Governor Rochas Okorocha been the campaign coordinator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo state has been suspended by the National Working Committee (NWC)

Lanre Issa-Onilu, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, on Sunday said “the APC had directed governors to take over the campaign of the party in the state. Where it has no governor, it directed governorship candidate to take over. Since Okorocha has displayed anti-party traits, you can’t expect him to be part of our strategic meetings again.”

The National Publicity Secretary said a committee had been raised to this effect, and the party would not hesitate to do the bidding of the committee.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/apc-suspends-governor-okorocha

Has Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen connived with the Peoples Democratic Party to use the election tribunals to steal the presidential election?

This was the suggestion of the All Progressives Congress in trying to offer an interpretation into why the PDP has been the most vociferous and strident since the suspension of Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement today the APC asked: Why are the PDP and Atiku worried?

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/election-tribunals-we-have-thwarted-pdps-plan-to-steal-power-apc

Chieftains of Ohaneze Ndigbo are split over the purported endorsement of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, by the organisation.

It would be recalled that an arm of the organisation known as ‘Ime Obi’ arising from its meeting on Thursday, declared support for Atiku on the grounds that he was running with an Igbo man, Mr Peter Obi.

This endorsement is in clear contrast of earlier stance of the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation of not endorsing any of the presidential candidates.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/election-atiku-abubakars-endorsement-splits-ohaneze-ndigbo

National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Chief Olu Falae, yesterday, asked Nigerians to join hands to oust President Muhammadu Buhari by not re-electing him in the February election.

Falae said this when wife of the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaja Titi Abubakar Atiku visited the leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere.

He said: “All hands must be on deck by to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari does not come back for the second term.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/olu-falae-lets-join-hands-to-kick-president-buhari-out

Thirty four political parties in Ogun State under the aegis of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) have adopted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as their preferred candidate in the presidential election coming up in February, this year.

Rising from an enlarged meeting held on Thursday at the Sagamu residence of the former Governor of Ogun State and Deputy Chairman, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, (South), Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the leadership of the political parties and their candidates at all levels unanimously agreed that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed in its electoral promises to the people thereby endorsing a credible alternative in the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar going by his leadership qualities and track records of achievements both in the private and public sectors.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/election-34-political-parties-in-ogun-adopt-atiku-abubakar

President Muhammadu Buhari has disputed claims that the South East is marginalised.

The president said this yesterday, when he addressed the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, son of late Owelle of Onitsha, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ambassador Emeka Ayo Azikiwe, traditional and religious rulers, during a courtesy visit at the Obi’s palace, on the sidelines of his campaign visit to Anambra State.

In response to issues raised by the traditional rulers, about marginalisation of the South East, particularly, in the security sector, Buhari commended the courage of the leaders in speaking their minds.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/president-buhari-says-south-east-not-marginalised-promises-regions-rail-connectivity

Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili has lost the support of her Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), a reason that may have informed her shocking withdrawal from the presidential race on Thursday morning.

Instead the party has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term bid, according to National Chairman Ganiyu Oseni Galadima. Galadima is also Ezekwesili’s running mate.

Galadima at a briefing today accused Ezekwesili of using the party for her selfish interest.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/drama-as-ezekwesilis-acpn-backs-buharis-second-term-bid

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said he was impressed by preparations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the general elections.

He spoke while receiving the EOM, led by the Chief Observer and member of the European Parliament, Maria Arena, at the State House, Abuja.

The President said he was optimistic the electoral body would deliver on its mandate of a credible poll.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/buhari-pleased-with-inecs-preparation

There was drama on Tuesday as members of the House of Representatives rejected a report by the Ad-hoc Committee on the Process that led to the termination of the contract between Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and INTELS Nigeria Limited:

The House, which was initially ready to consider the report by the Hon. Pally Iriase-headed committee, rejected it based on inconsistencies and happenstances during the actual probe.

The consideration of the report which was first laid on the 12th of December, 2018 was headed by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/reps-reject-report-on-intels

Spokesman of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Mr. Laolu Akande, has reacted to a statememt by President Olusegun Obasanjo criticising the Federal Government’s Trader Moni programme and the involvement of the Vice President, noting that it is either the former president is ignorant or on a mischievous mission.

A statement issued Monday night by Akande, Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, said, “The statement purportedly attributed to former president Olusegun Obasanjo regarding Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, and the Federal Government’s TraderMoni microcredit scheme if, indeed true and accurate, is most unfortunate.”

The statement said “it is either that the former leader is ignorant of the true workings of Trader Moni and the role of the Vice President in its implementation or perhaps he is on a mischievous mission.”

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/presidency-obasanjos-comment-on-trader-moni-smacks-of-ignorance-mischief

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, said that the commission was not under pressure to do what was wrong.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had on Sunday, expressed doubt about INEC’s integrity to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

Yakubu made the clarification at a meeting with the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and other senior police officers on Monday in Abuja.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/inec-not-under-pressure-to-rig-election-yakubu

A former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, on Monday told a federal high court that money was given to former Gov. Ayo Fayose of Ekiti from the impress account of a former National Security Adviser, in June 2014.

Obanikoro gave evidence in the trial of Fayose before a federal high court in Lagos.

Fayose is facing charges of N6.9 billion fraud.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/senator-obanikoro-testifies-at-former-governor-fayoses-trial

The Peoples Democratic Party has said that the concerns raised by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, detailing President Muhammadu Buhari’s alleged scheme to use apparatus of state to subjugate Nigerians in the 2019 general elections has vindicated its stand.

“It will undermine the democratic system, subvert the electoral process and perpetuate himself in office,” PDP said in a series of tweets on its verified Twitter handle @OfficialPDPNig.

“Obasanjo’s submission has also reinforced our position that Buhari and his party, APC, having realised that there is no way he can win in a free and fair election, is now besieging all democratic institutions, including the Judiciary, the Legislature, and INEC.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/2019-elections-obasanjos-concerns-have-vindicated-our-stand-pdp

Former senate minority leader Godswill Akpabio has advised Nigerians to view dividends of democracy or political reward system in terms integrity of the leader.

Nigerians, he said, should encourage leaders who displayed integrity in their past leadership roles.

Sen. Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom, now representing Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that Nigerians should respect leaders who applied integrity in bringing development to the nation.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/senator-akpabio-urges-nigerians-to-encourage-integrity

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) says it has uncovered a plot by the federal government to arrest Walter Onnoghen, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Ikenga Ugochinyere, spokesman of the group, made the allegation at a press conference in Abuja on Friday.

He said there are plans that a bench warrant be issued by Danladi Usman, chairman of the the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), against the CJN on Tuesday.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/cupp-federal-government-plotting-to-arrest-justice-onnoghen

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) and those he called the ‘presidency cabals’ not to put President Muhammadu Buhari under undue pressure.

Secondus stated this Friday while inaugurating 27 presidential election campaign committees at the party’s campaign office in Abuja.

He stressed that from what Nigerians and international community had witnessed around the President lately, it was apparent that he was tired and incapable but they would not let him.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/dont-put-buhari-under-undue-pressure-secondus-tells-apc-cabals

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has questions to answer over slush funds that led to the collapse of former Bank PHB.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who briefed State House correspondents on Friday in Abuja, said Abubakar would offer explanations to Nigerians once he returned from his trip to the US.

Abubakar’s media aide, Mr Paul Ibeh, had on Thursday, in a statement, confirmed that Abubakar had travelled to US.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/atiku-has-questions-to-answer-on-collapse-of-bank-phb-lai-mohammed

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the February 16, 2019 election, Atiku Abubakar, has arrived in the United States of America.

Abubakar’s arrival came hours after confusion on his whereabouts earlier on Thursday.

While the Publisher of Ovation magazine, Aare Dele Momodu, said Abubakar was on his way to the US, the spokesman of the former Vice President, Mazi Paul Ibeto, denied that his principal had stepped out of the shores of the country.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/breaking-atiku-arrives-us

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate has not arrived in the United States and the Nigerian embassy in Washington is not aware that he is on the way.

The Embassy said it was not yet sure if the former Vice-President would be visiting any moment soon.

A competent source at the embassy told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the embassy was yet to get official information about the former vice president.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/atiku-not-in-us-nigerian-embassy

The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has told Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to shut up and stop disgracing himself and the legal profession with his highly ridiculous comments on the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The former governor, who urged Nigerians to end the regime of “president is not aware” with their votes on February 16, added: “No nation can make progress with a president that is always unaware of even the simplest aspect of his government.”

Fayose said it was shameful and disgraceful that a Vice President, who is a senior lawyer, could be telling Nigerians that himself and the President were not informed before the CJN was charged to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/fayose-to-osinbajo-on-cjn-cover-your-face-in-shame-over-buhari-not-aware-statement

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday argued that the struggle to restructure Nigeria started several years ago by people who saw the need early and who were sincere about it.

Using restructuring as a major campaign pledge, he said, is out of place for politicians like the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Abubakar Atiku because he opposed it when he had the opportunity to join in implementing it.

In fact, Osinbajo recalled how Atiku opposed the moves made by the Lagos State Government for the country’s restructuring when the PDP candidate was the vice president under Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/how-atiku-blocked-restructuring-as-vp-by-osinbajo

President Muhammadu Buhari, has urged persons or organisations with any evidence of corrupt practices against members of his administration to come forward with such evidences to him for prompt action.

The president gave the challenge at a town hall meeting tagged: ‘The Candidates’ organised by the MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with NTA and DARIA Media in Abuja on Wednesday night.

President Buhari was fielding questions on the allegations that the government’s anti-corruption crusade was skewed against a section of Nigerians, and that members of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) with questionable credentials were being protected by the government.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/expose-corrupt-officials-in-my-govt-buhari-challenges-nigerians

Justice Ajoke Adepoju of an Abuja High Court yesterday dismissed the suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, challenging the nomination of Senator Buruji Kashamu as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State for the March 2, 2019 governorship election.

Justice Adepoju in dismissing the suit held that the plaintiff, who was nominated by the National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP for the governorship election, cannot maintain his suit against the defendants because the primary election that produced him was conducted in violation of a subsisting court judgment.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/kashamu-retains-pdp-guber-ticket-as-court-strikes-out-adebutus-suit

National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Idris Ibrahim, to desist from plunging the nation into unnecessary chaos by attempting to subvert the mandate of the people in the forthcoming general elections.

He issued the warning during the Atiku/Obi presidential campaign at the Ekiti Parapo Pavilion in Ado Ekiti, the state capital on Monday.

At the event, both Senator Biodun Olujimi’s caucus, and Ayo Fayose’s caucus and other PDP caucuses including that of the former deputy governor of the state, Sikiru Tae Lawal, were present to add to the mammoth crowd of supporters that welcomed Atiku.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/2019-dont-plunge-nigeria-into-chaos-with-rigging-secondus-warns-inec-igp

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has allowed Manchester United’s players the license to express themselves in the same way Sir Alex Ferguson used to, says Tim Howard.

United caretaker-manager Solskjaer has emulated Sir Matt Busby’s five-match winning start to life at the Old Trafford helm in all competitions, although he faces the stiffest test of his Premier League managerial credentials against Tottenham.

Former USA international Howard and fan-favourite Solskjaer were team-mates for four years before both of their United playing careers ended in 2007.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/tim-howard-ole-gunnar-solskjaer-understands-the-soul-of-manchester-united

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has berated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for rising in defence of the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN Justice Walter Onnoghen over the decision of the federal government to charge the chief jurist for corruption.

In a statement Sunday in Abuja, APC accused the PDP of being sympathetic to corruption.

‘Following reports of the move to prosecute Justice Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of the Federation, over an alleged infraction on the Code of Conduct laws, the swift statement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemning the purported move has again exposed the Party as one with a natural inclination to rise up in defence of cases of alleged corruption”, APC said in the statement which was signed by its spokesman, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/justice-onnoghen-pdp-sympathetic-to-corruption-apc

The Nigerian Bar Association has condemned the filing of non-assets declaration charges against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, by the Federal Government, describing it as a ploy to emasculate the judiciary and intimidate judges ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

The President of the umbrella body of the Nigerian lawyers, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), described the development in a statement late on Saturday, as a “targeted assault of the judiciary by the agents of the Federal Government”.

Usoro added that the planned trial of the CJN was a violation of the Court of Appeal’s judgment in Nganjiwa v Federal Republic of Nigeria (2017) which shielded serving judges from investigation and prosecution unless they are first disciplined by the National Judicial Council.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/nba-justice-onnoghens-planned-trial-a-ploy-to-intimidate-judges-ahead-of-general-elections

The Nigerian Bar Association has condemned the filing of non-assets declaration charges against the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, by the Federal Government, describing it as a ploy to emasculate the judiciary and intimidate judges ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

The President of the umbrella body of the Nigerian lawyers, Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), described the development in a statement late on Saturday, as a “targeted assault of the judiciary by the agents of the Federal Government”.

Usoro added that the planned trial of the CJN was a violation of the Court of Appeal’s judgment in Nganjiwa v Federal Republic of Nigeria (2017) which shielded serving judges from investigation and prosecution unless they are first disciplined by the National Judicial Council.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/nba-justice-onnoghens-planned-trial-a-ploy-to-intimidate-judges-ahead-of-general-elections

The Police have obtained an order of the Federal Capital Territory High Court to detain Senator Dino Melaye for 14 days.

This was disclosed on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, who also said Melaye had been moved to another facility, which is the clinic of the Department of State Services in Abuja.

According to earlier information, Melaye was moved from the Police Hospital in Abuja at about 2:15pm on Friday by masked security operatives.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/police-obtain-order-to-detain-melaye-for-14-days-move-him-to-dss-facility

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja reiterated his commitment to eliminate corruption in campaign financing in the country.

He said that he will not authorise the use of any money from the treasury for his re-election campaign.

Speaking at the close of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, President Buhari directed cabinet ministers to take advantage of technology to reach out to voters on the need to return the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration in next month’s general elections.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/i-wont-use-government-fund-for-campaign-buhari-vows

Former Deputy National Chairman, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George has described the skirmish that occurred at the Lagos All Progressives Congress, APC, campaign flag-off as a show of shame.

George, who spoke on Wednesday at the PDP’s reconciliation and stakeholders meeting that had former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; former Minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe; Dr. Remi Akintoye, among others in attendance.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/bode-george-apc-campaign-flag-off-tragedy-is-a-show-of-shame

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has attacked former President Olusegun Obasanjo again, saying he is supporting a man he called ‘a devil’ several years ago to become Nigeria’s president.

Soyinka, who was a panelist at the event tagged, ‘Nigeria 2019: Countering Fake News,’ organised by BBC News, charged Nigerians to be wary of Obasanjo who pretended to be the conscience of the nation.

Though Soyinka did not mention names, but his utterances ostensibly refers to Obasanjo and his former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

Read More at: https://www.thenewsbook.net/soyinka-attacks-obasanjo-for-supporting-a-devil-to-become-nigerias-president