Zambian President Collapses, Hospitalised

Zambia's President Edgar Lungu collapsed on the podium while presiding
over a Women's Day celebration in Lusaka - less than two months after
taking over from a leader who died in office.

Lungu was rushed to a military hospital on Sunday, but the president's
office later issued a statement saying he had been treated for malaria
and there was no need for concern.

"I am feeling much better and have been told I have high levels of
fatigue and should take some rest," Lungu said in the statement.

"There is nothing to worry about."
Lungu came to power in January after the death in office of President
Michael Sata in October.

Rumours that Sata was ill had circulated widely before his death, but
were always denied by the government.

Sata was Zambia's second leader to die in office in six years,
sparking calls for presidential aspirants to undergo medical checks to
guarantee they are fit.

Lungu, who fell after standing for some 20 minutes during the
ceremony, is rumoured to have diabetes, the AFP news agency reported.

Presidential spokesman Amos Chanda said doctors at the military
hospital had conducted comprehensive medical checks and said Lungu's
results were good.

Again, INEC Extends PVC Collection Till March 22

The Independent National Electoral Commission has again extended the
deadline for collection of Permanent Voter Cards across the country
till March 22.

With this development, INEC has extended the collection deadline which
was fixed for March 8 with additional two weeks.

The commission in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Chief
Press Secretary to the chairman of the commission, Mr. Kayode Idowu,
said the latest extension offered the last opportunity for duly
registered persons to collect their PVCs before the general elections
scheduled for March 28 and April 11.

"INEC hereby calls on registered persons that are yet to collect their
PVCs to use this last opportunity in doing so, in order to participate
in the forthcoming general elections," the statement read.

In a related development, the Ondo State Resident Electoral
Commissioner, Mr Olusegun Agbaje on Sunday dismissed the speculation
making the round that the National Electoral Commissioners and the
State Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs of the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC, had resolved to pass a vote of no
Confidence on the Chairman of the Commission, Professor Attahiru Jega
to pave the way for his removal from office.

Speaking with news men in Abuja yesterday, Agbaje declared that the
speculation was the handiwork of lazy politicians who were out to
distract the attention of Prof Jega, discredit the Commission and
cause confusion in the land ahead of the elections.

According to Agbaje,"As we speak, as the Ondo state resident electoral
commissioner, I'm not aware of any plan to pass a vote of no
confidence on our chairman, Professor Jega by national and resident
electoral commissioners as being alleged in some quarters, it is the
handwork of a few lazy politicians, they just want to cause confusion
in the land and the prayers and supports of all Nigerians they will
not succeed".

"Even if the national and resident electoral commissioners are to meet
today to vote on our chairman on any issue especially the 2015 general
elections, I'm sure he will get nothing less than 80 per cent votes in
his favour because he is a team player any time any day, Nigeria is
blessed to have such a man as the chairman of INEC at this point in
time", he stated.

According to him," As a team player who knows his onions,Jega consults
widely at all times on all issues, if he consults with the national
electoral commissioners on any issue and he still needs additional
inputs, he will quickly summon all the state RECs for further
consultation as well as other stakeholders including the leaders of
the registered political parties, civil society organisations,the
national assembly, the security agencies, the press and others
depending on the issue involved".

Speaking on the mock election and test running of the card readers'
machines conducted in some states of the federation last Saturday by
the Commission , Agbaje described the exercise as a huge success and
urged Nigerians to shun politics and sentiments and embrace the new
technology which he said would eliminate all sorts of known electoral
malpractices at the polls.

According to him, "There is nothing to fear about the introduction of
the new technology, I supervised the exercise in Lagos and we saw it
all, everything went on smoothly, in fact there was a man who came
from another area not covered by the test running to where we operated
the card Reader and his card was rejected out rightly, that is extent
people will go to discredit all what INEC is doing to deliver a
credible election for the nation".

On the level of collection and distribution of PVCs in Ondo State,
Agbaje disclosed that INEC had given out 1,105,709 PVCs representing
74 percent collection.

According to him, "We still have 388,460 cards or 26 percent of the
total cards in our custody as of last Friday; so, we are calling on
those who are yet to collect theirs to take advantage of the recent
extension of collection deadline extension to do so".

CNPP Okays Use Of Card Reader For Polls

The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), has expressed its
support for the use of Card Reader for accreditation of voters in the
2015 general elections.

This is contained in a statement signed Mr Osita Okechukwu, CNPP
National Publicity Secretary and made available to newmen on Sunday in
Abuja.

The statement noted that the mock test of the Card Reader conducted by
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), had further
emboldened and reinforced its resolve to adopt the device.

It however urged INEC to take note of the `few lapses' observed during
the test and improve on the device to engender free, fair and
transparent elections.

"We are making this declaration because in the absence of genuine
reason, we adopt a device which has been used to conduct free, fair
and transparent elections in many countries.''

The statement said that CNPP concurred with valid evidence that the
use of the Card Reader for accreditation of voters would minimise if
not eradicate snatching of ballot box.

It added that the device would also minimise thumb printing of ballot
papers and snatching of result sheets.

"Accordingly, we take exception to political parties that are
wittingly or unwittingly against the deployment of Magnetic Card
Reader,'' the statement said.
--Vanguard

Tens Of Thousands Attend Anti-Netanyahu Rally In Tel Aviv

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered at a Tel Aviv square under the
banner, "Israel wants change" and calling for the Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be replaced in March 17 national
elections. APhas more:

Saturday night's rally at Rabin Square is the highest profile
demonstration yet in the run-up to the election. It is organized by a
non-profit organization seeking to change Israel's priorities and
refocus on health, education, housing and the country's cost of
living. Though not officially endorsed by any political party, it drew
mostly supporters of leftist and centrist parties.

The rally's keynote speaker is former Mossad chief Meir Dagan who
recently slammed Netanyahu's conduct and called him "the person who
has caused the greatest strategic damage to Israel."

Woman Hacks Husband To Death In Enugu

Men of the Enugu State Police Command have arrested a housewife for
allegedly hacking her husband to death over an undisclosed reason.

According to the State Police command's spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, the
incident happened last Thursday at about 9pm, after the suspect lured
her daughter to go inside and sleep. The deceased who was hacked to
death by his wife, Grace Agbo, was identified as Elijah Agbo. He
hailed from Imirike Agu village Udenu local government Area of Enugu
State.

In a statement, yesterday, the police public Relations Officer (PPRO)
said that "the wife Grace Agbo suddenly asked their daughter, Deborah
Agbo a twelve year old girl to go to bed unknown to her about her
intended motive.

"As soon as the daughter went in, she heard the sound of a heavy hit
and she came out quickly, and saw the father lying in a pool of blood
as blood gushing out from his head.

"It was discovered that the mother used a big stick to hit the father
on the head which allegedly caused him severe injury and forcing him
to fall down,became unconscious and later gave up the ghost"' said the
police spokesman.

"The body of the deceased had been deposited at General Hospital
mortuary Ikem for autopsy while suspected has been arrested by the
police operatives," Amaraizu said.
--infonaija

Flying Eagles Cruised To A 3-1 Win Over AYC Hosts, Senegal

Nigeria Under-20 national team secured a comfortable 3-1 win against
hosts Senegal at the 2015 African Youth Championship (AYC) in Dakar on
Sunday.

The record six-time African champions hit the ground running thanks to
a Taiwo Awoniyi brace and Ifeanyi Matthew's brilliant strike either
side of Sidy Sar's consolation.

The Flying Eagles dominated a lively first half proceedings, which
produced all four goals, and confidently held out for maximum points
at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor.

Nigeria's Flying eagles are Hoping to Go All the Way in the 2015 AYC.

Congo and Cote d'Ivoire will look to join Nigeria at the summit when
they square up in the other group game at the same venue immediately
after.

Igbo In Lagos Deny Endorsing APC, Buhari

The Lagos State chapter of apex Igbo socio-cultural group,Ohanaeze
Ndigbo, has denied endorsing All Progressives Congress, APC, or its
presidential candidate, General Muhammad Buhari (retd).

The group's President, Chief Fabian Onwughalu said the reported
endorsement of APC byOhanaezewas never by the original body, but by a
faction which broke away to pursue selfish interests, whose members
shall be sanctioned in due course.

He said the Lagos chapter ofOhanaezenever endorsed either APC or its
candidates, and that the national body had officially endorsed the
candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said other state chapters had also endorsed Jonathan and that the
Lagos chapter had aligned itself with the President's endorsement.
--

"I Was Not In Any Way Trying To Seduce The President" --Seyi Shay

Apparently, Seyi Shay is being slammed by people all over social media
for her performance outfit at the 'Meet the President' event a few
days ago.

The singer has decided to now speak concerning the matter.

The singer in an interview with Punch Newspaper stated: -

I am a very respectable young lady and I was not in any way trying to
seduce the President with the outfit I wore. I had two outfits for the
event, one was for my performance and the other was worn after I
performed. The dress I was pictured in with the President was what I
wore during my performance. I came on stage and greeted everyone
according to their culture and I did the same for Mr. President. He
was impressed and he asked where and how I knew how to greet in his
native dialect and I said I learnt it. That was what brought about the
giggling and smiles in the picture. I'm a performer and what I do on
stage doesn't reflect my everyday life. I had two outfits on that day
and it was a youth event. Who wouldn't feel overwhelmed meeting the
President? Well, I did and I felt honoured because it is not every day
you get to meet the president of your country.
--infonaija

Regular Use Of Paracetamol Could Lead To Heart Attack and Stomach Ulcer

The National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control
(NAFDAC)and theUnited States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)has
said that the regular use of painkillers especially,paracetamolscould
lead to heart attacks, stroke and early death,The Guardian reports.

According to a study published in theAnnals of the Rheumatic
Diseasesjournal, patients prescribed high doses of the painkiller for
long periods were 63% more likely to die unexpectedly.

There is also a 68% higher chance of having a heart attack or stroke
and an almost 50% greater chance of having a stomach ulcer or bleed.

Generally, Paracetamol is considered by doctors to be safer than
Aspirin, which can cause stomach bleeds, and ibuprofen, which has also
been linked to heart attacks and strokes.

But in 2013, NAFDAC and the United States Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) had alerted Nigerians that Paracetamol had been associated with
risk of rare but serious skin reactions known as Stevens-Johnson
Syndrome (SJS),Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), andAcute Generalised
Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP)which can be fatal.

To this end, NAFDAC encouraged patients to report such cases to their
health care provider, who will channel the complaint to the National
Pharmaco vigilance Centre,even as British researchers say the risks
may have been underestimated and are calling for a major review to be
conducted into the drug's safety.

Meanwhile,Philip Conaghanwho led an extensive research conducted on
patients who took Paracetamol daily observing its effects advised that
patients being prescribed the drugs for long periods for arthritis or
muscle and joint pain should talk to their doctors about alternative
treatments, such as exercise.

20 DAYS TO POLLS: INEC's New Rule Sparks Rigging Fears

In what has become needlessly controversial, the introduction of the
Card Reader technology by the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, has been insinuated into the usual Nigerian malaise
of doubt and distrust. Making the wrong arguments - and worse still,
suggesting that they do not want the device to be used for the
forthcoming general elections - members and leaders of the ruling
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are expressing fears about the use to
which the devices would be put.

Conversely, the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, appears
confident in the belief that only the Card Reader can deliver free,
fair and credible elections. Yet, Professor Attahiru Jega, the INEC
Chairman, must accept responsibility and blame for the shambling and
shambolic air that is presently generating the hoopla. This report
will show that Jega's position that INEC was ready to go ahead and
conduct elections on February 14, 2015, when virtually all indices
pointed in the negative direction, as well as the wrong-headed
insistence by leaders of the APC that the elections should go ahead,
makes an attenuating case for the accommodation of the fears of the
PDP.

Carrying out a test-run only yesterday, some three clear weeks after
the fraud that would have been passed off as elections in February,
this report will conclude that Jega and his Commission would need to
come clean and not waste time, resources and goodwill that Nigerians
have dissipated in the belief that free, fair and credible elections
are about to be conducted.

JUST IMAGINE

N5million! And the promise of a fabulous job once the votes are
delivered and the election has been won. Those are the promises made
to the Presiding Officer and the Electoral Officer for
Janduku/Barawo/Onyeshi LGA. All they are required to do is to allow
the use of stolen Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, in the possession of an
influential politician. Attahiru Jega, INEC Chairman, has made the
proposition possible.

How? He has created a window for crooked politicians and dishonest
INEC officials that would be on duty on the day of election. In a
polity of clashing socio-political, economic and religious interests
that Nigeria has become, every contest for power is seen from the
prism of either a North/South divide or a Christian/Muslim interest.

Now, by Jega's choice, cold water has been poured on his pursuit to
deliver free, fair and credible elections to Nigerians. His
introduction of the Smart Card Reader represented a watershed in the
nation's quest to transit from the sphere of crooked elections to the
refreshing environment of a free, fair and credible process. The
acknowledged, single most important security feature of the Card
Reader is the biometrics, the thumb-print, which is very unique to
every individual. This ensures that even in the event that PVC is
presented to an INEC official on voting day and the biometrics of the
individual does not match the one on the PVC, it suggests that
something is amiss.

THE DEVIL IN THE SCHEME

But Jega's window, which circumvents this security feature, is that an
INCIDENT FORM would be provided by the INEC official to be filled by
the individual concerned after which he can then be certified to vote.
Having promised Nigerians that the biometrics is a security feature
that cannot be broken since it is unique to every individual,
analysts, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard at the weekend, feared that,
allowing a situation whereby the selfsame INEC has put in place a
window to sabotage the process amounts to a gratuitous waste of tax
payers' money and time.

The scenario painted above - of the INEC officials who have been given
money and promised better jobs if they deliver - is what may
predominate on the day of election as this report would demonstrate.

This could be so because most of those who have either stolen or have
been given PVCs in their thousands only need a few crooked INEC staff
with Card Readers and INCIDENT FORMS aplenty.

And since the onus of proof is on the loser to determine that the
victor that emerged at an election did not emerge freely and fairly,
it would become a Herculean task to prove that an election is not
free, fair and credible - Nigeria's electoral laws are skewed against
the loser who carries the burden of discharging the extent of fraud
that was allegedly committed at an election.

--Read more at Vanguard:
t.co/jQbCl7zBy1

Chibok Community Thanks Jonathan For Sending Emissary To Reassure Them Of Safe Return Of Abducted Girls

The Chibok Community in Borno on Sunday commended President Goodluck
Jonathan for sending Alhaji Mohammed Wakil, the Minister of State for
Power, to reassure them of safe return of the abducted students of the
Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok.

Wakil had last week held meeting with members of the community in
Maiduguri on the orders of President Jonathan.

According to NAN, Hajiya Hauwa Chibok, a spokesperson of the
community, made the commendation in a statement in Maiduguri.

"I, on behalf of Chibok women, write to thank President Goodluck
Jonathan for sending one of his ministers, Mohammed Wakil, to
sympathise with us and reassure us over our missing daughters.

"Wakil briefed us on the security efforts being made to rescue the
girls and we appreciate it.

"We are from Chibok, not Damboa, and the minister met us at about 10
p.m. on Thursday morning in Maiduguri.

"He was with us for two hours. We prayed together for our daughters
and we prayed for the military.

"On behalf of our people , we convey our appreciation for the visit.

"We prayed God to bless the efforts of our military," she said.

INEC Mock Poll Exposes Card Readers' Flaws

The test run of the Card Reader Machines proposed for the forthcoming
general elections, carried out in 12 states, yesterday, exposed the
flaws in the new voting technology introduced by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Significantly, the machines failed to recognise Permanent Voter Cards
(PVCs) in some states.

In many other states, the machines' batteries went down after barely
three hours of operation.

The batteries running down within the space of time may be an issue in
an election in which voting may span at least six hours.

The failure of the biometric confirmation of potential voters was
higher in the North.
Lagos State was, however, an exception as the exercise passed off
smoothly with little hitches in the swiping of the PVCs and the
biometric confirmation of the potential voters.

The exercise was carried out in Lagos, Ekiti, Anambra, Ebonyi, Taraba,
Bauchi and Kano. The other states where the mock accreditation
exercise took place were Kebbi, Delta and Rivers States.

LAGOS: Satisfactory exercise

The event which commenced at 8 am at the 50 voting points in
Onigbongbo Ward in Ikeja, held simultaneously at the various polling
units.

Prospective voters came out in trickles with their PVCs for the
accreditation process which was done by four INEC officials in each of
the voting points.

Unlike other voting points in Onigbongbo, the turnout at most of the
polling units in Ikeja G.R.A was not impressive.

At the places Sunday Vanguard visited, the process of authentication
of the PVCs which was done by swiping of the PVCs against the Smart
Card Readers, SCRs, was smooth, just as the thumbprints of most
prospective voters were generally recognized by the SCRs.

The process of authentication lasted between 60 seconds and two minutes.

Some residents, who thought the exercise was for PVC collection,
complained that they were yet to get their PVCs, despite seeing their
names on the voters' register.

Others, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, expressed satisfaction with the
exercise, even as they lamented that INEC was not doing enough on
public enlightenment.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, who
monitored the exercise, commended the exercise, noting that the result
had cleared doubts about the efficiency of the SCRs.

"The intention of today's exercise is primarily to test the efficiency
of the Smart Card Readers. That is why we are here. And we have
achieved good results. This shows that the Card Readers are efficient.
So, politicians who have doubts about the device can now see that the
device will contribute to making the elections credible'', Orebiyi
added.

RIVERS: Fake PVC

The exercise was carried out in all the 23 units of Ward 1 (Oromineke
and Ezimgbu) and the 19 voting points in Port Harcourt. The process
was carried out by 188 staff of INEC.

The state REC, Dame Gecila Khan, who monitored the testing, described
the exercise as successful.

She said the essence of the Card Reader Machine was to spot out
irregularities on the side of voters. She said the target of the
machine was met after spotting some slight irregularities.

A fake PVC that was suspected to have been cloned was spotted. The
card was discovered to have not been issued by INEC as the machine
could not recognise the bearer.

But the bearer, who did not disclose his name to journalists',
insisted that he registered and obtained the card from INEC officials.

ANAMBRA: Malfunctioning machine

THE mock accreditation conducted at Igboukwu Ward 1 in Anambra State
showed the Card Reader failing to recognise about half of those who
presented the cards. It also took between 10 seconds and 10 minutes
for the Card Reader to clear some of the prospective voters, just as
the battery of some of the machines went down after barely three hours
of operation.

Even when some people washed their hands and returned to try again,
the Card Reader still rejected their fingers.

One significant feature of the exercise was the rejection of PVCs by
some polling centers, which some of the stakeholders described as a
welcome development as it showed that nobody can vote outside the area
where he registered.

The state REC, Mr. Edwin Nwatarali, who monitored the exercise with
some of his staff, took note of the deficiencies. He however expressed
happiness that there was no incidence of the Card Reader rejecting the
PVCs brought to the polling stations by their owners.

The REC was also confronted with the issue of those who claimed that
their PVCs were already signed by other people by the time they went
to collect them, but he advised those who had such problems to report
to him for proper verification.

Read more at Vanguard:
t.co/kgzpNzyDho

Jonathan Divides MASSOB

A crack has appeared in the wall of the Movement for the Actualisation
of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, as the group has condemned its
leader, Chief Ralph Nwazuruike, for his alleged involvement in
President Goodluck Jonathan's re-election campaign.

You may recall that Uwazuruike, while speaking to Saturday Sun over a
week ago, explained his devotion to Jonathan, who is the presidential
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the upcoming elections.

He said: "let me say this, I was one of the first Ndi Igbo that
started supporting Jonathan immediately (Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu)
Ojukwu was buried. And I told myself [that] for the role Jonathan
played in giving Ojukwu state burial, I will support him until he
leaves government. I started that time to tell people that Ndi Igbo
should support Jonathan for only that reason. And I will continue to
support Jonathan even if he wants to go for a third term, fourth term,
fifth term. I will support him for that hon-our he gave to Ojukwu, our
leader".

Reacting to Uwazuruike's championing of the PDP flag bearer, the group
stated that it had yet to adopt a presidential candidate.

MASSOB, in a statement issued at the weekend by its National Director
of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu, after its national officers'
meeting, advised Jonathan and his loyalists not to take Uwazuruike
seriously "because he has never delivered any candidate".

The statement read, "How can Uwazuruike, who claims he is leading a
total revolutionary struggle for Biafra actualisation, will also get
deeply involved in Nigeria politics, dinning and romancing with same
Nigerian government that always derive joy in killing MASSOB members,
throwing them in prisons, and projecting Ndi'gbo into economical,
political, religious, academic and social slavery. Uwazuruike is a
hypocrite.

"On the presidential election, MASSOB has never declared our preferred
candidates".

MASSOB stated that even though, as Igbo people, it had more sympathy,
love and trust for Jonathan as "a fellow Christian and close neighbour
of Ndi'gbo", the group needed concrete assurance from the president
regarding the general development of Igbo land.

"MASSOB shall decide our preferred presidential candidate on March 9,
2015", the group added.
--infonaija

Tell Nigerians Outcome Of Card Reader Testing --PDP Tells INEC

The Peoples Democratic Party has called on the Independent National
Electoral Commission to tell Nigerians the final outcome of Saturday's
testing of Card Readers.

The party, however, said it had noted series of complaints from
Nigerians regarding reported lapses experienced in the mock elections
conducted by INEC, which put to test both the Permanent Voters Cards
and the Card Readers.

The National Publicity Secretary, PDP, Olisa Metuh, in a statement on
Saturday, said the worrisome fallout from the test "vindicates earlier
widespread calls by stakeholders that the card readers should be
thoroughly tested to ascertain their workability for free, fair and
credible elections before being deployed for the actual polls".

The PDP spokesman expressed worry over the alleged reported lapses,
which he said included but "not limited to non-verification of voters'
fingerprints even after authenticating their PVCs, slow accreditation
process as a result of poor internet server operations in some
locations, and apparent inadequate knowledge of the card readers by
both INEC officials and voters.

"Our response to the emerging problems and challenges from Saturday's
testing of the card reader is 'RES IPSA LOQUITUR'- the fact speak for
itself. The PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians await INEC's
official response and or its final decision after such defining
challenges".

The party insisted that INEC must realise that Nigerians expect
nothing short of error-free and transparent process for credible
elections come March 28 and April 11.

Lionel Messi Sets New HatTrick Record In Barcelona's 6-1 Win

One day after Real Madrid's shocking 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao,
Barcelona vaulted into first place in La Liga with a dominant 6-1
thrashing of Rayo Vallecano. Two goals from Luis Suárez and Gerard
Pique virtually sealed the points for Barcelona before the hour mark,
before Lionel Messi took over the game by scoring a hat trick in just
12 minutes.

Messi began the day tied with Cristiano Ronaldo for most hat tricks in
La Liga history, but passed his Real Madrid rival in a flash, bagging
his 24th career hat trick in La Liga.

Messi scored from the penalty spot in the 56th minute, blasting a low
shot to the corner past Cristian Alvarez. The foul in the penalty area
resulted in Rayo defender Tito earning a second yellow card, reducing
his team to just 10 men.

Seven minutes later, Messi tapped in a poacher's goal from six yards
out after the goalkeeper couldn't secure a shot from Suárez.

Messi added a third in the 68th minute, splitting two helpless
defenders and coolly dribbling around the goalkeeper to create an easy
shot.

Messi not only broke Ronaldo's record -- he passed Bilbao legend Zarra
for the most hat tricks at a Spanish club in all competitions.

The goal gives #Messihis 32nd hat trick, passing Zarra to become the
all-time leader in trifectas. #FCBlive pic.twitter.com /btnCulFkRl
-- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 8, 2015