It ’ll take time to clear Jonathan’ s mess, says Presidency

• PDP urges Nigerians to pray for govt
The Presidency said last night that it will take time to
clear the mess created by the Goodluck Jonathan
administration, contrary to the call by the Peoples
Democratic Party ( PDP ) that Nigerians need to pray for
the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari .
PDP National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh made
the call in his 30- day appraisal of the Buhari
administration.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the
President, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement , said
Nigerians were already on the side of the
administration, which he noted was on course .
“ It requires scrupulous and painstaking planning to
clean the PDP ’s Augean Stable , ” Adesina said , adding :
“ It is amusing to read what the National Publicity
Secretary of the defeated Peoples Democratic Party
( PDP ) , Olisa Metuh, considers a 30 days appraisal of
the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“ He wants Nigerians to join hands in prayers for the
government, so that things would begin to move . What
he does not know is that Nigerians had long formed
such coalition . They are hands in hands, and that was
what gave victory to President Buhari in the March 28,
2015 poll.
“ They had teamed up to uproot an administration that
had brought the country to her knees , and was about
to tip her off the precipice . And Nigerians have
resolved that never would they allow any government
to divide them along regional, religious and ethnic fault
lines again .
“ The Buhari administration is naturally contemplative
because there was absolutely no rhyme or reason to
the way PDP ran the country , particularly in the
immediate past dispensation . That is why the Augean
Stable is being cleaned now , and it requires scrupulous
and painstaking planning . ”
Stressing that national life was devalued across all
sectors under PDP , Adesina said : “ And it takes
meticulousness and sure -footedness to repair all the
breaches. This, the Buhari administration will deliver.
“ Metuh talks of people around the President conniving
with bureaucrats to syphon money from the treasury .
This must be deja vu , as it was the pastime of the
immediate past administration, and the enormity of the
sleaze will be evident when stolen money , to the tune
of billions of dollars , is recovered , and returned to the
national treasury soon. ”
He said that only time will offer Nigerians the
opportunity to compare the current administration with
the past in order to know which one has come to serve
the people.
He said : “ In the process of time, after all that is being
planned by the current administration has matured, and
bearing fruits , Nigerians will be able to determine who
is serving them acceptably, and who has taken them
for a ride . It is just a matter of time.
“ Meanwhile, Metuh and his masters can only rue the
missed opportunities to make salutary impact on the
lives of Nigerians . They have a long road of regrets to
travel. ”
A statement yesterday by Metuh noted that the
enormity of the confusion surrounding the government
and the ruling party in the last one month had made it
imperative for Nigerians to pray as the success or
failure of the Buhari administration would not only
affect the President and his party but also the entire
nation.
The statement said : “ We urge Nigerians to join hands
in prayers and offer useful suggestions to President
Muhammadu Buhari and the APC because with what
we have seen in the last 30 days , the present
administration is finding it very difficult to get its
bearings right while showing no inclination towards
implementing its numerous campaign promises for
which they were voted into office at the centre .
” We are deeply worried that the President, who
promised to unveil his cabinet two weeks after his
inauguration, has not been able to decide on key
appointments, such as ministers, Secretary to the
Government of the Federation ( SGF) , Chief of Staff and
advisers in key sectors of the economy .
” This is more so as the delay has brought government
business in ministries, departments and agencies to a
dangerous standstill with coordination of important
policies vested on ministers and the SGF now in tatters
while the system drifts .
“ This situation also creates loopholes through which
overzealous persons around the President can connive
with unscrupulous elements in the bureaucracy to
syphon public resources in addition to possibly
misleading the President to violate due process by
spending beyond and outside his statutory limits .
“ The situation is taking its toll on the economy sector ,
which has in the 30 days witnessed unprecedented
decline with a terrifying crippling of foreign and
domestic investments , including activities in the money
and capital market sectors. Under President Buhari , the
stock market has lost over N238 billion while the All -
Share Index fell by 849 . 87 basis points as at June 19 .
” In security, apart from the directive to relocate the
counter terrorism command centre to Borno State and
seeking assistance from foreigners, no other concrete
step has been taken in the fight against insurgency
which the President in his April 22 , 2015 CNN interview
promised to end within his two months in office .
“ Instead, the anti - terrorism effort has completely lost
steam in the last 30 days , with insurgents , who had
already been pushed to the verge of surrender in the
Sambisa forest by the Goodluck Jonathan
administration, now surging back and spreading into
the country.
“ We also urge for adequate respect for all organs of
internal security, such as the Directorate of State
Security ( DSS ) , which is answerable to the Nigerian
state and as such should not be publicly ridiculed by
an aide of the President. ”

Ex- FUTA VC, Ilemobade , found dead

• Driver, security guard are suspects
A week after he was “ abducted” , former Federal
University of Technology, Akure ( FUTA ) , Vice-
Chancellor, Prof Albert Ilemobade’ s body was
discovered yesterday in a store in his Ijapo home in
Akure , the Ondo State capital .
The store , a small isolated room outside the main
building ,is where cables are kept .
It was learnt that the former Chairman of the
Committee of Vice-Chancellors was “ murdered ” by his
driver, Yemi , and guard Daniel.
Prof Ilemobade retired from FUTA in 1995 after serving
two terms as VC .
He was almost 80.
The suspects were arrested in Ogun State while trying
to sell the late Ilemobade ’s car .
Sources said they confessed during interrogation that
the Sport Utility Van ( SUV) belonged to their boss and
that they “ murdered ” him .
His decomposing remains have been taken to the
morgue .
The late Ilemobade, his driver and guard were last
Monday declared missing .
It was initially believed the former VC was abducted ,
prompting relatives , church members and friends to
pray and call for his release .
The Vicar - in-charge , Vinning College of Theology ,
Akure , Dr . Ayodeji Fagbemi, described the death as
shocking, saying many thought he was kidnapped .
He said : “ We were together in church on Sunday . It
was Father’ s Day last Sunday and, as usual, he was
very active in our Bible study , making his contribution .
During the time of thanksgiving , he danced .
“ On Monday morning , we were called that he was
missing . It was a very disturbing development for us .
We came here straight away . The police and all of us
met at the gate.
“ Right from the front, the gate was padlocked . There
was no way anybody could get in. Mama was inside
and we were out there . We could only exchange words.
Later , we called someone to cut the padlocks.
“ When we entered , we saw his wristwatch just in front
of the security post within the compound. We also
found that his slippers had been flung to the other side
of the road. We noticed that his red car had been
taken away .
“ We have since been around , church members, friends
and everybody to support them, to encourage Mama. ”
Fagbemi said he sent a text message to his phone
number and his children were doing the same to
encourage him .
He said : “ It got to a stage that we were all getting
agitated , wondering why it was taking time to release
him.
“ We were still hoping that with our efforts and prayers
and efforts of the security operatives that his
abductors would be apprehended and that he would be
returned to us .
“ Everyday , our people have been coming here to pray .
Even today , we still prayed for him . But I was called to
come and see them here. In fact , mama was resting.
“ I was told that he was actually killed . It was a
shocking one . I had to go back to the church to
disperse the people and tell them the news . While we
were thinking that he was taken away , he must have
been killed here. ”
A source in the family said the late Ilemobade might
have been killed because he just bought a new vehicle.
“ Papa bought a vehicle recently and since then we
have got information that they wanted to steal that
vehicle.
“ Earlier in the year , he was trailed by some unknown
persons who wanted to snatch his vehicle, but he
escaped . I think it was that vehicle that they wanted to
sell .
“ I can’ t imagine that our gateman was even the brain
behind this . Papa took him as his son. ”
The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic , Ile-Oluji and ex -
FUTA Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Emmanuel Fasakin,
said Nigeria had lost a very great scholar .
Fasakin lamented the manner in which Ilemobade was
murdered, stressing that he did not deserve to die a
“ cruel death” .
He said : “ Ilemobade was an international scholar . He
was an erudite academic.
“ He was two -time FUTA Vice Chancellor and Chairman,
Committee of Vice Chancellors . He was the main core
of FUTA . The achievements were very tremendous
during his tenure .
“ He was recognised all over the world. We ’ ve lost a
very great scholar . For him to have died this kind of
death, it is just too wicked , too cruel and too cheap for
a man of his status. It is a terrible sin for whoever
perpetrated the act , ” Fasakin said .
Commissioner of Police Isaac Eke confirmed the
incident.
He said he had been contacted by the Ogun State
Police Command, adding that the two suspects had
been arrested and that they would be paraded today .

Why Buhari won’ t appoint ministers ‘in the next two months ’

President Muhammadu Buhari may not appoint
ministers “ in the next two months” , The Nation learnt at
the weekend.

Three factors may account for the delay. They are :
• the President’ s plan to clear the “ rot ” inherited from
the Goodluck Jonathan administration ;
• the crisis in the National Assembly over the choice of
principal officers ; and
• the need to reduce ministries and parastatals .
But the reduction or merger of ministries or parastatals
will, however , not lead to retrenchment of workers .
A Presidency source , who had a confidential briefing
with some journalists in Abuja, said the mess Buhari
inherited was “ sickening ” .
The source said : “ You cannot even begin to imagine
the situation we have met on the ground.
” Almost everything is in a state of decay. There is
absolutely no way the new government can hope to
achieve anything long -lasting without first building a
new foundation. ”
The source said President Buhari ’ s plan of action could
be compared to that of “ a doctor who first has to
break a poorly set bone afresh, before resetting it to
allow for smooth and proper growth ” .
On the National Assembly crisis, the source said it was
“ yet one more excuse why forming a cabinet will be
impossible until further notice” .
He added : “ Look at how they are fighting among
themselves .
“ The Senate has now adjourned till July 21. That
means no one to scrutinize or approve any ministerial
list until the end of July . ”
When told that the National Assembly said it was ready
to cut short its break to consider any request from the
President, the source asked the reporters to await the
President’ s “ long-awaited ” intervention in the crisis
between the party and the National Assembly .
” The President wants to walk his talk on stable politics
and being a leader for all . He has a plan for the
National Assembly . ”
The source debunked the insinuations that the delay in
appointing ministers had stalled the government.
He said civil servants had been “ supervising the day-
to -day running of ministries and that permanent
secretaries of the various ministries have access to the
President” .
He added : “ All these reports and agitations are being
fuelled by politicians who want to put pressure on the
President.
“ They have tried doing it other ways and those haven’ t
worked. Now, they are trying to use the media . They
only want their cronies appointed to ministerial posts
anyhow and they are fuelling the agitation through
newspapers . ”
He advised the media not to fall for the “ old tricks and
shenanigans” of politicians .
Buhari is set to reduce or merge some ministries and
parastatals to make the size of the civil service
manageable for efficiency.
The exercise will, however , not lead to retrenchment of
workers .
The source added : “ The President plans to cut down
the number of ministries and parastatals .
“ He wants to cut down the cost of running government.
He wants to make sure that all the loopholes that
enable corruption to thrive are blocked . All these are
procedures that require time and careful planning . You
cannot do it in a rush .
“ Remember that he has to make sure that all this is
done without any job losses or mass retrenchments. All
this is not a day’s or one- month job. ”
He added that President Buhari could not realistically
have begun this process without first receiving the full
report of the transition committee and ascertaining
exactly the situation his government faced.
The spokesmen of the President, Mr. Femi Adesina
( Special Adviser on Media and Publicity ) and Mallam
Garba Shehu ( the Senior Special Assistant on Media
and Publicity) said this narrative as the “ nearest to the
truth than all that are being peddled by many others. ”
The President has been criticised in the past few
weeks for allegedly being slow in constituting his
cabinet.
Some critics accused Buhari of not planning enough to
hit the ground running since his election on March 28.

Senate crisis: Oyegun ’s fate shaky as APC caucus meets

Akande laments effect of disagreement on party ’ s unity
Chief John Odigie -Oyegun ’ s political future is hanging
in the balance .

TheAll Progressives Congress ( APC ) chairman should
step down, some forces within the party are pushing,
ahead of tomorrow’ s meeting of the National Caucus
Committee.
Odigie- Oyegun ’s offence , sources said at the weekend,
is his perceived failure to nip in the bud the National
Assembly crisis that has shaken the party so much .
Most of the APC governors , some members of the
National Working Committee ( NWC ) and party elders
are unhappy that Odigie -Oyegun allowed the “ crisis to
fester ” .
They alleged that his “ slow pace ” attitude emboldened
Senate President Bukola Saraki and House Speaker
Yakubu Dogara to “ negotiate ” with Peoples Democratic
Party ( PDP ) members.
The delay in sending the list of APC nominees for
principal offices in the Senate and the House of
Representatives has fuelled the anger against Odigie-
Oyegun .
Party leaders are divided on whether to retain Odigie-
Oyegun or dump him .
A source , who briefed some reporters in Abuja on the
situation in the party and the backlash of the crisis in
the National Assembly , said there was apprehension in
APC that if the chairman remained in office , it might
collapse.
The source cited two instances where Odigie- Oyegun
failed to be “ decisive ” on the choice of principal
officers in the National Assembly .
The source alleged that the chairman was virtually
forced to hold the mock elections that elected Senator
Ahmed Lawan and Hon . Femi Gbajabiamila as the
party’ s choices for Senate President and House
Speaker.
It also took the intervention of the APC governors
before he could send the list of party nominees for
some principal posts to Saraki and Dogara.
The source added : “ There is much anger in the party
against Oyegun . Many leaders have accused him of
being indecisive or afraid to take the right decision.
“ It is as if the man has no backbone or self -respect .
When he should move, he sits down. When he should
talk, he is mute. When he should make a decision, he
sleeps and after finally making a decision , he takes
days to implement something that could be done in
minutes.
“ After Saraki and Dogara rebelled by aligning with PDP
National Assembly members , Oyegun remained
strangely mum and unmoved to the harm being done to
his and the party ’s authority. ‘ He took the rebuff too
lightly and quickly as if he almost welcomed it . ’
“ It was only after APC governors intervened and
applied heavy pressure that he wrote a letter to the
Senate President and House Speaker naming the
party’ s choices for majority leader and the other posts .
“ Even then, the letter was half -hearted , oddly brief and
strangely passive in tone. It was as if he wrote it under
compulsion because he had been boxed into a corner
by the governors and not by conviction . Once again ,
Saraki and Dogara rebuffed him and once again Oyegun
took the insult as if he asked for it. ”
Also , a member of NEC said : “ What happened in the
National Assembly was a pure case of failure of
leadership by the National Chairman.
“ Certainly, his lapse is one of the major issues we will
discuss at the National Caucus meeting in Abuja and
later at our NEC session.
“ We are all disappointed and feel betrayed by Oyegun
because he refused to take action at the right time
even when President Muhammadu Buhari said he
would leave the party to resolve the logjam in the
National Assembly . ”
Analysing the APC and the National Assembly crisis in
an article published on page 3 of this newspaper ,
former Interim National Chairman of the party , Chief
Bisi Akande, warned of the danger ahead for the party
if nothing urgent is done to remedy the crisis arising
from the election of Saraki and House of
Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
He said : “ Now that the whole conspiracy has blown
open , it is doubtful if the present institutions of party
leadership can muster the required capacity to arrest
the drift .
“ It is my opinion that President Buhari , and the APC
governors should now see APC as a recking platform
that may not be strong enough again to carry them to
political victory in 2019 and they should quickly begin a
joint damage control effort to reconstruct the party in
its claim to bring about the promised change before
the party’ s shortcomings begin to aggravate the
challenges of governance in their hands. ”
The former Osun State Governor added : “ Before the
party knew it , the process had been hijacked by
polluted interests who saw the inordinate contests as a
loop- hole for stifling APC governments ’ efforts in its
desire to fight corruption .
“ Most Northern elites , the Nigerian oil subsidy barons
and other business cartels who never liked Buhari ’s
anti -corruption political stance are quickly backing- up
the rebellion against APC with strong support .
“ While other position seekers are waiting in the wings
until Buhari ’ s ministers are announced, a large section
of the South -West see the rebellion as a conspiracy of
the North against the Yoruba . ”
Odigie- Oyegun himself has said that he cannot be
stampeded out of office , saying efforts will be made to
resolve all issues.
The party ’ s state chairmen also last week after a
meeting in Abuja, expressed support for the party
chairman .
In a communique signed by Chairman of the Kano
chapter Alhaji Umar Haruna Mohammed , the party
chiefs expressed concern over the crises rocking the
party over the emergence of the leadership of the
National Assembly .
“ As state party chairmen and direct grassroots leaders ,
we are all concerned about the development and
therefore re -affirm our belief and loyalty to our party ,
the APC , its supremacy as contained in the party ’s
constitution and the decision of its leadership .
“ We are also not happy with recent development in the
National Assembly , especially the lower chamber , and
call on the party leadership to put in place proper
machineries to checkmate further occurrences.
“ We also call on the party leaders to use the long
break with the view of resolving the matter so that the
much needed change will be seen and enjoyed by
everybody . ”

Imo Police burst baby factory syndicate

The Imo State Police Command Friday rescued five
pregnant teenagers , including a deaf and dumb victim ,
Miss Blessing Nwabekee from a ‘baby factory’ allegedly
operated by one Chief Emmanuel Eke, a senior Civil
Servant in Abia State.

The teenagers who were at various stages of
pregnancy were said to be rescued in Abia State, where
they were kept until they delivered of the babies.
Parading the suspects , the State Police Commissioner,
Austin Evbakavbokun disclosed that one Miss Ibuchi
Okafor , 20 year old from Ihioma in Orlu Local
Government Area of Imo state absconded from her
home with a nine- months old pregnancy only to be
found in the premises of the suspect at Isiala Ngwa
South , Abia state after she had delivered and sold the
baby at N500 000 to a yet to be identified buyer .

According to the CP , the Police who swung into
investigation after a report of the missing teenager,
found four other pregnant girls , Nkasiobi Uchenna 23 ,
Ela David 24 from Isoko in Delta state , Oluchi Victor 25,
Isialangwa, Abia state and the deaf and dumb waiting
for delivery at the home of the suspect .
The CP disclosed that the owner of the baby factory
confessed to have sold the baby delivered by Ibuchi for
N500 000 .
Evbakavbokun however assured that the state Police
Command would not relent till the child traffickers in
the state and kidnappers are completely chased out .
Meanwhile, the suspect who told journalists that he
made the confession under duress , said the business
belonged to his late wife , who he said passed on seven
weeks ago.
According to him , “ I am not a child trafficker, I am a
Civil servant in Abia State. It was my late wife that was
running the home where the pregnant women were
found by the Police. I confessed to the crime because
of the toture I went through . ”

Photo: Governor visits secondary school girls

GOV . ATIKU BAGUDU OF KEBBI STATE (L )
INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS OF THE GOVERNMENT
GIRLS SECONDARY SCHOOL BUNZA , DURING HIS VISIT
TO THE SCHOOL ON FRIDAY

Buhari dissolves NNPC Board

The Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation has been dissolved by President
Muhammadu Buhari .
The dissolution was announced in a statement by the
Director Communications , Office of Head of Civil
Service of the Federation, Alhaji Haruna Imrana , on
behalf of the HoS , Mr. Danladi Kifasi.
“ The directive to that effect was conveyed in a letter
signed today ( Friday) June 26, 2015 by the Head of the
Civil Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi. In it , the
President thanked members of the dissolved board for
their services to the nation, ” he said .

Picture: 15-Year-Old Teenager, School Drop Out Arrested For Armed Robbery At Anglican Church In

Umuchu Aguata Anambra Says Dad Taught Him Robbery
A young boy arrested with 2 other accomplices after robbing
a church in Anambra state has confessed.
Kosi Ebosie, 15-year-old armed robbery suspect was arrested
on Tuesday in Umuchu town in Aguata LGA of Anambra. He
told police that he inherited the trait from his dad who is a
notorious robber in the area.
He said his family members are not surprised as they used
to hail him for resembling his father who always take what
didn’t belong to him.
From left to right, Onyedika Ifesinachi, Chima David, and Kosi
Ebosie.
Ebosie was arrested along with 2 members of his robbery
gang, 17-year-old Chima David and 16-year-old Onyedika
Ikesinachi from Imo State after robbing St Andrew Anglican
Church in the early hours of Tuesday.
Luck ran out of them after vigilante and youths in charge of
security in the area arrested them.
A source in the area said Anambra Police officials are
worried over incessant robbery attacks being carried out by
teenagers in the area.