigerian politics. Fake praise singers like Kashamu will find that their particular craft is no longer in vogue. During this election cycle, their practice has dramatically turned from the way things are to how things used to be.

Adamawa Guber: Ribadu won’t emerge by consensus – PDP

Contrary to various speculations, the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) has said that all aspirants contesting the October 11 Adamawa governorship election will be subjected to party`s primaries.

Speculations have been rife that former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, who recently defected to the party from the All Progressives Congress, would be allowed to fly the party’s flag as a consensus candidate.

However, speaking on Friday when he received Alhaji Buba Marwa, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abubarkar Mustapha said all the candidates would be allowed to test their popularity.

Abubakar, who described Marwa, a former Military Administrator, as a man who performed greatly in public service and that PDP was lucky to have his likes in its fold.

He assured that the PDP under its current leadership would ensure a level playing ground for all aspirants, noting that the September party primaries would be fair, just, credible and transparent.

Ondo state governor dumps Labour Party for PDP

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state has concluded plans to dump the Labour Party [LP] for Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a development that has sparked panic in the state chapter of the LP.

Mr. Mimiko disclosed this to LP leaders across the state in a meeting at the Governor’s Office on Friday evening in Akure, the state capital.

 An attendee at the meeting confirmed: “we were all shocked ‎when he told us his decision”.  “Of course we know he has been fraternising with Jonathan and we have no problem with that, but how do we cope with the original PDP who have always seen us as sworn enemies since the days of (late) Agagu,” the party leader in a local government said. The PDP ‎is the major opposition to the Labour Party in Ondo.

The party’s candidate, Olusola Oke, a former national legal adviser of the PD,P came second behind Mr. Mimiko in the last governorship election in the state. Mr. Mimiko displaced, after a court battle in the aftermath of the 2007‎ elections, the late Olusegun Agagu. Mr. Oke is now believed to be the leader of the PDP in Ondo.

INEC backs law to check deployment of soldiers, police during elections

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, has backed a bill by the House of Representatives seeking to give the electoral body powers to control the movement of soldiers and other security personnel during elections.

Mr. Jega gave the support Tuesday at a public hearing organised by the lower legislative chamber. The National Assembly had in its proposed amendment sought the insertion of a new paragraph (b) into Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act to limit the role played by the military to “securing the distribution and delivery of electoral materials”. 

Why Aminu Tambuwal may dump PDP for APC

There are strong indications that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, will soon defect to the All Progressives Congress. It was learnt in Abuja on Monday that the Speaker was set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party for the APC after a nationwide consultation.

Tambuwal’s spokesperson, Imam Imam, said the nationwide consultation would determine whether the Speaker would contest the Presidency or the Sokoto State governorship election in 2015. Imam, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said that the Speaker was still consulting on the 2015 presidency and the defection to the APC.

Imam said, “He (Tambuwal) is still consulting. The outcome of the consultation will be known at the appropriate time. He is consulting on whether he will defect to the APC. He is consulting on whether he will contest the presidency. He is also consulting on contesting governorship election.”

Nuhu Ribadu defends his defection, says APC is not better than PDP

A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Sunday justified his defection from the opposion All Progressives Congress to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, saying the APC was not better than the PDP.


Ribadu, who was the 2011 presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, forerunner of the APC, said there was no difference between the PDP and APC, in terms of the character of the people who constituted both parties.

Adamawa Chief Judge constitutes 7-member investigation committee

The Acting Chief Judge of Adamawa State, Ambrose Mammadi, has constituted a seven-member committee to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Murtala Nyako and his deputy, Bala Ngilari, by the State House of Assembly.

The acting chief judge, in a statement, Friday, signed on his behalf by the Chief Registrar of the Court, Abubakar Bayola, disclosed that the chief judge in line with his constitutional responsibility, has constituted the committee as demanded by the lawmakers.

“The Hon. Acting Chief Judge Hon. Justice Ambrose D. Mammadi by the powers vested in him under Section 185(5) of the 1999 constitution as (amended) has approved the appointment of seven (7) Man Panel to investigate allegations of Gross Misconduct of the Executive Governor of Adamawa State Admiral Murtala Nyako and the Deputy Governor of Adamawa State Mr. Bala Ngilari,” the registrar said.

The committee is chaired by Buba Kaimaga from Mubi Northern Zone.

The other members are Laraba Hassan, Michika Northern Zone; Njidda Kito, Song Central Zone; Joshua Abu, Hong Central Zone; Binanu Esthon, Guyuk Southern Zone; Sa’ad Lawan, Mayo-Belwa, Southern Zone; and Esthon Gapsiso, Genye Southern Zone.