Obasanjo, Buhari held a close door meeting in Lagos

The President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday held a secret meeting in Lagos.

Our correspondent learnt that the meeting which held at the Presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, lasted for almost an hour.

The meeting, it was learnt, was the first meeting the two would have since Buhari was declared winner of the presidential election on April 1.

It was learnt that Buhari and other All Progressives Congress leaders had come to Lagos for a thank you visit and to campaign for the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, but had a meeting with Obasanjo before setting out to campaign in the Orile area of the state.

A member of the President-elect’s entourage said, “Gen. Buhari and former President Obasanjo were in the inner lounge of the presidential wing of the airport where they held a secret meeting for almost an hour.

“The National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Chris Ngige and many of us were made to stay at the main lounge throughout the meeting. We do not really know what was discussed but it must have been very sensitive.”

Meanwhile, the Northern Christian Leaders Eagle Eyes Forum, has said the group was not surprised that Buhari won the poll.

The group had before the election endorsed Buhari to the consternation of the Christian Association of Nigeria led by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

The CAN condemned and distanced itself from the endorsement.

Addressing journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday, Chairman of the Forum, Pastor Aminchi Habu, also said under Buhari, Nigeria would take its rightful position among the comity of nations.

Saying that they have confidence that the president-elect would steer the ship of the nation to greatness, the cleric noted that he and his other colleagues, believed that the Katsina-born-general deserved his electoral victory because he worked for it.

The chairman, specifically hailed the National Leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Bukola Saraki, governors Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Magatakarda Wamako and Ahmed Abdulfatai for working round the clock to ensure that Buhari won the election.

“These men are not only quintessential politicians but also political strategists in their own rights and so deserve special commendation as they worked tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria change for good,” he said.

Oba of Lagos not APC spokeman, Not a party man says Tinubu

Former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has finally reacted to the anti-Igbo comments made by Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu. Tinubu said the Oba is not a member of APC and so can't speak on behalf of the party. Speaking to Punch at a rally in Iganmu today, Tinubu said;

“The oba is not a politician. His job is to accommodate all political parties, whether PDP, APC or SDP. So, what did he (Ubah) go and do at the palace? To you Igbos, don’t we pay your children’s school fees like others? Or is it the palace that pays for it? When we conducted an exam and a spelling competition, an Igbo boy, Ebuka, from Anambra, came first and he became the governor for one day.

“Those that won the competition three times in a row were Igbo. Ebuka was sent to Switzerland computer school and then Obafemi Awolowo University. We did not say he was an Igbo boy and he would not enjoy. He became an executive in Oando and he is now in Canada.

“Another boy, Felix, won and went to Switzerland and OAU. We paid his scholarship; we did not deny him because he is Igbo.”

I hope the igbos can now vote for Ambode as governor

PDP plans rigging with fake soldiers – Imo APC alleges

The All Progressives Congress in Imo State has raised the alarm over what it described as a plot by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to embark on massive rigging of next Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly  elections in the state.
Director-General, Rochas  Okorocha Campaign Organisation, Mr. Iheukwumere Alaribe, who spoke to our correspondent in Owerri on Tuesday, said the APC was aware of the PDP’s plan to manipulate the electoral process with the assistance of some military personnel during the elections.
He said,  “We know that, just like it did during the presidential and National Assembly elections, the PDP has  decided to use fake soldiers to achieve its devious motives on Saturday.
“This time, they want to make sure that no electoral materials get to the designated polling centres. They have been bringing thugs into Imo State. If you go to the rural communities right now, you will find strange people there.”
Alaribe noted that on Sunday, Catholic churches in many of the communities warned members of their congregations to avoid hanging out at polling booths after casting their votes on Saturday.
He recalled that there were irregularities during the last elections, especially in Ohaji-Egbema, Isu, Oru-East, Isiala-Mbaino and Oguta Local Government Areas, where ballot boxes and other electoral materials were allegedly carted away from the polling booths and non registered people used as ad-hoc staff by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Imo.
He added that the APC was determined to ensure the PDP did not perpetrate  such electoral malpractices on Saturday.
Alaribe stated, “If what happened last time repeats itself during the governorship elections, there will be casualties in Imo State.”
The APC campaign director added that not less than 20 members of the PDP had defected to the ruling party.
All efforts by our correspondent to speak with the Director of Media for Imo PDP, Chief Enyinnaya Onuegbu, yielded no positive results.

Olusola Oke Decamped to APC

Olusola Oke, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2012 governorship election in Ondo state has concluded plans to defect officially to the All Progressives Congress (APC)

It was gathered that Oke had last weekend met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in his hilltop mansion in Abeokuta, Ogun state to brief him on his defection plans.

Obasanjo reportedly gave him his blessing to go ahead to quickly defects to the APC before Saturday House of Assembly elections in the state, the aide also said.

Sources in Obasanjo’s home confirmed Oke’s visit to the hilltop mansion in Abeokuta.

He revealed that Oke has already met with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the party’s secretariat along Oyemekun road in Akure, the state's capital while arrangement on his defection has been concluded.

Oke was said to have held a midnight meeting with the APC leaders at their office.

“Chief Olusola Oke at the late hour of yesterday midnight met with the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Isaac Kekemeke and other leaders of the party which includes Tayo Alasoadura inside the party’s secretariat.

“The meeting was a very long one because several considerations have to be put in place and mind you, Oke was at the midnight meeting with only trusted allays from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Some of the considerations was that he (Oke) would be defecting alongside a horde supporters from to the All Progressives Congress (APC), which literary means he is coming with a whole structure to the party, and there must be room to accommodate them all”, he said.

A press conference to addressed journalists on the reason for leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has already been penned down and would be communicated today (Tuesday), the aide told our correspondent.

Tayo Alasoadura, a leader of the party and senator-elect from the Ondo central senatorial district of the state who was also at the midnight meeting made it known that “Oke is now with us”.

“Yes, I can confirm to you that Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now in the All Progressives Congress (APC). We have talked and ironed out how the party would accommodate us all. He would be coming with a big structure, and there is enough room to accommodate them all.

“His defection would put heat on his formal party and is going to be a crack on their wall because more people are coming. You remembered the Deputy Governor, Ali Olanusi is now with us, and I can assure you that many more will join us in days to come”, he said.

Oke had been in a brawl with the embattled governor of the state, Olusegun Mimiko since the defection of latter to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mimiko had dominated the party and forcefully hijacked its structure.

Governor Fayose, Deputy Blocks Ekiti Roads With Buses And Bonfires To Avoid Impeachment

To avoid getting impeached by legitimate lawmakers from Ekiti state for gross misconduct, Governor Ayodele Fayose has embarked on blocking roads leading to the state capital, Ado-Ekiti with buses, logs of wood and bonfires.

The governor initially disappeared from the state capital to avoid being served with the impeachment notice exclusively published by news media during the weekend claiming he had not seen the notice.
However, it was learnt that since losing the Presidential elections on March 28th, 2015, President Goodluck Jonathan has refused to provide military and police officers to continue the shenanigans that have propelled Mr. Faye’s impunity in the state. President Jonathan is reportedly busy packing out of the Presidential Villa in preparation for civilian life.
Overnight several parts of Ado-Ekiti were blocked by aides of Mr. Fayose, who had vowed to resist lawmakers led by the legitimate speaker of the house of assembly from accessing the state capital to commence Mr. Fayose’s impeachment. The speaker has vowed to commence and conclude the impeachment of the governor as soon as feasible.

Anti-impeachment protest rock Ekiti

A huge protest is currently ongoing in Ado Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State, against the move of Ekiti State House of Assembly to impeach the state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, over alleged constitutional breaches.

Heavy security has been put in place in strategic locations in Ado Ekiti, while entry routes have been blocked and taken over by security operatives.

Details later. . .

Rivers Citizen protests in Abuja, seeks Rivers REC’s, Ms Khan sack

Due to the Rivers state rigging of the presidential and National assembly elections by the PDP, the people of rivers state have shifted their protest to the office of INEC in Abuja calling for the REC sack.
A massive protest has taken place at the offices of Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) In Abuja calling for the removal of Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner Gesila Khan. The protesters stormed INEC headquarters early today asking that Ms. Khan be removed from conducting Saturday's governorship elections because she is already compromised. 

Hundreds of protesters mostly the supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Coalition of Nigerian Political Parties Rivers State chapter early this morning besieged the headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja to demand for the removal of the controversial Resident Electoral in their state.
Protesters claimed the state REC Gesila Khan is partial and biased in the conduct of the last week Presidential Election in the state.                                                                                  
The protesters who carried placards with the following inscriptions; remove Rivers REC now, No more rigging in Rivers State, Gesila is corrupt, Jega save us, 13 Political parties demand REC removal, INEC ad-hoc staff thumbprint for PDP in Rivers, We will not allow Gesila to conduct Governorship election.                  
 The Coalition of  Political Parties also described the Resident Electoral Officer as an embarrassment to the Commission, who allowed electoral officers to thumb print for a political party under her watch. " She gave the result sheet to PDP Leaders in the State to write the result".                            
They called on the INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega to redeploy the Commissioner in the interest of democracy, just as he maintained that the people of Rivers State would resist any attempt to repeat the massive fraud that was orchestrated during last Saturday's presidential election.

Rivers protest in Abuja credit:Tunji Obasa