FROM THE CLAN OF THOSE THAT RUINED PDP ... WHEN A MAN TALKS WITHOUT THINKING : We’ll be back in four years time – Okupe ... Never AGAIN ; PunchNews

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has congratulated Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the March 28 presidential election.

He said it was the will of God that the All Progressives Congress produced the president of the country in 2015.

Okupe, however, said on his Facebook page on Thursday that if it took Buhari 30 years to come back to power, it would take the Peoples Democratic Party much less to do so.

He said PDP was bowed, but not cowed.

He wrote, “It has pleased the Almighty God to give victory to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC and the President-elect. We accept this as the will of God and I personally congratulate the General on his success.

“We have run a good race and fought a gallant battle. We are bowed but not cowed. We lost the crown but we gained a trophy. The PDP family must not despair; if it took General Buhari 30 years to come back to power, it should take us much less. For the opportunities we have had, we give God all the glory.

“The strife is over for the next four years only. We rejoice with APC and the people of Nigeria on the process we have jointly made in our democratic journey. For our democracy to endure, it is important that the winner clearly emerges while the loser concedes with equanimity.

“Certainly, we will be back. We will overcome this defeat and rise to power and glory in the twinkle of an eye.”

AND WHAT DO WE NOW SAY TO THIS EX-CON CALLED BODE GEORGE? : With Buhari’s victory, I’ll surely go on exile – Chief Bode George ... InformationNigeria

“What will I be doing here? I can decide to go and live anywhere. Look at everyone surrounding him (Buhari). So, I am not joking about it, what will I be doing here? At 70, what will I be doing here? All we have been doing to restructure the country has been lost. We have been trying to ensure balance in the polity but all that has gone. What else will I be doing here?” he told Vanguard

WHEN ONLY INTERESTS COUNT : Gani Adams praises Buhari, says he’s Nigeria’s Abraham Lincoln ... PremiumTimes

The Oodua Peoples Congress on Wednesday sent a congratulatory message to President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, over his election victory.

The National Coordinator of the Congress, Gani Adams, in the congratulatory message made available to PREMIUM TIMES said the success of Mr. Buhari at the election across the country proved he is the choice of the people. Mr. Adams commended him for his resilience and tenacity over the years.

“I wish to send my congratulations to the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, on his success in the recently-concluded presidential election. By his resounding success in the election across the country, General Buhari has proved that he is the choice of the people,” Mr. Adams stated.

“I commend his resilience and tenacity over the years which have seen him equal the record of great leaders like Abraham Lincoln of the USA. His victory is a lesson to all of us that we can be what we want to be if we are patient and persistent in our legitimate pursuits in life”.

“His speeches before, during and after the election are also commendable because they went a long way in dousing the tension in the country.

This actually shows that the ‘Peoples General’ as he is fondly called is indeed a statesman’.

The Congress leader called on Mr. Buhari to begin to see himself as the president-elect of all Nigerians and not just that of the All Progressives Congress.

“However, having won the election, I want the president-elect to begin to see himself as the president-elect of all Nigerians and not just that of the All Progressives Congress (APC). For him, it is time to mend whatever differences that may have arisen as a result of the election.

“It is time for all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliation, to come together to continue to build our nation in a positive way, which of course, should be the focus of the president-elect himself and every other political leader across the various political parties in the country”, Mr. Adams said.

“And for all of us, it is a new dawn in the annals of the country for an opposition party to win in a popular election.

Mr. Adams also congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan for creating a level-playing ground for all the parties that contested the election and the high spirit of sportsmanship he displayed when he called to congratulate the president-elect even before all the results were released.

“By his action, President Jonathan has truly lived up to his statement that his ambition is not worth the life of any Nigerian. This is an exemplary feat, which any other presidents coming after him must not fall short of achieving.

“And to all Nigerians, who by their participation in the election also deserve kudos as they defied the weather, distance and other hurdles to cast their votes. Their actions have revealed that democracy in the country has come to stay”.

“I urge them not to rest on their oars as their consistency in holding leaders accountable to their promises will go a long way in bringing out the best from the public office holders.

Mr. Adams was among notable personalities in the South-West opposed to Mr. Buhari’s election.

Shortly before the election, he organised a pro-Jonathan rally in Lagos which turned violent.

He promised to deliver six million votes to Mr. Jonathan, but he was unable to do so.

SINGING A NEW SONG ... HOW TIME FLIES AND PEOPLE CHANGE : My attacks on Buhari, APC, not personal – Fani-Kayode ... PremiumTimes

The spokesperson for President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team, Femi Fani-Kayode, on Wednesday stated that all his attacks against the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, and his party, the All Progressives Congress, during the electioneering, were what his job required of him and not personal.

He also commended the APC campaign directorate for doing something “they believe in”.

“There was absolutely nothing personal as regards this Directorate or myself. I had nothing personal against anybody. I was simply doing my job for which I have no regrets and I wish them well and I sincerely hope that they will take Nigeria to a level that we can all be proud of,” he said.

Mr. Fani-Kayode also congratulated Mr. Buhari for his victory and also commended President Jonathan for conceding defeat.

“We start by saying that we commend and we congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari for winning this election. We also wish to commend our President, President Goodluck Jonathan, for having the courage to concede that he has lost the election at the earliest moment and also for being able to stand up and rise above party politics and being able to speak like a statesman,” he said.

The former Aviation Minister also prayed for peace in the country and success for Mr. Buhari.

“May God grant each and everyone of us peace. May He watch over our nation. May He guide our President for the next two months whilst he is still in power and thereafter and may He guide and lead the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, in the herculean task that lies ahead for him.

“My prayer is that he brings our nation together, heals the wounds and that he builds the bridges in terms of religion, ethnicity and region that he needs to build in order for us to make Nigeria a better place and to ensure that Nigeria becomes a great country that she is destined to be,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to continue to support the PDP, despite losing the election.

He also asked for full cooperation to the incoming administration “and to remember that we are first and foremost Nigerians before anything else”.

Mr. Fani-Kayode said he had no regret for serving Mr. Jonathan and the PDP. He also advised the PDP not to lose hope.

“And having lost, it does not mean that it is the end to the world, it just means that we need to re-group, re-organise ourselves and begin the process all over again because another elections will come in a few years’ time.

“And that is where we are today. We have conceded that we have lost. We acknowledge the fact that we fought a good fight. We do not have any fears about the future. We did the right thing during the campaign. We have no regrets about our candidate or the way in which we conducted our campaign and we will live to fight another day,” he said.

THE POSTER BOY ON HIS HOME RUN : Niger Gov Concedes Defeat......Calls opponent,no response ,,, ThisDayLive

Niger state Governor Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu

By Aisha Wakaso in Minna

Niger state Governor Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu who contested for the Niger East Senatorial seat has conceded defeat while he congratulates his opponent Barrister David Umar of the APC and others who succeed during the just concluded elections.

According to Aliyu who made this known in Minna this Wednesday said that what happened during the election will create more unity and bring development to the country.

He hailed President Goodluck Jonathan's courage for conceding defeat, saying his gentlemanly approach of congratulating the President elect, General Muhammadu Buhari  has gone a long way to douse the tension in the country.

Aliyu urged Jonathan to work together with the President Elect to ensure a smooth transition adding that politics is not war.

'President Jonathan's approach doused whatever tension have been created. It worked to smoothen ‎whatever rough edge the election had created. We hope that the transition will be smooth and everyone will see a friendly handover.'

The Niger State governor also stated that after the election results were announced, he called his opponent seven times to congratulate him but he did not pick up the‎ call, he also sen

AND WHAT DO WE SAY TO THIS MAN NOW? : I regret my action, says Orubebe ... TheNation

A former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe has apologized to Nigerians for his infamous act during the collation of the Presidential election results Tuesday.

Orubebe said he sincerely regretted his action as he allowed his emotion to betray him.

He pleaded with Niger Delta youths not to perpetrate violence because of the election of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

He explained that politics is an emotional thing and that was what happened and it is not something he would want to happen again.

The former minister had disrupted proceeding for about 30 minutes while also accusing the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega of being biased.

Orubebe, who was one of the agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the National Collation Centre in the discharge of his duties, expressed his regrets during an interaction with newsmen at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.

He also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for his statesmanship in congratulating General Muhammadu Buhari on his victory.

He said the President’s acceptance of defeat was the right thing to do.

He said: ‎”Election is a passionate thing and I really regretted what took place this morning. I was unnecessarily pushed by Jega to get to that level and I did make that statement.

“I want to apologise particularly to young Nigerians that look up to take politics as a career to say that what happened was not intended to cause them any embarrassment.

“To Nigerians generally, I regret my actions as even an elder in the Church, and a leader, the young men expected to see a lot from me and I believe that if there was any disappointment they got from me I apologize to Nigerians and to the youths of this country.”

A sober Orubebe asked Niger Delta youths not to take the laws into their hands on the outcome of the Presidential Election.

He added: “We have always talked about peace in this country and remember that when there was crisis in Niger Delta, I was one of the architects that sacrificed to go the creeks to tell the militants that we need peace in this country alongside President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Politics is a process, today it is Mr. A, tomorrow is Mr. B. That is why I am saying that we should be talking about the unity of this country. We shouldn’t be talking about sectional things; we shouldn’t be talking about religion.
“God has a reason for bringing us together in this geographical area called Nigeria. We should live as one and if we are given responsibility to do anything, we should fair to all and treat everybody equally. But I believe that tomorrow is another day. If today is somebody else turn, tomorrow can be another person’s turn.

“So I believe in the unity and peace of this country, I believe the young ones that are coming up will learn from us the way these things are handled. We have seen what the president did and we are also following in his footstep. So I speak to them to embrace peace, to look forward to see another great day.”

On President Jonathan’s sportsmanship attitude, he said: “Two things are in place. The president is the president of everybody, whether he contested with Buhari or not. He has seen the results displayed everywhere and it is only one that is remaining and he has also seen that even if he wins that one the figures as presented by INEC keeps Buhari on lead. As a statesman and as a president he has done what he should do.”

Orubebe however was not categorical on whether PDP will accept the results of the Presidential Election or not.

He said the PDP agents had a duty to submit a report of their observations at the National Collation Centre to the headquarters of the party where leaders will make an appropriate statement.

‎He said: “I cannot decide, for PDP is a large family, we are sent on an errand you go and be an agent, see what is happening there and come back to report to us. We will go and report to the party and the party will take the necessary action it has to take.

‎”The rest is for PDP as a party to get briefing from us and make a statement. You remember what happened in Ekiti recent governorship election, the governor congratulated his opponent and the party went back and said this is what they have seen. The candidate is not the party, he is a candidate and he has acted very well as a statesman, and as the president, the father of all, for us we are agents to be here to see what transpired here and give report to them.”

YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE ... CRIME DOES NOT PAY : Nigerian fraudster Rilwan Oshodi blew £1million plundered from victim's savings ... NigerianDailyNews

Payback: Scammer Rilwan Oshodi has been told he must repay nearly £1million in fraudulent gains

• Rilwan Oshodi, 31, bought Karen Budow's bank details and spent her £1million life savings on a luxury lifestyle
• He was jailed for eight years and has now been ordered to repay his profits
• Insists he has nothing left and did not personally gain from the huge scam
• But judge suggests he has hidden money abroad and tells him he will be jailed if he withholds payment 

A scammer who was the ringleader of a fraud gang has been ordered to repay nearly £1million which he stole from the life savings of an innocent victim.

Rilwan Oshodi bought Karen Budow's bank account details for just £3,200 and spent her savings on cheeseburgers, bottles of champagne and top-of-the-range computers.

He now claims he is so broke he can't even pay his lawyers - but a judge told him today that if he does not return his ill-gotten gains he will have to spend four more years in prison.

Nigerian Oshodi, 31, bought Ms Budow's Santander details from an Egyptian hacker Tamer Abdulhamid, who had persuaded her to hand them over as part of a fishing scam.

His girlfriend Annette Jabeth then posed as the victim and withdrew her £1million life savings, which the gang spent in a three-day shopping splurge in the New Year sales in January 2012.

Detectives said that their purchases had ranged from cheeseburgers to high-end computers and gold', while Oshodi spent £1,134 on taxis and bought expensive gadgets including a MacBook and an iPhone.

One picture of him even appears to show him holding a 'money sandwich', with Nigerian banknotes stashed between two slices of bread.

He was jailed for eight years in 2013 after being convicted of two counts of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.

Appearing at Southwark Crown Court for a confiscation hearing today, Oshodi insisted he had not profited from the scam, and denied hiding money in overseas bank accounts.

Money sandwich: This image appears to show Oshodi with Nigerian banknotes in between slices of bread

Champagne: But the scammer insists he does not have enough money to pay what he has been ordered to

He said: 'If I have hidden the goods, if I have got money how come I can't pay my solicitor, how come I can't rent a house, how come I was still broke, how come I am still broke, how come I am still poor?

'Wouldn't I get myself a new car, would I not buy myself some new clothes, Louis Vuitton or something?'

 

But judge Stephen Robbins said: 'I reject what he said today... he was the main mover and architect of this fraud and he has hidden assets most likely outside this jurisdiction.

'He said he got nothing from it at all, no benefit directly.'

Determining Oshodi to have made £940,820.34 in profit from the fraud, the judge ordered that he repay the total sum within six months or face a further four years in jail.

Girlfriend: Annette Jabeth was also jailed in 2013 for her part in Oshodi's fraud

Abdulhamid was jailed for six years after admitting three counts of conspiracy to defraud, but this year he was ordered to repay just £686 out of the £74,000 profit he made from the scam.

During a raid of Oshodi's home, detectives discovered computers with details of more than 11,000 credit cards, including those of almost 8,500 UK customers.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Budow said she was 'physically shaking' when she was informed by the bank, adding: 'Since the theft I have been reimbursed the full amount by Santander.

'But the effect it has had on me personally has been one of complete violation of my privacy. People have gained access to my personal details and I fear what they will use the information for.'