De - Bliss

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has admitted that President Muhammadu Buhari is no longer popular like he was during the 2015 general election. “All governments worldwide in between terms lose some degree of popularity; no question about that,” he told Punch. “We are having harsh economic times, no question about that and that does not increase the popularity of any government. It only diminishes it to some extent. What is different is that, in our case, in spite of the harsh economic realities, the people still have full confidence, trust. “I think that is the proper word, in President Buhari, that he will do his very best to improve their lot and I think the proof of that was the reaction to the threatened strikes by the labour unions. You can see that even though people are unhappy, they refused to come out because they understood. “They are in pain but they understood why the pain was there and they trusted the President that ...

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, says the party is sad that a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the Deputy Senate President. Reacting to a comment by Senator Dino Melaye that the APC should be grateful that it didn’t lose the National Assembly leadership to the PDP instead of persecuting Saraki, Oyegun told Punch that “the thing that rankled us most was the election of Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.” “Saraki is a member of the APC, much as the main line of the party would have wished a different result and a different scenario but we all find it very, very difficult to accept the emergence of a PDP person as his deputy”, he declared. On investigation of PDP over its campaign funds, while there are no prosecution of APC members over its own campaign funds, Oyegun replied: “We are not investigating PDP campaign funds. We are investigating records as to how public funds were hijacked for illegal purposes which we...

" As far as we are concerned, the president’s principal adviser, his nephew, is one nonentity called Mamman Daura. “Then there is his Chief of Staff [Abba Kyari], who was brought up by Mamman Daura. “And the scoundrel who is the Secretary to the Government of Federation [Babachir David]. “Then most of the incompetent ministers, whom are not cut out to work harmoniously with the legislature. “And of course, there is the unfortunate additional bad luck of Buhari being surrounded by his own relations who are not politicians. “For instance, Mamman Daura, virtually runs the government. He has veto power. “There have been instances when Buhari gave written approval for things to be done, and that man threw the paper away. “He has become such a tyrant in the Presidency. He is a nephew to Buhari. “His father was the elder brother of Buhari. “Although their age difference is about three years, his father is an elder brother to Buhari and they grew up together. “[Abba Kyari] was brought up...

The former Governor of Abia, Dr. Orji Kalu, has expressed shock over the demise of front-line politician and philanthropist, Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi. The late presidential candidate of the APP/AD Alliance in 1999 died in London on Wednesday. According to the former governor, the late Marafan Sokoto was a perfect gentleman and a patriotic statesman, who was committed to the cause of a just and fair society. In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Kunle Oyewumi, Kalu said, “the demise of Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi is a huge loss to the nation considering his contributions to the social, economic and political development of Nigeria. “Having served in different capacities especially in the public sector, he died at a time his counsel on national issues is most needed. “Alhaji Shinkafi was a detribalized Nigerian and he built friendships and relationships beyond the boundaries of the North. “The demise of the Marafan Sokoto has created a big vacuum in the political circle. “The mem...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Southern Senatorial District Youths in Ondo State have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently constitute board members for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The youths spoke through their senatorial youth leader, Mr. Soji Ogungbeni, to reporters shortly after their monthly meeting held in Okitipupa local government. The youth leader blamed resuscitation of militancy in the Niger Delta region as the failure of the present administration to constitute the NDDC board. Ogungbeni expressed optimism that if the government put the board in place, it would help to arrest the scourge of militants’ activities in the region. The APC chieftain noted that “the President must understand that his failure to constitute the NDDC board has drawn the Niger Delta, which Ondo southern senatorial district is part of backward. “We the youths in APC believe that putting the board in place would fast track development and also help to curb the resuscitati...

Chelsea have signed Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi for £33million from Marseille on a five-year contract making him the club's first signing of the Antonio Conte era. The Belgian, 22, arrived at the Cobham training ground on Sunday to put pen to paper after Chelsea and Marseille agreed on a fee during the week. Speaking to Chelsea's official website, Batshuayi said: ‘I am delighted to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe and embark on the next chapter in my career. I hope I can help Chelsea win many trophies during my time at Stamford Bridge.Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois have told me many good things about the club, and with Antonio Conte coming in it's an exciting time to become a Chelsea player. ‘This is a fantastic opportunity for myself and my family, I am looking forward to playing in the Premier League next season.’ More photos...

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has appealed to Nigerians to stop blaming Fulani herdsmen for every attack that happens in some parts of the country. The Sultan said this during a dinner organised for religious leaders, security agencies and media practitioners in his palace in Sokoto over the weekend. “If criminals are doing bad things, they are criminals and they can be found anywhere in any religion and tribe. Therefore don’t add religious or tribal toga to any act of terrorism. Fulani men are only after their cattle not after any government or its policies and programmes. How can they carry weapons, to go and do what with it?” he queried According to the Sultan, Muslims are more marginalised in the country only that they are not complaining. “When there is a vacant position and a Hausa man is appointed, we called it ‘northernisation and when a Muslim leader visit an Islamic country we say he is trying to Islamise Nigeria. In fact, there are many people from oth...

Read the press statement below... The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has told President Mohammadu Buhari to return the N1.5 billion of the State money donated to fund his election by former governor of the State, Dr Kayode Fayemi. The party said “equity and justice demand that Buhari should return what he got from Ekiti State treasury through Fayemi, if he is running after those who allegedly got money from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).” State Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Jackson Adebayo said in a release issued in Ado-Ekiti on Monday that the N1.5 billion, if returned will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the dwindling economic fortune of the State, especially payment of workers salary. Fayemi, who is now Buhari’s Minister of Solid Minerals reportedly transferred N1.5 billion from his account in a bank located along Liberation Square, Accra, Ghana to the APC Presidential Campaign Fund account “in other to place him in a vantage posi...