Today's National Newspaper Headlines/News - 1/5/2015

Good Morning and happy May 1st!

PUNCH

*Jonathan Questions Buhari’s Victory

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday picked holes in the results of theMarch 28 presidential election, saying “the Peoples Democratic Party couldn’t have got those kinds of scores” it had in some places.

Jonathan, who spoke shortly after receiving the report of the Senator Ahmadu Ali-led PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation   at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, however advised that since the general elections were over, the country must be allowed to move forward.

He added that apart from himself that quickly conceded defeat to the All Progressives Congress candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, many PDP members also made sacrifices because they were persecuted in the course of electioneering.

The President said, “The problem is not whether we lost the elections, that is history, but how do we consolidate our party and move forward? If we are committed and we work hard, definitely the PDP will bounce back.

**N25bn Money Laundering: Lucky Igbinedion's Brother to pay N3m fine

A Federal High Court in Benin, Edo State on Thursday sentenced a younger brother of ex-Governor Lucky Igbinedion, Michael,   to a six-year jail term for N25bn money laundering offences.

An aide of the ex-governor,   Patrick Eboigbodin, was also jailed for 20 years for the   same of offences.

However, the governor’s brother has an option of paying N3m or N1m for each of the three counts on which he was found guilty to avoid going to jail.

**FG Plotting To Sabotage Handover, APC Alleges

The All Progressives Congress on Thursday accused the Goodluck Jonathan administration of plotting to hinder a smooth handover of power on May 29.

It alleged   that it was becoming apparent that the outgoing government would not fully cooperate with the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari, despite its public posturing in that regard.

The party, in a statement   by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, described as an act of hostility, the “unnecessary vituperation against the incoming Buhari administration by the Jonathan government.”

It said the “unnecessary vituperation’’ was   not just because of the terms of reference of the Buhari transition committee, but a part of an orchestrated plot to sabotage the incoming government.

The APC therefore rejected what it referred to as the continued blackmail by the government and wondered whether the concession of defeat by the President to Buhari had now become a shield for all its wrongdoings.

The APC said that while the outgoing government had earlier issued a memo to all ministries, departments and agencies to make sure their handover notes were ready by April 20, it   reversed itself and said that the handover notes would not be ready until May 14.

The   statement added, ‘’With the new date, the Buhari transition committee will have little or no time to take a thorough look at the handover notes or seek clarification on knotty issues, effectively handing it (Buhari transition committee) a fait accompli as far as the handover notes are concerned.

“This does not augur well for a smooth transition and gives the impression that the outgoing administration is trying to hide something. By its dilly-dallying on the date for the readiness of the handover notes from the MDAs, the administration’s posturing that it is ready to hand over has been

exposed as nothing but a smokescreen.”

**Ekiti Crisis: APC lawmakers Give Terms For Truce

The 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly on Thursday shunned the peace meeting convened by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) to reconcile them with Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The lawmakers in a statement by Speaker Adewale Omirin’s Special Adviser on Media, Wole Olujobi, explained that while they appreciated the peace moves initiated by the eminent lawyer, surrounding circumstances gave away the governor as not prepared for any resolution of the crisis.

Specifically, the lawmakers said the security measures put in place for the peace parley revealed that the governor had a plan to attack and arrest some of them.

The lawmakers, therefore, proposed that the meeting be moved to Ibadan office of the Senior Advocate while members of the committee must be non-partisan elders.

***Pregnant Woman, Others killed As OPC, Vandals Clash

Members of the Oodua People’s Congress and some suspected pipeline vandals have clashed in Arepo, in the Obafemi Owode area of Ogun State.

It was gathered that the Wednesday clash caused pandemonium, which led to the killing of a pregnant woman, Mrs. Damilola Fajana, and another pedestrian. It was learnt that a suspected vandal had earlier been killed on Tuesday by some OPC members.

*FG summons Indonesian envoy over execution of four Nigerians

*Ex-ICPC chair canvasses multiple anti-graft agencies

*Court stops panel on political killings in Rivers

*Speakership: Dogara to reject APC zoning

*S’South PDP elders urge dissolution of Mu’azu-led NWC

*Jonathan, Shekarau shun UNILAG convocation

*Convoke national confab, group urges Buhari

*President-elect hails workers on

May Day

*We supported you in 2007, Afenifere tells Buhari

*Resign now, PDP chief tells Mu’azu

*Akume denies meeting Tinubu

*Convoke national confab, group urges Buhari

*Elected PDP Lagos lawmakers vow not to defect

*Man hangs self in uncompleted building

*Students protest continued closure of LASU

*Bullion van kills motorcyclist in Ogun

*Mother tortures, abandons son at filling station

*Lasisi tips Mayweather to beat Pacquaio

*NLC, NUPENG protest as fuel shortage worsens

*Produce dealers battle export barrier

VANGUARD

*I’m pained by Jonathan’s defeat — Ifeanyi Ubah

*I don’t mind dating D’banj — Imelda J

*Tinubu, Buhari architects of democracy in Nigeria —Emerhor

*I became blind after drinking ogogoro, by Ode-Irele survivor

*We’ll prosecute security personnel for electoral offences — Buhari

*How I survived cancer, by Okonjo-Iweala

*Lagos generates N2.433trn in eight years, spends N2.7trn

*Workers’ Day: We paid N17bn salary arrears, gratuity in 2 yrs — Yero

*Zoning: APC dancing on the ceiling

*Oil prices rise further as dollar drops

THE NATION

*Mu’azu absent as President gets PDP’s report on polls

*Ubah weeps over Jonathan’s loss

*Fayose agrees to pay 19 APC lawmakers

*No pressure on Mu’azu, others to resign, says PDP

*Southeast to Buhari: give us SGF position

*I will fight quacks in journalism, says NUJ Presidential aspirant

*Nigerians groan as fuel shortage worsens in Abuja, Lagos other cities

*Fed Govt: we’ve paid over N500b to marketers in five months

*President-elect condemns killing of Nigerien soldiers

*BBOG demands apology, accountability from Jonathan

*Fuel subsidy: NUPENG threatens strike

*Indonesian envoy defends execution of four Nigerians

*Jonathan: we ‘ll liberate territory from Boko Haram

*Ensure varsities’ funding, UNILAG’s VC tells Buhari

*Odigie-Oyegun to PDP: be a formidable opposition

*INEC to deregister parties after tribunals’ sittings

*Court stops panel on political killings in Rivers