By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
The postulation by Alexander Herzen,
(1812-1870) became manifest during the last
set of elections in Nigeria.
The Russian reformist had written in one of his
famous essays “that the men who proclaimed
the Republic became the assassins of
freedom”.
Herzen submitted that those who claimed to
be pure revolutionists in Russia had in a way
abandoned the real struggle to secure true
liberty for all, and that though they had
broken the chains they inadvertently left the
prison walls standing, making them assassins
of freedom. The manipulations and high level
intrigues that characterised the just concluded
general elections in Nigeria can be likened to a
coup of some sort by those who claim to be
Nigeria’s most liberal politicians.
They proclaimed to the world that they wanted
a free, peaceful and credible election but they
connived with many forces to rob Nigerians of
the chance to freely elect their leaders and
deliberately arm twisted the electoral umpire,
Prof Attahiru Jega’s Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, to short change
Nigerians voters.
No doubt the elections have come and gone,
producing winners and losers but the ripples
generated have left many Nigerians with sour
taste because of the conspiracy of high-
ranking politicians, who worked hard to
subvert the will of Nigerians just to maintain
their electoral status-quo and keep smiling to
the bank.
Nonetheless, while the winners are in high
spirit, working round the clock to fix
themselves on the reins of power, the losers
continue to gnash their teeth, wondering what
might have hit them like a volcano. In a way,
the just-concluded polls, made history, broke
the jinx of incumbency and wrote a new
chapter in the Nigerian polity.
Surprisingly, although the changes introduced
by INEC to add credibility to the elections,
succeeded in certain ways to checkmate mass
figures of electoral victory usually associated
with Nigerian elections, it failed in many ways
to checkmate electoral fraud and violence,
effectively defeating the goals of the
innovations factored into the polls. It appears
that once majority of Nigerians achieved the
change they longed for in the Presidential
elections they overlooked many flaws that
marked the Presidential election and actually
floored the governorship elections in some
states.
Smart Card Readers and Permanent Voter
Cards: The good, the bad
The vision of those who contemplated the use
of the card readers and permanent voter cards
for the 2015 elections shows a clear evidence
of thoughtfulness and readiness to part with
the ugly past of Nigerian elections. In the
recent past, Nigerian leaders with an eye for
rigging, simply engaged in mass thumb-
printing according to the earmarked or
ascribed voter population in their respective
domains because there was no means of
ascertaining who reported for voting or not.
But with the introduction of the SCR the PVC,
it became clear to election riggers that it
would be difficult to continue with the dubious
business as usual.
The SCR simply put a ceiling to what
governors, lawmakers and their parties could
declare in the just-concluded polls. In fact, a
clear pattern simply emerged as the results of
the 2015 elections began to roll in: Out of the
36 states and Abuja, none of them was able to
declare up to 50 percent score of the votes
when juxtaposed with the number of the voter
population claimed by the states and the FCT,
leaving political pundits to wonder what might
have happened to the remaining ‘voters’.
In the recent past, Kano, and Lagos, which
emerged with the highest voter population
figures of about 5 million, would have
accordingly returned something close to that
figure without the use of the card readers,
which automatically pegged the number which
any state could declare at the end of voting.
But because of the application of the
technology, Kano which registered close to five
million voters and was actually issued with
over four million PVCs, could only return two
million votes while Lagos which had about
four million voters with PVCs was only able to
turn in about 1.4 million at the end of the day.
Thus, in a way the SMR worked to some
extent.
INEC’s dilemma and limitation in SMR usage
It is obvious that the success of the card
readers in the last election depended to a
large extent to the cooperation of key political
actors with the electoral umpire. It was
curious that in most PDP states, particularly
in the Southern part of the country, where the
governors had frontally opposed the use of the
technology on the grounds that it would
disenfranchise their citizens, the card readers,
accordingly ‘refused to work’ on election days.
It ‘failed woefully’ during the Presidential and
National Assembly polls in most PDP states
until Jega was compelled to authorise manual
accreditation when no such mass failure rate
was reported in the opposition controlled
states particularly in the northern part of the
country.
Two extreme cases in Daura, Katsina State
where Muhammadu Buhari reported for voting
and Otuoke in Bayelsa State where President
Goodluck Jonathan and Dame Patience
Jonathan were slated to vote, would suffice. In
Daura, the SCR seamlessly accepted GMB’s
and Aisha’s fingerprints within seconds and
they went home while in the latter, the
‘sensitive machines’ stubbornly refused to
accept the fingerprints of the president and
Mama Peace, leaving them standing on the
sun as common citizens for close to half an
hour.
The scenario was simply frustrating, confusing
and provocative to the president’s minders
and those who watched the disappointment on
their faces. But most disappointing was the
INEC official, who appeared as if he was
handling a Rocket Science apparatus that
could easily explode to consume him: he was
helpless. As at today, nobody knows what
happened to the machines in Otuoke and other
PDP states.
Were they jammed by malevolent elements to
embarrass the first family or was it just an
innocent coincidence that nobody had
envisaged? A Correspondent of one of the
leading Tv stations in Nigeria, attached to the
Presidential Villa almost gave an inkling of
what was to happen during the accreditation
during a live transmission of the event, when
he warned his anchor man, not to disconnect
from the location but to ‘just stay on and
watch and see what is going to happen”. It
was a warning loaded with meanings, which
most people did not take seriously until the
‘failure’ occurred, to the chagrin of all.
Where is the SCR magic?
For all the benefits and promises which INEC
said the SCR would contribute to making
rigging impossible in the last election, the
cards simply could not significantly stall mass
rigging in most states where the governors
had already connived with compromised
security agents, INEC officials and thugs to
deliver a premeditated results to prove that
they were in charge or were working for ’our
son’.
Those governors simply made a ship wreck of
the card readers and still rolled out impossible
figures for INEC to announce at the end of the
day. They slapped Jega on the face with their
actions. After failing to browbeat Jega to
abandon the smart card, the governors gladly
sought and obtained the support of security
agents to back their well-trained thugs and
party agents to make a mockery of the cards.
In most states, the government-backed thugs
merely waited for INEC officials to conclude
accreditation using the cards for them to
snatch both the result sheets, number of
accredited voters and the card readers and
move to their fortified locations to compute
the ‘result’ before handing over to the INEC
officials to announce with fanfare. In these
states, those masterminding the rigging were
fully aware that they could not win in a free
and fair contest, given the fact that some of
them insisted on certain candidates not
minding the feelings of the electorate.
One of the media coordinators for one
Southern governor said in a chat with this
reporter that they had to resort to hijacking of
sensitive election materials and writing the
results by themselves so as to avoid being
defeated in a free contest with the opposition,
which was very strong.
“We knew that without using our boys backed
by the security that we would lose to the
opposition governorship candidate,” the
source explained, adding “we have put the
opposition in a tight corner with our electoral
‘massive victory’; it is their duty to prove
whether we rigged or not but that is none of
our business.”
Eclipse of the security agencies or electoral
fraud accomplices?
For all the promises to help ensure free, fair
and credible polls in Nigeria, can the Nigerian
security agencies say boldly that they helped
in a significant way to advance credible
election or acted as a spoke in the wheel of
progress? The answer is yes and no. Although
the police high command and other security
agencies gave the world the impression that
their officers and men would provide a level
playing field for a credible and peaceful
election, the reverse was the case when the
interest of the two leading parties-APC and
PDP was factored in.
Most of the security men wanted to ‘deliver
victory’ at all cost for those who paid them
and by extension protect their jobs while a
handful insisted on doing the job
dispassionately and in the overall interest of
Nigeria. But the ‘big bosses’ would not allow
that to happen, hence the resort to ‘obey the
last order’ and comply with the ‘order from
above’, a situation which manifested in most
security agents aiding and abetting electoral
fraud and violence just to maintain the status
quo in many cases.
The elections cost Suleiman Abba his job as
Inspector General of Police. Some suspect that
Abba was being difficult to the ruling party. He
was accused of ‘not being sensitive enough’
by posting a police officer suspected to have
sympathy for APC in Rivers State. The PDP
insisted on having a Hosea Karma to conduct
the election since he understands the riverine
state more than any other police officer in
Nigeria.
The attempt by Abba to ‘foist’ Ogunshakin on
the state to conduct the election alongside
three other AIGs and 2800 police men merely
infuriated the powers that be and quickened
his ouster from the force. While Ogunhakin
was forced to flee Port Harcourt for Calabar in
the early hours of the election day, the other
police officers and men, never dared to set
their feet on the Garden City throughout the
duration of the election.
At least, it will teach those who contested for
power that ‘what a man is afraid to do, a
courageous woman can accomplish that with
audacity and damn the consequences. Security
men were used to rig these elections.
What worked and what didn’t work
Perhaps, the electoral umpire will be ready to
return to the drawing board to work out more
strategies to advance the Nigerian electoral
system. It should be able to demonstrate to us
that the card readers have the capacity to
transmit how many people were accredited in
all the polling units and indicate clearly where
cards readers were not used at or deliberately
manipulated for electoral fraud. Without that,
it may not make any sense using it in future
elections.
But the best way out is to launch Nigeria into
a full scale electronic voting to eliminate
intimidation, killings and snatching of
electoral materials. The earlier this is done,
the more likely the hope that the votes of
Nigerians will begin to count. Again, that is
the only way that those who spearheaded our
democracy will not turn round to oppose
reforms that will bring about sanity in the
system and become ‘’assassins of freedom”
like Herzen said .
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1. "We want to thank the president for
bringing Facebook to Nigeria." - Information
Minister, Labaran Maku.
2. "You press men, you always say there are
no minerals in Kano. We have Coca-Cola,
Fanta, Mirinda and the newly invented Sprite."
- Barkin Zuwo
3. "Foreign investors should ignore Boko
Haram and invest in Nigeria." - GEJ
4. "I will water your school and fire your
school." - Orji Uzoh Kalu
5. "Nigerians, don't panic. Terrorist attack is
everywhere ... maybe it is our turn." - GEJ
6. "I will rather kill myself than commit
suicide." - Dame Patience Jonathan
7. "I founded this school for the masses and
the school fees is 850,000 naira." - Atiku
Abubakar
8. "Until I see someone eating out of the
gutters before I believe there is poverty in
Nigeria." - Umaru Dikko
9. "Telephone is not meant for the poor. " -
David Mark
10. "The worth of a child born and bred in
Nigeria cannot be compared to that in the
United States." - Yakubu Gowon
11. "School is not meant for the poor, only for
the rich." - Ikedi Ohakim
12. "At 50, Britain is still battling with King
Arthur and the knights of the round table so
Nigeria is not doing too badly." - Diezeani
Allison- Madueke
13. "Even Jesus Christ cannot conduct a free
and fair election in Nigeria." - Olusegun
Obasanjo
14. "The corp members where destined to die,
nobody can run away from destiny." - Mallam
Isa Yaguda, Governor, Bauchi State
15. "On behalf of 20 million naira, I'll donate
my family" - Dame Patience Jonathan
16. "We, the PDP did not win this election, I
have gone to church to confess, I gave them
money and they called the result." - Chris Uba
17. "I want to commend the doctors and
nurses for responding to treatment." - Dame
Patience Jonathan

(1). "People exaggerate Corruption in Nigeria.
It is not even our first or second problem,
maybe the third"- President Jonathan (2014)
(2). "You must be very stupid for saying I
bleach my skin. Tell your Editors I said you're
stupid."- Alao Akala to Punch Reporter
(3). "How will you tell me I don't have right to
treasury of Oyo State Government. The Govt I
installed?"- Pa Lamidi Adedibu (2010)
(4). "We want to thank the President for
bringing Facebook to Nigeria.” – Information
Minister, Labaran Maku. (2009)
(5). “I will rather kill myself than commit
suicide.” – Dame Patience Jonathan (2010)
(6). "If I don't contest, Nigerians will feel wan
kine" - President Goodluck Jonathan to
Christiana Amanpour on CNN
(7). "God is a Democrat, does not support
rigging but if you rig and succeed, that means
God approves of it.” - Gov. Jonah Jang
(. "President Yar'Adua can rule from
anywhere in the World"- AGF Michael
Aandoaka SAN, AGF to Yar'Adua
(9). "Most of what Nigerians call corruption is
not corruption. It is mere stealing" - President
Goodluck Jonathan (2014)
(10). “I can see camera people. Are they going
to televise us alive?” -Dame Patience
Jonathan (2012)
(11). "Na only you waka come? Diaris God o!"
- Dame Patience Jonathan (2014)
(12). “Nigerians, don’t panic. Terrorist attacks
are everywhere … maybe it is our turn.” – GEJ
(13). "Those that died at the Immigration
stampede died as a result of impatience"- Min
of Interior, Abba Moro. (2014)
(14). "Boko Haram has restricted my
movements within Nigeria. Why are you
asking me to go Chibok? Will that #
BringBackOurGirls? - President Goodluck
Jonathan (2014)
(15). "No girls were abducted from Chibok. It
is a hoax to make President Jonathan look
bad." - Unofficial Presidential Spokesman,
Asari 'Obese Thug' Dokubo (2014).
(16). "I did not say Boko Haram was in my
cabinet. What I said was they were everywhere
in my government." - President Goodluck
Jonathan (2014).

he All Progressives Congress (APC) says it
will publish the full audit report of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) and expects it will need to repay the
government more than previously
recommended.
This was revealed by Kayode Fayemi, the
party’s policy director and former governor of
Ekiti state, in an interview at his residence in
Lagos.
The party expressed belief that the NNPC may
need to refund more than the $1.48 billion
stated in the highlights of a
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP report released
by the auditor-general in February.
“I have a figure that’s more than the $1.5
billion that’s been talked about,” he said.
“We’ve seen credible information that what
PwC says is more than that. We will release
the report. We’ll make it available to
Nigerians as soon as we have full information
on this.”
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former governor of
central bank of Nigeria, was suspended by
President Goodluck Jonathan last year after
he alleged the NNPC hadn’t remitted about $
20 billion of oil revenue to the government,
which derives 90 percent of export earnings
and two-thirds of income from the commodity.
The government then launched a PwC audit of
the corporation . Key points of the audit into
the NNPC said the corporation should refund
a minimum of $1.48 billion, with the oil
company saying the report absolved it of
Sanusi’s allegations
. Jonathan’s government hasn’t published the
complete report.
Sanusi, now Emir of Kano, insisted last month
that the issue wasn’t addressed sufficiently.
The APC may also re-organize the NNPC,
which regulates the petroleum sector and
takes part in production through joint ventures
with Royal Dutch Shell Plc., Exxon Mobil
Corp., Total SA, Chevron Corp. and other
companies.
“NNPC will not be in the form or shape it’s
currently in, some measure of unbundling will
happen,” Fayemi said.
Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and largest
oil producer, has been battered by the 47 per
cent fall in Brent crude prices since a peak in
June.
Economic growth will slow to 4.8 percent this
year, about half the average of the last 15
years, according to the International Monetary
Fund (IMF).
The naira has weakened 17 per cent against
the dollar in the past six months, more than
some 24 African currencies.
Follow us on twitter @thecableng
Copyright 2015 TheCable. Permission to use
quotations from this article is granted subject
to appropriate credit being given to
www.thecable.ng as the source.

“Only gradually did Christians begin to observe Sunday as a day of rest…In the third century, as we learn from Ter­tullian, many Christians had begun to keep Sunday as a day of rest to some extent…
“The real need of Sunday as a day of rest as well as worship came much later…” (“Yes, I Condemned the Catholic Church,” p. 4, Supreme Council, Knights of Columbus).
Worship Christ in Vain?
Here is what Christ said about the popular commandments and traditions of the world—and its churches: “In vaindo they worship Me, teaching for doctrines thecommandments of men…Full well [these men know exactly what they are doing] yourejectthe commandment of God, that you may keepyour own tradition” ( Mark 7:7, 9).
Let’s plainly frame the question: Do we observe the day that GOD commands—or do we observe the traditional day that the Roman Catholic Church commands, and Protestants endorse? This church and its daughter churches are wrong on virtually every doctrine in the Bible—salvation, heaven, hell, method of baptism, the Law, the definition of sin, the trinity, which annual days should be observed by Christians, prophecy, and many more. Over and over, it has substituted its commands and traditions in place of what God plainly says in His Word. Should you followitsauthority, believing it to be greater than the authority of God?
Itispossible to worship God in vain. Therefore, you must find out, once and for all, whether Sunday-keeping and worship is what God expects of you—or even permits.
Though there are a few very weak arguments put forth in favor of Sunday, in a sense, there is no further room for argument. If those who keep Sunday will so freely acknowledge that they have no authority from God—in His Word, the Holy Bible—for doing so, and the plain biblical command is seen, observance of the Sabbath has been clearly established!
But God has much to say about the crucial importance of observingHisSabbath every seven days. This includes understandingwhyChristians must do this.
Read my book Saturday or Sunday – Which Is the Sabbath?to see scripturalfact—absolute prooffrom God!—indicating which day is the Sabbath, and that its observance was commanded 6,000 years ago! You will see that neither God nor His command has ever changed!

Who Authorized Sunday Worship?
I grew up in a large, respected Protestant church. I can recall sitting on a stool wearing a bow tie in Sunday school at age three, surrounded by other children. As I grew older, Sunday school became Sunday church services, with everyone taking for granted that we were there on the right day. No one remotely suggested otherwise. We all appeared weekly in our “Sunday best.”
In 1966, at age seventeen, I was challenged to look into the Bible to see what it actually says on the matter of Sunday-keeping. I was absolutely shocked by what I found! You will be also.
While the world is geared contrary to Sabbath observance on the seventh day of the week, I realized there was no excuse for breaking the Sabbath. I found the Bible wasplain, leaving no room for doubt. The scriptures about the Sabbath and Sunday were mostclear. I saw that common objections to Sabbath observance were easily disproven,ifone had an open mind.
Unless God did not exist, and the Bible was the word ofmen—merely ancient Hebrew and Greek literature—I had no choice but to observe the Sabbath. Since proving that God exists and the Bible is His Word, and since seeing proof of the Sabbath command from the Bible, I have not attended church on Sunday or observed that day. I found that the Fourth Commandment is a law. When kept, it brings spiritual blessings, “keeping” those who obey it. When broken, it brings spiritual curses, “breaking” those who disobey it.
Universal Acceptance
There are approximately two billion professing Christians on earth. They attend over 2,000 different church denominations and organizations in the United States alone. This number continually increases, bringing no end of confusion over beliefs and disagreement between them. However, almost all professing Christians are in agreement about Sunday observance, thinking it to be the “Lord’s Day” of the New Testament.
Are they correct? Does the New Testament establish Sunday in place of the Old Testament seventh-day Sabbath? Did Christ do away with the Sabbath, making Himself “Lord of Sunday”? Vast numbers are told—and believe—that He did. But, if Christ established Sunday toreplacethe seventh-day Sabbath, why did He tell His disciples, “Therefore the Son of man isLord also of the sabbath” ( Mark 2:28)?
Have you ever noticed this verse? Probably not. Yet there it is in theNewTestament. Most ministers are fond of preaching from the New Testament, almost to the complete exclusion of the Old Testament. But have you ever heard a preacher mentionthispassage? Almost certainly not—and this is just one ofmanyplain scriptures about the Sabbath.
Most people never askwhythey believe what they believe orwhythey do what they do. In a world filled with popular customs and traditions, few try to determine the real origin of things. Most generally accept common religious practices without question, choosing to do what everyone else does because it is easy, natural and comfortable—because there is a certain “safety in numbers.” The power of peer pressure alone makes most practice what isacceptable—and fashionable.
Most follow along as they have been taught,assumingwhat they believe and do is right. They take their beliefs for granted, almost never taking time to PROVE them.
Nowhere is this more true than Sunday observance. Two billion people keep Sunday without knowingwhy—orwherethis practice originated. Most suppose it is found in the Bible because they see so many professing Christians observing it. Surely billions cannot be wrong. Or can they?
Incriminating Honesty
A study of the Bible on almost all doctrines generally accepted by the churches of this world—professing Christianity—reveals that they have almost no biblical basis whatsoever. This statement is shocking, yet true!
But here is an irony: When confronted with the truth of what the Biblereallysays on a matter, most will attempt to deny the facts, however indisputable. They will twist, distort and blur the issues in order to hold to cherished beliefs, preferring what isfamiliarto what isright—andtrue!
The Sabbath question is somewhat different. Though, in the end, most people areunwillingto observe it, many ministers, theologians and religionists openlyacknowledgewhat the Bible says about the Sabbath. When pressed, they admit the Bible authorizes observing the seventh day.
You will be stunned at their honesty!
Roman Catholic Admission
Catholic publications, popes, cardinals, bishops, theologians, historians, professors, and the Vatican itself, have candidly admitted there is no biblical basis—whatsoever!—for Sunday observance. This article includes many quotations from them. You will be astonished at the extraordinary candor with which Catholic leaders address this subject.
It is critically important to take the time to read whatthose who keep Sundaysay about their authority—orlackof authority—for doing this. Using their own words, we must first establish why 1.2 billion Roman Catholics believe they are no longer obligated to observe the seventh-day Sabbath. They tell the whole world openly!
The Bible plainly states that Christ is the Head of the Church ( Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). Rome, supposing that Christ, in effect, delegated away His authority over the Church to Peter—who they proclaim was the first pope—speaks plainly of how they have used this “authority.” Just as God’s statements about the Sabbath were shocking to me, so should the following statements be shocking toyou! (Many are included for emphasis.)
“For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find that Christ or the Apostles ordered that the Sabbath be changed from Saturday to Sunday. We have the commandment of God given to Moses to keep holy the Sabbath day, that is the 7th day of the week, Saturday. Today most Christians keep Sunday because it has been revealed to us by the [Roman Catholic] church outside the Bible” (Catholic Virginian, “To Tell You the Truth,” p. 9, Oct. 3, 1947).
“From this same Catholic Church you have accepted your Sunday, and that Sunday, as the Lord’s day, she has handed down as a tradition; and the entire Protestant world has accepted it as tradition, for you have not an iota of Scripture to establish it. Therefore that which you have accepted as your rule of faith, in­adequate as it of course is, as well as your Sunday, you have accepted on the authority of the Roman Catholic Church”(D.B. Ray,The Papal Controversy, p. 179, 1892).
“I have repeatedly offered $1,000 to anyone who can prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.’ The Catholic Church says: ‘No. By my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week.’ And lo! theentire civilized worldbows down in a reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic Church” (Bishop T. Enright, C.S.S.R., in a lecture at Hartford, Kan­sas, Feb. 18, 1884).
“There is but one church on the face of the earth which has the power, or claims power, to make laws binding on the con­science, binding before God, binding under penalty of hell-fire. For instance, the institution of Sunday. What right has any other church to keep this day? You answer by virtue of the third commandment [the Papacy renamed the fourth commandment, calling it the third], which says, ‘Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.’ But Sunday is not the Sabbath. Any school­boy knows that Sunday is the first day of the week. I have re­peatedly offered one thousand dollars to anyone who will prove by the Bible alone that Sunday is the day we are bound to keep, and no one has called for the money. It was the holy Catholic Church that changed the day of rest from Saturday, the seventh day, to Sunday, the first day of the week” (T. Enright, C.S.S.R., in a lecture delivered in 1893).
“The Catholic Church…by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday” (The Catholic Mirror, official publication of James Cardinal Gibbons, Sept. 23, 1893).
“Is Saturday the seventh day according to the Bible and the Ten Commandments? I answer yes. Is Sunday the first day of the week and did the Church change the seventh day—Saturday—for Sunday, the first day? I answer yes. Did Christ change the day? I answer no!” (James Cardinal Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore (1877-1921), signed letter).
“Reason and sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either…the keeping holy of Saturday or Catholicity and the keeping holy of Sunday. Com­promise is impossible” (James Cardinal Gibbons,The Catholic Mirror, Dec. 23, 1893).
“The Bible everywhere enforces the sanctification of Saturday the seventh day of the week…You Protestants have to admit the authority of the Roman Catholic Church that is branded on you when you observe Sunday because you have no other authority for Sunday but that of the Roman Catholic Church” (James Cardinal Gibbons).
“Some theologians have held that God likewise directly determined the Sunday as the day of worship in the New Law, that He Himself has explicitly substituted the Sunday for the Sabbath. But this theory is now entirely abandoned. It is now commonly held that God simply gave His Church the power to set aside whatever day or days she would deem suitable as Holy Days. The Church chose Sunday, the first day of the week, and in the course of time added other days as holy days” (John Laux,A Course in Religion for Catholic High Schools and Academies, vol. 1, p. 51, 1936).
“Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday…Now the Church…instituted, by God’s authority, Sunday as the day of worship. This same Church, by the same divine authority, taught the doctrine of Purgatory long before the Bible was made. We have, therefore, the same authority for Purgatory as we have for Sunday” (Martin J. Scott,Things Catholics Are Asked About, p. 136, 1927).
“Regarding the change from the observance of the Jewish Sabbath to the Christian Sunday, I wish to draw your attention to the facts:
*.
That Protestants, who accept the Bible as the only rule of faith and religion, should by all means go back to the observance of the Sabbath. The fact that they do not, but on the contrary observe the Sunday, stultifies them in the eyes of every thinking man.
*.
We Catholics do not accept the Bible as the only rule of faith. Besides the Bible we have the living Church, the authority of the Church, as a rule to guide us. We say, this Church, instituted by Christ to teach and guide man through life, has the right to change the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament and hence, we accept her change of the Sabbath to Sunday. We frankly say, yes, the Church made this change, made this law, as she made many other laws, for instance, the Friday abstinence, the unmarried priesthood, the laws concerning mixed marriages, the regulation of Catholic marriages and a thousand other laws.
“It is always somewhat laughable, to see the Protestant churches, in pulpit and legislation, demand the observance of Sunday, of which there is nothing in their Bible” (Peter R. Kraemer,Catholic Church Extension Society, 1975).

PDP blasts Okorocha over alleged threat by Jonathan
October 28, 2013by Olusola Fabiyi
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha
| credits: File copy
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has condemned the Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha for allegedly attempting to hoodwink the Supreme Court and divert its attention from the substance of the case ahead of the October 31, 2013 ruling on his alleged “unlawful emergence as governor of Imo State.”
The ruling party berated the governor for allegedly accusing President Goodluck Jonathan of influencing the Supreme Court in the case, saying such was part of the governor’s strategy to whip up sentiments to sway the Judiciary by portraying himself as being under attack by the Presidency.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Sunday, the PDP said Okorocha was jittery over the expected ruling by the apex court concerning the 2011 governorship election in the state.
Metuh said, “The PDP and indeed all Nigerians have noted the on-going antics of Governor Rochas Okorocha and the All Progressives Congress wherein they have been issuing threats, sponsoring fabricated stories in the media and organising phantom protests against the office and person of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Supreme Court.
“This governor has been living in morbid fear of having justice prevailing against him at the Supreme Court for stealing the mandate of the people in 2011. As such, he now seeks to use the instrumentality of blackmail and political subterfuge to divert the attention of the Supreme Court from the substance of the case against him ahead of the apex court’s ruling on October 31, 2013.
“By sponsoring fabricated reports in the media alleging that the Presidency was influencing the Supreme Court to remove him from office, Governor Okorocha is merely trying to whip up sentiments to ultimately sway the Supreme Court by portraying himself as a victim of attack by the Presidency.”
Metuh added that the APC was aware that it would lose the 2015 general elections and even the governorship of states presently under its control

Anti-confab agitators are selfish, says Braithwaiteon October 28, 2013 at 12:59 am in News
LAGOS — Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Coordinator of the Southwest Consultative Forum for the National Conference, yesterday, described those opposing the planned National Conference as selfish.
President Goodluck Jonathan October 1, set up the National Conference Advisory Committee, naming Senator Femi Okurounmu as its chairman.
The committee was to facilitate the convening of a National Conference by the Federal Government.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos after a closed-door meeting of the group, Braithwaite cautioned politicians speaking against the planned dialogue.
“The interest of those opposing the planned conference is to seize power for political gains.
“The advocates of National Conference are not calling for the break-up of Nigeria, but a dialogue to redefine the basic existence of the country.”
He said that all Nigerians should embrace the dialogue as it would give birth to a new Nigeria with equal opportunities for everyone.
“The timing of this conference is divine because next year is the 100th anniversary of the Nigerian union.
“The dialogue will strenghten the continued union of the nation on the terms of Nigerians.”
Dr.Braithwaite commended President Jonathan for buying into the idea of a national conference.
“President Jonathan by this conference has taken a very big step. If the conference is well managed, the President would have succeeded in writing his name in the sands of time.’’
He, however, said that the forum had its reservations, regarding the outcome of the dialogue.
The forum coordinator suggested that the outcome should be subjected to a referendum and not to the approval of the National Assembly.
“The purpose of the conference is to give Nigerians a new nation and a people’s constitution.”
He, however, urged the advisory committee to ensure that all ethnic groups and nationalities in the country were recognised for representation.”

ASUU: no more dialogue with Suswan’s committee
Posted by: Gbenga Omokhunuin News2 hours ago
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) National President Dr. Nasir Faege has said the strike will continue.
He said the union was ready to negotiate with any other body, besides the Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam’s committee .
The Suswam committee, he said had nothing good to deliver.
Faege said: “The strike continues even if government is threatening to do the worst. There is no more dialogue with government, if the 2009 agreement is not approved. But we are willing to dialogue with anybody towards meeting ASUU’s said agreement. That is the truth.
“Our doors are open towards addressing these problems. If anybody invites us, we will be there. The only dialogue that we will not attend is that with the Suswam committee. ASUU has vowed not to listen to that committee again. The struggle is on and we are waiting and hoping that government will do what is right so that we will go back to our classes and start lecturing.
“Many students have been calling me in support of the ASUU strike and they want government to listen to us and that we should not call off the strike until the 2009 agreement is met. The condition of the universities is nothing to write home about.”
On the ‘no-work no-pay’ issue, the ASUU boss said: “The Federal Government has not been paying. That statement is not applicable now since we have been working without pay.”

PHOTOS: Actress, Liz Anjorin Converts To Islam, Changes Name To ‘Aisha’
Yoruba actress, Lizzy Anjorin has converted to a muslim and now goes by the name ‘Aisha’.
The actress has obviouslsy paid her dues in the industry and she’s making waves one of which was the success of the shooting of her forthcoming thriller entitled “Kofo De First Lady.”
The Badagry Lagos State-born mother of one is said to have travelled to India, Morocco, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries to shop for her newly re-branded fashion out fit called Pick Me Reloaded, at Ogba, Lagos.
Lizzy who is said to have travelled to Mecca this year has joined the list of Nigerian celebrities who have visited the holy land.
Posted by Deoluon October 13, 2013.

PHOTOS: Actress, Liz Anjorin Converts To Islam, Changes Name To ‘Aisha’
Yoruba actress, Lizzy Anjorin has converted to a muslim and now goes by the name ‘Aisha’.
The actress has obviouslsy paid her dues in the industry and she’s making waves one of which was the success of the shooting of her forthcoming thriller entitled “Kofo De First Lady.”
The Badagry Lagos State-born mother of one is said to have travelled to India, Morocco, Cameroon and other neighbouring countries to shop for her newly re-branded fashion out fit called Pick Me Reloaded, at Ogba, Lagos.
Lizzy who is said to have travelled to Mecca this year has joined the list of Nigerian celebrities who have visited the holy land.
Posted by Deoluon October 13, 2013.

Aregbesola’s education policies, reminder of Awo’s reform –Ooni Our ReporterOctober 13, 2013
The education policies of Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, have been described as being reminiscent of the education reforms of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, during the First Republic.
This was the observation of the Ooni of ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade at the public assessment forum tagged Gbangba Dekun in Ile-Ife.
Ooni, who was represented at the gathering by the Obalufe of Iremoland, Chief Folorunsho Omishakin, said one striking resemblance between Awolowo’s education reform and Aregbesola’s current education reform was that both were antagonised. According to the monarch, in 1955 when Awolowo started his education reforms in the then Western Region, people antagonised him but the late sage remained undaunted in his commitment to turning around the fortunes of education in the region.
“Your programme too will succeed like that of Obafemi Awolowo. When Awolowo started the reform, people antagonised him. They said the programme would not succeed. But before our very eyes, Awo’s education programme succeeded. We still can see many of the products of that reform till today.
“If other regions had followed what he did in education sector in the then Western region, may be today there won’t be Boko Haram up North or militants in the Niger Delta. Or at worst, what we would have today are educated militants and Boko Haram members.”
Ooni said Awolowo’s reform succeeded at last because of the late politician’s tenacity of purpose and selfless conviction for the future of the region. He added that but for the focus and determination Awolowo had, he would have chickened out of the programme and the entire South West region would have been the worst for it.
He regretted that a few people had failed to look beyond the immediate to see the overall benefit of the school reform process blaming those antagonizing the plan as mixing pure development issues in the education sector with politics and religion. He commended the bold step of the governor in tackling the rot in this all-important sector, advising him not to be distracted by what some people are doing or saying about the reforms.

Our lives in danger – ASUU leaders
October 14, 2013by Olufemi Atoyebi, Ibada
National President, ASUU, Nasir Issa-Fagge
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has alleged that its leaders across the country are being watched by security agencies. It said the union leaders’ lives were under threat.
ASUU said security forces were secretly investigating its leaders’ sources of finance.
Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of the union, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, in a release titled “ASUU strike: Union leaders go underground,” said he had received calls warning him about his role in the strike. He however said the union would not bow to pressure from security agencies over its action.
Members of ASUU have been on strike since July 1 thus paralyzing academics in public universities for over three months now.
“The position of ASUU is that Nigeria is a democratic country and citizens are guaranteed freedom of association. Members of the union are apprehensive for the lives of their leaders. We urge the government to leave our leaders alone. Our leaders are our servants, we are their principals, they report to us on all matters. Rather than chasing shadow, government is once again called upon to implement the 2009 agreement with ASUU. Only this will bring members to their classrooms,” he said.
According to him, the recent security threat has forced many ASUU leaders to go underground, alleging that many of their phone numbers have been bugged.
“Apart from the issue of finance, ASUU leaders are now being trailed all over the place. Majority of our union leaders have now gone underground while many have their telephone lines bugged. Some are now living in fear for their lives,” Ajiboye said. (Punch

River crisis: Rights Commission summons Amaechi
From GODWIN TSA Abuja
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has summoned the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to appear before it next week Friday, over the lingering cold war between him and the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu.
Specifically, the governor has been invited by the commission to attend an initial investigative meeting following the petition he sent to the commission.
Amaechi had earlier written a petition to the NHRC over allegations of deteriorating human rights situation in the state. The petition, among other things, accused the state Commissioner of Police ,Mr. Mbu, of exercising his duties without recourse to necessary constitutional and legal standards.
The commission took the action pursuant to its powers under section 6 of the NHRC Amended Act, 2010. The NHRC explained that it decided to act because the petition raised issues which border on violation of fundamental rights.
In a statement yesterday by the Director of Public Affairs and Communication, Mr. Mohammed Ladan, the commission said the presence of the complainant was necessitated by the need to avail its panel of investigators the opportunity to interact with him and obtain any evidence he may have to substantiate the claims he made in the petition.
Amaechi sated in the petition that, “Mr. Mbu’s mode of exercising his duties without recourse to necessary constitutional and legal procedures is creating an environment rife with fear, distrust of security operatives and public institutions, strife, impunity, criminal behaviour and brigandage.
“Currently, the State Commissioner of Police barely acknowledges official communications from the governor, not to mention other principal agents of Rivers State.
“The avenues of giving him lawful directives in my constitutional role as the Chief Security Officer of the state have been unilaterally and unlawfully precluded by Mr. Mbu.”
Amaechi therefore urged the commission to “leverage its independence and capabilities to urgently investigate and ascertain if the current Rivers State Commissioner is still fit and proper to superintend the police formation of a sensitive state in Nigeria with a complex human rights dynamics leading down to a general electioneering.”
Only recently, the Rivers State Government raised the alarm that the state police commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu was plotting harm against Governor Amaechi following the sudden withdrawal of the latter’s security commanders.
However, the police command has offered explanations for the move, saying the redeployment of Amaechi’s escort commander was a directive from the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.

Re-assessing political Islam: Part I
Thu Oct 10, 2013 11:31AM GMT
There is no “Shia” or “Sunni” state; the two facets of Islam would overcome their differences by establishing Islamic states guided by Islamic scholar-activists versed in sharia, headed by a khalifah (steward) or na’ib (deputy) of the Prophet."
Now that the smoke is clearing in Tahrir Square after two and a half years of upheaval - and thousands of deaths - the meaning of Islamic Awakening is becoming clear as confirmed in five elections/ referendums in Egypt where Islamic groups consistently won two-thirds of the vote. They were the freest elections held in any country in recent times. Money was not a significant factor thanks to limits on candidates’ financing (no corporate or foreign donations), the brainwashing of the old order no longer worked, and the Mubarak thugs who stuffed ballot boxes were hiding in their holes. We can only envy the Egyptians.
The strategy of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood (MB) for 80 years has been to patiently build alternative social structures to the corrupt “soft state” (especially in education, health, charity), and eventually overthrowing the old corrupt order peacefully through the ballot box. Then to work with other forces, both left and right, to usher in a new Islamic order based on their grassroots experience, where -just as in the first Islamic state under Prophet Muhammad in Medina - all facets of society would have their place, where laws and government would conform with sharia, as confirmed by senior Islamic scholars. Foreign relations were shifting towards a more confrontational stance with Israel, and more cooperation with other Islamic governments and movements, in particular Iran, but throughout the Muslim world. President Morsi’s first stop was Saudi Arabia, which initially promised support. Qatar’s Sheikh Hamad sent a whopping $8b in aid (since returned by the coupmakers in exchange for Saudi lucre).
The secular elite’s intent is also clear now. Secular notables such as Mohamed ElBaradei and Hamdeen Sobahi initially made cautious overtures to the MB, as their own lack of popular support was also clear from the start. They needed the MB much more than the latter needed them. But when they realized that they would never gain more than a handful of seats in any free elections, and when the MB made clear they were no shrinking violets and would pursue an agenda inspired by the Quran and the Islamic state founded by Prophet Muhammad in Medina in the seventh century, they “lost it,” betrayed the revolution and threw their lot with the Mubarakite establishment, preferring the neoliberal nightmare of yesteryear, where they could indulge their petty privileges and enjoy their cultural hegemony.
The military’s intent was unclear, flipping back and forth between their traditional thuggishness and flagrant violations of human rights (openly killing Copts as Maspero in October 2011, disbanding parliament and stripping the president of meaningful power in June 2012) and showing signs of genuine interest in establishing a more democratic order (supervising elections, even bowing to the popular will after Morsi’s election, when Morsi retired the bungling Field Marshall Tantawi and appointed less compromised generals). They only supported the initial uprising in January 2011 because they were furious with Mubarak’s intent to put his son Gamal on the throne, inaugurating a pseudo-monarchy a la Saudi Arabia. The police were more consistently against the revolution - basically refusing to work at all after the initial uprising, determined that the old order be restored, even if minus their beloved patron, the now geriatric Mubarak.
Egypt’s “allies,” the US, Saudis et al were also fence-sitters, wondering what the MB would actually do. Could it be pressured by the economic crisis, the noisy secular spoilers and the still powerful old guard, with its stranglehold on the economy, into acting as a new face for neocolonialism? Would it accept the pillars of the old order - support for Israel, the craven Arab monarchies, and the global capitalist market system, and continued hostility to the only genuine Islamic government (Iran)?
Indications were that they were not doing exactly as they were told by Washington. They delayed and delayed on the “generous” IMF loan, finally proposing a compromise that included a demand to cancel part of the “odious debt” from Mubarak years. Morsi defied Israel on Gaza and actually made Netanyahu blink. There were tantalizing indications that relations with Iran would improve as the MB gained its footing in the unstable new order.
We will never know just how far these tentative moves would have developed, at least not in the near future, as the military put an end to this experiment in Islamic democracy, egged on by the secularists in open collusion with the still powerful Mubarakite establishment, who collectively boycotted the MB government and sabotaged the economy. The MB are loudly condemned for not being “inclusive,” pursuing their own agenda without regard for the noisy opposition. But, commented MB official Gehad el-Haddad shortly after the July 2013 coup, “If the National Salvation Front were to send the president a list of their demands on NSF letterheaded paper, and the president were to remove the NSF letterhead and put it on a presidential letterhead, and issue it as a decree, they would go to the street protesting against it.”
The Islamic groups’ constitution was/is a model one, putting the family squarely at its heart, confirming both individual rights regardless of belief, status or ethnicity, and responsibilities. The secularists and Christians had lots of input - until they walked out of the constitutional committee and began openly plotting with the military and the Mubarakites. Morsi actually saved LE4b in costs from the distribution of necessities to the poor whilst at the same time improving the service, using their own volunteers. He obtained commitments of $10b for the new Suez Canal container terminal, launched four major technology-related manufacturing projects with East Asian conglomerates, opened a major set of commercial links with Sudan as the beginning of a new Nile basin industrial corridor, and increased foreign exchange reserves (which had fallen during the original revolution) by $1b. Egypt had achieved a trade surplus (LE15m) for the first time in 50 years during the first half of 2013, according to government statistics, with total exports hovering around LE90.5b and imports LE75b.
But the coup put an end to the dreams of the Muslim groups - except for the pro-Saudi Salafi, who actually backed the coup and now are angling - mentored by their Saudi sponsors - to steal the MB’s supporters, to serve as a quietist pseudo-Islamic facade for the secularists/ military, so essential to the US/ Israel/ Saudi Arabia.
So, was the MB strategy wrong? Was Margaret Thatcher right: There Is No Alternative? Has history come to an end with Bush senior’s New World Order? Should the MB put their Qurans on the bottom shelf along with all the other (now irrelevant) religious texts?
Even as Egyptians mourn their thousands of martyrs, shaking their heads in disbelief at their new Jewish military dictator (coupmaker General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi’s mother was a Moroccan Jew, Mulaika Titani, and her brother was a member of the Jewish Haganah), and Saudis fume under their pro-US/ Israeli monarch Abdullah, Iran continues to gain admiration among Muslims (both Sunni and Shia) and non-Muslims for its principled defiance of empire, confirmed in a smooth transition to a more relaxed but still very much Islamic administration under President Hassan Rouhani. It stared down the US and Saudis in Syria, and looks poised to end the 34-year US-Israeli campaign of subversion against its revolution. Yes, Iran is Shia, and we all know about Sunni-Shia rivalry and sectarianism. But Egyptians can only look wistfully at a country where Muslims took and have held power. The reputation of the Saudis, who helped undermine Egypt’s Islamic groups and flagrantly serve US interests in the Middle East, has never been lower among Muslims and non-Muslims. The new alignment in the Muslim world is not so much Sunni-Shia as traitor-Muslim.
The only (Sunni) political analyst to recognize this post-1979 logic was Kalim Siddiqui, who hailed the Iranian revolution in 1979, and in Stages of Islamic Revolution (1996) predicted the convergence of Sunni and Shia in a revolutionary movement to overthrow neocolonial regimes across the Muslim world. His work is seminal in pointing to the sira (life of the Prophet) and the sunna literature as a “storehouse” of data which must be used as a basis for strategy to defeat imperialism, i.e., tajdid (re-reading) and ijtihad (independent reasoning). This means in the first place eliminating the Sunni-Shia sectarianism - stoked by imperialism - to create a “global Islamic movement”.
He argues that Islamic civilization was flawed beginning with the Sunni Umayyad/ Abbasid dynastic rule, and the acceptance of monarchy as opposed to the rule of a khalifa (steward) through consensus of the umma (community of Muslims). The Shia also rejected khilafa (stewardship), believing that genuine Islamic rule would come about only with the return of Imam Mahdi, the twelfth Shiite Imam, who will reappear one day to administer justice around the world. Siddiqui complained that Islamic civilization degenerated over the centuries among both Sunni and Shia, the former condoning dynastic rule, the latter, retreating into a quietism until the return of the 12th Imam. He hailed late Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khomeini’s velayat e-faqih political theory (The rule of the religious jurisprudent) in the absence of Imam Mahdi, as the culmination of a renewal within Shia scholarship (the Usuli movement). This corrected the quietist Shia political tradition, confirming the possibility of genuine Islamic rule through the establishment of an Islamic state, implying political rule by mujtahideen (Islamic jurists).
There is no “Shia” or “Sunni” state; the two facets of Islam would overcome their differences by establishing Islamic states guided by Islamic scholar-activists versed in sharia, headed by a khalifah (steward) or na’ib (deputy) of the Prophet. It was the task of Sunni scholars to reject the neocolonial and monarchical political systems in place by overthrowing them. He argued that a “global Islamic movement” was already in place and would bring about further revolutions, which would triumph through armed struggle.
His works hark back to Sayyid Qutb in their militancy. “All modern Muslim societies are living examples of societies that have undergone mindless, uncontrolled, unguided and imposed change ... developed in the West in the name of progress.” He sees the uprisings in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Bosnia and Kashmir following Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution as part of an anti-imperialist continuum, which will result in the overthrow of existing neocolonial governments. In line with Qutb, he criticizes the Muslim Brotherhood and Maududi’s Jamaat i-Islami (Islamic Society) for being captive to nationalism, and as superficial attempts to oppose the secular order. The MB’s position is to aim for power through the neocolonial electoral system dominated by party politics, vs a mass uprising a la Iran in 1979 that will sweep away the whole western set-up in one fell swoop.
As argued here, the Egyptian MB’s strategy-building grassroots mass structures in parallel to the “soft state” and pursuing legitimacy through elections - is a valid response given the narrow room for maneuver in today’s geopolitical world, though recent events in Egypt and across the umma give pause to reconsider. The alternative - Qutbian revolt - is the subject of part II.
EW/NN

Amaechi petitions National Human Rights Commission over Rivers policeon October 05, 2013 at 12:58 am in News
By JIMITOTA ONOYUME, Port Harcourt
GOVERNOR Chibuike Amaechi has called on the National Human Rights Commission to urgently intervene in what he termed the deteriorating human rights situation in the state.
The governor, in a petition addressed to the Director General of the Commission, accused the state Police Commissioner, Mr Joseph Mbu of rights violation, saying there was urgent need for the commission to look into the issues with a view to redressing them
“I Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, 48, male, Christian, married, presently residing in Port Harcourt. In my capacity as the governor of Rivers state, compelled by the duty I owe to Rivers people as their chief Security Officer … request for the urgent exercise of the powers and functions conferred on the NHRC towards addressing a grave and deteriorating human rights situation in the state.
Amaechi: Berates Police boss. Mbu: Amaechi is a dictator
‘’There are on-going human rights violations in Rivers state falling within the investigative and other duties of the National Human Rights Commission. ‘’Abuses which need the independent and human rights competences and capabilities of the National Human Rights Commission as ably demonstrated in your ground breaking engagement of the Baga incident and the situation in North East Nigeria, which interim report bears many striking resemblance to the situation in Rivers state,” he said. “The Nigeria Police force, Rivers state command under its present Commissioner has become inaccessible and actively antagonistic to my person and office as the Chief Security Officer of the state. Court orders are being obeyed in the breach by the leadership of the police in Rivers state.
While security communications or directives from the state government are treated with even greater contempt as they are no longer even acknowledged”, he said

We need revolution

God will help you

Reps resist moves to impeach Tambuwalon September 29, 2013 at 12:30 am in News
By Emman Ovuakporie
ALLEGED moves to impeach the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, by Reps perceived to be loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan may have hit a brick wall.
Sunday Vanguard, at the weekend, gathered that meetings being held by the various interest groups in the House were geared at backing Tambuwal and not to remove him from office.
Members of the House, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, were unanimous in declaring that it is virtually impossible to impeach the Speaker.
Rep Ahmed Datti, the Deputy Minority Whip, CPC, said, “Impeachment moves or rumours merely exist on newspaper pages, not in the House.
”In the first place, they cannot get one third talkless of two third to get him impeached. “
*Tambuwal
The Kano Rep went on: “This is not a state assembly like Rivers State where you just impeach people.
”They are just doing whatever they are up to because they know that if they don’t, executive bills will suffer on the floor of the House.
”It is not feasible for such a thing to happen in the 7th Assembly, it is just a rumour.
Chairman, House Committee on Corruption and Ethics, Hon Abiodun Faleke,APC, who spoke in similar vein, simply said: “They cannot achieve it through normal process, but with the PDP, where 16 is greater than 19 and where five members were used to impeach a governor, anything can happen, but not on the floor of the House.”
Hon Nkem-Abonta, PDP, representing Abia State, who also spoke to Sunday Vanguard, said”, Nobody can impeach Tambuwal and moves to impeach Mr President too are not feasible in the 7th Assembly.
“Tambuwal has not committed any offence to warrant such a move in the first place.
”What we are interested in is how to move Nigeria forward, not impeachment moves that would do no one any good at this moment.
”Tambuwal carries everybody along. He never left anybody behind and he has the rare leadership quality of identifying the 359 members of this House by his first name and even our various constituencies.
”We have done very well in this 7th Assembly; nobody can stop that for now and we shall continue to build on that foundation. “
Spokesman for the House, Hon Zakari Mohammed, PDP, representing Baruten/Kaiama Federal Constituency, Kwara State, dismissed impeachment moves against Tambuwal.
His words: “No one is in doubt about Tambuwal’s sterling leadership qualities in this 7th Assembly as you do not need a soothsayer to tell you that he has achieved and piloted the social contract we all signed with Nigerians selflessly.
”No one among the 359 members in this Assembly doubts his leadership prowess.
”All we want is to move this country forward and put smiles on the faces of Nigerians so that democracy can have a human face in this clime. “ House Committee Chairman on Interparliamentary Affairs, Hon Daniel Reyenieju, PDP, had this to say:
”You cannot rule out the current reality on ground over power tussle in the House, but we do not believe it could degenerate to that level.
”Tambuwal enjoys tremendous support from members generally and impeachment is not the best option for now. Instead, we should remain united so that we can move this country forward.
”Our number one mission is to see how we can deliver dividends of democracy and make Nigerians feel the effect of it. ”Bills on the floor should be passed irrespective of who brought it to the House because what should be uppermost in our minds is the stability of this great country.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that in a bid to have a smooth plenary as soon as the House resumed, Tambuwal and other principal officers constituted a seven-man committee to mediate between members of the mainstream PDP and the `New PDP’, also known as nPDP..

Revenue Shortfall: Fresh crisis brews between Jonathan and govs on September 29, 2013 at 1:09 am in Headlines
*Allegations of manipulation of economy against Finance Minister
By Soni Daniel

Feelers from some state governors at the weekend suggest that unless President Goodluck Jonathan issues an urgent directive to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to release funds due to the 36 states, the President risks further isolation from this group of elected public officers.

State governors, according to Sunday Vanguard investigations, are angry with the Federal Government over the non-remittance of their three months’ allocations in full by the Finance Ministry.

Although all the governors in the country are not pleased with this financial situation, only seven of them, who are with the breakaway faction of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, have openly cried out, saying their governments are experiencing financial incapacitation.
However, PDP governors still loyal to Jonathan and the Bamanga Tukur-led faction have opted to “suffer in silence” over the withheld funds, believing that the situation would be addressed with the urgency it deserves.
Sunday Vanguard was made to understand that they have also chosen to tolerate the situation so as not to be seen as disloyal to the President and the party.
A northern governor, whose state has virtually been grounded as a result of inadequate funds to meet the obligations of his administration, confirmed that most “of us are quite upset over the financial distress imposed on us by the Federal Government.”

The governor, who is one of the staunchest supporters of Jonathan and who insisted on speaking in confidence, said: “If urgent steps were not taken by the Presidency to put an end to the emerging financial crisis in the states, more governors would be forced to distance themselves from Aso Rock Villa and the Finance Minister.

“We are afraid that if the current situation, which we believe is artificially created so as to punish some states and their governors is not stopped, many governors would be left with no option than to seek redress.

“It is difficult for the Finance Minister to convince us that after generating N1.05 trillion in July this year, a figure that was well over the projection by government for the month, states could not be paid their full allocations for the month.

“As we speak, we have not been paid for August and September while our people are anxiously looking up to us as governors to give them dividends of democracy through provision of life-changing projects.

“In almost all the states, the salaries and emoluments of civil and public servants have not been paid while contractors are on edge waiting to do battle with the governors.

“If we may ask, where has all the money gone since Okonjo-Iweala keeps insisting that the economy is robust and kicking?”.

Another governor from the South, who narrated the situation in his state to Sunday Vanguard, noted that he would have to stay away from his state for as long as the Federation Allocations were withheld so as not to run into trouble with contractors.

The governor said, “The financial position is so bad that I have to avoid going to my office daily because contractors are waiting for me. I have no genuine excuse to give since they won’t believe that for the past three months we have not been given our full remittances by the centre.
“This is what we have been exposed to by the Federal Government even with increased revenue confirmed by the Central Bank of Nigeria accruing to the purse of the government.

“Nigerians should be more vigilant by asking the Finance Minister where our money is being kept. Let them tell Nigerians what happened to the balance of the N1.05 trillion that accrued to Nigeria after N792billion was shared to states for July.

“We have made the point that it is either they are hiding our money for 2015 elections or they are deliberately manipulating the economy to give Nigerians the impression that all is well when the nation is broke.”

But, last Thursday, the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Samuel Otorm, insisted that the nation’s economy was very sound and making progress on all fronts.

The minister asked Nigerians to ignore those in the ‘New PDP’, who allege that something is wrong with the economy but carefully avoided saying why monthly allocations had not been remitted in full to states by the Federal Government.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, and the Police Service Commission to redeploy the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, in order to avert an indefinite workers’ strike.
The NLC and TUC, on Friday, issued the ultimatum at a joint press briefing they organised to address the dispersing of 13,000 teachers at the Port Harcourt Liberation Stadium and the continued blockade of Obio/Akpor council secretariat.
Speaking during the event that held in Port Harcourt, the State NLC Chairman, Dr. Chris Oruge, explained that apart from the call for Mbu’s redeployment, the organised labour in the state was demanding an unreserved apology from the IGP and the state police commissioner for dispersing the teachers who came to collect their letters of posting.
Oruge said, “It will be recalled that Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu has continued to lock Obio/Akpor Local Government Council Secretariat despite a subsisting court order that the police should vacate the Obio/Akpor Local Government premises and allow the workers unrestricted access to their workplace.
“The organised labour views the action of the commissioner of police as a direct challenge to a competent order of the court and an invitation to organised labour anarchy in Rivers State.
“To this end, organised labour hereby gives 21 days ultimatum to the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission to address the issues raised above expeditiously. In the alternative, the organised labour will embark on an indefinite strike action.”
Also, the State TUC Chairman, Mr. Chika Onuegbu, expressed worry that Obio/Akpor council workers had not receive their May, June, July and August salaries due to the continued closure of the secretariat by the police.

Edo High Court judge kidnapped on September 27, 2013 at 8:10 am in News
By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE
BENIN — Justice Daniel Okungbowa of the Edo State High Court has been kidnapped.
This incident happened less than three weeks after the release of a human rights activist and lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhomhe, SAN, by his abductors.
Justice Okungbowa was reportedly kidnapped in Benin City, the state capital, while his whereabouts remain unknown at press time.
Meanwhie, the Benin branch of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, led by its Chairman, Mr. Oriame Akene led lawyers to protest to the Edo State Police Command office and the Department of Security Service, DSS, where they demanded for the release of the abducted judge unhurt.
The lawyers described the Judge’s kidnap as one too many and appealed to the security agencies to do something about it.
When contacted, Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, denied that the judge was kidnapped, noting that it was merely a case of missing person.
Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Eguavoen, who responded to the lawyers demand, said that the police was working hard to ensure that the judge was released unhurt.
It will be recalled that recently, the wife, daughter and driver of Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court were kidnapped in Benin, Edo State.
The gunmen reportedly waylaid the woman, her daughter and their driver at gunpoint as they were driving to Benin, in preparation for Justice Vivour daughter’s wedding.
It was learnt that that Mrs. Rhodes-Vivour and her daughter were kept in a house in Upper Sakpoba area of Benin City from where the suspects were arrested.

Pastor, two kids killed as Boko Haram Islamists open fire in churchon September 26, 2013 at 5:32 pm in News
KANO (AFP) – Suspected Boko Haram Islamists on Thursday opened fire in a church in Nigeria’s restive northeast, killing the pastor and his two children before setting fire to the building and fleeing, the military said.
Boko Haram, which has said it is fighting to create an Islamic state in mainly Muslim northern Nigeria, has repeatedly attacked churches in its four-year insurgency.
“Unknown gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists attacked” the church in Yobe state early on Thursday, area military spokesman Eli Lazarus said in a statement.
“During the attack, a pastor and his two children were killed,” he said.
The church “and two other houses in the community were burnt by the gunmen before fleeing the scene of the incident,” the statement further said.
The killings occurred in the town of Dorawa, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the site of a brutal school attack in July that saw dozens of students slaughtered.
Yobe was one of three northeastern states placed under a state of emergency in mid-May as the military launched a major offensive aimed at crushing Boko Haram.
Yobe has seen less violence than neighbouring Borno state, Boko Haram’s base, but the insurgents have carried out major attacks there.
Attacks on churches, including suicide bombings, were once a near weekly occurence but have declined in recent months.
Since the emergency measures were imposed Boko Haram has largely targeted civilians as well as vigilante groups which have formed to help the military.
The latest violence came after the emergence of a new video, in which a man who resembles Boko Haram’s leader mocked reports of his possible death.
Abubakar Shekau, declared a global terrorist by the United States, taunted the regional military spokesman who said he “may have been” fatally wounded in a clash on June 30.
While Shekau’s whereabouts and condition are unknown, the violence has continued, casting doubt on the success of the four-month-old military offensive.
The Boko Haram conflict was earlier this year estimated to have killed more than 3,600 people, including deaths caused by the security forces. The current toll is likely much higher.

The telephone call came in the middle of the night, rousing me rudely from a deep and exciting sleep. I had slept very early the previous day having had a very exhausting afternoon. As a routine, I had ensured that my mobile phones were put in the silent mode. But on the fateful night, I had forgotten to change the tone. So, when the stringent Nokia tune broke the eerie silence of the night, I cursed under my breath. As I fumbled around in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria-induced darkness, I had wondered who could be calling at that ungodly hour. In my drowsy state, I answered the call. Then, I recognised the voice at the other end to be that of a neighbour. He frantically told me he had been arrested by the police for wandering while returning from work.
According to him, he was standing with other commuters at a bus stop when a police patrol truck screeched to halt in front of the bus station. They were standing in an endless wait for a bus. In a flash, gun-totting policemen alighted and ordered them at gun point to enter the back of the truck. Inside, he met other victims of the brutality that has come to define the Nigerian Police. He said that out of fright, some of them attempted to flee. But the police threatened to shoot them. They were all taken to the police station amid pleas of innocence. I had known the young man for over a year. I know him to be a struggling young man who worked as an unskilled hand in a Chinese factory around town. I knew he kept late nights due to the nature of his job. He also worked shifts. This makes him arrive home at odd hours. When the call came, I did not doubt the veracity of his story.
According to him, at the time of their arrest, the policemen also made several arrests along the way. Then, they drove to a secluded area where they stopped their vehicle. Then, they went into a round of negotiation with the suspects. They told those who had money to bail themselves. Those who could afford their charges were quickly left off the hook. One guy with an expensive wrist watch was said to have traded it for his freedom. But other unlucky victims like my neighbour who had only their transport fares were driven, like condemned criminals, to the cell. There, the officers encouraged them to call their relatives. The other option was to be clamped into the dingy cell where they would spend the night until they are bailed the next morning.
By the time he hung up the phone, I had become fully awake and disturbed. Knowing the antecedents of the Nigerian Police, I was worried that the boy could either be shot as an ‘’escapee’’ armed robber or framed up on trumped up charges. Just like many unlucky Nigerians, he might also end up being charged for a crime he knew nothing about and clamped in jail or awaiting trial. I was also upset at this gross violation of an innocent citizen’s right- a clear case of police brutality. The police are known for indiscriminate arrests of people under a so-called wandering law which has been abolished. But some unscrupulous officers in Lagos still engage in the illegal act. This random arrest is widely known as ‘’roger”. They often carry out the arrest in low income areas. Their targets are poor and defenceless citizens who have neither the financial nor social connections to defend their rights. This action, which has been condemned by Nigerians, amounts to the breach of people’s freedom of movement.
That said, I instantly made a decision to go to the police station in spite of the risk involved. First, because it was too late in the day and the fear of being brutalised by renegade officers was real. However, I thought that was the least I could do for this humble and hardworking young man. I roused another neighbour and we both went to the police station together. The scene I met at the station was shocking. Scores of unclad young men and women sat on bare floor speaking frantically on the phone. They were calling their families so as to avoid being hurled into the cell. Another shocker: I overheard policemen offering to help those arrested to buy call cards so they could contact their relatives! One policeman, who seemed to be the one coordinating the show of shame, bellowed at a young man who had all the while been protesting his innocence: “You, this stupid boy, you think na only you fit speak grammar, abi? You go sleep for cell today, mosquito go finish you. Stay there dey blow grammar make you no call your people. You go die for cell”! I observed a young woman making brisk business selling call cards at the gate. Even at that time of the night!
The station was a beehive of activities. As I made my way among the throng of men and women sitting on bare ground even outside the large compound, I spotted a patrol truck screech to a dusty halt at the entrance of the main building. A number of policemen alighted, cigarettes dangled between their lips, and their guns facing the sky. They looked like drunken pirates. Another set of ‘’suspects’’, both young and old were pushed down from the vehicle and forced to join those waiting at the counter. I soon located my neighbour who was visibly relieved having caught sight of me. I told him to calm down as I was determined to push my luck with those brigands called policemen in Lagos who are constantly breaching the fundamental human rights of poor residents. I approached the Investigating Police Officer and asked to see the Divisional Police Officer.
He demanded that I identify myself. I declined, insisting I would only identify myself to the DPO. He became alarmed and went to consult with the Commander of the Patrol that had arrested my neighbour. In Lagos, bravado and self-confidence if properly used with the police could work in your favour. I was told the DPO was not available. I disclosed to them that my neighbour, who was coming back from work, was arrested in error and demanded his release so he could go back home with me. I insisted he’d be released without any charges or I would wait till the DPO returns. The police officer in charge hesitated for a while. He did not know what to make of the situation. He was not sure how connected I was. I thought I saw hesitation in his eyes! Did they panic knowing they could have had the wrong man? Since they could not explain why the young man was arrested. I stuck to my guns and demanded his release.
The officer later backed down
He told me to identify the “suspect” among the lot. I insisted he was not a suspect as he had done nothing wrong. He was released to me without bail even as I observed money exchanging hands between families of those arrested illegally. It was shocking to see these glaring abuses of people’s rights which have become a norm at various police stations across Lagos.
Why would police officers on patrol arrest residents at will even when they have identified themselves as law abiding citizens? How does returning from work constitute an offence of wandering? Why do the police physically abuse innocent people, kicking and slapping them as I observed in the police station that night? My neighbour told me the officers refused to show their identification cards. One drunken officer even threatened to shoot if they continued the protest. I walked away from the station feeling a sense of anger.
With friends like the police, who needs an enemy?

President Goodluck Jonathan
The Presidency has initiated fence-mending with the National Assembly, particularly the House of Representatives, in a bid to improve on the strained relations between the two sides.
The Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, made a dramatic appearance at the House of Representatives to discuss with some lawmakers.
Findings indicated that Gulak’s mission was to meet with the Speaker, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, and some principal officers over the legislature-executive face-off.
However,The PUNCHlearnt that Gulak did not meet Tambuwal, who was not in the office at the time he arrived.
But, he met and discussed with selected lawmakers, spending about 15 minutes with each of them.
One of the members he visited was Mr. Aminu Jonathan from Plateau State.
Gulak visited the legislature barely one week after Jonathan sacked his Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Mrs. Joy Emodi.
The sacking came on the heels of the visit of of the National Chairman of the New Peoples Democratic Party and seven governors in the faction to the National Assembly.
At the House, the visit was disrupted by lawmakers in the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP , who opposed Tambuwal’s decision to receive the group.
There were speculated moves by the Presidency to move against Tambuwal following the visit. The Presidency was alleged to have paid $25,000 to lawmakers in the Tukur-led PDP to impeach the speaker.
About the same time, the House suspended its plenary to embark on “full and comprehensive oversight on the implementation of the 2013 budget.”
Investigations showed that the outcome of the oversight tour of capital project sites could result in “Jonathan bashing” by the lawmakers.
A source close to both arms of the government said, “The Presidency will not be comfortable with any issues that may further heat up the polity. There is an urgent need to work on the relations between the two arms of government.
“Gulak must have come to the National Assembly to see how they can improve on their relations.”
He added that the Presidency would also pay a similar visit to the Senate which also played host to the Baraje- ledNew PDPteam. He however declined to state when the visit would be.
A surprised Gulak was ambushed by reporters shortly after exiting the office of one of the House of Representatives members he visited.
At first, he tried to parry questions by claiming that he visited to chat with some of his friends.
However, when he was reminded that he had not visited the House in the last two years, Gulak admitted that he came to “discuss the process of moving the country forward.”
Asked whether the Presidency paid some lawmakers to impeach Tambuwal, Gulak said Jonathan had never contemplated removing the speaker.
He described the matter as “figment of people’s imagination.”
Gulak added, “The purpose of my visit is part of the processes of trying to meet our friends, discuss with them and move the country forward.
“We intended to meet the speaker but unfortunately he is not around. My visit today(Wednesday) is part of moves to cement the relationship between the Legislature and Executive which is normal.
“You know Mr. President will never support destabilising the National Assembly. You will agree with me that this President we have will never support any move to destabilise the National Assembly.
“The National Assembly is a pillar of this administration that stabilises the polity.
“Destabilising it will not be good for the country and Mr. President is aware of that and he has taken that upon himself not to destabilise or support anything that will destabilise the National Assembly.”
Reacting specifically to the $25,000 bribery allegation, he said, “That is not true; it can never be true
“You know Mr. President is a different President; please and please, and I plead with you to see him as who he is.
“He says what he means and means what he says. Since he became President, he is the only one whose tenure has not been involved in the so- called banana peels in the National Assembly.
“He supports the stabilisation of the National Assembly. All these stories are figments of people’s imagination, especially those who believe that they ought to be in the lead in this country and not part of the present leadership.”
On the factional crisis rocking the PDP, Gulak claimed that the PDP was intact.But he pointed out that some people did not want to follow the rule of law and the Nigerian constitution.
The presidential aide added, “There is nothing likeNew PDP;I always say that there is no political crisis in Nigeria. What we are witnessing is mad pursuit of unrealisable ambition by few people who are blinded by ambition; who cannot see anything good in their own country; and have refused to know that this country is governed by law.”

Police disperse gathering of newly recruited teachers in Rivers on September 26, 2013 at 1:00 am in News
By EGUFE YAFUGBORHI
PORT HARCOURT — A gathering of 13,000 newly recruited teachers, convened by their employer, the Rivers State Government, for collection of letters of posting was, yesterday, dispersed by the Police in the state alleging that it was yet another sponsored move to stage a protest against President Goodluck Jonathan in the state.
The teachers, who were streaming into the Liberation Stadium at Elekahia, in Port Harcourt, as early as 7.30am, yesterday, on the orders of the state Education Ministry, were reportedly dispersed with tear-gas canisters thrown by the policemen, who rushed in and ordered them to leave immediately.
One of the teachers said: “Some of us got here very early, hoping to finally collect our appointment letters and close what has been a tedious and suspense filled recruitment exercise. But the police came and ordered us to leave immediately, saying that our gathering had political undertone.”
The armed policemen who arrived in 11 patrol vans and two other vehicles, took over the area, threatening to deal ruthlessly with anyone, among the teachers who was defiant of the evacuation order after allegedly dispersing the crowd with tear-gas canisters.
In a statement, the Felix Obuah-led Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State also claimed that “Wednesday’s gathering of the 13,000 teachers at the stadium was a ploy by Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s administration to use frustrated youths as protesters on the streets of Port Harcourt against President Jonathan.”
Reacting to the development, Richard Ofuru, Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Education, which summoned the teachers, said: “It was simply an administrative matter. We didn’t think it was necessary to inform the police.
“Remember, during the interview session in the recruitment process, this stadium was also used because of the number of applicants involved. We did not inform the police then and we did not have any problem.”
In his reaction, Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Government, Mr. Tony Okocha, said: “It is crass display of naked power. The government and people of Rivers State now live under the siege of the police force. You are aware Rivers State recently engaged 13,000 teachers for its primary and secondary schools and they were invited to collect their posting letters today at the stadium and Mbu Joseph deployed his men to despise them on suspicion that they were to demonstrate against the President.”
Efforts to get the newly appointed Rivers Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Muhammad, to comment on the situation were fruitless as he did not respond to repeated phone calls.

Police halt youths’ inspection of Amaechi’s projectson September 24, 2013 at 1:00 am in News
By EGUFE YAFUGBORHI
PORT HARCOURT — THE Police in Rivers State have halted moves by youths in the state to tour projects being executed by Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s administration in various parts of the state.
The planned projects inspection by predominantly students gathering, numbering over 500, was being facilitated by the Rotary Club in collaboration with the Rivers State Government, yesterday, when policemen stormed the state university venue, where they had converged for the tour.
*Mbu-Amaechi
The tour by the youths is coming after the state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had warned youths planning a protest against President Goodluck Jonathan in the state to desist from same.
The police had assumed that the youths, who were reportedly on a retreat by Rotary International, District 9140, were being mobilised by the Rivers State Government for a protest rally against President Jonathan, who the governor had on Thursday again criticised for failure to speedily complete the East-West Road project.
One of the youths, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Vanguard said that Governor Amaechi, while addressing them on Thursday on the issue of leadership, had promised to take them on an inspection tour of some projects embarked on by his administration.
He said the luxury buses provided to take them from their meeting point to the Government House, Port Harcourt had just arrived when 10 police patrol vans stormed the campus and barred them from leaving their hostels.
He said: “When the organisers of the retreat (Rotary Club) insisted on the motive for the obstruction, the policemen claimed that intelligence reports revealed that they were going on a protest match against President Jonathan.
“The policemen, who prevented us from leaving the campus for over one hour said the state Commissioner of Police instructed that none of the Rotarians and students should be allowed to leave the campus until he ascertained that the movement was not sinister and would not lead to a breakdown of law and order.”
The Police, it was further learnt, asked the organisers of the retreat to write an undertaking that they were not carrying out any demonstration over the strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
Contacted for her reaction, the Rivers Police Public Relation Officer, Mrs. Angela Agabe, said that she was handing over to her successor and could not respond to the issue.

The Dajjal will appear somewhere between Iran and Syria [ 12 ]and will travel the whole world preaching his falsehood, but will be unable to enter Mecca or Medina. [ 7 ] Isa (Jesus) will return and the Dajjal will gather an army of 70,000 people, of those he has deceived and lead them in a war against jesus who shall be accompanied by an army of the righteous.
Differing views
Sunni beliefs
Sunni Muslims believe that Isa (Latinized as Jesus) will descend on Mount Afeeq, on the white Eastern Minaret of Damascus. He will descend from the heavens with his hands resting on the shoulders of two angels. [ 13 ]His cheeks will be flat and his hair straight. When he lowers his head it will seem as if water is flowing from his hair, when he raises his head, it will appear as though his hair is beaded with silvery pearls. [ 14 ]He will descend during Fajr(morning prayer) and the leader of the Muslims will address him thus, "O' Prophet of God, lead the prayer." Isa will decline with the words, "The virtue of this nation that follows Islam is that they lead each other." Implying that he will pray behind the imam(the man that leads the prayings) as the word of God was completed after revelation of Qur'an and Muhammad being the last prophet of God. [ 14 ]
After the prayer, Isa will prepare himself to do battle and shall take up a sword. An army shall return from a campaign launched before the arrival of Isa. Isa shall set out in pursuit of Dajjal. All those who embraced the evil of Dajjal shall perish even as the breath of Isa touches them. The breath of Isa shall precede him as far as the eye can see. Dajjal will be captured at Lod. Dajjal shall begin to melt, as salt dissolves in water. The spear of Isa shall plunge into Dajjal’s chest, ending his dreaded reign. [ 15 ] [ 16 ]The followers of Dajjal will be rooted out, for even the trees and rocks will speak out against them. Isa will break the cross and kill the pig (the animal). Then all battles shall cease and the world will know an age of peace. The rule of Isa will be just and all shall flock to him to enter the folds of the one true religion, Islam.
Shīa beliefs
Some Shiasbelieve that Dajjal will be killed by Muhammad al-Mahdi. [ 17 ] [ 18 ] ↑Jump back a section
Ahmadiyya beliefs
The Ahmadiyyateachings interpret the prophecies regarding the appearance of theDajjal(Anti-Christ) and Gog and Magogin Islamic eschatology as foretelling the emergence of two branches or aspects of the same turmoil and trial that was to be faced by Islam in the latter days and that both emerged from Christianityor Christian nations. Its Dajjal aspect relates to deception and perversion of religious belief while its aspect to do with disturbance in the realm of politics and the shattering of world peace has been called Gog and Magog. Thus Ahmadis consider the widespread Christian missionary activity that was 'aggressively' active in the 18th and 19th centuries as being part of the prophesied Dajjal (Antichrist) and Gog and Magog emerging in modern times. The emergence of the Soviet Union and the USA as superpowers and the conflict between the two nations (i.e., the rivalry between communismand capitalism) are seen as having occurred in accordance with certain prophecies regarding Gog and Magog. [ 19 ]Thus, Ahmadis believe that prophecies and sayings about the Antichrist are not to be interpreted literally. They have deeper meanings. Masih ad-Dajjal is then a name given to latter day Christianity and the west. [ 20 ]
Mirza Ghulam Ahmad writes extensively about dajjal in his bookEssence of Islam, therein he states:
"The Holy Qur’an then specifies that in the latter days the Christians will dominate the earth, and they shall be the cause of all kinds of mischief running rampant. Waves of calamities will rise on all sides and will race down from every height….They will possess great material strength and dominion, against which all other powers and states will seem powerless. They will also enjoy supremacy in all kinds of knowledge and sciences and establish new and wonderful industries. They will also be dominant in their policies, projects, and good administration, and will show great resolve in their worldly enterprises and will also excel in their endeavour to spread their faith. They will leave behind all other nations in their social, agricultural and commercial policies, as indeed in everything else."Essence of IslamVolume 3, page 283 [ 21 ]
Thus essentially the,Dajjalis not believed to be a physical person or an individual as mentioned in the hadith but as representing a collectivity of people who would pose a great challenge to Islam, it is essentially, a name given to the European nationsof the latter days. The purpose of Jesus coming means that a man from among Muslims shall appear who will establish the truth of Islam to the world as against western scientific and philosophical ideals. Thus Ahmadis believe the founder of the movement Mirza Ghulam Ahmadto have fulfilled this who by representing Islam in its pristine form. As such they believe that the 'Gate of Lud' mentioned in certain Hadithrefers to Ludgatewhere St Paulis thought to have preached the perverted message of Christianityaccording to the Sonnini Manuscriptof the Acts of the Apostles. [ 22 ]

DAJJAL -ANTICHRIST
Al-Masih ad-Dajjal( Arabic:المسيح الدجّال‎Al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl, Arabic for "the false messiah", is an evil figure in Islamic eschatology. [ 1 ]He is to appear pretending to be Masih(i.e. the Messiah) at a time in the future, beforeYawm al-Qiyamah(Day of Resurrection), directly comparable to the figures of the Antichristand Armilusin Christianand Jewish eschatology.
Name
Dajjālis an adjective of Syriac origin. [ 2 ]It is also a common Arabic word (دجال) with the meaning "deceiving" or "the Placebo" or "impostor"Al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl, with the definite article al-("the", refers to "the deceiving Messiah", a specific end-of times deceiver. TheDajjālis a human being, called a living devil or incarnate Iblis. According to hadith, Muhammadsaid:
... he will issue forth from Isfahan and from a town of Isfahan that is called Rastaqabad. [ 3 ]
According to a tradition, Alisaid:
... his name will be Safi the son of Said. [ 4 ] [ 5 ] ↑Jump back a section
Hadith
According to hadith, Muhammadis said to have prophesied that the Masih ad-Dajjal would be the last of a series of thirtyDajjalor "deceivers" (false prophets). [ 6 ]
*.Muhammad is reported to have said:
... Allah is not one eyed while the false Messiah, Ad-Dajjal is blind in the right eye and his eye looks like a bulging out grape. [ 7 ]
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: Allah's Apostle said. "While I was sleeping, I saw myself (in a dream) performing Tawafaround the Ka'ba. Behold, I saw a reddish-white man with lank hair, and water was dropping from his head. I asked, "Who is this?' They replied, 'The son of Mary.' Then I turned my face to see another man with a huge body, red complexion and curly hair and blind in one eye. His eye looked like a protruding out grape. They said (to me), he is Ad-Dajjal." The Prophet added, "The man he resembled most is Ibn Qatan, a man from the tribe of Khuza'a." [ 8 ]
Narrated Ibn Umar: Once Allah's Apostle stood amongst the people, glorified and praised Allah as He deserved. Then, mentioning Dajjal, he said, "I warn you against him (i.e. the Dajjal) and there was no prophetbut warned his nation against him. No doubt, Noahwarned his nation against him but I tell you about him something of which no prophet told his nation before me. You should know that he is one-eyed, and Allah is not one-eyed." [ 9 ]
*.Imam Aliwas reported to have said:
His right eye will be punctured, and his left eye would be raised to his forehead and will be sparkling like a star. Only the believers will be able to read the word‘Kafir’[disbeliever], inscribed in bold letters, on his forehead. There will be big mountains of smoke at both front and backsides of his caravan. People will anticipate food within those mountains, during the severe famine. All rivers, falling in his way, will become dry and he will call upon people in aloud voice, "O my friends come to me! I am your lord who has made your limbs and given you sustenance. [ 10 ]
*. Anas b. Malikreported that Allah's Messenger said: There is never a prophet who has not warned the Ummahof that one-eyed liar; behold he is one-eyed and your Lord is not one-eyed. On his forehead are the letters k. f. r.(Kafir). [ 11 ]
Signs of his coming
Hadithattributed to Muhammad give many signs of the appearance of theDajjal, and exhorted his followers to recite the first and last ten verses of Sura Al-Kahf, as protection from the trials and mischief of theDajjal. [ 10 ] [ 11 ]
The following signs are ascribed to Ali in the coming of Dajjal: [ 10 ]
*.People will stop offering the prayers
*.Dishonesty will be the way of life
*.Falsehood will become a virtue
*.People will mortgage their faith for worldly gain
*. Usuryand briberywill become legitimate
*.Imbeciles would rule over the wise
*.Blood of innocents would be shed
*.Pride will be taken on acts of oppression
*.The rulers will be corrupt
*.The scholars will be hypocrites
*.There will be acute famine at the time
*.There will be no shame amongst people
*.Many people would worship Satan
*.There would be no respect for elderly people

Hmm

I don't trust my wife