₦airaland Forum

AHEAD of the 2015 general elections in the country, a group, New Dawn Nigeria, NDN, has promised to deliver the highest number of votes for President Goodluck Jonathan in the South-west. The founder  of the group High Chief Tom Ateke stated this in Akure during the inauguration of the South-west chapter of the group.

Ateke said the group decided to work for the emergence of Jonathan after considering his transformation agenda.

Speaking through his spokesperson, Hon. Belief Tamunokun, Ateke, while delivering a lecture, titled, “Good Governance For Equity and Justice in Nigeria,” during the inauguration said  Jonathan had shown his commitment to the development of the country.

He described  Jonathan as humane, trusted, God-fearing, reliable and detribalized.

He said the group was planning to a mega rally in the South-west which will hold in Akure, Ondo State capital.
He said that the rally will be used a avenue to  sensitize the public about the concept behind NDN. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/2015-jonathans-highest-votes-will-come-s-west/

Tundeajani:
mark my word come october forteen barring any other circumstance you and ngakwe will weep for the man...eku iroju in advance...the handwritings are on the wall omly a fool will o be ignorant ad you are trying now

I really appreciate ur use of the phrase "baring other circumstances"? That "other circumstances" is what we call politics. This is a game of politics, and not a computer game. But bear it in mind that no one can stop the swearing-in ceremony except a court pronouncement.

There are so many Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) on nairaland these days. But unfortunately Fayose's case will not be determined on nairaland. Until a court of competent jurisdiction rules against him, Fayose remains the governor-elect of Ekiti state and he will be sworn-in on October 16, 2014. The legal battle can continue after he assumes office as the Governor of Ekiti state. Please don't forget that the legal battle will drag on for years because the case will be dragged up to the Supreme court. The only hope the E-11 have is to prevent his swearing-in on October 16, but I'm afraid that is too late now.

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the Senate President, David Mark, and former governor of Lagos State and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress , Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as well as former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasid Ladoja yesterday, held separate closed-door meetings with former President Olusegun Obasanjo .

The Senate President who is a member of the People’s Democratic Party was reported to have visited the former president to persuade him on the need to work for the party and not against the party.

The separate meetings which were held at the former President’s hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital may not be unconnected with 2015 elections.

The first meeting which was held between Tinubu and Obasanjo with the presence of Ladoja and former governor of Ekiti state who is also Chairman, South West of the APC lasted for almost two hours.

The closed-door meeting between Obasanjo and Mark commenced immediately after he arrived Obasanjo’s hilltop around 2:pm shortly after Tinubu and others were leaving the premises and went straight into another private room of Obasanjo where he held his meeting and finished at 3:45pm.

The Senate President while addressing newsmen after the meeting described Obasanjo as father of the nation.

When asked why he was in Obasanjo’s house, Mark who was accompanied by governor of Delta state Emmanuel Uduaghan, wife of the Chairman Board of Trustee of the PDP, Josephine Anenih and Senator Polikap Nwite said “we have come to discuss with him and raise some basic issues that affect both the party and the nation at large.

When asked to disclose the content of the meeting, the Senate president said “they are discussions that would move this nation forward.

” You know his passion for this nation is unquantifiable, so, we really have a good
discussion with him.

“We are working as a party to make sure we put everybody who want to be on board on board and congresses are coming up so I think this is normal”, he said .

However, Tinubu, while addressing newsmen shortly after the closed-door meeting, disclosed that he was at Obasanjo’s residence to ‘pay a homage to the former president’.

He however, said that, the APC was consulting Obasanjo on the choice of Presidential candidate for the party, saying, the party needs to know his opinion on some aspirants especially his ‘boys’.

According to Tinubu, we are here to pay homage to our former President and have a number of discussions with him because he has a number of influences in the political spheres.

“As a good merger, we need to talk, because, this merger will serve various branches. It is a very big tree, so, we need to talk, find out his thinking about Nigeria and the future.

“We need to seek his observation as some of his former boys who are running for presidency, what he can say of them”, Tinubu said. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/apc-consults-obasanjo-choice-2015-presidential-candidate/

The face-off between the Presidency and the Kano State government over the installation of the former Central Bank Governor,  Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano is far from over as 50 policemen withdrawn from the Government House in the wake of the crisis, are yet to be returned to the governor.

Kwankwaso was alleged to have favoured Sanusi at the expense of the son of the late Ado Bayero who appeared the people’s choice. The protests in Kano shortly after Sanusi was announced was seen as a pointer to the claim that late emir’s son was preferred by the people.



But Sanusi who had battles with the Presidency over his allegations of missing oil money was installed and the Presidency was said to have frowned at the Kano State Governor. It was at the time that 75 policemen were withdrawn from the state out of which only 25 returned. The governor has said that the action would not help policing the state well in these times of insecurity. In his opinion, withdrawing the policemen amounted to  victimisation.

Speaking on his government, Kwankwaso also said that he abolished the Office of the First Lady as well as the operation of Security Vote in the state to reduce the cost of governance.

Kwankwaso had cried out over threat to his life when the policemen were withdrawn and asked Nigerians to hold the Presidency responsible if anything happened to him and his family.

Kwankwaso lamented in an interview with Saturday Vanguard that even after the avoidable crisis over the installation of Sanusi had waned, the Federal Government was yet to return the policemen taken away from the Government House. The governor said he was shocked that the central government was still holding onto the 50 policemen who were posted to protect lives and property of the people of the state at a time when insecurity was assuming a frightening dimension in the North.

His words, “But we have moved on as a people. However, since that incident, out of the 75 policemen we had, they have only returned 25 to us. These are some of the issues that made me to change my mind and support state police.’’

On why there was no ‘’Office of  the First Lady,’’ in Kano to enable his wife to perform some roles, Kwankwaso said the office was a duplication of the work of the Women Affairs Ministry and therefore not needed in his state.

According to him, the abolition of that office in his state had enabled him to save huge amount of money for the development of other sectors in the area.

“We know that   a lot of money is being spent in that office elsewhere but we in Kano believe strongly that whatever the first lady should do is what the Ministry of Women Affairs is doing and there is therefore no need to duplicate such functions.

“We just need a good commissioner to do the job and manage her home well. That is what we are doing here and everybody is happy.

“Our families do not go to ministries or go to bother any commissioner. And I do not encourage any member of our family to go visiting commissioners and other government officials so that we do not run into crisis.

“By the time your wife begins to benefit from a particular commissioner- whether good or bad- that commissioner  will appear the best in the government.

By the time your wife tells you 100 times at the right time about the commissioner, you will be forced to believe her. So such things are better avoided.”

Kwankwaso also stressed that he had abolished security vote in the state to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of public funds as according to him, ‘’Security Vote is money that governors and other public figures collect without accounting for,’’ which encourages corruption; hence we abolished the practice, when we discovered that it was a conduit pipe for siphoning funds.

The governor said: “That is also why we don’t operate security vote in Kano State. Whatever we want to buy, we write it in black and white to show clearly where it is going and what it is used for.

“Otherwise we have seen a situation here where in four years certain persons collected over N10 billion under the name of Reciprocal Arrangement http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/sanusis-emirship-kwankwaso-accuses-presidency-victimisation/

egift: You are a bloody liar. Ribadu has not made such statement (he is free to, but the fact remains - he did not). Here is Ribadu page https://www.facebook.com/ribadu

Also see the following:
Ribadu Denies Making Statement in Favour of Jonathan and Against Kwankwaso, APC
http://abusidiqu.com/ribadu-denies-making-statement-in-favour-of-jonathan-and-against-kwankwaso-apc/

kropelgrada, PDP and TANiods feed on anarchy. See how they are nursing and grooming Boko Haram for Budget Inflation, and distraction to perpetuate themselves in power.

OP shame on you.

take it easy, bros! Why are u dissipating so much of ur energy defending a man who is alive? Ribadu is alive, please let him defend himself

Toktee: what a fool,what iz ur point?

I guess insulting others is your hobby.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reiterated its earlier call for the arrest and prosecution of Ekiti governor-elect Ayodele Fayose for allegedly leading thugs to attack Justice Adeyeye on the premises of the State High Court on September 25.

This is even as the National Judicial Council (NJC), on Thursday, called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abbah, to take over investigation into the said attacks by suspected thugs.

 

According to a press statement signed by Soji Oye, the acting Director of Information in the NJC, the council also condemned the ugly incident and called for adequate protection of judicial officers.

 

Meanwhile, the APC warned that failure to act decisively now would spell danger for Judges and the nation’s democracy.

 

 

In a statement issued in London on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said the issue of security of judges and the unfettered administration of justice transcends politics, saying no politician, no matter his status, must be allowed to go scot-free after attacking judges.

 

It said any delay in taking action would see Fayose assume office, meaning he can no longer be arrested and prosecuted for what is an egregious contempt of court.

 

APC said the attack on judges in Ekiti has also reinforced the call in some quarters, on the basis of constitutional provisions, to subject candidates seeking political offices in the country to psychiatric tests, to prevent people with mental imbalance from taking over the affairs of states.

 

The party said those who are trivialising the issue and trying to play dirty politics with it should take a moment to think of what Fayose will do to judges whom he led thugs to beat up, when he assumed office as governor of the state.

 

‘’Now that the Chief Judge of Ekiti has confirmed, in a petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC), that Fayose was complicit in the attack, the NJC should treat the issue expeditiously by taking a decisive action that will make it very costly for anyone to ever attack a Judge again.

 

“The need to act is urgent so that no judge gets killed simply because some powerful personalities do not like his or her ruling.

 

‘’Had the relevant authorities acted with dispatch when another court in the same state was invaded by pro-Fayose thugs earlier the same week, the attack on Justice Adeyeye would have been averted,’’ it said http://scannewsnigeria.com/politics/determined-to-stop-fayoses-swearing-in-apc-insists-on-his-arrest/

The Federal High Court in Kano, the Kano State capital, on Thursday, restrained the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) from parading itself as the executive body of the party in the state, pending the determination of a motion on notice.

The decision of the court followed an ex-parte motion by counsel to the plaintiff, Mr U.U Eteng, on behalf of a member of the party, one Alhaji Muhiyi Magaji, who alleged that the process which produced the party leadership violated the Electoral Act.

Magaji also alleged that the process had violated Nigeria’s constitution and that of the party.

He prayed the court to declare the leadership of the party in the state as null and void.

The presiding judge, therefore, adjourned the case till October 17 for the hearing of the case. http://tribune.com.ng/news/news-headlines/item/17611-court-restrains-apc-from-conducting-primaries-in-kano

size38: So unfortunate for David mark. Where is rule of law? Why killing our institutions, if Fayose is found guilty, he should be prosecuted immediately.

but fayose has not be found guilty. Since fayose has not been found guilty, in the face of the law he is innocent and the swearing-in ceremony must take place.

the write-up is full of politically motivated hatred. I guess the writer has some scores to settle with GEJ.

Johnnyessence: The target of the desperate Governor-elect is
nothing but how to clinch power at all cost,
even if worst is done to democratic
institutions. He is more interested in power
than be a decent democrat and trail blazer in
good governance.

a man who overwelmingly won an election which was conducted under a free and fair atmospohere cannot be said to be desperate. But a man who wants to remain in power after loosing an election is the desparate one here.

Gbawe: For god sake !!! When will you guys rise above the primordial hatred of others that makes you blind yourselves to even the simplest logic? For the absence of doubt, my argument is that the APC must factor in the reality on the ground today and respect current history and demographic mood which will affect voting nuances/dynamics/trends.

Nothing at all to do with kowtowing to the "born to rule" North people like you, with your contributions here so far, are always keen to introduce into every single damn thing.

my dear, forget about the simplest logic you are talking about. You are not the only one here who understands logic, ok? You may not know but I know that APC was formed just for the realization of "Buhari presidency". This is the reason a Fashola can not be their candidate.

Gbawe: Is it not time you guys talking of "Fashola for 2015" face the reality of your own country for god sake? Why continue to talk as if Nigeria is the most sophisticated democracy in the world with the most discerning and refined electorate when the reality is that your people are unashamedly ethnocentric, highly prejudiced, currently very divided plus religiously and sectionally biased?

Present Fashola and the North will be largely apathetic. If you are from the SW do you think SW votes alone will defeat the "consensus candidate" of the PDP i.e Jonathan? If from the North, do you think the North, given all that has happened, is currently in the mood to vote for a ticket without a Northern Presidential candidate? If you are from the SS and SE do you want to fool yourself that many of your folks will vote Fashola instead of GEJ? You guys go on, without any pragmatism whatsoever, about Fashola for President without realising that the reality of your nation means you are asking the APC to commit suicide doing this.

It is not about the APC being "sincere". Fashola is a treasured and important member of the Party. He will play a very important part now or in the future. What the APC will not do is foolishly heed the "present Fashola and I will vote for APC" blackmail noise common to Nigerians from the SE and SS when the world knows many are already 100% committed to voting for Jonathan. Face the reality of your nation. Doing so will allow you all to tell the truth and shame the devil. Anyone really interested in the defeat of the PDP will see and focus on what can achieve that and not tout some pipe dream the reality on the ground can never achieve.

in other words, what you are saying is that APC must present a northerner as its presidential candidate in order to appease the "powerful north", right?

noblezone: This is Nigeria!

Fashola is not from "catchment" area.

u have said it all. APC was formed purposely to return power to the north, and Fashola is not from d north.

The President of the Senate, David Mark, on Thursday said notwithstanding the recent developments in Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose would be inaugurated as the state governor on October 16.

Mark stated this at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, at an event where Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State formally defected to the Peoples Democratic Party from the Labour Party.

Fayose had been in the eye of the storm lately for allegedly leading thugs to beat up a judge in the state.

The state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, has tabled before the National Judicial Council a petition accusing the state’s Governor-elect and the police of complicity in the attack on judges and court workers in the state last week.

Justice Daramola, in his petition to both the NJC and the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, accused Fayose of leading a large number of thugs, who disrupted court proceedings, beat up judges and court workers and also tore court records.

There is also a pending suit by a group, the E-Eleven, seeking to stop Fayose’s inauguration on the grounds that he was impeached in 2006 and that he swore to an affidavit denying that he was impeached.

But Mark said in spite of all the antics going on in the state, Fayose would be sworn in. http://www.punchng.com/news/nobody-can-stop-fayoses-inauguration-mark/

Johnnyessence: the south west people will vote rabiu kwakwanso if he finally emerge as d presidential candidate of APC.kwakwanso is still young and vibrant in his work in kano state.

on what capacity are u speaking for southwest people? Please speak for yourself, and yourself alone.

September 30, 2014



Press Statement

Ekiti Crisis: PDP Insists On Full Investigation, Says No Going Back On Fayose’s Inauguration

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alerted the nation of a very dangerous and anti-people design by the APC to influence the judiciary, subvert the will of the people and stop the inauguration of the duly elected government in Ekiti state. The party has therefore called for a full investigation into the activities of some officers of Ekiti state judiciary involved in the recent crisis in the state.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement on Tuesday described the underground plot by the APC to stop the inauguration of the clear winner of the June 21 Ekiti governorship election, Mr. Ayo Fayose as “a slap in the face of the people of Ekiti state, an assault on democracy and an attempt to rape the judiciary”, adding that no amount of machination by the APC will stop Fayose’s swearing-in on October 16, 2014 in accordance with the desire of the people of Ekiti as expressed at the polls.

“In the past two weeks, we have witnessed series of lies, propaganda, threats and blackmail by the APC in their desperate bid to truncate the wish of the people. This desperate party has gone notches up in this awkward quest for power by inciting violence and outlandishly calling for the arrest of the state governor-elect.

“After losing roundly in an election widely acclaimed as one of the most credible in our recent history as a nation, the APC in its desperation for power has shamelessly designed a heinous plot to compromise certain judicial officers in order to stop the inauguration of Mr. Ayo Fayose as the democratically elected governor of Ekiti state.

“We have here in our hands, an attempt to re-enact the design where the same APC leaders under the defunct ACN sabotaged and truncated the popular mandate given to the PDP in the 2011 governorship election by the people of Osun and Ekiti States through the verdicts of certain judicial officers.

“It is no longer in doubt that the vanquished APC seeks to perpetuate itself in power in Ekiti. We hereby confirm that the current toxic plot by APC is to manipulate the judiciary, secure a pronouncement to stop the October 16, 2014 inauguration and pave the way for the swearing-in of the Speaker of the Ekiti state House of Assembly, who as Acting Governor, will superintend over the conduct of a fresh election where the APC will have the floor for unhindered manipulation.”

“We wish to sensitize Nigerians that it was in furtherance of this plot that the defeated Governor Kayode Fayemi ordered the Chief Judge of Ekiti state, Justice Ayo Daramola to transfer all pending cases relating to the governorship election, including those before the election petition tribunal outside state for trial.

“The directive is to ensure that the APC enjoys a field day, away from the people of Ekiti state in order to manipulate the process and actualize the boast by Governor Fayemi that his party will recover the state.

“This clear interference in the working of another arm of government portrays the APC leaders as desperate and with no regard for the tenets of democracy, the principle of separation of powers and the sacred will of their people.

“We are indeed taken aback that the same Governor Fayemi who was among the first Nigerians to congratulate the governor-elect, an action that earned him very wide commendation would now allow himself to be a tool in the hands of politicians who are desperate to truncate democracy and destroy the unity of his state.

“We have also noted the threat, blackmail and deployment of thugs by the APC to harass and unleash violence on the citizens of Ekiti state for supporting the governor-elect as well as sponsoring the publication of fabrications in a section of the media to tarnish his image.

“One of such is the widely publicized allegation that the governor-elect assaulted a judge only for Nigerians to discover that it was totally false.

“However, we wish to warn the APC that the people of Ekiti state have expressed their preference for the PDP by electing Ayo Fayose, therefore, no amount of blackmail, threat and propaganda will take away this sacred mandate.

“For the avoidance of doubts, our great party wishes to state categorically that it is determined to use all legal measures to defend the mandate overwhelmingly given to Mr. Ayo Fayose and no “jankara” court order can truncate the process of his swearing-in on October 16, 2014 in accordance with the will and desire of the people of Ekiti State.

“The PDP therefore calls for full investigation into the activities of some officers of Ekiti state judiciary involved in the recent crisis in the state. In the interim, we stand by the people of Ekiti as they continue in their preparations for the swearing-in ceremony of Mr. Ayo Fayose as the duly elected governor which will mark the end of the misrule by the APC in Ekiti”, the PDP said.

Signed:

Olisa Metuh

National Publicity Secretary http://ahmaduadamumuazu.com/?p=262

ABUJA – The #BringBackOurGirls# campaign group, yesterday, said it has concluded arrangement to sue the President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Orisatjefor and the federal government over the $9.3 million cash found in pastor Ayo’s private jet in South Africa, that was claimed to be meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigeria government.

#BBOG# disclosed this in Abuja during its sit out, the group said there should be more public outcry on the issue.

BBOG also said they can confirm that the alleged Chibok girl, Susan Ishaya, that was found in Yola is now in Abuja.

According to them, “We need more pressure than ever; this is tax payers money, we must speak up anytime an injustice is done especially when its about infiltration of arms because that is what brought us here. There is need for a louder cry about this because quietly people are forgetting about the $9.3 million, it will continue if we don’t do anything.

“By next week you will have something different, we are working with our lawyers to sue Ayo and the federal government”

Away from the $9.3 million scandal, the #BringBackOurGirls# have now confirmed that they know where one of the Chibok girls, Susan Ishaya, dropped by Boko Haram last week is been kept in Abuja”

Chibok Community Chairman in Abuja, Tsambido Hosea Abana, at the sit out, said, he feels confident about governments plan for moving the girl away from Yola to Abuja.

He said: “I don’t have much problems about it. I feel comfortable taking her away from Yola. I know the Army authority will not treat her anyhow. I learnt she is getting her sense now.

“Even myself, I have not gone to where they have taken her because we don’t want journalists to go there disturbing her. One of our brothers who was a former Army officer has a link with a Army director, he said he is going to see her”

The group expressed hope that, she is re-united with her family soonest as such healing process will entails the family.

“Parents should have some sort of access, even if its just the face alot of things are happening to her at the moment she is still incoherent. They have blocked off access to her”

The group however expressed dissatisfaction about the real identity of the girl.

“The name they gave is not from Chibok. We have the list and the name is not there. What we have on the list is Susan Yakubu. Teachers should be able to know her. Her identity is still not confirmed; this is extremely sad,” the group said. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/9-3m-bbog-sue-fg-orisatjefor-confirms-chibok-girl/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Barely two weeks after the collapse of the guest house at Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, a fresh indication emerged yesterday that the church was given an approval for a 12-storey building by the Lagos State government.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, yesterday, Mr. Ken Emeakayi, an aide to Prophet T.B Joshua, refuted reports that the building had no approval.

He said: “It is not true and I stand to be corrected. I want to also point out that whosoever said that was not saying the correct thing, because I also listened to a commissioner of Lagos State, when he came to your studio. He said that when he got there, he discovered that there was no approval for the building, meaning that he has not been there before and there was nothing of such. Yes, the church had approval.”

Asked if the church had shown the approval to the Lagos State Government authorities, he said: “Yes, ofcourse. Officials of Lagos State Government have been there severally. They have even come to look at other buildings in the church premises. So, there is no additional sturcture to the building. We are talking of a building that is on its own. We have the pictures. It’s a new structure.

“The building is still under construction, but it is not as if it is an attachment to the church auditorium. It is a building standing on its own and in a different compound. It is a guest house. It is a building that has its own design and approval. This particular structure in question, has an approval for 12-storey building and they have even come to examine the foundation and its casting after this incident. They have therefore seen that it was done with the specification of a 12-storey building.”

When contacted, Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Toyin Ayinde, declined comment on the matter saying, “there will be no further comment on the collapsed Synagogue building until investigations into the matter are concluded and the report made public.”

Lagos is conducting thorough investigation— Fashola 

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, declared that the state government is conducting thorough investigation to unravel the facts surrounding the collapse of a six-storey building owned by the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, saying, “we are acting methodically on the issue.”

This came two weeks after the six-storey guest house owned by SCOANs killed over 100 persons and 131 others rescued.

Fashola, who stated this  during a courtesy visit by the executive members of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, led by its President, Mr. Steve Onu, at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, warned residents to refrain from making false statements on the collapsed building.

The governor, while reacting to complaints from residents, demanding immediate action said: ”People must understand that when accidents like this happen, there are many issues involved. Perhaps, we have got used to what was amounts to an inappropriate conduct on arrival at an accident scene and make pronouncements on what happened before the investigations are concluded.

“Residents must desist from this act and wait for professionals to make pronouncements. I think we should just allow that process to go on. I think the investigation will be held if we refrain from any further comment about this incident. So, some of the people we took away from the accident scenes, who are in coma and who are in shock, people count them as dead people.

“This kind of behaviour must stop. Unless there is anybody keeping dead bodies in his house and private hospital, we are the regulators and all those bodies come to our mortuaries. So, we must account for them.” he warned. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/synagogue-approval-build-12-floors-joshuas-aide/

There is fire on the mountain in Ekiti. The All Progressives Congress is not resting at all. They have vowed not to allow any other political party take their state away from them.

During a state conference in Ado-Ekiti, the state chairman, Jide Awe said that the party had “men and women of honour who are going to be at the vanguard of this struggle” to upturn the emergence of Ayo Fayose of the PDP as the state governor-elect.

Jide, who was returned as chairman, said, “This is our land. The land of the progressives, We won’t allow any stranger to take it from us. The struggle for emancipation of Ekiti State has just started. I know we have men and women of honour who are going to be at the vanguard of this struggle. We at the head of the struggle will not shack in our responsibility.”

Governor Kayode Fayemi, represented by his deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, said he was optimistic that the APC would “overtake and recover “ the state from the PDP.

Fayemi said, “The APC is getting stronger. The party is on the ground, effectively, efficiently and absolutely. From what I have witnessed, we still have a firm grip of the state.”

But Governor-Elect, Ayo Fayose, said the APC leaders are merely deceiving themselves…

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, he said, “The APC leaders, especially, in Ekiti State are only deceiving themselves. If they think they are progressives, they are not because they are pretenders. They are wolves in sheep skin. PDP has won in Ekiti State; so, the APC should forget it.

“I want the Ekiti APC to know that by 2015, APC will exist only in name, especially in this state. It will have no structure because its members would have defected to the PDP.

“We are going to do this with landmark projects. Laudable programmes to be embarked upon by Fayose would make them to defect . For them to be saying they will recover Ekiti is just an imagination.

They are daydreaming; it will never come to reality. For the next 50 years, APC will not come back to Ekiti State.”

Also, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Kola
Oluwawole, said it was wrong for progressives that make up the PDP in the state to be referred to as strangers. He said, “We don’t have any trouble with the tribunal because the election was free and fair.
What we are complaining against is the procedure adopted by the judge in the case by the Ekiti 11.

“On the contrary, we (PDP) are the progressives. APC members in the state are not progressives; they are retrogressives. If they are progressives, they will know how to accept defeat.” http://newswrita.com/ekiti-is-our-own-and-we-will-recover-the-state-from-pdp-fayemi/

whytfaz: APC should field Oshomole and Fashola( any of them as president and vice) as its candidate I think they will have a better chance at winning since both individuals have performed well at state levels not those two old men that have nothing to offer

Fashola? Oshiomhole? U are kidding, right? For your information APC was formed purposely to return power to the north. Fashola and Oshiomhole are both not northerners and so they are out of the equation.

Ekiti State Governor- Elect, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said the call by the National Public­ity Secretary of the All Pro­gressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that he be arrested over recent political developments in the state was baseless, spurious and the product of an ignorant mind.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti yesterday through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said Moham­med was fed with lies about the happenings in Ekiti State and that he had exposed him­self by commenting in a man­ner only an ignorant fellow would do.

Adelusi noted that he was not surprised by Moham­med’s outburst because he, like other APC leaders, were sad as their efforts to launch a judicial coup failed woefully last Monday.

“We Yoruba people have a saying that ‘inu a bimo ku ki idun’ (somebody who gave birth and lost the child would not be happy). Having snatched people’s mandate through the back door, not once but twice, to rule states where they did not win elec­tions, the APC and its leaders thought it the best way to se­cure electoral victory.

“They did those things in the past through some spuri­ous judgments and were hop­ing for a repeat performance in Ekiti State after the people

rejected them with His Ex­cellency, Mr Ayo Fayose, trouncing their candidate 16 goals to zero. Their man could not even win his local government.

“Their evil plan to use compromised judicial officers last Monday to steal the peo­ple’s mandate was scuttled by the vigilant voters who freely gave their mandate to Fayose. Their game plan was to do another abracadabra and get the inauguration of the gover­nor-elect aborted. They were planning to get the Speaker of the House of Assembly inaugurated as acting gover­nor. People from Gboyin Lo­cal Government Area where Speaker Adewale Omirin hails from were already jubi­lating.

“God, in His mercy, ex­posed them. For Lai Moham­med to put the blame on Fay­ose smacks of bad belle and malice,” he said.

The CPS opined that the two suits brought before an Ado-Ekiti High Court by a group, the E-11 were pre-election matters and that the issue of the jurisdiction of the court was being contested.

Adelusi advised Moham­med and the APC leaders to learn how to accept defeat, as in politics, one wins some and loses some. He called on the people of the state to be vigilant, as enemies of their collective resolve were roar­ing about like a wounded lion seeking who to devour http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=83738

The persistent attacks on the person of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), by opposition politicians suggest a calculated campaign to discredit him.

Since none of these politicians intend to run for his job, one must ask what agenda they are pursuing and why. Politicians seldom act without calculation and premeditation, so we must look beneath and beyond the deluge of criticisms to understand what forces are at play.

The latest to join in the gratuitous attacks is the Senate Minority Leader and former Governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume. The bone they will not let go of is the cash-for-arms aircraft that landed in South Africa. Despite the fact that the parties involved have stated their roles and, the acceptance by both the Nigerian and South African governments that no blame or guilt can be attached to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the campaign of calumny against the CAN President has been relentless.

When one hears politicians speak of their propriety in matters religious, it is best to run for cover. George Akume has sought to present himself (by implication in contrast to Pastor Ayo) as righteous in his guardianship and promotion of “the tenets of the teachings of Jesus the Christ”.

The rancour accompanying the cries suggests that the opposition want their pound of flesh. On the face of it, their intentions are clear to see, to discredit Pastor Ayo; their motives deserve closer scrutiny. Since they cannot have Pastor Ayo’s flesh, whose flesh are they clamouring after?

George Akume has chosen to disregard the legal and legitimate and instead resort to an exploration of what he describes as a “case of criminality involved in the questionable misadventure”. His language is deliberately mischievous, bordering on the slanderous. He plays fast and loose with the idea of “vicarious liability” and clearly only has a passing familiarity with the concept.

Pastor Oritsejafor is not and has never in any way, shape or form been involved in the “murky waters of international arms trafficking”. For George Akume to insinuate without substantiation is the kind of language that should not emanate from a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let alone the Senate Minority Leader.

Indeed, given Akume’s exalted position in our upper legislative house, rather than indulging in idle speculation, he has a duty to bring to the attention of the nation’s law officers any information he has on the flouting of the laws of the land. If he has no such evidence, he should learn to keep a civil tongue in his mouth. People who live in glass houses ought not to throw stones.

If, as we suspect, the object of the thinly veiled attacks by the political opposition is not Pastor Oritsejafor, then his reference to vicariousness takes on added meaning. If the political opposition wish to lay into the President, they should not go by way of the President of CAN. CAN has been vociferous and volubly engaged in the security affairs of the country of recent because those affairs have directly and continue to directly impact CAN’s primary constituency, the body of Christians in Nigeria.

The Body of Christ should not shirk from that duty and responsibility merely because those that are not in office would rather we not support efforts to restore a semblance of justice and normality to the North of the country.
Long live Nigeria!
God bless Nigeria http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/playing-politics-pastor-oritsejafor/

donphilopus: All I see is a desperate man in Benin attire. This man has always been clueless. Why would you put on a Benin attire when you're going for a program meant to be for the entire South South. Are there no other tribes within the South South Geopolitical Zone?! He should have just worn his native attire!

which attire did u expect him to put on? Hausa attire? Or Yoruba attire? Or did u expect him to combine the attires of all the tribes in the south-south zone so that he can prove to u that he is there for a rally meant for the entire south-south zone. Criticism is good but try and learn the art of constructive and issue-based criticisms. It's an advice, though.

barcanista: First, the Attorney General that made the statement is a member of APC.Secondly, That supporters of Fayose slapped the judge technically mean Fayose did and Fayose should be asked to produce the "slapper" or face the music

do u have any evidence to prove that the "slapper" is a Fayose's supporter? Was he hanging Fayose's tag on his neck? Did u see his name on Fayose's payroll? It is not Fayose's responsibility to produce the "slapper". It is the responsibility of Gov Fayemi who is d chief security officer of Ekiti state as well as the police.

olatiler: PPL like u will never allow this Country to move forward based on ur religious and tribal mentality, if I may ask u, can u proof it to me that 9.3 million Dollar seize by SA Government in one of ur uncle private Jet are not meant to purchase weapon for Boko Haram by 50cent wanna be pastor in conjunction with other uncle of urs in ASO Rock anyway sooner or later all these secrete shall open

don't act like a kid. You are the one that is making accusations here and it is your responsibility to prove that the money is meant to purchase weapons for boko haram by the pastor. In law, the onus of proof rests on the accuser.

nagoma: Shameless and fooolish. It all happened when ORISTEJEFOR's plane was impounded in SA and so ihejirika could not supply arms to his field commander Shekau. Don't divert our attention , the war will soon be over and these guys must be investigated - ihejirika , Modu Sheriff, And ORESTIJAFOR.

what about Buhari?

There are strong in­dications that the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Prince Segun Adesegun and some members of the National Assembly may have, un­officially, dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for another political association.
A credible source dis­closed yesterday that Ad­esegun was at the senato­rial meetings of the new association held in Ogun East and Ogun Central on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Adesegun, who is a loyal­ist of a former governor of the state, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, had been conspicu­ously absent in the ongoing local government working visits of the governor to the 20 local council areas in the state except the visit to Imeko-Afon Local Govern­ment Area.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, told Saturday Sun that while Governor Ibikunle Amosun was on tour of Ikenne and Ijebu North local government areas, his deputy and fac­tional members of the APC loyal to Osoba, under the umbrella of “Matagbamole Group,” were meeting in different locations in the state.
The APC in Ogun State had been divided over leadership control between Amosun and Osoba and this resulted in each faction holding parallel primaries during the last congress held by the party across the country.
Adesegun had at the Ogun East senatorial meet­ing held in Ijebu-Ode, re­portedly admonished mem­bers of the group to remain steadfast and be committed to their beliefs.
Although, the National Assembly members from the senatorial district were not physically present at the meeting, they were said to have sent words to be part of the meeting.
This development came two weeks after one of Amosun’s aides, Mrs Abimbola Lanre-Balogun, defected from APC to PDP.
The new political as­sociation, which would soon transform into a party, Saturday Sun learnt, would be holding meetings at the local government level from today till next weekend while the formal inaugura­tion of the party is scheduled to hold shortly after the Eid- Kabir festival.
Speaking on the devel­opment, Senator Sefiu Ad­egbenga Kaka, asked mem­bers of the pressure group “Matagbamole Group” to continue to exercise pa­tience and wait for further directive.
He explained that the di­rective on which way to fol­low would be given before the end of September http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=83596

The coach of the nigerian super Eagles, Stephen m Keshi has released the list of call up players for the all important Morocco 2015 AFCON qualifiers against Sudan.

The Super Eagles will hosted by thier Sudanese counterpart as they hope to keep the their aspiration of playing in the next edition of the African Cup of Nations alive.

However, the return of goalkeeper and captain of the nigerian team, Vicent Enyeama is a boost to the team.

Nigeria as the reigning African champions will be hoping for a chance to defend their title as they can only boost one point from two games played. Losing at home to Congo and picking up a goalless draw away to South Africa.

Nigeria will be facing Sudan in Khartoum on Saturday, 11th October before swiftly followed by the return leg at the National Stadium, Abuja four days later.

THE FULL LIST:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille OSC, France);
Austin Ejide (HapoelBe’erSheva, Israel); ChigozieAgbim (Gombe United)
Defenders: EldersonEchiejile (Monaco FC, France);
JuwonOshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel); Efe Ambrose (Celtic
FC, Scotland); Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor FC, Turkey);
AzubuikeEgwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Kenneth
Omeruo (Middlesbrough, England)
Midfielders:
John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England);
OgenyiOnazi (SS Lazio, Italy); NosaIgiebor (Maccabi FC,
Israel); OmatsoneAluko (Hull City, England); Hope Akpan
(Reading FC, England); RaheemLawal (Eskisehirspor FC,
Turkey); AnyoraUgonna (Haugesund FC, Norway)
Forwards:
Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia);
Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Gbolahan
Salami (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); OsaguonaIghodaro
(Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Victor Moses (Stoke City,
England); Aaron Samuel (Guangzhou R & F, China);
Aaron Samuel (SV ScholzGrodig, Austria); Babatunde
Michael (Volyn Lutsk, Ukraine) http://newswrita.com/afcon-qualifier-stephen-keshi-releases-list-of-call-up-players-for-sudan-check-full-list/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Ovamboland: What happened to Sule Lamido's presidential ambition? did he not publicly declare? was he also scared away by EFCC threat?

my friend, please stop lying. Sule Lamido did not publicly declare any presidential ambition. You've got to stop misleading people.

Barcelona Boss, Luis Enrique doesn’t seem ready to tolerate tardiness in his Barcelona camp as he had fined Lionel Messi, Neymar and Co up to £1,200 per match if they arrive just one minute late.

The Barca manager believes in discipline and punctuality is key as he builds on his early lead at the top of the La Liga table, and Enrique will not shy away from cracking the whip at the Nou Camp.

Turning up late on days of Barcelona matches will see Enrique slap the player with a £300 fine, before doubling to £600 and £1,200 for the second and third offences respectively. http://newswrita.com/barcelona-boss-luis-enrique-fines-lionel-messi-and-neymar-300-each/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed