Buhari Has Given The Clearest Hint, So Far That He Will Seek Re Election 2019.

He gave the hint in far away Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire where he is attending the 5th European Union-African Union (EU-AU) Summit.
He was accompanied on the trip by a leader of the governing APC, Bola Tinubu, and governors Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom and Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi states among others.
The president arrived late to an interactive session with the Nigerian community in Cote d’Ivoire Tuesday night and said he had to wait for the two governors to accompany him to the meeting because of their electoral value.
“First I want to apologise for keeping you for too long sitting, this is because I insisted on the governors attending this meeting.
“This is why I came along with them so that when we are going to meet you, when you are going to meet the rest of Nigerians, if you tell them that their governors were in the company of the president,
I think that will be another vote for me in the future. I’m very pleased that they were able to turn up,” Mr. Buhari said to thunderous laughter and clapping by the audience.
I AM FOR EVERYBODY
Mr. Buhari had during his inauguration on May 29, 2015 stated that he will be for everybody as well as for nobody.
He reiterated that position on Tuesday, saying that was responsible for his support of Akinwumi Adesina to emerge as the President of African Development Bank, AfDB, despite serving as a minister in PDP-led administration.
Mr. Buhari was reacting to Mr. Adesina’s remark earlier expressing gratitude for the support he received in his bid to emerge as the AfDB president.
Mr. Buhari had shortly after assumption of office dispatched former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to lobby President Jacob Zuma of South Africa to support the candidature of Mr. Adesina, a move that was key in getting the former Minister of Agriculture the job.
Mr. Adesina is the first Nigerian to head the continental bank since it was set up in 1964.
“The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), who forgot to mention that he was serving in the PDP government as minister but all the same I picked him and recommended him for AfDB.
“I think it emphasised what I said during my swearing in that I am for everybody and I am for nobody. As long as you are a Nigerian,
be prepared to be on the receiving end from me,” the president said.
Mr. Buhari also told the audience that he just received “a beautiful piece of information” from Mr. Tinubu which he was never aware
of. He thanked the APC leader for the information.
He however, did not disclose what the information was.”
“I also thank our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has brought me a very beautiful piece of information, which I was not aware of it until I sat down and read it this evening (Tuesday night). Thank you very much for your hard work and I will discuss that paper with you.”
Mr. Adesina in his remarks noted that the the Nigerian economy picked up soon after Mr. Buhari’s health challenges appeared over,
adding that “so it seems there is a correlation between the President’s health and the improved economy.”
On security, Mr. Adesina said the bank has released $250 million
for the construction and rehabilitation of the North-east, destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents. He also said the AfDB has constructed a big building behind the
Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, which will serve as its office in Nigeria. He said it is the first of such buildings by AfDB outside its Abidjan
headquarters, which he will want President Buhari to commission.
“I want to thank you immensely. I want to thank God for your health because I must say that for all of us that has been a big concern.
But seeing you fit as a fiddle and seeing you back in action, we thank God for that and may God continue to give you great strength.
“Mr. President as you must have noticed, there is a very strong correlation between your health and the economy and when you
came back the economy picked up after that. So we wish you great health so that the the economy can continue to pick.
“I also want to congratulate you for the economic growth and recovery plan that you have put in place and the incredible plan
that you have put in place to bring the economy out of recession and also in terms of the fact that Nigeria has moved up in the
World Bank ease of doing business index.
“It is to your leadership, vision and commitment that we want to from the African Development Bank commend you, Mr. President,
and to assure you of our strong support behind you and your government for the efforts to try and move Nigeria forward. We are solidly behind you, you can count on that.
“I also want to thank you for your leadership on the Boko Haram issue because to draw investments into Nigeria, you absolutely
have to have security.
“I think that securing our borders is very very important thanks to your leadership for that. I also thank you for all the efforts you
have made in the Lake Chad Basin Area.
“I was with you in Paris where you led the efforts in reviving the Lake Chad Basin. As you know Mr. President, the bank is very
strongly behind that. We put in $250 million to support the North- East of Nigeria rebuilding. I know you were criticized for rebuilding
but I don’t see anything wrong, if things get destroyed they have to be rebuilt and the African Development Bank has contributed $250 million towards that,” Mr. Adesina said.

FG Declares Friday, December 1, Public Holiday To Mark The Eid-El-Maulud Celebration.

This was contained in a statement issued by the permanent secretary in the ministry of interior, Engineer Abubakar G. Magaji. According to the statement, the minister of Interior, Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd) made the declaration on behalf of the federal government.
The minister enjoined all Muslim faithful and Nigerians to use the Eid-El-Maulud Celebration to pray for peace, progress and unity of the Nation.
He further urged all Nigerians to support President Muhammadu
Buhari’s administration towards building the Nation.

Buhari Is Aware of My Reinstatement ~ Maina Revealed

The embattled former chairman of the Presidential Pension Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, on Tuesday
said President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation,
Abubakar Malami, to meet with him (Maina) and ensured he (Maina) was reinstated back to the civil service.
In a video aired by Channels TV on Monday, Maina explained how the current administration held meetings
with him and returned him to the civil service. In his first known public comments, Maina maintained that his reinstatement to the public service was duly approved by the president.
He said he initially decided not to return to work despite a court order reinstating him because some people in the past administration did not want him back.
“The letter of dismissal, I didn’t even receive a letter. It was when I heard about it (that) my lawyers went to court. They took the Senate to court and the court quashed whatever was the report of the Senate. 

The court also removed all the warrant of arrest. The court upheld that I should return to work. That was in April 2013. But the last administration refused to take me back to my job. They refused to obey the court order.
The Head of Service was asked not to return me to the office. The Federal Civil Service Commission chairperson at that time did not want me to return to office.
“Now I did not return to office but when this government came in, the President gave his note that go and sit down with Maina, I’ve given you the approval. They sat down with me after the security agencies cleared me of any wrong doing.”
Mr. Maina said he has never been sued in any court of law for any allegation. “Nobody has ever taken me to court in Nigeria. I want Nigerians to know. I have never been taken to any court of law. Nobody has ever sued me for anything. I’ve never been take to any court of law.
“I have sued all the security agencies that we are talking about and I have won. I have full court judgements. They place my name on INTERPOL, I went to court and removed it. They did this, I did this I removed it. There is nothing they have not done. Even
the one they could not do, they went to immigration, put my name on no fly list. I went to the airport. I was in Nigeria, that was in 2015. I went to the court, the court granted me N2 million damages for not flying that day.”
He relayed how he helped the government recover N1.3 Trillion through the AGF.
He added that the process of his reinstatement started after the Attorney General, Mr. Malami, visited him. “As soon as this present government decided to sit with
me, and after sitting with, me, I told them I will not leave you to go back to Nigeria without something in your pocket. I’m going to give you something in your pocket and the Minister laughed. The Minister of Justice said what are you going to give us as gift? I gave him a
document, I say go here, here, here, there’s N1.3 Trillion they are going to steal it because they’ve been stealing every year. He was shocked, he said not possible. I said sir, with all due respect, could you please try it, this is a gift I’m giving you. I haven’t gotten to Nigeria, I’m just giving you a gift. I say try it for you to understand where I’m coming from.
“I’m not a saint but I try as much as I can to help the system. The minister thought that won’t be possible, when he got back, he realised I gave him a correct information. Now, after giving him this information, he asked me, when are you coming back, I said I will soon be back. I said I have a court order. So, I asked my lawyer to write a petition. He now wrote a petition to government and the Minister set up a committee to look at the petition. They looked at the petition and recommended that this is a court order that there’s no question of going back on it, nobody has appealed it since 2013 so government must obey it.
“So, he sent a letter to the Federal Civil Service Commission to say this is the petition I got in my office,
I’m attaching the court order which you must respect. I’m hearing people are saying he’s directing people to reinstate me. No, he said you must respect the court order, this is the court order because he is the chief officer of the country. Now, the document was taken to
the Federal Civil Service Commission. I went to the Federal Civil Service Commission, they told me they have just received the documents, they are going to see
me later and we have a meeting. After that meeting, they wrote office of the head of service. They say we want you to sit down with your Senior Staff Committee and after that you send it to the Ministry of Interior; that was used at that time because they were coerced which I later found out. The Senior Staff Committee was coerced by the then Head of Service, Mr. Isa Bello Sanni to make sure they send me out and packing because I had stopped the inflow of 5.2 Billion monthly
to the office of the Head of Service.”
The Presidency is however yet to respond to this latest allegation from Maina.

Prince Harry Found Love: "I Fell In Love With Meghan Markle Quickly"

Following the announcement of their engagement,
Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle haveheld their first television interview together.
In the BBC interview, anchored by Mishal Husain, Harry said that he fell in love with the ‘Suits’ actress “incredibly quickly”.

Maina Dares Buhari: "Give Me An Opportunity To Expose Your Government"-

Maina finally speaks, assures
Buhari N3trillion if allowed to prove
his innocence

Embattled former chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, has finally broken silence on the allegations of corruption levelled against him. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Channels Television which aired during News at 10 on Monday,
Mr Maina insisted that he was innocent of the allegations preferred against him. He, however, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to give him an opportunity to prove his innocence, and promised to fetch Buhari over N3trillion if allowed to prove his innocence.
“Thank God our President stands for the truth, the unfortunate thing is that some people around him whom
he has given trust are lying to him; this one I can attest to and I can give you instances, I can give you
documentary of evidences,” Maina said.
“I’m appealing to you Mr President, there are so many things people are not telling you; when I get to that
public hearing I will tell you some things that nobody ever told you Mr President because I never had the
opportunity to sit down with you.”

Maina who denied any involvement in pension fraud, however, said his team recovered about N282billion
cash for the government and that his life was in danger.He said he was ready to prove to the President that he was innocent of the allegations against him by recovering N1trillion in three months if given the opportunity. “I recovered money for the last administration and I recovered money for this administration. Most people
may not understand this but let me explain this to Nigerians because I want the truth to be told and I want
Nigerians to understand the truth and know what is going on in Nigeria.
“Listen, I am not afraid of anybody, I am saying the truth . People portray themselves as if they are saints
around the President; it’s a lie, they are not. We recovered as a team, N282billion cash. Aside from the
N282bn, we were able to bring information and caught 43 pension suspects.

“They have threatened me, they have threatened my lawyer, they have threatened my brother, sister; they
have threatened us all that I will be killed. “Mr President, I will give you information and documents that will fetch you over N3trillion now in
Nigeria, give me nine months. Within the first three months, I will show you N1trillion just like I showed you
N1trillion in this 2017,” he said.
The reinstatement of the former pension boss had sparked criticism and controversy from Nigerians after
he was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2015.
While the anti-graft agency said it was working tirelessly to arrest Maina, President Buhari had ordered his immediate dismissal from the Federal Civil Service.
Meanwhile, more reactions and revelation have continued to trail the controversy, with the Presidency
saying at least 66 accounts were used in pension fraud associated transactions.

8 GOOD REASONS Why Atiku Abubakar can NEVER be Nigeria's President ~ Group listed,

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar's resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is the biggest political news out of Nigeria this week-
Reactions have continued to emanate from different quarters regarding the former vice president's resignation as a member of the ruling party
- A group named Nigeria Anti-Corruption Ambassadors (NACA) is of the opinion that Atiku's defection for the sake of contesting in 2019 won't materialise
A United-Kingdom based group named Nigeria Anti-Corruption
Ambassadors (NACA), has stated that former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, would never emerge Nigeria's president in 2019 because of his antecedents.
The group made this known via its Twitter handle -
@CorruptConcern, which boasts of 18,000 followers.
The Pro-Buhari Group listed Eight Reasons why they think Nigerians will reject Atiku in the polls in the 2019 election. Atiku's resignation from the APC seems to have unsettled supporters of the ruling party.
There have been speculations that the former vice president's defection is due to his aspiration to seek the Presidential Ticket of Nigeria's main opposition Party, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2019 polls.
Atiku, who turns 71 today, November 25, is yet to debunk the rumours, even as his supporters have all moved to the PDP.
NACA says Atiku is un-electable because:
1. Naked ambition
2. Disloyalty in pursuit of naked ambition
3. Perception of corruption
4. How he made his wealth.as a Civil Servant (Customs Officer)
5. Economic sabotage
6. No Vision
7. No Ideology
8. He is a Political Prostitute

Meanwhile, Lagos-based human Rights Lawyer, Festus Keyamo,
has said the excuse Atiku gave in his widely circulated statement, was not honourable. Keyamo who made the statement on social media via his
verified Twitter page, said the former Vice President should
have simply admitted that he left the APC in search of another Political Party's Presidential Ticket ahead of the 2019 Presidential elections.
His words: “The starting point of Atiku’s Presidential Bid
would’ve been to simply admit that he left APC in search of another Party Ticket. Nigerians know that already.
“It would’ve been more honourable than giving some zigzag reasons to justify his zigzag movements across political parties.”

Ayiri Emami choice As "OLOGBOTSERE" is purely a Family Thing ~ HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli

The Olu of Iwerre kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, has said the selection of an Ologbotsere was
purely a “family thing”.
HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli revealed this while performing the final rite of the conferment of Ologbotsere title on
Chief Ayiri Emami at his Palace in Warri today.
The event was a symbolic final rite in which the golden sceptre (traditional staff of office) was handed over to Chief Emami.
The Olu said the title is a family title and that the choice of a holder always comes from the descendants
of the Ologbotsere family.

Ahead of December 9, (PDP) National Convention, Misappropriation of N11 Billion Tears (NWC) Apart...

Ahead of the December 9 national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), more facts emerged yesterday on how N11 billion generated by a former National Chairman, Adamu Muazu, was shared by the former National Working Committee (NWC).

It was also revealed that about N730million was inherited by the sacked National Chairman of PDP, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff.

But the party’s former National Treasurer, Dr. Buhari Bala, yesterday said no party fund was misappropriated or misapplied.

He advised party members not to make funds appropriation a campaign issue at the National Convention.

He said the necessary organs of the party, including the National Executive Committee (NEC), Board of Trustees (BoT), forum of governors and National Assembly Caucus were all aware of the financial position of the party.

According to a document obtained by our correspondent, the Muazu administration generated about N11billion (not N9billion earlier reported)  from nomination forms for the 2015 general elections.

The document indicated that in line with the constitution of the party, all candidates for the 2015 poll were assisted by the party from the cash haul.

About 30 per cent of the money was allocated to state and local government chapters of PDP nationwide.

A top party leader said: “We actually generated over N11billion from the nomination forms for 2015 general elections during the tenure of the former National Chairman of the party, Alh. Adamu Muazu. Since no campaign funds came from either the Presidency or the Presidential Campaign Organization of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, the party only relied on what it realised.

“About 30 per cent was allocated to state and local government chapters for the 2015 elections. All candidates of the party were also assisted out of the cash by the party.

“Liabilities arising from the 2015 general elections were also paid by the party because immediately we lost the poll, the Presidency was no longer there for the party. Many leaders and members of the party were paid allowances from the cash.

“The good thing is that all the payment vouchers were duly signed  by all party leaders, candidates and those who rendered services to PDP in one form or the other.

“Out of the cash, only about N500million was spent by the party when Prince Uche Secondus was the acting national chairman of PDP.

“And by the time Sheriff took over as the national chairman,  he inherited about N730million to run the party.

“The highlights of the expenses are contained in the Audited Report which has been presented to all the organs of the party and relevant caucuses. And they were all satisfied with the report.

“A team from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also audited the accounts of the party without raising issues.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “Many leaders benefited from the cash and the national convention delegates are free to raise issues and we will present the audited report.”

Former National Treasurer Bala yesterday said no money was missing.

Bala in a statement in Abuja, asked delegates to the national convention “not to make the N11billion  a campaign issue because it would not fly”.

The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to the cheap and malicious publication in some media to the effect that members of the former National Working Committee NWC of our party, the PDP squandered  the party’s fund to the tune of N9b said to have been left behind by the former National Chairman, Adamu Muazu.

“It’s very clear from the story that the author is acting on ignorance or may have set out for a deliberate mischief as no such money of the party was left by Muazu nor misappropriated  by anybody.

“If the media house was not in a hurry to achieve a purpose it would have tried to ask the appropriate channel for explanation as the party’s audited report during the period under review was available.

“An accounting audit firm audited the accounts of the party and expressed their opinion on the accounts.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) also sent in their own appointed auditors to inspect the books of the accounts of the party. They all gave clean bill of health to the books of accounts of the party. Same was reported to all relevant organs of the party.

“I believe that the ongoing politics in the party towards electing a new NWC may have informed the  inaccurate publications but I want to state unequivocally that it is based on false ground and cannot influence members of the party because leaders are privy to the correct situation.

“I therefore advise party members not to make the issue of funds and its appropriation a campaign issue in the forthcoming National Convention because it would not fly since no party fund was misappropriated.

“The necessary organs of the party, including the NEC, BOT, forum of Governors and National Assembly caucus of our great party sitting in an enlarged caucus of the party, are all aware of the financial position of the party.

“It would not be in the interest of the reconciliation and peace being engendered and midwifed by the Ahmed Markarfi-led National Caretaker Committee for members to embark on malicious campaign at this time.

“I want to therefore reiterate for the umpteenth time that as National Treasurer, and as dictated by the ethics of my noble profession of accountancy and who was the custodian of the party funds at the time, no party fund was misappropriated or misapplied and therefore should not be an issue at this time when the party is moving towards rebuilding itself for the great challenges ahead.

“Rather the former NWC should be commended for the judicious handling of the party funds and other affairs at the most difficult moment. During this period in question no money, apart from money that was internally generated, got into the coffers of the party.

“It is as a result of this that the party has not been mentioned in the misappropriation of campaign funds.

“The party was completely sidelined during the presidential and gubernatorial campaigns , therefore had no access to any funds apart from the one that was internally generated. Today we have a party to be proud of because the previous NWC had protected the sanctity of the party by not allowing it to get involved in activities that will put it in the bad light.

“The party has  not been mentioned since the commencement of the investigation into financial misappropriation and misapplication of the last administration. This we should all be proud of and credit goes to the previous NWC.”

BY THE NATION NEWSPAPER
NOV 22, 2017

N’Delta Group Backs New SGF Position On Ndoma Egba Led NDDC

Group under the aegis of Niger-Delta Renaissance, NDR has thrown its weight behind the position of the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha   on the appointment of the  new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC ) led by Ndoma Egba.

It would be recalled that Mustapha in his reaction to Senate’s resolve to investigate the allegation, made by Sen. Emmanuel Paulker (PDP Bayelsa ) in  a letter  signed by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Dayo Apata  titled: ” Re: Clarification on the Tenure of the Governing Board of the NDDC”,  has argued that the Ndoma Egba-headed board was not a continuation of the dissolved one headed by Bassey Henshaw.

He maintained that dissolution of Bassey Henshaw’s  board cannot be categorised as a vacancy under the act hence  the old board  simply ceases to exist and there cannot be any remainder of any term which a successor is expected to complete.

Reacting in support of the SGF in a statement signed by the President of NDR,  Barr. Jonathan Ekpo and Secretary, Comrade Ebikeme Ebikaboro, the group argued that the Act of NDDC  as quoted by the SGF has put to rest the  controversies surrounding the term and continuity  of the new board.

The group appealed that the Ndoma Egba headed NDDC  board should be allowed to settle down to continue the good work which they have started since the resumed office in July, 2017.

The group urged Nigerians and indeed politicians to eschew acts that are capable of overheating the polity and prayed for support for the new leadership of  NDDC  so as to  strive in their attempt to breath new air to  the development of Niger Delta region.

The statement pointed out that the achievements of the current Board and Management of the Commission despite the limited period of resumption is evident that they were exerting themselves to the limit of their endowments to change the narrative of the Region.

The group disclosed that just few months in office, the new NDDC board has commissioned some projects in the coastal area  which include  Tebu-Gbokoda Road, Tebu Gbokoda-Udo Road and the Udo-Ajamita Road, all in Olero Creek community, adding that NDDC also commissioned the 3.1-kilometre Irete Road in Sapele and Uloho Avenue Road with drainage in Ughelli.

“In the South East,  NDDC has commissioned the Ubaha-Umuogba Orindu link Road in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State. These developments and others that are not mentioned here is evidence that the Ndoma Egba led board of NDDC is out to bring changes to the region,” the statement revealed.

The group which said they are excited by the vision of the new board further maintained  that  people now see NDDC in a Better Light.

“The previous experience where NDDC projects are looked at with suspicion appears to be over. We are happy with the work the present board and management of the NDDC is doing. The expectations of Nigerians are very high knowing the pedigree of the Chairman and the Management team,” the group stated.

 

DSS Stops EFCC from arresting ex-DG, Ekpenyong Ita.

Drama is ensued at the home of a former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Ekpenyong Ita, as men of the DSS are prevented operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from arresting him.

Our Source at the scene, reports that EFCC operatives arrived at the scene around 11am with an arrest warrant.

The EFCC officials and armed policemen numbering over 50 attempted to enter the premises located at 46 Mamman Nasir Street,  Asokoro but the heavily armed DSS officials, some of which are wearing masks, refused to allow the EFCC men inside.

The DSS officials simply said they were acting on “orders from above”.

If you recall Ita has been under investigation for his alleged role in the disbursement of funds meant for arms.

While a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Retd.) and other service chiefs have been arraigned,  the DSS has refused to release its own officials for probe.

The DSS and the EFCC have been at loggerheads for over a year which culminated in the DSS sending a report to the Senate not to confirm the acting Chairman of the EFCC,  Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

ALAS! Jonathan accepts responsibility for PDP’s loss in 2015; "Promised to ensure Pdp is reelected in 2019"

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said heaccepted responsibility for the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections as the then presiding president under the party’s
platform.
The former Nigerian leader also said he will do everything possible to ensure the party regains in bigger
folds what it lost to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2015.
He spoke when he received Chairmanship aspirant Chief Olabode George and his campaign team at his country home in Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
In his words: “Whether I like it or not, I must take responsibility for the defeat because I led the party to the election. The only thing that will make me sleep well is to ensure that PDP comes back to power”.
The former president said he was working with other stakeholders to ensure that the party is well organized to achieve this purpose though he preferred to work
from the back seat.

He said the party must begin to take the right steps in the right direction to regain the confidence of the
electorate adding that the mistakes of the past will not
be repeated. Speaking earlier, George, a former deputy national
chairman of PDP who is currently on a nationwide campaign for the chairmanship election in December
congratulated the former president on his 60th birthday anniversary while urging him as the leader of the party to ensure that the party will emerge stronger from the
forthcoming national convention.
George, however, told the former president that the failure to apply the micro-zoning principle to the
chairmanship position this time around had caused
ripples capable of dividing the party.
He lamented that the party appeared to be drifting as there was no reasonable justification offered by the Senator Makarfi led National Caretaker Committee for
jettisoning the principle which was applied to all previous elections to the position.

"I Belong To No Party, I'm Now An Elder Statesman" ~James Ibori Declares

What a Powerful declaration! The statement was said to have been made by H.E. Chief James Ibori at Ohwelogbo, where he was hosted by the former Delta State SSG, Comrade Ovuozuorie Macaulay. Unfortunately, I couldn't attend the ceremony as I needed to address some compelling family issues. I truly wish I was there to hear with my own ears. I had to call a few friends who were at the occasion to confirm the story. Behold, they all repeated the statement.
For purposes of clarification, or more appropriately, for those who may be in doubt, Chief James Ibori is (or should I now say was) the undisputed leader of PDP in Delta State. He was like the soul of the party; the cord that held all the diverse forces in the family together. I can speak authoritatively on this, having served as a local government chairman and his ALGON Chairman at the time, a commissioner, and a caucus member of Delta State PDP. Anyone who is not in pretension about the political dynamics of Delta PDP knows that Chief Ibori's exit from the party is like taking life out of the political family he had nurtured since 1999. I honestly doubt if some people have taken the time to deeply reflect on the implication of his statement. Maybe they are still too dazed by the declaration to come to grip with the truth of the situation. For me, his exit from PDP is not only the biggest upset in the political history of Delta State, but also a bonanza or jackpot of sorts to the opposition parties in the state; that is if they know how to capitalize on it.
When a father publicly declares that he is no longer exclusively for his original family but now a father to the entire community, such family must know that the music has changed. For indeed, the resources, attention, influence, strength and assets of that father are now available to all who diligently seek his support. Gone are the days his affection is taking for granted as the special preserve of his original family. In other words, the original family will no longer enjoy the advantage of his leading them to war, neither will they now be the only ones to place his banner in the vanguard of their battalion as they proceed to battle. The story has changed. H.E. Chief James Ibori, the Odidigborigbo of the universe, the iroko of Delta pilitics is now a fountain from which all can draw strength and inspiration. The door is open for PDP, APC, APGA, ACCORD, name it. With Ibori's Ohwelogbo declaration, it means his blessings and endorsement can tilt in any direction. Especially as members of his original political family are now found in all the major political parties. Hmmm. What an interesting configuration!
Some weeks ago, on this same page, I admonished those boasting about 2019 to tread with circumspection, because "familiar patterns may no longer be the key to the temple of power." Looking back now at that my post and many other issues I had raised in the recent past I cannot help but wonder if I am truly turning to a political prophet. But I will not speak much at this stage. Beneath the various postulations to the contrary, those with political insight know that an earthquake has occurred in Delta politics. I will carefully watch to see how these interesting events unfold. He that hath ear let him hear. The wise counts his teeth with his tongue. A sensible child disembowels the tiniest ant and sees the liver. May God keep us safe and healthy to witness the hour that cometh.
By Dr. Felix Nwaka