Amaechi slams Wike, says he knows nothing about seized N13bn

Minister of Transportation and immediate past governor of Rivers State Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has dismissed the false claims by his successor Nyesom Wike that the $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218, 000 recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from an Ikoyi apartment in Lagos belongs to him.

Wike and Amaechi

Wike, in a suspicious, hurriedly arranged press conference on Friday night, told journalists that ‘the money in question belongs to the former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.’ Wike also insinuated that the ‘houses’ in Ikoyi belong to Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

Amaechi in a statement titled ‘$43MILLION TALE: AMAECHI SLAMS WIKE’ released by his Media Office on Saturday, Amaechi described the claims as malicious, frivolous and another failed attempt by Wike to divert attention from the mess he has created in Rivers State.

According to the statement:
“Rivers State is perpetually in crisis, the state in a mess as Wike has made a total mess of governance in the State. That child who sits there as governor is confused, he doesn’t know what to do. Wike’s only solution is to attack Amaechi.”

“Since he became governor, Wike sleeps and wakes up everyday, with a sole, one-point agenda to attack and denigrate Rotimi Amaechi, no matter how ridiculous and silly he sounds. Everyday in Rivers State, there is one frivolous, false story of what Amaechi did or didn’t do. Same pattern, the same blatant lies with no proof, same old concocted stories of corruption allegations against Amaechi told with different flavours

At this rate, if Wike is unable to perform his spousal duties, he will blame it on Amaechi. Yes, that’s how despicably low he can go in his consuming fixation to throw mud at Amaechi.” 

“This latest outburst by Wike is typical of him. We are aware that Wike first tried to float the fake news of Amaechi’s ownership of the recovered $43million and the Ikoyi house in the social media using his minions and lackeys, spending huge sums of Rivers money on the failed project. His minions and lackeys were calling journalists, bloggers and media organizations to run the fake story with promises of almost irresistible mouth-watering compensation for using the fake story. When that failed and the story didn’t gain traction that was when Wike decided to hurriedly hold the press conference Friday night, to rant and spew his outright lies, yet again without providing any proof of Amaechi’s ownership of both the property and the money.”

“For clarity and emphasis, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is not the owner of the $43million and the Ikoyi apartment in which the money was recovered from. Amaechi has no business, link or connection to the money or property. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi does not know who owns the money or Ikoyi apartment.”
“Wike’s malicious allegation of corruption against Amaechi in the sale of the Gas Turbines is not new.

This false claim has been punctured repeatedly with facts and evidence of the transfer payments for the power plants into Rivers State government accounts by Sahara Energy. The records of how the funds were spent and what it was spent on are in the records of the State government. Amaechi has absolutely no business or any interest whatsoever in Sahara Energy. The company was already a thriving business concern before Amaechi’s emergence as governor of Rivers State in 2007. 

“We urge all right-thinking members of the public to completely disregard all the false, politically motivated no-proof claims by Nyesom Wike and his minions as it concerns Amaechi and the $43million and Ikoyi property. 

“Yet again, we challenge Wike to charge Amaechi to court if he has any shred of evidence that the money belongs to Rivers State and was kept in the Ikoyi apartment by Amaechi. But like his numerous frivolous accusations in the past, we know he won’t go to court. He has nothing to substantiate his blatant lies. This Wike’s recent tale like his previous ones is a big sham, a disgraceful political drama, and a campaign of calumny to defame and destroy the sterling reputation of Rotimi Amaechi. This is now Wike’s sole life ambition.” 

“Finally, we want Nigerians to note that Wike’s reckless, irresponsible and fictitious tirade against the President Buhari administration at his media briefing of Friday is a declaration of war against the Federal Government. This has been his regular past time in recent times, making false allegations against the Federal government and threatening the President Buhari administration with fire and brimstone”, the statement concluded

Magu, Ali vs Senate: Presidency destroying our democracy – Fayose

Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state Sunday urged Nigerians to resist what he described as the rascality of Presidency officials who he said are bent on destroying our hard-earned democracy and emasculating the National Assembly.

Ayodele Fayose

The governor said: “The major difference between democracy and dictatorship is the presence of the legislature in democracy and its absence in a dictatorship”, adding that efforts by this administration “to hand-cuff the National Assembly is a subtle plot to foist full-blown dictatorship on Nigerians.

He therefore charged Nigerians to resist such development, saying: “In doing so, we shall be defending our democracy and we shall also be defending ourselves and generations of Nigerians yet unborn. This democracy cost us a lot in blood and sweat. The labour and sacrifice of the heroes and heroines of our democracy must not be allowed to go in vain”, he said.

The governor made the remarks in a statement released in Ado-Ekiti Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, saying it is a shame when the Constitution of the country is violated by Federal appointees and the Presidency keeps silent.

“It confirms that the Presidency is the one behind it. In the uniform saga involving the Comptroller-General of Customs, it is safe to say that the Presidency is in support of Hammed Ali against the National Assembly.

“It is scary that a whole Senate of the Federal Republic has to bow to an appointee who had needed the same Senate to confirm his appointment. In a democracy which thrives on separation of powers, this is tantamount to an invasion of the hallowed chambers of the legislature, in the same manner that we recently witnessed against the Judiciary.

“When the Presidency accepts and defends the arrogance of one man against the time-tested and practice-honoured intricate system of governance, then, the system as a whole has collapsed. It is even more dangerous that the courts have been dragged into this obvious plot to destroy the legislature just as we recently witnessed a similar plot against the Judiciary itself”

“It is an open secret today that many judges are being blackmailed to do the bidding of the Presidency and the ruling party. It is also embarrassing to ask the Senate to maintain status quo on an issue that borders on the performance of its legislative duty”, he added.

“Presidency appointees are ridiculing and sneering at the Legislature, which is comprised of the elected representatives of the people; Presidency appointees are relentlessly and without remorse tearing the fabrics that bind this country together: What are they turning this country into? When last did this happen in Nigeria?

“Magu’s nomination has twice been rejected by the Legislature; yet, he sits pretty in office: Under what law and by whose authority? Mrs. Jamila Shu’ara, permanent secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, who should have retired two years ago, is being brazenly kept in the civil service in flagrant violation of extant civil service rules and regulations. Where else in the civilised world can that happen?

“If a power-drunk Presidency is bent on violating the law, why can’t the individuals concerned be men and women of integrity?

“What is the essence of sending appointees’ nomination to the Senate? It is so that the Senate, which is the authority constitutionally-saddled with the responsibility to confirm or reject such nominations, can perform its duty. And its decision is biding; not advisory like some chop-and quench lawyers are rationalising. And no nominee, who fails to pass the Senate hurdle, can sit in the office to which he had been nominated.

“The spirit as well as the letters of our Constitution; and, indeed, the pillars of democratic governance erected this road block to enforce checks and balances and keep the Executive in check because power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely

“Otherwise, we shall have dictatorship on our hands and President Buhari would soon become Emperor Buhari in the same mould or even worse than those of Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa and Emperor Idi Amin Dada. God forbid!

Fayose then warned that “the infractions by the President’s men are becoming too often, too many, and achingly intolerable. We run a constitutional government and not a dictatorship. It is a shame that they are all behaving as if Nigeria is a banana republic”.

You can’t bar me from Anambra, Obi tells Obiano.

You can’t bar me from Anambra, Obi tells Obiano.

A former Governor of Anambra  State, Mr. Peter Obi,  has said that  his successor, Chief Willie Obiano, has no legal right to bar him from visiting the state or airing his opinion about the state.

Obi, who spoke at Oraifite during the burial of Chief Emeka Offor’s father, Benneth Offor, described an alleged threat by Obiano to unleash an attack on him if he did not behave himself, as an empty one.

A media aide to Obiano,  Mr. Oliver Okpala, was reported to have threatened to deal with Obi and a former Secretary to the State Government,  Mr. Oseloka Obaze, over their comments on Obiano, which were considered to be unwarranted.
The governor’s aide said, “To this end, this is a notice that, henceforth, any further unwarranted attack on the governor will be met with a very tough response.

“Let it be noted that we have done our investigations, and we know that those sponsoring these unfounded attacks against the governor include those who have tasted power before, either as governor or secretary to the state government.

“We have their records, to the minutest of details, and we will not hesitate to unleash a higher degree of attack on their persons with verifiable proofs in our possession so that the world would know the dirty stuff they are made of.”

Obi, in his reaction, said it would be disastrous if Anambra degenerated into a dictatorial society under a democracy.

On what he would do should Obiano carry out his threat, Obi said the state should be advancing in civilisation by upholding the tenets of democracy and decency, rather than going back to the Hobbesian era.

He said, “Such an order will amount to asking me to go on exile. I have a house in Onitsha and live there.

“I served Anambra State for eight years. As the governor, I kept saying I would live in the state for the rest of my life to enable me share the joy and grief of the people. Why would somebody say I should not attend events in the state?

“Why would somebody request that I should stop saying what I did as the Governor of Anambra State, when people are still talking about the good deeds of the likes of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief M.I. Okpara?

“Most of the things said are not for self-adulation, but to use my experience to demonstrate to our people that we can do certain things we thought are impossible, an example was that I returned schools to the church and provided them with over 30,000 computers, generators and Internet connectivity.

“The fact is that under our government, we cleared arrears of pension of over N35bn, paid for all the certificates generated by contractors without borrowing a kobo, but instead left money, including dollars for the state.”

Meanwhile, Obi’s kinsmen, under the aegis of Agulu Leaders of Thought on Sunday appealed to  Obiano, to stop threatening  their son.

They reminded Obiano that it was Obi that single-handedly made him a governor.

A statement signed by the group’s secretary, Joachim Emegwamuo, and made available to journalists in Awka, read in part, “When the news of the threat to the life of our son, Mr. Peter Obi, started circulating, we ignored it as one of those rumours until Chief Joe-Martins Uzodike made it clear during a radio programme.

“We are aware that it was Obi who single-handedly made Obiano governor and we are also aware of several indignities Obi is suffering under the governor, ranging from lack of respect to continued and inexplicable witch-hunt.

“Obiano has deliberately allowed his aides to abuse Obi to the point of openly denying the over N75bn bequeathed to him.

“Obiano has abandoned the projects started by Obi upon which he was elected, thus portraying Obi as an unreliable leader among the Anambra people.

“If anything happens to Mr. Peter Obi or any of his aides, Obiano should be held responsible.”

Edo: Gowon, Dangote, others arrive for Obaseki’s swearing-in.

Edo: Gowon, Dangote, others arrive for Obaseki’s swearing-in.

A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has arrived the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, Edo State venue of the inauguration of the governor-elect, Godwin Obaseki, and his deputy, Philip Shuaibu, as Governor and Deputy Governor, respectively.
Gowon was accompanied by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the APC, Segun Oni,‎ and a former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba.
Governors who have also arrived for the ceremony are Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos State) and Rochas Okorocha (Imo State) represented by his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere.
Also at the event are captains of industry, led by the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote.
Obaseki and Shuaibu would take their oath of office, which would be administered by the state Chief Judge, Justice Cromwell Idahosa.
The atmosphere is full of excitement with singing and dancing under the watchful eyes of a large gathering of security operatives, as the guests and residents await the arrival of the new governor and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole.

The ceremony is, however, yet to commence.

Details later…

Jacob Zuma: Political survivor-in-chief?

Jacob Zuma: Political survivor-in-chief?
South Africa's President Jacob Zuma burnished his credentials as the country's political survivor-in-chief by avoiding a vote of no confidence in parliament on Thursday.
It's the third time Zuma has faced such a vote in less than a year. There were 214 votes against the motion, 126 for and 58 abstentions.
The motion was always unlikely to pass as the ANC had called on its members of parliament to back the President.
The pressure to stand down stems from a corruption report released late October by the public protector that alleges wide-ranging corruption at the highest levels of government including Zuma.
Zuma denies the allegations.
The official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) brought the motion of no confidence to parliament.
Soaring words, political reality
"We are here to make a choice. The choice that we will make today will determine the future of all South Africa. Today we can choose corruption or we can choose opportunity for all," said Mmusi Maimane, leader of the DA.
"The choice that we will make today will determine the future of all South Africa."Mmusi Maimane.
In a sometimes raucous session, opposition leaders repeatedly called on parliament to remove the President.
But the soaring words in parliament met political reality, with African National Congress (ANC) members of parliament voting in unison to block the move.
The ANC called the motion "ill-conceived" and defended Zuma's record.
Damning report
The 355-page State of Capture report contains allegations, and in some instances evidence, of cronyism, questionable business deals and ministerial appointments, and other possible large scale corruption at the very top of government.
The President, his son Duduzane Zuma, government ministers, the board of South Africa's state power utility, Eskom, and the Gupta family -- brothers Ajay, Atul and Rajesh Gupta -- are all implicated in what the report said could be breaches of ethics codes and in some cases criminal allegations.
Duduzane Zuma, the Guptas, and Eskom's CEO have all denied the claims.
The report recommended that Zuma appoint a commission of inquiry headed by a judge within 30 days to investigate the allegations.
Opposition groups, civil society and even members of the ANC have called on Zuma to resign.
Based on track record, it is the last thing Zuma is likely to do.
Teflon President
Facing scandal is nothing new for Zuma. He faces 783 charges of corruption relating to late 1990s arms deal that a court insists should move ahead. The prosecuting authority is appealing in the courts to avoid moving ahead and Zuma insists he is innocent.
In December 2015, he dropped respected finance minister Nlanhla Nene in December 2015 with a little-known backbencher.
It was a catastrophic --- and likely political -- move that wiped billions off the stock market and pummeled South Africa's currency. Under intense pressure, Zuma reinstated Pravin Gordhan.
In March this year, Zuma was ordered to pay roughly $15 million for the public expenditure on his private homestead at Nkandla, in KwaZulu-Natal. The costs included a swimming pool and a chicken run.
The scathing judgment of the constitutional court ruled that Zuma violated the constitution.
Zuma welcomed the judgment while claiming he did nothing wrong wittingly.
Since taking office in 2009, Zuma has depended on loyal party members and grassroots support to weather each political scandal.
Breathing room
But Zuma is, perhaps, more vulnerable than ever.
In August, the ANC lost outright control of key cities including Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay in local elections, something unthinkable even a few years ago.
Senior ANC leaders publicly blame the losses on the public perception of Zuma's presidency -- the prospect of losing power in general elections in 2019 is a very real fear among them.
Garbage burns in the road during a demonstration in Pretoria, South Africa, on Wednesday, November 2.
And the national prosecuting authorities initial moves to charge finance minister Pravin Gordhan for fraud, widely assumed to be trumped up and politically motivated, deeply shocked the general public and some senior ANC members. The charges were later dropped.
Perhaps most embarrassing to Zuma, though largely symbolic, is the open letter backing Gordhan from 101 ANC veterans, some of them contemporaries of Nelson Mandela.
"The trust between the ANC and communities‚ built over up over so many years, is now severely under threat," they wrote.
The public protectors report calls for a judicial inquiry into the corruption allegations,that could give Zuma and his allies' breathing room.
For the moment, the ANC in parliament is standing by Zuma in public, but they could be risking their own political future and the future of Africa's oldest liberation movement.
"A movement that's stood for 104 years is crumbling and taking South Africa with it," said Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a longtime opposition leader.

Obama will be the last US president! Baba Vanga's Prediction

Must read.
Blind woman known for her 'powerful' predictions warned that Obama will be the 'last US president
A blind woman, Baba Vanga, predicted the rise of Islamic State, (ISIS) had also forecasted that Barack Obama would be the 'last US president'.
Vanga, who died in 1996 aged 85 was known as the 'Nostradamus from the Balkans' as she predicted correctly that the 44th US president would be African-American. It's unclear what the Bulgarian-born Prophet who had an alleged prediction success rate of 85%, meant when she said Obama would also be the last president.
However, Obama technically remains president until Donald Trump is sworn in on January 20, 2017, but it should be noted that late Vanga, prophesied that the 44th US president would be black, and he would be 'the last one'.
Vanga also said that the 44th president, at the time of his stepping into the office, there would be a spectacular economic crisis. 'Everyone will put their hopes in him to end it, but the opposite will happen; he will bring the country down and conflicts between north and south states will escalate.'
Meanwhile, Vanga also spoke of a Messianic personality to be recognised as the 'peacemaker' who in her words; 'will sign the lasting peace,' but she didn't leave much clue of who the supposedly peacemaker she speaks of, would be, before she died.
Vanga is said to have made hundreds of predictions in her lifetime, including that there would be a 'great Muslim war' which would start with the Arab Spring in 2010. She predicted it would take place in Syria and would come to a conclusion in 2043 with the establishment of a caliphate with Rome at its centre.
Source: DailymailUK

No Salary For Me As President! : Trump

Billionaire U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Thursday he does not want the $400,000 annual salary that comes with the White House job and would turn it down if elected.

Trump, the front-runner for the Republican nomination in the 2016 race despite having no political experience, was asked at a town hall-style meeting in Rochester, New Hampshire, if, as president, he would roll back generous pension and healthcare benefits given to members of Congress.

“The first thing I’m going to do is tell you that if I’m elected president, I’m accepting no salary, OK?” Trump said. “That’s no big deal for me.”
Trump, who built his fortune as a developer, real estate mogul and reality television personality, was listed on Thursday at No. 405 on Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s billionaires, with a fortune of $4.1 billion. Shortly after announcing his candidacy in June, Trump said his net worth was more than $10 billion. Herbert Hoover, who made millions of dollars in mining before becoming president in 1921, and John F. Kennedy, who came from a wealthy family, both donated their presidential salaries to charity.