Hundreds of Nigerians took to the street this morning to show support
for troops fighting Boko Haram in the North-east part of the country.
The march kicked off at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan, Lagos around 10am.
The Nigerian Army have recorded a string of successes in its onslaught
against the deadly militant group who have terrorized citizens in the
North-eastern part of the country since 2009.
President Goodluck Jonathan, who recently visited the troops in Yobe
and Adamawa has promised that the military will record significant
successes within the six-week time frame leading to the 2015 general
elections.
A host of Cameroonians are also marching to show support for their troops.
--ynaija.com
Saturday 28 February 2015
"NFF Offers Me A Slave Contract" --Keshi
tabled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), which he described as
a slave contract.
The 53-year-old has yet to reach an agreement with the NFF on a new
deal since the end of his initial three-year contract at the 2014 Fifa
World Cup in Brazil, where he led the Super Eagles to the round of 16.
Keshi said he has received his new contract from the NFF but has been
far from impressed.
"From the clauses I have seen so far, I don't know what words to use
but the contract can be described as a 'slave contract," quipped
Keshi.
Keshi Recently Disclosed to Newsmen that His Agents Were in
Negotiation With Burkina Faso for their Vacant Manegerial Post.
Informationng.com understands that the NFF had planned to inscribe
stringent clauses, such as making the ex-Togo and Mali coach
answerable to several persons and committees, in his new contract.
It was learnt that Keshi has now been offered a two-year contract
effective from March 1, 2015 with him to meet several targets or else
the deal was off.
He should guide the country to the semi-finals of the 2016 African
Nations Championship (CHAN) and also the last four of the next Africa
Cup of Nations (Afcon) or the contract will be terminated at his
employers' "absolute discretion."
He is also required to sign a code of conduct.
Keshi himself revealed that he will be paid five million Naira (less
than $25,000), same as he also received during his initial three-year
contract.
This week, the 'Big Boss' lost out in the race to become the new
head coach of Burkina Faso following the appointment of ex-Gabon and
Niger handler Gernot Rohr.
Farmer Drags Buhari To Court Over Certificate
Court sitting in Abuja, not to allow Muhammadu Buhari to contest the
March 28 presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) due to the pending perjury charge against him.
The plaintiff, through his lawyer U.O. Ukairo, prayed the court to
invoke its original powers and compel Buhari to not only withdraw
from the presidential race, but to equally stop parading himself as a
bonafide candidate for the poll.
He maintained that Buhari violated the provision of section 31 of the
Electoral Act by lying on oath about his educational qualifications.
He added that a personal investigation he conducted revealed that
Buhari lacks the basic educational qualifications, adding that the
information the 1st defendant supplied to the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) in his Form CF001, were false.
Aside Buhari and the APC, INEC was also joined as a defendant in the
suit marked FHC/UM/C9/13/15.
Meantime, Justice Ademola Adeniyi has ordered that the court processes
be served on Buhari at his official residence at 4A and B Sultan Lane,
Off Sultan Road in Kaduna.
The Judge said the defendant could as well serve the Originating
Summons on the 1st defendant via substituted means, to wit; publishing
same in any national daily.
The case was subsequently adjourned to March 26 for hearing.
Enugu Gov's Aide In Soup For Impregnating Student
teachers for allegedly impregnating a secondary school girl was on
Wednesday confirmed to be a Personal Assistant to the Enugu State
Governor, Sullivan Chime.
Vanguard reporter gathered that the true identity of the man (names
withheld) was found in his Kia car impounded by the angry teachers.
The car was still lying at the premises of Metropolitan Girls
Secondary School located at Ogui New layout Enugu as at the time of
this report along with his Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and other
documents found in the car.
However, indication were rife that the powers that-be have intervened
and directed the officials of National Agency for Prohibition of
Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) presently handling the investigation
to soft pedal.
When Vanguard reporter visited the Enugu zonal office of NAPTIP
located at GRA in Enugu yesterday afternoon, a top female official of
the command who refused to disclose her identity said, "we don't
comment on cases being investigated, so no comment".
The suspect who was earlier mistaken for a local contractor was beaten
to pulp and stripped naked for allegedly impregnating an SS1 student
of the school.
The cat was let out of the bag when the victim suddenly slumped on the
ground during morning assembly on that fateful Wednesday bleeding
profusely. She later named the man responsible for the pregnancy.
He was therefore lured to the school where he was mobbed.
State Commissioner for Education, Professor Uche Okolo who earlier
confirmed the incident told reporters that "a man was apprehended. The
man defiled a girl. The girl got pregnant. The child was bleeding and
rushed to hospital. The school made a report to NAPTIP. The man came
to the school to take the girl and he was arrested. The good thing is
that he has been apprehended. He should go and face the law", he
added.
--Vanguard
Polls: 34,000 Ex-corps Members To Be Employed By INEC As Ad-hoc Staff --NYSC DG
recently passed out, would be deployed to participate in the
forthcoming general elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11, the
Director-General of the NYSC, Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, has said.
He also stated that the NYSC had put in place a foolproof strategy to
guarantee the safety of corps members taking part in the elections.
Olawumi spoke on Friday in Abuja during a press conference ahead of
NYSC Presidential Honours Award ceremony slated for Monday, March 2
which has been approved by President Goodluck Jonathan.
At the briefing, the NYSC DG put the number of corps members that have
been mobilised by the scheme since its establishment in 1973 at 2.8
million.
"As at the last passing out, we have 2.8 million (corps members) that
have passed through the scheme since its establishment", he said
According to him, out of the 168,000 corps members that were trained
by the Independent National Electoral Commission to participate in the
coming elections, 34,000 have passed out and can no longer participate
as corps members but as ad-hoc staff.
He said, "We have 168,000 (corps members) that registered for
participation in the election. The 2014 Batch A that registered passed
out on February 19. Our plan was to use them for the elections; but
because of the postponement of the elections, we realised that we
can't use them again as that would amount to breaching NYSC rules.
"They were about 34,000. We wrote to INEC to explain that they would
be passing out and that we could not hold on to them. Because they
were passing out, it wouldn't be right for them to participate as
corps members. But because they have been trained, we told INEC that
if they wish, they could employ them as adhoc staff but they won't
wear NYSC uniform".
--infonaija
Son Butchers Father To Death In Anambra For Not Letting Him Go Back To Boko Haram Enclave
behind bars follow-ing his arrest by detectives of the criminal
investigation department in the Anambra State police command for
allegedly macheting his 59-year-old father, Nwafor Nnalue to death.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma, who confirmed the
develop-ment, disclosed that the suspect equally cut the deceased's
hands and legs while muti-lating the body, told Saturday Sun gathered
that the late Nwafor Nnalue was living in Damaturu, Yobe State with
his family until they were forced to relocate to Anambra State as a
result of the Boko Haram insur-gency. It was also learnt that the
suspect, Chinedu was brought up in Yobe State before he travelled to
South Africa and re-turned to join his family in the state where he
eventually married an indigene.
Trouble, however, started after the en-tire family fled Yobe State and
Chinelu's wife refused to move with her two children along with the
Nnalues to Anambra.
Soon after settling down in Anambra State, it was further gathered
that Chinedu began to pester his father to allow him re-turn to Yobe
to join his wife and two kids.
The conflict got to a head on January 23, 2015, when the suspect
allegedly wait-ed for his mother, Mary and sister to go to the farm
and thereafter went to his father where he was sleeping and butchered
him.
Giving an insight into the incident, Mrs. Mary Nnalue said: "My late
husband and my children were all living in Yobe State and it was
because of the Boko Haram in-surgency that we relocated back to
Anam-bra State in 2006. My son, Chinedu Nnal-ue went to South Africa
and later returned and joined us in Yobe State after which we all
returned to Anambra State.
"Chinedu married a Hausa lady who has two children for him and she was
carrying another pregnancy. She didn't return with us to Anambra State
because her parents refused to release her. This has led to a frequent
conflict between my son and my husband but my husband refused him
be-cause of fear of Boko Haram. On the day of the incident, I saw my
son, Chinedu sitting in his room and I asked him why he didn't go for
the morning mass and he didn't give any reason.
"I went to the farm with my daughter and we got to know that Chinedu
picked the cutlass which has been in his room for a long time and went
upstairs to kill his fa-ther. It was the shout of my late husband that
made us to rush back from the farm and when we got upstairs, Chinedu
wanted to matchet his sister but she escaped."
Sounding unrepentant, the suspect told Saturday Sun: "I had to kill my
father be-cause he refused to give me permission to go back to Yobe to
see my wife and two children who are still living in Damaturu. My wife
is also heavy with pregnancy and I felt there is need for me to go and
see her, but he refused, saying he didn't want to lose me to Boko
Haram."
He said he was a Muslim when he was in Yobe State but returned to his
original religion, Christianity when he relocated with his parents to
Anambra.
"My father took me to a herbalist who told us that I should not go
back to Yobe State. I used to see my father in my dream disturbing me
not to go back to Yobe State because of Boko Haram and because of this
I had to kill him", he said.
CP Karma disclosed that the police had recovered the cutlass used by
Chinedu to kill his father and that he would soon be charged to court
for murder.
--SunNewsOnline
1.8 Million PVCs Not Collected In Lagos --INEC
in a statement while on a visit to the Lagos state governor at the
Lagos house Ikeja, yesterday that 1.8 million Lagos state residents
have not collected their Permanent Voters card.
He said:
"As at yesterday (Thurs-day), the total number of cards collected in
Lagos to date is 3.693 million of 5.5 million cards that we collected
so far from Abuja. At the moment, we are still expecting another
430,000 cards which should arrive by next week. But meanwhile, we
still have in our custody 1.8 million cards yet to been collected by
residents"
--GistReel
PDP Member Who Tore His Membership Card Gets Attacked
Governor,Abdullahi Muhammadtore his PDP membership card a few days
after the founding member of the party,Olusegun Obasanjotore his own
party card.
According to the latest reports, Abdullahi was attacked by hoodlums
and wounded during the incident.
Abdullahi said"I was attacked by a group of hoodlums numbering 3 who
accosted me at a car wash near Buba Shongo along Bauchi Road in Gombe.
While they were hitting me one of them was shouting on top of his
voice saying "why must you antagonize the Governor (Dankwambo)". It
was then I realized their mission! They drove in a car with reg number
BLG 142 AA."
--GistReel
US Imposes Sanctions On Owners Of AMIGO Supermarket Abuja
on Thursday -- but these sanctions did not hit the Shiite extremist
organization in Lebanon, where it is based, or even in the Middle
East.
They were levied on three Hezbollah figures, an amusement park and a
supermarket based in Nigeria, showing the vast reach of the
Iran-backed group. Mustapha Fawaz, Fouzi Fawaz and Abdallah Tahini,
all born in Lebanon, are accused of being part of the group's "Foreign
Relations Department" in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
The Fawaz brothers, who have citizenship in Lebanon, Nigeria and
Sierra Leone, own Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park and
Resort in Nigeria. But according to the statement announcing U.S.
sanctions, they are really running a Hezbollah front.
"The FRD [Foreign Relations Department of Hezbollah] claims to be in
charge of "community relations;" but the primary goal of the FRD in
Nigeria is to scout recruits for Hezbollah's military units, as well
as to create and support Hezbollah's terrorist infrastructure for its
operational units in Africa and globally."
All three men were accused of working with the FRD. Tahini's
responsibilities included, according to the U.S. Treasury, recruiting
and supporting Hezbollah's African networks.
--Leadership
Alicia Keys And Her Family Dazzle In New Photos
baby boy Genesis, 4 year old son Egypt Daoud and Swizz son Kassem Jnr.
The couple relationship is still growing strong since they got married in 2010.
Imo Commissioner In Child Stealing Scandal
An attempt by the Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social
Development in Imo State, Mrs. Nma Love Onyechere to forcefully snatch
a new born baby girl from her mother has set her hometown, Ihitte
Ihube Community in Okigwe Local Government, literally ablaze.
According to village sources, the community is currently boiling over
the commissioner's order for the arrest of a widow in the area by the
police.
Trouble, according to sources, erupted when the Commissioner
forcefully attempted to collect a baby girl delivered by a popular mad
woman in Ihube who handed and kept the child under the custody of a
widow, Mrs. Mercelina Nwamgboko.
The Commissioner, sources disclosed, became infuriated when her
entreaties to hoodwink and takeover the baby from the widow proved
abortive, which prompted her to arrest the poor widow, an attempt that
attracted the anger of Ihitte Ihube people who besieged Okigwe Police
Station.
At the station, the irate crowd threatened to set the station ablaze
if the police and Mrs. Onyechere refused to release the widow who they
described as a very kind-hearted woman that deserves commendation and
not to be victimized for being a Good Samaritan.
They confirmed that it was the widow who took care and catered for the
mad woman during her pregnancy and also engaged the services of a
nurse, one Mrs. Uhio to assist in delivering the mad woman of the baby
girl during labour.
It was the intervention of the Transition Committee, TC, Chairman of
Okigwe Local Government, Pastor Frank Onwumere that saved the
situation and prevented the angry mob from venting their anger on the
police station and causing mayhem in Okigwe metropolis.
On the plea of the TC boss, the widow was released on bail to one
Charles Aruakpa, a community leader from the area while the people of
Ihitte Community sources disclosed have contacted their lawyer to slug
it out with the Women Affairs Commissioner.
They accused, and blasted her for" habitually hoodwinking and
collecting babies from unsuspecting mothers, especially, widows and
young girls after describing the babies as vulnerable children only to
sell the babies in the long run".
It would be recalled that the commissioner was accused by the
villagers in the past of hoodwinking two young girls who gave birth
out of wedlock and collected their babies in the pretext that they
would be taken to motherless babies' home.
But investigation by the villagers showed that the babies were sold by
the commissioner as they were never seen again.
--247ureports
Imo Pupils Suffer Neglect As Teachers Abandon Schools Over Unpaid 7 Months Salary
and students in Imo State as teachers recruited under Governor Rochas
Okorocha'sYouth Must Workprogramme have abandoned the students over
non-payment of their monthly salaries for seven months.
After sacking more than 5000 teachers employed by his predecessor in
2011, Governor Okorocha had through the newly established Community
Government Council, CGC, recruited about 7000 primary and secondary
school teachers in November 2013 with monthly salary of N20,000 to
each of the teachers.
He also promised to make their job permanent after six months probation.
But, investigations revealed that 15 months later, the teachers are
still under probation and their N20,000 salaries stopped while they
are still teaching.
A visit to some of the schools across the state showed that only
principals and vice principals or head teachers were in schools and
sometimes they came to schools once a week.
When our reporter visited secondary and primary schools in Umuapu in
Ohaji Egbema LGA, Amaraku, Amaigbo and Abba in Nwangele LGA, Omuma and
Amiri in Oru East LGA and others, it was shocking to note that most of
the teachers employed by the governor to replace those he sacked in
2011 were no longer motivated to work.
In some of the schools where teachers still came to school, some of
them who spoke to our reporter lamented that their salaries were
stopped since August 2014 and that they were being owed about seven
months.
One of them who identified himself as Ozodi told our reporter that
the situation had become so unbearable for him because he left his
fairly-paid job at MTN and joined the teaching job because it came
from the state government.
According to Ozodi who was posted to teach at Technical Secondary
School, Omuma in Oru East council area of the state, "Before I
returned to join in the teaching job, I was being paid N30,000 at MTN.
But, I left it to join this teaching job because the MTN job doesn't
have security and moreover I have a degree in education. So, because
of this as well as the promises made to us by Governor Rochas Okorocha
that the job will be a permanent one, I left the job I was doing
before".
He lamented that instead of satisfying job opportunity "the governor
is now making people like us to regret losing our jobs to come home
and work in the state. He promised to make our job permanent. This is
one year and three months, nothing has been heard from him. The worst
is that he stopped the payment since more than six months now. This is
a man who showed us on national TV that he has given us jobs and up
till now the job is not defined and money is not being paid to us. I
have finished all my savings working for Governor Okorocha as a
teacher and yet I don't get paid for it".
Another teacher who identified herself as Amaka told our reporter
that she resigned from her job from a private secondary school "only
to behold this kind of wickedness from our own governor.
Amaka who teaches at Amaraku Secondary School in Isiala Mbano LGA
"The governor scored a huge political point when he engaged us as
teachers because many people in my community still don't believe that
he is not paying us. I don't know why he should treat us like this
knowing the importance of the kind of job we do".
Also in Nwangele LGA, Chioma who is teaching at Abba Central School
Abba, lamented that since their stipends were stopped last August, "my
husband has refused to be giving me transport money to school and I
only go to school once in a week. As I'm talking to you now, I am
seriously looking for a job. This man called Rochas has destroy the
trust we used to have in government before now and it is rather
unfortunate".
The teachers therefore called on Governor Okorocha to hasten to pay
them their seven months stipend rather than trying to use them for
election.
It was gathered that most of the schools, like Central School, Egwedu
Atta, Technical Secondary School, Amucha both in Njaba LGA, have only
headmasters or principals without teachers as the teachers employed
between 2007 and 2011 were sacked by Okorocha.
Continue reading at 247ureports:
http://247ureports.com/imo-pupils-suffer-neglect-as-teachers-abandon-schools-over-unpaid-7-months-salary/
Uduaghan's Former Aide-De-Camp Shot Dead By Junior Officer
Chris Ifeanyichukwu Eza was on Thursday night shot dead by a junior
colleague in Bauchi state.
Eza who is now the Squadron Commander Mopol 10, Bauchi was reportedly
killed by an enraged junior officer.
Though details of the incident were still sketchy, police sources told
Daily Times that the junior officer went berserk during a minor
disagreement and shot his superior point black.
The source said that the trigger-happy junior officer fired five round
of ammunition which killed the deceased on the spot.
After killing his boss, the junior officer whose identity couldn't be
immediately ascertained, reported himself to the nearest police
station and was immediately arrested and detain.
The death of the Eza, who hailed from Erowha in Isoko South Local
Government Area of Delta state, sources said came as a rude shock to
staffers of Government House Asaba and the state governor who the
source said had expressed great grief and sadness.
In could be recalled Eza and his orderly were shot in the leg few
years ago when hoodlums attacked the convoy of Uduaghan along the
Benin-Warri highway at Oghara, headquarters of Ethiope West Local
Government Area of the state.
The deceased who is the breadwinner of Eza family also lost his father
who was a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to armed robbers attack some
years back.
--DailyTimes
Thousands Protest Boko Haram, Support Army In Cameroon
protest against Nigeria's Boko Haram insurgency and support the
Central African nation's army, which is fighting alongside regional
neighbours to defeat the sect.
The march in Yaounde was aimed at informing the public, especially in
the southern regions, about the threat posed by Boko Haram, which has
carried out regular cross-border raids in the far north, one of the
organisers said.
Yaounde is located in the central region of the country.
"It was important to tell Cameroonians that we are at war and a part
of the country is suffering," said Gubai Gatama, a newspaper editor
who was among the march's organisers. "About 150,000 people have been
displaced by the conflict."
In addition to its own citizens forced to flee the violence, thousands
of refugees have poured into Cameroon from northeastern Nigeria, where
Boko Haram is seeking to carve out an Islamist emirate, Reuters says.
"Some 170 schools in Cameroon's northern region have been closed," Gatama said.
Boko Haram's six-year insurgency in Nigeria has spread to neighbouring
countries, where the group has launched attacks over the past year,
burning villages and kidnapping residents.
The Lake Chad region nations threatened by Boko Haram, Nigeria along
with Cameroon, Niger and Chad, have launched a joint offensive to
quell the rebellion and claim to have retaken territory from group in
recent weeks.
Muhamadou Labara Awal, 27, was among the 5,000 people who organisers
estimated marched on the May 20 boulevard in Yaounde, chanting and
waving the flags of the regional coalition.
"It was important for me to be here because I'm not a soldier to be
deployed to Fotokol. The only way I could pay homage to our troops was
to be here," Awal said, referring to a northern town regularly
targeted by Boko Haram.
--Agency Reporter
Asagba Of Asaba Endorses Jonathan For Second Term
Friday reaffirmed his endorsement for the candidacy of President
Goodluck Jonathan for a second term, requesting for several
developmental projects in the State.
The Asagba of Asaba, Professor Chike Edozien, gave the endorsement at
his palace in Asaba, when President Jonathan paid him a courtesy
visit.
According to a statement by the spokesman for the President, Dr.
Reuben Abati, Professor Edozien said that the endorsement was not only
for the president to continue with his good works but to enable him to
implement the recommendations of the just concluded National
Conference to move the country forward.
"We are particularly delighted that you had the courage to set up the
National Conference to look into the problems that were setting this
country backwards.
"We are convinced that if the recommendations of the conference are
implemented they will place Nigeria in its proper place.
"We are giving you our full support to complete your work.
"We do so, not only because of the giant strides that you have made in
transforming the economy, defence and education, but we believe that
you are in the best position to implement the resolutions of the
National Conference,'' he said.
Issues In Our Minds
The 1961 Professor of Medicine said that on March 28, his stool "will
mobilise its children and people to support you not only by words but
by deed to make sure that you return to Aso Rock''. According to the
Asagba, the traditional institution in his district had earlier taken
a resolution to back the president".
"We affirm that support to return you on May 29 as the President of Nigeria.
"It is our hope that in the next four years, some of the issues in our
minds will be fully accomplished."
The Monarch used the reception to urge the President to dualise the
road from Asaba through Agbor and Kogi to Abuja, raise the Asaba
Airport to an international hub to improve commerce and reduce travel
time for the people.
He also urged the president to compensate families of victims of the
1967 civil war massacred by the Federal troops they came to receive in
Asaba as well as grant Asaba a federal University as a major
contributor and pioneer business hub in Nigeria through the hosting of
the Royal Niger Company.
He said that the University request was made to former Presidents
Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo, but
none of them implemented it.
"Since that request, your administration has created more than 12
Federal universities, why are we forgotten?'"
Keep Faith With Promises
The President had earlier promised that his administration would
continue to do its best to bring peace, secure Nigeria country and
bring development.
"As your own son, I will keep faith with the promises that I made to
you in public and in private to bring development to the country and
Delta state will not be left out," President Jonathan said.
He told the monarch that his administration had created a maritime
University in Delta for manpower development, raised the police
Academy in Kaduna to a degree awarding institution in addition to
creating 12 other universities in the states that had none.
He added that his administration eradicated Guinea Worm and Polio with
the same vigour it drove out the Ebola Virus disease. He said that the
Aviation industry received big boost while rail and road
infrastructure had reached more than 90 per cent rehabilitation.
He said his administration strengthened the cabotage law to create way
for the participation of local entrepreneurs in the oil and gas
business.
"We are marching on and in the next four years, if re-elected, we will
take this country to an unimaginable height.''
On power supply, Jonathan said that the power sector reform had
yielded dividends and that this year would be the interface to move
the sector from federal government control to private sector control
to finally end incidents of power outage.
Senator Ahmadu Alli, who stood in for PDP national chairman, Dr Adamu
Mu'azu, said that the party was happy with the achievements of
President Jonathan and his Vice and decided to sponsor them to
complete their second tenure.
The Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, noted that the reign of
Edozien had brought peace and development to the state.
He added that the government had heeded to his earlier request to
improve electricity supply to Asaba through the NIPP project but
awaiting the energisation of the project.
--ChannelsTV
Claims That Tinubu Plans To Become President Through 'The Back Door'' Designed to Dampen Buhari's Chatham House Success --APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded to the claim by the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign that Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, plans to assume the position of Vice President through
the back door,which was designed to divert attention from the success
of the APC Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the
Chatham House in London, last Thursday.
In a statement issued in London on Saturday by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the PDP and the
Jonathan Administration still do not have any answer to what has now
become an epochal moment that has separated the wheat from the chaff.
"Our presidential candidate's globally-acclaimed outing has presented
Nigerians, and indeed the global community, to choose between an
ineffective, incoherent, and incompetent President and an assertive,
knowledgeable, dignified, purposeful and principled
President-in-waiting.
"Having failed to discredit that outing with a rented crowd, some of
whom confessed to have been paid to carry placards they do not
understand, the PDP and the Jonathan Administration had resorted to
making nauseating claims that were totally untrue, absolutely
incomprehensible" it said.
APC said the claim was the latest in a series of desperate moves by
the PDP and the Jonathan Administration since the emergence of Gen.
Buhari as the APC presidential candidate, and the clearest indication
yet that they had no answer to the unstoppable momentum of a man of
history.
"They had thrown everything imaginable at Gen. Buhari, but he had
continued to wax stronger and stronger: They said he was not
qualified, that he was too old, then they fabricated a medical report
of an illness of their own choice, sponsored death wish adverted
against him and instituted a myriad of court cases to stop him.
"After they failed to stop him, they went after the election itself,
using the PVCs as a tool to launch a campaign for postponement and,
when they realized that would not work, came up with the bogey of
insecurity in the North-east to force a postponement of the election,
hoping they could buy enough time to revive their electoral
misfortune.
"With everything working against them, they engaged in a show of shame
at The Chatham House that backfired badly, on the heels of their
bare-faced lies that Gen. Buhari was hospitalized in London. The
preposterous claim of a secret oath - reminiscent of what they do in
their own party - by the spokesman of the Jonathan Campaign
Organization, Femi Fani-Kayode, is their latest desperate act," the
party said.
APC said in as much as it had so far refrained from engaging
Fani-Kayode in his game of character, abuses and irresponsible name
calling, the party was becoming seriously concerned that he may be
caving under pressure and reverting to his undignified past of
substance abuse.
--ChannelsTV
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign that Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, plans to assume the position of Vice President through
the back door,which was designed to divert attention from the success
of the APC Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the
Chatham House in London, last Thursday.
In a statement issued in London on Saturday by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the PDP and the
Jonathan Administration still do not have any answer to what has now
become an epochal moment that has separated the wheat from the chaff.
"Our presidential candidate's globally-acclaimed outing has presented
Nigerians, and indeed the global community, to choose between an
ineffective, incoherent, and incompetent President and an assertive,
knowledgeable, dignified, purposeful and principled
President-in-waiting.
"Having failed to discredit that outing with a rented crowd, some of
whom confessed to have been paid to carry placards they do not
understand, the PDP and the Jonathan Administration had resorted to
making nauseating claims that were totally untrue, absolutely
incomprehensible" it said.
APC said the claim was the latest in a series of desperate moves by
the PDP and the Jonathan Administration since the emergence of Gen.
Buhari as the APC presidential candidate, and the clearest indication
yet that they had no answer to the unstoppable momentum of a man of
history.
"They had thrown everything imaginable at Gen. Buhari, but he had
continued to wax stronger and stronger: They said he was not
qualified, that he was too old, then they fabricated a medical report
of an illness of their own choice, sponsored death wish adverted
against him and instituted a myriad of court cases to stop him.
"After they failed to stop him, they went after the election itself,
using the PVCs as a tool to launch a campaign for postponement and,
when they realized that would not work, came up with the bogey of
insecurity in the North-east to force a postponement of the election,
hoping they could buy enough time to revive their electoral
misfortune.
"With everything working against them, they engaged in a show of shame
at The Chatham House that backfired badly, on the heels of their
bare-faced lies that Gen. Buhari was hospitalized in London. The
preposterous claim of a secret oath - reminiscent of what they do in
their own party - by the spokesman of the Jonathan Campaign
Organization, Femi Fani-Kayode, is their latest desperate act," the
party said.
APC said in as much as it had so far refrained from engaging
Fani-Kayode in his game of character, abuses and irresponsible name
calling, the party was becoming seriously concerned that he may be
caving under pressure and reverting to his undignified past of
substance abuse.
--ChannelsTV
Election: See How Electronic Card Reader Works (Video)
in Nigeria's general elections works.
--ChannelsTV
https://t.co/MJr3nvQsZg
Election: See How Electronic Card Reader Works (Video)
in Nigeria's general elections works.
--ChannelsTV
28 Policemen Killed By Political Thugs In One Month --NHRC
(NHRC), Chidi Anselem Odinkalu, on Friday, charged President Goodluck
Jonathan and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, to stop their supporters from the
killing of innocent Nigerians and policemen ahead of the general
elections in the country.
According to Odinkalu, more than 28 policemen were killed by suspected
political thugs in February alone.
He said this in Abuja when the Ekiti State government and the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in the state were at that NHRC to drop their
response to the allegations by the Ekiti State chapter of the APC that
Governor Ayo Fayose was sponsoring the killings of opposition members
in the state. Odinkalu said that the commission would look into the
petitions dispassionately.
"We are happy that you have chosen to come to respond to the
allegations against Mr. Ayodele Fayose. Upon the receipt of the
petition, we dispatched an invitation to the governor and the PDP
chairman in Ekiti State," the Executive Secretary of the commission,
Professor Bem Angwe said as he received the response.
"On the receipt of that petition, we said the commission would invoke
its powers to ensure that justice is done and that whoever is found
guilty of these abuses irrespective of his/her position, would be made
to face justice as there is no immunity when it comes to the abuse of
the rights of Nigerians. We would invoke our powers and involve
international human rights bodies to ensure that justice is done," he
said.
Osinbajo Planning To Hand Over To Tinubu --Femi Fani-Kayode
At a press briefing in Abuja today, the spokesperson of the PDP
Presidential campaign organization PDPPCO, Femi Fani-Kayode alleged
that a Chieftain of the APC, Bola Tinubu has compelled the Vice
Presidential candidate of the APC, Prof Osinbajo to swear to an oath
that he would resign as Vice President six months after inauguration
(if their party wins) so that he can scheme his way into power if Gen
Buhari dies in office. Read what he said below:
"The PDPPCO wishes to use this forum to expose the ungodly plan by
Tinubu to seize the presidency of Nigeria by subterfuge. The real
reason Tinubu nominated Osinbajo has been made known to us and we
hereby offer a public service to the Nigerian people by drawing
national attention to it. Tinubu wanted to be running mate to Buhari
in spite of the nationwide resentment for Muslim-Muslim ticket that he
and Buhari planned to foist on their party men and women. But when he
and Buhari could not push through the agenda within the APC, he
(Tinubu), after being given the opportunity to nominate a vice
presidential candidate, he decided to prop up his stooge in the person
of Prof Osinbajo.
"Tinubu, according to our information, has compelled Osinbajo to swear
to an oath that after six months in office, he would resign as the
vice president, in the unlikely event that their party wins. Credible
pieces of information at our disposal indicate that Tinubu has
perfected plans to come to power through the back door. The ultimate
objective of this plot is to ensure that Tinubu becomes president. The
script is simple: given the questionable health of Buhari, Tinubu, who
is desperate to be president for his own selfish reasons, will simply
bid his time in the evil expectation that Buhari will not be able to
go the whole hog." Fani Kayode said.
--infoniaija
Presidential campaign organization PDPPCO, Femi Fani-Kayode alleged
that a Chieftain of the APC, Bola Tinubu has compelled the Vice
Presidential candidate of the APC, Prof Osinbajo to swear to an oath
that he would resign as Vice President six months after inauguration
(if their party wins) so that he can scheme his way into power if Gen
Buhari dies in office. Read what he said below:
"The PDPPCO wishes to use this forum to expose the ungodly plan by
Tinubu to seize the presidency of Nigeria by subterfuge. The real
reason Tinubu nominated Osinbajo has been made known to us and we
hereby offer a public service to the Nigerian people by drawing
national attention to it. Tinubu wanted to be running mate to Buhari
in spite of the nationwide resentment for Muslim-Muslim ticket that he
and Buhari planned to foist on their party men and women. But when he
and Buhari could not push through the agenda within the APC, he
(Tinubu), after being given the opportunity to nominate a vice
presidential candidate, he decided to prop up his stooge in the person
of Prof Osinbajo.
"Tinubu, according to our information, has compelled Osinbajo to swear
to an oath that after six months in office, he would resign as the
vice president, in the unlikely event that their party wins. Credible
pieces of information at our disposal indicate that Tinubu has
perfected plans to come to power through the back door. The ultimate
objective of this plot is to ensure that Tinubu becomes president. The
script is simple: given the questionable health of Buhari, Tinubu, who
is desperate to be president for his own selfish reasons, will simply
bid his time in the evil expectation that Buhari will not be able to
go the whole hog." Fani Kayode said.
--infoniaija
Thief Returns Lupita's Oscar Dress, Says The So Called Pearls Were Fake
London West Hollywood hotel where it was taken from. There's a twist
however. The thief called TMZ to tell them where it could be found as
the Calvin Klein dress allegedly worth $150K, was a worthless fake.
The thief called saying he had taken the dress from Lupita's hotel
room after he noticed the door was ajar. He and others took two pearls
off of the dress and took them to the garment district in downtown L.A
where he was told they were fake. Lol. Pic of the dress after it was
found above.
The thief according to TMZ, then decided to take the dress back to the
Hotel in a garment bag that was inside a trash bag and deposited on a
2nd floor bathroom adjacent to a fitness center.
TMZ contacted the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. and gave them the info.
The police went over to the hotel, and they found a garment bag with
the dress inside just as the thief had described. His Nerve lol..Scene
of the crime above.
The thief said he contacted TMZ because he wanted the world to know
"Hollywood's fake bulls**t." A thief is a thief though.
Nkiru Silvanus Denies Dating Imo Governor
Sylvanus, has gotten several appointments under the Imo State
Governor, Rochas Okorocha's administration. She has since been linked
with one rumour that continues to trail her as Governor Rochas
Okorocha's mistress.
This rumour has refused to go away, but here is her say on the rumoiur;
"Rumours are what they are, baseless rumours! The governor is my boss,
but it will be unfair to see something good and not mention it. I
speak passionately about him all the time, because of his good works,
his belief and his passion for positive change. This is a man whom the
people of Imo generally love for his good works. Since Okorocha became
governor, the number of dualised road networks has increased, creation
of new access roads are uncountable, while old dilapidated roads have
been repaired and rural roads are uncountable. Positive impacts have
also been made in the rehabilitation of public utilities, health,
agriculture, youth empowerment, infrastructure improvements, etc. I
can list his achievements from now till tomorrow and it won't end.
"They are all lies. Propaganda fueled by those who are enemies of the
state. They've realised that Okorocha's achievements cannot be faulted
and so resorted to propaganda by trying to massively misinform the
people about his person. Another disappointing aspect is how people
are sacrificing good governance and credibility for religious bias.
Even some men who are religious leaders are now pitching their tents
with different politicians because of selfish gains and have joined in
fuelling political propaganda across the country. We face the same
issue here in Imo State. Where is the love of God in all of this? It's
disappointing that discrimination has entered and taken root in
Christendom.
--WittyGistBlog
Murder Of Russia Opposition Politician Boris Nemtsov Could Be To "Destabilise The Country"
Boris Nemtsov, has been shot dead in Moscow, Russian officials say.
An unidentified attacker in a car shot Mr Nemtsov four times in the
back as he crossed a bridge in view of the Kremlin, police say.
He died hours after appealing for support for a march on Sunday in
Moscow against the war in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the murder, the Kremlin says.
President Putin has assumed "personal control" of the investigation
into the killing, said his spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
Investigators said the murder could have been "a provocation aimed at
destabilising the country".
The investigative committee said in a statement that several motives
for the killing were being considered including "Islamic extremism".
US President Barack Obama condemnedthe "brutal murder" and called on
the Russian government to conduct a "prompt, impartial and transparent
investigation".
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko described Mr Nemtsov as a "bridge
between Ukraine and Russia".
"The murderers' shot has destroyed it. I think it is not by accident,"
he said in a statement published on his administration's Facebook
page.
In a recent interview, Mr Nemtsov had said he feared Mr Putin would
have him killed because of his opposition to the war in Ukraine.
Mr Nemtsov, 55, served as first deputy prime minister under President
Boris Yeltsin in the 1990s.
He had earned a reputation as an economic reformer while governor of
one of Russia's biggest cities, Nizhny Novgorod.
Falling out of favour with Yeltsin's successor, Mr Putin, he became an
outspoken opposition politician.
Analysis: Sarah Rainsford, BBC Moscow correspondent
A lawyer for Mr Nemtsov reported that he had received death threats
over social media in recent months; but for now there's only
speculation as to why he was targeted. He openly opposed Moscow's role
in the crisis in Ukraine - and the annexation by Russia of Crimea.
He had been planning a rare public protest on Sunday against both
things - and a growing economic crisis in this country.
Since his death, social media has been flooded with tributes to a man
remembered by friends as decent, honest and a democrat. He had been
pushed to the political margins in Vladimir Putin's Russia, but he was
still prominent enough for someone to want to kill him.
Profile: Boris Nemtsov
Russian and world reaction
Mr Nemtsov was shot at around 23:40 (20:40 GMT) on Friday while
crossing Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge accompanied by a woman, Russia's
interior ministry said.
He was shot with a pistol from a white car which fled the scene, a
police source told Russia's Interfax news agency.
According to Russian-language news website Meduza, "several people"
got out of a car and shot him.
One of the politician's colleagues in his RPR-Parnassus party, Ilya
Yashin, confirmed Mr Nemtsov's death.
"Unfortunately I can see the corpse of Boris Nemtsov in front of me
now," he was quoted as saying by Russia's lenta.ru news website.
Flowers were left at the site of the shooting through the night.
--BBC
Man Arrested For Duping Winners Chapel Of N77million
February 19, 2015 arraigned one Chief Felix Ogbebor before Justice B.
O. Quadri of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, on 8-count charge
bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and obtaining money by false
pretence to the tune of Seventy Seven Million Naira (N77, 000,
0000.00).
The accused allegedly obtained the sum of Seventy Seven Million Naira
from the Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), Stadium Road branch,
Port Harcourt for twelve and half plots of land situated at Uyo
Street, Rumumasi and Port Harcourt
He allegedly presented several forged documents to support the claim
of ownership of the said land. But the unsuspecting church which
wanted the land to build its new worship center paid the sum of
Seventy Seven Million Naira (N77, 000,000.000) to the accused.
However, when they attempted to take possession of the land, they were
stopped. One Professor Ebi Awotua Efebo came with documents, showing
that the land in question belongs to him. The documents showed that he
bought the land from one Chief Nelson Chukwu as far back as 1990.
One of the counts read, "that you Chief Felix Ogbebor sometime in
March, 2011 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this
honourable court, with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of
Seventy Seven Million Naira (N77,000,000.00) only from the registered
trustees of Living Church (Winners Chapel, Stadium Road, Port
Harcourt) being payment made to you as owner of the piece of land
lying and situate along Uyo street (Ohia Mini Apu), Rumuomasi, Obio
Akpo Local Government Area of Rivers State, measuring an area of
4211.769sq.m, a pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an
offence contrary to section 1 (1) (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and
Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1
(3) of the same Act".
He, however, pleaded not guilty.
In view of the plea of the defendant, the prosecuting counsel, J.N
Dogonyaro asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand the
accused in the EFCC custody. But defence counsel, R.E. Wanogho
formally presented a bail application and urged the court to grant the
accused bail.
Justice Quadri adjourned the matter to February 24, 2015 for ruling on
bail application and remanded the accused in EFCC custody.
--infonaija
FIFA Cancels Nigeria Vs Ghana Friendly
Nigeria and Ghana which should have been played March 29.
The match negates the directive from FIFA which says that no country
should play two games across two continents in three days.
The Super Eagles will take on Bolivia on March 26 before the initial
game against Ghana on March 29.
The Nigeria Football Federation is however working to playing another
friendly with an African country so that the date will not be wasted.
--Football Nigeria Blog
Synagogue Building Was Constructed Without Govt Approval -- Engineer
construction of the collapsed building belonging to the Synagogue
Church of All Nations (SCOAN) yesterday said the building was
constructed without approval by the government. This was as the
coroner's court investigating the incident admitted the amended
architectural and structural designs of SCOAN's building as exhibit.
Ogundeji informed the court that the said building did not collapse
due to structural defects. He stated that the certified designs were
sufficient to commence the project while his client's (SCOAN) were
responsible for processing the permit. The inquest presided over by Mr
Oyetade Komolafe was instituted by the Lagos State Government to
unravel the cause of the September12, 2014 collapse of SCOAN building.
--Vanguard
Friday 27 February 2015
Read Full Text Of Buhari's Speech At Chatham House
Transition" - By General Muhammadu Buhari
Chatham House, London, 26 February 2015
Permit me to start by thanking Chatham House for the invitation to
talk about this important topic at this crucial time. The 2015 general
election in Nigeria is generating a lot of interests within and
outside the country. This is understandable. Nigeria, Africa's most
populous country and largest economy, is at a defining moment, a
moment that has great implications beyond the democratic project and
beyond the borders of my dear country.
So let me say upfront that the global interest in Nigeria's landmark
election is not misplaced at all and indeed should be commended, for
this is an election that has serious import for the world. I urge the
international community to continue to focus on Nigeria at this very
critical moment. Given increasing global linkages, it is in our
collective interests that the postponed elections should hold on the
rescheduled dates, that they should be free and fair, that their
outcomes should be respected by all parties, and that any form of
extension, under whichever guise, is unconstitutional and would not be
tolerated.
With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the dissolution of the USSR
in 1991, the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War,
democracy became the dominant and most preferred system of government
across the globe. That global transition has been aptly captured as
the triumph of democracy and the 'most pre-eminent political idea of
our time.' On a personal note, the phased end of the USSR was a
turning point for me. If you will, that was my own road to Damascus
experience. It convinced me that change can be brought about without
firing a single shot. As you all know, I had been a military head of
state in Nigeria for twenty months. We intervened because we were
unhappy with the state of affairs in our country.
We wanted to arrest the drift. Driven by patriotism, influenced by the
prevalence and popularity of such drastic measures all over Africa and
elsewhere, we fought our way to power. But the global triumph of
democracy has shown that another, and a preferable, path to change is
possible. It is an important lesson I have carried with me since, and
a lesson that is not lost on the African continent.
In the last two decades, democracy has grown strong roots in Africa.
Elections, once so rare, are now so commonplace. As at the time I was
a military head of state between 1983 and 1985, only four African
countries held regular multi-party elections. But the number of
electoral democracies in Africa, according to Freedom House, jumped to
10 in 1992/1993 then to 18 in 1994/1995 and to 24 in 2005/2006.
According to the New York Times, 42 of the 48 countries in Sub-Sahara
Africa conducted multi-party elections between 1990 and 2002. The
newspaper also reported that between 2000 and 2002, ruling parties in
four African countries (Senegal, Mauritius, Ghana and Mali) peacefully
handed over power to victorious opposition parties. In addition, the
proportion of African countries categorized as not free by Freedom
House declined from 59% in 1983 to 35% in 2003. Without doubt, Africa
has been part of the current global wave of democratisation.
But the growth of democracy on the continent has been uneven.
According to Freedom House, the number of electoral democracies in
Africa slipped from 24 in 2007/2008 to 19 in 2011/2012; while the
percentage of countries categorised as 'not free' increased from 35%
in 2003 to 41% in 2013. Also, there have been some reversals at
different times in Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cote
D'Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Mali, Madagascar, Mauritania
and Togo.
While we can choose to look at the glass of democracy in Africa as
either half full or half empty. While you can't have representative
democracy without elections, it is equally important to look at the
quality of the elections and to remember that mere elections do not
democracy make. It is globally agreed that democracy is not an event,
but a journey. And that the destination of that journey is democratic
consolidation--that state where democracy has become so rooted and so
routine and widely accepted by all actors.
With this important destination in mind, it is clear that though many
African countries now hold regular elections, very few of them have
consolidated the practice of democracy. It is important to also state
at this point that just as with elections, a consolidated democracy
cannot be an end by itself. I will argue that it is not enough to hold
series of elections or even to peacefully alternate power among
parties.
Read more here at: t.co/zVDSqR5WAO
--infonaija
23 Political Parties Ask INEC To Postpone Borno Elections Till Sept
asked for the postponement of elections in the state till September
this year.
They also suggested that an interim government should be put in place
to run the affairs of the state on the expiration of the tenure of the
present administration on May 29, 2015.
Addressing a press conference under the name, Inter Party Advisory
Council, Borno State chapter, in Maiduguri, its chairman, Comrade
Babagana Musa, displayed the signatures of 23 party chairmen, some of
who were at the conference.
He said the decision was taken by all other political parties except
five -- All Progressives Congress, Kowa Party, All Progressive Grand
Alliance, Peoples Democratic Party and Africa Alliance.
He claimed that the decision was taken after a careful consideration
of the situation in Borno State, which he said showed that election
could not be held in the troubled state.
The IPAC chairman cited the non-distribution of the Permanent Voter
Cards in 175 polling units in the state, which represents
approximately 500,000 yet to get their PVCs, as one of the reasons the
polls should be shifted in the state.
Another reason, he added, was the alleged personal insecurity of
opposition party officials in the state; vandalisation of opposition
party facilities and the indecent activities of the youth vigilance
group.
Musa alleged that the thugs, who he claimed were sponsored by the
state government, had been on the prowl against opposition politicians
and the need to resettle the Internally Displaced Persons back to
their homes.
He said, "Because of the foregoing reasons and others not mention
here, we are calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission,
being the electoral umpire, to extend the conduct of the 2015 general
elections for six months i.e from March 28 to September 26, 2015".
--infonaija
APC's Has Formed Habit Of "One Day, One Lie" --PDP
unrealistic, the various electoral promises made to Nigerians by the
All Progressives Congress (APC) while seeking votes for its
presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
The ruling party accused the APC of deceiving Nigerians repeatedly in
a bid to get votes, saying the APC has formed the habit of "one day,
one lie."
Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of the party, at a press
conference held at the party's National Secretariat, said the PDP has
performed exceptionally well with its present programmes for the
nation, and that the APC can never match what the PDP has done for the
nation.
Speaking on the promises being made to Nigerians by the APC, Metuh
insisted that the offer of monthly stipend to unemployed youths by the
APC in relation to its cost on the finances of the nation was
unrealistic and unrealisable.
"The APC in one of its phantom promises said it would pay a stipend of
N5,000 each to 25 million poor Nigerians monthly.
"This gives a total of N125 billion each month and N1.5 trillion every year.
"What is baffling is that the APC knows full well that this is not
only unrealistic but also impracticable in a nation with an estimated
budget of N4.69 trillion comprising recurrent and capital expenditures
yet they continue to dish it out to unsuspecting citizens in a clear
bid to mislead.
"Also, the deceitful tendency of the APC came to light in its promise
to create 740,000 direct jobs in each of the 36 states of the
federation and the FCT within one year while on the other hand
promising to create one million jobs for Igbo youths also within the
same period. We ask, which do we believe?
"The APC has also promised to provide free education, daily free meals
for millions of Nigerian school children, free tertiary education,
free health care and free houses to Nigerians.
"The opposition knows too well that this is unrealistic yet they
prefer to brandish falsehood.
"The APC should explain to Nigerians how they would fulfill their
promises with the prevailing 40 per cent drop in national income and
dwindling oil price in the international market.
"These promises are therefore either bogus or part of their plot to
subject the citizens to a harsh tax regime ostensibly to finance
Bourdilon Drive and other personal interests, the real reason they
desperately seek power.
"We therefore challenge the APC to come forward and admit before
Nigerians that these promises are false and merely deceitful, if not,
they should be bold enough to tell Nigerians that they are planning to
skyrocket our personal income and company taxes if they ever get to
power," he stated.
Metuh insisted that the PDP government is workers' and investors'
friendly as the tax regime under its leadership is good for an average
Nigerian while warning that the APC would impose terrible tax regime
on the people to achieve a minute of its numerous promises, even if it
would give it a try at all.
"Under the PDP-led administration, company tax is a maximum of 30 per
cent of the profit whereas personal income tax hovers from 1 per cent
for minimum wage earners to a maximum of 19 per cent for Nigerians
earning up to N100 million.
"Can Nigerians afford a tax regime of 45 per cent company tax and 32
per cent personal income tax?
"Whilst we note the multiple tax regimes in APC states like Lagos
State, we believe that Nigerians are not ready to bear the brunt of
APC's harsh tax policy.
"If on the other hand APC decides to deny the planned imposition of a
harsh tax regime, then they must accept they are guilty of fake
campaign promises and deceitful manifesto," he stated.
Listing what he considered as the various lies told to Nigerians by
the party, Metuh said "Nigerians are still shocked at the discovery of
the latest international fraud where the APC rehashed an old interview
by its Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, as a fresh
one, all in a bid to cover up a mismanaged international trip.
"This is coming on the heels of another shocking discovery that the
APC's claim that its Presidential candidate visited Chibok turned out
to be a hoax meant to deceive Nigerians, as he never did," he further
stated.
In another development, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has
accused the PDP-led Federal Government of destroying the nation's
economy.
Oshiomhole also accused the PDP in the state of perfecting plans to
rig the general elections coming up on March 28 and April 11.
The governor made the allegations, while addressing a coalition of
women from across the 18 local government areas of the state, led by
Evelyn Igbafe, who visited him on Wednesday.
Read more at t.co/pYkaCX2dso
--DailyIndependent
NYSC Member Commits Suicide After Girlfriend Dumps Him
A 26-year-old National Youth Service Corp member, simply identified as
Ernest, has committed suicide after being jilted by his girlfriend,
Chioma Okewuru, who is also a corps member. Vanguard Newspaper
reports
The two corps members met and fell in love while serving in Redemption
Secondary School, Ofombogha 1 in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross
Rivers State. Vanguard Newspaper reports that the deceased, a graduate
of the University of Benin, went berserk when the lady came back from
her village over the weekend with a ring from a man she had promised
to marry.
Mr. Noah Ntuen, Acting Divisional Police Officer for Obubra confirmed
the incident saying "the girl had told the guy that she would not
marry him, but that they could be friends. So when she came back from
home last weekend and showed him the ring her husband-to-be gave her,
the young man became furious.
"On Wednesday, the situation became worse and at about 7pm, he locked
himself in the room and took some poisonous substances." "They met at
the NYSC Orientation Camp at Abrekpe-Ebokpo and as luck would have it,
they were both posted to the same school where they had a relationship
going. "He had the hope the whole thing would end in marriage, but
Chioma already had another person she wants to marry."
Ebonyi Assembly Begins Impeachment Proceedings Against Gov.Elechi
notice on Governor Martin Elechi over what it described as act of
gross misconduct by the Governor.
Reading the notice at the plenary, the acting leader of the House,
Hon. Francis Nwifruru accused the Governor of huge financial
misappropriation, undermining of the integrity of the House, among
other offences.
The motion for him to be served the notice was moved by Hon. Odefa
Obasi Odefa and seconded by Hon. Valentine Okike.
--Vanguard
Chelsea Sign £40m Kit Sponsorship Deal
allow Yokohama Rubber branding to appear on their kits from the start
of the 2015-16 season.
The Blues announced on Thursday a five-year kit sponsorship deal
reportedly worth £40m ($61m) per season with one of the world's
leading tyre manufacturers.
It eclipses the previous £18m ($27m)-per-year deal with South Korean
electronic company Samsung- their current kit sponsor- and could place
the Stamford Bridge club second after Manchester United's £53m
($81m)-a-year deal with Chevrolet.
Chelsea are One of the World's Most Recognised Sporting Brands and
Signed the Trio of Philipe Luiz, Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas Last
Summer. Image: Chelsea via Getty.
The deal was done on Thursday by representatives of both parties;
Yokohama chairman Tadanobu Nagumo and Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck,
with manager Jose Mourinho and captain John Terry also in attendance.
Blues chief Buck said: "Chelsea and Yokohama are a perfect fit. Both
are global organisations with a focus on performance and innovation,
as well as having huge ambition and an unwavering culture of success.
We believe that Yokohama will play a key role in helping us drive our
global expansion in international markets, such as the United States,
where they have operated with distinction for many years.
He added: "Also, of course, Chelsea having such an esteemed and
historic Japanese company as our partner enables us to accelerate our
development in their home market too. We are also looking forward to
working with Yokohama on our community projects around the world
through the Chelsea Foundation, when together we can use the power of
sport as a force for good."
Yokahama boss Nagumo said: "This shirt partnership with Chelsea will
give Yokohama an opportunity to showcase our company to a huge
worldwide audience thanks to Chelsea's ever-growing popularity."
Man Arrested For Selling His Baby For N300k In Abia
above for allegedly selling his 14 month old son for N300,000 to a
herbalist. According to a report by Punch, George, a native of
Owerrinta in the Isiala-Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State
had connived with his accomplice, one Obinna Erondu who is now at
large, to sell his own child
Narrating how her son was allegedly sold by her husband, Ebere, the
pregnant wife of George said after her child had developed cough, her
husband had asked to take him out to get some medicine only for him
not to return with the boy. When she asked the man where their son
was, he couldn't give her a good explanation. She said she quickly
raised an alarm which attracted their neighbors who called the police
"When I demanded explanations on the whereabouts of our son, he could
not offer any convincing answer." she said
Confirming her statement, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joshak
Habila said; "Luck ran out on Maduabuchi when the wife alerted the
police on his questionable role when the baby fell ill and he took him
out and did not return with him.".
When interrogated, the suspect denied selling his son but says he took
him to a herbalist who offered to cure him and also gave him some
money
"The herbalist gave me money and told me that he could not heal the
baby. I therefore left the baby in the herbalist's home."he said
The police is still investigating the matter
--PUNCH
Lupita Nyong'o's $150k Oscars Dress Stolen From Her Hotel Room
featured 6,000 pearls which she wore to the Oscars has been stolen
from her Hollywood hotel room. Report below.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ
... the dress was taken out of Lupita's room at The London West
Hollywood. The dress is made of pearls ... 6,000 white Akoya pearls.
It's valued at $150,000.
Sources say Lupita told cops it was taken from her room sometime
between 8 AM and 9 PM Tuesday ... while she was gone. We're told there
is security footage that cops are looking at that could catch the
culprit right in the act.
--LIB
Gunmen Kidnap Another Missionary Educationist In Kogi
above), was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Kogi, another educationist,
Mrs Paulina Audu was kidnapped this morning by unknown gunmen as she
was leaving her house in Nagazi, in Adavi LGA.
According to reports, Mrs Audu was on her way out for a morning
devotion in her church when some men who had laid siege by her
compound waylaid her, forced her into her car, pulled her driver out
of her car and sped off with her to an unknown destination. Kogi state
Police command is yet to confirm the incident.
--LIB
Imo State Governor’s Convoy Clash with Villagers: 3 Died , Many Injured
by whiskers when some aggrieved youths of Mgbala Agwa community in
Oguta Local Government Area of the state attacked his convoy
allegedly.
247ureports reports that but for the intervention of the police and
other security agents that shot repeatedly into the air to disperse
the angry mob, something strange would have happened.
But at the last count ,no fewer than three people were reportedly dead
and dozens of youths and women severely wounded.
The incident happened just less than one month after the governor was
attacked by irate youths in Ohaji Egbema council area of the state,
when he visited the area for his re-election campaign.
But another source said the incident happened last weekend and not
Tuesday as speculated. The source said the youths were dissatisfied
and showed it by breaking wind screens of the governor's personal
vehicle and windows of about three other vehicles while seriously
denting some others.
It was gathered that the youths hurled stones and used sticks on the
convoy, accusing the state government of failing to provide any
government presence in the area as well as failing to address the
question of their traditional stool which had long been in contention.
So, when the governor went to the area to campaign and on his arrival,
the youths started shouting at him, saying "ka o puo, ka o puo(let him
go, Rochas must go)".
The main trouble started few minutes after the governor's departure,
when dozens of youths were regrouped by one of his aides and they
descended heavily on the youths who had attacked the governor.
This led a serious fight between the two groups freely used axes,
machetes, clubs on each other. In the ensuing melee, three youths were
reportedly felled while dozens others sustained varying degrees of
injuries.
According to a village source, "the boy that died in the fight are
about three because when we were running, I saw two people lying
motionless on the ground. I also noticed the other boy they were
trying to carry, but they said they left him there because he was no
longer shaking and blood has finished running from his neck."
It was learnt that many of the youths from both the PDP and APC camps
sustained machete cut injuries all over their bodies.
The state police spokesman, Andrew Enwerem, could not respond to
enquiries from our reporter, but a senior police officer told our
reporter that they do not have any business with governor's convoy and
as a result, whatever happens to him has to be reported.
Photo News: President Jonathan with Nigerian Troops
NE Nigeria (Photo: R. Abati)
2. Men of the Nigerian Armed forces at the frontlines in the battle
against Boko Haram(Photo: R. Abati)
3. Men of the Nigerian Armed forces at the frontlines in the battle
against Boko Haram(Photo: R. Abati)
ISIS' Jihadi John' unmasked as Londoner, Mohammed Emwazi'
videos has been identified as Mohammed Emwazi, a British computer
programming graduate from a well-to-do London family who was known to
the security services.
The black-clad militant brandishing a knife and speaking with an
English accent was shown in videos released by Islamic State (IS)
apparently decapitating hostages including Americans, Britons and
Syrians.
The 26-year-old militant used the videos to threaten the West,
admonish its Arab allies and taunt President Barack Obama and British
Prime Minister David Cameron before petrified hostages cowering in
orange jump suits.
Emwazi's name was first disclosed by the Washington Post, citing
unidentified former associates. Two U.S. government sources who spoke
on condition of anonymity confirmed to Reuters that investigators
believed Jihadi John was Emwazi.
Dressed entirely in black, a balaclava covering all but his eyes and
the bridge of his nose and a holster under his left arm, Jihadi John
became a menacing symbol of Islamic State brutality and one of the
world's most wanted men.
Hostages called him John as he and other Britons in Islamic State had
been nicknamed the Beatles.
Emwazi was born in Kuwait but came to Britain aged 6 and graduated
with a computer programming degree from the University of Westminster
before coming to the attention of Britain's main domestic intelligence
service, MI5, according to an account given by Asim Qureshi, the
research director of the Cage charity that campaigns for those
detained on terrorism charges.
Emwazi, a fluent Arabic speaker, said MI5 had tried to recruit him and
then prevented him from traveling abroad, forcing him to flee abroad
without telling his family, Qureshi told a news conference in London.
Emwazi traveled to Syria around 2012, Qureshi said.
MI5 does not publicly comment on the identity of militants or their
backgrounds while an investigation is still ongoing. The British
government and police declined to confirm or deny Emwazi's identity,
citing an ongoing security investigation.
"We don't confirm or deny matters relating to intelligence," said a
spokeswoman for Cameron, who has ordered spy agencies and soldiers to
track down the killer.
MOST WANTED MAN
"Jihadi John" rose to notoriety in August 2014 when a video appeared
showing a masked man raging against the United States before
apparently beheading U.S. citizen James Foley off camera.
Intelligence services in the United States and Britain used a variety
of investigative techniques including voice and facial recognition as
well as interviews with former hostages to identify the man,
intelligence sources said.
But security officials made great efforts to avoid publicly naming
Emwazi, fearing that would make him more difficult to catch. Two
intelligence sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said they
were uneasy that the name had been revealed.
There was no answer at two addresses in west London where Emwazi was
listed to have lived. Neighbors described the family as "normal
people" and "friendly".
"This is the first time anything like this happens in this
neighborhood," said Fatima Al-Baqali. "We have to be careful now. I
didn't know this family and I usually know everyone here."
"JIHADI JOHN"
Qureshi, of the Cage charity which describes itself as having
campaigned against the 'War on Terror' for more than a decade, said
that although he could not be certain Emwazi was John, there were some
"striking similarities". He declined to elaborate.
In a meeting with reporters in London, Qureshi painted a picture of a
kind and thoughtful young man who faced harassment from MI5, which
apparently suspected he wanted to join the Somali Islamist militant
group al Shabaab.
British authorities have linked Emwazi to another British militant
killed in Somalia in a U.S. drone attack.
A British court ruling dated December 2011 reported that Elwazi was an
associate of Bilal al Berjawi, a high-ranking leader of the
Somali-based militant group al Shabaab, a person in possession of the
court ruling said.
Reuters has not seen the original court ruling. Media reports said he
helped supervise the recruitment and training of new Shabaab members.
Qureshi said British spies had tried to recruit Emwazi as a source but
declined to provide specifics.
"There's one character that I remember, one kind person that I
remember and then I see that image and there doesn't seem to be a
correlation between the two," Qureshi told reporters.
"I feel like a prisoner, only not in a cage, in London..," Emwazi
wrote in an email to Cage.
--Reuters
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