Proposed May 28 Handover by GEJ Suspicious – APC

The president Jonathan led administration stated a little while ago that it plans to hand over to the incoming government which would be led by Muhammadu Buhari – Well, it looks like the All Progressives Congress is uncomfortable with the May 28 handover date…

Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, had announcement to journalists after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting that “By May 28, the President intends to have the formal handover done at a dinner so that we can reserve May 29 for the incoming government.”
Well, according to investigation by PUNCH, it was revealed that the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) are set to clash over a proposal by the Jonathan team to hand over the mantle of leadership to Buhari on May the 28th, instead of the 29th – As the Buhari team are suspicious the proposed May 28 handover was an act of ill-will laced with sinister motives.
However, since the return of democracy in 1999, the traditional date for the handover of power has been May 29, which is also observed as Democracy Day and this tradition has been what it is for the past 16 years. It also presents an opportunity for the outgoing President to formally present the instrument of authority to his successor in the full glare of members of the public, local and international media, as well as foreign dignitaries.
An All Progressives Congress member, who spoke on condition of anonymity “It is simply not acceptable, we are rejecting it, it is a trap.”

“How can anyone explain a situation where an outgoing president and his team will conveniently excuse themselves from an event where they are supposed to play a role when the President-elect and the Vice-President- elect are supposed to be present?”

“If Jonathan hands over on the 28th, who accounts for the hours before the morning of the 29th when the Chief Justice of the Federation is to administer the oath of office and the oath of allegiance?
“What if there is even a sinister motive to this whole saga? As the President of the nation; who will still be the Chief Security officer until he hands over, there is no excuse that is strong enough to excuse him from the event.”

A member of the Buhari campaign team, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said:

“That statement is loaded and it shows that the Nigerian people should not rest yet that there is still ominous signs which we should never take for granted. If Jonathan truly said he is handing over on the 28th it presupposes that he will be absent on the 29th.
“Number one, if he hands over on the 28th to the President-elect, does Gen. Muhammadu Buhari start to act effectively on that date? The answer is an emphatic NO.
“GMB does not start to act on that date, if you get what I mean. Handing over to GMB on that date is not only meaningless, it is stupid. It has no meaning in law, or reality. It means that for 24 hours before GMB takes over there will be a vacuum.”

What do you think???

UK Taxpayers face huge bill to recover profits from £50m fraudster (James Ibori)

Here's a report I found on Standard UK. UK Taxpayers are blaming former Delta state governor James Ibori for a huge new bill. Find the report below...

Taxpayers are facing a “huge” new bill after efforts to force a former Nigerian state governor from London to repay profits from a £50 million fraud were delayed for more than a year.

James Ibori, who began his working life as a £5,000-a-year cashier at a Wickes DIY branch in Ruislip, became a multi-millionaire after returning to his homeland and committing a series of scams during an eight-year career running its oil rich Delta State.

His wealth allowed him to buy expensive homes, a £12 million jet and a £1 million fleet of cars including a Bentley, Mercedes and armoured Range Rovers. His crimes were detected in a Scotland Yard investigation that led to him being jailed in April 2012 for 13 years for fraud and money laundering.

But a decision on how much he will have to repay has now been postponed again, to June next year, after lawyers for Ibori and two other defendants told Southwark crown court that more time was needed to prepare their cases.

It means Ibori will not have to repay any of the money until at least 2017.

Prosecuting barrister Sasha Wass QC said the delay to the hearing, which was due to start in 2013, meant the cost to the taxpayer of dealing with Ibori would spiral further. She said £2 million had already been spent on his defence. Ivan Krolick, representing Ibori, told the judge that he and another defence barrister needed more time because of the recent submission of a 66,000-page file of prosecution evidence.

Ms Wass said the new file contained evidence already given to the defence, repackaged to make it easier to read.

Judge Pitts agreed to delay the hearing after barristers for the other defendants, London solicitor Bhadresh Gohil and Ibori’s former mistress Udoamaka Onuigbo, also called for a delay.
Ms Onuigbo’s barrister, Ami Feder, said his client — deported after serving her prison term for money laundering — wished to return to Britain for the hearing but failed to obtain a visa and needed time for a new application.

Ibori was governor of Nigeria’s Delta State between 1999 and 2007. He admitted fraud totalling nearly £50 million, but now denies making personal profit from his crimes.   

Meet the South African king whose remarks launched the Xenophobic attacks

Zulu King Godwill Zwelithi's utterances on March 23rd launched the Zenophobic attacks in South Africa and he had refused to apologize, even after finding out that his people have maimed, killed and destroyed businesses belonging to black foreigners. He's still insisting that foreigners should go back to their countries but tried to save face by saying attacking the foreigners is not how to chase them away. He wants the government to do it legally.

During a speech last month, Zwelithini called for the deportation of foreign nationals living in the country, saying it was unacceptable locals were being made to compete with people from other countries for the few economic opportunities they had available. King Zwelithi said "foreigners must pack their bags and go home".

His three major complaints and why he wanted foreigners to go were; 1. SA traders in the townships said they could not compete with the prices that foreign-owned businesses were selling their products. 2; foreigners involved in crime. 3. Lack of respect shown by foreigners to locals.

Addressing Pongolo community members during a moral regeneration event, Zwelithini accused government of failing to protect locals from the “influx of foreign nationals”. He said;

“Most government leaders do not want to speak out on this  matter because they are scared  of losing votes.  As the king of the Zulu nation, I cannot tolerate a situation where we are being led by leaders with no views whatsoever.

“We are requesting those who come from outside to please go back to their countries. The fact that there were countries that played a role in the country’s struggle for liberation should not be used as an excuse to create a situation where foreigners are allowed to inconvenience locals. I know you were in their countries during the struggle for liberation. But the fact of the matter is you did not set up businesses in their countries."

His comments were widely condemned with the SA DA describing it “highly irresponsible' 'Particularly given the recent spate of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, he should do the right thing – retract and apologise,”

He didn't and his spokesman went on record to say the King had nothing to apologize for, that he meant every word he said.

“I think the people who’re complaining are misinterpreting his speech. He didn’t say foreigners must be attacked or harassed. The king was talking about foreigners who are here illegally. Some are involved in serious crimes like drug and human trafficking. We don’t need such people in our country so the king is right.” His spokesman said

After the killing spread across different cities, the king has relented a little and is planning to speak to his people this Monday in an effort to quell the attacks. He's expected to address the public directly and clarify his statement and ask his people to stop the violence which his words started...

Posted by Linda Ikeji at 10:00 AM

Nigerian reportedly attacked in Johannesburg

A chilling story from a Nigerian who lives in Centurion, South Africa about an attack on another Nigerian in Johannesburg today. Meanwhile, how many of you have watched those horrible videos on Facebook showing the killing of African immigrants? And they are attacking children. In one video, some children were beaten, tied up and the men poured gasoline on their body. Can't share the videos here...go on Facebook. Can't believe this is happening in 2015.

Photos from actress Ivie Okujaye's traditional wedding... Here are some photos from the traditional wedding of super talented actress, Ivie Okujaye to her man, Ezzy. It took place yesterday. Their white wedding will take place today. Another photo after the cut.. Photo credit @acephotographyng.

Photos from actress Ivie Okujaye's traditional wedding...

Here are some photos from the traditional wedding of super talented actress, Ivie Okujaye to her man, Ezzy. It took place yesterday. Their white wedding will take place today. Another photo after the cut..

Photo credit @acephotographyng.

Chibok girls kidnapped to present GEJ's govt as incompetent- Doyin Okupe

Below is what the presidential Spokesperson shared this morning on his Facebook page...

One of the reasons the Chibok girls were kidnapped was to present Jonathan's administration as incompetent and hold it to ransom against 2015 elections.

One of the reasons the BBOG was formed was to sustain and internationalise the embarrassment. One of the reasons President Jonathan lost the election was a national and international conspiracy predicated on this carefully choreographed and assiduously sustained perception.

One of the issues that will be in the hand over notes will be the missing girls.

What is reasonable and expedient for well meaning men and women of good conscience is to dialogue with the incoming administration on what best new approach to employ to find and rescue the chibok girls.

Not much can be achieved, except mischief, by continuing to flog this administration on this matter.
I REST MY CASE.

New Photo of Nadia Buari & One of her Twin Babies

New mum Nadia isn't showing off her babies' faces just yet. She just shared this on her IG page.

UK Taxpayers face huge bill to recover profits from £50m fraudster (James Ibori)

Here's a report I found on Standard UK. UK Taxpayers are blaming former Delta state governor James Ibori for a huge new bill. Find the report below...

Taxpayers are facing a “huge” new bill after efforts to force a former Nigerian state governor from London to repay profits from a £50 million fraud were delayed for more than a year.

James Ibori, who began his working life as a £5,000-a-year cashier at a Wickes DIY branch in Ruislip, became a multi-millionaire after returning to his homeland and committing a series of scams during an eight-year career running its oil rich Delta State.

His wealth allowed him to buy expensive homes, a £12 million jet and a £1 million fleet of cars including a Bentley, Mercedes and armoured Range Rovers. His crimes were detected in a Scotland Yard investigation that led to him being jailed in April 2012 for 13 years for fraud and money laundering.

But a decision on how much he will have to repay has now been postponed again, to June next year, after lawyers for Ibori and two other defendants told Southwark crown court that more time was needed to prepare their cases.

It means Ibori will not have to repay any of the money until at least 2017.

Prosecuting barrister Sasha Wass QC said the delay to the hearing, which was due to start in 2013, meant the cost to the taxpayer of dealing with Ibori would spiral further. She said £2 million had already been spent on his defence. Ivan Krolick, representing Ibori, told the judge that he and another defence barrister needed more time because of the recent submission of a 66,000-page file of prosecution evidence.

Ms Wass said the new file contained evidence already given to the defence, repackaged to make it easier to read.

Judge Pitts agreed to delay the hearing after barristers for the other defendants, London solicitor Bhadresh Gohil and Ibori’s former mistress Udoamaka Onuigbo, also called for a delay.
Ms Onuigbo’s barrister, Ami Feder, said his client — deported after serving her prison term for money laundering — wished to return to Britain for the hearing but failed to obtain a visa and needed time for a new application.

Ibori was governor of Nigeria’s Delta State between 1999 and 2007. He admitted fraud totalling nearly £50 million, but now denies making personal profit from his crimes.   

Actress Chika Ike's African Diva Reality show premieres on Youtube

Star actress Chika Ike's African Diva Reality show has premiered on YouTube and will be showing every Friday on the Iroko TV Channel on YouTube. See a video after the cut...

Www.africandivashow.com

Did Oba Akiolu’s threat work for Ambode? Yes and No!

Below is an article by Vanguard on how the threat by Oba of Lagos may have worked for Governor -elect, Ambode 

Pa Ikechukwu Okonkwo, a septuagenarian, and his family stayed back in their three-bedroom apartment in Festac Town, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, to monitor reports from his large screen television while the April 11 gubernatorial election lasted.

Unlike the previous election, where the aged grandpa had encouraged all his children to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in the March 28 presidential election, this time, he handed down a warning to all members of the family never to be involved in the gubernatorial election in the state. His reason was not farfetched.

The fear of the pronouncement of a first class tradition ruler was the beginning of wisdom. Even though some people believed the recent Oba Akiolu’s tirade was only a mere joke, Pa Okonkwo did not want to leave it to chance as according to him,

 “When a king makes a pronouncement on what bothers on his interest and even swears to it, it is better to abstain than to take a risk.

“I will not take chances; traditional rulers are powerful. They can do anything in the name of culture and tradition.”

Okonkwo, without apology said:

 “What people don’t know is that if he meant it, it may not necessarily be dying in the lagoon. It could be a philosophical statement which may manifest in the form of ill-luck or inexplicable occurrence at a later date on those who go against his wish, especially when people said he swore by his throne. I warned my children to stay at home and watch how it will end.”

Pa Okonkwo may not be alone on this line of thought; other Igbo residents in the state had different ideas on how the Oba’s threat affected their voting pattern or contributed to the turn-out of the last election in the state. If the Igbo actually came out for the election, did they vote out of anger and emotion? Did it cause voter apathy among Ndigbo or spur them to vote against the Oba’s wish?

Political observers believe that the pattern of voting in the presidential election, especially from the South-East, could have given the monarch much concern about how the Igbo in the state could sway the votes for Agbaje and therefore he handed down the threat.

Whether a mere joke or not, with the outrage that greeted the development, political analysts therefore expected protest votes from Igbo voters against the APC candidate. And scared of this the APC almost went on their knees to plead with Ndigbo to disregard the Oba’s threat and maintained that he spoke for himself and not the APC. The fear of protest vote swinging the pendulum for PDP’ Jimi Agbaje was palpable. Would the Igbo vote in Agbaje? Alas, that was not to be. Instead, not only that the Oba’s candidate won, the margin showed that many Igbo might not have voted.

And as a matter of fact, many stayed away from the voting centres. There were those who really felt threatened by the threat of the Oba and those who lost interest after President Jonathan was routed in the Presidential election.

Like Pa Okonkwo, many felt that the threat could not be treated with kid gloves, thereby abstaining from the process entirely.

Some of those who spoke to Saturday Vanguard maintained that the royal outburst of ‘drowning threat’ was just a media creation and a huge joke after all. They said that much as it was dismissed as a joke, it was inconsequential.

An Igbo domestic worker to one media executive, when asked why he refused to cast his votes said:

 “I wanted to vote for the PDP because I was tired of APC in Lagos, but I was scared of the Oba’s threat.” Even when reminded that as a Christian he needed not to be afraid of such threat, he maintained that it was safer not to vote than to be weighing the efficacy or otherwise of the Oba’s fetish dispositions. “Oga, we are all Christians but in a matter like this it is better not to give chances to anything,” said.

This was at Amuwo Odofin. “Many of my friends decided same way, just stay away,” he added.

An Igbo transporter at Volks Bus Stop, Ojo, also reacted:

 “I stayed away merely because I honestly believed PDP would win, and that there would be protests and violence. My family did not step out of our ‘yard’ till late in the evening, when we saw that the situation was calm.’

 He however confessed that he thought of the Oba’s threat and the fear of drowning in the lagoon but not as much as he thought about the possibility of chaotic and inconclusive election.

Buttressing this point, a teacher, Kingsley in his 40s who resides in Oyingbo, Lagos, said,

 “The Oba’s threat was a major factor why most Igbo resident in the area refused to vote.’’ According to him, “it was an all Yoruba affair; Igbo had nothing at stake. I stayed back at home to monitor what was going on. So, I don’t see how the Oba’s threat would get at me or any of my family members if I decided not to vote. I consider the statement as careless but that did not affect my decision. I just stayed away, merely because I had nothing to lose,” he said.

In another development, some other Igbo people were part of the process as they went out to cast their votes regardless of the threat. Anita Ihemba who hails from Anambra State and resident in Ajegunle, disclosed to Saturday Vanguard that she voted according to the directives given by their leaders at home. She stated that they were warned not to succumb to the threat of the Oba and not to vote APC in the state. 

“Since the outburst of the Oba, we have been inundated with messages from home that we should not vote for APC and my family complied.

Mr. Reuben Okafor is an Igbo trader at Alaba International Market, Ojo, and a resident of Ilufe, Ojo, said he voted PDP in the presidential/national assembly elections, but refused to vote in the governorship/state assembly elections. His reason was that votes did not count in the first elections.

 “I don’t think the votes counted in the presidential election. If the votes counted, I believe Jonathan would have won in Lagos. So, that was why I never bothered to vote in the governorship election.”

He dismissed the Akiolu’s threat, saying it was inconsequential. 

“No! The threat could not have caused it. Which threat? How can you cause all the Igbo in Lagos and say they would drown in the lagoon in this modern age? It is not possible,” he stated.

In his reaction, the Eze Ndigbo of Mushin, Eze John, commented that Oba Akiolu’s threat motivated them to come out and vote according to their conscience. 

“Every Igbo man condemned the threat totally. That is why every Igbo in my area was motivated to come out and vote.’’ “For me, I didn’t see the comment by the Oba of Lagos as a threat, rather, we saw it as not responsible and this actually motivated some people to vote according to our conscience. For us, it was a challenge for every Igbo in the state. Even those who travelled came back to Lagos to vote. I also rushed back to Lagos to vote regardless of the Oba’s threat. So, it geared us to come out to vote”.

John explained that the Oba Akiolu’s outburst only strengthened their resolve to vote and against the wish of the Oba in the gubernatorial election, adding that the results of the presidential election which did not go in the favour of President Jonathan had initially whittled down their interest.

“Before the Oba’s comment, immediately after the presidential results were announced, the Igbo in Lagos had decided not to vote in Lagos again because we believed our votes would not count. That had necessitated our initial refusal to vote, but we decided again to come out and vote according to our conscience after the Oba’s threat. So, it only galvanised our sympathy for Agbaje.

Meanwhile, Eunice Ugochukwu, a petty trader in Egbeda said, 

“In my own ward, most of our people did not come out to vote, not because of the Oba’s threat but because of the results of the presidential election” which according to her dampened her interest. According to her, “What I gathered from a lot of them was that they had premonition that APC candidate would win and so they did not bother to come out and vote.

“So, if there was voter apathy in the last election in Lagos state, it would not have been as a result of the Oba’s threat, but it could have been because the Igbo were not happy the way the last election went. In Lagos, we wanted a change in government, unfortunately, the person we voted for did not win,” she said.

 There could be other reasons why some Lagos Igbo residents stayed away from the polls last Saturday, but it will not be out of place to suspect that the threat from the Oba of Lagos could have played a major role.

Jonathan Personally Called INEC Returning Officers to Rig and Increase His Votes To Win

I just got this shocking report from SR. According to their findings, President Goodluck Jonathan played a direct role in efforts to rig Nigeria’s presidential election that took place on March 28, 2015, including placing telephone calls to pressure returning officers to alter vote tallies.

The extent of effort to rig the polls for Jonathan and the outgoing president’s direct role in the scheme, emerged from interviews and tips offered by electoral officials, security agents, foreign and Nigerian election monitors, and members of the president’s own party - the PDP.

Weeks before the election, as Jonathan’s internal pollsters warned that his reelection prospects looked dire, the president and his inner circle of associates approved several measures to rig the elections...

Investigation by Sahara Reporters revealed that these included massive deployment of soldiers to several states in Nigeria’s southwest to help intimidate voters sympathetic to the APC, the redeployment of police and other security officials to ensure that those who favored the incumbent president were assigned to “politically tough” states, and the movement of massive amounts of cash to designated states to entice both voters and opposition party agents to swing their support to Jonathan.

When all the steps failed to deliver enough votes to the president, Jonathan and his inner circle went into panic mode once collation of results began. At the end of the first day of election collation by INEC, as it dawned on the president’s team that he was headed for defeat, Jonathan sent retired Colonel Bello Fadile to shop around for any judge who would give an order to stop the collation.

A judge told Sahara Reporters that this effort largely failed because the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court had warned other judges to refrain from entertaining such controversial and potentially incendiary election-related cases. The one judge Mr. Fadile thought he could count on pleaded that he had left Abuja for his hometown for Easter holidays.

Once the plan to use judiciary to scuttle the collation collapsed, Mr. Fadile recruited ex-Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, to lead the role in a plan to physically disrupt collation of results. 

Mr. Orubebe drove into the collation center with two heavily armed men believed to be Niger Delta militants. Once Mr. Orubebe arrived at the International Civil Center (ICC), of the collation venue, the Department of Security Services (DSS) withdrew its security detail clearing the way for Mr. Orubebe’s thugs to foment mayhem. The agency also jammed the Internet service at the center, making it near impossible for reporters at the venue to access the Internet.

Our investigation revealed that what saved the day was the refusal of the Nigerian police at the venue to accept the order to withdraw from the venue. The police commanders at the collation center demanded an official letter from their Inspector General if they were to leave, arguing that their posting to the venue had been done via an official letter. “We said it would be unwise to leave [the collation center] without a counter letter or signal from our headquarters,” one of the police officers told our correspondent. 

As Mr. Orubebe began his disruptive action, Usman Abdullahi, an aide to INEC chairman Attahiru Jega, sent text messages to a few notable Nigerians as well as some Western diplomats alerting them to the possibility that the armed men who accompanied Mr. Orubebe would abduct Mr. Jega. Sahara Reporters saw a copy of the text message.

Mr. Jega’s calm response to Mr. Orubebe’s antics, as well as the refusal of the Nigerian police personnel to quit the ICC, foiled the plot to abduct the INEC chairman.

Mr. Jega remained on his seat for the better part of the day, refusing to leave the table even as he declared short breaks to await the arrival of election returning officers from various states.

Sahara Reporters learned that several of the returning officers were flown into Abuja on a presidential jet. However, the jet made unusual “disappearances” and curiously long delays in bringing in returning officers from the South South and South Eastern states. One of the Presidency sources said the president ordered a delay in flying in the returning officer of Borno State by at least four hours. The president figured that the poll results from the state would widen Mr. Buhari’s lead, giving Nigerians and the global community a clear picture of the APC candidate’s decisive and irreversible domination of the presidential polls. 

While the returning officer from Borno State was abandoned at the Air Force base in Maiduguri, the returning officer from Delta State presented figures that temporarily seemed to boost Mr. Jonathan’s electoral fortunes. 

Several sources disclosed that these delays were part of President Jonathan’s tactical game. President Jonathan made frantic calls to several returning officers from the South South and South East urging them to bump up his final figures to enable him win by at least 500,000 votes against his rival, Muhammadu Buhari. At the time of the president’s calls to returning officers, Mr. Buhari was already leading by at least three million votes according to authentic results published by Sahara Reporters the day before Mr. Orubebe’s meltdown at the ICC. 

A source at the Presidency confirmed to Sahara Reporters that President Jonathan personally reached out to at least four returning officers to ask them to inflate presidential election figures by several hundred thousand votes to enable him win the elections. In one instance, the source said, one of the returning officers told the president that the number of accredited voters was not up to the figures Jonathan wanted him to present to INEC. According to our source, the president remained unfazed. “Just declare the votes, I will take care of the rest,” the official quoted Jonathan as stating. 

Our sources at the Presidency said Jonathan was counting on the usual tactics of using corrupt judges in the Court of Appeal as well as Supreme Court to uphold the outcome of fraudulent elections. 

The sources also revealed that Sahara Reporters played a critical role in frustrating the president’s rigging plan by publishing the unofficial results of the presidential polls based on accurate compilation of results called at various state collation centers. “When your website published the results, there was little or no room to maneuver,” one source at Aso Rock said. He added that Mr. Orubebe’s reference to the publication of the election results was actually a reference to Sahara Reporters’ accurate representation of the polls tally from across the country. 

Our source said that, having been convinced that President Jonathan could pull off a victory by manipulating figures, some of his ministers and party officials began celebrating. For instance, a junior minister for Foreign Affairs, Musiliu Obanikoro, tweeted that he wished to be the first to congratulate Jonathan for emerging victorious. Also PDP spokesperson, Olisa Metuh, spoke on Channels TV, urging the APC to accept defeat and behave peacefully [in anticipation of the rigging].

In the end, President Jonathan and his team came to terms with the reality that no amount of hanky-panky could secure victory for them. Jonathan’s much-praised acceptance of defeat was not part of his original design, according to sources close to the president. They said world leaders had inundated Jonathan with calls demanding that he accept the outcome of the polls. The calls were intensified as soon Mr. Orubebe began his public action aimed at disrupting the collation.

Diplomatic sources in Abuja told Sahara Reporters that the UK and US put enormous pressure on President Jonathan not to undermine the collation process or scuttle the polls. The barrage of pressure finally worked. Jonathan gave orders for the pilot of the presidential jet to head for Maiduguri to pick up the Borno State returning officer. 

Peter Obi Took N27bn From Diezani To Work For Jonathan But He Betrayed The President

When your time to lose has come, no matter how much you spend the result will be the same - defeat.

The noisy remnants of the colossal failure of President Goodluck Jonathan at the presidential polls of March 28, 2015 are exposing the intrigues surrounding the embarrassing lose.

Dirty details have started leaking out to the public. A source has disclosed that the Deputy Director General of the Goodluck Jonathan presidential campaign organization – responsible for the operation in the south south and south east geopolitical zones, Ex-Governor Peter Obi is significantly responsible for the embarrassment suffered by President Jonathan.

According to 247 UReports, as a caveat, shortly after the gubernatorial elections in Anambra State – that saw the victorious ascension of Willie Obiano of APGA to the seat of governor – Peter Obi announced his decampment from the APGA to PDP in a manner that saw the mighty chieftains of the PDP at his home Onitsha to receive him into the party. 

Peter Obi had claimed that he joined PDP to help reelect President Jonathan. In return, the former governor of Anambra State was said to have been promised by President Jonathan a ministerial position – likely the Minister of Aviation – to replace the sacked Stella Odua. But the promise never materialized – largely owing to insistence by PDP chieftains from Anambra who threatened President Jonathan to drop the notion of appointing Peter Obi a minister from Anambra.

So, as the preparations towards the presidential campaign fell into gear, and as President Jonathan set up his presidential campaign organization, Peter Obi was assigned in charge of the south east – and given the organizational title of deputy director general. Mr. Peter Obi became in charge of dissemination of resources and finances for all political activities within the said region – including on Election Day.

The beginnings of the betrayal by Peter Obi came when the Election Day plan was developed by a campaign team employed by the presidency to map out a strategy for victory at the polls. The campaign team were reported to comprise of former top officers of INEC and of the Nigerian intelligence community. The team’s primary responsibility included coercion of voters and INEC workers at the polling units on March 28, 2015 through heavy financial inducement.

A competent source conversant with the activities within the presidency revealed the strategy employed. He said varying amounts of money were earmarked for polling units across the country. For the south south and south east geopolitical zones – which the team marked as green states – were earmarked for N300,000 per polling unit – while the polling units in the north central zone – which were marked as grey states – were earmarked N500,000 per polling unit. The team had targeted having a significantly bumped up voter turnout rate in the three geopolitical zones of south south, south east, and north central – to outbalance the expected poll figures from the north west and north east geopolitical zones.

Through this effect, the sum of N27billion was earmarked for the south east and south south – and was remitted to the deputy director general – Mr. Peter Obi – through the instrumentality of the minister of petroleum resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke.

But on Election Day, the south east states did not deliver enough votes for the President. Mr. Peter Obi, according to PDP chieftains who participated in Anambra elections on March 28, 2015, failed to distribute the money as agreed in the plan. Only N30,000 was distributed instead of the N300,000. For this reason, the INEC polling officials were not as willing to bump up the poll numbers as was done in 2011. The numbers registered at the south east polling units averaged at 550,000 to 660,000 for the PDP per state against an available voter’s strength that averages a little below 2,000,000 for each of the south east states – equivalent to about 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 votes – enough to give the President the expected victory.

With the defeat of March 28, 2015, it became clear to many within the outer circles of the PDP of the betrayal that might have taken place. While the PDP stalwarts observed that the PDP senatorial and House of Reps candidates were able to manipulate their results to an easy victory for the south east and south south states – the likes of Senator Andy Uba, Stella Odua and Uche Ekwunife – in Anambra State.

Some of the concerned PDP chieftains – the like of Arthur Eze and others – found the actions of Peter Obi as clear betrayal of the party and of their presidential candidate. He clearly pointed to Peter Obi as responsible for the failed execution of the planned strategy. He “kept the money” given to him. 

President Jonathan is said to be angry and want his money from those who betrayed him but by the time he leaves office, he would no longer have power to order the police to arrest any of them. How sad!