Buhari reveals why he stopped Femi Adesina from replying Obasanjo's letter

President Muhammadu Buhari said he stopped his
spokesperson Femi Adesina from replying a letter
written by Olusegun Obasanjo to criticize the
government
- The president said the minister of information and
culture, Lai Mohammed, disobeyed him to reply the
same letter
- He added that the minister, however, did a good job
in his reply to the former president
President Muhammadu Buhari says he stopped
his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi
Adesina from replying former President
Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter against his
administration because of Adesina’s age.
The president explained the reasons when
members of Buhari Support Organisation visited
him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday
night.
Buhari explained further that the second reason
why he deemed right not to reply the letter was
that he and the former president were from the
same (military) constituency.
He, however, noted that Minister of Information
and Culture Lai Mohammed, who “disobeyed’’
him not to reply the letter, did a good job.
He observed that the reply by the minister
showed Nigerians the realities on ground when
the present administration assumed office in
2015 and its ongoing efforts to revive the
inherited damaged economy.
“I really appreciate how you choose this time during
Ramadan to come from across the country to see and
congratulate me for what we were able to do.

“We were constraint to explain our position when the
former head of state wrote a letter; Adesina was agitated
and wanted to immediately reply; I stopped him for two
reasons; first, he was much younger than me and Gen.
Obasanjo.
“Secondly, I am from the same constituent with Gen.
Obasanjo; so, I wouldn’t know how it will affect him if I
allow him to go wild or to go public, but when Lai
Mohammed came, I said he shouldn’t and he insisted. He
disobeyed me.
“He said I must allow him to talk; then, of course, being a
professionally information person, I listened to him and
asked him what are going to say.
“He said he was going to remind Nigerians where we found
ourselves when we came in as a government, where we are
now, what we have done in between with the resources
available to us.
“And I understand he did a good job because a number of
people rang me and said Lai Mohammed has done a good
job because I went public in several times.
“I said it is on record and I challenged anybody to check
from Europe, United States and Asia that between 1999 and
2014 the 16 years of previous administration there was an
average of 2.1 million per day of crude oil at the average
cost of 100 dollars per barrel,’’ he said.
The president said that he deliberately refused to
replace the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria
when his administration took over the mantle of
leadership of the country because he wanted to
give him the opportunity to salvage the economy
from its terrible condition.
Buhari, who thanked his teachers during his
primary school days for their efforts to inculcate
good morale to him and his mates, stated that
his administration would continue to invest
heavily in education to correct social ills in the
society.
He said further that his administration had
resolved to put money in the area of
infrastructural development to address
infrastructural deficits and subsequently ensure
speedy socio-economic transformation of the
country.
“It is now that we are struggling to put the structure on the
ground — the roads — to revive the rail and do the
standard gauge and try to spend objectively on power.
“If we put money in infrastructure, it will create
employment opportunities and then Nigerians will mind
their own businesses, they wouldn’t even mind what the
government is doing once the infrastructure is there,’’ he
said.
The president, therefore, reassured Nigerians
that his administration would continue to spend
more funds to upgrade the nation’s
infrastructural facilities.
He said that the government had also expended
more than N1.3 trillion on capital projects across
the country.
According to him, the government will continue
to ensure financial discipline, accountability and
effective supervision of government spending to
have solid infrastructure to enable the youth to
achieve their missions and objectives in life.


He thanked the members of the organisation for
their support and sacrifices, noting that none of
them had ever made any specific demand from
him.
In his remarks, the leader of the organisation,
Sen. Abba Ali, who narrated the achievements of
the Buhari administration in the last three years,
said they were on solidarity visit to the president
to further reassure him of their support.
He said that the organisation had established
offices in all the 36 states and 774 local
government areas of the country, while efforts
were being made to ensure the re-election of the
president in 2019.
Mrs Paulina Tallen, a member of the Board of
Trustees of the organisation, who spoke at the
event, assured the president that women would
massively vote for him and other candidates of
the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 general
elections.
She, nonetheless, called on the president to bring
more qualified women politicians and
professionals in government to address the
perceived marginalisation of women by APC-led
administration in the country.
Adegokblog .com earlier reported that former president,
Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged that there is a
plot by the President Muhammadu Buhari
administration to detain him indefinitely based
on false charges.
Obasanjo in a statement by his media aide,
Kehinde Akinyemi, on Friday, June 8, claimed
that the government was planning to use fake
documents and witnesses against him.

Submit yourself for probe - Fayose tells Obasanjo

Ayodele Fayose says Obasanjo can dismiss the
allegations against him by proving his innocence
- The governor says the former president gave the
impression that he is a brave man who is not afraid of
anything
- Atiku warns Buhari against arresting Obasanjo
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state has called
on former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, to
submit himself for probe by the President
Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, June 9,
Fayose said the former president cannot make
his predicament a Yoruba issue and should prove
his innocence if accused of corrupt practices.
He advised Obasanjo to dismiss the allegations
against him by proving his innocence.


The governor stated that Obasanjo’s travails
were a welcome development now that he was
being dealt with by the Buhari administration he
supported during the 2015 general elections.
“ To me, former President Obasanjo should submit himself
for probe and trial. He gave us the impression that he is a
brave man who is not afraid of anything. He is a retired
general in the army who has seen a lot and should not be
raising alarms now," he said in a statement by his
chief press secretary, Idowu Adelusi.
Fayose stated that the former president had
described Buhari as the best man for Nigeria
while promoting him for the 2015 general
elections.
“In his book ‘Under My Watch’, Obasanjo said he prefers to
be jailed by Buhari rather than former President Goodluck
Jonathan being reelected into office. Now prison is
beckoning on him and he wants to dodge. He set up the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC) and among others.
“Obasanjo even used those bodies to hound and lock up
many people including state governors, why is he now
afraid of being probed. Let him tell Nigerians how he made
his money. People can recollect the level he was before he
became president and how he left office.
“If Buhari is now telling the whole world that Obasanjo
stole money, it is incumbent on Obasanjo to prove his
innocence.

“Moreover, Obasanjo should stop giving the impression that
he is the leader of the Yoruba people. He is not. We have
more eminent people who qualify to be our leaders. And he
should also not try and sell any dummy that his travails are
that of Yoruba people. I have been tried a number of times
by the EFCC and faced the challenges as a man. He should
also do so."
Fayose said the whole scenario was laughable,
adding that he never knew Obasanjo could cry
out and act like a woman.
“In fact, I am laughing at the whole scenario. That
Obasanjo could cry out. I don’t know he can act like a
woman. It is amazing that he is behaving this way. If he has
anything to clarify, let him do that,” he said.
The governor noted that it was unfortunate that
some people failed to heed his admonition that
whoever brings and rides a tiger may end up in
its belly.
Meanwhile, former vice president, Atiku
Abubakar has reacted to the allegation by former
president, Olusegun Obasanjo, that the
administration of Muhammadu Buhari is plotting
to frame him up and lock him in jail for a long
time.
Atiku, in a statement released on Friday, June 8,
said such actions would only aggravate the
already heated polity in the land and urged
President Buhari to call the security agencies to
order.
He said the alert by Obasanjo was coming
against the backdrop of earlier alerts by some
leaders, especially those of the opposition on
deliberate and orchestrated attempt to intimidate
and frame them up.

Ex-wife of Mohammed Babangida sends emotional message to daughter separated from her

Rahma Indimi who was formerly married to
Mohammed Babangida shared a bit of her pain on
social media recently
- The heart-broken mother penned down an emotional
birthday message to her daughter who was separated
from her after her marriage crashed
- In the message she mentioned how she is still fighting
to gain custody of her two children
Rahma Indimi has kept the reason for the
separation from her estranged husband,
Mohammed Babangida, under wraps for a long
time. The pretty mother of four only got two of
her kids after a solid custody battle orchestrated
by her former husband.


As a heart-broken mother who hasn't seen two of
her kids in almost a year, she regrets being
absent as one of her children in the custody of
her ex-husband turns a new age.
Women are said to share a special bond with
their children, Rahma shared a bit of her pain on
social media through a heart-wrenching birthday
message to her baby girl.

Rahma and her beautiful daughter she hasn't seen in a year


In her post, she revealed she hasn't seen her
daughter in almost a year. She wished her a
happy birthday but also reminded her she won't
stop fighting for her.

MR President young daughter

This is the pics of young daughter of Mr President of the fedral republic of Nigeria
Miss Hanan is the young and beautiful girl she is

The talented photographer has a good eye for
beauty in its simplest and purest form. When she
is not taking pictures of family and friends, at

summer time, she enjoys horse riding with her
brother. She is a devoted Muslim, passionate
about Allah and a football fan.

The reserved beauty turned a year older
recently, and family and friends were present to

celebrate with her. To honour her, we couldn't
resist sharing some more of her lovely pictures.

Impeachment threat: NASS is engaging in ‘hungry throat politics’ - Auchi chief

Alhaji Usman Abudah, the Dan’iya of Auchi kingdom,
has said that NASS’ impeachment threat against Buhari
is nothing short of hungry throat politics
- He also chided the lawmakers for their stance
towards the president’s purchase of 12 Tucano
aircraft; asking them if they wanted Buhari to pick up
his uniform and march into war
- According to Abudah, appearing in well-starched
outfits is not a sincere demonstration of showing
concern for the safety of the nation
The Dan’iya of Auchi kingdom, Edo state, Alhaji
Usman Abudah, has described the National
Assembly’s impeachment threat against
President Muhammadu Buhari as an act of
“hungry throat politics”.
In a chat with newsmen in Benin, Abudah said
the resolution was a “package of idle
representatives of the Nigerian citizenry,” The
Nation reports.
NAIJ.com gathers that he said the lawmakers had
exposed their nonchalant attitude towards the
welfare of Nigerians, by their disposition towards
the purchase of 12 Tucano aircraft to enable the
Nigerian military fight the Boko Haram
insurgency.


He stated: “Mr President is supervising all the security
agencies involved in the war against Boko Haram and is
providing the needed weaponry. One is at a loss as to what
the legislators want Mr President to do - to go and pick up
his soldiering uniforms and march to war?
“I want to believe that our politicians should realize their
functions and those of the commander in-chief, pertaining
to the safety of this nation. Were it in developed countries,
the Senate president ought to have stepped down from his
position until the cases he is being tried for are concluded.
“While I am not advocating for sanity to be put into place
through military coup, I responsibly request our elected
representatives to behave by not threatening President
Muhammadu Buhari with impeachment even when
themselves are not behaving better.
“Intimidating President Buhari with those resolutions is
nothing short of hungry throat politics. Appearing in well-
starched outfits is not a sincere demonstration of showing
concern for the safety of the nation."

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that the
National Assembly was lauded by the Oodua
People’s Congress (OPC) , for its joint resolution
on Tuesday, June 5, to sanction President
Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement, the group’s founder, Frederick
Fasehun said the move was a commendable step
to protect Nigeria’s democracy and check it’s
slide into totalitarianism. He added that it was
long overdue.

Senators erupt in laughter as ‘transmission’ is mentioned in Buhari’s letter

A letter from President Muhammadu Buhari which
was read during the Senate’s plenary on Wednesday,
June 6, led to mild drama in the red chamber.
The letter on an executive bill, which was read
out by Senate president Bukola Saraki evoked
laughter from senators because of the mention of
“transmission” in its title, Punch reports.

adegokblog .com gathers that it was titled, Transmission
of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin
Production Sharing Contracts Amendment Bill
2018.
Upon reading the title, the Senate president also
burst into laughter, before saying, “ let me start
again .”
The president’s letter read: “I forward herewith a
draft Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing
Contracts Amendment Bill 2018 for the kind consideration
and passage by the Senate of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, while hoping that the bill will receive the usual
expeditious consideration and passage by the distinguished
Senate.”


Recall that adegokblog.com previously reported that a
video of the inspector-general of Police, Ibrahim
Idris, purportedly struggling to read, surfaced
online.
The incident reportedly occurred on Monday,
May 14, when the Police chief visited Kano to
commission the Police Technical Intelligenc

Buhari is plotting to arrest me on false charges - Obasanjo alleges

Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged
that there is a plot by the President Muhammadu
Buhari administration to detain him indefinitely based
on false charges.
Premium Times reports that Obasanjo in a
statement by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi,
on Friday, June 8, claimed that the government
was planning to use fake documents and
witnesses against him.
The former president said the plot against him
would unfold in two stages among which is to
cause the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) to reopen investigation into
the activities of his administration.
He alleged that the Buhari administration was
also planning to use fake documents and
witnesses against him.


Obasanjo linked the alleged plot against him to
the re-enactment of the Abacha era in which he
was detained on false charges.
He claimed that he had been informed that his
name was on the government’s watch list, and
that the security of his life cannot be guaranteed.
The former president, however, stated no
amount of campaign of calumny or orchestrated
plot against him would deter him from speaking
out.
The statement reads: " Since Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
declared in his State-of-the-Nation Special Statement on
January 23, 2018, the desperation to frustrate, intimidate
and blackmail him into abandoning his divine mandate to
protect the rights of the people to better life and living
continued unabated and has even taken a bizarre dimension
‘"Impeccable security sources have alleged Chief Obasanjo’s
name is on their Watch List and that the security of his life
cannot be guaranteed. According to these informants, many
of who are in the top echelon of the Nation’s security
management and close to the corridors of power, the
operatives are daily perfecting how to curtail the personal
liberties of the former President and hang a crime on him’.
"Ordinarily, we would not have dignified these reports with
a response but for the fact that many of these informants
are not known for flippant and frivolous talks. Secondly,
this Government has demonstrably exhibited apathy, and in
some cases, encouraged by its conduct, daily loss of lives
and property in many States of the country, the office
cannot be indifferent.
“We are currently in a nation where the Number Three
citizen is currently being harangued and the Number Four
citizen is facing similar threat within the same Government
they serve. There is a groundswell of our nationals that live
in fear that they could be hounded, harassed, or even killed
as the battle for 2019 takes this worrisome dimension.
“For Chief Obasanjo, this is a joke carried too far and being
someone who do not act on unofficial information, he had
cautioned all informants and adopted a wait-and-see
attitude to the propositions allegedly being contemplated to
cow, cage and embarrass him.
“The content of the alleged beastly designs, it was learnt are
two-fold for now. One, to seize his International Passport
and clamp him into detention indefinitely, in order to
prevent him from further expressing angst on the pervasive
mediocrity in the quality of governance, economic
management and in the protection of lives and property by
the Government.
“But, since that could expose the Government to a swath of
international condemnation, embarrassment and outrage, it
is said that another plot being hatched is to cause the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to re-
open investigation into the activities of Chief Obasanjo’s
administration using false witnesses and documents. This
will be a re-enactment of the Abacha era in which Chief
Obasanjo was one of the principal victims’.


‘The same EFCC that had conducted a clinical investigation
on the activities of Obasanjo in and out of Government, it
was said, would now be made to stand down the existing
report that gave Chief Obasanjo a clean bill of health on the
probes are now to get him indicted, fair or foul for possible
prosecution and persecution like it is being done to real and
perceived opponents, enemies and critics of this
Government’.
"Dissent is a fundamental principle on which liberal
democracy is predicated. A true democrat must be ready to
live with and accommodate dissent and opposition. While it
is regrettable how the Government has sunk in its
shameless desperation to cow opposition, a resort to
blackmail, despotism and Gestapo-tactics being employed
by the goons of this Government would not hold water. And
no government ever remains in power forever.
"For the record, Chief Obasanjo reiterates his readiness to
face probe again after that of the House of Representatives,
the Senate, the ICPC, and the EFCC, but before an
independent, objective and credible panel of enquiry to
account for his stewardship in Government and beyond’.
"Chief Obasanjo reiterates that he has taken a principled
position to ensure that the ship of the Nigerian State does
not capsize and he remains steadfast in his resolve to turn
the tide of maladministration, poor economic management
and rudderless governance model that has tore Nigerians
apart on account of religion and ethnicity which is a great
threat to our democracy’.
"We would like the Government and its supporters to
understand that no amount of campaign of calumny, no
matter how well contrived, orchestrated or marketed would
deter Chief Obasanjo from calling a spade by its name. Chief
Obasanjo is a patriot whose sole agenda is to ensure that
the country’s unity, progress and democracy are not
negotiated on the altar of incompetence and provincialism
and mediocrity.
"It is important to point out that Chief Obasanjo is one
former President and Head of State who has engaged the
current administration privately and in a bilateral manner
on several issues of direct interest to the government and
other matters of national concern. That channel of private
engagement remains open and continues.
"However, should there be the need for public engagement,
the right to free speech will always be exercised and
jealously guarded, again in the best interest of Nigeria and
the government.”
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari’s
personal assistant on social media, Lauretta
Onochie, has mocked former president, Olusegun
Obasanjo, sequel to the presidential honour
conferred on late MKO Abiola.
Onochie in a tweet on Thursday, June 7, pictured
Obasanjo writing another letter to the president
following the honour bestowed on MKO Abiola.
The former president has been criticised for
failing to honour late Chief Moshood Kashimawo
Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12,
1993, presidential election in Nigeria.
However, President Buhari took Nigerians by
surprise when he declared that June 12 be
observed as Democracy Day in Nigeria as against
May 29.

NASS lacks power to pass vote of no confidence - AGF Malami

Abubakar Malami said the National Assembly has no
power to pass vote of no confidence on IGP Ibrahim
Idris
- Malami said the fundamental functions of the
legislature is lawmaking
- The Senate spokesperson has however disagreed
with Malami
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)
and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami has
said the National Assembly does not have the
legal power to pass a vote of no confidence on
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris.
Malami made the statement while speaking on a
programme on Channels TV on June 6.
He said: “Within the purview of the constitution, if you
look at Section 4 of the constitution alongside Section 88 of
the constitution, I think the fundamental functions of the
legislature is lawmaking within the context and spirit of
Section 4 of the constitution and two, is oversight.

"The oversight function is not open-ended in all sincerity.
Within the context of the workings of the ministries,
departments and agencies, the major responsibility of the
National Assembly is exposing corruption. That is the
bottom line.
“I cannot in all sincerity come to terms with the reality of
the declaration of the vote of no confidence against the IG,
to situate it within the context of the lawmaking
responsibility of the national assembly and within the
context of exposing corruption.”
Disagreeing with the minister of justice, the
spokesperson of the Nigerian Senate, Senator
Gabi Abdullahi, said the Senate can contribute to
other things apart from corruption.
Abdullahi said: “I don’t agree with that (Malami’s
position) because that section says inefficiency or waste in
the execution or administration of laws within its legislative
competence and in the disbursement or administration of
funds appropriated by it. So, it is not just the issue of
corruption itself."

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com earlier reported that in
reaction to the supposed misconception that the
National Assembly moved to impeach President
Muhammadu Buhari, the minister of information
and culture has said that the House's issuance of
a 12-point application meant no threat to the
presidency.
Mohammed's clarification came after lawmaker
alleged that signatures were being collated for
the president's immediate impeachment.

President Buhari grants financial autonomy to state judiciary and Houses of Assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a total of
four bills into law as part of the amendments of the
1999 Constitution
- One of the bill signed by the president grants
financial autonomy to state judiciaries and Houses of
Assembly
- Another bill stops a vice president who completes
the term of a president from contesting for the office
of the president more than once
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, June 8,
signed into law the Constitution 4th Alteration
Bill that grants financial autonomy and
independence to state House of Assembly and to
the judiciary of the respective states.
The president signed a total of four bills into law
as part of the amendments of the 1999
Constitution.
NAIJ.com gathered that the senior special
assistant on National Assembly matters (Senate),
Ita Enang, said: “I just want to inform you that His
Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari today (Friday)
assented to the Constitution Fourth Alteration Bill which
grants financial autonomy and independence to the Houses
of Assembly of the respective states and to the Judiciary of
the respective states.


“The amount due to the judiciary is now to be paid directly
to the judiciary of those states, no more through the
governors.
“And the amount standing in the credit of the State houses
of Assembly in the respective states are now to be paid
directly to the houses of Assembly of that State for the
benefit of the legislators and the management of the State
houses of Assembly.
“Another Act which has come into force today is
Constitution Amendment 21 which relates to the
determination of pre-elections matters. It has reduced the
date and time of determining pre-election matters to ensure
that the pre-election matters in court do not get into the
time of the elections and do not linger thereafter.
“The relevant section of the Constitution has also been
amended by this Act, therefore amending the constitution.
“The other one is Bill 16 which is now an Act. The intent of
that Act is to ensure that where a Vice President succeeds
the President and where a deputy governor succeeds a
governor, he can no more contest for that office more than
one more time.
“The effect is that having taken the oath of President once,
he can only contest one more time and no more. That is the
intent of this amendment.
“The other amendment is Bill 9 now an Act which gives the
Independent National Electoral Commission sufficient time
to conduct by-election. It has increased the time from seven
to 21 days and generally widen the latitude of the INEC to
handle election matters upon vacancy.
“These four bills, added to the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Act,
have now been assented to by the President and have now
become laws.
“The Constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended is hereby
further amended by the assent of the President to these bills
today.”
One of the bills includes an Act that gives the
Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), sufficient time to conduct bye-elections.
Another bill No 16 which is now an Act, is to
ensure that where a vice president succeeds the
president and where a deputy governor succeeds
a governor, he can no more contest for that
office more than once after the initial tenure.
In a previous report by NAIJ.com , President
Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, January 26,
signed eight bills passed by the National
Assembly into law at a signing ceremony held at
the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Falana chides Police for ‘illegal’ media parade of suspects

Femi Falana has chided the Police Force for its
practice of parading suspects before the media
- He describes the act as illegal; and noted that only
the poor and the less-privileged are usually victims
- He also lauded the recent abolition of stay of
proceedings in criminal trials, by the Supreme Court
Foremost lawyer and human rights campaigner,
Femi Falana (SAN) has stated that the media
parade of suspects by the Nigerian Police Force is
illegal.
He made the comments at that Civil Society
Roundtable on Administration of Criminal Justice
Act and the Abolition of Stay of Proceedings in
Criminal Trials, which was organised by the
Human and Environmental Development Agenda
(HEDA), Vanguard reports.

adegokblog .com gathers that Falana faulted the practice;
pointing out that it is capable of subverting the
justice system. He also noted that only the poor
and the less-privileged are usually victims of the
‘illegal act’.
He stated: “You don’t parade the big men; you don’t
parade politically-exposed persons. You only parade the
poor.”
The legal luminary further lauded the recent
abolition of stay of proceedings in criminal trials,
by the Supreme Court.
According to him, stay of proceedings was a
crooked and unethical method deployed by some
lawyers to delay criminal trials of the powerful
and the well-connected in the society.
In his words: “It is a class matter; it does not apply to
the poor in magistrate and customary courts.”

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that
Femi Falana said that contrary to the claim by
the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
and some of its leaders, there was nothing wrong
with the listing of looters by the federal
government.
He made the comment at the Second Forum of
the Anti-Corruption Situation Room, which was
organized by the Human and Environmental
Development Agenda.
According to the legal luminary, that there was
nothing wrong with naming treasury looters, if
the Police could parade common men for petty
crimes.

Senate, Saraki have hatred, contempt for me - IGP tells court

Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris has
described the Senate’s resolution declaring him “an
enemy of democracy and unfit to hold any public
office within and outside Nigeria,” as an act borne out
of “hatred and undisguised contempt” for him.
He made the assertion in an affidavit which he
filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, on
Thursday, June 7, seeking permission to file a
substantive suit to challenge the resolution of the
upper legislative chamber, Punch reports.

The IGP wants the court to declare the Senate’s
resolution as invalid; and began the process of
suing the upper legislative chamber and its
president, Bukola Saraki, by obtaining the court’s
leave.
Justice John Tsoho, in granting the leave to Idris
on Thursday, said: “I am convinced that the applicant
has shown sufficient interest in the issues raised”.

Recall that adegokblog .com previously reported that the
Nigerian Senate declared the Police boss an
enemy of democracy, following his refusal to
honour an invitation to appear before the upper
chamber for a third time.
The lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday,
May 9, said Idris is not fit to hold public office in
Nigeria and abroad.
Senate president Bukola Saraki made the
declaration after the Senate emerged from a
closed-door session where it deliberated on the
non-appearance of the IGP.

3 killed as army raids Babandoka forest in Zamfara

The Nigerian army carried out a raid at Danguru,
Babandoka Forest of Dansadau district in Maru Local
Government Area of Zamfara state against bandits.
3 of the bandits were killed in the operation that
took place on Wednesday, June 6.
In a similar operation, 2 bandits were also killed
while others escaped.

The army said it was working to apprehend the
fleeing suspects.
Read the statement below:
Troops of 223 Battalion deployed in operation
IDON RAINI on 6 June 18 embarked on a raid
operation at Danguru, Babandoka Forest of
Dansadau district in Maru Local Government
Area of Zamfara State following a report of
bandits activities in the area.
Three of the bandits were killed during the
encounter and their camps also destroyed.
Similarly, troops also embarked on raid
operation in Gobirawa and Kwacha villages
around Madaka Forest, still in Dansadau district
in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara
State.
Two of the bandits were neutralized during that
encounter while others fled following a superior
fire power of the troops.
Efforts are on to get other members of the fleeing
bandits by the troops.
Items recovered include:
One motorcycle.
A mobile phone.
The public is once again advised to report any
suspicious activities or movements to the law
enforcement agents for prompt action.

Meanwhile, Zamfara House of Assembly directed
its secretariat to write a letter to the minister of
defence, Mansur Dan’ali, over incessant killings
and security challenges in the state.
News Agency of Nigeria reports that the
assembly gave the directive during plenary
session in Gusau on Friday, May 25.
The decision followed a complaint by Alhaji
Abdullahi Dansadau (APC, Maru South) under
matters of urgent public importance.

Mother allegedly suffocates newborn baby to death in Sokoto

A 19-year-old lady, Munirat Bagana, has been arrested
by the Sokoto state Police Command, for allegedly
suffocating her newborn baby.
Bagana, a Kebbi state indigene, however claimed
that she had a still-birth and the dead baby was
premature, Punch reports.

Parading the suspect before journalists, the
public relations officer of the Command, ASP
Cordelia Nwawe, said Bagana would be charged
after investigations are concluded.
Munirat Bagana claimed she had a still-birth (Photo credit:
Punch)
Adegokblog.com gathers that a 32-year-old man, Nnamdi
Nwafor, was also among the suspects paraded.
He reportedly specializes in stealing vehicles at
churches.
The suspect allegedly carries out his crimes by
stealing car keys from victims, after trailing them
to church.
He allegedly stole a Mercedes Benz at a Catholic
church along Ahmadu Bello Way in Sokoto; and

arrested with the vehicle in Kaduna.

Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that a
26-year-old woman killed her six-week-old baby
because she thought it was a 'devil' .
The woman moved from Senegal to Newcastle
with her elder daughter to reunite with her
husband. She suffered from a rare mental illness
known as Capgras Delusion, which caused her to
slit her child's throat.

June 12: Humphrey Nwosu also deserves national recognition - Don

Prof Joy Ezeilo has said that the former chairman of
the defunct National Electoral Commission of Nigeria,
Humphrey Nwosu also deserves national recognition
- She pointed out that without the declaration of the
result by Nwosu, it will still be unclear who won the
1993 presidential election
- Ezeilo also faulted the president for failing to
undertake legal and constitutional consultations
before changing Democracy Day from May 29 to June
12
A professor of law, Joy Ezeilo, has decried the
non-recognition of Prof Humphrey Nwosu,
former chairman of the defunct National
Electoral Commission of Nigeria who announced
the 1993 presidential election result.
Ezeilo, who is the dean, Faculty of Law at the
University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus expressed
the worry in Enugu on Thursday, June 7 in an
interview with the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN).


“I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for honoring
Chief MKO Abiola by this declaration, I urge him to accord
Prof Nwosu similar recognition because without that result
declaration, it will still be unclear who won the 1993
election.
“Prof Nwosu, against all odds and threats to life announced
the result. I strongly think he deserves presidential national
award while still alive, than waiting to posthumously
receive it,’’ she said.
NAIJ.com gathers that on the change of
Democracy Day from May 29 to June 12, the legal
luminary felt the earlier date should remain
because it was constitutional.
“However, the date may cease to be a public holiday and
the extant law to that effect, repealed.
“The change of democracy date from May 29 to June 12 is
not per se the problem; but failure to do prior consultation
and consideration of other ramifications especially on
constitutional and legal implications of this change,’’ she
said.
President Buhari had on June 6 resolved to
honour the winner of 1993 presidential election,
Chief Moshood Abiola with the highest honour of
Grand Commander of the Federal Republic
(GCFR).
Buhari also announced that Abiola’s running
mate in the election, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe
and the late human rights activist, Chief Gani
Fawehinmi should receive the second highest
national honour of the Grand Commander of the
Niger (GCON).


Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that
Nigerians commended President Muhammadu
Buhari on the declaration of June 12 as
Democracy Day.
The populace said the 1993 presidential elect,
late Moshood Abiola, deserves all the honour
given to him.

Kaduna governor hails IGP for doing an excellent job

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna has praised IGP
Ibrahim Idris for doing an excellent job
- The governor commended the Police boss at a
Ramadan lecture which was also attended by the
minister for information, Lai Mohammed
- El-Rufai also prayed for God to grant President
Muhammadu Buhari good health as he leads the
country
Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris was
hailed by the governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-
Rufai, on Thursday, June 7, for doing an
excellent job in the country.
El-Rufai made the comments at the annual
Ramadan lecture in Oro, Irepodun local
government area of Kwara state, The Nation
reports.


Adegokblog.com gathers that the minister for
information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was also
present at the event.
The governor praised the IGP, while thanking the
chief imam of Oro, Mikhail Onisan for praying
for the country and its leaders.
He said: “I thank the chief imam for his prayers for the
country, President Buhari, the inspector-general of Police
who is doing an excellent job, the minister of Information
and others. May God accept his prayers.”
He also prayed that God would bestow good
health on President Muhammadu Buhari, as he
leads the country.
During his speech, the minister for information
also praised the governor; describing him as a
detribalised Nigerian who believes in merit,
rather than religious or tribal sentiments.
He further praised the Oro community for being
religiously harmonious and tolerant; noting that
most chiefs of the community who attend the
annual lecture are Christians, and that some of
the editions of the programme were held at a
church compound.


This development follows a previous report by
adegokblog .com , that the Nigerian Senate declared
Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris, an
enemy of democracy, following his refusal to
honour an invitation to appear before the upper
chamber for a third time.
The lawmakers during plenary on Wednesday,
May 9, said Idris is not fit to hold public office in
Nigeria and abroad.
Senate President Bukola Saraki made the
declaration after the Senate emerged from a
closed door session where it deliberated on the
non-appearance of the Police boss.

We are trying very hard to normalize situation in the country for you - President Buhari to youths

President Buhari said his administration will
continue to create enabling environment for youths
- He urged them to continue to work hard and
diligently
- The president to also be employers of labour
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday
reassured Nigerians that his administration was
working hard to restore peace and socio-
economic prosperity in the country.
The president gave the reassurance when he
hosted Nigerian Artistes and Youth organisations
to breaking of fast at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja.

He stated that the Nigerian constitution had
provided him the opportunity to work diligently
towards uplifting the quality of life of all
Nigerians irrespective of their socio-political
backgrounds.
He, therefore, pledged that his administration
would continue to implement policies and
programmes aimed at creating enabling
environment for the youth to progress in
different human endeavours.
“We are trying very hard to normalize situation in the
country for you. I’m very pleased with the position of our
constitution.
“No matter how good you are you don’t have more than
two terms and no matter how bad you are you can hardly
last more than the first term. So, this generosity of the
constitution I respect very much.
“It gives me the opportunity to round up having been a
governor, minister, head of state in uniform and then going
to the Supreme Court three times to complain about my
being rigged out,’’ he said.
President Buhari also pledged that his
administration would continue to encourage the
youth to pursue their careers in meaningful
disciplines to enable them become not only self-
sustaining but also employers of labour in the
society.
He reiterated his call for massive voter education
across the country to enable electorate,
especially the youth obtain the Permanent Voter
Card (PVC) as the nation prepared for the 2019
general elections.
He said: “I will continue to dedicate my time to make sure
that Nigerians are enlightened on the importance of voter
education because this is vital for good governance.
“God brought us here but technology assisted us in being
where we are today. So, please continue to pursue your
education at all levels to improve yourselves and contribute
to the betterment of your respective communities.’’
Mr Kunle Afolayon, who spoke on behalf of the
Artistes, lauded the Buhari administration for its
concern for the well beings of all Nigerians
through the implementation of various social
intervention programmes in the country.

He promised that Nigerian Artistes would
continue to mobilise support for the Buhari
administration to enable it to deliver more
dividends of democracy to Nigerians
Meanwhile, leader of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) in United Kingdom, Ade Omole,
on Friday, June 1, said the Not-Too-Young-To-
Run Act demonstrated President Muhammadu
Buhari’s commitment to allowing youths space in
politics and governance.
He told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja
that signing the Bill into law was a step in the
right direction.
“It shows that the APC-led federal government headed by
President Buhari is committed to ensuring that Nigerian
youths are brought into the political space.

Breaking: Reps in rowdy session over June 12

The session of the House of Representatives on
Thursday, June 7, became rowdy as members
disagree over the declaration of June 12 as new
Democracy Day by President Muhammadu
Buhari.
Punch reports that some lawmakers supported it,
others asked the president to rescind his
decision.
The speaker Yakubu Dogara tried to keep rowdy
members on control for debate to continue.


Some of the lawmakers also kicked against the
honour given to Moshood Abiola, the presumed
winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Some lawmakers who also spoke on the issue
said there is need to ensure the rule of law is
followed regarding the matter, while others
spoke in favour of the president’s decision.
Meanwhile, adegokblog .com had reported that 25 years
after the annulment of June 12 , an election that
was adjudged to be the freest in Nigeria.
The election which was claimed to have been
won by Late Moshood Abiola, a Yoruba man
popularly called MKO is still a subject of great
discussion in the political arena of Nigeria.

June 12: Buhari has put an end to May 29 hypocrisy - Falana

Femi Falana welcomed the declaration of June 12 as
Democracy Day
- The human rights lawyer asked the government to
adopt Abiola’s welfare programme
- He also said Kudirat Abiola deserves an award as she
died fighting for her husband’s mandate
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has
commended President Muhammadu Buhari for
granting a post humous national award of Grand
Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on
Chief M. K. O. Abiola.
The Cable reports that Falana also said the
declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day was an
end to the hypocrisy of celebrating it on May 29.
According to him, it “ validated the integrity of the fair
and free election that was criminally annulled by the
Ibrahim Babangida junta ”.
He said the Muhammadu Buhari administration
has made history by conferring the post humous
national award of Grand Commander of the
Federal Republic (GCFR) on Chief M. K. O. Abiola,
who was the acclaimed winner of the June 12,
1993 presidential election for his huge
contribution to the restoration of democratic rule
in Nigeria.


“By declaring June 12 Democracy Day the federal
government has officially validated the integrity of the fair
and free election that was criminally annulled by the
Ibrahim Babangida junta.
“By recognizing June 12 as Democracy Day the federal
government has put an end to the hypocrisy of May 29
which was proclaimed by the Olusegun Obasanjo regime. By
confering the post humous award of national award of
Grand Commander of the Order of Niger (GCON) on Chief
Gani Fawehinmi SAN the federal government has officially
endorsed his enormous contributions to the titanic battle
against military dictatorship and promotion of human
rights in Nigeria.
“In addition to the historic gesture the federal government
should proceed to adopt chief Abiola’s programme of
welfare to poverty and respect the human rights of all
Nigerians which Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN championed
and defended in his life time.
“In particular, the federal government should mark the first
national democracy day on June 12, 2018 with the release
of all citizens who are being detained illegally all over the
country and immediate compliance with all valid and
subsisting court orders," Falana said.
He also called on the government to award
Kudirat Abiola as she died fighting for her
husband’s mandate.
adegokblog .com had earlier reported that President
Buhari announced that June 12 will be
celebrated as the new Democracy Day. The
president announced this via his Facebook page
on Wednesday, June 6.

The president also announced that the late Chief
Moshood Abiola who was adjudged the winner of
the cancelled June 12, 1993 election will be
posthumously awarded the highest honour in the
land, GCFR.

Life Will Go On If Van Persie Leaves - Thierry Henry

Arsenal legend Thierry Henry says the club will
overcome the departure of Robin van Persie if, as
expected, the skipper leaves the Emirates after
announcing earlier this summer that he would not
sign a new contract.
Netherlands international Van Persie, the North
Londoners' captain, has been heavily linked with
a move to Juventus or either Manchester City or
Manchester United.
He was the Premier League's top scorer last
season, but Henry - who spent eight years at
Arsenal and returned on loan last season - said
Arsene Wenger's team could move on without
him.
"We hope he stays," Henry, who now plays for
New York Red Bulls, told Sky Sports News. "I
don't know exactly what is happening but, as an
Arsenal fan, I want him to stay.
"He is still an Arsenal player, and the boss has to
deal with it. I just want Arsenal to do well. Robin
will do what he will do and we'll see. When I
left, everybody cried... but everyone comes and
goes."
Henry said the Gunners would be boosted by the
return of Jack Wilshere, who is set to make a
comeback in October after completing his
recovery from ankle and knee problems.
"You want Jack Wilshere around," he said. "He
reminds me of when I first arrived when the old
guard was there. He's an Arsenal fan in the first
place, and you need this type of player around in
the dressing room.
"It's not only that he's an Arsenal fan, and not
only an Englishman, but he's a good player - it's
as simple as that. What a shame that he stopped
a bit, because he was on his way."

12 powerful facts you need to know about June 12, Abiola's death

Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, CFR was
born on August 14, 1937 and died under suspicious
circumstances on July 7, 1998.
A popular Nigerian Yoruba businessman,
publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Yoruba
Egba clan, he is often referred to as M. K. O.
Abiola.
He ran for the presidency in 1993 and was
widely regarded as the presumed winner of the
election which was annuled by former military
head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Across Nigeria today, at least the six states in the
Southwest have declared June 12 a public
holiday and are holding ceremonies in his
honour.
In this piece, adegokblog .com presents major facts about
the historic June 12 and the unforgettable events
surrounding it.
1. Several of those involved in the election are dead
MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the
election, died in detention in 1998. Also, Justice
Bassey Ikpeme, who gave the controversial order
stopping the election, died in 1997.
Clement Akpamgbo, the attorney general and
minister of justice who was involved in the legal
tussles, died in 2006.
Admiral Augustus Aikhomu, the then second-in-
command to General Ibrahim Babangida, who
famously said Abiola could not be sworn in as
president because government was owing him a
lot of money, died in 2011.


2. The celebration lasted only two hours
Following the election victory, most Nigerians
celebrated in the streets. However on that fateful
day, 25 years ago, the celebrations were short-
lived as two hours later, the military declared
the election results annulled.


3. No Hausa or Fulani politicians featured on the
tickets
Strangely, the 1993 elections had no person of
Hausa or Fulani extraction picked as presidential
or vice-presidential candidate.
Alhaji Bashir Tofa, who contested against Abiola,
is a Kanuri from Kano. Alhaji Babagana Kingibe,
a Kanuri from Borno state, was Abiola’s running
mate. However, after the annulment, the Hausa/
Fulani bore the brunt.
4. Abiola won the election
This is not surprising, but it is quite important to
know that he won the election, fair and square.
Abiola scored 58.36% of the 14 million votes
cast.
His rival, Tofa, polled 5,952,087 votes,
representing 41.64%. Only three states each
returned more than 1 million votes, all southern:
Lagos, Rivers (now Rivers and Bayelsa) and
Ondo.
5. Abiola received the highest votes in Lagos state
Abiola received his highest votes from Lagos
state. He smiled home with 883,965. Ondo state
(now Ondo and Ekiti) delivered a total of 883,024
votes, which gave Lagos a good run for its
money.
6. The southwest were solidly behind him
Abiola scored more than 80% in each of the five
southwestern states: Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Osun and
Ogun state. Osun’s 87% was his highest
percentage nationwide. His 78% in Kwara was
his highest outside of the southwest.
7. His rival scored poorly
Tofa did not score up to 80% in any state. He
came close to that in Sokoto where he got 79%.
Incidentally, Abiola scored his worst percentage
in Sokoto (20%). Tofa, however, did not score up
to 70% in any other state after Rivers.
8. June 12 should be a national holiday
Many Nigerians are of the opinion that June 12
should be a national holiday. The date is
celebrated in honour of an annulled presidential
election in June 12, 1993. However, only some
Nigerian states were actually celebrating it until
Wednesday, June 6, when President
Muhammadu Buhari surprised the whole nation
by declaring June 12 the new Democracy Day to
replace May 29.
9. Babangida's role
The election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida
because of alleged evidence that they were
corrupt and unfair, a development that ushered
in a political crisis that led to General Sani
Abacha seizing power later that year.
10. Abiola declared himself president
In 1994, Abiola declared himself the lawful
president of Nigeria in the Epetedo area of Lagos
Island, an area mainly dominated by Lagos
indigenes, after he returned from a trip to solicit
the support of the international community for
his mandate.
After declaring himself president he was
declared wanted and was accused of treason and
arrested on the orders of military President
General Sani Abacha who sent 200 police
vehicles to bring him into custody.
11. Abiola's death
Abiola died on July 7, 1998 on the day he was
due to be released from incarceration under
suspicious circumstances shortly after the death
of General Abacha. The official autopsy stated
that Abiola died of natural causes but Abacha’s
chief security officer, Al-Mustapha, alleged he
was beaten to death.


12. The fairest election till date
The election was declared Nigeria’s freest and
fairest presidential election by national and
international observers, with Abiola even
winning in his Northern opponent’s home state.
June 12 is, thus, a day to remember chief
Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola as well as
other democracy martyrs.
Adegokblog .com earlier reported that a human rights
lawyer, Femi Falana, commended President
Buhari for granting a post humous national
award of Grand Commander of the Federal
Republic (GCFR) on Chief M. K. O. Abiola.
Falana also said the declaration of June 12 as
Democracy Day was an end to the hypocrisy of
celebrating it on May 29.
According to him, it “validated the integrity of the fair
and free election that was criminally annulled by the
Ibrahim Babangida junta”.
He said the Muhammadu Buhari administration
has made history by conferring the post humous
national award of Grand Commander of the
Federal Republic (GCFR) on Chief M. K. O. Abiola,
who was the acclaimed winner of the June 12,
1993 presidential election for his huge
contribution to the restoration of democratic rule
in Nigeria.

FLASHBACK: Full text of MKO Abiola's speech that got him arrested and jailed by Abacha

Just 24 years ago, in Epetedo, Lagos, Chief MKO Abiola,
the acclaimed winner of the June 12, presidential
election, made a proclamation seen as many to be his
inaugural speech; however, the scope of things turned
against him when after the speech, he was arrested
and jailed by the then head of state, General Sani
Abacha
Late Chief MKO Abiola made the speech on
Saturday, June 11. This move by Abiola cost him
his freedom and chance to rule as Nigeria's
president, Vanguard reports.
Read the full text below:
"People of Nigeria, exactly one year ago, you turned out in
your millions to vote for me, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, as the
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But politicians
in uniform, who call themselves soldiers but are more
devious than any civilian would want to be, deprived you of
your God-given right to be ruled by the President you had
yourselves elected.
"These soldier-politicians introduced into our body politic, a
concept hitherto unknown to our political lexicography,
something strangely called the “annulment” of an election
perceived by all to have been the fairest, cleanest and most
peaceful ever held in our nation.

"Since that abominable act of naked political armed robbery
occurred, I have been constantly urged by people of
goodwill, both in Nigeria and abroad, to put the matter
back into the people’s hands and get them to actualise the
mandate they gave me at the polls. But mindful of the need
to ensure that peace continues to reign in our fragile
federation, I have so far tried to pursue sweet reason and
negotiation.
"My hope has always been to arouse whatever remnants of
patriotism are left in the hearts of these thieves of your
mandate, and to persuade them that they should not allow
their personal desire to rule to usher our beloved country
into an era of political instability and economic ruin.
"All I have sought to do, in seeking dialogue with them, has
been to try and get them to realise that only real democracy
can move our nation forward towards progress, and earn
her the respect she deserves from the international
community.
"However, although this peaceful approach has exposed me
to severe censure by some who have mistaken it for
weakness on my part, those with whom I have sought to
dialogue have remained like stones, neither stirred to show
loyalty to the collective decision of the people of their own
country, nor to observe Allah’s injunction that they should
exhibit justice and fair-play in all their dealings with their
fellowmen.
"Appeals to their honour as officers and gentlemen of the
gallant Nigerian Armed Forces, have fallen on deaf ears.
Instead, they have resorted to the tactics of divide and rule,
bribery and political perfidy, misinformation and (vile)
propaganda.
"They arrest everyone who disagrees with them. Even the
71-year old hero of our nation, Chief Anthony Enahoro, was
not spared. How much longer can we tolerate all this?
People of Nigeria, you are all witnesses that I have tried to
climb the highest mountain, cross the deepest river and
walk the longest mile, in order to get these men to obey the
will of our people.
"There is no humiliation I have not endured, no snare that
has not been put in my path, no “setup” that has not been
designed for me in my endeavour to use the path of peace
to enforce the mandate that you bestowed on me one year
ago.
"It has been a long night. But the dawn is here. Today,
people of Nigeria, I join you all in saying, “Enough is
Enough!” We have endured 24 years of military rule in our
34 years of independence. Military rule has led to our
nation fighting a civil war with itself. Military rule has
destabilised our nation today as not before in its history.
"Military rule has impoverished our people and introduced
a dreadful trade in dr*gs which has made our country’s
name an anathema in many parts of the world. Even soccer
fans going to watch the Green Eagles display in America
are being made to suffer there needlessly because Nigeria’s
name is linked with credit card and fraud and “419.”
"Politically, military rule has torn to shreds the prestige due
to our country because of its size and population. The
permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council that
should be rightfully ours, is all but lost. For who will vote
for Nigeria to get the seat if Nigerian military rulers do not
respect the votes of their own people? Enough of military
rule.
"We are sickened to see people who have shown little or no
personal achievement, either in building up private
businesses, or making success of any tangible thing, being
placed in charge of the management of our nation’s
economy, by rulers who are not accountable to anyone.
Enough of square pegs in round holes.
"We are tired of then military repetitive tendency to
experiment with our economy: Today, they say “no
controls.” Tomorrow; they say “Full controls”. The day
after, they say “Fine tuning”. The next day, they say
“Devaluation.”
"A few days later, they say “Revalue the same naira
upwards again Abi?” All we can see are the consequences of
this permanent game of military “about turns;” high
inflation, a huge budget deficit and an enormous foreign
debt repayment burden, dying industries, high
unemployment and a demoralised populace.
"Our youths, in particular, can see no hope on the horizon,
and many can only dream of escaping from our shores to
join the brain drain. Is this the Nigeria we want? We are
plagued also by periodic balance of payments crises, which
have led to a perennial shortage of essential pills, that has
turned our hospitals and clinics into mortuaries.
"A scarcity of books and equipment has rendered our
schools into desolate deserts of ignorance. Our factories are
crying for machinery, spare parts and raw materials. But
each day that passes, instead of these economic diseases
being cured, they are rather strengthened as an irrational
allocation of foreign exchange based on favouritism and
corruption becomes the order of the day. Enough is enough
of economic mismanagement!
"People of Nigeria, during the election campaign last year, I
presented you with a programme entitled “HOPE ’93. This
programme was aimed precisely at solving these economic
(problems) that have demoralised us all.
"I toured every part of Nigeria to present this programme
to you the electorate. I was questioned on it at public rallies
and press conferences and I had the privilege of
incorporating into it much of the feedback that I obtained
from the people.
"Because you knew I would not only listen to you but
deliver superb results from the programme, you voted for
me in your millions and gave me an overwhelming majority
over my opponent. To be precise, you gave me 58.4 per cent
of the popular vote and a majority in 20 out of 30 states
plus the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
"Not only that, you also enabled me to fulfil the
constitutional requirement that the winner should obtain
one-third of the votes in two-thirds of the states. I am sure
that when you cast an eye on the moribund state of Nigeria
today, you ask yourselves: “What have we done to deserve
this, when we have a president- elect who can lead a
government that can change things for the better?
"Our patience has come to an end. As of now, from this
moment, a new Government of National Unity is in power
throughout the length and breadth of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, led by me, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, as President
and Commander-in-Chief. The National Assembly is hereby
reconvened. All dismissed governors are reinstated.
"The State Assemblies are reconstituted, as are all local
government councils. I urge them to adopt a bi-partisan
approach to all the issues that come before them. At the
national level, a bi-partisan approach will be our guiding
principle. I call upon the usurper, General Sani Abacha, to
announce his resignation forthwith, together with the rest
of his illegal ruling council.
"We are prepared to enter into negotiations with them to
work out the mechanics for a smooth transfer of power. I
pledge that if they hand over quietly, they will be retired
with all their entitlements, and their positions will be
accorded all the respect due to them.
"For our objective is neither recrimination nor witch-
hunting, but an enforcement of the will of the Nigerian
people, as expressed in free elections conducted by the duly
constituted authority of the time.
"I hereby invoke the mandate bestowed upon me by my
victory in the said election, to call on all members of the
Armed Forces and the Police, the Civil and Public Services
throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to obey only the
Government of National Unity that is headed by me, your
only elected President.
"My Government of National Unity is the only legitimate,
constituted authority in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as
of now. People of Nigeria, these are challenging times in the
history of our continent, Africa, and we in Nigeria must not
allow ourselves to be left behind.
"Our struggle is the same as that waged by the people of
South Africa, which has been successfully concluded, with
the inauguration of Mr. Nelson Mandela as the first African
President of that country. Nelson Mandela fought to replace
MINORITY rule with MAJORITY rule.
"We in Nigeria are also fighting to replace MINORITY rule,
for we are ruled by only a tiny section of our armed forces.
Like the South Africans, we want MAJORITY rule today,
that is rule only by those chosen by all the people of Nigeria
as a whole in free and fair elections.
"The only difference between South Africa and Nigeria is
that those who imposed minority rule on the majority rule
whether it is by black or white, remains minority rule, and
must be booted out. I call on you, heroic people of Nigeria,
to emulate the actions of your brothers and sisters in South
Africa and stand up as one person to throw away the yoke
of minority rule for ever.
"The antics of every minority that oppresses the majority
are always the same. They will try to intimidate you with
threats of police action. But do not let us fear arrest. In
South Africa, so many people were arrested, during the
campaign against the Pass Laws, for instance, that the jails
could not hold all of them.
"Today, apartheid is gone forever. So, let it be with Nigeria.
Let us say goodbye forever to minority rule by the military.
They talk of treason. But haven’t they heard of the Rivonia
treason trial in South Africa? Did those treason trials halt
the march of history? People of Nigeria, our time is now.


"You are the repository of power in the land. No one can
give you power. It is yours. Take it! From this day, show to
the world that anyone who takes the people of Nigeria for
fools is deceiving himself and will have the people to answer
to. God bless you all. Long live the Federal Republic of
Nigeria. Long live the Government of National Unity."
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that before his
birth, MKO’s father had lost 22 children in their
infant stage and so he was named Kashimawo
meaning ‘let’s wait and see’ with hope that
chances of that young child would survive
infancy was very slim.

Breaking: Buhari’s award of posthumous GCFR to Abiola illegal - Former chief justice

Alfa Belgore said President Buhari's award of GCFR
to Abiola is illegal
- The former chief justice said it cannot be awarded to
people who have passed away
- He said he was not consulted by the presidency
Alfa Belgore who is a former chief justice of
Nigeria has said that President Muhammadu
Buhari’s post homous award of Grand
Commander of the Federal Republic to Chief
MKO Abiola was illegal.
Premium Times reports that Belgore said this on
Wednesday, June 6, after the president’s move.


He said: “It is not done. It is for people living.”
Belgore who is the chairman of the 2016 national
honours committee also said he “was not consulted”
by the Buhari administration before the decision
was taken.
He explained that " under the 1963 National Honours
Act, only soldiers or other servicemen could be awarded
posthumous medals for their bravery ."
adegokblog .com had earlier reported that President
Buhari announced that June 12 will be
celebrated as the new Democracy Day.


The president announced this via his Facebook
page on Wednesday, June 6.
The president also announced that the late Chief
Moshood Abiola who was adjudged the winner of
the cancelled June 12, 1993 election will be
posthumously awarded the highest Honour in
the land, GCFR.

IBB’s 1993 presidential election annulment speech

In the heat of the suspense that followed the 1993
presidential election which was declared as the freest
and fairest in Nigeria's history, then head of state,
General Ibrahim Babangida, annulled the election, in
a broadcast to the entire world.
This singular action gave birth to the various
groups that began the demand for democracy
that finally came in 1999 after the death of
military head of state, General Sani Abacha.
NAIJ.com notes that Abacha died in office as the
head of state on June 8, 1998.
Ibrahim Babangida, Moshood Abiola and Sani Abacha
Nigeria welcomed democracy in the post-Shagari
era with the swearing-in of Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo to the office on May 29, 1999.

Here is the speech by Babangida that almost
swallowed Nigeria:
"Fellow Nigerians, I address you today with a deep sense of
world history and particularly of the history of our great
country. In the aftermath of the recently annulled
Presidential Election, I feel, as I believe you yourself feel, a
profound sense of disappointment at the outcome of our
last efforts at laying the foundation of a viable democratic
system of government in Nigeria.
"I therefore wish, on behalf of myself and members of the
National Defence and Security Council and indeed of my
entire administration, to feel with my fellow countrymen
and women for the cancellation of the election. It was a
rather disappointing experience in the course of carrying
through the last election of the transition to civil rule
programme.
"Nigeria has come a long way since this administration
assumed power and leadership about eight years ago. In the
attempt to grapple with the critical and monumental
problems and challenges of National existence and social
progress, this administration inaugurated and pursued
sound and justifiable policies and programmes of reform.
"These policies and programmes have touched virtually all
aspects of our national life – the economy, political process,
social structures, external relations, bureaucracy and even
the family system. I believe strongly that in understanding,
conception, formulation and articulation, these policies and
programmes are not only sound but also comparatively
unassailable. I believe too that history, with the passage of
time, would certainly score the administration high in its
governance of our country.
"Let me also express my deep conviction that the core
strategy and structures of our reform policies and
programmes, as enunciated in 1986/87 would, for a very
long time, remain relevant and durable in the course of
changing our country positively.
"I believe that at the exit of the administration from power,
we would leave behind for prosperity, a country with an
economy, the structures of which have been turned around
for good.
"The average Nigerian person has come to reconcile himself
with the fact that his or her social progress remain
essentially in his or her hands in collaboration with other
fellow Nigerians; and not merely relying on what
government alone could provide for him or her. The days
are gone for good, when men and women trooped to
government establishments for employment and for
benevolence.

"This administration has built the foundation that would
take Nigerians away from their previous colonially-induced
motivations and the encumbrances of colonialism. We have
laid the foundation for self-reliant economic development
and social justice.
"We have established a new basis in our country in which
economic liberalization would continue to flourish alongside
democratic forces, and deregulated power structure. In all
these, the average Nigerian person has more than ever
before this administration imbibed and assimilated the
values of hard work, resilience and self-confidence.
"It is true that in the course of implementing our reform
policies and programmes and especially because of the
visionary zeal with which we approached the assignment
and responded to incidental pressures of governance, we
engendered a number of social forces in the country.
"This is so because we sought to challenge and transform
extant social forces, which had in the past impeded growth
and development of our country. We also sought to deal
with the new forces to which our programmes of action
gave rise. Thus, in dealing with the dynamics of both the old
and new social forces, we ran into certain difficulties.
"In particular, during the course of handling the
interlocking relationships between the old and new political
forces and institutions, some problems had arisen, leading
us into a number of difficulties and thereby necessitating
our having to tamper with the rules and regulations laid
down in the political programme.
"As a result, the administration unwittingly attracted
enormous public suspicions of its intentions and objectives.
Accordingly, we have experienced certain shortfalls and
conflicting responses to the pulls and pushes of governance
in the course of policy implementation.
"I believe that areas of difficulties with the transition
programme, especially from the last quarter of 1992 to the
recent cancelled presidential election, derived primarily
from the shortfalls in implementing the programmes of
actions, which, though objectively taken, may have caused a
deviation from the original framework, and structure of the
programme.
"Fellow Nigerians, it is true that by the cancelled
presidential election, we all found the nation at a peculiar
bar of history which was neither bargained for, nor was it
envisaged in the reform programmes of transition as
enunciated in 1986/87.
"In the circumstance, the administration had no option than
to respond appropriately to the unfortunate experience of
terminating the presidential election. Our actions are in full
conformity with the original objectives of the transition to
civil programme.
"It was also in conformity with the avowed commitment of
the administration to advance the cause of national unity,
stability, and democracy. In annulling the presidential
election, this administration was keenly aware of its
promise in November 1992, that it would disengage and
institute a return to democracy on August 27, 1993. We are
determined to keep the promise.


"Since this transition, and indeed any transition, must have
an end, I believe that our transition programme should and
must come to an end, honestly and honourably.
"History will bear witness that as an administration we
have always striven, in all our policy decisions, to build the
foundation of lasting democracy. Lasting democracy is not
a temporary show of excitement and manipulation by an
over-articulate section of the elite and its captive audience;
lasting democracy is a permanent diet to nurture the soul of
the whole nation and the political process.
"Therefore, it is logical, as we have always insisted upon,
that lasting democracy must be equated with political
stability.
"Informed by our sad experience of history, we require
nothing short of a foundation for lasting democracy. As an
administration, we cannot afford to leave Nigerian into a
Third Republic with epileptic convulsions in its democratic
health. Nigeria must therefore confront her own reality; she
must solve her problems notwithstanding other existing
models of democracy in other parts of the world.
"In my address to the nation in October 1992, when the first
presidential primaries were cancelled, I had cause to
remind our country men and women that there is nowhere
in the world in which the practice of democracy is the
same, even if the principles are similar and even for
countries sharing the same intellectual tradition and
cultural foundation.
"The history of our country is not the history of any other
country in the world, which is either practicing advanced
democracy or struggling to lay the foundation for
democracy. Yet, in spite of the uniqueness and peculiarities
of Nigeria, there are certain prerequisites, which constitute
an irreducible minimum for democracy. Such essential
factors include:
"Fellow Nigerians, you would recall that it was precisely
because the presidential primaries of last year did not meet
the basic requirements of free and fair elections that the
Armed Forces Ruling Council had good reason to cancel
those primaries. The recently annulled presidential election
was similarly afflicted by these problems.
"Even before the presidential elections, and indeed at the
party conventions, we had full knowledge of the bad signals
pertaining to the enormous breach of the rules and
regulations of democratic elections.
"But because we were determined to keep faith with the
deadline of 27th August 1993 for the return of civil rule, we
overlooked the reported breaches. Unfortunately, these
breaches continued into the presidential election of June 12,
1993, on an even greater proportion.
"There were allegations of irregularities and other acts of
bad conduct leveled against the presidential candidates, but
NEC went ahead and cleared them. There were proofs as
well as documented evidence of widespread use of money
during the party primaries as well as the presidential
election. These were the same bad conduct for which the
party presidential primaries of 1992 were cancelled.
"Evidence available to government put the total amount of
money spent by the presidential candidates as over two
billion, one hundred million naira (N2.1 billion). The use of
money was again the major source of undermining the
electoral process.
"Both these allegations and evidence were known to the
National Defence and Security Council before the holding of
the June 12, 1993 election. The National Defence and
Security Council overlooked these areas of problems in its
determination to fulfill the promise to hand over to an
elected president on due date.

"Apart from the tremendous negative use of money during
the party primaries and presidential elections, there were
moral issues, which were also overlooked by the Defence
and National Security Council.
"There were cases of documented and confirmed conflict of
interest between the government and both presidential
aspirants, which would compromise their positions, and
responsibilities were they to become president.
"We believe that politics and government are not ends in
themselves. Rather, service and effective amelioration of
the condition of our people must remain the true purpose of
politics.
"It is true that the presidential election was generally seen
to be free, fair and peaceful. However, there was in fact a
huge array of election malpractices virtually in all the
states of the federation before the actual voting began.
There were authenticated reports of the election
malpractices against party agents, officials of the National
Electoral Commission and also some members of the
electorate.
"If all of these were clear violations of the electoral law,
there were proofs of manipulations through offer and
acceptance of money and other forms of inducement
against officials of the National Electoral Commission and
members of the electorate.
"There were also evidence of conflict in the process of
authentication and clearance of credentials of the
presidential candidates. Indeed, up to the last few hours to
the election, we continued in our earnest steadfastness with
our transition deadline, to overlook vital facts.
"For example, following the council’s deliberation, which
followed the court injunction suspending the election,
majority of members of the National Defence and Security
Council supported postponement of the election by one
week.
"This was to allow NEC enough time to reach all the voters,
especially in the rural areas, about the postponement. But
persuaded by NEC that it was capable of relaying the
information to the entire electorate within the few hours
left before the election, the council, unfortunately, dropped
the idea of shifting the voting day. Now, we know better.
"The conduct of the election, the behaviour of the
candidates and post-election responses continued to elicit
signals, which the nation can only ignore at its peril.
"It is against the foregoing background that the
administration became highly concerned when these
political conflicts and breaches were carried to the court.
"It must be acknowledged that the performance of the
judiciary on this occasion was less than satisfactory. The
judiciary has been the bastion of the hopes and liberties of
our citizens.
"Therefore, when it became clear that the courts had
become intimidated and subjected to the manipulation of
the political process, and vested interests then the entire
political system was in clear dangers.
"This administration could not continue to watch the
various high courts carry on their long drawn-out processes
and contradictory decisions while the nation slides into
chaos.
"It was under this circumstance that the National Defence
and Security Council decided that it is in the supreme
interest of law and order, political stability and peace that
the presidential election be annulled. As an administration,
we have had special interest and concern not only for the
immediate needs of our society, but also in laying the
foundation for generations to come.
"To continue action on the basis of the June 12, 1993
election, and to proclaim and swear in a president who
encouraged a campaign of divide-and-rule among our
ethnic groups would have been detrimental to the survival
of the Third Republic. Our need is for peace, stability and
continuity of politics in the interest of all our people.
"Fellow countrymen and women, although the National
Electoral Commission and the Centre for Democratic
Studies officially invited foreign observers for the
presidential elections, the administration also considered it
as important as a democratic society, that our activities
and electoral conduct must be open not only to the citizenry
of our country but also to the rest of the world.
"In spite of this commitment, the administration did not
and cannot accept that foreign countries should interfere in
our internal affairs and undermine our sovereignty.
"The presidential election was no an exercise imposed on
Nigerians by the United Nations or by the wishes of some
global policemen of democracy. It was a decision embarked
upon independently by the government of our country and
for the interest of our country.
"This is because, we believe, just like other countries, that
democracy and democratization are primary values which
Nigerians should cultivate, sustain and consolidate so as to
enhance freedom, liberties and social development of the
citizenry.
"The actions of these foreign countries are most
unfortunate and highly regrettable. There is nowhere in the
history of our country or indeed of the third world where
these countries can be said to love Nigeria or Nigerians any
more that the love we have for ourselves and for our
country. Neither can they claim to love Nigeria any more
than this administration loves our country.


"Accordingly, I wish to state that this administration will
take necessary action against any interest groups that seek
to interfere in our internal affairs. In this vein, I wish to
place on record the appreciation of this administration for
the patience and understanding of Nigerians, the French, the
Germans, the Russians and Irish governments in the current
situation.
"I appeal to our fellow countrymen and women and indeed
our foreign detractors that they should cultivate proper
understanding and appreciation of the peculiar historic
circumstances in the development of our country and the
determination not only of this administration but indeed of
all Nigerians to resolve the current crises.
"Fellow Nigerians, the National Security and Defence
Council has met several times since the June 12, 1993
election. The council has fully deliberated not only on our
avowed commitment but also to bequeathing to posterity, a
sound economic and political base in our country and we
shall do so with honour.
"In our deliberations, we have also taken note of several
extensive consultations with other members of this
administration, with officers and men of the Armed Forces
and will well-meaning Nigerian leaders of thought. We are
committed to handing over power on 27th August 1993.
"Accordingly, the National Defence and Security Council has
decided that by the end of July 1993 the two political
parties, under the supervision of a recomposed National
Electoral Commission, will put in place the necessary
process for the emergence of two presidential candidates.
"This shall be conducted according to the rules and
regulations governing the election of the president of the
country. In this connection, government will in consultation
with the two political parties and National Electoral
Commission, agree as to the best and quickest process of
conducting the election.
"In the light of our recent experience and, given the mood of
the nation, the National Defence and Security Council has
imposed additional conditions as a way of widening and
deepening the base of electing the president and sanitizing
the electoral process. Accordingly, the candidates for the
coming election must:
(1) Not be less than 50 years old;
(2) Have not been convicted of any crime;
(3) Believe, by act of faith and practice, in the corporate
existence of Nigerians;
(4) Posses records of personal, corporate and business
interests which do not conflict with the national interests;
(5) Have been registered members of either of the two
political parties for at least one year to this election.
"All those previously banned from participating in the
transition process other than those with criminal records,
are hereby unbanned. They can all henceforth participate in
the electoral process.
"This is with a view to enriching the quality of candidature
for the election and at the same time taps the leadership
resources of our country to the fullest. The decree to this
effect will be promulgated.
"Fellow Nigerians, I wish to finally acknowledge the
tremendous value of your patience and understanding,
especially in the face of national provocation.
"I urge you to keep faith with the commitment of this
administration.
"I enjoin you to keep faith with the unity, peace and stability
of our country for this is the only country that you and I
can call our own. Nowhere in the world, no matter the
prompting and inducements of foreign countries, can
Nigerians ever be regarded as first-class citizens.
"Nigeria is the only country that we have. We must
therefore renew our hope in Nigeria, and faith and
confidence in ourselves for continued growth, development
and progress.
"Thank you all, and God bless you."


Meanwhile, adegokblog .com previously reported that
President Muhammadu Buhari announced that
June 12 will be celebrated as the new Democracy
Day.
The president announced this via his Facebook
page on Wednesday, June 6.
He also announced that the late Chief Moshood
Abiola who was adjudged the winner of the
cancelled June 12, 1993 election will be
posthumously awarded the highest honour in the
land, GCFR.