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Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola has described Vice President Namadi Sambo’s comment that people are running away from Lagos because of heavy taxation by the state government as a display of ignorance and ‘diabolical.



Fashola, who spoke at an end of the year news conference at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Thursday said if it was true that Sambo made that statement, it was simply a display of ignorance and that such a statement should not come from someone who is the Chairman of the National Economic Council, NEC.







“I sincerely want to believe that the vice president was misquoted. If it was true, it was a display of ignorance because how did he justify the perception that people are leaving Lagos? Is the VAT collected from Lagos being reduced compared to other states?



“Is the air traffic into Lagos reducing? Or have you seen a significant reduction in Lagos traffic? Has the water demand in Lagos reduced? Or has the demand for hospital services reduced? More hotels are being built in Lagos. Companies are licensing and operating in Lagos.



“Displaced persons from other parts of the federation are moving to Lagos. It is very grave statement to make. That is why I hope he was misquoted because that is the Chairman of the National Economic Council,” he stated.



According to Fashola, “if he misunderstands what is happening in the economic capital of the country, it may be a revealing index into their understanding of the country’s economy. It may also confirm to you some of the things you heard from the president that he received contradictory advice.

“Maybe, this is part of it. That is a very dangerous statement to make. It is either ignorant or diabolical. Either way, it is not good because it tells you why the economy is not functioning if the Chairman of National Economic Council made such statement.”



The governor also wrote off the challenge posed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Lagos governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, saying he is no threat to the All Progressive Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode.



“On Jimi Agbaje, he is not a threat to us. Let’s go and check the result of the 2011 election. He got three percent of the vote cast. Even his party, we have defeated PDP in all election done them since 1999.



“Ambode is going to defeat Agbaje with your support. This is not the place to experiment; one needs a lot of experience to achieve what we have done in Lagos. When you look at what their party has done with the country, for instance, there are missing funds, non-functioning rail, epileptic power supply and others, do you want that to happen in Lagos?” He asked.



On the 2015 election, Fashola said the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was not prepare for the election, which he said, led to the shoddy distribution of the Permanent Voters Card, PVC.



The governor said the real head of INEC should be a statistician and not a Professor, academics and others, saying that “it is not about theory, it is about practical. People who should also do this job should be those who have managed distribution activities in the country. It is not a judicial work but logistics.”



via nigerianeye

Three persons suspected members of the Boko Haram sect died in a car crash at Bajoga, Gombe, on Tuesday.



A source said the incident happened at dusk in one of the security check points in the area.







He said the vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux sped into barricades on the road and went off in explosion after security agents at the check point had taken cover.



The state’s police Public Relations Officer, DSP Fwaje Atajiri, who confirmed the incident on Wednesday, said none of the security operatives was affected.



He said their take-off and final destination could not be ascertained as all three occupants of the vehicle died in the explosion.



via nigerianeye

President Goodluck Jonathan will broadcast New Year day message to the nation at 7a.m. on Thursday.



This is contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, in Abuja on Wednesday.







The statement said the broadcast would be transmitted on the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).



It advised other television and radio stations in the country to link up with NTA and FRCN to relay the broadcast to their audience.



via nigerianeye

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that Nigerians will appreciate the good works he has done for the country after he has left office.







Speaking, Tuesday, when he received a delegation from Bayelsa State who paid him a visit as part of the Christmas celebration, President Jonathan said he will continue to do his best in order to meet the expectations of not only Nigerians but especially the people of Bayelsa State.





According to President Jonathan, the seat of the president of the country belongs to Nigerians and only them can decide who occupies the seat at any point in time.





"The new year is full of challenges. Everywhere will be hot from the 2nd of January. I am here by the grace of God and the will of Nigerians. If I don't do well the shame will be on you. I will do my best. I don't expect praises now. It's when you leave that people will begin to compare you with others. I will do my best to address all the challenges we are having. I will do my best so that when I leave the people will compare what I have done and what others before me have done.





The seat belongs to the country and it is only the country that can decide who occupies it" he said.





President Jonathan enjoin the people of Bayelsa state to pray for the country adding that he will continue to do his best for the country.





In his remarks, the governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson said the delegation was in the state house to show solidarity with the president and express appreciation to Nigerians for supporting President Jonathan thus far.





"We are here to show solidarity and to let everybody know that your people in Bayelsa are with you. It is in the spirit of Christmas that we are here on behalf of the people of Bayelsa to wish you, your government and family compliments of the season and a very happy, prosperous and victorious 2015.





"We bring you prayers and strong message of solidarity. We are here to thank Nigerians for their support for your government" he said.



via nigerianeye

The Nigerian Army said on Wednesday that the need to reduce collateral damage had delayed the recapture of some towns and villages seized by insurgents in Borno.



Brig.-Gen. Olajide Laleye, the Director, Army Public Relations, gave the explanation while fielding questions at news conference in Abuja.







“We are not interested in collateral damage.



“The Nigeria Army is very careful about collateral damage, to that extent our operations are carefully planned to make sure that collateral damage is reduced to the barest minimum.



“If certain areas have not been recaptured it is because the Nigerian army is giving such areas very careful plans, the plans are ongoing.



“At the right time you will see the outcome; we will not tell you, of course, before hand, of what we intend to do; but you will see the outcome,’’ Laleye said.



According to him, Nigerians will be pleased at the end of such operations that collateral damage is reduced to the barest minimum.



He assured that law abiding Nigerians in those areas would be rescued from the insurgents, while those towns and villages completely freed from terrorism and insurgency.



Earlier, he said Gombi, Hong, Uba, Makera, Holma and Vimtim, all in Adamawa, had been recaptured, adding that the current military offensive would be sustained until the enemy was “completely defeated’’.



Laleye said new strategies had been introduced in the ongoing war after formations and units involved were evaluated, adding that this had impacted positively on the counter-insurgency operations in the North East.



He said that all officers and men involved in the operations in the region would undergo counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency training before being deployed in theatre of operation.



The army spokesman explained that this followed the directive of the Chief of Army Staff that all Divisional Headquarters should set up schools to step up counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency and Special Operations training.



“The Nigerian Army wishes to restate its determination to bring this counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations to a speedy and decisive end.



“Equally, the Nigerian Army seizes this opportunity to reassure Nigerians of its preparedness to support relevant agencies in the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections,’’ he said.

On the ongoing Court Martial of some officers, Laleye explained that it was necessary to enforce discipline in the armed forces and achieve success in the war against insurgency.



He said success achieved so far would not have been possible if the army do not undertake steps to remain a formidable fighting force through time tested procedures and enforcement of regulations.

“The judicial process that led to the convictions and acquittals (of some officers) followed international best practices in the military law and also conforms to relevant Nigerian laws.



“Let me state categorically that a General Court Martial has the status of the High Court and is back by extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.



“The General Court Martial is not a final authority. Its processes are not only subject to confirmation by the appropriate superior authority but also subject to appeal,’’ he said.



via nigerianeye

Tension has gripped the village of Kantoma in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State as gunmen, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, beheaded a young man in the early hours of Wednesday.



The gunmen were also said to have shot another person dead within the same time.







The villagers were said to have woken up to behold the gory body of the victim along the road.



Executive Director of Stefanos Foundation, Mr. Mark Lipdo, said in a text message to our correspondent that sporadic gunshots were heard all through the morning and the locals stayed indoors to avoid being caught up in the crossfire.



He said he received distress calls from the villagers, asking that security men be drafted to the area to avoid further bloodshed.



Spokesman for the state police command, Emmanuel Abuh, confirmed the incident.



He said two people were killed, adding that the command had deployed more men to ensure law and order and stop the escalation of violence.



via nigerianeye

The Nigeria Labour Congress has said that 11 state governments have not paid December salaries to their workers.





The President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, who made the comment in an ‘End of Year Message’ stated that three of the states, Benue, Plateau and Osun, are also owing between three to eight months workers’ salary arrears.



Omar called on the workers to vote against any politician who failed to pay workers’ salaries in the 2015 elections.



He said that any governor who was not able to pay the salaries of workers in his state had no justification whatsoever to receive his salaries.



The NLC President also said that the congress had issued a directive to all its state councils to serve ultimatum to their respective government to pay the outstanding arrears of salaries or face a strike.



Omar said that some employees of the Federal Government in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity were being owed between one to three months’ salary areas.



He said, “Collated reports from our state councils indicate that a number of state governments and some Federal MDAs have not paid their workers for December as the year comes to an end.



“Of the 30 states reporting as of the 30th of December, 11 subjected their workers to a Christmas/New Year celebration without the December salary.



“Three of these, Benue, Plateau and Osun, owed their workers arrears of salaries ranging from three to eight months! Some federal government employees in the Ministries of Education, Labour and Productivity, among others, are owed arrears of salaries ranging from one to three months.



“We condemn this insensitivity to the welfare of workers. Any State governor, who cannot pay workers their salaries, as and when due, has no moral justification for taking his own salary and allowances.



“We call on workers to massively reject these anti-worker politicians in the 2015 elections. Meanwhile, we direct our State Councils in the three states mentioned above to serve appropriate ultimatums on their government to pay the arrears of salaries or face disruption of services.”



Omar warned the Federal Government against imposition of general austerity measures on the citizenry which could further aggravate the suffering of the ordinary worker.



He said that the most tenable way to manage the current budget under austerity was a drastic reduction of the cost of governance in the country.



He called for a cut in Presidential fleet, the cost of running the State House, a reduction in the number of aides who add no value to governance and political office holders in the country.



Omar who supported the decision to tax the rich advised against any move to sack workers in the society.

“While we appreciate the difficulties brought on by the collapse in oil prices, we caution against the imposition of unselective austerity measures. Already, workers continue to bear the brunt of the devaluation of the Naira.



“We also strongly advise against consideration for rationalisation of staff. We support government initiatives to collect luxury taxes from the rich. More importantly, we are convinced that the surest way to manage the budget under austerity is to reduce the cost of governance.



“Bloated prerequisites of political office holders must be cut. Prerequisites and comfort of politicians need to reflect the reality of the times. Mr President and the state house must lead in this regard. The size of the Presidential fleet, the cost of running the State House and the retinue of political jobbers can all be reasonably cut without reducing the effectiveness of the Presidency.” He added



He also condemned what he described as the imposition of exploitative electricity tariff on the citizenry saying such a move could culminate in unpleasant situation as indicated by the recorded protest against the move in some of the cities across the country such as Benin, Enugu, Lagos and Kano.



via nigerianeye

via nigerianeye

Barely six weeks to the 2015 general elections, the Federal Government on Wednesday said that there would be no crisis before, during and after the polls.







The Supervising Minister of Information, Mr Nurudeen Mohammad, made the declaration while addressing a news conference in Abuja on the score card of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration as 2014 ends.



Mohammed conveyed President Jonathan’s reaffirmation that no drop of a Nigerian blood would be spilled in pursuit of electoral victory in the elections.



“While politicians and their supporters are crisscrossing their constituencies, asking for votes, I should stress that Nigerians know that the country is not going to war over the elections.



“The 2015 elections will be the fourth set of general elections to be conducted in the country since the return to democracy in 1999.



“President Goodluck Jonathan has reaffirmed his commitment to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.



“He has not and will not interfere with the operations and activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), rather the president is determined to clear all obstacles that might hinder the smooth operations of INEC.



“President Jonathan also expects all political actors to play by the rules, in particular by abhorring violence and manipulation of the electoral process,” he said.



Itemising the achievements of the Jonathan administration, the minister said that in spite of challenges, the administration had attained giant strides.



He said the achievements were in the sectors of health, education, job creation, transportation, vehicle and other manufacturing, economy, agriculture, housing, water, electricity generation and many others.



He said the Federal Government was still relentless in ensuring that the country reached enviable heights in all fields of endeavour.



“The transformation agenda is the roadmap for President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

“The agenda is designed to speed up the realisation of Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020, which envisions Nigeria as one of the world’s top 20 economies by Gross Domestic Product size, by 2020.



“The agenda aims to tackle unemployment, infrastructure deficits and inconsistency in policies and programmes, strong, inclusive, non-inflationary economic growth, employment generation, poverty alleviation, and sustained improvement in the well-being of all classes of Nigerians,” he said.

The minister urged all stakeholders, especially media practitioners, to demand highest standards of candidates during and at the period of electioneering.



He urged the media to refrain from giving vent to misguided elements whose attitude was win-or-destroy.



“Nigeria is bigger than any one of us, and the people who the candidates seek to govern want peace and progress,” he said.



via nigerianeye

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday alleged that the Federal Government had declared “a regime of austerity on Nigerians in 2015.”



He warned the Federal Government against wishing Nigerians a happy New Year, saying it had become clear that “its actions are calculated to undermine the happiness of Nigerians.”

Buhari, while congratulating Nigerians on the New Year, expressed hope that the alleged plans would not work out if elected in 2015.



In a New Year message by the Director of Communications, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Dele Alake on Wednesday, Buhari said hardship, corruption and insecurity in the country were unacceptable.







He said the country desperately needed a disciplined and visionary leadership that genuinely has the capacity to fight corruption.



According to him, “It is only some Nigerians who have access to the corridors of power and benefit from the monumental graft that characterises governance in the country today that can enjoy their perverse and ultimately futile form of happiness.”



The APC presidential candidate, however, expressed hope that the glory and pride of Nigeria would be restored if elected in 2015.

He said, “Great Nigerians, the announcement made by the Presidency and its agencies in the last one month has put many Nigerians in sadness. Electricity shall cost more. The devaluation of the naira means the price of goods and services shall rise. Essential goods are being removed from the reach of the poor. Indeed, the Presidency has declared a regime of austerity that will be executed in 2015. To quote the press reports, the President himself has declared that Year 2015 shall be “tough” on our people.



“Against this season of despair foisted on our people, I bring to you, a New Year message of hope and optimism. I share the anxiety of the middle class and the poor who have borne the brunt of the policies of this government for so long with increasing burden. I share the fear of the unemployed whose hopes for new jobs in the new year is being dashed because companies will cut jobs to escape inflationary spirals. I share the concerns of the manufacturers whose import-dominated production will be challenged by the austerity measures.”



Buhari called on Nigerians to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party, promising that his administration would ensure “cheaper electricity, food security, accelerated power supply, integrated transport network, free education, affordable health care service and effective security of life and property.”



According to him, Nigerians cannot enjoy the dividends of democracy owing to corruption, impunity and indiscipline that currently incapacitate the country.



He added, “Nigerians must be the sole object and focus of government. Man must be the pivot around which governance revolves. The more the potentials of citizens are maximised within any nation, the higher will be the prospects of that nation for attaining greatness. The first great task facing Nigeria today, therefore, is to put in place a government that can guarantee the safety and security of Nigerians throughout the length and breadth of our country. This is because Nigerians must first of all be alive, safe and free from fear before they can exercise and utilise their talents for the benefit of their nation.



“I declare, that, collectively, we can bring an end to this season of despair; we can bring an end to this avoidable fear; we can bring an end to this needless anxiety. On February 14, 2014, the Almighty offers us a historic opportunity to chart a new course out of the tragedy that we have found ourselves; History offers us a chance to correct the errors of the past. Great Nigerian people! This is our chance!



via nigerianeye

Two German men have been killed in Nigeria, the foreign ministry in Berlin said Wednesday, as media reported they were engineers shot dead while on a motorcycle trip.



“Unfortunately we can confirm that two German nationals were killed in Nigeria last weekend,” a foreign ministry spokesman told AFP.







“The German embassy in Abuja is seeking clarification and is in close contact with Nigerian authorities.”



The ministry did not release further details, either on the victims or the suspected killers.

Regional German newspaper Ostseezeitung said the men, one aged 34 and the other in his mid-50s, were engineers working for German construction company Julius Berger.



Originally from the eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, they had lived in Nigeria for years and were on a private trip when they were killed last Saturday, the newspaper said.



(AFP)



via nigerianeye

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, praised President Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday, after Nigeria pulled a last-minute surprise that helped thwart a resolution calling for an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory by 2017.



The resolution, presented to the United Nations for approval, called for new talks based on territorial lines that existed before Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in 1967.







The proposal was the culmination of three months of campaigning by the Palestinians at the UN, and was backed by 22 envoys from Arab states.



The Palestinians required nine votes from 15 permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.



Nigeria is currently one the 10 non-permanent members, with its tenure expiring in 2015. Chad and Rwanda are the other African members.



But Palestine received eight votes, short of one, during the vote which took place 11pm Nigerian time.



The United States and Australia voted against the resolution, while Russia, China, France, Luxembourg, Jordan, Argentina, Chile and Chad voted for the resolution.



Nigeria, Britain, South Korea, Rwanda and Lithuania abstained.



Nigeria’s role stood out because until shortly before the vote, diplomats had expected the resolution to get nine “yes” votes, with Nigeria believed to be in support.



But at the last minute, Nigeria’s envoy, Joy Ogwu, abstained from voting, echoing the position of the United States that the ultimate path to peace between Israel and Palestine lies “in a negotiated solution”.



Regardless of whether Palestine received nine votes, the resolution still stood no chance as U.S. would have deployed its veto powers as a permanent member to block it.



But analysts believe the U.S. sought to avoid that scenario as it would have angered Arab allies who are currently supporting a US-led international coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS.



To save the U.S. from that awkward position, its Secretary of States, John Kerry, reached out to Nigeria to help block the move, the Times of Israel reported.



After the vote, U.S. envoy, Samantha Power, said “We voted against this resolution not because we are comfortable with the status quo. We voted against it because… peace must come from hard compromises that occur at the negotiating table.”



The Prime Minister, Mr. Netanyahu, also said he personally spoke to President Jonathan and received his assurance of support.



“I would like to voice appreciation and thanks to the United States and Australia, and also special appreciation for the president of Rwanda, my friend Paul Kagame, and the president of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan. I spoke with both of them. They told me and promised me, personally, that they would not support this resolution. They kept their word, and that’s what clinched this matter. I think this is very important for the state of Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu said.



Some Israeli media hailed the cordial relations between Mr. Jonathan and Mr. Netanyauhu, with the Times of Israel recalling how President Jonathan visited Israel during his last pilgrimage with a 20-member delegation, and how Mr. Netanyahu condoled with Nigeria after the Kano Mosque blast that killed more than 100 people.



Nigeria’s position on the complex Israel and Palestine issue has been that of neutrality for years, in the belief that any decision must be attained through negotiations.



Nigeria has maintained that policy in what analysts believe is informed by the government’s sensitivity to many factors including, not wanting to be seen as supporting Palestine’s Hamas, or opposing the United States.



A major factor also is the religious angle back home, with many Nigerian Muslims supporting Palestine, while there is also the Christianity affiliation between Nigeria and Israel.



via nigerianeye

A lawmaker representing Maru North Constituency in Zamfara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Yakubu, has defected from All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party.



The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the lawmaker lost state assembly ticket to an opponent, Ibrahim Abu at the APC state assembly primary.





Yakubu was the only legislator who failed to win his constituency among the serving members of the assembly during the APC primary.



Confirming his defection to NAN on Wednesday in Gusau, Yakubu said he was yet to explain his reason for defecting to the PDP.



“It is true I defected to the Peoples Democratic Party but I am still making some consultations before I announce my reasons for the action,” the lawmaker explained.



NAN reports that the lawmaker, had on Saturday, attended a PDP occasion in Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of the state when Vice-President, Alhaji Namadi Sambo, visited the state.



Sambo witnessed the graduation ceremony of 300 youths from the youth skills acquisition programme initiated by Sen. Sahabi Ya’u of Zamfara North.



via nigerianeye

Prophet TB Joshua, Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), will host a New Year’s memorial service for the South African relatives of those killed in a building collapse at his Lagos megachurch.







A spokesman at Joshua’s SCOAN said 44 South Africans have flown to Lagos to attend the ceremony following the September disaster which killed 116 people, including 81 South Africans.



Joshua, a self-proclaimed prophet, “is going to lead the service to commiserate and offer spiritual support,” said SCOAN spokesman Patrick Iwelumor.



“As the chief mourner, there is a need for (Joshua) to connect with these people,” he added.



Joshua is one Nigeria’s most influential and wealthiest pastors whose followers include prominent politicians and business leaders from across Africa and around the world.



The Lagos state coroner is carrying out an inquest into the causes of the collapse at a guesthouse within the church’s compound.



Expert witnesses have said the structure was unsound and lacked proper permits, but Joshua’s vocal followers have insisted the building came down as a result of foul play and was a bid to destroy the powerful religious leader.



Among the theories advanced by Joshua loyalists is that a plane flying in the area at the time of the collapse dropped an explosive device on the building.



One weapons expert called by SCOAN lawyers, Beidomu Iguniwei, has testified that the collapse could have been caused by an “infrasonic weapon,” although there appears to be no credible evidence to support that claim.



Testimony at the inquest has dismissed sabotage as a cause, including evidence from aviation officials who said that the air force plane in question was on a routine training mission and had in fact landed before the building collapsed.



Joshua has refused to honour a series of summons demanding his appearance at the inquest. Some of his supporters have suggested it would be inappropriate for a so-called “Man of God” to be subjected to questioning.



Wednesday’s candle light ceremony will begin at sundown and last through midnight, Iwelumor said.

The victim’s relatives arrived in Nigeria on Christmas Day and Joshua is said to have paid for their travel.



When the trip was announced earlier this month, some South Africans took to social media to condemn Joshua’s move as a bribe aimed at discouraging relatives from filing a lawsuit over the deaths.



But SCOAN’s South Africa based spokesman, Kirsten Nematandani, has said the trip and New Year’s memorial service are about “the spirit of caring”.



via nigerianeye

Saudi Arabia’s ailing King Abdullah, 91, was admitted to hospital on Wednesday for “medical checks,” the royal court said.







The king, whose age and frequent hospitalisation have raised concerns about the future leadership of the key oil producer, was admitted to the King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, a court statement carried by the official SPA news agency said.



Abdullah’s half brother Salman, 77, is next in line to the throne.



via nigerianeye

Due to the security challenges in the country and the general preparation for the New Year Celebrations, the Nigeria Police High Command has urged worshippers at Jummat and Church services to reduce the number of vehicles around their worship centres.





The Force equally advised operators of motor parks, shopping malls and recreation centres to work very closely with the police and other security agencies as they strive to strengthen security in their respective facilities.



The Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, who wished Nigerians a great 2015, said he had directed all Zonal AIGs and State Command Commissioners of Police to ensure an efficient deployment of all operational manpower and tools at the disposal of their respective Commands.



A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, on Wednesday in Abuja, said Abba has further directed the AIG Border Patrol to ensure that the nation’s borders are effectively manned to prevent any cross-border crime.



The AIG Air Wing has also been directed to provide aerial patrol at the Federal Capital Territory and other States.



The statement reads, “The Inspector-General of Police, while wishing all Nigerians a very blissful and peaceful New Year celebration, assures Nigerians of the Nigeria Police Force readiness and commitment towards ensuring a free and fair 2015 general elections.



“While saluting the courage and gallantry of officers and men of the Force for their tireless services in protecting lives and property during the year, the IG charges Police personnel to continue to be civil in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities. He, however, warns that officers found acting contrary to the Force’s vision and mission will be appropriately sanctioned.”



via nigerianeye

via nigerianeye

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola says Lagos State is too big to be handed over to the Peoples Democratic Party’s, PDP, governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje to experiment with as he lacks experience.







Fashola, who spoke on Tuesday at a Town Hall Meeting with artisans and tradesmen, said the All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, should be trusted to govern and lead Lagos State in the right direction as he has the needed experience to do so, having beein in government for 27 years.



Though the governor did not mention Agbaje’s name, he was referring to him when he advised Lagosians not to trade experience in government business for experiment and trial and error that the opposition (PDP) wanted to bank on.



According to him, Ambode is better suited for the state’s number one job because of his competence saying he worked with him for over six years as Accountant General of the State and would start from where he handed over the baton to him.



He said he could thump his chest and vouch for the governorship candidate of the APC in Lagos State as one who would be a worthy successor to him.



Backing his contention with several anecdotes, the governor urged residents of Lagos not to make the mistake of electing someone without cognate experience who would only end up wobbling and fumbling with the fortunes of Lagos.



Fashola stated that he was ready to defend his stewardship in office at any time and at any forum if called upon to do so because his government had been very impactful to the lives of the average residents of the state.



He thanked the artisans, tradesmen and farmers for their honesty and truthfulness about the positive change that has come into their lives through the activities of the State Government in the informal sector.



The governor said he wholeheartedly supports their request for a continuation of the prosperity that is being enjoyed in the informal and agricultural sector under the present administration, adding that the only way such continuity could be actualized is by voting to ensure that the All Progressives Congress (APC) emerges victorious at all levels in Lagos State and the federal elevel in 2015.



He stressed that this is the time and period for Nigerians to make very important decisions about their lives as the elections approach and that the people should be bold to take up their leaders on what they have done with the time they have spent in office before asking for renewal of tenures.



The governor added that when President Goodluck Jonathan was seeking the votes of Nigerians before his first term in office, one of his sloganeering catch phrases was that as a child he had no shoes and walked barefooted but that now the campaigns would be about issues as the era of having no shoes to curry sympathy was gone.



Fashola said the President also made several promises such as the one he made in Lagos during the campaigns in 2011, where he promised to reconstruct the road leading to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, adding that four years after, nothing had happened in Lagos.



Speaking at the event, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, running mate to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the APC presidential candidate, called on Nigerians not to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan, as doing so will only attract hunger.



He said Nigeria under Jonathan had already entrenched deep poverty and that retaining him for a second term would mean more hunger, and that the time had come for power to change hand at the centre.



Also speaking, the APC Lagos governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode said APC from the period of Bola Tinubu to Governor Babatunde Fashola has continuously provided good governance to the people of the state, saying if voted into power, his government would not deviate from the principle.



He appealed to Lagos residents to vote massively for him during the governorship election and for General Buhari at the presidential election next year.



“Our promise to you as a party is to provide good governance and able leadership. We want to take good care of your businesses. If you have been making N1000 profit before, what we want for you is, after providing all the facilities you need for your business, that your profit swells to N10, 000.

“We know that when you make more profit, you will have more to take care of yourself, your children and your home. We promise not to stress you with our policies. I also want to remind you that no matter what we do, if we do not take over the central government, we may be hindered in a way and may not be able to provide all that we want to provide for you,” he said.



According to Ambode, “there must be change of government at the Federal level. APC must take over in Abuja. In Lagos, we remember where the former Governor Bola Tinubu started from and how Governor Fashola consolidated on his achievements and raised the bar, that is what we want to continue in Lagos.”



via nigerianeye

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has raised the alarm over the plan by the Federal Government to use the security agencies, especially the State Security Service, SSS and the Police, to harass and intimidate the opposition with a view to decapitating it ahead of the 2015 elections.



In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said the torrent of threats being issued recently by the Minister of Police Affairs and the DSS, over alleged inflammatory statements by opposition leaders, is nothing but a thinly-veiled attempt at cowing the opposition and destabilizing its ranks.







It said the strategy includes the “invitation” of key opposition figures for questioning by the DSS, starting with the APC National Publicity Secretary, to be followed by arrests and detention of such figures.



APC said the impending clampdown is the PDP-led Federal Government’s answer to the soaring profile of the opposition ahead of the polls, and called on local and international observers of the elections to keep a close eye on the unsavoury developments, which constitute a clear and present danger to the success of the elections.



“The Minister of Police Affairs said publicly that he has already directed the Inspector-General of Police as well as the DSS to arrest anyone who makes inflammatory statements ahead of the 2015 elections, and then went ahead to castigate the APC, thus exposing the real reason for his directive.

“The Minister had barely issued his orders when the DSS, which has unabashedly become a megaphone of the ruling PDP, fired its own warning, directed pointedly at ”a serving governor calling on men of the armed forces to rise up in protest against constituted authority,” when nothing of such happened.



“If the Minister and indeed the security agencies were carrying out their duties as an official/agents of state rather than partisans, they would have realized that no one is more guilty of making inflammatory and even treasonable statements than the supporters of the President and members of the PDP.



“Yet, not once has the Minister, and the security agencies under his control, called these people to order. There is no better indication of the mindset of these threats-issuing Minister and the security agencies under his control than their glaring double-standard and vexatious partisanship. This is not how to run the affairs of state,” the party said.



It recalled that a series of inflammatory, insulting and downright treasonable comments by supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan and officials of the PDP all went without as much as a whimper from those who are now howling at the opposition for statements that are neither inflammatory nor treasonable.



“A a die-hard supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan once threatened that there will be blood on the streets if the President is not re-elected, without anyone calling him to order. He recently said the President has already won the yet-to-be conducted Feb. 14 presidential election, suggesting that the election will be a mere formality. No one called him to order.



“Another supporter of the President, Chief Edwin Clark, said if the opposition had its way, it would poison President Jonathan just to take power. The Minister of Police Affairs and the security agencies under his control snored the comment away.



“PDP National Secretary Wale Oladipo called the presidential candidate of the APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, a ‘semi-literate jackboot’, PDP National Publicity Secretary Olisa Metuh heaped abuses on APC leaders in an ill-tempered statement arising from a disoriented PDP in the aftermath of the hugely-successful APC national convention while a spokesman for the President called Gen. Buhari names for being a ‘poor’ man, yet this Minister and his agencies did not see anything inflammatory in all these statements, all because they came from members and supporters of the ruling party.



“We know that Nigerians as well as the international community are watching closely and documenting these developments. It is important to do so if they are to make informed comments on the outcome of the forthcoming polls.



“On our part, we will continue to document the developments while maintaining a responsible and purposeful public discourse, highlighted by issues and devoid of the kind of inflammatory and treasonable comments that PDP and Presidency officials have been spewing out,” APC said.



via nigerianeye

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About two weeks after Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Service [SSS], cleared a former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, of any link to the extremist Boko Haram sect, Premium Times has obtained a video suggesting that President Goodluck Jonathan is personally aware and strongly convinced of the former’s governor’s longstanding relationship with the founder of the sect.







In the video clip, shot in April 2013 during a visit he made to Borno state, Mr. Jonathan was heard describing Mr. Sheriff, who was then a member of the opposition All Progressives Congress [APC] as a “friend” of Mohammed Yusuf, the man who founded and led Boko Haram for years.



Mr. Yusuf died while in the custody of the Nigeria Police after he and a number of his followers were arrested following a bloody clash between the sect members and law enforcement.



During his visit to Borno that April 2013 to persuade Borno leaders and residents to accept a heightened military presence in the state until the insurgency is checked, Mr. Jonathan suggested that Boko Haram evolved, blossomed and took up arms against the Nigerian state during Mr. Sheriff’s reign as governor of the troubled North-East state.



As commander-in-chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Jonathan regularly has access to a multiplicity of security reports, and many believed he spoke from a position of knowledge at the time.



The video features the president, dressed in agbada and a cap, and clutching two microphones in his left hand while he addressed his audience, trying to defend the militarization of Borno and other states in the northeast region.



In his speech, Mr. Jonathan argued that the militarization of the region began after the crises that trailed the murder of the Boko Haram founder.



For a moment, the president could not remember the name of the slain Boko Haram leader and he called on the audience for help.



“Ehn ehn, what is the name of ehn ehn Governor Sheriff’s friend?” the president asked.

The audience clapped and laughed. Some echoed Yusuf!



“When Yusuf was killed, that was the beginning of the crisis…” the president continued his speech.

Mr. Yusuf was the founder of the Boko Haram sect. His extrajudicial murder in 2009 marked the beginning of the deadly insurgency that is now threatening the entire northeast region of Nigeria.





WATCH VIDEO BELOW...







See full transcript of President Jonathan’s speech below..

… Bunkers in Maiduguri or Borno state. Why should the bunkers come? Who wants to send bunkers to Borno state. There are too many APCs (armoured personnel carriers). Why should there be APCs in Borno state? Who wants to send APcs to Borno state? We are talking about soldiers.

There are some people even saying JTF should go. Who wants to spend money paying allowances of soldiers for God-sake. We need money for development.

If the circumstances that brought the soldiers are no longer there, that day, they will all leave. [Audience clap clap clap]

They were not in Borno state in 2001, 2002, 2003, up to 2009. Probably that is when ehnn this man was killed, and that was the beginning of crises.

Ehn ehn, what is the name of ehn

ehn governor Sheriff’s friend? [Audience clapped, laughed and echoed Yusuf].

When Yusuf was killed, that was the beginning of the crisis…

A history : Ali Modu Sheriff and Boko Haram


Mr. Sheriff’s alleged link with Boko Haram dates back to his days as governor of Borno between 2003 and 2011.



Multiple security sources, politicians from his home state and residents of Borno claim Mr. Sheriff was close to the group and and its leadership, and indeed appointed a member of the sect to his cabinet as commissioner.



Recently, an Australian negotiator, working with the Nigerian government, Stephen Davis, also claimed that the sect’s top members told him Mr. Sheriff was a key sponsor of their activities.

On December 16, the SSS exonerated Mr. Sheriff after it paraded six men – including a former special assistant to current Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima. The SSS claimed the suspects admitted fabricating the scenarios the Australian negotiator relied on to make his claims.

A leaked security intelligence dispatch obtained by this newspaper also suggested Mr. Sheriff has link with the sect.



The memo claimed Mr. Sheriff personally oversaw the training and deployment of fighters from the Abeche region in Chad.



In Abeche, Mr. Sheriff operated from the lodge of the Chadian President, Idris Deby, the memo claimed.

After joining the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] in July 2014, Mr. Sheriff beca

me a close ally of President Jonathan, and top leaders of the ruling party. He now enjoys state protection.



Mr. Sheriff has consistently denied any link with the Boko Haram sect. But this new video may pose a fresh challenge in his bid to delink himself from the deadly sect, which now appears to have grown out of control.



via nigerianeye

All federal government workers not paid their salaries from November will be paid before close of work today, Supervising Minister of Information, Nurudeen Mohammed, says.



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A People Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representative aspirant, Ms Ayisha Osori, has dumped the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC) after emerging winner on the PDP platform.



Osori made the announcement on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing newsmen at the APC national secretariat.



NAN recalls that Osori emerged winner at the just concluded AMAC/Bwari federal constituency primary in the Federal Capital Territory.





Osori, who was presented with the membership card of the APC, told newsmen she decided to carpet-cross after watching the APC primary because she believed in Osinbajo, who was her lecturer at one time.



“I decided to denounce membership after watching the APC conduct its presidential primary in a fair and competitive manner and after seeing the combination of Osinbajo and Buhari, both men of integrity.



“Osibanjo used to teach me at the University of Lagos, faculty of law, I believe that is a great combination that would move the country forward and I want to be part of that team,” she said.

According to her, the APC slogan ‘Change’ is enough reason to support the party as she was sure of winning the on the platform of APC.



Osori noted that more than 70 per cent of Nigerians were youths who wanted the change that “APC represents”.



On what her contribution would be to ensure the success of the APC at the general elections, Osori, who is the CEO of the Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund, cited experience.



“The years of experience I garnered in the private sector as a lawyer and also as writer, first with Thisday and later with Leadership newspapers will be of value to APC.



Reacting to the defection, the APC National Secretary, Mai-Mala Buni, who presented the membership card to Osori, expressed delight because his party was waxing stronger by the day.

“Such event will be a continuous thing. Our doors are open. Everybody, who is ready to join the party, is welcome anytime, any day,” he said.



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President Goodluck Jonathan’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party, yesterday, X-rayed his performance in the aviation sector and concluded that he had taken it to an unprecedented high level.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, PDP said it was happy with the transformation in virtually every sector of the economy that have engendered greater economic productivity in the country.







The party said: “Under President Jonathan, rail services have returned, boosting not only commerce, but also national integration. Today, the Lagos-Ibadan- Osogbo-Ilorin-Minna-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano narrow gauge has been rehabilitated with improved fast coaches providing regular services.



“The Enugu-Port Harcourt-Enugu intercity train has been opened for operations while container cargo freight services from Apapa port complex have commenced.



Already, rehabilitation works on the Port Harcourt-Aba-Umuahia-Enugu-Markurdi-Lafia-Kuru-Bauchi-Gombe-Ashaka-Maiduguri, as well as the branch line from Kafanchan to Kaduna are at completion stages and will be operational soon.



“In the same vein, work on the Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail line has reached advanced stage and is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2015. This is in addition to the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge line, which is projected to resume full operation by the middle of 2015.



“Other segments of the new standard gauge speed train network are planned, with contract already awarded for the Lagos–Ibadan segment. Already, a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, for the construction of a new railway line that will run from Lagos to Calabar, extending to the Obudu Cattle Ranch has been signed.



“Passengers carried by rail has increased from one million in 2012 to 4.2 million in 2013 and still growing with the opening of new lines in 2014.



“On land transportation, the investment-friendly environment created by the Jonathan administration has resulted in increased participation of private individuals and companies in road mass transit, including those funded through SURE-P and other financing windows, thereby reducing the land transport challenges faced by Nigerians,” the statement said.



Giving an overview of the achievements in the water transport sector, the PDP noted that “the dredging of the River Escavos and River Niger from Warri to Baro in Niger State and the inland city ports in Onitsha have since been completed to create the much desired inland water channel for movement of personnel and goods



“This is in addition to the acceleration of the dredging work at the Lokoja axis and the opening of coastal transport services. In the last three years, over 6.7 million passengers and over 1.6 million tonnes of cargo have been moved through this channel.



“In the same vein, extensive port reforms by the administration have paved the way for availability of twenty-four hour services with clearing time reduced from 39 days to 7 days for trouble-free cargo.

“On Aviation, it is incontrovertible that this sector, which in the past was denied desired attention, has been revamped and repositioned by President Jonathan.



“In line with the President’s Transformation Agenda, the aviation ministry and its parastatals were immediately restructured while obsolete infrastructure were either replaced or upgraded in all the major airports across the country.”



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Jigawa State Governor, Dr. Sule Lamido, yesterday described the rising tension in the Northern part of the country as a ticking bomb, which must be addressed urgently if Nigeria must survive as a nation.



According to him, the tension was so palpable that many concerned northerners have opted to relocate from their homes until after the next general election.







He regretted that neither the president nor his opponent has reined in their supporters, who appear to be on the prowl while the north was on fire because of their selfish political interests.



Asked why he went to see Babangida instead of reporting to the Villa in Abuja, Lamido told newsmen that the Minna meeting was aimed at briefing the former leader, who had been away for sometime on the fast deteriorating security situation in the North East occasioned by incendiary claims by supporters of top politicians seeking to rule Nigeria and the failure by the leadership to curb worsening insurgency.



He said he hoped that by so doing, it would be possible to help mobilise all Nigerians of good conscience to work together to nip in the bud rising ethno religious tensions currently creating fear among Nigerians, particularly those in the Northern part of the country, and to create a sense of belonging, unity and peace.



Lamido maintained that despite his fac-off with President Goodluck Jonathan over his failure to honour the promises he made to the people of the state four years ago, he would not dump the party, which he helped to set up along with eight others, who are now referred to as the G9.



He said that rather than dump the party, he would continue to seek the best possible way to help it to solve the myriads of challenges facing Nigeria as a country.



No regret supporting Jonathan in 2011



Lamido stated also that he did not regret supporting Jonathan in 2011 even though the support had not attracted any meaningful dividends to the state.



He warned however that the neglect of his people must be urgently addressed if the same support must be extended to the president in the next presidential poll.



“My position must be made very clear. I am not asking for anything for myself because I have made it abundantly clear that I am not seeking any office as some of my colleagues have done but the promises made to Jigawa people must be fulfilled so as to give them a sense of belonging like others.

“What we are saying is that our own people, who toiled for the president through my intervention in 2011, must be given a fair share of the national cake for their support before we vote again.”



The position of Lamido on President Jonathan, which was aired live on Saturday from Dutse, the state capital, is said to have jolted the Presidency, which appears afraid to confront him so as not to worsen the already bad situation as the election approaches.



“This explains why the Presidency and die-hard supporters of Jonathan like Clark and Dokubo have been reluctant to join issues with the governor since he decided to take on the President last weekend,” a source close to the Villa said on Tuesday.



“What has happened is entirely unexpected and it will be sorted out amicably and we believe the governor will give his total support to President Jonathan and not Buhari as some people have rushed to claim,” the source added.



It was learnt that the Presidency was however planning a peace deal with Lamido to enable him to give maximum support to Jonathan in the February 14 presidential poll.



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The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, yesterday donated N7 million to 14 wives of the 35 police officers declared missing in Borno, to alleviate their suffering.







It will be recalled that the officers were declared missing after members of the Boko Haram sect invaded the Police Mobile Force Training School at Gwoza, on August 20.



Abba, however, said one of the officers had resurfaced about three months ago and had resumed duty.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each of the women got N500, 000.



Apart from the cash, the inspector-general also gave 20 tubers of yam, one bag of rice and one gallon of vegetable oil to each of the women and 84 other police wives whose husband had died in the line of duty.



Sixty-two widows of policemen that were ambushed and killed by members of the Omgbatse cult at Alakyo village in Nasarawa State on May 7, 2013, also got the foodstuff.



The inspector-general used the occasion to reassure that the search for missing police officers would be intensified until they were found either dead or alive.



“Those whose husbands are still missing, let me say that we are still pained, we are still hopeful and we have not stopped the efforts to trace them, wherever they are.



“And that, we will not relent until we are able to account for each and every one of them, this I want to assure you.



“Without mincing word and with due consideration to the status of my office, we mean every word we say, the search continues, the hope is still there,” Abba said.



The I-G also assured the women that the force would not forget them whenever it mattered, particularly at a season like the yuletide which was a time to share with one another.



Abba also said that the outcome of investigation into the incident, as well as that of the panel constituted by the Nasarawa State Government on killing of the officers by the cult would be implemented appropriately.



He described the incident as one of the mishaps that had affected the police in recent years.



via nigerianeye

Two persons have been arrested and detained by the Police for allegedly setting a building ablaze in Ondo town, Ondo State, over disagreement on the owner of some shops within the building.



It was gathered that two brothers had disagreed over the ownership of the shops in the building they inherited from their late father.







One of them, identified as Rotimi, reportedly mobilized some miscreants who torched the building after a shouting match with his brother.



The building, located at Odosida area of Ondo town, housed a set of shops and a private secondary school.



The miscreants are being detained at Enuowa Police Station, while investigation into the matter is ongoing.



Contacted, the state Police Command image maker, Wole Ogodo, said his office had not been briefed by the Divisional Police Office, DPO, of Ondo town on the incident.



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Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, yesterday, presented a budget of N462 billion for the 2015 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly.





The budget which is based on $55 per barrel, fell short of the 2014 budget with N36 billion.

Presenting the appropriation bill before the House in Uyo, Akpabio said the budget was aimed at completing ongoing projects in the state.



He said N253 billion constitutes capital expenditure, while recurrent stands at N209 billion.

The appropriation bill allocated N18.3 billion to education.



Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Sam Ikon, commended the governor, saying that his administration had implemented the previous budgets to the letter.



He said that despite the fact that the governor had been the most abused and insulted, he has continued to execute projects for the benefit of the people of the state.



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Skye Bank Plc has disclosed that it has taken full control of Mainstreet Bank Limited following the hand-over of the MBL to it by Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON.







In a notice informing the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, of the completion of the take- over, Skye Bank said that the hand-over followed approval by the relevant regulatory authorities.



The hand-over which took place December 18, 2014, saw the directors of Mainstreet Bank resigning their appointments and new management appointed in their stead.



In their place, an interim Management Board comprising of Mrs. Amaka Onwughalu, (Deputy Managing Director of Skye Bank), and Mr. Dotun Adeniyi (Executive Director of Skye Bank) was constituted.



Mrs. Onwughalu was appointed to the Board of Skye Bank Plc on November 30, 2008 and she is an astute bank administrator with over 27 year experience.



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Former Director-General of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Retired Maj.-Gen. Solomon Omojokun, has passed on at the age of 79.







Family spokesperson, Mrs Funmi Obilana, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Akure, yesterday.



Obilana said Omojokun died after a brief illness in his home town at Ilara Mokin in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State.



He added that, “Omojokun read Mathematics and Physics at University College (now University of Ibadan) in 1958 and taught as science teacher in Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure before he was commissioned into the Nigerian Army in 1963.



“He served at various capacities as Commandant of Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi in 1970; Director-General, NYSC in 1975 until 1979 and was a Commandant of Nigerian Army Education Corps from 1979 to 1984.



“He was the Federal Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity during Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s regime, after which, he retired in 1985.’’



Obilana added that the deceased was a Nigerian Ambassador to Cuba and Mexico between 1987 to 1991.



The spokesperson said the deceased is survived by a widow and children, adding that funeral arrangements would be announced by the family soon.







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A group of yam farmers cutting across some northern states in the country yesterday pledged to support the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari’s campaign in the 2015 general elections with N5 billion.







The group disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Jos.

Reverend Jacob Musa, Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the farmers on the name “Buhari-Osibajo Presidential Appeal Campaign Fund, BOPCAF, said that farmers from Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger and Kaduna states as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, would feature at the occasion.



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The National Coordinator of Odu’a Peoples Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams, Tuesday berated former President Olusegun Obasanjo for allegedly laying the foundation of Nigeria’s current problems.



He also expressed worries over the conduct of the 2015 general elections noting that utterances made by politicians could lead to crisis.







Otunba Adams, who said this while addressing newsmen said the concern was borne out of genuine fears that no matter who wins the presidential election between President Goodluck Jonathan and General Mohammadu Buhari of All Progressives Congress, APC, the nation was likely going to erupt in violence.



According to him, if Buhari loses next year’s election, crisis may erupt in the north, while the Niger Delta region is likely to be engulfed in crisis if President Jonathan loses.



Blaming the former president for major problems confronting the country, he said “the very cabal that Jonathan complained about was created by Obasanjo. All the problems that are existing in Nigeria today, the foundation was laid by Obasanjo.”



On the issue of a planned interim government, in case the 2015 poll became inconclusive, Adams said that could not be the solution.



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English Premiership side, Stoke City are ready to offer Peter Odemwingie a new deal, and are willing to do so even if he doesn’t play again before his current contract expires.



The Nigeria international has been out with a cruciate knee ligament injury since August 30 and there are no guarantees he will be fit to play before running out of contract at the end of the current season.







But Stoke manager, Mark Hughes, has thrown the winger some comfort and joy by saying, “There’s something in place, I think, so we will have discussions nearer the time.



“We’d like to think he would get back before the end of the season. He might not make it, but even so he’s working exceptionally hard to make it.



The striker has already started light work out ahead of his anticipated return to action.



He admits the injury he suffered during the otherwise famous win at Manchester City at the end of August was a huge blow to absorb.



“I have just started running outside, which is a massive step for me. From now onwards hopefully things will accelerate a little bit for me,” he told the Stoke Sentinel



“In terms of the minimum period I was told I would be out for, I am just over half way through that now.”



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Head, Media and Publicity of the Buhari Support Organization, BSO, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe last night debunked the insinuations in most quarters of the society that the academic records of his principal and presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress, General Mohammdu Buhari was in doubt.







Speaking with newsmen, Maduekwue said it was a well orchestrated strategy by Buhari’s detractors to sway the minds of the public against him, assuring that they would not succeed.



According to him, the opponents, he said were afraid of Buhari’s candidacy hence the smeared campaign against him.



He wondered how a former military Head of State and three times Presidential candidate in previous elections would suddenly be found wanting in his academic qualifications.



“There should be no iota of doubt about General Mohammadu Buhari’s qualification. The records are there. He was not just a school prefect but a Head Boy. In the ages past, you can not enter the military school if there is any questionable mark about your school certificate or WAEC result as it were.



“So, that is clear. Your entry must be on acceptable pass mark before going to the military academy. Of course, the records are there both in Nigeria and outside Nigeria for anybody to cross check. We thank God we now live in the age of online.



“You can google everything. I mean, he couldn’t have run the presidential election for three times…and each time his documentation must be assessed by INEC. But now is the first time they are coming up with that.



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The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress says it created conducive environment for the Igbos in the state to thrive.



The party therefore called on the Igbos in the state not to be used by politicians who were using tribal sentiments to woo voters ahead of the 2015 elections.





The party said this in a statement by its publicity secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, while reacting to claims by a group, Ndigbo Cultural Society of Nigeria, that the Igbos in Lagos were being marginalised in the politics of the state.



The APC said, “Ndigbo controls commerce in Lagos. From Ladipo Market to Tejuosho, Oshodi to Alaba, Trade Fair Complex to Oduade market, from Idumota to Balogun, just to mention a few of them.



“In politics, the Igbos are also being represented at all levels of government from the wards to the local and state levels.



“Ben Akabueze has been the Commissioner for Budget and Planning for nearly 10 years and the weight of that office is well known to those who should know better. Joe Igbokwe sits as the General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency and also the head of Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit and APC Publicity Secretary Lagos and these are strategic offices and six Igbos are fully employed at LASIMRA.



“Justice Sybil Nwaka is an Igbo is in the Lagos judiciary. There was the late Mrs Ngozi Mofuanya, a director of Public Prosecution; there are also Igbo lawyers who are thoroughly enjoying themselves in the Ministry of Justice in Lagos. There is also countless number of Ndigbo in top positions in the Lagos State ministries, especially in the Ministry of Education.”



via nigerianeye