Most Viewed
-
The UN has agreed to Sri Lanka's request to delay a long-awaited report into alleged atrocities committed during Sri Lanka's 26...
-
Good Day Viewers Here is a brand new song from Ralph . Our good friend who sang "Olu Orun" and "Grace" which is... -
World leading domain registrar DomainKing accredited with Asian and African registries which started business in Nigeria late 2014 has s... -
PHOTO: SEE HOW Pastor Tries to Walk on Water Like Jesus, Then Drowns in Front of His Congregation Posted by: dblaqs on January 4, 20...
-
Federico Fossi, UNHCR: "The coast guard rescued nine survivors from two rubber dinghies" More than 200 migrants are dead after ...
-
1965 LBJ sends federal troops to Alabama American Revolution 1778 King Louis XVI receives U.S. representatives Automotive 1928 Auto ... -
Armed men have abducted at least 89 boys in South Sudan, the United Nations children's agency has said. The incident happened in...
-
Finally Our Long Awaited Song has Arrived!!! I received text, mails, calls and many others asking when the "Grace" Singer Ralp... -
People come into contact with the schistosomiasis parasite when they enter water frequented by the snails S...
-
Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has read the riot act to Igbo leaders and monarchs in Lagos State, warning that he will make life unbearabl...
President Muhammadu Buhari has attributed the triumph of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 general election to the vision of a National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Buhari said this in a recorded tribute which was presented at the 8th Bola Tinubu Colloquium held to commemorate the 64th birthday of Tinubu.
The President said the former governor of Lagos State was the brains behind the merger of Nigeria’s main opposition parties in 2013, stating that without Tinubu’s vision and intelligence, the party would not have been formed and the APC would not be in power today.
Buhari stated, “If Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not participate, there wouldn’t have been a merger and there wouldn’t have been an APC government at the centre. That is absolutely clear.
“He should thank God that he has gone through so much and has remained relevant, that he is healthy and young.”
Earlier in his address, the President had contended that Tinubu remained one of the most important figures in Nigeria at the moment.
Buhari added, “There are very few patriots, alive or departed, who can match the commitment, resilience and creativity that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has, over the past few decades, demonstrated in organising Nigeria’s public life for good.
“As he adds another year today, my best wishes and prayers go out to a man who deserves a lot of commendation for what he continues to stand for.”
The President’s address, which centred on the theme: ‘Agriculture: Action, Work, Revolution’, highlighted the several opportunities which abound in the agricultural sector.
According to him, it is unfortunate that Nigeria is importing food when it should be exporting.
Buhari said, “Nearly all our crop-based farming activities are dependent on rain-fed agriculture, and this makes our agricultural productivity entirely vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
“In the past few years, on the average, we have spent in excess of $11bn annually importing wheat, rice, sugar and fish. We need not, and indeed we cannot afford to continue on this trajectory.
“Agriculture is the key to our economic growth and social investment policies. Our administration’s key strategy is to ensure that Nigeria becomes self- sufficient in the foods that we consume the most.
“Maize, rice, corn, millets, fruits, poultry products and their derivatives can all be produced at home if we put our hearts into it. Our policy is simple: We will produce what we eat! It is not only logical, it is necessary.”
In his tribute, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, recalled the role Tinubu played in bringing aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party’s governors into the APC after the crisis in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
Amaechi said Tinubu convinced the members of the APC to allow the New PDP members to join its fold at the time.
“He was able to gather the leadership of the political class together. He was key; more than gathering the public because once you gather the leadership of the political class and ensure that there is unity of purpose, they could share to the public jointly this change mantra.
“We in the New PDP were in constant contact with him and we virtually negotiated through him. By the time the President (Buhari) and others got involved, we had gone far with Asiwaju. He played a key role.”
Also speaking in the tribute video, the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, described Tinubu as a visionary, noting that the ex-governor of Lagos was dependable and loyal.
Sanusi, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said, “It was people like Tinubu that insisted that this country could not afford another four years of that kind of thing (past administration) and basically laid down their lives, laid down their resources and gave their all to ensure that change happened.
“He is extremely loyal and that is how you know your friends. It doesn’t matter where you are or what happens to you, you can always be sure that Asiwaju will be there.”
Tinubu, while speaking at the event, recalled that the 2015 presidential election coincided with his birthday.
He said Buhari’s victory at the polls was his biggest birthday gift yet.
The ex-governor described the PDP-led Federal Government from 1999 to 2015 as a deceptive one.
The APC leader recalled that the PDP government claimed that it had established a Nigerian Commodity Exchange to provide a practical solution to a number of challenges that have adversely affected the growth and development of the Nigerian agricultural sector, contending that the initiative was a sham.
He thanked guest speaker and Ethiopian agric expert, Dr. Eleni Gabre-Madhin, for exposing the dubiousness of the PDP-led Federal Government.
Tinubu said, “We have had a series of promises in the last 50 years and particularly in the last 16 years. I remember the article I wrote after the presentation of the book, Financialism: Fetching the water from a dry well’. It was about this commodity exchange.
“The deceptive government at that time announced immediately that same week that commodity exchange had been established. It took an Ethiopian to discover its lies, but thank God, we are taking it more seriously now.
“I salute the President and the entire cabinet that Nigeria is being redirected. There is no option for us but to revalidate our faith in our country and take the hard decision now. Our renaissance must come from within. We have the land, the mind, the capacity and the ability.”
The All Progressives Congress in Rivers state has listed 24 sins committed by former Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, the incumbent governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, and their political party, Peoples Democratic Party against the people of the state.
APC claims that the duo of Jonathan and Wike have committed gross sins against Rivers State without any justification and should pay for these sins during the 19th March, 2016 rerun election.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, the state capital by the state chairman of APC, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, the 24 sins corruption, lack of political will etc.
Here are the sins listed by APC:
1. President Jonathan failed to muster the courage and political will in a PDP-controlled National Assembly to see to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the over six years of his administration to demonstrate his hatred for the Niger Delta region knowing that communities in Rivers State will benefit from the bill.
2 The East/West Road, especially Eleme-Onne axis in Rivers State, was not only abandoned but was a nightmare to travellers and commuters.
3. Bodo-Bonny Federal Road was completely abandoned just because it is situated in Rivers State.
4. Refusal to refund to the State Government over 90 billion naira used in the dualisation of Ikwerre-Owerri Road approved by late President Yar’Adua and other Federal Roads in the State executed by the State to ease the sufferings of the people of Rivers State.
5. Wickedly stopped Train 7 at NLNG Bonny and the loss of jobs to our people and revenue to Government.
6. Non-implementation of UNEP Report on the clean-up of Ogoni land despite all the pleas by our people and the International Community – just to punish the Ogonis and Rivers State irrespective of their overwhelming support for him during the 2011 elections.
7. Lack of any visible Federal Government project in Rivers State throughout his over six years as President of Nigeria. Instructively, of all the states Dr Jonathan has visited in the course of his re-election campaign, it was only in Rivers that he could not name a single development project he initiated, not to talk of executing.
8. Ceding of oil wells belonging to Rivers to Bayelsa and Abia states to ensure that the revenue accruing to the State was reduced to nothing.
9. Abandoned construction of the Port Harcourt International Airport after completing other airports started at the same time with it. The airport has thus become an eyesore and the worst airport in the entire world. Pictures of the current state of the Airport attached explain the level of hatred Dr Jonathan has for Rivers State and her people.
10. Turning the Port Harcourt axis of Enugu-Port Harcourt Express Road into a death trap. The pictures attached of the bad state of the road explain everything.
11. Posting and encouraging the excesses of the tyrannical Police Commissioner Joseph Mbu during his inglorious days in the State.
12. Supporting the impunity of daily killing, maiming of members of Rivers APC by the Police under the watch of Dan Barure then Commissioner of Police of the State
13. Supporting every imaginable act of impunity in the State, including the plot by five State Assembly members to impeach the Speaker in a House of 31 members.
14. Seizing and grounding the planes of the State for no just cause.
15. Harassing and intimidating the then Governor of Rivers State (Rt. Hon. Amaechi) for no just cause and even supporting the splitting of the Governors Forum into two just to ensure that Governor Amaechi, who was duly elected by his colleagues, does not have an easy reign as the Chairman of the Forum.
16. Refusal to allow the then Governor of the state to construct the Federal Road that leads to the Kalabari Kingdom just to ensure that during the rainy season the Kalabaris will not have a road to their place.
17. Refusal to refund the State the money used to construct the smooth, beautiful dual carriageway from Omerelu to Port Harcourt – particularly up to the Airport Junction from Owerri in Imo State, which the Federal Government abandoned just because Rivers State people ply that road.
18. Refusal to refund the money used by Rivers State to construct the Ahoada/Elele Alimini Federal Road and the interchange (Flyover) at Obiri Ikwerre.
19. Refusal to attend to the poor state of the Onne – Port Harcourt component of the East/West Road. This is the road that services the Port Harcourt Refinery from where petroleum products are supplied to the South East and parts of the South South. That is the road that leads to the Onne Free Zone and to Okrika, the home Local Government of Dame Patience Jonathan, Nigeria’s former First Lady.
20. Turning a blind eye while his party continues to kill, bomb and disrupt APC rallies.
21. Against the spirit of equity, unity, justice and fair play, Dr Jonathan and his wife, Damee patience Jonathan imposed Chief Nyesome Wike a cancellous fellow from the Ikwerre tribe as PDP candidate and Governor of Rivers State, knowing very well that the former Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was also of Ikwerre extraction and that with Chief Wike as Governor that the Ikwerre tribe will governed Rivers State for 16 years to the detriment of other tribes and sections of the State. This shows that Dr Jonathan and his son and unjust party do not wish Rivers State any good.
22. Former President Jonathan released all the N25 Billion that accrued from the principle of derivation from the five Soku Oil Wells that rightly belong to Rivers State kept in reserve for Rivers State and Bayelsa State were all paid to Bayelsa State his home State to prove his hatred for Rivers State
23. As a President, Dr Jonathan continued to under fund the NDDC to ensure that Rivers State and in extension the Niger Delta region is not developed, till the time he left office, over N700B owed by the Federal Government was not paid to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)
24. Refused to empower and fund the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs initiated by the Yar-Adua’s administration. The then Minister of Niger Delta once stated that the N41.7B due to the Ministry was not paid until Dr Jonathan left office to ensure that 90 percent of the projects initiated by the Ministry were not executed by the Ministry in Rivers State and other Niger Delta States.
Ikanya said: “These, amongst other wicked acts against Rivers State for reasons only to be explained by Dr Jonathan are why no PDP should be voted for this Saturday’s poll.
“For the record, Dr Jonathan is from Bayelsa, a sister State to Rivers. He is married to Dame Patience Jonathan, who is from Rivers State and having schooled in UNIPORT and lectured in the State before joining politics; one would have expected him to be a key factor in the development of Rivers State after the State gave him the highest number of votes in the 2011 presidential election though not shockingly, he was the greatest undoing of his party in the 2015 general election.”
The minister for information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has denied blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for the poor state of Nigeria’s economy.
“My views were twisted,” Mohammed said in a statement on Sunday. “I was reported to have said that the economy of our country is beyond the control of the President.”
A section of the Nigerian media had claimed that the minister while speaking on an Abuja radio station, said that the economy has not witnessed any tangible upward trend because it was beyond what the President can deal with.
With a weak Naira, sliding prices of oil on the global market and low foreign reserves, experts believe the country is not about to witness any economic revival anytime soon.
But the minister said President Buhari was on course to turn around Nigeria’s declining fortune. He said his statement was twisted for selfish gains.
“This is a gross misrepresentation of what I said,” he said. “I could not have said our economy is out of the control of our President or the administration he heads. As a matter of fact, this Administration has decided to turn the economic disaster that we inherited to a blessing by diversifying our economy.
“I don’t know the reason behind the gross distortion of my comments on the…, but whatever the motive is, Nigerians should disregard such distortion and continue to support our President and his Administration to take our country out of the woods.”
I never said Nigeria’s economy is beyond Buhari’s control.— Alhaji Lai Mohammed (@MohammedLai) March 13, 2016
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that former Gov. Rotimi Amaechi is a failed governor who needs urgent psychiatric evaluation and treatment.
Governor Wike said Former Governor Amaechi is monstrously corrupt, pointing out that after his litigation on his indictment by the judicial Commission of Inquiry, his (Amaechi’s) prosecution over the embezzlement of Rivers resources will take place.
Speaking at the PDP Rivers West Senatorial District Campaign rally at Ahoada on Saturday, GovernorWike said that only a man with psychiatric disorder will compare his failed eight years in office to just eight months of the new administration.
He said the former governor failed in his eight as the state chief executive. According to him, Amaechi lacks proper parental upbringing hence his desperation in the political arena.
Governor Wike said that the APC has refused to campaign for the rerun elections because they are relying on the military and security forces to rig.
“He is a psychiatric patient who was at the radio station abusing people who are old enough to be his fathers/mothers simply because his party lost at the Supreme Court.
“We will defeat Amaechi again and again. No matter the deployed to Rivers State, the PDP we will all the seats “.
The governor said that Amaechi during his radio tour confessed that the military has been handed over to him to rig elections in the state. He added that the plot would fail woefully as the Rivers people will defend their mandate.
He pointed out that Amaechi’s personal friend Mr Tosin Ajayi was posted to Rivers State as DSS director with the evil objective of creating the environment of rigging.
He said : “Only yesterday, I intercepted the communication of the DSS director and the Brigade commander where they were planning on the ways of rigging the election alongside Amaechi. That plot has failed.
“Amaechi lacks sound parental upbringing. He has vindicated us when he said that he has been given the army to rig the rerun elections. I know the Chief of Army staff very well. He should not allow a psychiatric patient to use the Army to rig.
“Is Amaechi now the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces that he talks about deploying soldiers? Our people will rise up to defend their votes. They will make the needed sacrifices their votes”, Governor Wike said.
He reminded the people that on May 27, 2015, Amaechi made a statement that his (Wike ) administration will be unable to pay salaries and execute projects. He said he has confounded through the execution of pro-people projects across the state, payment of salaries and pensions.
He called on the people of Rivers West Senatorial District to vote overwhelmingly for the PDP for uniformed development to be entrenched in the state.
The Governor said that development of the communities rests with his administration, pointing out that he has discharged his responsibility faithfully.
Governor Wike said no matter the time it takes Amaechi will face trial for stealing Rivers resources .
“If President Muhammadu Buhari visits Amaechi’s house in Asokoro, he will never allow him to come into Presidential Villa. After the case initiated by Amaechi over his indictment, he will face justice for embezzling state funds”
Also speaking , PDP Deputy National Chairman described the former governor as a pathetic liar who mismanaged resources of the state.
He said : “Amaechi needs urgent proper psychiatric evaluation and treatment. We call on Dr Parker to treat the former governor “.
He said Amaechi’s appearance on different radio stations is merely an avenue to create crisis in the state.
He said: “No amount of blackmail will pull down the administration of Governor Wike. Amaechi was a failed governor “.
The Rivers North West Senatorial District Campaign rally attracted PDP faithful from the eight local government areas of the district.
The All Progressives Congress has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for his shuttle diplomacy aimed at forging a stronger regional front against the Boko Haram insurgency. APC said the President should be praised rather than condemned for his efforts. The party position was contained in a statement in Abuja on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. It said, ”Boko Haram, which started off as a Nigerian problem, has now assumed a regional dimension, affecting many countries in West Africa. Therefore, any solution to the crisis, if it is to endure, must be regional in nature, with Nigeria taking the lead.” APC noted that since terrorism had assumed a global dimension, no nation, not even the United States, could fight the growing menace alone. ”This is why even in our days in opposition, we advocated a regional solution to the crisis,” it added. The party said Buhari’s trip to Niger and Chad, two of the countries worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency, “showed that he understands the regional dimension that the insurgency has assumed, and that for any effort by Nigeria to yield positive results, it must seek the cooperation of its neighbouring countries”. APC urged the President not to relent in his efforts to forge a regional front against the terrorists, despite the “misguided criticism” emanating from certain quarters. It stated, ”It is baffling that some opposition politicians wanted Nigeria to go it alone against Boko Haram, even as the terrorist group has taken its battle beyond the shores of Nigeria, to such countries as Cameroon, Chad and Niger. “It is common knowledge that the terrorists use these countries as launch pads for their attacks against Nigeria, and vice versa, and that they routinely engage in cross-boundary raids. ”It is common knowledge that Boko Haram’s tentacles have spread as far as Mali, the home base of the Movement for the Unity and Jihad in West Africa, a splinter group of the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. It is no longer a secret that Boko Haram has now affiliated itself to the Islamic State, seeing itself as the West African chapter of the terror group. “How then can Nigeria effectively deal with Boko Haram without seeking the assistance of other concerned countries?” The party reminded the critics of the President’s trips to Chad and Niger that even the US sought and had continued to seek a global coalition against Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, despite the country’s enormous military, economic and political powers. APC said it was particularly delighted that Buhari had continued to insist that the Nigerian Army was capable of leading the fight against Boko Haram. “Meaning that while there is nothing wrong in seeking the cooperation of Nigeria’s neighbours, the country has no business hiring mercenaries to lead the battle,” it added.
The All Progressives Congress APC, has released this new portrait of the
president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his vice president Prof.
Yemi Osinbajo. They first released another portrait but it seems people
did not like those ones so they got new ones.
See the first released portrait below...
Which one do you prefer between this two?
An attempt by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to elect a consensus candidate for the leadership of the Senate at a retreat organised for Senators-elect in Abuja was frustrated on Saturday as two factions emerged from the camp, endorsing two separate candidates.
The party leadership had planned to conduct a primary election for the 59 senators elected on the ticket of the party in order to produce a consensus candidate that would emerge as the next Senate President during the inauguration of the eighth National Assembly in June.
However, few hours into the retreat, a group, which identified itself as Senate Unity Forum, walked out of the event and addressed a news conference where they declared that they had resolved to support the joint ticket of Senators Ahmad Lawan and George Akume for the Senate top posts.
They circulated a resolution signed by Lawan (Yobe North), Akume (Benue North West) and the group’s spokesperson, Senator Barnabas Gemade, (Benue North East) wherein the senators-elect explained that their decision was in the best interest of the party and Nigeria.
The group, which did not disclose its membership strength said, “We, the Senate Unity Forum comprising senators-elect from various states and various zones of Nigeria, have met, held extensive discussions and resolved to support Senator Ahmad Lawan as Senate President and Senator George Akume, as the Deputy Senate President of the eighth Senate.”
But some hours later, no fewer than 24 senators-elect, under the aegis of, “The Like-minds,” filed out of the retreat and announced that 35 members of the group had adopted Saraki (Kwara Central) as their next Senate President.
They also said each of the 35 members of the group, had signed a document which indicated their commitment to Saraki and had followed it up by jointly signing a letter, which they would present to the National Chairman of the party, Mr. John Odigie-Oyegun.
The Senators, in their resolution, read by Dino Melaye (Kogi West) noted: “Senators of ‘The Like-minds’ are here today at the retreat organised by our dear party, All Progressive Congress, which is meant to equip and empower senators-elect of the eighth Assembly to prepare them for the challenges ahead.
“We commend the leadership of our party for this timely and well-focused exercise. The issue of National Assembly leadership is about integrity, competence, discipline and leadership skills and not about fixing of candidates just for mere horse-trading.
“Our stand is about electing a senator who eventually becomes the chairman of National Assembly and relates with the executive on behalf of Nigerians, fellow senators and the National Assembly as an institution.
“Furthermore, the leadership of National Assembly is about the senator that has the wherewithal to stabilise the legislative institution, working with the executive and judicial arm of government to be effective and perform to their optimal capacity.
“In addition, we are aware of the fact that all senators from the North Central zone have taken a firm position that they are only interested in the office of the Senate President which has been earlier zoned by the National Working Committee of our party to the zone.
“We are also aware that North Central senators have resolved to abide by the resolution of the zone on a single candidate and anything short of this is an attempt to jeopardise the collective interest of the zone.
“Of the 59 senators of the APC, 35 of us present here today hereby reaffirm our collective commitment and resolution to ensure that the candidature of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as the Senate President of eighth Assembly.
“We have also resolved that the office of the Deputy Senate President be zoned to the North East.”
Our correspondent observed that the South-West APC senators-elect, except Tayo Alasoadura, were conspicuously absent at the briefing, while members of the Like-minds senators who were present, cut across the North-Central, North-West, and the North-East geopolitical zones.
The latest development has therefore pruned down the numbers of aspirants contesting the senate presidency from four to two because while Akume had accepted to be Lawan’s deputy, Ali Ndume (Borno South), was among the senators that endorsed Saraki on Saturday.
The All Progressives Congress has threatened to probe the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan over some “last-minute dubious activities” ahead of the May 29 handover.
The party alleged that the outgoing administration had been looting the nation’s resources, hurriedly recruiting into the public service and privatisatising key financial institutions.
The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday, said such actions would have serious repercussions after May 29.
It said apart from media reports of such anomalies, the party had received reliable information from members of the public about some dubious actions by key officials of the outgoing Jonathan administration.
The party said while the Jonathan administration remains in charge until the midnight of May 29, it was important for the outgoing administration not to create any more problems for the incoming government than it had already done, or to tie the new government’s hands through some suspicious actions.
The APC said although the Buhari administration would not needlessly probe the Jonathan administration, it would look into all actions taken by Jonathan’s administration after the March 28 presidential election.
The statement read, ‘’For example, the National Council on Privatisation, which is headed by the Vice-President, has just approved the financial bid opening for transaction advisers for the privatisation of the three development finance institutions in the country – the Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry and Nigeria Commodity Exchange. The question is: What is the rationale for rushing this exercise with just weeks left for this administration?
“Also, there have been reports, not refuted, of a planned hurried recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration Service, after a previous attempt ended in a national tragedy and the fleecing of innocent job seekers by mindless Federal Government officials.
Apart from the fact that this last-minute recruitment is suspect, it is irregular.
“The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board is only empowered to recruit, promote and discipline only senior officers (levels eight and above). The power to recruit, promote and discipline junior officers is vested in the different services, in this case the Nigeria Immigration Service.
“Therefore, the recruitment exercise now being conducted by the federal civil service under the auspices of the Presidential Committee to Assist on Immigration Recruitment usurps the functions of the board as it relates to the recruitment of Senior Officers (level 08) and that of the immigration service as it relates to Junior Officers (levels 07 and below).”
The party also called the attention of Jonathan to a published report that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, plans to use the Federal Capital Development Authority to carry out a secret employment of no fewer than 500 workers before the end of the month.
‘’We do not know if this report, as well as others, is true. But if indeed these rushed privatisation and hurried recruitment exercises – in the twilight of the Jonathan administration – are true, they raise serious questions concerning the reasons behind such actions.”
The APC urged Jonathan to call his officials to order in order to save him of embarrassment.
It said it was such recklessness that led to the downfall of Jonathan’s administration and it would be unfair to bequeath such to the Buhari administration.
It added, “We are therefore compelled to call on President Jonathan to call his officials to order, lest they engage in actions that can later embarrass his administration.
“I contributed to the success of the APC in the state because my party failed. My party failed to zone the governorship to the southern part and that was the greatest error made by the party. The APC fortunately zoned the governorship to the southern part and it won. Contributing to the APC victory was not because we were gratified, it was not hidden at all; it was not done behind the scene.
We openly said that we were going to work against the PDP in Plateau State and we kept our promise. We are PDP; we are not going out and we did it to the end. So, the success of the APC is on the platform of the PDP and we are not ashamed of and it is good to show people that whenever you don’t perform you will be kicked out.” he said
The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in last Saturday’s election in Cross River State, Mr. Odey Ochicha, has conceded defeat as he has congratulated Prof. Ben Ayade, the winner and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.This makes him the first APC candidate to concede defeat since the start of the 2015 general elections
In a telephone conversation with the Sun in Calabar yesterday, Ochicha said:
“This morning, I called on my opponent, the PDP gubernatorial candidate and the winner of last Saturday’s governorship election in the state, Prof. Ben Ayade, to congratulate him on his victory.“I praise him for standing the fight to the end and winning the election. I advise that you be magnanimous in victory by carrying everybody along in your administration. Besides, I enjoin you to live up to the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the state.The PDP governorship candidate, Benedict Ayade, swept the polls in the April 11 governorship election, scoring a total of 342,016 votes to defeat his rival, Odey Ochicha of the APC, who scored 53,983 votes.
Ado Ekiti—The factional Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Dele Olugbemi, has raised the alarm that his All Progressives Congress, APC, colleagues in the House are working tirelessly with outsiders to ensure that a state of emergency is declared in Ekiti State.
Olugbemi told newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday at a press briefing that the APC lawmakers have a ‘Plan B’ against the governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, should the move to impeach him fail.
Olugbemi, who boasted of being a member of the Odua People’s Congress, OPC, said there was no where in the constitution of Nigeria where it was stated that persons can not belong to voluntary organizations or practice traditional medicine.
In his reaction, Dr Adewale Omirin, through his media assistant, Wole Olujobi, told Vanguard: ‘’All these things Dele Olugbemi is saying are not true. Nobody is planning anything to instigate a state of emergency.
‘’Olugbemi is barely educated and so he knows little about representative governance. It is good that he confessed that he is a member of a militia group, OPC, that thrives in arbitrariness and mob tactics in resolving issues.
‘’That is what he has been demonstrating and Governor Fayose was so impressed because they are the same.
‘’That is why the governor baptised him with the name of Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker and he is so happy to be so called without acting the character of a Speaker.
‘’How does a party that is not in power instigate action or actions that will lead to a declaration of a state of emergency? Olugbemi is acting loud, calling public attention to himself.
‘’How does a party that is not in power instigate action or actions that will lead to a declaration of a state of emergency? Olugbemi is acting loud, calling public attention to himself.
‘’ This is a man who on a live television programme last week castigated Fayose for running a one-man-show government and virtually asking Ekiti people to warn the governor to change his style.
‘’ I will advise that Olugbemi be ignored because he is an unstable character who in one minute is befriending you and the next moment he turns your enemy. ‘’
‘’ I will advise that Olugbemi be ignored because he is an unstable character who in one minute is befriending you and the next moment he turns your enemy. ‘’
Olugbemi who allegedly emerged the Speaker of the House last year November after the seven PDP members claimed to have impeached Omirin, said his APC counterparts in the House are working in concert with certain politicians in both Osun and Lagos States, adding that they have made an overture to him to dump Fayose and support the 19 APC lawmakers in their bid to impeach the governor
ABUJA—FORMER Military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Umar (retd) yesterday urged the President- elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, retd to be mindful of those he described as mere fair weather friends as he takes over governance in May 29.
In a statement issued yesterday, Umar also urged Buhari to ignore what he described as the treacherous actions of those opportunists who were presently dumping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC barely two weeks after the Presidential election.
The former military also assured President Goodluck Jonathan of his unalloyed loyalty and “steadfast” friendship as he prepares to face life outside power.
According to Colonel Umar in his statement, “A famous political scientist once warned that”the career of a politician is too uncertain to make any firm commitment to him. “Although I find this warning immoral and distasteful it truly represents the attitude and behavioural pattern of most of the so called friends and loyalists of men in power. Most are mere fair weather friends.
“Come 29th May 2015 President Jonathan will handover power to the winner of the 28th March 2015 Presidential election Gen Muhammadu Buhari. With this seeming loss of political power he will also lose a large retinue of friends and loyalists; people who would swear by his name a couple of weeks ago. The President like most of his predecessors will suffer the pain of betrayal.
“I however assure him that there are still genuine friends who will be by him through life’s challenges out of power.
“I also wish to advise him to ignore the treacherous actions of those opportunists who are decamping from his party, the PDP to APC at this late hour. These are people who will not hesitate to renounce God in their pursuit of ephemeral worldly power. They are worthless and a great embarrassment to decent people and bad role models to future generations.
“Let me use this opportunity to dispel the wicked rumour that my closeness with President Jonathan has always been on account of some material favours he extended to me. Nothing can be further from the truth.
”I swear and affirm that I have never, directly or indirectly, been awarded an oil or non – oil contract by President Jonathan or his Government , as evidence will prove later. What I received and cherish above all is tremendous respect from the President. I intend to expatiate on this in due course.
“Let me also express my respect and admiration for President Jonathan’s nationalistic and altruistic decision to concede and congratulate the winner even before the final results were officially announced. The President behaved like the statesman I have always known him to be, thereby saving the country assured implosion had he behaved otherwise.”
Hello my people, I was told Ameachi is paying some thugs so that the elections will be cancelled in Rivers State in order for them to come back and conduct it after Buhari is sworn in. If they try it, they should just carve Rivers State out of Nigeria's map. I will lead a war against them like Ojukwu. Am not joking. I know am on air and I am warning them now. Any attempt to rob us the way they rob our brother, Jonathan, the battle will start from Rivers State. We will remain opposition state....Wike said.
Vanguard reports that,Tinubu stated this at an emergency stakeholders meeting to review last election and strategize for the Saturday governorship and state house of assembly election, held at APC Lagos Secretariat, Ikeja.According to Tinubu,
, “You, the party leaders have disappointed us. For the first time, we lost five House of Representatives seats to the opposition party, this is unacceptable, a huge disappointment.Though in politics you win some you loose some You have failed. So there is no excuse to fail this time.He stressed that despite APC confidence to continue in the state, the party can not afford to miss it again in the next election as its too risky to leave Lagos in the hands of those without experience.
“Also you did not come out in large number, were you afraid.? You have no cause to be afraid as adequate security is on ground to protect you and your property. So don’t be intimidated by their sporadic shooting of guns meant to scare you away from doing your civic right. The Hausa communities had a very good and encouraging turn-out, we expect better performance this time.”
Those in attendance at the meeting were: State Chairman of the party, Chief Henry Ajomale, Senator elects, Oluremi Tinubu, Gbenga Ashafa and Olamilekan Adeola, Demola Seriki, all state party leaders among others.
Nigerians more than before have come to realise there challenges with the present leadership of the country from economic to border relations, health and safety, security, food and control, education to mention a few. Before May 28th the political campaign rallies for two heavy weight party candidates were one of Nigerians most competitive ever. From social media attacked coming from both side to traditional media discussions and as they canvass for votes. One of the most striking events however was when Gen Buhari of the APC and President Goodluck of the PDP met in Abuja with Kofi Anan amongst smiles, hugging and heavy laughter. Watching the clip of both men having a happy emotional time would keep you wondering why Nigerians are even fighting at all.
Before now, both parties have accused one another at some point, but nothing sits more than to hear from the horse’s mouth which is why www.iamchangeng.org, an NGO which believes in empowering disenfranchised Nigerians and financially supporting youth growth and development took time out to speak to the General before the general elections on youth empowerment, insurgency, security and more. Malama Hafsatu Shinkafi, Founder of I am change got a rare one on one with the General and this is what he had to say:
· My leadership and government of the APC will not be left to a few, it will be inclusive.
· We will improve on agriculture and mining as this will help combat unemployment.
· We will develop a system of education that employs only qualified teachers.
· We will improve and increase support for entrepreneurs through foundation institutions and soft loans so they too can employ others.
· In the area of health, child labour we will introduce think tanks at all levels to swiftly address the challenging issues.
· As for security in the Nation, all security forces will be strengthened and quickly imorived.
Malama Hafsatu Shinkafi is a young Nigerian who is eager about driving change from where Nigeria is to where it ought to be. www.iamchangeng.org advocates the message of constant self-reflection; the act of looking within to change the vice in one’s character and to further acquire great virtues that will aid in having a better society.
WATCH full interview below...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
![NG-[A_BA[HOME_PAGE_ALLB]:JUMIA_HOME_PAGE](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v1KeRw2aJCm_lDKU1SZ3tr_yOV7PnGYMlnjNRF_Fr82MqHW1GyNCFOikk20v4DP28UYqu5pWIfulu9ncjDIRGlwteGgFaR_z3K7sDfzoEJGrN903eQjC9Mf6JOXAurEw-B4BzlebvLPZSwDKt4-apxPhiEoHaRBBNC4xPIQn4i0Geauw2zSg=s0-d)
![NG-[C:G.Mobi,B:Allbrand,Wk:1016,Dim:160X600]:Smartphones](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_ttXIlVtYq_KeF3IEOzYHfOC0DO4Kko4IQVfdLl_hJ5KywvNmPZGGM_9K9XAXMJrqe0kAmgdkRrwp8_XlN0FKkO4B8Ny2Rob_v-tI_gDGPwsmqg_bUjF0vGu1bWDJJml_3lYdMbzc4KAuEubw53c9VEzBMhke_oeHgDpAJcTqO5KaqVl0c=s0-d)