Atiku should be in jail, says Buhari Campaign Organisation

President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation (PMBCO) removed the gloves Wednesday night to engage Atiku Abubakar bare-knuckle and lash him over his attack on Buhari, who he had blamed for Nigeria’s slow system in arresting corruption.

The spokesman told Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party that had he not been a beneficiary of the slow system, he should have been sent to jail before May 2015, when Buhari mounted the saddle.

Festus Keyamo, a senior advocate of Nigeria and the spokesman of PMBCO then went on to offer a catalogue of corrupt practices for which Atiku and his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo ought to have been held to account.

“We know he is aware of this. Hence his latest diatribe against President Muhammadu Buhari amounts to nothing but disgusting grandstanding and an attempt to mock the system.

“If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have acquired substantial shares in INTELS in clear conflict of his duties as a Customs Officer whilst in office. Those shares would have belonged to the Nigerian people by now.

“If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have run a monopolistic company called INTELS all these years, ripping off the Nigerian people and the Nigerian State before Muhammadu Buhari came and broke that monopoly.

“If the system was working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would have been prosecuted and jailed for various acts of corruption and abuse of office after he left office as Vice President, some of which are:

*For himself and his boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, granting themselves licenses to build universities as President and Vice President whilst in office in clear breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Those Universities would have been probed, seized and transferred to the Nigeria State and the Nigerian people by now.

* Laundering slush funds to the United States of America using phoney companies, part of which was used to fund his present American University in Adamawa State through which he is also extorting Nigerians through exorbitant fees. It is public knowledge that this indictment is contained in a US Congressional Report that has led to the prosecution and conviction of his accomplices in the US, which are William Jefferson and Siemens. They were convicted under a system that works, whilst he has been walking free in Nigeria and even aspiring to the highest office in the land. It is also public knowledge that his ban from entering the United States was as a result of these indictments.

* His indictment and recommendation for prosecution by the Report of the EFCC over the PTDF scandal whilst he was Vice President.

Keyamo also referred to the court case filed against Abubakar by some public spirited Nigerians alleging that he never paid his Personal Income Taxes as at when due, yet he wants to ‘get Nigeria working again’.

“In this regard, we are also challenging Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to publicly display his Personal Income Tax receipts for the three years preceding 2018 to show that he did not just run to FIRS in 2018 to pay his backlog of Personal Income Taxes.

“For the information of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, President Muhammadu Buhari’s gallant efforts in tackling corruption headlong has led to the conviction of the President’s own party men and ex Governors who served under PDP and for acts they committed whilst in PDP.

“Seven hundred and three persons and institutions have been convicted by the EFCC under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari since 2015.

“The biggest recoveries of stolen public funds in the history of Nigeria is being carried out by President Muhammadu Buhari. These recoveries were made from principally his party men who now wish to lead Nigeria with him. Some of these recoveries/seizures/forfeitures (interim and final) are:

(a) 407 Mansions since 2015.
(b) N794 Billion, over $261 Million Dollars, 1.1 Million Pounds Sterling, 8.1 Million Euros,
(c) 259 Automobiles.
(d) A fully functional hospital, St. Solomon Health Care Centre at 24, Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja Lagos e.t.c.

“There are so many other instances too numerous to mention. These are a world apart from the few instances of the reluctant fight against corruption that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar claimed happened under his watch as Vice President. During his time, there was a competition for corruption between himself, his boss and public officers.

“We also urge the PDP to stop making wild, unsubstantiated allegations of corruption without a modicum of proof. We have no time to respond to any allegation by the PDP without the backing of some kind of document or proof. When we see some scintilla of proof, we shall respond appropriately. And that is how we have treated the recent allegation of acquisition of shares in Etisalat and Keystone Bank by some supposed ‘family members’ of the President. No name was mentioned and no document was shown.

“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar latest adventure in trying to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in matters of integrity with President Muhammadu Buhari is a political suicide mission from which we thought his handlers would have tried to steer him away. But alas! They have decided to test the waters.

“Locally and internationally President Muhammadu Buhari stands several miles away from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in matters of integrity. When the President used all his life in public office building a reputation and a name, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar used all his life in public office to build mansions and acquire personal wealth. Now Judgment Day has come when the credential needed by the Nigerian people for the highest office are not the buildings and wealth but the simple quality of integrity.

“Alhaji Atiku Abubakar cannot eat his cake and have it”.

- PM NEWS

2019 presidency: Atiku calls for President Buhari’s probe over ownership of Etisalat, Keystone Bank

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the investigation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s family’s alleged ownership of shares in the Etisalat Nigeria and Keystone Bank.

The former Vice President made the call in a statement yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

Atiku said that “Such a probe was necessary in view of reports that members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s family now own substantial share in Etisalat Nigeria which has an estimated $2bn of its estimated $20bn global net worth.”

The PDP presidebtial candidate said he was shocked by “reports from unimpeachable sources that the first family now plays big in the nation’s financial sector after acquiring mouth-watering shares in Keystone Bank with total assets of $1.916bn as well as purchasing about ₦3bn worth of shares in the new Pakistani Islamic Bank.

“I know that last week was turbulent for President Buhari and I apologize for adding to his woes, but he is insisting on the myth that he is spotless and anti-corrupt.

“If this is found to be true, this scandal would break every rule of corporate and public governance, since this will be the first time members of the first family will be openly involved in a once-in-a-lifetime deal that would make them all richer beyond their wildest dreams.”

- DAILY POST

PL : Solskjaer reveals Manchester United's change of 'mindset' since replacing Jose Mourinho

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer claimed that the only thing he has changed at Manchester United is the “mindset” after recording two wins in his first two games.

Solskjaer took caretaker charge of United last week following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho and taken six points from a possible six since.

United followed Saturday’s 5-1 victory at Cardiff City with a 3-1 triumph against Huddersfield Town on Boxing Day, which marked Solskjaer’s Old Trafford return.

The Norwegian, who scored 126 goals in 366 games as a United player, appears to be on his way to healing the wounds opened by Mourinho’s reign.

Yet Solskjaer denied he had changed much in his eight days in charge so far and said he had only had an influence on the squad’s mentality.

“You don’t in one week change anything, but you change the mindset,” he said. “I want my team to play in a certain way and you give them little pointers and it’s a work in progress. 

“It’s going to take time for players to go from one manager and the details he wanted. I’ve done a little bit of a tweak but we’ll improve as time goes on.

“I just said to the staff when you get 2-0 or 3-0 up, you think next week we’ll have [Alexis] Sanchez and [Anthony] Martial back, we’ll have [Romelu] Lukaku to put on. Maybe we could have really finished them off then.”

Sanchez has not featured since the goalless draw with Crystal Palace last month after picking up a hamstring injury which Mourinho described as “aggressive”.

Solskjaer revealed that the Chilean has returned to training and could play against Newcastle United in the New Year.

The United caretaker also praised Sanchez’s “workaholic” attitude after the forward turned up for work on Christmas Day, despite being scheduled to have a day off.

“Yes, Alexis is back,” he said. “I can’t remember what day it was [that he returned] but he’s had two days of good fitness work. 

“Hopefully he can join in training with the ball as soon as we get back in. He’s touch and go for Bournemouth, but probably or definitely involved at Newcastle.

“I’ve not had time to sit down and speak in that detail but of course we had a day off on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day he was off but he was in training. He’s eager to get back on the pitch. He’s a workaholic, it seems like.”

- INDEPENDENT

PL : Chelsea reacted well - Sarri

Maurizio Sarri says Chelsea "reacted well" after their defeat to Leicester last weekend, beating Watford 2-1 on Boxing Day. 

Eden Hazard scored twice in the Premier League win at Vicarage Road, which came four days after a loss to the Foxes at home.

Sarri was pleased with how his side responded and believes Chelsea could have won by more, telling Sky Sports: "I think that we played a good match with a good level of determination and attention for 90 minutes.

"I think we could have won with another result, we missed three or four good opportunities in the last 20 minutes but I am really very happy with the reaction and application for 95 minutes. Today we reacted very well while playing our football.

"The performance is very important because maybe in the last match [against Leicester], in the first half, we played better in quality, better than tonight, but in this match, the level of application was really very good."

Hazard scored his 100th and 101st goals for Chelsea in all competitions on Wednesday, and Sarri is pleased with how he played as a false nine.

"I think he played very well for the two goals but no only because of that, he was really very good and to come to play for his team-mates, in open spaces and with assists.

"I like him in every position, he is a very great player. I think we need this solution because we need to be more solid in the defensive phase so I think with this, we can score and become more solid in defence." - SKY SPORTS

Pogba’s brace gives Man. United back-to-back win under new manager

Paul Pogba scored twice as Manchester United made it back-to-back wins under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a stylish 3-1 victory over the Premier League’s bottom side Huddersfield.

Former United striker Solskjaer was appointed last week after the sacking of Jose Mourinho and he followed up the 5-1 thrashing of Cardiff with another win in his first game in charge at Old Trafford.

Nemanja Matic scored the opener, poking in from close range after Victor Lindelof’s header was saved by Jonas Lossl with the Huddersfield goalkeeper also keeping out efforts from Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard.

The impressive Pogba added two more for the hosts in the second half, sweeping in a first-time shot from the edge of the box and rocketing another from 30 yards out to settle the contest.

Huddersfield, who slipped to 20th position after seeing Fulham claim a point against Wolves earlier in the day, had plenty of chances of their own but their goal came too late, as Mathias Jorgensen swept home a consolation late on.

United cut the deficit on fourth-placed Chelsea to five points, but the Blues can restore their advantage when they face Watford (kick-off 17.15 GMT).

The change of mood for both Manchester United players and supporters since club legend Solskjaer took charge of the Red Devils last Wednesday has been quite remarkable.

Unhappy under Mourinho, playing stodgy football without any real plan or direction and conflicts with a number of players, Solskjaer has already lifted the gloom by putting smiles back on faces with free-flowing football that has liberated the players.

The Norwegian said in his programme notes that “this club is built on entertainment and excitement” and United have scored eight goals in their last two games, showing movement and attacking flair that has been evidently missing under the past three managers Mourinho, Louis van Gaal and David Moyes.

France World Cup winner Pogba has been restored to the starting line-up after falling out-of-favour under Mourinho and has repaid the faith shown by his former youth team manager Solskjaer with another highly impressive performance.

Man of the match against Cardiff, the 25-year-old ran the show once more against Huddersfield with more touches on the ball (117), more passes (90) and more shots (5) than any other player on the pitch.

According to BBC, his two goals were well-taken, while England international Rashford was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet with his constant threat in the final third and saw two shots saved by Lossl, though both were comfortable for the Huddersfield goalkeeper.

Having spoken about the traditions of the club and the ‘United Way’, Solskjaer brought on 18-year-old Angel Gomes with 10 minutes remaining for only his second first-team appearance and he almost scored, but curled his strike straight at Lossl.

Solskjaer was on his way to a perfect start but still has plenty of work to do with his defenders as Jorgensen’s late strike meant the side have kept just two clean sheets in 19 leagues games this season.

- PM NEWS

Four policemen arrested for robbery in Lagos

Four policemen attached to Ijanikin Division in Lagos State Police Command have been arrested for allegedly robbing one Theodore Ifunnaya of 350,000 CFA (about N221,508).

The police spokesman in Lagos, CSP Chike Oti, said that the victim was a Nigerian based in Togo.

Oti said that the policemen faced dismissal if found guilty, stressing, however, that the victim was not stripped naked during interrogation as being alleged in some quarters.

Oti said that the affected policemen had been transferred to the Provost Section of the Command for investigation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the officers allegedly accosted the victim coming from Togo to celebrate Christmas in Nigeria at Iyana–Ira, Badagry area on Dec. 17.

It was learnt that the suspects subjected the victim to tortuous search and interrogation, where they discovered the sum of money with him.

They were alleged to have bundled him into their patrol vehicle to Ijanikin police station where they seized his money and invited a bureau de change operator to exchange the CFA currency into Naira equivalent.

NAN gathered that having satisfied they had subdued their victim with a threat, they allegedly released him and gave him N2000 out of his money, to enable him locate his Lagos residence.

It was further learnt that the victim, after regaining freedom from his alleged police captors, told his family all he went through, which led to a complaint to Area ‘K’ Commander, ACP Hope Okafor.

ACP Okafor was said to have intervened by recovering the stolen money and arrested the erring policemen for interrogation.

- PM NEWS

FBI combing North Kansas City for 2 suspects after bank robbery

The FBI are attempting to locate two suspects after a bank robbery in North Kansas City Wednesday.

Officials say just before 3 p.m. two unknown subjects entered the Country Club Bank located off Armour Road. One of the suspects demanded money.

A weapon was not displayed during the robbery, according to the FBI.

The two suspects took an unknown amount of money. They left the bank on foot heading east on Armour Road.

The first suspect is being described as a black male, approximately 6’2″. They were wearing a gray sweatshirt and dark colored jeans. The other suspect is described as a black male, wearing a purple sweatshirt and jeans. Both were wearing masks.

- PM NEWS