Revealed: Why Mike Oghiadomhe was sacked(Resigned)

 In a rare show of courage and an obvious break with the tradition of Presidential esprit de corps, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday fired his friend and Chief of Staff, COS, Mr Mike Oghiadomhe. Jonathan and Oghiadomhe had been long standing friends from their days as deputy governors in Bayelsa and Edo states. Their friendship became more consummated when Jonathan became the president and invited Oghiadomhe to be his COS.

While Oghiadomhe’s dislocation from Aso Rock was packaged to the public as resignation, It was revealed that the touted resignation was a mere smokescreen. Corruption and political betrayal were the real reasons for the red card. A source close to both men said the sack took long in coming.

Oghiadomhe sack came on the heels of mounting speculations that he may be involved in the sleazy deals in the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The President was said to have warned the COS repeatedly against the backdrop of damning security reports linking him with some dirty deals in the NNPC.

According to sources at the Presidential Villa, Jonathan asked Oghiadomhe to resign early yesterday, sparing him the humiliation of an outright sack.

It was also gathered that, the former Chief of Staff had not been viewed as a loyalists by the kitchen cabinet of Jonathan, as he was viewed as a man who only looked out for himself , his son and his wife. Politically, Oghiadomhe was said to be sitting on the fence as regards the re-election bid of President Jonathan.

The President is said to be considering a few names as possible replacement for Oghiadomhe and top on the list is Chief Raymond Dokpesi who has been a close ally of Mr President and who hails from the same state with Oghiadomhe. Besides Oghiadomhe was said to be aloof from his political peers from Edo State.

Aside from his lack of closer ties with other geo-political zones, his kinsmen have consistently insisted he be removed. The plot to remove Oghiadomhe from the juicy position thickened last September with his expulsion from the PDP by leaders of the party from six councils of Edo North Senatorial District, his purported political stronghold.

Edo North PDP leaders and stakeholders meeting was held at Polaris Hotel, Jattu-Affasio near, Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area. The party leaders at the meeting were drawn from Owan East, Owan West, Etsako Central, Etsako East, Etsako West and Akoko-Edo councils.

Deliberations at the gathering was chaired by a former member of the House of Representatives and deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in the April 14, 2012 governorship election in the state, Johnson Agbolaba.

Sources in the PDP indicate that the majority of the party leaders and members from the senatorial district are not comfortable with Ogiadomhe’s leadership style and are not getting the desired impact in terms of development.

Leadership of the party from the senatorial zone had at that stakeholders meeting passed a vote of no confidence on the chief of staff, insisting that his position at the Presidency has not translated into any positive dividends of democracy to the benefit of people of the area.

Source: Political Economist

Tinubu replies Clark, says his attack on Yoruba lacks wisdom

 The All Progressives Congress (APC) leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has described the recent attack on the Yoruba by Chief Edwin Clark as lacking in wisdom and a "near idiotic vitriolic attack on any perceived opponent of President Goodluck Jonathan".

 Tinubu said Clark should be rescued before he self-destructs.

Clark last week said the Yoruba have no leader. He added that since the death of Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Chief Bola Ige, the Yoruba have been without leaders.

In a statement yesterday from Tinubu's Media Office (TMO), the opposition leader said Clark should talk less and listen more. He queried his qualification to pass judgement on the Yoruba.

"Clark should not have insulted the Yoruba and some of their leaders. He is not competent to utter such a statement," Tinubu said, adding that the Ijaw chief would be better tending to his own house instead of remarking on the quality of a home he knows nothing about.

The former Lagos State governor said the statement shows Clark is afraid of the giant strides being made by the opposition party.

"Clark is afraid that the progressive party, the APC, launched by Asiwaju Tinubu and other progressives throughout the nation which possesses the political clout to dislodge his ethnic kin from the Aso Villa. Thus, Clark hates Tinubu and all those who speak against the mis-governance taking place.

"Clark cares nothing for actual modern democratic governance that will move this nation forward, regardless of ethnic origin. He is obsessed with making sure his ethnic kin remains in the Villa by all means necessary; he cares less if the nation crumbles around him; as long as his ethnic son is on the seat, all is fine for him," Tinubu said.

The statement said Tinubu never claimed to be a Yoruba leader, but can lay claim to being a national leader because he seeks the betterment of all Nigerians. "Can Clark make the same claim about himself?" the statement added.

It also said Tinubu has engineered the rebirth of the opposition in the country by working in tandem with like- minded progressives. "From forging the first political merger in the history of Nigeria, he has remained fixed on providing a platform for progressive governance and policies to lift Nigeria from the clutches of poverty and unjust government. This is not a Yoruba dream; it is a Nigerian dream. Clark's utterances are part of our present nightmare."

Warning that with utterances like this coming from Clark, Tinubu said the nation is on a political, moral and economic slide that must be arrested. "The nation is suffering and if this is not arrested, we shall crash against the hard rock of ill-fate. The crash will not be a pretty one," Tinubu warned.

Chief Edwin Clark declares that "whoever is Fighting President Jonathan,is Fighting God"

 An elder statesman, a former federal Commissioner of Information and Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday warned those fighting President Goodluck Jonathan to desist as they are not fighting him but God,who made it possible for him to become the President of Nigeria. Clark, said this in Abuja when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of South-south community leaders, chiefs and elders honoured him as their grand patron,he also added that plots to divide the country will fail.

 Insisting that the constitution permits President Jonathan to run in 2015, Clark said, "Any person fighting Jonathan is fighting God. Whatever God said you will be, that is what you will be and whoever wants to remove him (Jonathan), God will fight him. Under the grace of God, Jonathan became the acting President and later President. Whatever is yours, nobody can take it from you. #naso!!!

Chief Edwin Clark declares that "whoever is Fighting President Jonathan,is Fighting God"

 An elder statesman, a former federal Commissioner of Information and Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday warned those fighting President Goodluck Jonathan to desist as they are not fighting him but God,who made it possible for him to become the President of Nigeria. Clark, said this in Abuja when the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of South-south community leaders, chiefs and elders honoured him as their grand patron,he also added that plots to divide the country will fail.

 Insisting that the constitution permits President Jonathan to run in 2015, Clark said, "Any person fighting Jonathan is fighting God. Whatever God said you will be, that is what you will be and whoever wants to remove him (Jonathan), God will fight him. Under the grace of God, Jonathan became the acting President and later President. Whatever is yours, nobody can take it from you. #naso!!!

Anambra State Governor; Peter Obi pledges support for President Goodluck Jonathan's Administration

Govonor of Anambra state, Peter Obi during his visit to the Villa with the State's business community delegation, declared the support of the people of Anambra state for Jonathan.

In his word, “You have excess credit in your political account that these people (members of the delegation) are ready to pay you when you need it.”
He had earlier told the President that the enterprising and preserving nature of Anambra people made them well-positioned to assist Jonathan to achieve his administration’s transformation agenda.


The governor who led the delegation to express their support for the President and bring to his attention some of the industrialists’ collective, which if addressed, would help in anchoring the growth and development of industry in the state.

Some of the needs, according to him, are the completion of the 330/132/33KV power substation at Nnewi; provision of uninterrupted power supply in the Onitsha Harbour Industrial Area and Ozubulu Industrial Hub; completion of the Nnamdi Azikwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi; and the inclusion of Anambra State in the rail master plan.

Obi also made a case for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of federal roads within the state such as the Oba-Nnewi-Okigwe Section 1, Nnewi-Okija, start of Onitsha Second Niger Bridge, completion of the Onitsha-Enugu dual carriageway and completion of the Umueze-Anam Kogi road.

The governor also thanked the President for the inclusion of Nnewi in the National Automotive Industry Policy of the Federal Government.

This, he said, would attract many ancillary industries, especially with the coming on stream of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant, adding that the local content in vehicle manufacturing in no time would increase from 40 per cent to 60 per cent.

Breaking News: "Nigeria would soon be exporting cars " - President Jonathan

 President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday expressed the belief that with the measures put in place by his administration, especially the new National Automotive Industry Policy; the country would soon be exporting cars to other countries,he (can I hear someone scream Halleluya)

Jonathan made this known at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while responding to an address by the delegation of Anambra State business community which was led by the state Governor, Peter Obi.

He said that,Nigeria is a country with huge population of youths. If jobs are not created, there will be crisis. The housing, agriculture and power sectors are also receiving attention.

“In the next few years, Nigeria will begin to export cars to other countries. We are encouraging the government to support local manufacturers.”

Jonathan promised that the industrialists’ basic needs such as roads, power and port facilities would be addressed appropriately.

He said if Nigeria must become great as expected by all, the Federal Government must industrialise the nation.

To this end, he said his administration would continue to encourage industrialists in the country.

“If any country will be great, we must industrialise. If Nigeria must be a great country, we must industrialise. To this end, we will continue to encourage industrialists in Anambra,” the President added.

He said his government was also devoting attention and resources to the power sector because of its critical role in industrialisation.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo told the delegation that Jonathan had recently approved $3.7bn to improve power transmission across the country.

What can say....but Amen to all of that,Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!!