₦airaland Forum

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed how God saved his life and 11 others from an helicopter crash and also gave him victory at the just concluded February 23 presidential and National Assembly election.

The VP, who made this known while giving testimony during the March special Holy Ghost Service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, at Redemption Camp, Kilometer 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Friday revealed how the prayers of the church’s General Overseer Pastor E.A Adeboye made him survived crash without a scratch.

Osinbajo who is also the Pastor in charge of Lagos Province 48 said he went to the office of the G.O after the RCCG February Holy Ghost night and the G.O asked God for a very special protection for him and later that day the crash occurred.

According to him, “ during the last Holy Ghost night, I was here, I came quite late and after the Holy Ghost night, after the service I went to see daddy (Adeboye) in the office, and he said he was going to pray for me.

“My wife and I were there and we knelt down for the prayer and he prayed. He said Father I want You to give my son very special protection and he prayed and he prayed it again about this special protection and I was beginning to get worried about why daddy was praying about special protection.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/how-god-saved-me-from-helicopter-crash.html

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Uche Secondus, on Friday said no fewer than 50 people died during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.

He stated that no fewer than nine people were killed in a local government in Rivers State alone, adding that those killed during the elections remained martyrs of democracy.


He accused the All Progressives Congress and Muhammadu Buhari presidency of using security operatives to wreck havoc on innocent Nigerians and the electorate and engaging in anti-democratic behaviours.

Speaking in Abuja during a media conference, tagged, ‘Body bag election,’ he stated

that the party would continue to expose what he called ‘the brigandage of last Saturday’s elections.’

He said, “For a regime that appears comfortable with blood, the deaths they recorded during their campaigns were not enough as after their contrived ballot box victory and stolen mandate, they still hired some hoodlums and sent them to the streets to go and kill themselves and

further inconvenience the grieving Nigerians while celebrating their electoral robbery.

He added, “The clear effect of militarising the election, particularly in the South-South and South-East in addition to the killing of the innocent electorate was the obvious suppression of voters who were either scared out or chased away.”

Secondus said that even by the record of the Independent National Electoral Commission, voter turnout in last Saturday’s election fell to about 36 per cent from 44 per cent it was in 2015.

He, however said there was larger turnout of the electorate in comparison to that of 2015.


He said the PDP had taken a decision to challenge the declaration of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission in court. He said the party had enough evidence to prove its case.

“We will go to court. Nobody will stop us from going to court and bring all of the facts both the international observers and some people have not seen. We will unearth them at the courts and I believe that justice will be done at the courts.”

He urged PDP members and supporters across the country not to despair but to remain steadfast and focused, adding that they shall triumph at the end. He said democracy had come to stay in Nigeria.


He said, “I also wish to reiterate to our security agencies particularly the Army that they are not at war with any section of her citizens and they must try to be professional in their duties by staying away from election matters as directed by the Supreme Court of the land.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/50-people-died-during-presidentialnass.html

National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Uche Achi-Okpaga, has said that the apex Igbo organisation has no regret on its stand against the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking on the president’s victory at the just concluded presidential poll, Achi-Okpaga, told VINCET KALU, that the organisation doesn’t owe anybody apology over its position, and that if another opportunity comes, it will still do the same as the president doesn’t place premium on the Igbo.

Is Ohanaeze disappointed over the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in last Saturday’s poll?

I want to come form a different angle. We have done what we needed to do as Nigerians; the rest is left for God and humanity.The election has come and gone, and what follows are the intricacies of the politicians. It is left for them to accept or reject the outcome of the election as usual. In 2015, former President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated the winner, Buhari, but this time around, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has already rejected the result, and that one is no longer the business of Ohanaeze.

Our business was to take a stand and galvanise our people on the way to follow, and we have done that, and we exercised our mandate. So, it is left for the politicians and Nigerians to do their business.

Is Ohanaeze satisfied with the votes the Igbo gave the Atiku-Obi ticket?

In politics, everybody cannot be on the same line, otherwise it won’t be politics; there will always be divergent views and majority will always carry the day. That was what transpired in the South East, where the voting was very transparent, but elsewhere particularly in the North, you cannot say the same.

We never expected 100 per cent of Ndigbo would follow our directives on where to vote. Even in a family, the husband may disagree with the wife, and the children with their parents; it is a natural thing, but the important thing is that in all the South East states, our views were adhered to and people followed us as reflected in the votes.

We have our people who are in government as ministers, we have governors who were not in agreement with us and we have others who would want to do what they could in order to retain their positions and would want to dissent from our understanding. These people have followers who would go according to their instructions. The overall aggregation of votes tells you that the Igbo heard us and identified with us.

How will you relate with Buhari in the next four years when you openly worked against his re-election?

We don’t have any regrets whatsoever and we don’t owe anybody any apology. If we have another opportunity as Ohanaeze, we will still do what we have done. This government doesn’t place any premium on Ndigbo, so we did what we have to and dammed the consequences; we are sure that even if Buhari rules for eight years, he has no place for us, so why are we deceiving ourselves.

He is a very practical person, he doesn’t have pretenses, and there is no choreography in his action. He has told you that he has no place for the people that gave him five per cent votes, and it has continued to be so in his appointments, in his statements, in his actions and his body language. Do you want the man to kill himself before you know what he has in mind or does he have to use razor blade to open his heart for you to see it? He has continued to show it at any given time, and at any slightest opportunity he will display his action and what he has in mind. So what else do we do?

We are not regretting the action we have taken and if you start it afresh tomorrow, we will do the same; we are not regretting it.

But this time around, there is no question of five per cent, as he scored 25 per cent or more in some South East states, don’t you think that he will give the Igbo a better treatment?

We don’t give a damn. With the man we already knew, there is no shaking. I just pity Igbo who think that the man will turn back and look at them. It is not possible to learn how to use the left hand at old age.

Did the coming together of Ohanaeze, Afenifere, PANDEF and Middle Belt Forum based on restructuring and support for Atiku yield dividends?

Yes, as reflected in the voting pattern.

You don’t need to be told, Nigerians are down and dejected; they have been pushed to the wall.

We started this issue of restructuring in Ohanaeze as a way out of the myriad of problems facing the country. Nigerians are downtrodden.

We own this country together and we are beginning to see Nigeria as George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where some animals have become more superior to others.

If we carryout the restructuring we are clamouring for, the North will have an advantage more than the South because of their vast land mass and their agricultural inclination. Unfortunately, they refuse to see that when you restructure, it is to their own advantage.

If we don’t restructure the country, it will continue to be like a stationery machine – all motion and no movement. It is power all the time; who has the power, who doesn’t have the power and who wants to take the power, while the economy is nosediving on daily basis.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/presidential-poll-no-regret-working.html

The Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero (KSUSTA), chapter, has concluded arrangement to resume the suspend strikes until its pending issues are addressed by the state government.

A press statement issued by its Chairman, Dr. Ibrahim Garba Wawata, shortly after the ASUU/KSUSTA meeting held at the institution’s premise, said following the suspension of the nationwide strike by the parent body, the KSUSTA branch has decided to continue its localise strike, pending the outcome of its agreement with the state government.

He recalled that on April 1, last year, the memorandum of action was signed between the union and the government, but not action had been taken to implement the agreement; hence the decision to resumed the suspend strikes until their pending issues are addressed by the state government. Wawata lamented the way and manner the government abandoned the institution, adding: “They are playing politics with institution.

I don’t know how the future of our new generation will be like if the government will continue like this.” He said tat the negotiation committee, headed by the commissioner for Higher Education, who is a former university vice chancellor, and the union resolved that government had agreed to look into their request, but nothing has been done.

He explained that the union outlined some issues categorised into four majors segments, such as staff welfare, implementation and payment of promotion arrears, implementation of annual increments and payment of arrears, earned academic allowances, research and development, school infrastructure and funding by the state government. Wawata admonished the government to look into the recent mass illegal recruitment by the management, adding that due process was not followed.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/kebbi-varsity-ASUU-to-resume-strike.html

The Nigeria Police has apprehended three masterminds behind an attack on Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Kola Okunola in Twon-Brass, Bayelsa State, on Sunday, February 24.

According to a statement by its spokesman, ACP Frank Mba, the prime suspect (Hon Israel Sunny Gioli ) was arrested in “his hideout somewhere in Abuja” on Friday.

Two others arrested in connection with the incident include Tamarapreye Victor and Azi Newton; both men aged 34.

ACP Mba noted in his statement that Hon Israel Sunny Gioli is a candidate of one of the major political parties in the House of Representatives Elections in Brass Constituency, Bayelsa State.

Mba added that Gioli’s arrest was in line with a directive by the acting Inspector General of Police, AG. IGP Mohammed Adamu, for the “immediate arrest, comprehensive investigation and diligent prosecution of all persons involved in the incident on Sunday”.

The police spokesman informed that efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang involved in the “unwholesome” attack on the officer.

The police urged members of the public to conduct themselves in the most appropriate manner, even as the nation goes into the Governorship/House of Assembly Elections slated for Saturday, March 9.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/03/police-arrest-3-masterminds-behind.html

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has maintained its majority in the Senate with 60 senators going by the results of the National Assembly poll so far released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

From the results released so far by the INEC, the APC has 60 senatorial seats while the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has so far produced 35 senators. The Young Peoples Party (YPP) won one seat to make up 96 senatorial seats whose results were announced so far by the electoral body.


With 60 seats won by APC candidates at last Saturday’s National Assembly election, the ruling APC is set to maintain dominance in the Ninth Senate. The number will give the APC numerical strength in the Red Chamber. It will also enjoy a simple majority. It will, however, not afford the APC the luxury of a two-third majority in the upper chamber

There are 109 seats in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. They are made up of three senators from each of the 36 states. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has one slot.

Out of this figure, a total of 38 senators made up of 22 APC and 16 PDP lawmakers were re-elected to be part of the 9th National Assembly to be inaugurated in June.

It is expected that the next crop of federal legislators with most of them being first timers and youths will try and put the interest of the nation first in their legislative duties rather than standing up to the executive.

With this development, the relationship between the executive and the legislature is expected to be cordial compared to the cat and mouse relationship between the eighth National Assembly that is winding down and the presidency.

This much was alluded to by Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, who envisaged a robust executive-legislation relationship with the outcome of the February 23 National Assembly poll aimed at ending the bickering between the two arms of government.

Lawan, who stated this while speaking with journalists on Monday in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, said the new APC victory in the two chambers would be people-friendly.

Lawan who defeated Sheriff Abdullahi of the PDP to retain his Yobe South seat regretted that the National Assembly in the last four years, had not been cooperative with the laudable programmes and projects of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC administration.

“This time around, the APC will have at least two-third majority and in control of the Senate and House of Representatives with legislators who are patriotic and willing to identify with the programmes of the president.

“This time, it will not be the kind of National Assembly that will betray the trust of Nigerians; the National Assembly will support Mr. President to meet the needs of Nigerians ” he assured

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/apc-retains-majority-seats-in-senate.html

There was a mild drama Monday at the Collation Centre for Imo West Senatorial District in Orlu, Orlu Council Area of Imo State, when the Collation Officer, Prof. Ibeawuchi Francis from the Federal University of Owerri (FUTO), hid the original result sheet after declaring the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha as the Senator-elect.

Ibeawuchi who stopped the declaration of the result halfway on Sunday night after announcing the result for nine Local Government Areas, out of which Okorocha won eight LGAs, said that he left the original result sheet at the INEC office in Owerri and instead wrote the result on a rumpled sheet of paper.

But the party agents insisted that he produced the original result sheet, resulting in several hours of argument until security operatives intervened and pleaded with the party agents to exercise patience and confirm from the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Francis Ezeonu to ascertain the claim of the Collation Officer.

When called on phone by one of the senior Police officers, the REC said that the result sheet was in the possession of the Collation Officer and ordered him to produce it.

Shortly after the call, the Collation Officer, produced the Original result sheet and entered the figures before announcing the result a second time.

Governor Okorocha polled a total number of 97762 votes to defeat his closest rival, Jones Onyereri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 63117 votes.

Addressing journalists shortly after announcing the results, the Collation Officer, who looked sober, debunked the news trending on the social media that his daughter was kidnapped to force him to announce the result.

He said, “I have announced the result, APC had the highest vote so the Governor, His Excellency Rochas Okorocha of the APC has been declared winner”. I was not forced to announce the result and no member of my family was kidnapped, I am not aware of any such report”.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/imo-west-collation-officer-denies.html

The Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari has swept 85% of votes cast in the state with his closest opponent, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party trailing behind with just 9% of the votes.

Announcing the results at the INEC Headqaurters in Damaturu, Prof Abubakar Musa Gundiri, Vice Chancellor Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State who is the state Returning Officer for the Presidential Election said President Buhari of the APC pulled a total of APC 497, 914 of 586, 137 total votes cast as against his PDP opponent Atiku Abubakar who scored 50,763 representing 85 and 8.6 respectively.

Prof. Gundiri informed that Yobe has a total of 1, 365,913 registered voters. Out of the figure, he said 601,059 voters were accredited for the election.

He also announced that a total of votes were validated for the election 559,365, just as 26,772 votes were rejected.

Below is the breakdown of the results from local government between APC and PDP:

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS FOR YOBE STATE 2019

1. Bursari APC 22,253 PDP 2,555

2. Jakusko APC 34,424 PDP 3,390

3. Gulani APC 22,858 PDP 2,612

4. Bade APC 42,485 PDP 3,295

5. Nguru APC 36,433 PDP 5,352

6. Yunusari APC 23,837 PDP 939

7. Potiskum APC 62,101 PDP 4,331


8. Fune APC 43,948 PDP 5,707

9. Yusufari APC 22,157 PDP 3,567

10. Fika APC 42,488 PDP , 5522

11. Geidam APC 16,338 PDP 613

12. Tarmuwa APC 12,122 PDP 1,269

13. Damaturu APC 35,772 PDP 2,099

14. Machina APC 14,619 PDP 2,315

15. Karasuwa APC 22,377 PDP 3,692

16. Gujba APC 12,227 PDP 325

17. Nangere APC 31475 PDP 3180

More at https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/buhari-wins-yobe-with-85-votes.html

Former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, has appealed to candidates in Saturday’s elections to accept the outcomes in high spirits whether they are announced winners or not as winners and losers alike played significant roles by their participation.

Ribadu who addressed newsmen in his Yola home on Sunday, said all participants in Saturday’s elections played significant roles in the electoral process and that they should take solace in the fact that they must have learnt lessons for their good in the future even if they lose the their elections this time.

Ribadu who worked as the director in charge of field operations in President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election campaign, said, “This is election. It’s democracy. There will be winners and there will be losers, but the true winner is Nigeria, our country, because we are better off as a result of this. Those who win should react with humility.

“Those who have not made it should understand that, yes, they have played their own role in democracy. They should be proud of their part in democracy. They have played their significant part to where we are today.

“They should accept what they get, more so because life does not end with one election. A lot of lessons are learnt even in defeat and can easily be a step forward.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/nobody-really-loses-be-proud-of-your.html

Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso failed to hold his local council of Madobi in Kano for Atiku Abubakar, candidate of his Peoples Democratic Party as it fell to the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Muhammadu Buhari.

Kwankwaso, who was also a former governor only succeeded in winning his polling unit, where Atiku scored 278 votes and Buhari 215.

But overall, the APC won the council with 26,110 votes almost double the 13,113 votes for Atiku.

The INEC collation officer for the presidential election in the local government, Sani Umar, said the local government has 84,067 registered voters with 40,764 accredited voters.

The collation officer for the National Assembly elections, Mansur Bindaw, also announced the Senate result, in which the APC scored 22,731 while the PDP got 15,913.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/kwankwaso-fails-to-save-atiku-in-home-lg.html

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has said that the total number of consumers with prepaid meters in the country increased marginally to 1.67million customers in the fourth quarter of 2018 (Q4’18), up by barely one percent from 1.65million in Q3’18.

The Bureau disclosed this in its release on Thursday entitled, “Power Sector Report: Energy Generated and Sent Out and Consumed and Load Allocation (Q4 2018)”. The report stated that Abuja Disco has the highest number of customers metered, closely followed by Benin Disco and Eko Disco, while Yola Disco recorded the least total number of customers metered.

Meanwhile, NBS says the power generation statistics for Q4’18 showed that a total average of 68,625 Megawatts per hour ( MWh), of energy was generated daily by thermal power stations, while hydro power stations generated an average of 27,913 MWh of energy within the same period.

“Thermal stations generated a peak of 80,856 MWh on December 20, 2018, while the hydro stations attained a peak of 32,681 MWh on October 21, 2018.

“However, the lowest daily energy generation of 44,367 MWh was attained by thermal stations on October 29,2018 while the lowest daily energy generation of 21,457 MWh was attained by hydro stations on December 21, 2018,” the report stated.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/consumers-with-prepaid-meters-hit-167m.html

A contingent of more than 500 Chadian troops entered Nigeria yesterday to “lend a hand” to the Nigerian army in its efforts to tackle the Boko Haram jihadist group, a Chadian army spokesman told AFP.

The soldiers, part of a regional force comprised troops from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, will be deployed on Saturday, the day Nigerians will vote in presidential and parliamentary elections.

President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking re-election, vowed on the same day that voters will be able to vote, despite a week-long postponement and renewed violence.


The election campaign has coincided with fresh violence in the north, blamed on both criminal gangs and Boko Haram jihadists.

Yesterday, four people were killed and seven more reported missing in an attack attributed to Boko Haram jihadists on a small settlement in southeast Niger Republic, a local official there said.

Five more killings attributed to Boko Haram were reported in Chad the previous day.

More than 200 people have died since the start of this month alone.

In 2015 Buhari was elected on a promise to put an end to the Boko Haram threat.

The conflict between Boko Haram and the Nigerian army has claimed more than 27,000 lives since 2009 and more than 1.7 million people are still unable to return to their homes.

And the problem has spread across to the other countries in the Lake Chad region.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/500-chadian-soldiers-enter-nigeria-to.html

Prince Adeniyi Adesanya, a consultant to the Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun has lost his in an auto-crash along on Friday, February 22, 2019.

A special aide to the governor, Mr Rotimi Durojaiye, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

He said the consultant was riding along with Secretary to the Ogun State Government (SSG), Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, when their vehicle skidded off the road into the bush.

Mr Rotimi noted that while Adeoluwa and his driver escaped with minor injuries, Adesanya lost his life.

According to the governor’s aide, the trio were returning from Lagos to Abeokuta on an official assignment when the accident occurred at Ita Osu, near Siun on the Sagamu/Abeokuta expressway at about 4.30pm.

“They were riding in a black Hilux truck belonging to the SSG when the accident occurred. The vehicle skidded off the road and landed in a bush from where good Samaritans rushed to rescue them.
“Adeoluwa and his driver have been treated and discharged from the hospital.
A delegation of the government has visited the family of Adesanya to commiserate with the family.
“The government prays for the repose of the soul of Adesanya,” Rotimi’s statement read in parts.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/consultant-to-ogun-governor-dies-ssg.html

Three Nigerian films, Lionheart, King of Boys and Up North, are selected for showcase at the 2019 edition of ‘Nollywood in Hollywood’ slated to hold on March 22 and 23 in Hollywood California, USA.

The event is organized by O2A Media, Inc. in partnership with the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California and The American Cinemateque, operators of the historic Egyptian Theater.

According to the organisers, the two-day event will begin with a red carpet and a screening at the prestigious American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre and at the World’s Premiere Film Education Institution of USC.

As a testament to the growing feat of Nigerian women in the film industry, women directed the selected films, all produced in 2018.

The event’s director of operations, Maceo Willis, reportedly said:“That’s simply amazing, in Hollywood, we struggle with diversity and inclusion.

“These powerful female voices from Nigeria are showing Hollywood how it’s done.

“We believe these remarkable films will be great representatives of Nollywood.”

‘Lionheart’,a directorial debut of Nollywood’s top actress, Genevieve Nnaji,is a Nigerian drama film produced by Chinny Onwugbenu, starring Pete Edochie, Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh and other Nollywood icons.

It premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival in Ontario, Canada, and was acquired and released worldwide by Netflix on January 4, making it the first Netflix original film produced in Nigeria.

Lionheart is a story of Adaeze, a young lady who steps up to the challenge when her father, Ernest Obiagu, is forced to take a step back from his company due to health issues.

‘King of Boys’, directed by Kemi Adetiba, follows the story of Alhaja Eniola Salami, a businesswoman and philanthropist with a checkered past and a promising political future.

As her political ambitions see her outgrowing the underworld connections responsible for her considerable wealth, she was drawn into a power struggle that threatens everything she holds dear.

‘Up North’ is written by Naz Onuzo and Bunmi Ajakaiye,directed by Tope Oshin Ogun and produced by Anakle Films and Inkblot productions.

Shot in Lagos and Bauchi, the film follows the tale of a young rebellious heir whose National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year does not go according to plan, as he is sent Up North to Bauchi State.

The film explores love, friendship, family politics and the tourism value of Northern Nigeria.

NAN reports that ‘Nollywood in Hollywood,’ now in its second edition, is an initiative of Ose Oyamendan, Nigerian-American filmmaker, to showcase some of Nigeria’s best films on global stage.

The event is designed to introduce Nigerian cinema to Hollywood, bridge the gap between the two film industries and create a platform for collaborations and trainings.

The inaugural edition which held in 2018, featured the screenings of acclaimed Nollywood films ‘Isoken’, ‘93 Days’ and ‘The Bridge.’

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/3-nollywood-films-selected-for.html

Sen. Magnus Abe has said he will approach the Supreme Court for a final resolution of the party’s legal problems in presenting governorship and state Assembly candidates for the elections.

Abe spoke while reacting to the striking out of his application by the Appeal court in Port Harcourt.

He said that he would do what he could to get judgment from the Supreme Court before the governorship and State Assembly elections on March 9.

“We have approached the Court of Appeal to help resolve the logjam arising out of the current situation in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers. As you will recollect, there is a voided indirect primaries that was conducted here in the state, which has been declared void up to Supreme Court.

” There was a direct primary that was conducted by the state chapter of the party which the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refused to accept because of the party’s insistence on sticking by the illegal conduct of the primaries.

“So we had approached the Federal High Court for a resolution of that matter and today we were before the Appeal Court for a review of the decision of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal surprisingly refused to go into the merits of the case, holding that the case was covered by the decision of the Supreme Court in respect of the earlier case against the conduct of the indirect primaries.

“We believe that is not the sum of the judgment of the Supreme Court and so in consultation with our lawyers, we have asked them to approach the Supreme Court for a final resolution of that matter.

“Unfortunately, we are now fighting hard because time is fast running out for the legal options that are available to us. So we will do what we can to get the Supreme Court consider the matter before the rest of the elections are held here in the state,” he said.

Abe said that the crisis in the party does not affect the presidential election.

“We just addressed some of our youths, non-indigenes, some major stakeholders and our objective is to see that there is effective mobilisation of people to come out on Saturday to vote for the President, despite some challenges that we have faced internally in the party.

“We are working on that and we are getting positive responses from Rivers people and we believe that they will come out en-masse to vote for the president,” the senator stated.

Abe also stated that the Mr President’s order to the security agents to deal with those who want to disrupt the election and snatch ballot boxes was a very re-assuring statement for the safety of the country’s democracy and the safety of all Nigerians as they go out to vote during the general elections.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/rivers-apc-returns-to-supreme-court.html

The poor remittance levels of the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) in Nigeria’s privatised power market may have defeated the aim of the N701 billion bailout by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the power generation companies and gas suppliers, Akelicious has learnt.

Following the declaration last week by the federal government through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Mr. Louis Edozein, that the government might soon discontinue its payment of financial shortfalls to the Gencos, Akelicious gathered from the market records from the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) that the intentions of the bailout scheme may not be met after all.


From the analysis of the market records obtained Thursday in Abuja, the original intentions of the bailout funds was to support the Gencos to continue to produce electricity for at least two years when the Discos would be able to pay substantially for power sold to them.

However, there are strong indications that this objective may not be achieved because the Discos remit an average of 25.5 per cent monthly to the NBET for power sold to them as against 80 per cent remittance target by the end of 2018.

The development, it was learnt, means that the 80 per cent Discos remittance level the NBET anticipated at the end of the disbursement of the N701 billion in December 2018 would not be feasible.

The inability of the Discos to hit the 80 per cent remittance target in 2018 will also potentially weaken the capacity of NBET to repay the N701 billion in 10 years.

The NBET obtained the N701 billion facility from the CBN in 2017 to guarantee payments for electricity generated and supplied by power generation companies (Gencos).

The bailout was intended to bridge the payment shortfalls to Gencos and gas suppliers, and ultimately sustain electricity supply to Nigerians.

It was expected that at the end of the disbursement of the bailout between January 2017 and December 2018, the monthly remittances of the Discos for power supplied to them would have come up to 80 per cent.
But the market remittances indicated that on the average the Discos paid 25.5 per cent monthly, thus jeopardising the intention of the bailout.

At the time the NBET obtained the bailout for disbursement, it agreed to pay it back to the CBN within 10 years.
By the terms of the bailout, Discos would continue to remit an average of 25 per cent of its invoice to NBET throughout 2017, and thereafter gradually increase it over the course of 2018 to possibly 80 per cent.
But a data from NBET showed that in October 2018, the average energy received by Discos was 3,004.31 megawatts (MW), amounting to N47.609 billion but which the Discos paid NBET N11.575 billion, representing 24.31 per cent of the invoice for the month.

It also indicated that an average of 2,819.27MW was sold to the Discos in September and they paid NBET N12.51 billion for an invoice worth N43.32 billion which represents 28.88 per cent. In August, it was an average of 2,954.54MW for which the Discos paid NBET N10.287 billion for their invoice worth N46.28 billion which represents 22.23 per cent.

Further the average energy received by Discos in July was 2,892.08MW, for which the NBET received N13.47 billion for an invoices of N48.16 billion it sent to them and which represented 28 per cent remittance.
Again, in June, it was N12.52 billion paid for an average of 2,820.42MW of power sold to the Discos and which was worth N44.04 billion, thus representing a remittance level of 28.45 per cent.

For the months of May; April; March; February and January 2018, the market record stated that the average power supplied to the Discos was 2,986.84MW; 3,258.09MW; 3275.13MW; 3225.22MW; and 2,445.06MW, worth N45.94 billion; N47 billion; N48.03 billion; N44.44 billion; and 44.85 billion respectively, out of which they paid to NBET N14 billion or 26.44 per cent; N12.37 billion or 26.31 per cent; N12.21 billion or 25.43 per cent; N11.38 billion or 25.62 per cent; and N6.08 billion or 13.58 per cent.

Gencos through their association – the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), told THISDAY that irrespective of the situation, they would still demand full payment from the NBET for power supplied to it.
The APGC Executive Secretary, Dr. Joy Ogaji, stated in this regards that the Gencos have existing power purchase agreements with the NBET, which entitle them to full payment for power sold to it, and in which case, they would always make requests for full payments.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/fgs-n701bn-bailout-in-jeopardy-as.html

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that card readers would shut down automatically by 10 pm on the day of elections.

Yakubu said in Abuja at a briefing on the progress made by the commission following the postponement of the general elections.

“They (the card readers) are configured to specific polling units and only open for use at 8 am on the Election Day.

“They will automatically shut down by 10 pm in order to forestall any illegal use of the card readers.’’

Yakubu explained that the card readers were introduced in 2015 to facilitate the accreditation of the electorate using the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).

He said the card readers have been reconfigured to the new date of February 23, to make them impossible to be used for ulterior motives.

The INEC boss reminded the audience at the briefing that he had hinted at the success recorded so far in the reconfiguration process.

He said: “Yesterday (Tuesday), I reported 95 per cent completion of the configuration. I am pleased to report that we have now achieved 100 per cent completion of the configuration. We are good to go on this call.”

Yakubu noted that the electoral body has made good progress on logistics, a major reason that led to the postponement of the elections.

He disclosed that the deployment of materials to all states across the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had been completed.

The INEC chairman added that 10 states had already begun the movement of the materials to the local governments while other states would do so and conclude on Thursday.

The states highlighted by Yakubu are Adamawa, Anambra, Benue, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Taraba.

The presidential and National Assembly elections have been rescheduled to take place on Saturday while the governorship and State House of Assembly would hold on March 9.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/card-readers-will-shut-down-inec.html

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, has hinted on the possible prosecution of the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his “body bag” threat against foreigners who interfere with Nigeria’s elections.


Falana stated that El-Rufai would be prosecuted at the expiration of his tenure as governor.

Speaking at the secretariat of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, during a memorial event in honour of Beko Ransome-Kuti, on Tuesday, the activist lawyer also urged the international communities to impose a visa ban on El-rufai.


The activist lawyer also disclosed that the governor’s remark was a prove that the general elections would be a do-or-die affair.

He said: “Last week, Mr. Nasiru El Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State threatened that foreign election observers and monitors who interfere in the 2019 general elections would return to their countries in body bags because nobody will come to Nigeria and tell us how to run out country.

“The threat to attack and kill foreign election observers in Nigeria constitutes an infraction of the Electoral Act, 2010 and the Penal Code but because Governor El Rufai currently enjoys immunity his trial and prosecution for the offence will have to await the end of his tenure.


“The western countries that have threatened to place travel restrictions on members of the ruling class who incite violence or interfere in the electoral process should not hesitate to make an example of the governor without any further delay.

“The Special Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court who has also warned against any form of electoral violence in the country is urged to hold Governor El Rufai responsible if foreign observers and monitors are killed during the 2019 general election.

“Notwithstanding the recklessness of the threat to attack foreign election observers, Governor El Rufai’s has confirmed that the 2019 general election is going to be a do or die affair (apologies to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo) for the leading factions of the ruling class.


“Since leading politicians have recruited and armed thugs the general elections will be characterised by violence in many parts of the country. Even if some of the thugs are arrested and are arraigned in the courts, the various attorneys-general would file nolle prosequi to terminate the criminal cases as the managers of the neocolonial state cannot afford to prosecute their armed agents.

“Therefore, since the children of the sponsors of violence are in expensive schools at home and abroad we urge the masses of our people not to allow their own children to be used as cannon fodders during the battle for the control of political power and economic resources of the country by the ruling class.

“It is indubitably clear that both APC and PDP are resolutely committed to the status quo which permits the manipulation of election results.


“Hence, both parties have rejected the reform of the electoral system. But it is high time democratic forces mounted sufficient pressure on the political class to implement the recommendations of the electoral reform panels.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/nigeria-elections-el-rufai-to-be.html

Chief Kingsley Moghalu, presidential candidate of the Young People’s Party (YPP), says the endorsement of a particular candidate by Ohaneze Ndi Igbo is in vain.

Moghalu disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Wednesday in Awka.

The President General of the Igbo Socio-cultural group, John Nwodo, endorsed the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

Nwodo said Atiku’s endorsement was for the sake of Peter Obi. However, the endorsement raised a lot of controversy within and outside the group.

Days after Atiku’s endorsement, the Secretary-General of the same group, Uche Okwukwu, endorsed the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking during the interview, Moghalu insisted that the group or its leaders had to power to influence the voting pattern of the Igbos.

He said youths in South East are now wise to know who to vote for and not for Ohaneze to compel them on what to do.

“We in the South East now know that our elders in Ohaneze have been economical with the truth, they tell us what they want us to believe for reasons best known to them.

“This time around the youth in the region have decided to vote for candidates that appeal to them in terms of development plans for the country,” he said.

Moghalu said he has done much for Nigerians to deserve their votes in Feb. 23, poll.

“I did so much for the country while serving as the deputy governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“I introduced POS services; the ATM card was also my initiative as well as Bank Verification Number (BVN) for identification of accounts.

“I did all these to make the economy vibrant, it is also my contribution towards making ease of doing business possible.

“If given the chance, I will do more for the country to enable it join the league of developed countries where youths will be proud to stay and earn their living,” he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/ohaneze-deceiving-buhari-atiku-cant.html

The vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, yesterday, resumed his campaigns in major markets across Anambra State with a passionate appeal to traders to be part of the rescue mission for Nigeria.

Obi urged the traders to come out en masse on Saturday and use their voters’ card to effect change in leadership of the country by voting massively for the PDP candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Besides visiting markets, Obi visited major markets in Onitsha; Electronics Market, Ogbo Afere, Relief Market and Ogbaru Main Market.

He explained to the people the imperatives of Atiku’s presidency as what Nigeria needs now to get the country working again, urging them to support the move and also get their family members and associates to be part of the move to throw away the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their bad governance.

Lamenting the level of decay in the country in terms of infrastructure, absence of employment for the youth, lawlessness and recklessness in high places, mounting foreign and local debt, biting tax regime, incompetence, among others, Obi warned that any further tolerance of the present state of affairs would see the country collapse.

Taking note of the countless number of generators in one of the markets, Obi asked rhetorically: “How long will our economy be one powered by generators?”

He promised that Atiku, having come out with detailed work plan, would place the country on track again to continue her truncated democratic and economic development.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/rescue-nigeria-peter-obi-to-traders-in.html

After the tongue lashing by virtually all segments of the public for last Saturday’s last minute postponement of the presidential and National Assembly election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday began the public confidence rebuilding process, telling Nigerians that it is now ready to hold the poll rescheduled for Saturday nationwide.

Its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, in his first progress report told the media in Abuja that the hitches that caused the poll shift have been cleared and that the fresh time-lines for the conduct of the election are now being met.

Specifically, he said the commission has achieved 98 per cent reconfiguration of its smart card readers, saying it is a significant milestone towards the conduct of the election and assured that the remaining two per cent would be completed today.

Responding to media reports that a couple of its senior officials are being quizzed by the Department of State Security (DSS), raising fears that the commission’s work might be hampered, Yakubu denied the reports and said no director or national commissioner of the commission has been arrested by the DSS.

However, Akelicious’s checks revealed that six senior staff members of the commission, including Professor Okechukwu Ibeano, Mr. Festus Okoye, Mr. Osaze Uzi and others, were invited by DSS for a chat.

But Yakubu stated: “No commissioner of the commission was picked up by any security agency; no house of any commissioner of INEC was raided; no any commissioner of INEC has been picked up by security agencies. The particular commissioner you are referring to that was mentioned in the social media is as we speak, in his office in the commission. Similarly, no six directors were picked up by any security agencies.”

The chairman revealed that by 4p.m. on Monday, all issues relating to the delivery of the materials were identified and virtually addressed.

According to him, “Last Saturday, the commission, after extensive review of our preparedness for the 2019 general election, decided that it was necessary to reschedule the elections by one week.

‘’As I explained to stakeholders, we were constrained to shift the polls due to severe challenges and lapses we experienced with arrival and distribution of sensitive materials, as well as the fires that gutted some of our offices in quick succession, destroying several election materials.”

He said INEC had identified six areas covering three broad areas like deployment of materials, movement of personnel and reconfiguration of smart card readers.

Yakubu said: “Let me, therefore, present to you the level of implementation so far achieved as follows; by 4p.m. yesterday, all issues relating to the delivery of the materials were identified and virtually addressed. Ballot papers, result sheets and a host of non-sensitive materials are now in location across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Our state offices commenced the process of inviting stakeholders to the Central Bank of Nigeria to examine the retrieved materials deployed last week and to witness the batching of materials according to local government areas. This is on-going at the moment and is expected to be completed today, Tuesday 19, February 2019.

“The movement of materials to LGAs for batching according to wards and polling units shall take place on Wednesday, 20 and Thursday, 21 February 2019.

“All Registration Area Centres (RACs) are to be activated by 9a.m. on Friday, February 22, 2019. Personnel and materials should be at the RACs by mid-day on Friday, February 22, 2019.

“Refresher training for ad hoc personnel should take place at the RACs on Friday, February 22, 2019. Personnel and materials must arrive at the Polling Units latest 7a.m. on Saturday 23, February 2019. Opening of polls nationwide will take place at 8a.m. on Saturday, February 23, 2019.”

Explaining further on the rationale for a week long postponement of the polls, the INEC Chairman said; “You would recall that in my address to stakeholders, I mentioned that we intended to reschedule the elections for just 24 hours to enable us to deliver the final batch of sensitive materials for the elections.

‘’However, our ICT team notified us that it would require more time to reconfigure the Smart Card Readers in time for the elections. Let me explain why. The Smart Card Readers (SCRs) are configured to only open for use at 8a.m. on Election Day, and to automatically shut down by 10p.m.

‘’This is designed to forestall any illegal use of the SCRs before the appointed time of elections. There are roughly 180,000 SCRs to be deployed for the elections and the ICT team said that they would require 5-6 days to complete the configuration.

‘’I am glad to say that as at today, about 98 per cent of the SCRs have been reconfigured and we are confident that by tomorrow all would be ready, which is a day earlier than scheduled. ”

The INEC chairman also stated that campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections shall now end at midnight on Thursday, February 21, 2019, while campaigns for the governorship, state assembly and FCT Area Council elections shall end at midnight Thursday, March 7, 2019.

He explained that preparations for governorship, state assembly and FCT Area Council elections are well underway, saying already, the sensitive materials for the elections have started arriving at various locations for onward movement to various CBN branches across the country.

Yakubu further stated: “Indeed, some of these materials arriving through our airports have been erroneously construed by some people as materials for the elections holding this weekend. I want to reassure you all that all materials for the rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections next Saturday are already in the states ready for deployment to LGAs, Ward and Polling Units.

‘’We have learnt a lesson from the preparations for the elections holding this weekend. For this reason, we shall start the movement of materials for the next elections early to ensure that nothing disrupts our process.

“While we fully understand the disappointment and even anger that followed that rescheduling of the elections on February 16, I wish to appeal to stakeholders to be more dispassionate and circumspect in their comments in order not to overheat the polity.

‘’The commission is focusing on the elections to be held on February 23 and 9th March 2019 to ensure that they are free, fair and credible. We urge all Nigerians to participate fully in the elections, notwithstanding the disappointment caused by the rescheduling of dates.”

He said the commission would continue to speak to Nigerians daily to let them know the extent of readiness of the commission.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/we-are-now-ready-for-election-says-inec.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NDYnuhcAok

Please ladies stop killing innocent soul. This is just outrageous and big murder. This set of triplet were found in dustbin during environmental sanitation. Please ladies and guys if you're not ready to be a mother or father stop wasting your semen, stop having unprotected sex please.

More photos at https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/photos-set-of-triplet-found-in-dustbin.html

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged Nigerians yet to pick their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to enable them vote during the 2019 General Elections

Deputy Director, Voter Education Department, INEC, Lakunuya Dorothy-Bello, made the call in Abuja during a rally to sensitise market women and general public on participation and peaceful elections.

The rally entitled: “the 2000-Strong National Women, Youth and Persons with Disability Walk for Peace and Massive Turnout ahead of 2019 General Elections’’ was held in Wuse Market and Gwagwalada.


The rally was organised by Preventing Election Violence and Education for Inclusion in Nigeria in collaboration with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES), Embassy of Germany in Nigeria, INEC, Nigeria Women Trust Fund, Joint National Association of People Leaving with Disability and Market Women.

The INEC official assured the participants that their votes would count and that they should go out en-masse to acquire their PVCs.


“Go out and pick up your PVC if you have registered but have not picked it up.

“They are ready now, go out and pick your PVC because without PVC you cannot vote and I want to assure you that your votes will count,” she said.

The National Woman Leader of the National Association of Nigerian Traders, Ruth Agbo, also called on the women and traders not to sell their votes but rather use their PVC to vote right.

Agbo said: “this rally is to sensitise the market people to use their power which is the PVC.

“And, we are changing the narrative, we are creating the awareness to make people know that PVC is our power; we must vote right, we must not sell our votes.

“Because if you do, you sell the future of our children and your own future and we cannot sell our votes for a bag of rice or cubes of seasonings.


“So, we want to do it right at this time and we also want to vote in a peaceful atmosphere,” Agbo said.

According to her, it is not about going there to fight, it is about casting your vote, monitoring your vote ensuring that your vote counts and voting right.

She said that was the essence of the rally, “and it is a walk for peace and massive turn out for the election process.”

She said the idea behind having the people living with disability at the rally was that “there is ability in disability that they are disabled does not mean that they cannot cast their votes.”

“They have their rights in the society, and we recognise them as such and that they are also part of us, there is no segregation or putting them aside and that is why we are all doing this together,” she added.

The Governance Advisor , ECES, Mr Dominique Weerts, said, “We are urging all the women not only those in this market but around the country to go out en-masse and vote for the coming elections this month and next month.

“We are insisting that all the people have to go out and vote because it is their right for this 2019. Election Day should be the happy day not a violence day .

“It is the right of every Nigerians to vote and they should Shun all manner of violence,” he said

The Project Advisor Gender and Inclusion, ECES, Cathy Latiwa, said ECES was European project for electoral support, preventing electoral violence and focusing on electoral education for inclusion in Nigeria.

“It is a project founded by Germany funded by EU and Germany and we are promoting inclusive democracy

“One of the thing we have to implement towards the 2019 election is that we are calling Nigerians to come out massive, get their PVC and vote peacefully.” (NAN)

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/inec-urges-nigerians-to-pick-up-pvcs_4.html

The presidential candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar yesterday asked Nigerians to Vote against President Muhammad Buhari if they desired a bright future, promising youths 70 percent cabinet appointment.

Abubakar, the country’s former Vice President, said the call became necessary because of the hardship the Buhari administration had brought to the country.


He made the promise at a presidential rally in Benin City, noting that during its 16 years in power, the PDP was able to bring in GSM into the country, pulled the country out of foreign external debts and other dividends of democracy.

He said, “What the present administration of APC has been able to do since it took over power more than three years ago is to bring hunger and hardship to the people.”

He, therefore, urged “to vote out Buhari. He must go so that better life will return to our country,” thereby asking Nigerians “to vote out APC because they are the problems of this country and vote for PDP.” He, also, warned that the federal government under the All Progressives Congress (APC) had perfected plans to rig the election through the internally displaced persons (IPDs).

Abubakar asked the people to resist the antics of the APC by not allowing them to rig the election, adding that allowing such means the people will have their future destroyed.

“I always tell Nigerians that I am a bridge between my generation and their generation. That is why I said 70 percent of my government will constitute the youths.

“This means we have to prepare you to take over leadership of the country and have jobs. Whatever you want to do, we will let you succeed”, he declared.

Also at the rally, the National Chairman of PDP, Chief Uche Secondus explained that the party was convinced that the people of Edo State “have come in their numbers and by your mandate on February 16, you will vote for Atiku.”

Secondus urged the people of Edo “to vote all the PDP candidates vying for the National Assembly positions. When Atiku comes, he will rescue Nigerians from hunger because we believe he has the capacity to govern.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/2019-presidency-atiku-urges-youths-to.html

OKEY EZEH GOVERNORSHIP CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION

PRESS RELEASE

SUBJECT: CHIEF IFEANYI ARARAUME HAS NO AGENDA FOR IMO PEOPLE

- THE MAN IS ONLY ON A MISSION TO DISTRACT OKEY EZEH

It is worrisome beyond words, perplexing beyond imagination that Chief Ifeanyi Araraume for the fourth time as a governorship daydreamer in Imo State has not managed to come up with even a paragraph of manifesto, however badly written. It is further disturbing that, just this time, all that the Isiebu-born career politician has said he wants to achieve is to recover Imo from Chief Rochas Okorocha.

What is even more shocking is not really that the man thinks memories have faded away and that Imo people have forgotten how he personally handed the State over to Chief Okorocha in 2015 for a mess of porridge, but that he feels he is in any way better than Chief Okorocha. Whatever tendencies that have defiled Chief Okorocha are also abundantly found in Araraume. The difference between the duo is just in their colors, unless perhaps there is also any difference between six and half a dozen.

And because this election is about a paradigmatic departure from career politicians who can offer nothing but can loot everything, who see state power as means of production, who build personal islands of affluence in a sea of collective affliction, and whose moral compass answers to the grammar of greed, Chief Araraume, of course the culprit-in-chief in all these, has no place in the consideration of Imo people. This is what he has to realize.
However, the man, it seems clear, has not realized this. Instead, he still goes about fouling up the media spaces and hiring completely uneducated hack writers to scribble pigswill against Sir Okey Ezeh, a man of immense competence and uncompromising integrity who incontrovertibly has become the only credible option available to the Imo electorate at the polls. In a very miserable piece by one Diamond Agu, Araraume fruitlessly belabored whoever that could endure to read the miasma with a narrative that: "Okey Ezeh intends to transform Imo State to look like Turkey and Singapore which he has predicated on internal (sic) generated revenue more so by heavy taxation on property owners and the rich."
The above is an eloquent testimony that Chief Araraume knows just nothing about the economy of Imo State. This explains why he has not come up with any economic blueprint for almost two decades that he has in all vehemence and fury unsuccessfully angled for the coveted office.
The fact is that Imo is not currently a viable entity. This verdict is premised on the ratio of Imo’s internally generated revenues (IGR) to her allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). In 2018, the State’s receipts from FAAC stood at N85 billion as against her IGR of N6.8 billion, showing a ratio of 8.1 percent of IGR to FAAC allocations. Another indicator which reveals more vividly the sorry state of the entity called Imo is the ratio of total expenditure to IGR. Every month, Imo generates internally an average of N450 million but spends an average of N4.6 billion. The difference shows you the extent of our bankruptcy, of our unviability and of our ruination.
Again, when you look at the breakdown of the expenditure profile of Imo State, about N2bn is personnel cost, and between N2.5bn and N2.8bn covers monthly overheads. When you look at that, it’s frightening.
The first surgical operation that Sir Okey Ezeh intends to carry out will be to attack the overheads. Over-bloated overheads can be curtailed in 30 days. Flying private jets, 1st class tickets, luxury guesthouses, lengthy convoys, too many idle appointees and inflated projects can be shoved aside in days and our books balanced in 90 days. When the bleeding taking place through over-bloated overheads and unverified personnel costs is stopped, there will be enhanced revenues, and proper accounting of Imo's true IGR figures will yield nothing less than N1.2bn monthly.
Sir Okey Ezeh is a financial management pundit and Imo is in dire need of his technocratic intervention to midwife the rebirth yearned for. Chief Araraume and his hirelings should confine themselves to their forest of demons where gnashing of teeth abound in perpetuity for the oppressors of the people.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/02/imo-2019-ifeanyi-araraume-has-no-agenda.html

The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has called on Nigerians to vote out “this anti-democratic” government and restore Nigeria to the path of true democracy.

This, according to him, is the surest way to ensure progress and prosperity for Nigerians.

Atiku, who spoke at the Yar ‘Adua Centre, Abuja, said the country is passing through a difficult moment and that how Nigerians react to this challenge in the following days will determine the fate of the nation’s democracy.

He described the crisis as needless, but which portends great peril to the system.

Atiku blamed the government for unwilling to subject its conducts to the requirements of the constitution.

He said, “Meanwhile, I commend all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who have expressed outrage over the unlawful removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, an action, which constitutes a flagrant breach of our constitution and a frontal assault on our democracy.

“I want to note the universal condemnation of this unlawful act by all Nigerians, as well as the international community. I need to state that this latest action by General Muhammadu Buhari falls squarely within the pattern of executive lawlessness that has now been firmly turned into statecraft by the APC government.

“The serial disregard of court orders and consequent violation of constitutionally guaranteed human rights of our citizens confirms beyond all doubt that General Buhari and his government would rather obey their own whims and operate by separate rules outside the well-established constitutional order and the rule of law.

“It scarcely requires emphasis that this behaviour is alien to democratic rule and more in line with that of a military dictator.”

While admitting that the fight against corruption is crucial to good governance, and progress the country, stressing however that the issue of corruption as it relates to the institution of the judiciary is even more crucial.

Continuing, Atiku said, “As the last refuge of the common man, our judiciary must not only be above suspicion but must also be seen to be manifestly above board.

“The issue at stake is not whether the Chief Justice is guilty or not, but whether his removal from office has been done in accordance with the process specified in our constitution.

“As a democrat, I must say, without equivocation, that no mission or goal, no matter how noble or well-intended, should be used as a pretext for the subversion of our democracy and our democratic institutions.


“To create a condition that allows the constitution and the rule of law to become secondary to any other agenda is to pave the way for tyranny.

“History is replete with odious dictators whose path to dictatorship started with statements of good intentions. We must therefore remain vigilant in defence of our democracy.

“We are all witnesses to how this government has serially assaulted the National Assembly, a separate arm of government that represents the bastion of our democracy.

“However, with this attack on the judiciary, General Buhari has set a new precedent in our democracy that has no equivalence in our history, not even in the darkest days of military dictatorship. This cannot be allowed to stand”.

He warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration to desist from taking actions that may push the country further down the slippery slope towards a major constitutional crisis that could derail the electoral process.

He reminded President Buhari of being a beneficiary of a free and fair election, saying that it’s a matter of honour for him to allow a political environment and process that gives confidence to everyone.

“All my life, I have been a democrat and a defender of democracy. Like all men of good conscience and patriots, I believe this present challenge has imposed on us yet again, the duty to rise in peaceful defence of democracy, for which so many have laid down their lives.

“I also know that the surest weapon against tyranny is the democratic will of the people. Nigerians have consistently demonstrated their preference for democracy, and I am, and will always remain, on the side of the people of Nigeria.

“I conclude by expressing, once again, my gratitude to the international community for standing by our country in this challenging time.

“However, the primary responsibility to resist tyranny and protect democracy in Nigeria ultimately lies with Nigerians. It is on this note that I call on all Nigerians to seize the opportunity of the coming general elections to vote in defence of democracy and the rule of law.

“We must vote out this anti-democratic government and restore our country to the path of true democracy, which is the surest way to ensure progress and prosperity for our people”.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/2019-presidency-we-must-vote-out-this.html

Plateau has recorded 17 confirmed cases of Lassa Fever with five persons killed, according to Dr Kunden Deyin, the state’s health commissioner.

Deyin told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Jos that 33 cases were taken to the laboratory for confirmation where 17 were confirmed to be cases of Lassa Fever.

According to him, 13 persons on admission are responding to treatment, while others have been discharged.

He, however, could not ascertain the number of persons discharged.

The commissioner said that 73 persons, who had primary and secondary contacts with the patients, were being monitored.

“The 73 persons are currently being monitored. We shall do that for 21 days because the incubation period is from six to 21 days.

“After the 21 days, those not affected by the disease will be discharged from the contact tracing list and certified free of Lassa Fever.”

He advised people with symptoms such as headache, body pain and general feeling of being unwell, to promptly report for checks, noting that prompt checks were key to reducing the mortality rates associated with the disease.

Deyin regretted that patients usually report the matter when it was too late, and called on health workers to quickly make referrals to higher health facilities, when they can’t handle cases presented to them.

He advised people to keep environments clean to ward off rodents, while grain stores should be sealed.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/5-die-in-fresh-lassa-fever-outbreak-in.html

Group Congratulates Buhari for Emerging African President of the Year, Ask Him to Ignore Obasanjo's latest outburst

A group known as Buhari for Better Tomorrow Movement has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his emergence as Daar communication African president of the year 2018.

In a statement released to newsmen in Abuja, the national publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Ibrahim Abubakar said President Buhari has done great works to deserve the award in all sense of fairness and fairplay.

The group who described President Buhari as a great leader with a great difference asked him to ignore the latest accusation made against him and the INEC by former President Olusegun Obasanjo saying that paying attention to such imaginative accusation is like Obasanjo paying attention to allegation made against him by Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello four years ago.

The group however denied Obasanjo's allegation accusing the INEC, President Buhari and the APC of planning to rig the coming general election, saying their Dubai and United States plots and strategies against Buhari's re-election would fail like Jonathan failed in 2015.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/group-congratulates-buhari-for-emerging.html

The shunning of the Saturday’s presidential debate by President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar really hurt other candidates who expressed dismay over the situation.

President Buhari of All Progressives Congress (APC) had earlier indicated he would not attend the debate while Abubakar assured the nation he would attend.

While President Buhari did not show up at all, Atiku showed up at the venue only to leave without participating in the event.

He blamed his decision on Buhari’s absence.

The debate was organised by Nigeria Elections Debate Group and the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria at the Trans-corp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The situation infuriated the presidential candidates of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Alliance for New Democracy (ANN), and Young Progressives Party (YPP) who were at the debate.

Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili of ACPN, Mr. Fela Durtotoye of ANN, and Mr. Kingsley Moghalu of YPP, who were at the presidential debate expressed disgust over the refusal of the main candidates to honour the debate.

They said the absence of Buhari and Atiku indicated that they and their parties have no regard for Nigerians and lacked the answers to critical questions.

Ezekwesili said: “I’m not surprised they are not here. They have just simply announced their exit from the governance of our country.

“I think it is important for us to acknowledge that there is a political class that needs to fade away from our country because the idea that the will of the people will be subordinated to the whims and caprices of our politicians should be a total anomaly.

“Today, as we in this country focus on the ideas that will develop our country if the two dominant parties cared about the Nigerian people, they would come here in order to have a contest of ideas on how we would fix Nigeria.

“I must let you know that for the Nigerian people, this is a moment to make a clear judgment as to whether we are connected to the issues that matter to the Nigerian people.

“We showed up for this debate not because we are new entrants into politics but because we believe it is time for a new kind of governance in Nigeria.”

Moghalu said that the absence of the heavyweights was a display of arrogance.

“I am not at all surprised that the leaders of the APC and the PDP have decided to turn their back on the people of Nigeria and tell them finally, they never amounted to much in their eyes.

“The reason why they are not here: one is arrogance. They believe the people of Nigeria have no voice and no choice. They believe that you cannot move away from them.

“They believe they have trapped you, they have kept you in bondage for over too long and it is now time for us to send them a message. The second reason why they are not here is because they cannot answer the questions. Very simple, very straight-forward. They belong to the old class of recycled politicians who want to come to power with a sense of entitlement.”

Durotoye stressed that both Buhari and Atiku have set themselves up for a fall.

“Well, it seems that the future is here. Pride always comes before a fall and every time you believe that there is no need to tell the people the things you are going to do, it means you are not there to serve them in the first place; you are going to rule over them.

Opening talks on the nation’s economy, Moghalu said the country currently lacked an economic philosophy.

He stated that the country must first decide whether it is practicing a capitalist or socialist ideology.

“So, my approach to the Nigerian economy is first to focus on reforming the educational system; ensure that our young people have the skills that can make them competitive in the 21st century and the skills that can give them jobs or help them to set up their own jobs.

“Then we will give them access to finance which my government will do through the creation of N1 trillion venture capital fund which will give equity capital, not loans that will have to be repaid.

“This is because loans carry interests in Nigeria that is too high or we may not have the collateral to be able to access them.

“So, we will invest in new businesses that will create millions of jobs within the first four years.

“Therefore, the approach that we will have is skill, capital and literacy, that is what will fix the Nigerian economy and take it into industrialisation,’’ Moghalu said.

On his plan for economic diversification especially through building the non-oil sector, Durotoye identified agriculture, housing and infrastructure as the most important sectors that should be focused on.

He said his government would ensure that it fixed the power sector, roads and provide housing for Nigerians, adding that his plan is to provide 30 million jobs.

He said the commodity sector needed to be strengthened so that farmers could have their produce promptly cleared.

On her part, Ezekwesili said her plan is to lift at least 80 million Nigerians out of poverty through improvement in the productivity of majority of Nigerians who “earn less than N700 a day’’.

To do this, she said her government would evolve policies and programmes targeting people engaged in the services sector which constitutes about 60 per cent of the country’s GDP.

On their their strategies to tackle insecurity in the country, Moghalu said he would abolish corruption in the military if elected as president.

Moghalu said his administration would ensure high level of intelligence gathering among the locals while collaborating with neighbouring countries to tackle terrorism.

He identified bad economy as the major factor feeding insecurity in the country saying if elected, his administration would ensure the economy booms.

Moghalu said that additional policemen would be recruited, trained and equipped to create a 21st century police force that would tackle kidnapping and other crimes.

On his part, Durotoye said if elected, he would ensure security agencies are strengthened to do their job well.

Durotoye said under his administration, the leadership of security agencies would not be based on sentiment but competence and professionalism.

He said men and officers of various security agencies would be properly motivated with modern and standard equipment, vehicles among others.

Durotoye said his administration would ensure that officers and men of the military would be properly taken care of while they are alive and their families would be catered for when they pass away.

He said under his watch, security would be in the hands of the citizens as he plans to run participatory government with a new ideology.


Ezekwesili said she would send a sharp message that “there is a new sheriff in town.”

According to her, those who engage in savagery know that there is no consistency for their actions as the judiciary has not convicted anyone.

Ezekwesili said if elected, she would ensure a SWART team for quick response and technology would be deployed to gather intelligence.

She said her administration would ensure that intelligent officers would be identified and given leadership roles (NAN)

https://www.nan.ng/news/disappointed-candidates-blast-buhari-akitu/amp/

No fewer than 103 complaints on human rights abuse have been filed against the Special Anti-Rbbery Squad (SARS).

The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr Tony Ojukwu, reported that the complaints were received by the Presidential Panel on SARS.

Ojukwu, who doubles as the chairman of the presidential panel, said this at the second sitting of the panel for the North-Central zone held at FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja.

“Out of this number, the panel received 37 complaints from the North-Central zone, 37 from the South-West, 16 from the South-South, 9 from the South-East, 3 from the North-East and 1 complaint from the North-West,” Ojukwu said.

He said that hearing had been concluded on 51 complaints, while 52 complaints were still pending, adding that out of the 52 pending cases, 29 were part heard, while 23 were fresh complaints

The NHRC boss said that the public hearing of the Presidential Investigation Panel on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has yielded remarkable positive results in the Squad’s operations.

He said that the public hearings also serve as an avenue to sensitise public and SARS operatives.

According to him, there were instances the panel was informed that after getting hearing notice, some SARS operatives alleged to have violated human rights reached out to victims for settlements.

“It is interesting to note that the public hearing of the presidential panel on alleged cases of human rights violations against SARS has started yielding some remarkable positive results in the way SARS operatives now carry out their operations.

“There are instances where on the spot investigation over complaints that had lingered before the police were resolved by the panel leading to the recovery of cars allegedly auctioned by some SARS officers without due process.

“There are also cases where property seized or houses locked up by SARS have been released to their owners, among others,” he said.

Ojukwu said that since the constitution of the panel by NHRC on the request of the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), it had held four sittings in Abuja, Lagos, Owerri and Gombe.

On the challenges being faced by the panel, he explained that such included the failure of the police in some cases to conduct post-mortem examination on suspects alleged to have died in police custody.

Other challenges, he said, were failure of complainants to appear before the panel due to victimisation, intimidation and threats issued to them by some SARS operatives.

Also, unwillingness of complainants to appear despite assurances of their safety by the panel, among others.

He, however, warned that any case of intimidation of complainants or witnesses will be viewed seriously by the panel.

Ojukwu said, “there have been several cases where unruly SARS officers were disciplined by the panel.”

He, therefore, urged the Inspector-General of Police to assist and ensure that all complainants before the panel are not molested in anyway by SARS or police officers whose cases are before the panel.

He further assured stakeholders that the panel and the NHRC would adhere to the principles of fair hearing in discharging its functions.

Ojukwu added that the panel and NHRC would not stand to watch while fundamental human rights of citizens are trampled upon and violated by law enforcement agencies, entities or individuals.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the panel was set up by the Federal Government to investigate the allegations of human rights abuses by the men of Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

The panel is to make useful recommendations to the Federal Government on the way forward.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/01/103-complaints-against-sars.html