Ali Modu Sherriff, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of unbundling the progress that his party made in resolving the party’s leadership crisis.

In a statement signed by Cairo Ojougboh, his deputy, Sheriff announced that he was pulling out of the reconciliation committee led by Jonathan.

He said this was to enable his national working committee (NWC) to focus on repositioning the PDP.

Sheriff alleged that the reconciliation moves initiated by Jonathan had finally collapsed and that the Ahmed Makarfi caretaker committee had hijacked Jonathan’s committee.

“We are opting out and focusing our efforts on making the party the darling of Nigerians again,” he said.

“We had made tremendous progress before former President Jonathan was asked by party leaders to convene a meeting where stakeholders will adopt the governor Seriake Dickson’s committee report on reconciliation.

“Unfortunately, former president Jonathan lost control of the meeting he convened and allowed Makarfi group to continue with their anti-party posture.

“All the organs of the party were already queuing up behind us and Jonathan came to unbundle the progress we made by his inability to control the meeting.

“We will not continue again but rather concentrate on rebuilding our party.”

Sheriff also said the party’s national executive council (NEC) meeting scheduled for May 4 had been postponed indefinitely, and that a new date would be announced later.

Although he did not give any reason for this, Sheriff his NWC took the action.

Being able to shop online has made life so much easier. In the beginning, you were typically able to buy things such as clothes and food. However, this form of shopping has now progressed. You can even get medicines, over the counter remedies, and medical supplies over the internet. Due to the nature of these items, though, there are a few things that you will need to consider before making a purchase. Here is what you need to know about getting such goods from an online pharmacy:

Do Some Research

It is best to look around online to see if anyone has used that particular pharmacy before. You should be able to find reviews and comments detailing customer’s experiences with the online store. This will give you some insight into the type of service that you can expect from them. You will also be able to determine whether or not it is a legitimate operation.

Prescription Requirements

Not all online pharmacies sell prescription medication. Some are just devoted to offering medical supplies. However, if you are looking to buy such medicines, you will need to make sure that the proper protocols are being followed. This means that the pharmacy should request that you scan and email them your prescription. A real online pharmacy will not sell you the medication until you can prove what you need it for.

Look at Quality

Imagine, for instance, that you are hoping to buy incontinence supplies online. Here, it is typically a good idea to stick with brands that you are familiar with. If not, you should read up on the product that you wish to purchase. Here, too, you can use online sources. Discover the experiences that other people had with that product. This will help you to make a better decision. Once the product has been shipped to you, inspect it to make certain that it is in good condition. Check the return policies to know whether you can return the item if it is damaged or broken in any way.

Read the Ingredients

If you are looking to buy skin care products in Canada, you will need to go through a similar process. Not only should you look up the brand, you will also need to read the ingredients used in the makeup or cleanser. This is to ensure that you are not getting something that you may be allergic to.

Beware of Credit Card Fraud

One of the most common ways that online stores expect you to make payment is with a credit card. It is important to take the necessary precautions when doing so, however. You should never use your card at a site that you may not feel is authentic. You should also not give out any more personal information than is absolutely necessary. This can be used as a form of identity theft.

These are some of the things you should know about before shopping at an online pharmacy. It can help you to get quality items at a great price, yet remain protected from scams or other unscrupulous tactics.

More than 100 activists from human rights group — Amnesty International — posed as Statues of Liberty outside the U.S. embassy in London on Thursday, April 27, 2017 to mark U.S. President, Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office.

The Statue of Liberty protesters held different messages, including “refugees welcome” and “no ban, no wall,” referring to Trump’s entry ban on citizens of several Muslim-majority states and his plan to erect a border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

A crying shame – 10 ways President Trump has threatened human rights in his first #100days. https://t.co/m5SRGbs8IX pic.twitter.com/iIuHMVDb94

— Amnesty UK (@AmnestyUK) April 27, 2017

Kate Allen, Amnesty’s UK Director, said ahead of the protest that “it is a crying shame that President Trump cares so little for human rights.

“In the space of just 100 days, President Trump has done untold damage to the U.S. already less-than-perfect reputation for upholding human rights.

“If the Statue of Liberty stands for anything, it stands for willingness to shelter people uprooted through war and intolerance.”

100 Statues of Liberty have gathered at the US embassy in London with a message for Trump: #NoBanNoWall. #100days https://t.co/rMnbNpbiq7 pic.twitter.com/T0CN8hl7b8

— Thomas Coombes (@T_Coombes) April 27, 2017

Another protester dressed as the Statue of Liberty stood outside the U.S. consulate in Northern Ireland, while a similar protest was planned at the U.S. consulate in Scotland on Saturday.

Following Trump’s entry ban, nearly two million Britons added their names to an online petition calling for his planned trip to the country to be downgraded from a state visit to avoid embarrassing the queen.

After a debate in parliament, Prime Minister Theresa May’s government said it would stick to its plan to host Trump but reportedly delayed the visit until the autumn.

Trump’s travel ban was blocked from going into effect by a federal judge in Hawaii after a lawsuit challenging the order was filed in the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari did not attend Juma’at prayer at Aso Rock mosque on Friday, April 28, 2017.

This is the first time that the president will be absent at the mosque since he returned to the country after a 49-day medical vacation in the UK.

However, some of the dignitaries who usually join him at the mosque were there for prayers.

Among them were Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, Ibikunle Amosun, his Ogun counterpart, and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara.

The absence of the president in public functions has been a source of concern.

On Wednesday, Buhari missed the federal executive council meeting for the second time in a row, fuelling reports about his health condition.

On Thursday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said doctors advised the president to take things slowly while fully recovering from the “long period of treatment in the United Kingdom”.

Shehu said there was no need for apprehension over the health of the president.

“The presidency hereby assures the good people of Nigeria that, despite the insinuations of a number of media organisations, there is no need for apprehension over the health of our President, Muhammadu Buhari,” Shehu had said in a statement.

“President Buhari’s absence at the federal executive council meeting of Wednesday, April 26, was a last minute decision; otherwise, the cabinet and the public might have been alerted in advance. As eager as he is to be up and about, the president’s doctors have advised on his taking things slowly.

“President Buhari himself, on his return to the country, made Nigerians aware of the state of his health while he was in London. Full recovery is sometimes a slow process, requiring periods of rest and relaxation, as the minister for information, Lai Mohammed, intimated in his press briefing after the FEC meeting on Wednesday.”

The presidential spokesman assured Nigerians that Buhari was still in charge of the country, and that he had been receiving daily briefings on the activities of the government.

Ike Ekweremadu, Nigeria’s deputy senate president, has joined a Port Harcourt-based Jewish Rabbi, Immanu-El Shalom, to perfect the bail condition of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

Ekweremadu was accompanied to the court premises by Senator Enyainnaya Abaraibe. The two senators have been involved in the process of perfecting the bail conditions for Mr. Kanu, a hugely popular Biafran secessionist activist.

In a controversial move, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, last week, ordered that three sureties, including a serving senator and a prominent Jewish religious leader should each provide N100 million and a landed property in Abuja for Kanu’s bail. The judge said she was granting the bail on health reasons.

According to news accounts, the property documents had been certified at the Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, before the team went to the court.

Meanwhile, there are reports that if all goes as planned, Nnamdi Kanu may be released from Kuje Prison on Friday, April 28, 2017.

Kanu’s stringent bail conditions forbid him from granting interviews while his trial is ongoing and that he must not be in a gathering of more than 10 people.

The judge, who has been slammed by IPOB and human rights activists, threatened to revoke the Biafran activist’s bail if any of her orders are flouted.

The sureties, the court said will also make available N100 million bail bond each and a landed property in Abuja.

Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the secessionist group, the Indigenous peoples of Biafra, has just left Kuje Prison after he met his bail conditions.

Sources closely monitoring the situation inform The Trent that the pro-Biafra activist was driven out of the court premises by a former minister of transportation, Osita Chidoka at about 6.00 pm on Friday, April 28, 2017.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Nigeria’s deputy senate president and Senator Abaribe played a key role in securing Nnamdi Kanu’s release from prison where he has been incarcerated since October 2015.

Dr. Ekweremadu joined a Port Harcourt-based Jewish Rabbi, Immanu-El Shalom, to perfect the bail condition for the IPOB leader. Senator Abaribe and Tochukwu Uchendu, an Abuja-based chartered accountant signed Kanu’s bail bond.

Ekweremadu was accompanied to the court premises by Abaraibe. The two senators have been involved in the process of perfecting the bail conditions for Mr. Kanu, a hugely popular Biafran secessionist activist.

In a controversial move, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, last week, ordered that three sureties, including a serving senator and a prominent Jewish religious leader should each provide N100 million and a landed property in Abuja for Kanu’s bail. She cited health reasons when granting the bail which she earlier denied.

According to news accounts, the property documents had been certified at the Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, before the team went to the court.

Meanwhile, there are reports that if all goes as planned, Nnamdi Kanu may be released from Kuje Prison on Friday, April 28, 2017.

Kanu’s stringent bail conditions forbid him from granting interviews while his trial is ongoing and that he must not be in a gathering of more than 10 people.

The judge, who has been slammed by IPOB and human rights activists, threatened to revoke the Biafran activist’s bail if any of her orders are flouted.

The sureties, the court said had to make available N100 million bail bond each and a landed property in Abuja.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, on Friday, April 29, 2017 said it collected N3.30 trillion revenue from taxes in 2016.

Chairman of the organization, Tunde Fowler, made this known at the closing of a three-day workshop on taxation for journalists in Lagos.

He said that the volume of revenue was generated in spite of drop in oil price and slide in value of stocks during the period.

The agency generated N3.74 trillion revenue in 2015.

Fowler, who was represented by the deputy director, communications and servicom, FIRS, Nneka Ifekwuna, however, expressed optimism that the performance of the Service would improve in 2017.

He said that the Services had stepped up the application of technology in revenue collection.

Fowler said that apart from deployment of technology, the agency was also applying persuasion and enlightenment of recalcitrant taxpayers to boost collection.

He said that the Service had begun nationwide registration of new taxpayers to expand the tax net in the country for increased revenue.

He disclosed that the ongoing registration had yielded 814, 000 additional taxpayers as at December, 2016 by FIRS and 3.4 million taxpayers by Internal Revenue Services in the states.

According to FIRS chairman, by December last year, Nigeria had a national tax roll of 14 million payers.

On the ease of tax payment, he said that compliance level of filing of tax returns by taxpayers at the FIRS offices across the country had improved.

He added that FIRS had embarked on some initiatives, including shielding taxpayers from the burden of carrying forward tax liabilities that rose from penalty and interest, to promote voluntary compliance.

Fowler also said that collaboration with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation had improved remittance of taxes, including Withholding Tax (WHT), Value Added Tax (VAT), by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

He said that FIRS had remained committed to its core values of professionalism, integrity, efficiency, ownership and collective responsibility in its operation.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, says stakeholders in the justice sector should work together to effectively tackle corruption, terrorism and other forms of crimes in Nigeria.

The Country Representative of UNODC, Christina Albertin, stated this at the end of a three-day Network Meeting of Justice Sector Reform Teams Conference in Kaduna.

“From the point of view of especially transnational organised crime, when we have events on corruption or on terrorism, what everybody points to is that (in) the cooperation between law enforcement, prosecutors and judges, there is much room for improvement.

“It is important that especially in the newer forms of crime and maybe now even with the ACJA (Administration of Criminal Justice Act) that everybody is on the same page, how we gather our evidence that is being presented.

“If the law enforcement officials are very well trained but the judge doesn’t understand how this evidence was put together the judgment will fail. So, I think this is a big issue.

“Some countries have started to do more on basis of case management.

“So, the cases are important and all those who are involved in solving these cases have to sit in a teamwork approach around the table to see how we look at this case generally.

“I think this is something that is very important to pursue.

“Political commitment is very important for justice reform to happen and I think justice reform has a major benefit for the government because people want justice.

“I think people will also judge government on the capacity that justice be really delivered.

“So I think for the government it is always to keep in mind that justice reform has a very higher return rate for the government also.’’

She commended government’s effort including the National Assembly for passing the ACJA into law.

Albertin said that the act would help in tackling most of the challenges that lead to delay in justice delivery in the country.

The conference, with participants from 25 states, including the FCT, focused on effective justice delivery in Nigeria.

An Upper Area Court sitting at Pankshin in Plateau on Friday, April 29, 2017 remanded a medical doctor, Philemon Brazil, in prison for allegedly raping his patient.

Brazil, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

The Judge, Mr Joseph Chollom ordered the remand of Brazil in custody and adjourned the case to May 22 for further mention.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Singbon Hosea, told court that the defendant committed the offence on April 25 at the home of his victim.

Hosea explained that the rape victim had a history of miscarriages and had been a patient of the doctor before the incident.

“But my lord, on that fateful day, April 25, when he visited the patient as usual, he went too far by forcing himself on her and ended up raping her.

“By that action, the accused has committed offences of rape and act of gross indecency, contrary to and punishable under Section 283 and 285 of the Penal Code.’’

He said that after the arrest of the doctor, the police conducted HIV test on him and that the result was negative.

Hosea also told court that after the rape, woman suffered yet another miscarriage.

The prosecutor asked court to remand the accused in prison, pending completion of investigation on the matter.

Naivety is not an excuse in politics and certainly not after spending about two years in the topmost level of powers. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is certainly learning the ropes; but how very fast is only known to him. He could only be on top of his game in the nasty days ahead, in dealing with people who are vociferous about using powers to peddle influence and undermine anything. No doubt he had, in acting capacity as a President for 50 days less, demonstrated, affectionate capacity to preside over the affairs of Nigeria, but the covert side of power play is far more than that. It is wickedly sophisticated in our clime. The daunting question is, has he, reasonably, learnt how to navigate the dangerous bend of power politics which is trapped with deadly potholes? This road destroys if; you do not know how to maneuver it with the right speed and sense.

The VP has been saddled with a delicate task of unraveling the mystery behind the huge cash discovered in the Osborne Apartments in Ikoyi, Lagos State and to equally untangle the invasive scandal of grass cutting business allegedly awarded to self, by the now suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr David Babachir Lawal. This assignment is deceptive and is laced with some elements of conspiracy on all sides. It would require sound political wisdom for the Vice President to come out of it unscathed. He is presiding over a committee in which the remaining two other members have some level of interests and involvements in the matters under investigation. Caution.

While the villa, albeit pretentiously, and some very naïve persons had bandied the rising unassailable and adorable image of Osinbajo as the reason for being saddled with such “an unnecessary” task, the covert motive is very well known to the schemers. Remember the impulsive echo of Babachir Lawal: “Who is the Presidency?” While we were busy scolding him for that pregnant statement, he had strategically “unleashed the dragon,” by confirming the “government within government,” allegation once made against the executive by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki. AsoRock has become a den of a few influence peddlers and power mongers who would continue to take advantage of our indisposed President to run the affairs of the state by “working from home.”

In this unfolding tricky complex game, did Osinbajo really know, and has he ascertained who the Presidency is that constituted the panel and the underlying motive for it? There would be no excuse in future for a Professor of Law that he was used as a pawn by influence peddlers in a hatchet task. And if he is unaware, this is the time to put on his thinking cap to discreetly unravel the web of conspiracy spiraling around the seat of power. You don’t need to be a lawyer to know that the Osinbajo panel is inconsequential to the extent of its formation. The VP is advised to do his own backend findings, including the slant in commentaries by pro-establishment writers and commentators.

This administration is soiled in divisive religious card; it is yet to acquit itself of some allegations bothering on parochialism and religious bigotry. Babachir Lawal has seen fellow cabals in the administration getting away with worse acts in a circle of impunity, and the system came out to defend them vigorously. He is still startled as to why his own should be different as member of the cabals. But I always knew that Babachir would be used as the “fall-cabal,” someday, and sorry to tell him that, there are some cabals who are more equal than other cabals, and coupled with that, he is from the “guinea pigs” Christian minority, of the Hausa/Fulani dominated Northern politics.

The top members of the club have found him suitable for the much-expected political sacrifice to remedy a discredited anti-corruption campaign and a failing government. The Pastoral garb of Osinbajo, a Christian leader in the administration was found to be helpful enough, to sacrifice and exit Lawal from the notorious league of the presidency cabals, and equally neutralise the emerging allegation of “because he is a Christian” biases in the media.

It is obvious that the suspension of Lawal by the same system that had, through the Attorney General of the Federation, Ababukar Malami, previously cleared him on allegations made by the Senate, is curious, suspicious and indeed an afterthought. But it is my take that Lawal and those who are found to have betrayed public trust deserve to go, but it should not be to the exclusion of other “sinful cabals,” because of the content of their bio-data. This may apparently be the worries of the suspended SGF.

In a similar fashion, the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, is also in a shock over his suspension. The media is awash with a claim that he had appropriately informed the National Security Adviser, Babagana Moguno, about the Osborne “covert” cash. The NSA on the hand has not denied this media report and back-channel information that he indeed had knowledge of the cash. The superior information remains that the Presidency was aware of the money via the NSA.

The question then is, why did Magu ignore the Galton’s whistle in the security circle and deliberately moved after the cash to burst “something?” Is it a payback? Yushau Shuaib, a media expert who had previously worked with the office of the NSA, in his latest article titled “That NIA’s Black-Budget and Mysterious Whistle-blower,” said something very instructive:

 “The incident is coming at a period of an intense inter-agency rivalry where security agencies were allegedly reported to be behind the leakages of classified and confidential information to smear their perceived oppositions within the same government….. With all fingers pointing to the fact that the money belongs to NIA, the burden of proof is who is the mysterious whistle-blower? Could the whistle-blower have acted on behalf of an agency engaged in the rivalry or was it as major counter-intelligence operation by foreign interests to expose and embarrass our intelligence network?”

The VP doubles as the most senior legal mind of the administration, but if he had accepted the headship of a needless committee in order not to be misconstrued; there was no justifiable reason in accepting the membership of the AGF on that panel. Also now that emerging facts have confirmed the culpability of the NSA in the “Black Money,” why then is Osinbajo still carrying on with these two “culpable” figures without asking the President to excuse them?

The whole truth concerning the attached interest to the Osborne cash may never be uncovered under the Buhari’s administration, except maybe if, the Senate decides to investigate the matter thoroughly through a bipartisan committee. However, legislative inquiry itself is not a full guarantee of full disclosure. But one day the truth will come out. However, Osinbajo must be very wary of the sharp political bends ahead of him. Truth and audacity in humility are sacrosanct.

Ariyo-Dare Atoye (Aristotle) is a good governance advocate. He can be reached by email HERE. He tweets from @AriyoAristotle.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Hadiza Bala Usman, the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA), has filed a suit at Federal High Court Abuja seeking for justice against the alleged false publications in an online media, and claiming N1 billion for damages, The Guardian reports.

Usman, who was in court Friday, April 28, 2017 for the suit filed against Prince Henry Nwazuruahu Shield and thebreakingtimes.com for defamation of character.

Usman picked exception to the report published on 22nd March 2017 titled: “How El-Rufai and Hadiza Usman bribed APC Chieftains with $25,000 each to make him Vice President”.

Usman, who confirmed the suit to The Guardian yesterday said: “The story is false and a total fabrication geared towards tarnishing my hard earned reputation. I have today filed a suit at Federal High Court Abuja seeking for justice against these perpetrators of falsehood,” she said.

Enjoining the media to be discouraged from running banner headlines with unverifiable information, she said new media and the digital space has brought prosperity to humanity but also brought along unhinged speed in the dissemination of lies and grief.

“While I believe that the new media has inherent capacity to fact check and unmask fallacies peddled by unconscionable people, it does not have the capacity to undo the damages and hurt inflicted on victims,” the NPA boss said.

“Only the Judiciary can mitigate and right that through its judgments, when approached by helpless victims. Justice is what I seek through my action in court today.

“I have overlooked many spurious claims against my person in the media in the past. I have been diligent and circumspect in my public life dealings.

“I have laboured to show integrity, transparency and accountability in all my ventures. I will not do differently in my present position as Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).

“And, I will not bow to blackmail either,” she said.

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have invaded the residence of Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka in Ogun State.

According to TheCable, the scholar disclosed this on Friday, April 28, 2017 while speaking at a forum in Freedom Park, Lagos.

“My home is under invasion… From Imeko to Abeokuta is under invasion by herdsmen,” he said.

“The trespasses have been frequent and reported but government is taking security lightly.”

Soyinka, who said the mentality of herdsmen had changed, advised government to use drone in tracking them.

In April 2016, Soyinka had raised the alarm over the invasion of his residence at a time when he was abroad.

This is a developing story…

Hadiza Bala Usman, the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has filed a suit at Federal High Court Abuja seeking for justice against the alleged false publications in an online media, and claiming N1 billion for damages, The Guardian reports.

Usman, who was in court on Friday, April 28, 2017 for the suit filed against Prince Henry Nwazuruahu Shield and thebreakingtimes.com for defamation of character.

But it turns out that Breaking Times did not publish the story in question, which was published on many online platforms except Breaking Times.

The Trent spoke with an editor of the online newspaper who says that the development is worrisome for many reasons.

“We never published such a story and our editorial board is preparing a statement to address this embarrassment from Ms. Usman,” he said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak on the matter. “We are considering suing her for defamation as her erroneous action has caused our paper damages in the public eye.”

Usman picked exception to the report published on 22nd March 2017 titled: “How El-Rufai and Hadiza Usman bribed APC Chieftains with $25,000 each to make him Vice President”.

Usman, who confirmed the suit to The Guardian yesterday said: “The story is false and a total fabrication geared towards tarnishing my hard earned reputation. I have today filed a suit at Federal High Court Abuja seeking for justice against these perpetrators of falsehood,” she said.

Enjoining the media to be discouraged from running banner headlines with unverifiable information, she said new media and the digital space has brought prosperity to humanity but also brought along unhinged speed in the dissemination of lies and grief.

“While I believe that the new media has inherent capacity to fact check and unmask fallacies peddled by unconscionable people, it does not have the capacity to undo the damages and hurt inflicted on victims,” the NPA boss said.

“Only the Judiciary can mitigate and right that through its judgments, when approached by helpless victims. Justice is what I seek through my action in court today.

“I have overlooked many spurious claims against my person in the media in the past. I have been diligent and circumspect in my public life dealings.

“I have laboured to show integrity, transparency and accountability in all my ventures. I will not do differently in my present position as Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).

“And, I will not bow to blackmail either,” she said.

An Igbo socio-cultural association, Nzuko Umunna, has warned against the further abuse of the rights of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB even as it expressed satisfaction that Kanu has been released after a protracted detention by the federal government.

In a statement issued on Saturday, April 29, 2017 by the association’s co-ordinator, Ngozi Odumuko, and the secretary, Paschal Mbanefo, the group lamented the stringent conditions attached to the bail conditions of the IPOB leader and expressed happiness that it was eventually met.

It thanked all those who made this possible but was also very quick to add that unless the three others, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu, and David Nwawuisi, charged alongside Kanu were released, and all charges against all of them dropped, justice would still not have been seen to have been done.

It therefore urged the federal government to take the necessary steps to respect the rights of Kanu and his colleagues and ensure that the issues fuelling agitations in the South Eastern part of the country are addressed urgently rather than attempt to suppress such agitations with brutal force.

Below is the full text of the press release.

With great sense of responsibility, Nzuko Umunna join other well-meaning Nigerians to welcome the smooth perfection of the bail granted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, despite the stringent conditions attached to the bail which have also been questioned by many Nigerians and some of which have the semblance of infringement of fundamental human rights of Mazi Kanu.

As we welcome Kanu’s bail, we wish to state clearly that bail should be extended to his colleagues too, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, as has been previously granted by the court.

We also wish to commend the efforts of Kanu’s legal team and all those who have been steadfast and supportive in the call for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and his colleagues. Nzuko Umunna salutes the timely response of the South East Caucus of the Sneate especially Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and also the two others who signed the bail bond for the release of Kanu, Tochukwu Uchendu and Jewish Chief High Priest, Immanuel-El Shalom Oka-Ben Madu.

We appreciate the various groups and leaders who showed and have continued to show solidarity to kanu and others in the course of this trial.

Finally, it will be recalled that Nzuko Umunna has earlier called for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and his colleagues and we are not reneging on that until justice is seen to have been done.

We wish to reiterate our stand that the rights of Kanu and his colleagues must be respected and that the government should as a matter of urgency look into the numerous issues that have given rise to the unprecedented upsurge in agitations in the South East part of the country instead of using brutal force to suppress peaceful protests, an action which would always be counterproductive.

Signed:

Paschal Mbanefo                                                                                                        Ngozi Odumuko
Secretary                                                                                                                     Co-ordinator

The management of Breaking Times, an online newspaper, has announced that it is slamming a N2 billion defamation lawsuit against Hadiza Bala Usman, the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Ms. Usman had on Friday 28th April, 2017 filed a N1 billion suit against Breaking Times at an Abuja High Court for allegedly defaming her in a report titled, How El-Rufai and Hadiza Usman bribed APC Chieftains with $25,000 each to make him Vice President”.

But in a statement issued on Saturday, April 29, 2017, Anthony Ehilebo, the publisher of the online platform, said that at no point in time did Breaking Times publish the said defamatory report.

The Trent had earlier reported that Ms. Usman’s lawsuit is targeted at the wrong platform, a mistake which draws question to her presence of mind and motivations for making Breaking Times a target.

“News of the defamation suit therefore comes as not only shocking but deeply embarrassing as the management of Breaking Times has been inundated with calls from friends, family members, business partners and associates as well as numerous clients who are now disengaging from doing business with Breaking Times,” the newspaper said.

The full statement which was emailed to The Trent said.

“The attention of the publisher and management of Breaking Times Communications Ltd, owners of BREAKING TIMES (TheBreakingTimes.com) – a leading Nigerian online newspaper has been drawn to a report by The Guardian newspaper of Saturday April 29, 2017 with the headline “NPA boss slams journalist with N1 billion libel suit”.

“According to the report, “The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman has filed a suit at Federal High Court Abuja seeking for justice against the alleged false publications in an online media, and claiming N1 billion for damages. Usman, who was in court yesterday for the suit filed against Prince Henry Nwazuruahu Shield and thebreakingtimes.com for defamation of character. Usman picked exception to the report published on 22nd March 2017 titled: “How El-Rufai and Hadiza Usman bribed APC Chieftains with $25,000 each to make him Vice President”.

“Suffice it to say, that at no point in time did BREAKING TIMES publish the said defamatory report. News of the defamation suit therefore comes as not only shocking but deeply embarrassing as the management of BREAKING TIMES has been inundated with calls from friends, family members, business partners and associates as well as numerous clients who are now disengaging from doing business with BREAKING TIMES.

“Considering that the said defamatory report was published by TheBreakingPostNG – a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT online media organization and a fact that is supported by tweets issued from the official Twitter account of Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman as well as published reports where TheBreakingPostNG reportedly apologized and retracted the report shows clearly that this was a calculated and mischievous attempt with the intent to defame and damage the brand – BREAKING TIMES.

“Also, considering the position of Ms. Usman as a senior and active member of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), it lends credence to the argument that this was an attempt to destroy the credibility of BREAKING TIMES for its perceived efforts as a rallying point for opposition voices under a democratically elected government where the concept of free press is now a mirage and the freedom of speech for all citizens is no longer guaranteed.

“The official Twitter handle of BREAKING TIMES – @BTBreakingTimes is VERIFIED by Twitter; making it easy to be differentiated from other brands.

“How is it possible that Ms. Usman with her status as the chief executive of a top-ranking Nigerian government agency as the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) cannot differentiate between BREAKING TIMES and TheBreakingPostNG save for the malicious attempt to label our brand as a purveyor of fake, unprofessional and defamatory news content?

“Why was it convenient for Ms. Usman to admit in her tweets that she was defamed by TheBreakingPostNG only to switch to BREAKING TIMES at the point she decided to engage her lawyers to file a N1 billion lawsuit for defamation?

“Is Ms. Usman aware of the irreparable damage she has done to our years of painstaking hard work and professionalism as an online news medium?

“Let it be clear that the Management of Breaking Times Communications Ltd will not be subdued into silence by the subversive manipulation and ongoing crackdown on the media by government agencies, their officials and other state actors.

“In the light of this and as a deterrent to those who are always hasty to intimidate, harass and drag journalists and their media organisations to court over reports they consider unfavorable to them, the Management of Breaking Times Communications Ltd is proceeding to court to seek redress for what it considers an injurious infraction on its rights as a legal entity.

“We are suing Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman for defamation to the tune of N2 billion. This is a first step in our efforts to begin the reparation of this malicious damage inflicted on BREAKING TIMES – a media house whose only crime is speaking truth to power.”

Signed

Anthony Ehilebo
For: Breaking Times Communications Ltd

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, says a total of 189,734 passengers and 3,273 aircraft movements were processed at the Kaduna International Airport between March 8 and April 17.

FAAN made this known in its monthly statistical report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by its acting general manager of corporate affairs, Henrietta Yakubu on Friday, April 28, 2017 in Abuja.

The report indicated that a total of 175,931 passengers were processed on scheduled domestic flights, comprising 89,655 arrivals and 86,276 departures.

It also revealed that 1,474 passengers, comprising 472 arrivals and 1,002 departures were processed on non-scheduled domestic flights during the period under review.

According to the report, the airport also processed 12,329 passengers on scheduled international flights, comprising 5,638 on arrivals and 6,691 on departures.

On the whole, a total of 3,274 domestic aircraft movements comprising 2,340 scheduled and 736 non-scheduled flights were recorded according to the statistics.

It also showed that the aircraft movements for scheduled international flights were 122, while non-scheduled flights recorded two aircraft movements during the period.

According to the report, the airport received 84 cargo flights through courier service.

Flight operations began at the airport on March 8, following closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for its runway rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines was the only international airline that operated in Kaduna during the period.

The airline processed 11,568 passengers in and out of the airport.

Out of this figure, according to the Airline’s Traffic and Sales Manager, Mrs. Firiehiwot Mekonnen, 6,456 were processed on departures, while 5,112 were on arrivals.

Abdullahi Isah, one of the six suspects arrested in connection with the failed assassination attempt on Dino Melaye, has confessed that his gang was hired to kill the senator who presents Kogi West at the Nigerian Senate.

A statement issued by Jimoh Moshood, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, Isah confessed that Taofiq Isah, chairman of Ijumu LGA, who is also in police custody, had contacted him and four others to execute the task.

The attack on Melaye’s country home at Ayetoro-Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, happened on April 15.

Moshood said four other members of the gang were currently at large

“Consequent on the attack by unknown gunmen on Dino Melaye, Ibrahim Idris, the inspector general of police (IGP) swiftly deployed police special tactical squad (STS) team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Moshood said in the statement, which was emailed to The Trent on Saturday, April 29, 2017.

“Investigation so far revealed that Abdulmumini (a.k.a Iron) the personal assistant to Isah, recruited members of the gang for the attack namely: Abdullahi (a.k.a. Eko), Osama (SNU), Lukman (a.k.a General/Commander), China (a.k.a Lie down flat) and Adamu Aloha.”

Moshood listed other suspects arrested in connection with the murder attempt to include Ade Obage, 29; Abdullahi Isah, 32; Ahmed Ajayi, 45; Michael Bamidele, 26 and Ede James, 35.

According to the statement, the exhibits recovered include one ambulance Hyundai bus, five AK 47 rifles, one berreta pistol, two locally made single barrel shot gun.

Others are twenty expended shells of 7.62 mm ammunition, thirteen expended shells of 9mm ammunition and twelve expended shells gauge cartridge.

“Investigation is being intensified to arrest other suspects at large and all suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation,” he said.

Gun shots

A post shared by Dino Melaye (@dinomelaye) on Apr 15, 2017 at 11:24pm PDT

When the incident happened, Senator Melay said the shooting lasted for almost one hour, adding that apart from the building riddled with bullets, two of his vehicles were damaged.

The senator said he suspected Mr Taufiq Isa, the Administrator of Ijumu Local Government to be behind the attack.

According to him, the attack was politically motivated, because of his criticism of the Kogi State government.

“I got a rousing welcome from Kabba to my home town on Friday and I know it angered the power that be  in the state which mobilised for this assassination attempt on my life,” Melaye said.

“At about midnight, we started hearing gunshots. They fired more than 200 rounds of bullets into the house. This attempt to kill me will not stop me from speaking the truth.

“If I speak the truth, I will die. If I lie, I will die. I’ve decided to speak the truth and die. I’m not afraid of death. I only respect men, I don’t fear them.”

“I am championing an administrative cause. I will continue to speak and be the voice to the voiceless. I’m not deterred; I remain resolute to make Kogi better. Nothing will stop me from coming home.”

A post shared by Dino Melaye (@dinomelaye) on Apr 15, 2017 at 11:20pm PDT

A post shared by Dino Melaye (@dinomelaye) on Apr 15, 2017 at 11:20pm PDT

A post shared by Dino Melaye (@dinomelaye) on Apr 15, 2017 at 11:20pm PDT

Shot fired

A post shared by Dino Melaye (@dinomelaye) on Apr 15, 2017 at 11:20pm PDT

A post shared by Dino Melaye (@dinomelaye) on Apr 15, 2017 at 2:42pm PDT

A post shared by Dino Melaye (@dinomelaye) on Apr 15, 2017 at 2:43pm PDT

Bolaji Akinyemi, a former minister of external affairs, has advised that under no circumstances must the probe into the ‘Ikoyi $43 million’ recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, be made public. He cites “security reasons” for his stance.

In a statement issued on Sunday, April 30, 2017, the former minister said that President Muhammadu Buhari has already made grave mistakes when he set up a panel to probe the spy security agency. One of such is not appointing someone with experience or history in the operation of the NIA, which is the equivalent of the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, of the United States of America.

Ayo Oke, the director-general of NIA, had come forward to say that the money found in a luxury apartment on Osborne Road, Ikoyi belonged to his agency.

Buhari reacted to the news, which embarrassed his government, by suspending Babachir Lawal, the secretary to the federal government and Mr. Oke on April 19, 2017. A panel made up of three people chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was set up to conduct investigations to ascertain the source of the money.

“When Ambassador Ayo Oke stepped forward to claim it on the part of the National Intelligence Agency, (NIA), alarm bells started to ring in my ears. It is one of the sacred traditions of the external intelligence trade to admit nothing and to deny nothing,” Akinyemi said.

“A saving grace emerged when the president set up the Osinbajo panel to untangle the web over the millions of dollars. But the president inadvertently made a mistake.

“He did not appoint anyone with a history of external intelligence experience into the panel. External Intelligence operations do not belong to the same security genre as domestic security forces such as the SSS, EFCC and the police.

“External intelligence officers, otherwise called spies, do not operate under the same operational penalties as domestic intelligence officers.

“Under no circumstances should the report of the panel in as far as it relates to the activities of the NIA be made public and no more leaks from the panel.”

Akinyemi said the exposure of the agency to the public could pose a serious threat to officers of the agency, noting that, “normally, foreign intelligence activities are shrouded in secrecy, and not in the glare of publicity.”

He also faulted the move of the house of representatives the issue, highlighting the security implications.

“What has motivated me at this late stage to issue this release is the news that the house of representatives has now decided to institute its own inquiry to this peculiar mess. This is a dangerous move,” he said.

“The ultimate penalty for a foreign spy in most countries is death. Countries go to incredible lengths to hide the identities of their agents both domestic and foreign and their operations. No receipts get issued. Budgets are called black budgets because they are never publicly acknowledged.

“Now, the whole saga has made us a laughing stock in the world. Nigerian agents strewn all across Africa are now in dread of being exposed. Recruiting agents in future in Africa is going to be difficult out of fear of future exposure.

“Under no circumstances should the national assembly be allowed to conduct hearings into the NIA affair. The Osinbajo panel Report could be shared secretly with the president of the senate and the speaker of the house.

“Should any NIA officer be found culpable, he or she should be quietly eased out. Putting a foreign intelligence officer on trial in an open court is going to be disastrous to external national security interests.

“If there is no provision to put an intelligence officer on trial in a secret and special court, an executive bill should be sent to the national assembly to make provision for such.

“Under no circumstances should one security agency be allowed to move against another security agency especially one dealing with foreign intelligence, without the express permission of the president or in his absence the acting president. This should be without any publicity or fanfare.”

Akinyemi, a professor of political science and an expert in international affairs, law and diplomacy, served as a minister under the military administration of Ibrahim Babangida.

Additional reports by TheCable. 

It is no longer news that Citizen Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was unjustifiably detained for 18 months or since 14th October 2015 before being granted court bail with stringent conditions on 25th April 2017; with the said stiff pre bail conditions fully met, leading to his release two days ago. It is also no longer news that Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law is the first human rights organization in Nigeria to launch its advocacy was arraigned in a Wuse Zone Magistrate Court and granted bail) with a strong worded and informative press statement dated 20th October 2015 and titled: Unanswered Questions Trailing Nnamdi Kanu’s Reported Bail And Continued Detention.

What is news is also not about noises being made by a battalion of celebrants of Citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s conditional freedom; who are dominated by aluta spectators among them are Judases, cowards and political opportunists. On this same condemnable or damnable page is clear manifestation of ethnic bias, hatred and selective advocacy by Human Rights Watch (HRW), USA as it concerns the butchering or mass killing and maiming of hundreds of unarmed and defenseless Pro Biafra campaigners. The HRW’s vicarious liability stems from the fact that its Nigerian research team is headed by a Nigerian of Southwest origin; forcing it to inexcusably opt out of its usual research based investigation and report on the issue till date. The media hostility, particularly media blackout or distorted reporting of the mass killing and maiming of nonviolent Pro Biafra campaigners by most of the print and electronic media of Southwest origin is also worthy of outright condemnation.

While we have nothing to celebrate over Citizen Kanu’s conditional freedom because it is not yet uhuru; history will never be kind to us if we fail to mention and commend the immeasurable contributions of Citizen Kanu’s lawyers, online media particularly those of Southeast and South-south origins and the Amnesty International, UK. The supreme sacrifices made by over 270 slain members, supporters and sympathizers of IPOB and other Pro Biafra campaign movements shall forever be remembered and engraved. Those who narrowly escaped being shot dead, but got shot and battered with several of them crippled for life are also worthy to be mentioned and commended; likewise humanitarian roles of some privileged and conscientious Nigerians, on account of which several lives were saved.

Lessons Before Buhari Government:

Different violent approaches adopted by the Buhari Administration so as to crush Igbo People or suppress them particularly as it concerns their nonviolent anti structural and physical violence campaigns are the worst governance policy and approaches any government can think of in this modern age. The said failed violent and hostile attitudes of the Buhari Government are bitter lessons to be learnt by same. Violence has never solved any social or human problem. It has always aggravated same or yielded further violence and acrimony. It is also an incontestable fact that the Buhari Administration is the most dreaded anti Igbo civilian government in Nigeria in recent times; both in terms of structural and physical violence indexes.

It is true that successive public office holders of northern origin in Nigeria have for several decades promoted and fueled several Igbo annihilative policies and violence using sponsored third party violent groups and individuals as well as lopsided government appointments and resource allocations. But this is the first time in the history of democracy in Nigeria that Government has adopted Igbo annihilation through structural and physical cleansing as a State policy. This is also the first time Government has directly launched and commissioned mass murder of innocent and defenseless Igbo population. Igbo Society had lost hundreds of thousands of innocent lives since 1945 to unprovoked ethno-religious belligerency and butchery.

The said massacres did not include the Biafra-Nigeria Civil War of 1967-70 in which over 2million mostly Igbo citizens and other citizens of the old Eastern Nigeria were either killed or starved to death. The anti Igbo butcheries of 1945, 1953 and 1967 were chief reasons why the Biafra-Nigeria Civil War erupted in 1967.

Highlights of anti Igbo pogroms or killings in Nigeria since 1945 include the Jos anti Igbo massacre of 1945; Kano anti Igbo pogrom of 1953; 29^th May to 29^th September 1966 anti Igbo pogroms in various parts of the North; and the Asaba Igbo massacre of 1967; all resulting in the death of tens of thousands Igbo People.

Other anti Igbo killings or pogroms that had taken place in Nigeria or any part thereof are as follows: Kano 1980, Maiduguri 1982, Jimeta 1984, Gombe 1985, Zaria 1987, Kaduna and Kafanchan 1991, Bauchi and Katsina 1991, Kano 1991, Zango-Kataf 1992, Funtua 1993, Kano 1994, Kaduna 2000, Kaduna 2001, Maiduguri 2001, Jos September 2001, Kaduna 2002, Kaduna’s Miss World Riot of November 2002 and Prophet Mohammed Cartoons Riot of February 2006 (Maiduguri), the Apo-Abuja Six killing by the Nigeria Police Force of (six young Igbo traders: Ekene Isaac Mgbe, Ifeanyi Ozor, Chinedu Meniru, Paulinus Ogbonna and Anthony and Augustina Arebu) of June 2005.

The rest are the November 2008 Jos LGA Poll Riot/killings, the Jos 2010 Christmas Eve bombings, the Madalla Igbo Catholic Church bombings of 2011, the 2011 post general elections’ riots/killings that led to killing of 10 Igbo NYSC members and several other Igbo People in the North, the Mubi Igbo killings of 2012 and Nyanya Bombing of April 2014 (where several Igbo citizens and others died).

Over 4000 other defenseless Igbo people residing in the North were also butchered by northern Muslims’ backed Islamic Boko Haram terrorists between 2009 and 2014. Since 2015, the Islamic Fulani terrorists have butchered not less than 70 rural Igbo citizens with the highest casualties being the Nimbo massacre of 2016 in Enugu State with at least 48 deaths.

In spite of these chilling and unprovoked butcheries directed at Igbo People, Igbo People have never retaliated or taken up arms till date. They have continued to survive, expand, develop, tolerate, accommodate and feed themselves till date. The Igbo population which its Hausa-Fulani butchers has been seeking to annihilate and wipe off the world map since 1945 have continued to grow and expand hitting over 40million population and found in over 88 countries of the world. Till date, Igbo People are most peaceful, nonviolent, friendly and harmless tribe in Nigeria; despite decades of butchery and annihilative policies ceaselessly directed at the race.

In spite of the butcheries, tribulations and enforced socio-economic retardations, Igbo Society and its People have lowest poverty rate and highest GDP per capita in Nigeria today. The bitter lesson to be learnt by the present Buhari Government in its failed attempts to crush Igbo’s anti structural and physical nonviolent campaigns is that the Igbo People must always survive and exercise their sacred rights as clearly enshrined in Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and allied regional and international enactments. It is also an act of impossibility to beat a child and ask him or her not to cry. There must be total reversal of anti Igbo structural and physical annihilative policies in Nigeria particularly under the present Buhari Administration.

Challenges Facing Leadership Of IPOB

As earlier stated, we at Intersociety have nothing to celebrate over conditional freedom granted to Citizen Nnamdi Kanu. Rather we see it as the beginning of all beginnings and a wakeup call. The conditional freedom has also thrown up more challenges and placed them at the doorsteps of the leadership of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

One of the challenges is imminent dangers in rumored or planned abandonment (i.e. in terms of their personal and family basic upkeep or welfare and proactive legal representations and facilitation of allied basic logistics) of IPOB’s detained comrades-in-aluta; namely: David Nwawusisi, Benjamin Madubugwu, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Bright Chimezie and newest arrestee (George Onyeibe) and other detainees across the country held in connection with Pro Biafra Campaign in Nigeria. The case of Mr. Bright Chimezie is most pathetic. He has not been seen privately or publicly since 16^th September 2016 when he was arrested by Police in Akwa Ibom State and handed over to SSS in the State. He has been detained without trial for seven months and nobody knows whether he is dead or alive in SSS custody till date.

Therefore, our firm position and advice to IPOB stems from what we have been reading on social media where a section of IPOB activists/officials seemed to have lost direction in their nonviolent self determination campaigns and resorted to use of abusive and uncouth words such as “traitors”, “saboteurs”, “criminals”, and other forms of campaign of calumny against some of their key officials and colleagues including some of the their detained colleagues mentioned above.

We strongly and conscientiously advise Citizen Kanu and his IPOB not to make the costly mistake of abandoning its comrades-in-aluta at this particular point in time. Citizen Nnamdi Kanu must seek appropriate clarifications from his lawyers and nuclear family on the true state of things during his unjustifiable incarceration so as to get things right and put his group’s house in order to avoid making a grave mistake including abandoning his detained comrades and the 370 wounded and 270 slain others.

Most importantly, the second challenge facing Citizen Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB is the posthumous fate of 270 slain members of IPOB and other Pro Biafra movements. It is the inexcusable and moral duty of Citizen Kanu and his IPOB to ensure at all times that their slain comrades did not die in vain. They must not be seen or treated as sacrificial lambs, deserving no posthumous justice and remedies. Accountability and justice for their premeditated murders are as important as the IPOB’s self determination or Pro Biafra campaigns.

The leadership of IPOB must learn from the centuries old oral and scientific account of ghost or soul haunting by pre colonial Igbo chiefs (ndi mgburuchi); numbering 75, who were forcibly sold into slavery in far away Simons Island in present day State of Georgia in USA in May 1803 at average of $100 each. Because of their unquenchable angers and vows they made before committing mass suicide by diving into the Island’s creek, their souls wrecked havoc for centuries until they were appeased and pacified by the Nri Kingdom Dynasty delegation as recently as 2012. In the case of 270 slain IPOB members and other Pro Biafra Campaigners, they must not be abandoned until their killers are brought to justice locally, nationally, regionally or internationally.

Signed:

Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chairman
Mobile Line: +2348174090052

Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Esq.
Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law Program

Chinwe Umeche, Esq.
Head, Democracy & Good Governance Program

Florence C. Akubilo, Esq.
Head, Campaign & Publicity Department

Contact: International Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of La
Phone Lines: +2348182411462, +2349063500218
Email: info@intersociety-ng.org
Website: www.intersociety-ng.org

Nigeria’s Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday, April 29, 2017 discredited claims in a book co- published by ThisDay Books, Against the Run of Play, and written by Olusegun Adeniyi, the editorial board chairperson of ThisDay.

Dr. Jonathan said that the book contains “distorted claims” and said that he would tell his personal account of what happened in 2015 in his own book at the “right time”.

The book chronicles event leading up to and after the 2015 presidential election which saw former President Jonathan conceded defeat to General Muhammadu Buhari, a former brutal military dictator.

The poll has widely been condemned as not being free and fair and the umpire, Professor Attahiru Jega, the erstwhile chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been accused of compromise with the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mrs. Adeniyi, who was a media aide to late president Umaru Yar’adua,  saying he would give a personal account of the events leading to his defeat in the 2015 presidential election soon.

Mr. Jonathan said this in a series of tweets posted on his Twitter handle, @GEJonathan, as well as his Facebook page.

The former president said the accounts of the 2015 elections relayed in the book from some respondents were simply not true and that he would be providing Nigerians with the truth of the things that happened.

(1) I have just read Segun Adeniyi's new book, 'Against the Run of Play' which has so far enjoyed tremendous reviews in the media.

— Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) April 29, 2017

(2) My take on it is that the book as presented contains many distorted claims on the 2015 Presidential election by many of the respondents

— Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) April 29, 2017

(3) There will obviously be more books like that on this subject by concerned Nigerians.

— Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) April 29, 2017

(4) However, I believe that at the right time, the main characters in the elections including myself

— Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) April 29, 2017

(5) will come out with a true account of what transpired either in major interviews or books.

— Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) April 29, 2017