SENATE PRESIDENCY: TINUBU LOBBIES DAVID MARK, PDP SENATORS

The battle for the post of Senate President appeared to have created a wedge between two leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the party’s national leader, Bola Tinubu.
Indications emerged on Sunday, that the duo were going different routes on the issue of Senate presidency, as Atiku met with senators backing Senator Bukola Saraki, barely 24 hours after meeting with supports of Senator Ahmed Lawan, who is gunning for the same position.
Supporters of Senator Lawan, under the aegis of the Senate Unity Forum had met with Atiku and Tinubu in Abuja, on Saturday, shortly after announcing their backing for the Yobe Senator.
It was learnt that the resolve to meet Atiku was to woo him as a leader of the North East.
It was also gathered that Tinubu and Senators from the South West, who had adopted Lawan as the best candidate for the Senate Presidency decided to put Atiku into the plan, especially as the Turakin, Adamawa is also a leader of the North East, where Lawan hails from.
Sources however told the Nigerian Tribune that Atiku only met with the Lawan group without showing firm commitment to the group.

JONATHAN MISMANAGED NIGERIA –OBASANJO

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo fired a fresh salvo the way of President Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday, when he looked back at the last eight years and returned with a verdict: The country had been poorly managed under Jonathan.
Obasanjo said this when the Iyalode of Yoruba land, Chief Alaba Lawson, led a delegation of South-West women leaders on a visit to his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta.
The 78-year-old leader said owing to the mismanagement of the country in the last eight years, the incoming administration of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, should be prepared to face the daunting challenges that lay ahead.
He said, “The country had been poorly managed in the last eight years and it would take some time for Buhari’s government to correct the anomalies. But I want to tell him not to be frightened.”
Calling on Nigerians to exercise patience with the incoming administration, Obasanjo said the damage that had been done to the country in the last eight years could not be corrected overnight.
“What I would say is that we should all put our minds at rest. He (Buhari) is someone that will perform but we must exercise patience because what has been destroyed for eight years cannot be undone overnight.

HISTORY WILL NOT FAVOUR JONATHAN — JUNAID MOHAMMED

Convener of the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, in this interview, evaluates the government of President Goodluck Jonathan
What do you think are the highlights of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration?
I believe, for most Nigerians, the highlight of Jonathan’s administration is the heightened terrorist activities in the country. Another is the enormous corruption, which, even by the standard of Nigeria, is unprecedented. There has never been any government in this country as corrupt, indolent and irresponsible as this government. Also, for a nation which has so many ethnic groups, religious differences, and identities, one was expecting a measure of inclusiveness. Unfortunately, Jonathan and his cabal are the most divisive set of people to have been at the top of an administration in this country.
Frankly speaking, I can’t think of anything I would regard as a positive highlight. Everything that I can think of, which I consciously or otherwise associate with this President, is terribly negative. I hope I am not disappointing you, but I have nothing positive to say about the government.
Why is corruption believed to have thrived under Jonathan’s administration, despite the checks and balances that the constitution provides?

NO APOLOGY FOR ANTI-BUHARI CAMPAIGN — FANI-KAYODE

The Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in this interview, dismisses the claim that hate campaign was responsible for the loss of President Goodluck Jonathan in the March 28 election, blaming the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) for it.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) blamed the loss of the party at the March 28 presidential election on hate speeches from some party officials, particularly some members of its Presidential Campaign Organisation. How do you react? 
I am sorry that you asked me this question because this is an assertion that I have refused to comment on since the allegation was made. Ever since the conclusion of the presidential election, I have been asked the question you just asked me more than any other and I believe that, for posterity’s sake, it is time to set the record straight.
Everywhere I go. this question of hate campaign is raised and, frankly, I am tired of it. Worse still, some people are beginning to believe the rubbish because we have refused to clear the air. We cannot be expected to remain silent forever when faced with such a grave allegation. This is all the more so because it is my directorate (the Directorate of Media and Publicity) and team that they sought to target, malign and discredit more than anyone else even though they did not mention my name or my directorate. The truth is that I have no hate in me and neither did anyone in the PCO or in my directorate.

FUEL CRISIS CRIPPLES NIGERIA

The fuel scarcity situation in the country has taken a turn for the worse as reports on Saturday indicate.
Investigations by our correspondents all over the country showed that most filling stations in the land are not selling Premium Motor Spirit also known as petrol.
This, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt, escalated the already dire situation, forcing motorists and other consumers to the black market.
Investigations also showed that the pump price of the product in the few filling stations who had it ranged from N120 to as high as N400 per litre.
The high price of the product, according to our correspondents, has caused a hike in transport fare with the increase as high as 300 per cent in some places. Many commuters who were caught unawares by the development were seen trekking long distances to their destinations while others were forced to return home.
Most filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory have shut down following the non-availability of the commodity.

OKONJO-IWEALA VOWS NOT TO PAY MARKETERS •Calls N159bn subsidy payment claim fraudulent

The federal government is spoiling for a fresh showdown with oil importers over subsidy payment.
This is coming as there is no end in sight yet for the current face off between the two sides that has grounded the nation for several days now.
Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala yesterday accused them of submitting to government suspicious payment claims to the tune of N159billion in exchange rate differentials.
The payment claims, according to her, reeked of fraud.
She told reporters at a farewell meeting in Abuja that she would not approve payment of the claims unless verified by the relevant authorities.
“Marketers were asking for N159 billion for exchange rate differentials from the outstanding N200 billion. There has been so much fraud and scam so I have refused to sign for that money but have agreed that a committee be set up involving the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to verify marketers’ claims,” she said.
”Marketers just want to make Nigerians suffer,” she added.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT FUEL SUBSIDY MEANS– BUHARI

In a new interview with Daily Trust, President elect, Buhari expressed reservations over claims by the government of subsidizing the petroleum sector. He spoke on how during his time as Military leader, they were able to make fuel available at all times. Below are excerpts of what he said in the interview

One burning issue is fuel subsidy. I believe you are aware of the queues in major cities like Lagos and Abuja. The fuel importers say they are unsure of the direction of the new government in this area. Have you considered maintaining or withdrawing this subsidy or are you questioning whether it didn’t exist at all?

One of the problems I have, other than the military, is the petroleum industry where I served for three and a half years under General Obasanjo. When people start talking about this subsidy I honestly get confused. I will tell you this, and I hope it will answer what you want to know. Back then we had a refinery in Port Harcourt, which was refining 30,000 barrels a day of Nigerian crude. Later, it was upgraded to refine 100,000 barrels a day.

Revealed: The pathetic incident that informed Uduaghan’s Maternal Care Policy

WHEN asked what legacy he was leaving in healthcare, Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan didn’t mince words. “What I’ll like to be remembered for is that, as a result of my programmes and policies, no woman must die during childbirth. This particular feat is what I would like to be remembered for assuming posterity wants to talk about me,” he asserted.

Several years ago, as a young medical doctor struggling to carry out his duty of saving lives, Governor Uduaghan witnessed an unfortunate incident involving a pregnant woman who was turned back from a private hospital because she could not afford to pay for the services.

The heavily unidentified pregnant woman had approached the hospital in question to seek attention for a complaint connected with her pregnancy, but she was sent away when it was discovered that she had no money. The woman went away, but a few days later, was rushed back to the same hospital in more critical state.

A Roadmap for Change: Here comes APC’s blueprint

Though they had their manifesto with which they campaigned, they still needed to get the input of most Nigerians on the core social, economic and political issues bedeviling the country. And to get more insights on how to solve them, they gathered many talents and brainstormed for two days. Below is the fallout of the event organised by the Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja.
The human assemblage was rich. The topics were many and the discussions were robust. That was the atmosphere that defined the two-day policy dialogue on the implementation of the “Agenda for Change” held between Wednesday and Thursday in the passing week.
Venue was the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, and the organizer was the Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council under the directorship of the former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Themed “Implementing Change: From Vision to Reality”, the dialogue x-rayed various grounds for rapid economic, social and political development and growth of Nigeria in the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari.

Alleged N5bn bribe: INEC boss says his life is in danger

                                                                 Austin Okojie
Governor Godswill Akpabio is known to be generous. He is said to be very free with money. And, consequently, money never constitutes a stumbling block whenever he sets to achieve something. This has won him accolades with regard to many of his achievements in his state.
But could he have parted with N5billion just to ensure his preferred candidate won the last governorship election in Akwa-Ibom State? Check out this scene in Uyo, the state capital last week:
It was an unusual and tensions-soaked meeting at the Akwa-Ibom State secretariat of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, along Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo last Thursday and the agenda of the meeting was ‘Threat To Life’.
The Akwa-Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner-REC, Barrister Austin Okojie had summoned the staff including security operatives and Youth Corps members attached to the commission to inform them of how he had been rattled by repeated anonymous telephone calls all of which, he said, conveyed death sentences on him by a one of the security staff. The said staff was demanding his share of the Five Billion Naira (N5BN) the REC  allegedly received from Governor Godswill Akpabio on behalf of the staff of the commission. The INEC boss was being told to be fair to others and let them have a piece of the cake or face horrendous consequences.
As human, Okojie, the state INEC boss, said he was engulfed with fear such that he lost his composure even though he did not know the character behind the treacherous intermittent midnight calls and even when he was speechless each time the calls came; the person aggravated his fears by sending text messages.