FIFA upholds Pinnick’s election

NFF president, Pinnick Amaju

 

The world football governing body, FIFA, has upheld the election of the Amaju Pinick-led board of the Nigeria Football Federation. The decision of FIFA follows the submission of the NFF Electoral Appeals Committee made available to the Zurich-based international body at the close of last week.

The position of FIFA on the September 2014 election held in Warri was conveyed in a letter sent to the General Secretary of the NFF, Musa Amadu, dated December 9, 2014.

The FIFA letter read, “We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 8 December 2014 including details of the ruling of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Electoral Appeals Committee.

“We note the majority decision of the Electoral Appeals Committee to uphold in their entirety the results of the NFF Electoral Congress held in Warri on 30 September 2014.

“We are therefore pleased to be able to start working with the new office-bearers headed by the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick. We will contact you in the coming days to organise an introductory meeting between Mr. Pinnick and the FIFA President in Zurich.”

The letter, which was signed by the FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, was copied to the Confederation of African Football.

The NFF appeals committee raised fresh dust within the troubled Nigerian football troubled system last week when two different reports were released at the close of their sitting. The committee, which has five members, produced the first report which was attested to by four of the members. Their report upheld in entirety the results of the elections held in Warri. Their reports was followed the following day by a minority report written by their chairman, Okey Ajunwa, which nullified some of the results including that of the NFF president, Pinnick.

The PUNCH confirmed that both reports got to FIFA of which the body then ruled and sent the letter upholding the election to the NFF secretary.

The FIFA letter has thus ended a lot of theories propounded over the appeals committee reports. Some followers of the Nigerian football crises had determined that FIFA would set up a fresh committee to harmonise the report and then conduct a fresh election. Others added that the country could face another ban from FIFA. But while the country awaited the FIFA report, the officials of the Ministry of Sports stated that they would work with the majority report of the committee. The same position was also taken by some members of the National Assembly who spoke on the issue last week.

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Judge us in May – Wenger

Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal’s critics to wait until the end of the season before passing judgement on them.

Arsenal were behind after just 19 seconds at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday and found themselves three goals down before eventually battling back in a 3-2 defeat to Stoke.

Wenger was later jeered and received abuse as he and his players boarded the train back to London but he called for patience as his side prepared to face Galatasaray away in the Champions League on Tuesday.

“The response after a defeat is always very important,” he said.

“What we want is to come back quickly to a strong defensive performance, to what we had before the game (on Saturday).

“We showed a lack of experience defensively (at Stoke), but we could have scored four or five goals in this game and the team response during this game was quite strong. For the rest, you expect that everyone is disappointed after that result, but the Premier League is difficult.

“We want to be judged at the end of the season, not after every single game where it is normal that emotion is always very high.

“What is important is the next game and responding in a strong way, to play to win the game.

“It is part of our job here, you cannot always look for excuses. We are down. Everyone feels it. When you have a disappointment you respond in a strong way, that is what competition is about.

“You cannot say there is a guarantee to anybody you will never lose a game. Many teams will lose at Stoke; you have to be realistic as well.”

Obasanjo dares judge, unveils controversial book

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo   
 

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has blasted Justice Valentine Ashi of the Federal High Court, Wuse, Abuja, for granting an injunction restraining him from publishing his three-part autobiography, “My Watch.”

Obasanjo said the   presentation of the book in Lagos on Tuesday     did not contravene any law.

He said, “I had given the book to my editors and to the publisher. As far as I am concerned, my job is done. I had written the book and printed before the court injunction.

“In a normal judiciary, the judge should be sanctioned and I hope something will be done. We are here legally and lawfully and we will continue to act lawfully and legally.”

Justice Ashi, had following an ex parte application by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu,   directed that the book should not be published pending the determination of the petitioner’s   libel suit against him.

The judge   agreed with Kashamu’s lawyer, Alex Iziyon (SAN), that part of the content of the book related to the   N20bn libel suit instituted   against Obasanjo.

The content of the book was said to be related to a letter dated December 2, 2013, written by Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan, claiming that Kashamu was wanted for a drug-related crime in the United States.

Iziyon had argued on Friday that since part of the content of the autobiography had to do with   the December 2, 2013 letter,   it was wrong for Obasanjo to be allowed to proceed to comment on, write books about or make publications on the issue yet to be decided by the court.

But the judge also directed Kashamu to enter into a bond with the Chief Registrar of the court for damages he would pay should the order restraining Obasanjo from publishing the book turn out to be something the court ought not to have granted.

The judge adjourned hearing in the main suit till Wednesday(today).

Initially, there was a mild apprehension   at the venue as the launch   which was scheduled to start by 10am did not begin until past 11am.

Some of the guests felt the event might be prevented from holding by security agents.

After a speech by the Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, and the presentation of the book, Obasanjo fielded questions from the audience which included a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili.

Many of the audience members were eager to know whether or not the botched third term agenda at the twilight of his two-term presidency was his idea.

He was also asked, among others, why he chose to write an open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan when he should have visited Aso Rock to express his feelings about the goings-on in the country.

On the third term, he said, “That (third term) was not my agenda or intention although I would not say I didn’t know about it. I didn’t mastermind third term. Those who were telling me to go on were the governors that were going to benefit from it.”

The former President also said he sought avenues to ventilate his observations and positions with Jonathan but had to resort to writing open letters   because his efforts were frustrated.

He said, “I opened communication channels with my predecessors. You will see a few letters I put in the book, how I described my frustrations.”

The former President told the audience that he had no regrets helping Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua(late) and Jonathan to become Presidents.

Admitting that he was not infallible, the former President advised that   people should learn from his action.

“I don’t regret bringing in Yar’Adua and Jonathan. If they don’t do well, those coming from behind should learn from me and do better.

“Ezekwesili and some other young minds were in my cabinet. I want a genuine debate. Where I am guilty, I will apologise. I am not infallible.

“Our youths are feeling frustrated, they are feeling betrayed. They are feeling angry today.”

The book reviewer, Patrick Okigbo, described the work as thought-provoking and revealing.

Okigbo, who said he was part of Nigerians that thronged the White House in 2006 in protest against the   third term agenda, maintained that the former President was a detribalised and candid Nigerian.

He said, “Do not be surprised if there are a few reverberating earthquakes after this book is in public circulation. Some personalities, who have presented themselves as leaders and reformists will have to present counter-evidence to defend their reputation.”

Okigbo said Obasanjo did not spare a former Vice-President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku; an ex- Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, and a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai.

The reviewer said Obasanjo was kinder in his opinion of an   All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), whom he said “would not be a good economic manager,” but a “strong, almost inflexible, courageous and firm leader.”

Okigbo however made references to Obasanjo’s foibles, saying it was surprising that he dismissed them as personal issues.

He said, “As is characteristic in the memoir, the author exonerates himself from any responsibility or blame for the failed leadership despite the fact that he was the principal architect of the Yar’Adua/Jonathan Presidency that resulted in the current administration.

“It is, however, instructive, that the more personal family scandals such as the allegations made by his first wife or daughter, are dismissed as personal issues that are being handled within the family.

“So, is Obasanjo a saint or a sinner? Readers of the book will have to decide themselves.”

In their respective remarks, some of the dignitaries paid glowing tributes to the former President for his love   for the country.

Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, Ibidapo-Obe and Ezekwesili urged Nigerians to read the book and emulate the examples showed by Obasanjo.

Ezekwesili said, “Nigeria has spent too much time failing,” stressing that the country cannot afford to leave government to accident and chance.

Akinkugbe described the book as an archival material and he added that the controversy that it would likely generate would aid development.

Kenyan journalist, Jeff Koinange, who was the Master of Ceremonies, described Obasanjo as a unique African leader, whose love for Nigeria was unparalled.

The publisher, Dr. Eghosa Imasuen, said the book was produced in order to tell the story of a great Nigerian leader for the sake of posterity.

Imasuen declined to comment on the security challenges faced during the production of the book .

The three-volume autobiography captures Obasanjo’s early years and his military service;     political and public affairs   and current issues.

The volume one of the 1, 572-page trilogy has 500 pages while the second volume has 672 pages. The third has 400 pages.

The dignitaries present at the event were Prof. Akin Mabogunje, Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, Chief Jonathan Olapade, the Vice-Chancellor, Benson Idahosa University, Prof. Ernest Izevbigie; and a former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Peter Okebukola.

Vice-Admiral Michael Adelanwa (retd.), Dr. Segun Oyefeso, Olubara of Ibara, Oba Olufemi Omolade; Navy Capt. Femi Pearse, Registrar, Bells University of Technology, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Gbadebo, were also in attendance.

Over 150 Reps lose re-election bids

Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal

 

The House of Representatives on Tuesday described as disturbing, the high number of lawmakers, who failed to win the primaries of their various political parties.

“The high turnover is the bane of the development of our parliament,” the House spokesman, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, told The PUNCH.

Findings by The PUNCH showed that over 150 members of the House did not make it in the primaries.

Investigations revealed that while a “negligible” number won the ticket of their parties to contest either a Senate seat or a governorship seat, the majority of the over 150 lost the primaries.

Among the few, who won to contest other offices in 2015 are the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, who would be contesting the governorship seat in Sokoto State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, and his Deputy, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, who won the Imo State PDP governorship ticket.

Others are the Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Solomon Olamilekan, Mr. John Enoh   and   Uche Ekwunife, who will be vying for Senate seats in the 2014 elections.

However, The PUNCH learnt that more casualties would likely be recorded in the main election in February next year.

“Flowing from a trend that has been noticed since 1999, it is expected that many more members will bid the House goodbye at the close of this term in May 2015,” a National Assembly source told The PUNCH in Abuja on Tuesday.

It will be recalled that after the 2011 polls, only slightly above 100 members of the House out of 360 returned from the 2007 set.

Speaking on the development, Mohammed expressed concern that it did not allow the legislature to grow.

He noted that so long as the legislature did not grow, democracy would continue to face challenges in Nigeria.

He stated that in other climes, the growth of democracy was assessed based on the capacity building in the legislature “because this is the core of democracy.”

Mohammed observed that the high turnover of members also had other implications like huge budgets for manpower training of “freshers” every four years.

He said, “It is like going backwards every time there is an election. New people come in; you have to train afresh to let them understand how the system works.

“As they are about to master it, you send them away and bring in another set.

“What this means is that we are not allowing the system to grow.”

The House spokesman cited two major factors responsible for the frequent turnover of lawmakers, saying “high expectations from the constituents” was one.

He said the second factor was the “zoning or rotational arrangements” in some localities and political parties.

These, according to him, do not recognise legislative competence as a reason for returning a lawmaker “even if that member is adjudged to be a performer.”

On the first factor, Mohammed explained, has to do with the fact   that most voters still did not understand the role of legislators in a democracy.

According to him, many people believe that lawmakers also function like those in the executive arm of government, who are expected to attend to all their needs.

He added, “There are high expectations which put undue pressure on members.

“There has to be an orientation to make people appreciate the fact that legislators merely facilitate the process of governance, they are not the implementation agencies

On the second factor, he said ordinarily, spending more years in the legislature should count as the first consideration for re-election.

He lamented that this was not the case in some localities and among the political parties.

Mohammed spoke further, “There is zoning arrangement in some places or rotation as they call it.

“What this means is that the incumbent just has to leave the House to give way to another person.

“It does not matter how much experience the incumbent has acquired over time. In this process, many competent members, who worked tirelessly to improve on the status of the parliament, are sent away.”

Falcao is not fit -Van Gaal

Louis van Gaal insists Radamel Falcao is not fit enough to start for Manchester United and is “not interested” in whether he is unhappy at being benched.

Falcao, currently on a season-long loan from Monaco, has made just three starts and four sub appearances in the Premier League.

The 28-year-old Colombia international is expected to be a substitute for the trip to Southampton, after the United manager confirmed Wayne Rooney is fit and “will play.”

Van Gaal said: “Falcao needs match fitness. He can only play for 20 minutes.

“I have selected him despite that but the rhythm of the game in the Premier League is the highest.

“It would be a better contribution if he played with the second team but I cannot do that because on Tuesday Rooney was injured for the match against Stoke.

“I had to adapt to the needs of selection. I am not interested whether he is unhappy being on the bench. He has to follow my philosophy. I am here because of that.”

Primaries: Chukwumerije, Ndoma-Egba lose, Mark wins

Ndoma Egba, David Mark and Uche Chukwumerije

 

The Peoples Democratic Party primaries held in various states of the federation on Sunday produced some surprises as a number of incumbents lost their bids to return to the National Assembly.

Prominent among those who lost were a three-term senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije and the Senate Majority Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba.

The Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation committee of the PDP in the South-West, Buruji Kashamu, however, won in the Ogun East Senatorial District.

Violence rocks PDP, APC primaries in Ogun

There were pockets of crises during   the PDP senatorial   and All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primaries in various parts of the state.

Kashamu defeated Mrs Temidayo Oriola and Daisi Akintan.

His main rival and a former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel,   was said have earlier withdrawn from the race. But his name was still mentioned at the venue of the primary election by the electoral officers as one of the contestants.

In Ogun-West, Waliu Taiwo emerged winner with 191 votes, having defeated four other contestants.

Voting by delegates in Ogun-East and Ogun-West was peaceful but it was different in Ogun Central where it was postponed till Tuesday because of tension.

Trouble began   when some hoodlums were said to have invaded the PDP secretariat in Abeokuta, the venue of the Ogun Central primary. This made   some politicians to   allege malpractice by their rivals.

One of our correspondents gathered that the loyalists of the two contestants – a former member of the House of Representatives, Lanre Laoshe and wife of Chief Edwin Clark, Dr. Bisola Sodipo-Clark – almost had a direct confrontation.

According to the state secretary of PDP, Mr. Semiu Sodipo, the two contestants were ‘uncooperative.’

He said, “There was tension among the delegates of the two contestants and so we had to postpone the primary till Tuesday.”

The APC House of Representatives primaries in the state were marred with violence in some centres.

At the Centenary Hall, Ake, Abeokuta, one of the venues of the primaries for the Abeokuta South Federal constituency, policemen   had to fire tear gas canisters   to disperse the delegates.

It was gathered that when it was obvious that a contestant favoured by the leadership of the party in the state was losing, they   truncated the process through a directive.

“We learnt a directive was issued from above that the voting should be discontinued,” one of the politicians who pleaded anonymity told one of our correspondents.

Also in Ijebu Ife,   the venue of the primaries for Ijebu East/ Ijebu North/ Ogun Waterside Federal Constituency, political thugs reportedly opened fire on delegates.

As of press time, many of the APC primaries had   yet to be concluded.

The APC spokesman in the state, Sola Lawal, did not pick his telephone when one of our correspondents called him.

Lagos

Politicians in the camp of the immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, cleared the three Lagos senatorial districts during the PDP senatorial primaries. They   beat the aspirants loyal to the leader of the party in the state, Chief Olabode George.

In the Lagos-Central Senatorial District, Mr. Ade Dosunmu, who was the governorship candidate of the party in 2011 beat a former Commissioner for Physical Planning, Mr. Hakeem Gbajabiamila, who had the support of George.

In Lagos-West senatorial district,   Mr. Segun Adewale (aka Aeroland), clinched the   ticket by defeating Moshood Salvador.

In Lagos-East, Mrs. Olabisi Owolabi-Salis, beat Gbenga Osinowo to win the primary election.

Results of the House of Representatives primaries of the APC   so far announced show that , Ademola Akiolu, a son of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan, lost his bid to represent the Lagos Island Federal constituency.

He was defeated by Enitan Badru.

In the Ifako-Ijaye Federal Constituency, Mr. Adewale Elijah,   defeated the incumbent, Mr. Yomi Ogunnusi, who is the current deputy chairman of the House Committee on Finance.

In Ikorodu, Mr. Jimi Benson, who is a son of an Ikorodu leader, Mr. Babatunde Benson (SAN), scored 695 votes out of 941 votes to clinch the APC ticket. Earlier, the lawmaker currently representing the constituency, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had stepped down.

In Agege, the Chairman of the Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area, Mr. Taofik Adaranijo, defeated the current lawmaker representing the constituency, Dr. Samuel Adejare, to clinch the ticket of the party.

Mr. Taiwo Adenekan won in the Ajeromi federal constituency.

Mr. Abiodun Faleke, who currently represents the Ikeja Federal Constituency will again fly the party’s flag in the February poll.

In   the Oshodi Federal Constituency 1, Mr. Muyiwa Olabimtan, defeated Mr. Lateef Raji, who is the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

Also, Wole Diya, younger brother of a former Chief of General Staff, Maj.Gen Oladipo Diya (retd.), won the primary to represent the APC at the Somolu Federal Constituency.

Diya, a former member of the House of Representatives polled 199 votes to defeat Sesan Olanrewaju who scored 192 votes and Gbenga Abdullahi who polled 76 votes.

A former Chief Press Secretary to former Governor Bola Tinubu, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, who is the immediate past chairman of the Ejigbo LCDA, won in the Oshodi federal constituency 2

The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, who is running for a fourth term, won   at the Surulere Federal Constituency 1 by a landslide.

Oyo

The state Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development Umar Arisekola-Alao,   lost his bid for the APC ticket in the Ibadan North Federal Constituency.

The incumbent, Abiodun Awoleye, was declared winner with Arisekola-Alao coming second.

However, Dapo Lam-Adesina who is the son of the state’s former governor Lam, won his bid to fly the party’s flag in the Ibadan South-East/North-East Constituency. He is currently serving as the state’s Commissioner for Industry, Applied Science and Technology.

In Akinyele/Lagelu local government areas, a member of the state House of Assembly beat Adigun Hammed to the ticket while Mathew Abioye picked the ticket in Surulere/Ogo Oluwa.

At the end of voting in Irepo/Oorelope councils, Bosun Oladele was declared winner while Saheed Fijabi beat Kola Ajadi and Rotimi Ajanaku to pick the ticket for re-election in Ibadan North-West/South-West.

Ondo

The son of a former Governor of Ondo State, Gboyega Adefarati,, was among the losers in the contest for APC ticket.

Adefarati lost the Akoko South West/East to Babatunde Kolawole, while Friday Olemija won in the Akoko North East/West.

In Ilaje/Ese Odo Federal Constituency, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, emerged the candidate   after defeating Benson Enikuomehin.

Also, in Akure South/North, a former state House of Assembly lawmaker, Afe Olowookere,   defeated his closest rival,   Shaka Yusuf.

In Ondo West/East, there was a consensus arrangement among the party delegates.   Dele Olanubi emerged as the candidate.

Abia

In Abia North , Chukwumerije was   beaten by Mao Ohuabunwa, who   polled 103 votes.   Onuoha Ogba polled 67 votes while Chukwumerije came third with 21 votes.

The state governor, Theodore Orji and incumbent Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe won in Umuahia Central and Abia South respectively.

Orji who was the sole aspirant in his senatorial district scored 221 out of the total 222 vote cast.   One vote was voided.

Abaribe scored 169 votes to defeat Chief Onyekachi Oje, who   got only two votes.

Four incumbent members of the House of Representatives lost their bids to return to the House while four others won.

The successful incumbents are Chief Uzor Azubuike (Aba North/Aba South federal constituency); Nkiruka Onyejiocha (Umunneochi/Isuikwuato constituency); Nkem Abonta (Ukwa East/Ukwa West constituency); and Nnenna Ukaeje (Bende federal constituency).

A former Commissioner for Finance, Sam Onuigbo, defeated the incumbent Udo Ibeji to pick the ticket for Umuahia/Ikwuano federal constituency, while Uko Nkole crushed Arua Arunsi, in Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency.

Solomon Adaelu humiliated the incumbent Eziuche Ubani, in   Osisoma/Obingwa/ Ugwuanagbo constituency, while Darlington Nwokocha picked the ticket for Isialangwa North/ Isialangwa South federal constituency. The incumbent lawmaker, Chinenye Ike, withdrew from the race.

Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, polled 423 votes to beat Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo and Chief Inibehe Okorie in Akwa Ibom North Senatorial District.

Ekpo and Inibehe Okorie scored no   votes.

The incumbent Senator representing the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Mr. Aloysius Etok, withdrew his aspiration to drum support for Akpabio.

A former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Mr. Bassey Albert, emerged winner in the North-East Senatorial District .

Albert emerged winner with a total of 363 votes, followed by a former State House of Assembly member , Mr. Usenobong Akpabio, who scored   five votes. The incumbent senator, Ita Enang, had only three votes.

Enang is the Senate Committee Chairman on Rules and Business.

Bayelsa

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Oil and Gas, Downstream Sector, Senator Emmanuel Paulker and Chairman, Silverbird Group, Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce,   emerged winners in the Bayelsa Central and East senatorial districts respectively.

Paulker polled 174 votes against Austin Febo, who scored 17 votes.

In Bayelsa-West, Foster Ogola scored 69 votes to emerge winner while the Secretary, South South Peoples Assembly, Ayakeme Whiskey, polled 27 votes in a parallel election.

In a parallel primaries conducted by a faction of the party, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, was declared winner after polling 93 votes.

In Bayelsa East, Murray-Bruce was declared winner after polling 138 votes to beat Mr. Anthony Ikoli (SAN), who came a distant second with 11 votes.

Benue

Senate President, David Mark, was returned unopposed after his only challenger, Mike Onoja, stepped down. Mark polled 384 votes. Nine   votes were declared invalid.

Onoja, withdrew from the race shortly before voting commenced. He said his decision was in the “interest and unity of the Idoma nation.”

Mark, was quoted as saying “Whatever makes for the peace, unity and overall development of the Idoma nation would be my guiding principle. We can work together for the common good of Idoma nation because we want to be exemplary. This is not about me but the interest of Idoma people.

“PDP will work hard and win elections in a free, fair and transparent system. We are on the ground enough to win our elections creditably.

Cross River

Senate Leader, Ndoma-Egba(SAN) failed to secure his fourth term bid following his defeat   by the member representing Obubra/Etung constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. John Owan-Enoh.

Owan-Enoh polled 217 votes to defeat Ndoma-Egba and Ambassador Mark Egbe, who secured 37 and 20 votes respectively.

The atmosphere was tense at the Ikom Local Government Area secretariat where   security personnel almost outnumbered the delegates.

Dressed in white   attire, Ndoma-Egba left the scene of the exercise at 3.40pm   after casting his vote. At about 5.45pm the returning officer, Mr. Uko Enaku, pronounced Owan-Enoh the winner.

Reacting to his victory, Owan-Enoh said the outcome was an indication that the people of the district needed a change in their representation.

Enugu

Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, was returned unopposed in   Enugu-West.

This followed the withdrawal of Governor Sullivan Chime from the race.

Ekweremadu received 294 votes out of the 299 cast. The remaining five votes were rendered invalid as a result of irregularities.

Ekweremadu said, “I want to dedicate this victory to Governor Chime – he equally made personal sacrifices to pave way for the peace we have today.”

The story was however different in Enugu North and Enugu West Senatorial districts where parallel primaries were held.

Three separate   primaries were held in Enugu East which produced three   candidates. They are incumbent senator, Gil Nnaji; a former Chief of Staff to the governor, . Ifeoma Nwobodo; and a former Minister of Information,   Frank Nweke Jnr.

The primary election which produced Nwobodo held amid tight security at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, while the primaries that were won by Nnaji and Nweke   took place at Nkwo Nike, and Ozalla, respectively.

There were also unconfirmed reports that   the chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Nwabueze Okoye, emerged from another primary election in the senatorial zone.

A similar scenario played out in Enugu North. Three aspirants, including the former Commissioner for Transport, Chuka Utazi,   and a former National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, contested in separate primaries.

Plateau

Governor Jonah Jang and incumbent Senator Joshua Dariye won   Plateau North and central districts.

Jang had 273 votes while   Ibrahim Kasai   had 18.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs. Olivia Dazyem, was the returning officer in the election conducted under tight security.

Nasarawa

The serving senator representing Nasarawa South senatorial district ,   Suleiman Adokwe, won his bid to fly the party’s flag.

Adokwe defeated Bala Zakari by scoring 163 votes.

Chelsea host Tottenham

Chelsea welcome Tottenham to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night as they look to maintain their unbeaten season, Sky Sports reports.

The Blues haven’t lost in 20 matches in all competitions this season and are looking increasingly difficult to beat. They were held by Sunderland at the weekend but boast a superb record against Spurs at home, having not lost to their London rivals at Stamford Bridge since 1990.

Spurs come off the back of three wins in a week after they beat Hull and Everton either side of a 1-0 victory over Partizan Belgrade, which confirmed their place in the knockout stage of the Europa League.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men have rapidly turned their season around after a sluggish start and their top-four charge is right back on track, but they lost 4-0 here last season and will have to overcome their Chelsea curse to register a third Premier League win in a row for the first time this season.

Chelsea are without the suspended Diego Costa after the striker picked up a fifth booking in the draw at Sunderland, so Loic Remy and Didier Drogba are in contention to start up front.

Nathan Ake (hamstring) missed the trip to the Stadium of Light and is unlikely to be included, but Jose Mourinho has no fresh concerns ahead of Wednesday’s clash.

Tottenham will have defender Kyle Naughton available following his two-match Barclays Premier League suspension while Emmanuel Adebayor, who has been suffering from a virus and back problem, is among several players who will be assessed, with Etienne Capoue and Danny Rose also concerns with knocks.

Anti-Jonathan senators to table motion Dec 16

Senate President, David Mark

 

THE senators pushing for the removal of President Goodluck Jonathan have set December 16 as the date to set their plan rolling.

The arrowhead of the Jonathan-Must-Go in the Senate, Senator Alkali Jajere, said on Tuesday in Abuja that the aggrieved senators would table a motion for the impeachment of the President before the Senate on the said date.

The Senate, currently on break to allow members to participate in their respective political parties’ congresses, will resume on December 16.

Some of the anti-Jonathan senators said the leadership of the upper chamber had allowed the long break in order to frustrate the impeachment move but that they were adamant “in order to save the country’s democracy.”

Jajere, who spoke with journalists outside the Senate chambers on Tuesday, said two more senators had indicated interest to sign the impeachment motion immediately after plenary thereby increasing the number of signatories to 65.

He said, “As of today, the required signatures to initiate the impeachment process had been obtained. The Senate has adjourned to December 16, so by that date the impeachment motion will be presented on the floor of the Senate.

“As of last week, 63 of us had signed up for the impeachment; my signature was the fourth but I can confirm to you that we have 63 signatures but after the session today two people had called and told me that they want to sign.

“One of them is an All Progressives Congress senator who was away doing campaign because he is contesting the governorship election of his state. The other person is a Peoples Democratic Party senator.

“Before the end of today I can assure you that the list will swell up to 70. It is on the impeachment day that we need two-thirds of the members to carry out the exercise but we need only one-third, which we already have, to initiate the process. It is just a matter of one day sitting. We will just push it before the two chambers.”

Jajere said he signed the impeachment motion because of his conviction that there were impeachable offences against Jonathan and that the process started early in the year but was truncated.

The senator, who said he practised journalism for 27 years, insisted that the constitutional breaches committed by the President were enough grounds to impeach him.

He said, “In 2011, this Senate approved N240bn as subsidy fund but the same government spent N1.7trn, which is a clear breach of the constitution and clear breach of the Appropriation Act.

“The business of government is to curtail excesses but this government has shown that it is incurably deficient in handling the situations in this country. That government cannot say it wants to continue.

“The President should have even resigned without waiting for him to be impeached. The duty of the legislature is to act as a check and balance because it is the most important symbol of democracy.

“If you don’t have the legislature, you don’t have democracy because every other arm of government exists even when there is no democracy. It is only the legislature that makes a democracy a government.

“The impeachment issue is not just coming now. It is a process that started early in the year but there was a hiccup. But today, there are issues that have triggered the National Assembly to do what it should do.”

He added that the process of impeachment had started in earnest and expressed confidence that it could be concluded before the general elections next year.

“The judiciary will form a committee through the Chief Judge of Nigeria, the National Assembly will carry out the verification of the committee and conclude the remaining process. The National Assembly will soon conclude our own side and submit the notice to the judiciary,” he said.

Another senator from the South-West, who pleaded anonymity, also told one of our correspondents that the impeachment process had started and that his pro-impeachment colleagues would initiate the process on resumption from the current adjournment.

He also alleged that the leadership of the National Assembly deliberately adjourned for two weeks in order to slow down the process, which he said would have started this week.

“To be frank, this impeachment process is real. We have agreed to move it formally on resumption. Why should the Senate leadership adjourn for two weeks? They want to frustrate our moves but they can’t succeed.

“If we are going to adjourn at all, it should be for a week because the primaries of all political parties would end by next week Sunday. Why can’t we resume on Tuesday next week?

“They (senate leadership) are playing games with us. By the time we resume on December 16, they will adjourn for another three weeks for Christmas and New Year. They know that serious political activities would start on resumption in January.”

However, Senators Ayogu Eze, (PDP Enugu) and Senator Zakari Yau (PDP, Zamfara) have said they will resist the attempt by the pro-impeachment senators to table the notice on the floor of the Senate.

Eze in an interview said, “There is no impeachment motion in the Senate, it is in the imagination of those who are writing about it and we challenge anybody who thinks that he can impeach the President to meet us on the floor.

“We challenge anybody who is interested and who thinks he has the vote to impeach the President, to meet us on the floor. We don’t want any distraction at this period when the country is going through elections and we have serious challenges.

“ If it is a joke, it is a joke carried too far. I have been very present in the chamber since I got here in 2007 if anything is happening in that chamber I will know but I can tell you, there is nothing like that.”

Also, Yau described the impeachment move as a rumour and that the process was not achievable based on the fact that Nigeria is planning for a general election next year.

“I don’t think that there is anything like impeachment in the Senate. There could be something like that in the House of Representatives but I am not aware of such a development in the Senate,” he said.

Meanwhile, the APC members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday disowned a list purported to be the names of lawmakers pushing to impeach President Jonathan.

The APC Caucus in the House described the list as “fake”.

The caucus disowned the list barely 72 hours after the PDP Caucus also called the list “a scam.”

The House Minority Leader and Leader of the APC caucus, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, claimed in a statement in Abuja that none of his members was a “party to the fake impeachment list.”

By implication, both the majority PDP and the main opposition APC have disowned the list.

The development leaves the question on the whereabouts of the authentic impeachment list or whether there is any list in existence unanswered.

Gbajabiamila merely said that the authentic list would be published in “due course.”

“The general public is hereby advised to disregard a fake impeachment list published by some online publicists for obvious sinister intentions,” part of his statement read.

When The PUNCH sought to know the number of lawmakers on the authentic list, he replied that the list was not in his possession.

“I don’t have the list with me; but we will make it available soon,” he said.

APC members began collecting signatures to impeach Jonathan after the November 20 invasion of the National Assembly by riot policemen and hooded State Security Service operatives.

About 113 angry members reportedly signed the list that day, with the figure rising to about 131 a week later.

However, the promoters of the impeachment kept the list close to their chest, refusing to make the names public.

In the middle of last week, a list appeared on some online sites, purporting to be the names of those planning to remove Jonathan.

But, doubts were raised over the authenticity of the list after it was discovered to contain the names of the Majority Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola; and the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor.

The two principal officers are members of the PDP and considered to be among the President’s key loyalists in the House.

When contacted, Ogor had described the list as a scam.

He stated, “This is a clear case of scam. This is cheap blackmail by people who have lost direction.

“How you do say Mulikat (Akande-Adeola) and Leo Ogor are on the list to impeach Jonathan?

“How can the President’s henchmen be the ones to impeach him again?”

When his views were sought by The PUNCH, The House spokesman, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, on Tuesday confirmed that there was indeed a move by some members to impeach Jonathan.

However, he declined to comment on the names of the members or their number.