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Buhari’s return: Aso Villa cabal stages a comeback, sidelines Osinbajo

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With the return of President Muhammadu Buhari from London, United Kingdom, where he spent 104 days receiving medical treatment, the cabal in the Presidency has again gained control of power and influence, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt.

Penultimate Saturday, the President returned to the country to a warm reception by jubilant Nigerians, who thronged the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja and the roads leading to Aso Villa. Thousands of Buhari’s well-wishers also took to the streets in other parts of the country to rejoice over his long-awaited return.

The Buhari presidency has been dogged by persistent rumours and speculation that a group comprising some members of the President’s extended family and friends are the powers behind the throne. This group is said to have the ear of the President, influence policy-making and determine those who get major appointments.

Among those identified as being members of the cabal were: the President’s nephew, Mamman Daura; the father to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (Muhammed Bello) Musa Bello; the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Samaila Isa Funtua and a few others.

While Buhari was away, Osinbajo who stood for him as Acting President held sway and won the admiration of many Nigerians and foreigners for the life he injected into government. Although the Vice President was said to have consulted the President in London before taking major decisions, he reportedly did not consult the members of the cabal whose influence ebbed considerably during the period.

A source who is close to the president said, “While Buhari was away, they tried to ensure that Osinbajo was not in control of the government, by keeping away information from Osinbajo. Kyari’s main job in the villa is to make Osinbajo look bad.”

However, with the return of the President, the cabal is said to be back in power. Reliable sources who are privy to the goings-on in the corridors of power described the President’s return as ‘bittersweet’.

They claimed that with the President’s return, the cabal had taken over again.

“They seem to have a disproportionate influence on what he (Buhari) does, what he says, and who he appoints. This cannot be in doubt; it is the fact of the matter,” one of the sources said.

Speaking with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, a former member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, confirmed the return of the cabal.

He said, “Off the cuff, one must mention Mamman Daura because he’s the kingpin and, in actual fact, he wields more power than the President. He knows; the President knows and those of them who are in government also know. After him, you have to mention the father to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Musa Bello.

“The son was made a minister, even though he has always been a card-carrying member of the Peoples Democratic Party. And, in fact, he was chairman of the National Hajj Commission for four years in a PDP administration. Then, when Buhari won, they made him a minister. Also, you have to mention the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, who is the pre-eminent lackey and errand boy of the mafia. You also have to include one character called Dr. Mahmud Tukur, the younger brother of Bamanga Tukur.

“Essentially, you can say that between the Buhari administration and the Kaduna Mafia is a revolving door. Once you come from the Kaduna Mafia, you occupy a very important position and there is no doubt about that — the same revolving-door policy was operated when he (Buhari) was Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund.

“The names I mentioned are the prominent members of the Kaduna Mafia. Again, it is not a (definitive) list because they keep coming in and out. But one thing about them is that they believe they have a divine right to dominate the North, and if they dominate the North, (they believe) they have a divine right to dominate Nigeria.”

Speaking also, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, who also said he was a member of the famed Kaduna Mafia, confirmed the existence of the cabal and its undue influence on the President. He added that the most powerful member of the group had always exerted a great deal of influence on Buhari right from his days as a military head of state.

According to him, Gen. Tunde Idiagbon, Buhari’s lieutenant during his time as a military head of state, often complained about the hold that Daura had on Buhari.

“Since his days as the military head of state, Buhari has been under the influence of Daura. It was because of the funny ways Daura and his people acted during Buhari’s regime that led IBB to overthrow him. You know what? Even Tunde Idiagbon complained about Mamman Daura.

“Whenever we went to Lagos in those days, we spent some time in his house and discussed national issues. Idiagbon discussed with us most of the actions he was taking then. Idiagbon said people like Daura were manipulating him (Buhari),” Abdulrahman disclosed.

Mohammed added that the cabal perfected a strategy that had helped them to sideline the vice president. “What they do is, they make sure they second-guess Osinbajo, what he’s going to do and then they go ahead and get Buhari to commit to a contrary opinion or a contrary line of action. They first try to see what he is likely to do; they don’t go and tell Buhari, ‘This is what Osinbajo is planning to do.’ They get Buhari to commit — sometimes, publicly — to a view, policy or thrust, which is contrary to what Osinbajo has been trying to bring up as a policy. They do that by frustrating him (the vice president) and making sure that he doesn’t have his way.”

However, the elder statesman did not spare the vice president, whom he said was attracting self-inflicted problems to himself.

“Osinbajo is a victim of his blunders because his advisers are tribal. It is a church cabal. He doesn’t have balanced opinions coming from all parts of the country. So, he ends up making some terrible blunders and they (Buhari’s cabal) find it easy to checkmate him.”

Expressing his fears for Buhari’s administration’s capacity to succeed, the ACF chieftain said.

“With the cabal still in the Villa, there is no way Buhari will succeed as a president. It is not for nothing that Aisha (the First Lady) cried out. Do you remember when she spoke about the hyenas and the jackals? They are the ones controlling Buhari now. The President must muster courage and drive away the cabal he has surrounded himself with. The cabal is a bunch of hustlers, fleecing the president and his family. They are not human beings. They are not interested in Buhari’s success.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, told SUNDAY PUNCH that he would not react to the claim, while the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, could not be reached as he did not respond to phone calls and messages.

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Oyo Rep, Oseni Pays APC Secretariat Staff Salaries, Donates N10m to Boost Party Operations

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File photo of Hon. Aderemi Oseni

House of Representatives member and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has fulfilled his pledge to support the welfare of the All Progressives Congress (APC) staff in Oyo State.

In a gesture highlighting his commitment, the lawmaker personally funded the salaries of staff at the APC’s Oke Ado Secretariat in Ibadan, reinforcing his dedication to the smooth operation of the party’s activities in the state.

Representing the Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency, Oseni recently visited the secretariat, where he expressed gratitude to party leaders and members for their contributions.

As a further commitment to the smooth operation of the party’s activities, the lawmaker generously donated ten million naira (N10,000,000) as an allowance to enhance the secretariat’s functions.

In a statement released Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the lawmaker extended appreciation to the secretariat staff, whom he described as the backbone of the party’s daily functions.

He lauded their dedication, noting their essential role in advancing the party’s goals.

“Leadership is about service, and service begins with supporting those who make the party function from within,” Oseni remarked.

“I am proud to honour this commitment to our staff, as they play a crucial role in making our political structures work effectively. This is my way of showing appreciation for their unwavering dedication”, he added.

 

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Oseni Salutes Senator Folarin’s Decades of Service at 61

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Engr. Aderemi Oseni, representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency of Oyo State in the House of Representatives, has paid tribute to former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, on his 61st birthday, celebrating his decades of dedicated service and contributions to Oyo State and Nigeria at large.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, in Ibadan, Oseni, who also serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), lauded Folarin’s unwavering commitment to leadership and the well-being of the people.

Highlighting the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial nominee in the 2023 elections for three terms in the Senate, the lawmaker noted that Folarin’s legacy of service continues to be a guiding light for emerging leaders and a source of inspiration for countless individuals across the state.

“Senator Folarin has built an admirable legacy through years of selfless public service, consistently advocating for progress and unity,” remarked Oseni.

Reflecting on Folarin’s role as the Ikolaba Olubadan of Ibadanland, the lawmaker commended his leadership approach, which has bridged divides, fostered coalitions, and promoted initiatives aimed at stabilising democracy.

“Senator Folarin’s career is an example of visionary leadership,” he added, “and his commitment to public service will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

As Senator Folarin marks this milestone, Oseni extended warm wishes for his continued health and success, expressing hope that his exemplary life of service will keep inspiring positive change across the nation.

 

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Ugandan Court Hands Ex-LRA Commander 40-Year Sentence

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In a historic ruling, a Ugandan court on Friday sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison.

This landmark decision, marking the first time a member of the notorious LRA has faced trial for war crimes in a Ugandan court, follows the group’s brutal two-decade insurgency against the Ugandan government.

Kwoyelo, who was convicted in August on 44 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, faced charges including murder, rape, torture, pillaging, abduction, and the destruction of settlements for internally displaced people.

(FILES) Thomas Kwoyelo a commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army rebellion blamed for brutal civilian murders during a 20-year war in the north of the country is brought into a courthouse in the northern Ugandan town of Gulu on July 25, 2011. – A Ugandan court on October 25, 2024 sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison after a landmark war crimes trial over his role in the group’s two-decade reign of terror. The sentence against Kwoyelo, who was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity in August, was announced by Michael Elubu, the lead judge in the case at the court in the northern city of Gulu. (Photo by MICHELE SIBOLINI / AFP)

Michael Elubu, lead judge of the case at the International Crimes Division (ICD) of Uganda’s High Court, delivered the sentence in the northern city of Gulu, underscoring a rare moment of accountability in the decades-long history of the LRA’s violence.

Judge Elubu stated that Kwoyelo retains the right to appeal both his conviction and sentence within 14 days.

Kwoyelo, who was abducted by the LRA at the age of 12 and later rose to a low-level command position within the organization, denied all charges brought against him.

(FILES) Suspected LRA (Lords Resistance Army) member Thomas Kwoyelo is pictured during a pre-trial session at the High Court in Kampala on Februay 1, 2017. – A Ugandan court on October 25, 2024 sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years in prison after a landmark war crimes trial over his role in the group’s two-decade reign of terror. The sentence against Kwoyelo, who was convicted on 44 counts of crimes against humanity in August, was announced by Michael Elubu, the lead judge in the case at the court in the northern city of Gulu. (Photo by GAEL GRILHOT / AFP)

The Lord’s Resistance Army, founded by Joseph Kony in the 1980s, sought to establish a regime based on the Ten Commandments. Under Kony’s leadership, the group unleashed widespread terror across Uganda and neighboring regions, resulting in over 100,000 deaths and the abduction of 60,000 children.

The violence eventually spread to Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Central African Republic.

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