Accused PDP member vows to sue Obasanjo over letter

Abuja - A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member allegedly accused of being a criminal by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the letter written to President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed
to sue him, Premium Times reports.
Buruji Kashamu, a leader of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State was referred to as a criminal wanted by U.S.
authorities for drug trafficking and money laundering.
Kashamu said it was wrong of Obasanjo to call him a drug baron knowing quite well he was surrounded by criminals as closest
allies, during his two terms as civilian president of the country.
Read more at Premium Times

READ What Ex-President Of United States, George Bush Has To Say About Corruption In Nigeria

Former President of the United
States, George Bush, on Thursday
told the leadership of the country and its people to fight corruption, saying it had become the obvious challenge against its development.
Bush, who is in Lagos as a guest speaker at the Access Leadership Conference 2013, said corrupt people, no matter how highly paced, should face the wrath of
the law.

The event, which was organised by
Access Bank Plc with the theme,
'Embracing Sustainable Leadership' , attracted world leaders, including a former President of Ghana, Mr. John
Kufuor.
Bush, who commended the country for its current democratic dispensation and sustenance, said the US encouraged governments that fight corruption by giving them aids to support their
economies.

He noted that the criteria for receiving aids had been tied to countries that ensured that anti-corruption strategies were in place.

"You must apply the law, no matter how powerful somebody may be, as this encourages entrepreneurship and economic development," he added.

While calling for improved trade relations among African countries, Bush said it was in the interest of the US to encourage economic growth in vital countries like Nigeria.

Bush said, "As President of a powerful and rich nation, I think it is important to set goals and also achieve them. It is important for us to encourage and stay engaged with other world economies."

OBASANJO's LETTER TO JONATHAN: READ What Atiku Abubakar Has To Say

Former Nigeria Vice President, Atiku
Abubakar, has called on the country's leaders consulted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo before the publication of his letter to President Goodluck Jonathan which was published on Wednesday to intervene and reduce the tension created by
the weighty allegations contained in it.
In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, the former Vice President said although he was not competent to speak on the letter because he was not privy to
the communication, he was nervous about the allegations like every other Nigerian and that those elders mentioned by Obasanjo had a moral duty
to add their voices to the issue.

According to Atiku, the allegations were too disturbing to be treated with apathy by any political stakeholder like him. He
said at a moment of national anxiety or uncertainty, leaders across the country should rise to the occasion and reassure
fellow Nigerians about the future.

He explained that at a time the rest of fthe world was looking at Nigeria as a beacon of hope for stability, the content of Obasanjo's letter should be urgently addressed by former leaders and elders.

Former Vice President Abubakar said with the attention of Nigerians focused on the 2015 elections, there was the urgent need to reassure Nigerians.

"Our priorities for Nigeria are forging lasting solutions to our chronic unemployment, providing safety and security for all, and vastly improving our failing education systems. President
Jonathan's government has consistently failed to address these critical concerns,"
Atiku said.

"That said, it is on record that I have firmly fought for a democracy where the voters choose their future leaders, not political party bosses. If the incumbent
President insists on continuing to destroy his own party with vindictive internal wars and thinks his record of rising youth
unemployment, never-ending violence, corruption and scandals is worthy of another term, then he is welcome to run.

We are confident Nigerians will exercise their democratic right to choose new leadership in 2015," he said.

The former Vice President said with the attention of Nigerians focused on the 2015 elections, there was the urgent need to reassure the people.

Atiku explained that the President was free to run his government without interference, but said sometimes even sitting Presidents needed outside constructive interventions to move the country forward.

6 Anti-Amaechi Lawmakers Sneaked Into Assembly By Police

Six anti-Amaechi members of the
Rivers state House of Assembly are
planning to hold a plenary today to
commence impeachment proceedings against the governor, fresh reports said.
The faction, which enjoys the backing of President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, is currently developing a strategy aimed at accessing the sealed
Assembly complex to hold its sitting, the Premium Times source said.

I It was also learnt that the state police had agreed to provide cover for the lawmakers to hold their sitting.
Ahmad Muhammad, the spokesperson for the Rivers Police Command, refused either to deny or to confirm the allegation stating that he is currently in Lagos.

The leader of the lawmakers group, Evan Bipi, confirmed to journalists in a telephone interview that the meeting would take place today (Friday).

"The police are asking for the court
judgment before they will allow us
sit but I'm currently talking to
them. In a little while, lets say 10
a.m., we will proceed to the
Assembly."

"I took them to court and won so
why should they try to sit there.
That was why the police stopped
them."

At the same time the deputy speaker of the Assembly, Leyii Kwani, said to the Premium Times journalists Friday morning that his group would resist any attempt by the police to allow the group
to sit.

"We will not fold our arms and
allow them to commit illegality.
We will repeat what we did
yesterday by trying to sit too. If
the police do not allow us to enter
the Assembly, we will sit outside.
If that does not work, we will move
elsewhere to continue our sitting."
It would be recalled that the police had on Thursday disrupted a sitting of pro- Amaechi lawmakers .

UPDATE 1

Reportedly the six lawmakers have
gained entry into the sealed Rivers State House of Assembly building to
commence 'plenary'. The group, led by Evans Bipi, were sneaked into the building with the help of the police officers. It is believed the quasi-plenary has commenced.

APC Resolves Members' Differences In Sokoto State

Leadership of the All Progressives
Congress in Sokoto State said it has
commenced "reconciling" the party
members in an effort to promote the strength and unity of the APC.
Deputy National Treasurer of the APC, Usman Danmadamin-Isa, briefed the press on Thursday at a news conference in Sokoto.

"We met with Gov. Aliyu Wamakko and his members on Wednesday. All members are equal stakeholders in the party and nobody can foreclose the entry
of anybody into the party," he said.

Mr. Danmadamin-Isa said that the
efforts to reconcile the party members were aimed at ensuring a formidable and united APC in Sokoto State.

He said that the meeting with the
governor was attended by other
stalwarts of the defunct political parties that merged to form the APC.
"Governor Wamakko is the leader of the APC in Sokoto State, based on the Aminu-Masari report. The report states that whenever a governor defects to the
APC, he automatically becomes the
leader of the party."

Mr. Danmadamin-Isa said that the
party's leadership had resolved to make the APC stronger and united across the country.

"That's why we are directed to come to Sokoto to resolve the party members' differences and reconcile them," he added.

He stressed said that the APC was a
disciplined party, adding that its
members would continue to be loyal and law-abiding.

PDP Chairman Tukur Replies Obasanjo: Your Letter To Jonathan Is Attack On My Credibility!

Bamanga Tukur, the National
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, has reacted to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo's letter to the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.

In the statement issued by Mr. Tukur Special Assistant on Media, Oliver Okpala, Tukur says attacking fellow elder statesmen does not portray Mr.

Obasanjo as a true democrat.
"Dr. Tukur as the national chairman and one of the founding fathers of the party can never allow his opinion or decisions
to be teleguided by an external force as a principled administrator and seasoned politician," the statement read.

Mr. Tukur described Obasanjo's letter as an "attack on the personal integrity and credibility of Dr. Tukur as an outstanding
statesman of international repute."

It will be recalled that in the 18-page letter dated December 2, 2013, and addressed to President Jonathan, Mr.Obasanjo accused the President of using
Mr. Tukur to cause multiple crises anddivide the ranks of the party.

"It would be unfair to continue to level full blame on the Chairman [Tukur] for all
that goes wrong with the party,"
Obasanjo wrote. "The chairman is playing the tune dictated by the paymaster [Jonathan]. But the paymaster is acting for a definite purpose for which deceit and deception seem to be the major
ingredients."
Mr. Tukur, in response, said it is "most unfortunate" that the former President labelled him as "Jonathan's stooge".

"For such a statement against the person of the national chairman of the PDP to come from Chief Obasanjo, a former head of states and President is most
unfortunate," Mr. Tukur said.

"Chief Obasanjo, in his position as former President under the PDP platform, should have known very well the Constitution of the party, the party manifestos as it relates to the independence of the PDP National Working Committee.

"For him to insinuate that the President is using the national chairman to cause multiple problems for the party doesn't in any way portray him as a true democrat," Tukur concluded.

Anambra: Obi Will Replace Late Ojukwu As APGA National Leader

The All Progressives Grand Alliance
(APGA) has appointed Peter Obi as its national leader and chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) with effect from January 2014.
This decision was announced yesterday by APGA National Chairman, Victor Umeh, after the party's National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in
Abuja. The appointment is to appreciate Obi's contributions to the APGA, Umeh said.

Obi's tenure will end on March 17, 2014.
He will be succeeded by Willie Obiano, a winner of Anambra 2013
gubernatorial poll .
APGA also thanked President Goodluck Jonathan, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security
agencies, and Anambarians for their efforts throughout the period of the election.
Commenting Obi's alleged endorsement of Jonathan for 2015, Umeh said:

"Governor Peter Obi will be
national leader of APGA in January
2014. "2015 is still ahead of us and
when the time comes, our party of
course will do the needful. As we
did in 2011, we did not say we
were not going to run for
Presidency, when we did not have
anybody, we endorsed President
Jonathan.

"We are not hiding our support for
his administration and his
transformation agenda. So when
we come to 2015, the party will
meet as we met in 2011 to take a
decision on the presidential
election without any apology to
anybody".

Obasanjo Pays Surprise Visit to Jonathan in Nairob

President Goodluck Jonathan and former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, had breakfast together in Nairobi, Kenya, on December 12, 2013, Thursday.

Both politicians were among other
African leaders that graced the 50th
Independence Anniversary celebration of Kenya at the Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani, Nairobi, on Thursday, December
12.
Obasanjo's visit was said to have taken everybody by surprise as it contradicts the expected nature of the relationshipbbetween both men, owing to recent public criticisms of the President by
Obasanjo .

The unexpected meeting held prior to the anniversary event, as the former president, Obasanjo, paid a surprise visit to President Jonathan at the Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, where they had a private breakfast together.

Reports say the two politicians had a "fruitful discussion" after emerging from the meeting beaming with smiles and
sharing a warm handshake.
It would be recalled that Obasanjo had written a strong-worded letter, which went public earlier this week
(Wednesday), accusing the President of performing below par and taking actions calculated at destroying the country. The
previous meeting between Jonathan and Obasanjo was on December 10, 2013,
Tuesday, as they attended the memorial held to honor the life of Nelson "Madiba" Madela, South Africa's great man of
history and world's single most significant statesman of the last 100 years.
In his speech, President Jonathan called on all Kenyans to unite. According to him, there was no alternative to unity if Kenyans must move their nation
forward. In building their nation,
Jonathan told Kenyans that they must make unity their focal point.
He said that the destiny of Kenya lies with its people and as such, the people must strive hard to take their country to a greater height.

President Jonathan said that he was happy that former Kenya Prime Minister, Raila Odinga was present at the event and working with President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"Nobody can love you more than
Kenyans, so you all have to jointly
develop your country. All Kenyans
should come together to form an
inclusive society.
"Since 2007, many African
countries like Kenya have been
celebrating 50 years of independence and freedom, our
founding fathers talked of political
freedom to be followed by
economic freedom.
"The present generation of African
leaders must work hard on science
and technology as well as
industrialisation, so that there
could be economic development
and freedom." President Jonathan
stated.
Obasanjo was said to have sat quietly during the event and was making calls on his mobile phone at intervals while the event lasted.