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Abubakar Elkanemi, shehu of Borno, says the people of the state are still under Boko Haram seige. Elkanemi said this when President Muhammadu Buhari paid him a courtesy call at his palace in Shehuri, Maiduguri, on Thursday. The monarch dismissed claims by security operatives that the ongoing military operations, particularly in some parts of the state and the Lake Chad region, was yielding positive result. He said nobody dares move 10 kilometres out of the state without being attacked, adding that farmers are being killed and kidnapped on a daily basis. While applauding Buhari, the monarch said there is much to be done for the people of the state to be free from the insurgents attacks. “On behalf of the traditional institution in Borno, I want to commend your excellency for the commitment you have given towards ending the lingering crisis of Boko Haram,” he said. “It is unfortunate that despite all efforts put in place to restore peace in our land and the north-east, we

A total of 73 of Nigeria’s 91 political political parties are set to take part in next year’s general elections having submitted details of their candidates to the electoral commission, INEC, before the deadlines, an official has said. The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, said this in his opening remarks at the two-day capacity building workshop by INEC and the European Center for Elelectoral Support (ECES) to train journalists on INEC beat. He also said the commission has been joined as a respondent in about 396 suits in various courts across the nation. He revealed that at the end of the period for the substitution and withdrawal of candidates for the presidential election, 73 political parties had filed their nominations. He also said a few parties (which he did not name) among the 79 that listed presidential candidates, nominated candidates below the mandatory age of thirty-five (35) years for presidential and vice preside

Bukola Saraki, President of the 8th Senate, has described the Trader Moni initiatives of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led federal government as sophisticated vote buying. Mr Saraki made the description on Friday while declaring open the presidential campaign council of Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 presidential election. Vote buying, a corrupt election practice, occurs when those eligible to vote in an election exchange their votes for monetary gains or services. Trader Moni, launched under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) in August is meant to empower two million petty traders across the country before the year ends. The microcredit scheme would grant a minimum of 30,000 loan facilities to petty traders in each state and the federal capital territory (FCT). The programme is being executed by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. The number citizen has recently been travelling across the country gi

The Public Affairs Officer (PAO) of the United States of America consulate in Lagos, Mr. Brussel Brooks on Friday, said issuance of visa to Nigerians irrespective of their social standing is strictly a confidential matter. He said US Government will not discuss such confidentiality in public. Brooks spoke while fielding questions from journalists after an Education Forum, held at the Distance Learning Center, University of Ibadan. The PAO was apparently reacting to the controversies surrounding the US visa status of former vice president of Nigeria and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. The programme, entitled: ‘Teaching Resources: Availability, Applicability and Appropriateness,’ was organised by Fulbright Language Scholars’ Association under the leadership of Miss Tolu Akinwole, who said the association, being funded by the United States Consulate, has trained a total of 350 teachers in Oy

Football legend and former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand has arrived in Lagos, Nigeria on a three-day visit, Brainnews Radio report. The visit will run from Thursday, November 29, to Sunday, December 2. Retired England international footballer, Rio Ferdinand has arrived in Lagos for a series of events organised by Guinness, as he touched down at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Ikeja in Lagos, and got a rousing welcome from football fans. The Manchester United defender, who was well received by officials of Guinness Nigeria and football fans as he signed a couple of autographs on his arrival, will join Guinness Nigeria’s efforts to find and celebrate Nigerian football fans that are Made of More. The 40-year-old and the ex-Red devils center-back is no stranger to Nigeria, as in 2008 he met the traditional ruler of Lagos, King Rilwan Akiolu, during a visit and was bestowed with the title of “Chief Fiwagboye”. During the ceremony at his palace in Lagos, King Akiolu

The suspect identified as Abbas Lakis was nabbed by the anti-grat agency after intelligence reveled he was carrying undeclared huge sums of monies aboard the Egypt Airline bringing him from the Kano Airport en route Lebanon at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. At the point of arrest, a thorough search on his luggage uncovered $2,104,936 (Two Million, One Hundred and Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Thirty six Dollars), £163, 740 (One Hundred and Sixty Three Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty Pounds), €144,680 (One Hundred and Forty Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Euros). Other currencies found with Lakis include Riyal 391,838 (Three Hundred and Ninety One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty Eight Riyals), CHF 3,420 (Three Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty Swiss Franc),Lira 435 (Four Hundred and Thirty five Lira), £109,000 (One Hundred and Nine Thousand Lebanese Pounds), Dirhams 10,135 (Ten Thousand One Hundred and Thirty Five UAE Dirhams) ¥10,000 (Ten Thousand C

The Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan on Friday said that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot be stampeded into signing the 2018 Electoral Act Amendment bill into law. Before the latest version was submitted to the Presidency, the President had withheld his assent to the document about three times due to ‘errors’ in the amended bill. With the 2019 general elections fast approaching, it is feared that the 2018 Electoral Act Amendment bill may not meet the stipulated time if not urgently signed into law by the President. But speaking with State House correspondents after jumaat prayer at the Presidential Villa on Friday, Lawan advised that the President should take his time to study the document to avoid errors. According to him, the amended 2006 Electoral Act can still be used for the 2019 general elections. If properly implemented, he said that the 2006 Electoral Act can even deliver a more transparent, free and fair elections in 2019 than what was experienced in 2015. “The Presi

Leaders of the North East, North West, North Central, South South, South West and South East geopolitical zones meeting with Peter Obi at Chief E.K.Clark's Abuja residence,on how to restructure and re-engineer Nigeria,to stop her free fall into self destructive and immolatory quagmire. Chief E.K.Clark, Prof Ango Abdullahi, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, Gen Zamani Lekwot,Chief Cornelius Adebayo,Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN,Engr Dr Tanko Abdullahi,Senator Bassey Henshaw,Col Lawan Gwadabe,Ambassador Godknows,Igali,Senator Stella Omu,Yinka Odumakin,Dr Bitrus Pogu,Chief Willy Bozimo,Chief Mrs Remi Kuku,Bashir Hadejia.

A Facebook user, Aminu Attahiru Abubakar took to the platform to call out the Bauchi State Government for their ''non-chaland attitude towards handling the affairs of the state.'' He shared photos of commuters fetching 'drinking' water from a pipe inside a dirty place and wrote; This is Anguwar Bakaro. Just look at the place where people are fetching water to drink in Bauchi State. It is a major failure which may result to cholera epidemic and cause death. I can excuse the government reasons for failure to complete other projects but if they cannot provide ordinary tap water for people in 4yrs, what excuse should I give them? Haba Dan Allah! With all due respect to His Excellency, I like him as a person but his nonchalant attitude towards handling the affairs of our state is totally uncalled for. And his failure to fulfill his campaign promises such as providing water to the citizens is one of the reasons why I want him out of office. Let's try ano

The ASUU National President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, made an appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos yesterday (Thursday) on parents and students to show understanding in repositioning and saving the country’s university system from total collapse. According to Ogunyemi, the strike is not to short-change neither the students nor the parents and other key stakeholders but to save the country’s university system from collapse. “We want to call on our students and parents to show understanding with our struggle as we are in this together. “The whole essence of this struggle is to ensure that our students get worthy and deserving certificates that they will be proud of anywhere they may find themselves in the world." “Today, most parents are sending their children and wards to private primary and secondary schools around the country because of the perceived or alleged falling standards. “We do not want our universities to go same way because a lot o

Lagos could hit N400bn in IGR on 2018. It currently accounts for over 35% of IGR receipts by states in Nigeria. How is your state doing on the IGR board? Can Nigeria really grow without functional states with distributed wealth and tax receipts?

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has applied for a visa to enable him to visit the United States, our correspondent learnt on Thursday. It was learnt that the former Vice-President appeared for an interview at the US Embassy on Tuesday in Abuja. Our correspondent learnt that Atiku would use the trip to make what was described as “political statement” ahead of the 2019 presidential election. According to our source, those planning the trip with the former VP are out to use it to address some US congress caucuses, as well as a high ranking official in the Donald Trump administration. However, our source could not confirm if Atiku would also use the opportunity to address the entire congress if he makes the visit. The source said, “I can authoritatively tell you that Atiku Abubakar went to the US Embassy on Tuesday for an interview and there is hope that he will get it (visa). “When he gets it, we will use it to make a political statem

Boko Haram jihadists have killed three soldiers in an attack on a military base in northeast Nigeria's Borno state near Lake Chad, military and civilian sources said. Fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) driving in several trucks attacked the base in Cross-Kauwa village on Tuesday and engaged troops in an hours-long gunfight, the sources told AFP late Wednesday. "We lost three soldiers in the fight," said a military officer who asked not to be named. "The soldiers fought the terrorists but were overpowered and had to withdraw from the base," he added. A Cross-Kauwa resident said the Islamists stormed the village in trucks fitted with anti-aircraft guns around 8:00 pm (1900 GMT). "The insurgents fought the soldiers for three hours and forced them to abandon the base," said the resident who wanted to be identified only by his first name, Bukar, for fear of reprisals. Buba said troops withdrew to the garrison town of Mon

In one of his first major indication towards Youth Inclusion, Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has appointed 35 year old PDP National Financial Secretary, Hon. Abdullahi Hussaini MaiBasira as the Director of Finance for the 2019 Atiku - Obi Presidential Campaign Council. The appointment of a youth into this vital position is unprecedented in the history of PDP's and possibly national campaign councils in Nigeria. MaiBasira is currently the youngest member of the PDP National Working Committee and is the immediate past National Youth Leader of the Party. By this appointment, MaiBasira becomes the youngest person ever to serve in two successive Presidential Campaign Councils as Director. In 2015, then President Goodluck Jonathan appointed MaiBasira his Director for Youth and Student Mobilization. MaiBasira possesses two Masters degrees in Agricultural Economics and the other, in Strategic and Security Studies from the Nigeria Defense

The Senate yesterday passed bills for the establishment of five polytechnics, two universities, two colleges of education and one institute of technology. The institutions are Federal Polytechnic, Kabo, Kano State; ‎Federal Polytechnic, Daura, Katsina State; Federal Polytechnic, Ikom, Cross River State; Federal Polytechnic, Langtang, Plateau State and Federal Polytechnic, Kwale, Delta State. Others are Federal University of Education, Aguleri, Anambra State; Federal University of Technology, Manchok, Kaduna State; Federal College of Education, Usugbenu Irrua, Edo State; Federal College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu, Abia State and National Institute of Construction Technology and Management, Uromi, Edo State. The 10 proposed federal institutions are part of the over 80 that the National Assembly is currently working to establish. Daily Trust had last Friday reported that the bills for the 80 new federal tertiary institutions ‎are at various stages of legislative proces

Scary things are happening most especially towards the end of the year. A man was almost lynched after he was allegedly caught with two kids at Auchi, Edo State. According to reports, the man who is believed to be mentally unstable is a well known "mad man" in the area who stays along Farnet road. He was caught by some residents who labelled him a ritualist after he allegedly kidnapped two children. The angry residents claim that he's not mad and has been pretending all along in order to carry out his alleged nefarious activities as they brutally descended on him and stripped him totally unclad. The man was later handcuffed and taken to the police station.

The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to resign immediately. Speaking at the 83rd PDP National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja earlier today, Secondus said Mahmoud needs to resign because he has proven he is unable to conduct free, fair and credible election. On the IG of Police, Secondus said the police under the current leadership is being used as a tool to victimize anyone that is believed to be of the oposition. Secondus at the meeting said “We want to do this advance warning that we are lovers of democracy and peace. We want the peace of our nation; so, let them note all they have done, even in the case of Kwara and Bauchi, where we warned clearly that they announced different results. “That will no longer be acceptable. We therefore call on the INEC leadership headed by Prof. Yakubu to quietly

Atiku Abubakar, former Vice- President and presidential flgabearer of the Peoples Democratic has told the presidency and the Federal Government to leave him alone and focus their attention on addressing the concerns over the identity of President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking in a chat with Daily Independent, Atiku who spoke through Segun Sowunmi, spokesman of his campaign organisation said the nations of the world are at liberty to give or refuse visas to anyone they deem fit and do not need the federal government’s opinion on the issue. "The countries of the world are free and are at liberty to give visa or not to. We are advising them that should go and concern themselves with the allegations of duplicity and multiple personality sitting in Aso Villa" he said.

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on Monday sacked the Managing Directors of three television and radio stations in the state. According to Wike, they were dismissed because of their failure to attend a meeting organized by the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) led by the Chairman, John Momoh. The stations whose MDs were sacked are: the Rivers State Television, Radio Rivers and Garden City Radio. Governor Wike said he was embarrassed that none of the state’s owned broadcasting parastatals honoured the meeting. He also charged BON to always stand on the side of the people and speak the truth concerning the issues in the country at all times. BON is in the state for its 71st General Assembly meeting, which will be focusing on raising the bar in the digitalization of the broadcast industry.

For a while, some Nigerians have been peddling rumors that the man in the state house at the moment is a cloned man and not President buhari that was sworn in in May 2015. The rumor mongers alleged that the person who is currently in the villa is a Sudan whose name is Jubril Aminu. Lol! Senator Ajayi Boroffice who has a Ph.D in Human Genetics and currently represents Ondo North in the senate, on Monday released a statement, saying that there is no way in the world a 75-year-old man can be cloned. According to him, for a 75 year old man to be cloned, it would take another 75 years for his cloned body to become effective.

Oprah Winfrey has finally spoken about the death of her mother, Vernita Lee. Ms. Vernita died on Thanksgiving day, at the age of 83. She's already been buried. Mourning her mother, Oprah wrote on Instagram: Thank you all for your kind words and condolences regarding my mother Vernita Lee’s passing. It gives our family great comfort knowing she lived a good life and is now at Peace.

The House of Representatives ad hoc Committee on Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited has submitted its report to the House recommending that the loot recovered from the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, be channelled towards reviving Ajaokuta Integrated Steel Plant. The committee in the report, claimed that most of the money allegedly looted by Abacha was meant for the completion of Ajaokuta. A large chunk of the money has, however, been put into the Social Investment Programme of the Muhammadu Buhari government, includes school feeding programme and skill acquisition initiative. But the committee in the report signed by its Chairman, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Secretary, Ifeanyichukwu Abraham, said the Abacha loot could be put to better use. The report stated, “That since it is known that most of the Abacha loot was got from the debt buy back deal involving Ajaokuta, then the recovered loot still flowing into Nigeria should be used to supplement the funding of the complet

The Lagos State Government and the Federal Road Safety Corps have raised concerns over increased establishment of beer parlours in Lagos. The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kehinde Bamigbetan, said the state was worried because there was also an increase in the record of alcohol-induced crashes in the state. Bamigbetan spoke at the commencement of the 2018 Don’t Drink and Drive campaign in Ikeja, a statement said on Sunday. “Bamigbetan said the level of consumption increased daily with the establishment of restaurants and bar in every part of the state. “He noted that establishment, aided by peace and harmony in Lagos, has made alcoholic consumption in the state a daily routine. “He stressed that the new level of alcohol consumption rate has justified a report released by a market research data group, Global Data (formerly Canadean) recently, estimating five per cent annual growth rate. “The commissioner argued that the state government was not frowni

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has denied receiving N10million donation from Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to organise anti-corruption marathon. Earlier today, a statement by the Mr Ganduje’s spokesman, Aminu Yassar, said the governor had donated the money to EFCC, ICPC and Athletic Federation of Nigeria for the anti-corruption campaign. But in a swift reaction by the spokesman for the EFCC, Tony Orilade, the commission distanced itself from receiving any donation from the state governor. “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a trending story in the social media concerning a purported statement credited to the media aide of the Kano State governor to the effect that the Commission got a N10 Million donation from the state government. “The story is not falsehood, but a deliberate attempt to malign the efforts of the Commission in the fight against corruption. “For the records, it is a traditio

Nuhu Salihu aka “Smally”, one of suspects in Senator Dino Melaye’s gun running trial has been announced dead. Melaye, who is representing Kogi West, is answering charges bothering on gun running allegations levied against him and two others – late “Smally”, Kabir Seidu, aka Osama. Melaye on twitter on Monday said Smally died in the police custody. He said: “Nuhu Salisu AKA Small has died in questionable circumstances in police custody. He is one of the two suspects arraigned along with me in the case of conspiracy and illegal possession of fire arm. Both suspects have since denied before the court knowing me or getting any fire arm from me.” Last week, the prime suspect in the April 5 Offa robbery attacks, Michael Adikwu, died. Senate President Bukola Saraki was alleged to be the one that equipped the robbers. It will be recalled that the Police had filed a case in a Lokoja court accusing Melaye and three other persons of illegal possession of firearms. The poli

A coalition of 60 support groups from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday dumped the party to join the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The groups, which lamented that they were used and dumped by the APC, added that they decided to dump the ruling party in the interest of Nigeria, as the nation has no future in the hand of APC. Speaking at the national secretariat of the party at the official defection of the groups, the former National Youth Vanguard Co-ordinator of APC, Honourable Jubril Gazama, disclosed that the mass defection of the Support Groups was a collective decision of members having realized that they were deceived and used them. He said: “Our pulling out of our supports for the APC was a collective decision, we all decided to quit so that we can have a future called Nigeria. “They used us and they dumped us, we were all over the places, manning the polling booths to ensure victory for the Party which we did. “Now 2019 is approaching again, we don’t

The estranged teenage daughter of movie star Jackie Chan, has announced that she has married her 31-year-old Canadian girlfriend. As reported by Asian news site, Coconuts, the happy couple shared a picture of Ms Ng, 19, and social media personality Andi Autumn with their apparent marriage certificate, dated 8 November. Media reports said the pair registered their marriage in Canada, and are now in Ms Ng’s native Hong Kong. The news was celebrated online, and trended on Chinese platform, Weibo. Ms Ng is martial arts star Chan’s only child with actor and former beauty queen Elaine Ng Yi Lei following an affair the couple had in 1999. She was raised by her mother but local media reports suggest their relationship was fraught with tension in recent years. “We have all been hurt but if you can dream of love, you can find it,” the couple wrote in their photo caption. “Love is kind, it does not judge. Love is both strength and weakness. Love can make change. Love wins!” Ms Ng

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived Osogbo, Osun state ahead of tomorrow's hand over from governor Rauf Aregbesola to Oyetola.

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, promised to increase the salary, allowances and pensions of the Nigerian Police force and tasked them to do more in the protection of human life. He gave the assurance following his approval of rank salary structure adjustment, by which salary, allowances and pension of policemen would be increased. The President spoke, on Monday, during an audience with members of the Police Service Commission and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, who were on a visit to State House in Abuja. He regretted that the inability of the police in their constitutional role as the frontline force in the prevention of crime had led to military involvement in the maintenance of law and order throughout the country.

Legend Andres Iniesta has said that Manchester United Coach Jose Mourinho created an unpleasant atmosphere during his time in Spain. Jose Mourinho was the manager of Real Madrid between 2010-2013. The rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid is nothing new for every football fan, the match often prompted ugly scenes when both teams meet. Mourinho has a number of quarrels with Pep Guardiola when he was still the coach at Barcelona. And Andres Iniesta has said the United manager was solely to blame for that when quizzed onthe subject. “You don't have to be for Barcelona or Real Madrid to know that the situation was unpleasant,” he said. "And the key component in that story was Mourinho. Whoever doesn't want to see that, is radical. "You didn't see the rivalry that always existed before, it went beyond that, you saw hate. “That atmosphere developed and it was unbearable. "The Barca-Madrid tension caused by Mourinho did much damage to the

A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, his wife and children have recovered three properties worth about N500m from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The properties include four terrace houses located at 44 Mamman Kotangora Crescent in the highbrow Katamkpe Extension area of Abuja; a parcel of land in Guzape District and a duplex at Olori Mojisola Onikoyi Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos. Our correspondents, who visited the properties on Thursday, observed that the erstwhile red paint inscription, ‘EFCC, Keep Off!’ had been wiped off on the walls of the buildings. Obanikoro, who defected to the All Progressives Congress from the Peoples Democratic Party about a year ago, was under investigation along with his two sons for alleged money laundering. The ex-minister was accused of receiving N4.7bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) in 2014. About N2.2bn out of the funds was allegedly

Boko Haram gunmen have kidnapped 15 girls overnight in a village near Toumour, southeastern Niger, the local mayor said on Saturday. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Boukar Mani Orthe, the mayor of the town in Niger’s Diffa region near the border with Nigeria, said about 50 unidentified armed men seized the girls in a village about nine kilometres from the town centre. Kidnapping of schoolgirls has been a Boko Haram horror mark, since its fighters in 2014 kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, in Nigeria. It also staged this year, another major kidnap of schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe state. In Mali, French forces said they “put out of action” some 30 Islamist militants, possibly including veteran Malian jihadist leader Amadou Koufa, during a raid in the central Mali region of Mopti. The French army, which has about 4,500 troops in West Africa battling Islamist militants, did not specify whether the jihadists had all been killed or taken priso

The former Governor of Ogun State and Director General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization (APCO), Otunba Gbenga Daniel has stated that the joint sacrifices of Late Chief MKO Abiola and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 1993 metamorphosed into the current stable democracy Nigeria enjoys. Otunba Daniel made this assertion while delivering the keynote address at the City People Magazine’s 22nd anniversary lecture in Lagos on Sunday tagged “Nigeria: the bumpy road to 2019” While chronicling the journey of Nigeria from the pre and post colonial era, the former governor stated that the episode of the annulled June 12 election in 1993 ushered in the return to civilian rule in 1999 as the military realized that the only way to console Nigerians and bring back the confidence in the federation after the uprising that emanated from the June 12 annulment was to return power to the people. “We cannot talk about the June 12 election and the mandate of Late Chief MKO Abiola without talki

In a leaked audio clip, Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki was heard vowing that Kwara State will never take instructions from any political leader in Lagos State. Saraki, who spoke largely in Yoruba in the audio clip, stated this while addressing young Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members in Kwara State. The leaked audio clip yesterday drew the ire of Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, which requested the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to investigate the claim that the Senate President spent between N200 million and N400 million to influence the outcome of the 2015 elections for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in states of the federation. In the audio tape, recorded for about 33 minutes, which had since gone viral across social media platforms, Saraki, who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to the opposition PDP a few months ago, said he benefited little from his membership of the ruling party. I