BUHARI’S TRANSITION C’TTEE TO COMPRISE POLITICIANS, PRIVATE SECTOR MEMBERS



 Following the private meeting held between President Goodluck Jonathan and President-elect Muhammadu Buhari Friday on the handover from the president’s administration to his incoming successor, THISDAY has learnt that Buhari’s transition committee shall comprise politicians and members of the organised private sector.
Buhari’s transition committee, which is expected to be announced tomorrow and is likely to commence work with the presidency after the governorship and state assembly elections, will focus on the smooth handover from the Jonathan
administration to his administration to ensure continuity in governance.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who spoke to THISDAY on the issue, said he was aware that Buhari would rather the committee comprises a good mix of politicians and private sector members, and would likely review the list of members already drawn up by former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu.
“I can tell you with certainty that the president-elect’s transition committee will comprise politicians and private sector members.

BUHARI ‘LL RESTORE DIGNITY OF BLACK MAN —RAWLINGS

 Former Ghanaian President, Mr Jerry Rawlings, has hailed Nigerians for voting in General Buhari as the next president, saying the former military ruler would “restore the dignity of the black man.”
According to Rawlings in a statement yesterday, “Nigerians have taken the lead in the rejection of corruption. Nigerians did not just vote anyone. They voted for a man whose integrity is extremely high. Nigeria is tired of corruptio...n and the choice of this leader is a clear indication of where she wants to go.
“I hope General Buhari will put together a team whose understanding of the power of the people recognizes and respects the will of the people.”

NIGERIANS WILL STILL LOOK FOR THE JONATHAN THEY DESPISE NOW AFTER HE'S GONE – ASO VILLA’S CHAPLAIN

 The Chaplain to the President, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba, on Sunday said despite losing the March 28 presidential election, Nigerians would still look for President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said at a point, Nigerians would seek Jonathan’s advice.
Onwuzurumba said this while delivering his sermon titled, ‘The Lord is risen indeed’, during the Easter Sunday service held at the Aso Vill...a Chapel.
He likened Jonathan to Jesus Christ, whose disciples, he said, were not even convinced that he was the messiah and that he would resurrect.
He said although the President was not Jesus Christ, he was like the messiah.
The clergyman said, “This Jonathan they did not want, they will look for him.
“This Jonathan they despised, they will look for him.

ALLEGED ANTI-IGBO COMMENT: CATHOLIC CHURCH GROUP TACKLES OBA AKIOLU

 The Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria has issued a statement, condemning the alleged anti-Igbo statement made by the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu, when Igbo leaders in Lagos visited him on Sunday.
Read full statement below:
PRESS STATEMENT REACTING TO OBA AKIOLU’S CURSE ON THE IGBOS IN LAGOS
“At the national offices of Caritas Nigeria and Justice Development and Peace Commission, we are totally shocked t...o read about the threat handed down by Oba Akiolu to the Igbos in Lagos. While it is understandable that a Royal Father would want for his wishes to be carried out, we are deeply concerned that the royal father is missing the point that Nigeria is a republic and a democracy and not a monarchy.

I AM NOT A MIRACLE WORKER, DO NOT EXPECT MIRACLES - BUHARI

 President elect, Muhmmadu Buhari, has asked Nigerians not to expect him to perform miracles once he assumes power come May 29th. Gen Buhari said this while speaking on the war against Boko Haram in an interview with BBC. According to Buhari, the triumph against the sect members would not be immediately achieved once he gets into power but said with cooperation from Neighboring countries and the commitment of the milit...ary, the war would be won in a short time

"For five, six years, the Nigerian enforcement law agencies, including the military, couldn’t secure 14 Local Governments. How can I promise miracles when I come? But with the cooperation of our neighbours Cameroon, Chad, Niger and the international community, and the commitment we are going to get from the military, I think it will take us a much shorter time to deal with it”, he said.

WHY JONATHAN LOST TO BUHARI – SANUSI

 Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the current Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, says President Goodluck Jonathan lost because of the mood of voters which was determined by the economic conditions and level of poverty across the country.
Sanusi, who is now known as Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, said this during an interview with our correspondent on Saturday.
He said the voting showed that areas which had a high rate of poverty felt... neglected by the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government over the years.
Sanusi said the presidential poll results showed that the figures of the PDP in presidential elections from 1999 had continued to dwindle significantly.
The monarch said the PDP got fewer votes in 2007, less in 2011 and then fewer votes in 2015 causing the ruling party to finally lose to the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress.
He said, “I think in 2011, it was very clear that Jonathan had lost many states in the North that had previously been won by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. And it was clear that there was a general sense by people of the Federal Government not investing in the areas where there is a high level of poverty.

HARASS CIVILIANS, PREPARE FOR RETIREMENT, AMAECHI TELLS POLICE

 The Rivers State Governor and the Director-General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has said with the emergence of Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) as the President-elect, there will be no police brutality and molestation in the state.
Amaechi, who called on the people of the state to vote the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, in the April 11, 2015, e...lection, assured voters that any police that harassed them would be punished.
Speaking during a ward-to-ward campaign in Emohua and Ikwerre Local Government Areas on Saturday, the governor urged the electorate not to be afraid to come out and vote.
“Next week Saturday, I expect everybody to come out and vote. There will be no police molestation again. There will be no Army harassment again. Any police that molests you must be preparing to retire and this time, it will not be retirement, it will be punishment for retirement. So, come out to vote. We are looking for you to come out to vote.

OHANAEZE ISSUES 48HR ULTIMATUM TO LAGOS OBA TO APOLOGISE OVER THREAT

 The youth wing of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has issued a 48- hour ultimatum to the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, to "retract and unconditionally apologise to Ndigbos" over his alleged threat to Igbos living in Lagos on their choice of candidate in the coming governorship election.
Ohanaeze said it considered the comments credited to the monarch as "an insult on the Igbo nation..., both home and abroad and least expected of a traditional ruler of his status".
The monarch had reportedly threatened to "make life unbearable for Igbos in Lagos if they sabotage efforts being made to ensure that the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, Mr. Akinwunmi Am¬bode, emerges as governor of the state."
The oba also reportedly said the Igbos would drown in the Lagos lagoon if they vote for another candidate other than that of APC.

PHONE CALL SPAT: MOROCCO ENVOY RETURNS TO NIGERIA

Following his much-publicised recall from Nigeria after the phone call spat, the Ambassador of Morocco, Mr. Mustapha Cherqaoui has quietly returned to Nigeria with a plan for both countries to attempt to repair the strained diplomatic ties.
THISDAY could not confirm the exact day he returned to Nigeria, but it was just before the elections which started on March 28, 2015.
A source told THISDAY that both countries would set up meetings to discuss how to work out the differences leading to his recall after Rabat said it snubbed President Goodluck Jonathan's attempt to speak with King Mohammed IV of Morocco.
Rabat had said the phone call was snubbed because it was an attempt to curry favour with Nigeria's Muslim electorate in the presidential elections.
Nigeria's Foreign Ministry in early March, had issued a statement insisting that Jonathan spoke with the king, an announcement which Morocco claimed was unethical, consequently recalling their Ambassador for 'consultations'.

IMPEACHMENT DRAMA IN EKITI

 The All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, on Saturday, issued a statement in which they claimed that they had served the state governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, an impeachment notice.
The 19 APC lawmakers, in an unsigned statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, said, “As a prelude to commencing an impeachment process against Ekiti State Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, has forwarded a notice of gross misconduct to the embattled governor.”
However, Governor Fayose in response to the development said he “advised APC members in the state House of Assembly to stop acting like jesters,” and that “the script being acted by the APC is a failed one because no one, no matter how highly placed will be allowed to test the will of Ekiti people.”