JONATHAN CAUSED PDP’S DEFEAT —OGUNLEWE, EX MINISTER OF WORKS

Former Minister of works and chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Sen Adeseye Ogunlewe has described the composition of the principal officers at the National Assembly as the best that has happened to the country. In an interview with Saturday Vangaurd at his Ogudu, Lagos residence, Sen Ogunlewe stated that whether people like it or not, the development would benefit the President and the country more. Excerpts:
The defeat of the 2015 election was caused by Jonathan. If not, it is impossible to defeat PDP. Look at all the people that are playing games now including the governors, the Senate President, Speaker and others, they were from PDP. So, it is the majority party and it is going to come on board. We need Buhari now, no doubt, to straighten things out. And let us have a new direction to governance in the country.

DEFECT AND LOSE YOUR SEAT, INEC TELLS LAWMAKERS

The Independent National Electoral Commission said it would not hesitate to invoke the relevant section of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) in the event of any lawmaker leaving the political party on which platform he/she was elected, before the expiration of the tenure.
There were rumours in some quarters that the crisis in some political parties might lead to some aggrieved lawmakers defecting to another political party to avoid being sanctioned for anti-party activities.
But Deputy Director, Public Affairs of INEC, Nick Dazang, told Sunday Telegraph yesterday, that the constitution is clear on the position the commission will take in such situation. Quoting Section 109 (g) of the 1999 Constitution, Dazang said the provision is explicit on “what happens if one defects from one political party to another.”

Fuji 'Burble' Musician: Adewale Ayuba Turns Born Again Christian, Shares Testimony

Adewale Ayuba, a renowned Fuji music artiste, is not only a born-again Christian but the day he decided to follow Jesus Christ remains the happiest day of his entire life. Speaking with News of the People during an interview in honour of his  50th birthday, Ayuba said he had since realised that the essence of life is to worship God. “I will not lie to you. When I remember the day I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I am happy, the day I became a born again, that was my happiest day. Now I realise this life is to worship God,” he said. Asked how he came about the decision, he said he could not precisely state how it happened: “It’s what brought me to Fuji music. I don’t know. I remember I

Transformation Agenda of Nigeria (TAN does not belong to PDP, Jonathan – Official

The National Planning Commission, NPC, has said the Transformation Agenda does not belong to any political party.

The Head of Information of NPC, Salisu Badamasi, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday that the Transformation Agenda was an aspect of the Vision 20:2020.

The Transformation Agenda was popularly identified with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, administration of immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan.

LAMIDO CRIES OUT FROM PRISON: I’M BEING PERSECUTED OVER 2019 PRESIDENCY

After spending 72 hours with his two sons in Kano Central Prison, immediate past governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has imputed political motives to his incarceration.
According to the former governor, he is being persecuted by those who feel that they would not be able to actualise their presidential ambition with him around the political arena.
Lamido, who spoke exclusively to Sunday Vanguard through his media aide, Umar Kyari, yesterday, drew the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the attempt being made by those he called “my political enemies” to silence him using the instrumentality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Lamido pointed out that it was clear from the outset that there was a grand design to put him away in prison for a long time under the guise of money laundering and sundry charges so as to pave the way for his political enemies to have their way.

ISIS RELEASES FIRST VIDEO WITH BOKO HARAM

There are strong indications that the Islamic sect Boko Haram has forged a strong operational alliance with the ruthless Islamic State as the two bodies have released a joint video for the first time on Saturday.
This is the first video recording since Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State last year.
The video showed the picture of a suspected Nigerian soldier in a kneeling position surrounded by three terrorists with AK47 assault rifles. Later in the video, the body of the soldier was shown without the head.
The location of the action was not specified in the latest video.
Also, the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, did not speak in the video.
Mail Online reported that the audio message, which was entitled ‘kill and be killed,’ was read by an unidentified spokesman for ISIS.
The audio message released through the militants’ vast social media channels was read by an ISIS spokesperson who also threatened further violence against Christian and Jewish communities.
The video carried a West African insignia of the ISIS which indicated that the group has set up media wing in Nigeria.

BUHARI REFUSES TO MEET WITH SARAKI

President Muhammadu Buhari has resisted fresh moves by the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, to formally meet with him, Sunday Punch has learnt.
An official in the Presidency who confided in one of our correspondents on Saturday said the President and the Senate President had only met once since the latter’s emergence as the leader of the senate.
The official said all efforts by Saraki to have another meeting with the president, after the party’s National Executive Council meeting penultimate Friday, were rebuffed by Buhari.
The reliable source said the president of the Senate had at different times reached out to people to help him persuade Buhari to grant him audience.

RAPED VIRGIN TEENAGER COMMITS SUICIDE

Fourteen-year-old virgin, Miss Chiawolam Comfort Umeh has committed sui¬cide by hanging herself on a gua¬va tree after she was gruesomely gang-raped by three men at Iyienyi Village, near Okwoyi Community, in Isieke, Ibeku, in Umuahia North LGA of Abia State.
Chiawolam, who was among students who sat for the Junior Secondary School education (JSS) examination recently from Isieke Model Community High School, was reported to have dashed into the bush at the back of the family house with her mother’s head tie, climbed on top of a guava tree and hung herself two days after she was raped by the three beastly boys.
The rape incident happened on Sunday, June 28, 2015, while she hung herself on Tuesday morning, July 7, 2015.
Chiawolam’s father, Mr Umeh said that early in the morning that Tuesday, her mother called her to find out how she was raped and she complained that she was having pains all over her body. The moth¬er told her to endure till they come back from the police station that morning, but unknown to them, the deceased had another plan.

DRAMA AT DSS AS MARILYN OGAR IS TRANSFERRED TO MAIDUGURI, THEN RECALLED

The changes at the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria’s secret police, entered another phase during the week with new postings and a series of reversals. TheCable understands that Marilyn Ogar, who was until recently DSS deputy director, public relations, has been transferred to Maiduguri, Borno state, but the posting has now been put on hold following insinuations that it was “punitive”. Ogar, as spokesperson, was responsible for defending the activities of the agency in the media and she is believed to be paying for some of her pronouncements, notably in the face-off with the Bring Back Our Girls movement and the DSS raids on the Lagos office of the All Progressives Congress (APC) last year. She has already lost her promotion following the nullification of the recent exercise. “Right now, she is just hanging around in Abuja awaiting the next order,” a source at the agency

AMAECHI, PASTOR BAKARE, OTHERS ON BUHARI’S 18-MAN DELEGATION TO US

Former Rivers state governor, Chibuike Amaechi and founder of Latter Rain Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare will accompany President Muhammadu Buhari on his three-day visit to Washington DC, United State on July 20.
They will be joined by five state governors, they are, Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State), Rochas Okorocha (Imo State), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo State) and two others.
The five governors are separate from an 18-man delegation made up of top aides and political associates of the President. The former Governor of Rivers State Rotimi Amaechi, the former Vice Presidential candidate to Buhari Tunde Bakare, and former member of the House of Representatives Farouk Adamu will be on the Presidential delegation.
In addition to these delegates, President Buhari will bring along top civil servants, representatives from the Office of the National Security Adviser, and representatives from economic policy and foreign affairs think tanks.