•PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar

The Association of White Witches in Nigeria (AWWN) has warned the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 16 election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, not to repeat the mistake of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, if he wants to win the election.

Jonathan, the witches said, refused to listen to “wise” counsel which eventually led to his losing the presidential election of that year to Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The group cautioned Atiku to hearken to instructions given to him if he actually wanted to win the election and redeem Nigerians from hunger and poverty orchestrated by the bad economic policies of the present administration.

Speaking in an exclusive telephone interview on Thursday, the spokesman of the association, Dr. Okhue Iboi, said for Atiku to win the election, he has to undertake the assignment of visiting the church, mosque, and the witches’ association for special prayers.

“These three spiritual places are keys in this year’s election. He has to go to these three places for special prayers to be offered on him. If he fails to do so and chooses to follow the way of Jonathan, then he should forget the presidency.

“In 2015, we told President Jonathan the same thing, but he refused and we all know what happened after that. Millions of Nigerians want Atiku to be the next president, but he has this assignment to undertake so that God can clear his way to win the election,” he said.

Dr. Iboi disclosed that in their meeting which was held in Calabar, the Cross River State capital in the first week of December, it was clear that the gods favoured Atiku to be the next president of Nigeria but on condition that he sought spiritual interventions.

“Atiku will win Buhari with a landslide if he obeys this simple instruction,” he said.

He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist any pressure and refrain from any clandestine plan to manipulate the results of the election to favour a particular candidate.

He added that whether the Federal Government deployed troops in the guise of ‘Operation Python Dance’ in all parts of the country, it would not alter anything if Atiku obeyed the instruction given to him.

“Elections will be peaceful. But if INEC manipulates the result, there will be serious chaos in the country. INEC must be truly independent. INEC must be neutral so that Nigeria does not experience post-election crisis,” Dr. Iboi said.

The witches’ spokesman revealed that the PDP would lose Ogun State if the party did not give the governorship ticket to Senator Buruji Kashamu.

According to him, “Kashamu is destined to win Ogun State for PDP, but if the party denies him the ticket, they will lose. Kashamu has the grace of followership.”

Iboi, who predicted MKO Abiola’s stalemate of 1993, Gen. Sani Abacha’s death, and several other national issues accurately, further disclosed that the killings by the Boko Haram terrorist group in the North-East would continue except the politicians who sponsor the insurgents were apprehended and subsequently prosecuted.

“President Buhari knows those who are sponsoring Boko Haram.”

•Sourced from a Daily Independent report

Some Lagos-based legal practitioners on Thursday, called for a reform of the Justice system and the various provisions of its laws in order to enhance the Nigerian judiciary. Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Abdul Kafarati The lawyers told news men in separate interviews that the Nigerian legal system had been mired by many challenges ranging from applicable laws to their implementation.

They held that a review was now imminent and called for an overhaul of the legal system. A constitutional Lawyer, Mr Spurgeon Ataene, described the judiciary as embattled, especially with episodes of invasion of the homes of judicial officers, which had left a sour taste. “The arraignment of some judges is indeed a sad commentary for the judiciary; the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) should evolve and articulate policies that will fortify the judicial arm of government,’’ he said. 

Ataene called for an interface with the arms of government, in order to avoid serious conflict. “It is important for the CJN to interface with the executive and legislative arms of government in finding effective ways of resolving conflicts, rather than exposing the judiciary to needless public ridicule. “More so, it is important for Judges to deliver on their mandates, and endeavour to reduce the burden of justice on the citizens and not being overbearing,” he said. He also called on the CJN to restore the past glory of the judiciary. In the same vein, a lawyer and rights activist, Mr Anthony Makolo, called for the downward review of the cost of filing processes in court, to reduce the burden on the common man. “Prisons are exploding in population daily, and judicial officers are partly responsible for this.

 “Judges and Magistrates should be bold in the interpretation of the law. “The Administration of Criminal Justice Law, must be strictly complied with to the latter, so that once the 60 days window lapses and no information is filed against an accused, a judge or magistrate is duty bound to set such accused free,” he said.

He said that applying the law with restraint had been the bane of justice delivery, adding that it should be discouraged. On his part, another rights activist, Mr Ogedi Ogu, clamoured for the judiciary to take a bold step in tackling the evident challenges in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

“For instance, the judiciary must invoke its powers on statements obtained from suspects by way of torture, and inhuman treatments. “It is only when the judiciary takes a bold step and out rightly rejects such practices that those saddled with the responsibility of investigation would find other means of obtaining statements without inhuman treatments,’’ he added. Ogu urged judicial officers to be true administrators in the temple of Justice, and help restore the country’s judicial integrity. (NAN)

Reacting to the PDP allegations the APC and Presidency were pressuring the INEC to rig the polls, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, dismissed the allegations as baseless and urged the PDP to provide the evidence in its possession to prove them.

INEC National Chairman, Mahamood Yakubu addressing pressmen on new release of 2019 Election Time Table and Schedule of Activities for 2019 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections while at INEC Office Abuja. 

 “Otherwise, the PDP should cure itself of this recurring hallucination which I am sure Nigerians no longer buy. Certainly, INEC is not into the rigging business,” he said.  

Abuja – The Nigeria Police Force has denied a social media report that its personnel deployed to the North East to complement the military in the fight against Boko Haram protested. Some Policemen the launch of the Edo State Security Trust Fund/Architecture in Benin City, Edo State. A social media report alleged that about 2,000 personnel of the force undergoing training in the North East dropped their weapons in protest.

A statement by the Force Spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood on Wednesday in Abuja, refuted the protest allegation. He said the personnel have all successfully passed out from training and have been deployed more than a week ago. “The force wishes to state that the video was mischievously doctored and circulated to mislead the public. “There was no protest by any of the 2,000 personnel undergoing Special Forces training in the North East,” he said. 

Moshood said that the personnel have been deployed to the frontline in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. He enjoined members of the public to discountenance the video.

Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has lambasted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over what he described as “failing to investigate how Alhaji Isa Funtua, a close ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, acquired Keystone Bank and 9Mobile (formerly Etisalat).”

President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar Union Bank claims ownership of N1 billion recovered by EFCC at Enugu Airport Alhaji Atiku, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communications,  Phrank Shaibu, said “the EFCC has failed to investigate the acquisition of the bank and telecommunications company because of Alhaji Funtua’s closeness to President Buhari.” According to him, “It is not surprising that the EFCC has suddenly become prostrate and bluntly refused to investigate the acquisition of Keystone Bank and 9Mobile which have been widely adjudged to be fraudulent, if not out rightly criminal.

The EFCC, like many other agencies under the administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government has once again displayed partisanship. “More importantly, the said Isa Funtua has been known to be a major player in the Presidency whose influence and reach has been less than salutary. A recent picture showing the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Godwin Emefiele bowing to Alhaji Funtua which recently went viral is proof enough of the stature of the President’s ally. The EFCC’s refusal to act therefore follows a familiar narrative”, he stated. The statement also takes a swipe at the Presidency for failing to come out clean on what it knows about the transaction and simply asking for proof before it could act, alleging that such a lame disposition exposes the culpability of the President’s men.

According to Atiku, “While we hold on to the piece of evidence that we have, it is no longer in doubt that underhand dealings took place in the acquisition of Keystone Bank and 9Mobile. The roles played by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), both agencies of government have been widely reported and not controverted. The days of playing the ostrich by the Presidency are over. No more hiding for them”, he added. He referred the presidency to trending online reports which, according to him, “detailed how Alhaji Funtua reportedly bought over the bank and telecom outfit with funds provided by AMCON, whose Chief Executive Officer is a son in-law to the President’s friend.” Atiku said, “Considering that the EFCC and other related agencies would not act as a result of partisanship to the ruling APC, the only hope at this stage is the National Assembly which we urge should take up the gauntlet.”

“The National Assembly as representatives of the people is the last hope. We cannot allow the looting and criminal acquisition of our collective patrimony. They plan to steal more if President Buhari wins a second term. The National Assembly and Nigerians must not allow them take away legacies we ought to bequeath to generations unborn. We must rally against nepotistic rule and entrenchment of parochial cleavages as we have witnessed under the APC”, he declared.