₦airaland Forum

Kobojunkie:
@Poster, it has been true(well the official claim of the Nigerian Government) for about 2 years now . . ,

Nigeria, 4th fastest growing economy – UK Govt

London – The UK Government on Tuesday in London described Nigeria as the fourth fastest growing economy in the world.
Mr Henry Bellingham, UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State For Africa and Overseas Territories, said this at a two-day investment forum tagged: “Making Nigeria Your Goal.’’
“Nigeria has averaged growth of 8.9 per cent which is really stunning.
“Nigeria is the world’s fourth fastest growing economy with solid growth in the next five years and beyond ; this is truly remarkable,’’ he said.
Bellingham said the Nigerian economy may outpace that of South Africa in the next 10 years if the current reform in the banking sector was extended to the power, oil and gas sectors.
He commended the Lagos Government for good governance, fiscal responsibility and infrastructure development, saying the state was a model.
Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Managing Director of Access Bank PLC, said the event was an opportunity to consolidate on the economic gains that had characterised trans-border economic relations between the two countries.
Aig-Imoukhuede, whose presentation was entitled, “Nigeria: Your Market,’’ cited some sectors that had contributed to the real growth of the nation’s GDP in the last five years.
These, he said, include telecommunications accounting for 7.5 per cent; construction 6.4 per cent; food and beverages 3 per cent, agriculture 31.9 per cent; cement 1.3 per cent as well as oil and gas 25 per cent.
Earlier, Mr Ben Akabueze, Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, highlighted some investment opportunities in the state.
He cited the areas of investment to include power, water supply, real estate and road transport.
Akabueze said the Lekki Free Zone (LFZ), when fully completed, would give priority to manufacturing, warehousing and provision of logistics for industries in the zone.
“The LFZ is turning into a new industrial city as well as a multi-functional special economic zone of Lagos metropolis,’’ he added.
The second leg of the event will continue in Manchester under the same theme.
Participants at the forum were drawn from the organised private sector in Nigeria, the Nigeria High Commission and UK businesses. (NAN)

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/03/nigeria-4th-fastest-growing-economy-uk-govt/

How can this man be held in prison when the election is close? is that not a plan for PDP in that state to happily rig the election? More Crisis await the state

Treason Trial: ACN Governorship Candidate Denied Bail-PM News, Lagos

The Action Congress of Nigeria governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Senator James Akpanudoedehe, was this morning docked at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, charged with treason.

But in a dramatic move, the presiding judge, Justice Adamu Bello declined to rule on the bail application argued by his counsel who are four Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN.

The judge adjourned the matter till Thursday and ordered that Akpanudodehe be remanded in police custody.

The ACN governorship candidate was arrested and detained following the mayhem that occurred in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State last Tuesday when supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the main opposition party, the ACN clashed.

During the mayhem, 800 new vehicles and 500 tricycles were burnt. The value of the property was estimated at N2 billion.

Arguing for Akpanudoedehe’s bail application today, his counsel, Kola Awodein, Rickey Tarfa, Adeniyi Akintola and Yemi Osinbajo, all SANs, told the court that the sole intention of slamming the charge on the ACN candidate is to keep him out of circulation ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, which is also being contested by Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio of the PDP.

The defence counsel also stated that the accused is merely being persecuted because he belongs to a rival political party and that he knows nothing about the political unrest, for which he is being detained.

They also informed the court that Senator Akpanudoedehe was ill and constantly requires medication.

The legal team also argued that as a two-term elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a former Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, a former local government chairman and also a former chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Education, Potiskum and current governorship candidate of the ACN in Akwa Ibom State, Akpanudoedehe will not jump bail if granted.

However, Justice Adamu Bello declined to rule on the bail application and adjourned the matter till Thursday.

Meanwhile, thousands of youths from Akwa Ibom State stormed Abuja to protest Akpanudoedah’s detention and trial.

The carried placards denouncing his perceived persecution

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/treason-trial-acn-governorship-candidate-denied-bail-pm-news-lagos

Appendix to Press Release: a Nigerian senator earns more in Salary than Barack Obama and David Cameron

Effective from January 1, 2001, the annual salary of the president of the United States was doubled to $400,000 (N60m) per year, including a $50,000 expense allowance making the president the highest paid public servant. The $400,000 includes everything and $350,000 out of it is taxable.
Below is a table of the earnings of some politicians in the US:
Public Officers Earning per year ($) Earning per year Naira (million)
President 400000.00 60.0
V. President 227300.00 34.1
Speaker of the House 223500.00 33.5
Majority Leader (Senate) $193,400 29.1
Minority Leader (Senate) $193,400 29.1
Other Senators 174000.00 26.1
Majority Leader (Representative)$193,400 29.1
Minority Leader (Representative)$193,400 29.1
Cabinet Secretary $193,400 29.1


* Exchange rate is set at $1.00 = N150.00*Please note that US Vice President is also the Senate president.Below is a table showing some of the items in the new (reduced) package for the members of the Nigeria National Assembly:




Items Senator (N) Representative(N)
Basic salary/Regular allowances 11,145,200 9,926,062
Furniture 3,039,600 2,744,454
Motor Vehicle Loan 5,066,000 4,963,031
Duty Tour Allowance per day 23,000 21,000
Severance Gratuity 6,079,200 5,955,637
Estacodes $600 $550


Other allowances expressed as percentages of basic salaries are:
Hardship Allowance @ 50%
Constituency allowance @ 200%
Newspaper allowance @ 50%
Wardrobe allowance @ 25%
Recess Allowance @ 10%
Accommodation @ 200%
Utilities @ 30%
Domestic Staff @ 75%
Entertainment @ 30%
Personal Assistance @ 25%
Vehicle Maintenance Allowance @ 75%
Leave Allowance @10%

Analysis

This analyses translate to the fact that in addition to the regular and legitimate salaries and allowances of N17 million ($113,333) and N14.99 million ($99,933) which senators and reps were collecting yearly and the irregular allowance of estacodes, duty tours etc, they were also collecting N192m ($1.28m) and N140m ($0.93m) respectively in illicit quarterly allocation which is not provided for by RMAFC.

Effectively, a Nigerian senator was taking home at least $1.40m ($1.28m quarterly allocations + $0.113m regular salaries and allowances) as against the $0.174m an American senator takes home hence a Nigeria senator earns at least 8 times as much as an American senator and more than 3 times the American president.

Whereas a Senator in the U.S earns N21, 146,000, the same as a member of the House of Representatives; a UK Member of Parliament earn £64,766 (N14, 896,180)

In other words, a Federal Legislator in Nigeria is paid more than double what a Member of British Parliament earns per annum.

Senate President David Mark alone takes N250 million quarterly or N83.33 million per month. Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu gets N150 million per quarter or N50 million a month.

Mark and Ekweremadu earns in 4 months, six times what the UK Prime Minister earns in a year. David Cameron goes home with £190,000 per anum (N43, 700,000)

In a Next newspaper news article entitled ‘An Assembly for looting’ written by Musikilu Mojeed with Elor Nkereuwem, the authors rightly claimed that each of the 360 members of the House of Representatives were getting N35 million in cash money in quarterly allocation while each of the 109 Senators pockets N48 million each. These allocations have however been slashed by 20% to N27 million ($180,000) and N38 million ($253,333) respectively due to the 20% reduction requested by the late president.

The cut has been a source of a major controversy in the House of Representatives in the past few days where members are agitating to jerk up the sum to N42m quarterly at a time when the government is lamenting being broke and when the already signed 2010 budget is being cut by as much as 40%. What a bunch of greedy inhuman lots! The discordance has caused members of the House to force the speaker, Dimeji Bankole to reduce his quarterly allowance from N140m ($933,333) to N100m ($666,667) or from an annual allowance of N560m ($3.73m) to N400m ($2.67m).

According to data obtained from CIA World Factbook, Nigeria has an estimated per capital income (purchasing power parity) of $2,400 in 2009 as against USA’s $46,400. This means that the average earning in the US is 19.33 times as much as in Nigerian.

With the reduced salary package, a Nigeria senator still get paid N11 million ($73,333) in regular salaries and allowances annually and N152m ($1.03m) in four (quarterly) allocation making a total of $1.11m plus irregular allowances like estacodes and duty tour allowances.

The Senate has allocated N1, 024,000,000 as quarterly allowance to its 10 principal officers, known collectively as the Senate leadership - Each of the eight other principal officers take home N78 million every three months or N26 million per month.

Besides, for this year, the Senate has voted N2.6 billion for local travel, N2.45 billion (foreign travel), N1.25 million (security), N2.28 billion (contingency), N750 million (guest houses for Mark and Ekweremadu), and N500 million (establishment of radio and television stations).

The Executive Branch of government

A Nigerian Minister is paid N31,915,800 (32 million) per year, comprising salary (2,026,400), and benefits plus allowances (N29,889,400), American secretary (N23,488,000); British Secretary (N29,736,000) German Minister (N30,287,667.20)."

A Nigeria Minister of State gets N30, 538,248 (salary N1, 957,580; allowances N28, 580,666) higher than those of a South African Minister (N7, 704,558);

Compare again to American secretary (N23, 488,000); British Secretary (N29, 736,000) German Minister (N30, 287,667.20)

A local government councillor in Nigeria earn over N1 million per month while a university professor, or a director in a ministry is paid peanuts as take home.

The salary review of political office holders till date revealed that 17,474 officials earned N1.12 trillion yearly of the N1.12 trillion about N94, 959,545,401.20 billion is spent on salaries and N1, 031,654,689,033.18 trillion goes to allowances annually.

While 16,540 out of the political officeholders, as revealed from the document emanating from the Presidency to the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) are expected to undergo a pay cut in line with former President Yar’adua’s proposal earlier in the year, this is yet to take effect.

The officers are: Federal Executive (472); Federal Legislature (1,152); Local Government Executive (3,096) and local government legislature (8,692).

According to the document, officers taken this large lump sum evidently, approximately 17,500 officials only constitute 0.014 per cent (less than a quarter of a percent) of Nigeria’s estimated 140 million people.

Again, it is common knowledge that the salaries of these officers amount to nothing compared to the juicy fringe benefits that accrue to them.

It could be recalled that ministers, advisers, legislators salaries were all jerked up in 2007 and 2008. While the members of National Assembly got 100% pay rise which would cost Nigerian tax payers N52.4 billion every year, and an additional N15.02 billion as multi-purpose allowances given to the lawmakers on quarterly basis, the package accruing to the federal executives had jumped by over 1,000 percent to N98 billion due to their allowances as compared N65.5 billion paid the federal executives during the last regime.

The last time Nigerian workers ever had an enhanced salary package was in 2000 when former President Olusegun Obasanjo announced the N5, 500 and N7, 500 minimum wages both for state and federal workers respectively.

Comparison of the Salaries of Politicians vis-a-vis other professions in USA and Nigeria

The politicians’ salaries listed above might look big to you but if you look at what is obtainable in the society, you’ll surely get the drift. I’d like to compare the earning of these top political positions with those of surgeons in America.

According to ehow.com, several factors such as experience, employer, location, gender and degrees may affect the earnings of a heart surgeon. Salaries discussed here are median earnings from 2009.

• Degree: A cardiac surgeon with a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree will earn an average yearly salary of $292,774. If he has completed a Ph.D., however, the annual salary may rise to $400,000 on average.

It can be inferred from this that a surgeon earn as much as the president or even more. And in nearly all cases a surgeon earns more than the VP and other public office holders.

In the US, top attorneys in a top legal firm earn as much as $500,000 annually, a top journalist (like Christiane Amanpour) earns over a $1m, Wall street guys and top business executives earn $ millions in salaries, benefit, stock options etc. Top Sportsmen and Entertainers earn tens of $ million in salaries, endorsements, advertisements, profit sharing etc. Top CEOs also earn tens and in exceptional cases, hundreds of $ million in salaries, benefit, stock options and profit sharing.

If you consider the fact that many top politicians were also top earners before joining politics, you’d be able to understand the sacrifice intended.

The annual salary of the Surgeon General is about $190,000.

It’s a known fact Michelle Obama, the US first lady was earning much more as a hospital administrator in Chicago than her husband, President Barack Obama was earning as a US senator. According to the couple’s 2006 income tax return, her salary was $273,618 from the University of Chicago Hospitals as Vice President for Community and External Affairs, while her husband had a salary of $157,082 from the United States Senate.

In Nigeria, political offices are often seen as a get-rich-quick avenue because the legitimate salaries and benefits are enormous and are probably unobtainable elsewhere in the system. Another reason is that politicians can also meddle with the public funds with impunity. Candidly, public officers do not differentiate between public and private funds and this is probably the main cause of the do-or-die politics. All arms of government collaborate in the looting causing no checks and balances.

After the late former president Umaru Yar’Adua complained about the nation's dwindling revenues and that politicians were being overpaid and causing his government a financial stress, there was an approved reduced remunerative package for the politicians. Based on the this, each of the 107 senators (excluding the Senate President and his deputy) would be collecting N11 million ($73,333) in basic salaries and regular allowances every year while a member of the House of Representatives would get N9.9 million ($66,000). Previously, a senator was getting N17 million ($113,333) while a House member was collecting N14.99 million ($99,933).

The regular allowances are accommodation, car maintenance, domestic staff, personal assistant, entertainment, leave, utilities, newspaper/periodicals and constituency. These figures do not include non-regular allowances-- vehicle loan, furniture allowance, estacodes, and duty tour allowance and severance gratuity--which are paid separately to each legislator as they become due.

From a previous salary of about N10,000, a police constable now earns between N22,000 and N27,000 depending on his length of service and accommodation plan, while a sergeant’s pay has gone up from N15,000 to about N30,000. And from a pay slip of about N22,000, a Police inspector now earns at least N50,000 monthly.

Let me give an insight of the monthly salary of Nigerian police officers:

Constable = N22, 000 (£98) - N27, 000 (£120.27)

Corporal = N27, 000 (£120.27) - N28, 000 (£124.73)

Sergeant = N31, 000 (£138.09)

Inspector = N50, 000 (£222.72) - N52, 000 (£231.63)

Assistant Superintendent of Police = N80, 000 (£ 356.36) - N83, 000(£369.72) depending on whether he is a one-star ASP or two-star ASP.

A deputy Superintendent of Police = N90, 000 (£400.90)

A full superintendent = N100, 000 (£445.45)

In some states, while the state government claims not to have money to pay workers, it finds it convenient to pay politicians hundreds of thousands as monthly salary for doing practically nothing than looting the state blind. How can a state government justify the over N300, 000 salary paid to a ward councilor (and over N60, 000 to a councilor’s wife) while the highest paid teachers collects less than 30 percent and the least paid teacher collects less than 4 percent of a councilor’s pay. The total annual salaries of councilors in a state like Osun State (running to over N1.4 billion) are enough to employ 2240 workers on N50, 000 monthly salaries. This is pure robbery!

Yet, they reject the payment of N52, 200 minimum wages that the national leadership of NLC and TUC are fighting for.

Other Illegalities

Of all these allowances, the most intriguing is the constituency allowance. What is constituency allowance? You may ask. It is an allowance approved by Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). The constituency allowance as approved by RMAFC is supposed to be 200% of the basic salary for politician but in reality, they are paid far more than that. The major flaw of this allowance is that the law does not require the politicians to file reports of how the money is spent.

The executives are not left behind, infact, the legislative plunder is like a child’s play compared to what the executives are illegally taking away from the system.

In addition to their constituency allowances, It is no longer a news that governors collect billions of naira as security votes which are unaccounted for and which makes everyone wonder which security are they providing with the money.

According to Davidson Iriekpen in an article titled, Security Vote - for Whose Security? “Every year, billions of naira is allegedly squandered under the guise of security votes. The funds suspected to be illegal, are purportedly being used to provide security for the president, governors and their domains, whereas they are being transferred into personal bank accounts. In spite of these huge sums of money, killings, kidnappings, cultism and other security threats are on the increase across the states. At the federal level, funds are allocated to the Ministry of Defence for the upkeep and welfare of the armed forces and the police, yet billions are still voted for the President as security votes whose impact is unknown.”

Many of the governors appropriate the sum ranging from several hundreds of millions of naira to billions monthly as security vote. And also according to human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, security vote is an illegality and irresponsibility on the part of the country's leaders. He condemned the governors for appropriating security votes to them even when they know that it is unconstitutional. He also argued that the governors who indulge in security votes rob the society of essential resources.

In a report by RMAFC chairman, Hamman Tukur to the presidency, "He said the Federal, State and Local Governments flout the remuneration provisions made by the commission through frivolous foreign trips, arbitrary appointment of aides and use of excessively large motorcades.

He further said “based on the constitution, RMAFC has the final say on the remuneration package of National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly members, while a law need to be enacted based on the commission's proposals regarding the pay packages of executive and judicial office holders.”

Notwithstanding this warning, this illegality thrives from the presidency to the council. As the president takes billions of naira in monthly security vote, he also take several millions in constituency allowance.

Conclusion

Past surveys of salaries and benefits of public office holders from the Baltic to the Bahamas, the Americas and the Far East and everywhere else, has showed that Ministers and Federal Legislators in Nigeria are the highest paid in the world, despite the country being among the poorest in terms of per capita income, security, social provision and living standards. On the other hand, Nigerian workers are one of the lowest paid in the world.

The Nigerian Minister earns more than his American, British or German counterpart, and of course enjoys pecks of office those ones cannot even dare dream of - for doing next to NOTHING!!!

Likewise a Senator and his House of Representatives counterpart in Nigeria receive much more than their contemporaries elsewhere.

Do you know even any local government Chairman in Nigeria who does not own houses and fleet of cars?

Nigeria is a relatively poor country and there is no justification for a Nigerian politician earning much more than his American counterpart while others in other callings earn a fraction of what is obtainable in the US.

I think it’s about time we work out a ceiling system for the remunerations of public servants and tie them to what is obtainable in certain professions. And until we get this right, our politics will continue to be a do-or-die affair with the greedy lots dominating the air as their only attractions are the perks of the offices

http://www.elombah.com/news/node/3824

Nigerian police intercept bomb-carrying suspected Islamists


KANO, Nigeria — Police in northern Nigeria on Tuesday discovered two home-made bombs in a car carrying three suspected Islamists heading for a political rally ahead of general elections.
Police suspect the target of the bombs was a political meeting of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) held in the city of Maiduguri, which has recently been the centre of attacks by an Islamist sect known as Boko Haram.
When police found "the two locally-made bombs concealed in the boot of the car, the three suspected Boko Haram sect members took to their heels and the police opened fire , , killing one and wounding another while the third managed to escape," Zakai Adamu, state assistant police commissioner for Borno state, told AFP.
"From all indications the suspected Boko Haram members wanted to detonate the bombs at the campaign rally," Adamu said.
The discovery comes days before general elections, which will be spread over three weekends starting April 2, heightening fears of political violence in the volatile city.
On Sunday suspected sect gunmen killed the ANPP's youth leader in the city shortly after he attended a political meeting.
In January the ANPP governorship candidate was killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen along with six others in an attack claimed by Boko Haram.
Last October the ANPP national vice chairman for northeastern Nigeria was killed by unknown gunmen at his home in the city.
Since 2010 attacks attributed to the sect in the city have left dozens dead, most of them policemen.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jTtIJyvwSjP59e0GT2v2PeE1R8uw?docId=CNG.de1bc45a4642d8ad00be85bc0b2fc49d.b41

this bon debate is really a Joke.

Detectives investigating the killing of a boy whose headless body was found in the River Thames nearly 10 years ago are chasing a new lead in Nigeria.

The case of the limbless five- or six-year-old youngster has mystified police ever since he was discovered near Tower Bridge on September 21, 2001.
Tests revealed the unidentified boy - named Adam by officers - had been poisoned 48 hours before he died and was paralysed, but conscious, when he was killed.
Police consulted African religious experts and concluded that he had been butchered in a ritualistic killing.
At one stage they were working on the theory that he was brought to the UK as a child slave specifically to be "sacrificed"

Forensic checks involving bone samples later linked him to Nigeria.
The development came as it was reported that the child may have been identified.
According to ITV's London Tonight, a Nigerian woman who cared for "Adam" has said his real name was Ikpomwosa and that he was used for a ritual in the water.

She had looked after the boy for a while in Germany but had given him to a man when she came to Britain seeking refuge.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We can confirm that the investigation team have been preparing to visit Lagos, Nigeria, in connection with the Adam inquiry.
"They will be travelling in the near future."
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Detectives-Hunting-Killer-Of-Headless-And-Limbless-Boy-Found-In-Thames-Are-Heading-To-Nigeria/Article/201103415961944?

lpos=UK_News_First_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15961944_Detectives_Hunting_Killer_Of_Headless_And_Limbless_Boy_Found_In_Thames_Are_Heading_To_Nigeria

Nigerian returnees from Libya stage protest at Lagos airport

Some Nigerian returnees evacuated from troubled Libya, yesterday embarked on a protest demanding for the provision of their luggage by the federal government.

The evacuees, who threatened to disrupt operations at the Hajj Camp cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, argued that since they arrived Nigeria two weeks back, the government has been promising them that their luggage will return but have failed to fulfill their words.

NEXT last week reported the experience and clamour of some of the affected returnees, and how the Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) promised the citizens that their belongings will get to the country within the week.

“I regret coming back to Nigeria; I have lost everything and this shirt and trouser that I am putting on is all that I have,” said Ehis Arebu, one of the affected persons during the protest.

“I have been in this Hajj Camp for the past two weeks, the NEMA officials are still saying the same thing; they have not brought our luggage except for the few ones that came in yesterday with some people. I have three pieces of luggage and I have not even seen one of them. In fact Nigeria claims to be the giant of Africa but we are the giant of Africa from the back,” he said.

Another promise

Placating the angry protesters, Omololu Bishi, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, MMIA Command, assured the returnees that the government is working towards bring home their possessions from Libya, but made it clear to the Nigerians that the country in question is at war and caution should be taken when flying to the country.

“We will beg them (UN) so that by tomorrow they should bring your luggage; it is not a normal movement, if not, your luggage would have come with you,” he said.

“Libya is now a war zone; it was the UN that has brought you from the war zone. In fact, UN saves lives first. They cannot carry luggage and people and for your information Libya is now a no-fly zone.” Mr. Bishi advised the protesters to show gratitude rather than staging a protest, adding that they should laud the initiative taken by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for providing shelter.

“You people should be happy that you are alive and you should be giving thanks to God as well as FAAN security for providing accommodation for you people.” he said.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5686100-146/story.csp

Suspected Islamists kill Nigerian politician

KANO, Nigeria — Four gunmen suspected to be members of a radical Islamist sect opened fire on a group of party politicians in eastern Nigeria at the weekend, killing a youth leader, police said Monday.
The attackers shot Modu Gana Makanike, an All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) youth leader, in the chest and head shortly after a political meeting Sunday of party's chieftains in the city of Maiduguri.
"The attackers suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect shot sporadically at the crowd of politicians with two AK-47 rifles from behind a building opposite, before shooting the victim in the head and the chest and he died instantly," police spokesman Lawal Abdullahi said.
It was the latest in a string of killings blamed on the group which has waged a low-level insurgency since it staged an uprising in northern Nigeria in 2009 that was brutally put down by security forces.
The attack comes ahead of general elections, which will be spread over three weeks starting April 2, heightening fears of political violence in the volatile city.
Since 2010 attacks attributed to the sect have left dozens dead, most of them policemen.
In January the ANPP governorship candidate was killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen along with six others in an attack claimed by Boko Haram.
Last October the ANPP national vice chairman for northeastern Nigeria was killed by unknown gunmen at his home in Maiduguri.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jaJOIyuklHY7RGzN0AzIvFdmP2gA?docId=CNG.64ac32dfd309fefaba45cb9047c06eab.5a1

more pics

Delta State -Asaba N40 billion Airport Test Flight Scam

On March 24 2011, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta state arranged an elaborate aircraft landing ceremony to show case the "operation" of his N40 billion Asaba International Airport with a full regimen of hired spectators. A chartered aircraft from a barely known airline -Overland Airways-owned by the Governor of Bauchi state, Isah Jaguda, landed at the airport and was received with fanfare.

SaharaReporters sources stated that the aircraft landed by way of mobile telephone communication between the pilot and air traffic controllers on the ground as the airport tower is yet to become operational.

Yesterday a citizen journalist, Prince Armour Idemude, took time to photograph the project. As these photographs reveal, the so-called "operation of Asaba International Airport" is a political scam of immense proportion. The airport is not anywhere near "operational" as claimed by Uduaghan and his handlers. It is a project still under construction.

It is unlikely that the airport would be completed by the end of 2011, but project costs are bound to go up again as Governor Uduaghan and his aides seek to deceive the people of Delta State about his phony airport project as election day approaches. Already, the project, which was originally conceived to cost N7 billion, has been reviewed four times.

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/photonews-delta-state-asaba-n40-billion-airport-test-flight-scam

This is a true reflection of what the situation of things are not some of our *thieving* media that telling us Jonathan already has 60% support from the masses.

Nigeria's ruling party faces possible runoff

A group of women danced around the perimeter of a ruling party rally in Nigeria's capital Saturday, their eyes peering out of masks of President Goodluck Jonathan's face.
The masks seemed imply everyone identifies with Jonathan, an accidental state governor who took power in the oil-rich nation after the death of its elected Muslim leader last year. But this is a nation of 150 million people, two major religions, 250 ethnicities and a populace tired of unkept promises by a government spending billions of unaccounted-for dollars.

With Jonathan losing support and opposition parties gaining ground, Nigeria's ruling People's Democratic Party faces what could be its first serious challenge in holding onto power in a country where democracy took hold only 12 years ago. Some even suggest the April 9 presidential election could be pushed into a second round of voting, which would be a first for Nigeria and a true test of democracy for a nation with a history of marred polls.

"If the elections are much improved _ if Jonathan is not rigged in on the first ballot _ then the chances of a runoff are good," former U.S. Ambassador John Campbell said.

Nigeria's election law has a two-prong test to determine a winner in its multiparty system. To win outright in the first round, a candidate must win overall, as well as carry at least a quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the country's 36 states and its capital.

Since democracy came into effect, the candidates of the People's Democratic Party have won outright in the nation's three presidential elections. However, those wins seem to come from the party's muscle and money, the true points of power in a nation where ballot boxes go missing and voters face intimidation and attacks. International observers roundly rejected Nigeria's 2007 poll as being rigged and marred by thuggery, though it represented the nation's first civilian-to-civilian transfer of power.

Now, former military ruler and perennial presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari is gaining tremendous grass-roots support across Nigeria's Muslim north. Other Muslim candidates also may take votes away from Jonathan, a Christian from the nation's south, as some of the country's northern elite believe another northerner should be running in his place.

"My reading continues to be that Buhari has substantial support around the country _ but not among the elites _ or the governors," said Campbell, now a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. "And the governors are at the center of rigging.

The ruling party seemed to drive that point home Saturday, bringing all of its governors on stage to deliver speeches during the rally. The powerful governors spoke not about policies or promises of service, but rather pledged to deliver their states to Jonathan and the ruling party.

"In the Bible and the Quran, you are qualified to be president," Bauchi state governor Isa Yuguda said. He later added the state "can bring you votes" and that Jonathan had already won the Muslim-dominated northern state.

However, Yuguda himself only defected to the party after running as an opposition candidate. Niger state Gov. Babangida Aliyu also slipped in his own speech when telling Jonathan that he would "be elected in the first round." Mentioning that before would have been unthinkable.

Divisions about ethnicity and religion still surface violently in Nigeria, despite it going through a brutal civil war in the late 1960s that saw more than 1 million people die. Former military ruler and President Olusegun Obasanjo implied such divisions could arise through supporting other candidates who didn't share his vision of Nigerian identity.

"It can destabilize, if not destroy, our country," Obasanjo said.

Jonathan, for his part, also warned politicians against employing violence during the election. Both Jonathan and the leader of the country's Independent National Electoral Commission have promised a free and fair vote. However, election workers have clamored for life insurance and police protection.

"Politics does not mean you have to carry a knife and stab people," Jonathan told the thousands gathered for Saturday's rally at Abuja's Eagle Square parade ground. "Politics does not mean you have to pick up a gun and shoot people."

However, the presence of hundreds of police and security officers at the rally did not stop violence. Local unemployed youths, hired to fill the crowd at the rally and wave signs, rushed into the stands at one point, slapping women and dousing them with bottled water. At another point, women pulled each other's hair and knocked others over to grab souvenir plastic plates bearing Jonathan's face. Police stood by and watched both fights.

As Jonathan gave his speech, the crowd already began emptying out of Eagle Square, their shouting and shoving drowning out the words of the soft-spoken marine biologist turned president.

It will be up to election officials and police to determine whether the nation's coming elections will be fair. And voters will decide who Jonathan is and if the ruling party should hold onto the country for another four years.

"I'm wearing the president," said dancer Juliet Zifwaei, 38, who wore a Jonathan mask on her head during the rally. "It's a symbol of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."

She paused, then asked a passer-by: "Do you like it?

http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1554451

Enugu_Ukwu:
thats what i am talking about.

What is exactly your point? That a man of God cant call a spade a spade? am sorry for our so called church leaders these days

Jonathan formally solicits Christians' support in election

Warri (WorldStage Newsonline)-- President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday in Warri, Delta State, met leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and solicited for their support in the April elections where he will be contesting as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

At a meeting with the leadership of CAN from various churches across the country, led by the President, and General Overseer of the Life of Bible Church, Warri, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, at his church premises, President Jonathan told them to help sell his candidacy to follow Christians.
“We feel you should sell us to your followers,” he said.
The meeting was part of the his on going consultations with various groups in the country.
The President is expected to meet with the National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NCSIA, tomorrow in Kaduna State.
Also in attendance were Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta state, the Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Oghiadome, Minister of Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, SA Media, Ima Niboro, Cheif Ojo Maduekwe and other presidential aides.
President Jonathan said the meeting would afford him opportunity to interact with religious leaders on the need to preach peace before, during and after the elections relayed message to the traditional rulers during the recently concluded state campaigns.
On the forthcoming elections, he noted that as a candidate and a sitting President, he had a onerous task of ensure free and fair polls where every vote will count. He therefore, enjoined Christian leaders to intensify prayers ahead of the elections.
The President said , “we feel you should sell us to your followers because we meant well for this country. We are here to plead with you to continue to pray for peace of this country and lastly that we are interested. We mean well for this country and believe we are the best pair and by the grace of God, if we get there, we will not disappoint the Christian family.”
Responding, CAN President, Pastor Oritsejafor assured the President and his running mate, Namadi Sambo of the body's continued support for the administration, praying that they will succeed in the April poll.
“As Christian leaders, we are already proud of you because you are one of us. My fellow leaders want me to tell you that they are proud of you. We want you to go ahead and we will continue to pray for your success,” he said.
“I want to say to Nigerians that we believe in the unity of this country. We believe there are great potentials, there are great people. We trust God will give you what you desire. My God will be with you,” Pastor Oritsejafor prayed.
Similar meetings had been held with stakeholders in the entertainment industry, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN).
The President had also scheduled to meet interest groups such as the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) among many others.

http://www.worldstagegroup.com/worldstage/index.php?&id=2461&active=news

Ciroma group to Jonathan: You are on your own

Less than 48 hours to President Jonathan’s grand finale rally in Abuja, the Adamu Ciroma led Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) and the Igbo Political Forum have withdrawn their support for the president, citing what they called his deceptive attitude in the series of talks held recently to find a common ground before the presidential elections.

The two groups, which have been collaborating on the contentious issue of zoning of the presidency, took the decision to dump President Jonathan at a meeting in Abuja yesterday, saying that his failure to give a definite commitment on the issue of his exit in 2015 and where the presidency will shift to was an indication that he is not ready to quit in 2015.


“We have resolved that he [Jonathan] can go it alone because his failure to give a commitment regarding 2015 is imbued with deception. It shows he is not ready to go in 2015,” a dependable source at the meeting said.

“If he is giving the North, let’s know and if he is giving the Igbos, he should say it clearly, and then the Igbos will approach us to seek our support,” he said. He also said the group will in due course make known the presidential candidate that its members will support before the presidential election.

A communiqué released afterwards said the meeting reaffirmed members’ commitment to the principle and practice of zoning and rotation of key political offices in Nigeria, which they considered necessary and sacrosanct for the unity, peace and stability of Nigeria.

“We re-affirmed our position on term limits for key political offices, particularly the office of the President, to the extent that any occupier of the office in 2011 will not seek re-election in 2015, at which time the position will be rotated to another zone,” the communiqué said.

“We have therefore resolved to support any candidate who shares our commitment to these principles and who is committed to practicing it,” it said, stressing that “such a candidate must, as a precondition, exhibit other qualities that are conducive to good governance - honesty, integrity, competence, sound policy direction and requisite experience.”

The leaders then urged their supporters and sympathizers across the country to be “properly guided in their choice of candidates in the forthcoming general elections and to reject any candidate who does not possess these qualities or subscribe to these basic principles, does not honour them and will not realize them if or when he comes into office.”

The communiqué signed by Alhaji Magaji Danbatta, chairman, and Chief Udenta O. Udenta, Secretary, also said a 9-man Technical Committee was set up to examine the issues raised in detail, explore viable options for the coming general election and make recommendation(s) to the plenary within the shortest possible time.”

The also condemned the culture of impunity and high level of intolerance, particularly “the intimidation, harassment and muzzling of political opponents by incumbent governments at all levels and the denial of right of assembly to opposition parties, including the denial of space for them to conduct their political campaigns.”

The leaders argued that “the tension, violence, desperation for power, and the culture of impunity and intolerance that have thus far characterized the electioneering campaigns are directly related to the culture of dishonesty that has crept into our political life as well as consequences of the attempt by certain political elite to jettison enduring principles for national political consensus building and political inclusiveness.”

“This ugly trend, if not arrested, is capable of derailing our democracy and of creating alternative means for the expression of dissent and discontent,” the communiqué warned.

Top among those NPLF side include Malam Adamu Ciroma, General Ibrahim Babangida, Atiku Abubakar, Alhaji Magaji Danbatta, Professor Ango Abdullahi and Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura.

Prominent among the Igbo leaders who attended include Senator Ben Obi, ABC Nwosu, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Chief Dubem Onyia, and Chief Benjamin Apugo.

The meeting also recalled that on 10 August, 2010, the NPLF and the South-East Consultative Forum, now Igbo Political Forum, had met at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua centre in Abuja to renew the age-old strategic partnership between the North and the South East and to develop a unified position on the issue of power sharing in the context of Nigeria’s political experience since 1999.

Speaking on the preparation for the election, the meeting noted the efforts of INEC, especially the “improved voter registration” and the intensity of public enlightenment but observed that INEC, political parties and the judiciary have been unable to resolve the issue of candidates in some constituencies.

“This is a recipe for chaos,” the communiqué said and called on all stakeholders to play their part to ensure that the general elections do not follow the path of the previous elections as the conduct of free and fair election is not the responsibility of INEC alone.


http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14847:ciroma-group-to-jonathan-you-are-on-your-own&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

aisha2:
I do not understand. this topic was posted first, you posted a similar one, we can not have two topics on the same issue, even if you have more details you are meant to post them under the the topic that came first

Please get me correctly. I said if a post like this one we commenting on has been posted and something similar comes up, the one that comes after should be deleted if they are addressing the same issue. am not arguing with you to delete this and keep mine. Just saying so that all comments can be channeled to one post instead of having comments scattered around in different posts of the same nature.

@AISHA 2, if a post like this has been posted and and someone posts something exactly i think as administrator or moderator of this session you should delete the other so we dont have the same post everywhere. So perhaps delete other posts as same as this. My Opinion Anyway.

April polls: Soyinka slams IGP over use of cell phones

Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, on Thursday, slammed the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, over his directive that Nigerians should not take pictures with their cell phones and cameras during the forthcoming April polls.

He expressed his displeasure with the directive during the official presentation of an online media platform, reclaimnija.net, held at the Golden Tulip Hotels, Festac in Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State.

Describing the IGP’s directive as “nonsense and illegal,” Soyinka said there was nothing wrong for citizens to monitor and record voting process with their cell phones and cameras.

However, he called on Nigerians to disregard the IGP’s directive by not only staying back, but to also record voting, counting and announcement of the results.

Soyinka, who was visibly embarrassed by the IGP’s directive, said that the order was tantamount to misdirection.

He said: “I wonder how the IGP expects the citizens to have adequate knowledge as well as exempt the INEC of any complicity.

“It is stupidity of the security agents to ban Nigerians from taking their cell phones and cameras to polling booths. If they do not go with it to polling booths, how will they monitor electoral misconducts? People should ignore it because it is contrary to electoral act. Police always confuse Nigerians just to suit their paymasters.”

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/19481-april-polls-soyinka-slams-igp-over-use-of-cell-phones

VOTER CARD SCAM EXPOSED IN DELTA

Election riggers, otherwise known as "Election mafias" in Delta State, have allegedly perfected plans to truncate the will of the people ahead of forthcoming general elections.

Towards this end, some politicians in the state have allegedly started collecting cards from unsuspecting voter under the guise that they were needed to facilitate empowerment programme of a popular politician.

Police spokes person in the state, ASP Charles Muka disclosed that already three persons suspected to be "political thugs" had been arrested with multiple voter cards

The suspects, according to , were picked up on a tip-off, and upon interrogation they confessed that they were sponsored by some politicians.

The ASP added that on completion of investigation the suspects would be charged to court.

Leadership checks revealed that a political appointee in Ika South Local Government of the state was alleged to be involved in the act .

Experts also explained that with the data on the card, fake cards would be produced and returned to their owners before the election day.

The Source further hinted that their evil intention, as perfected, was to invalidate the original cards.The target areas are those areas that the perpetrators`s principals are believed to have less support.

The first inkling of the dubious plan, our informed sources said, came to light a few days after registration when the lackeys of a politician allegedly obtained some voter cards from vulnerable people mostly illiterates, pretending that the cards would be used to process empowerment programmes.

Against the backdrop of over whelming agitation for a change in the political leadership, sources revealed that figures of registered voters in the State have been allegedly beefed up in the INEC machines to accommodate rigging plans of some prominent politicians.

http://www.leadershipeditors.com/ns/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27630:voter-card-scam-exposed-in-delta&catid=51:cover-stories&Itemid=101

Bomb-making material found in a house in divided central Nigerian city 2 weeks before polls

LAGOS, Nigeria - A large amount of bomb-making equipment has been found in a restive city in central Nigeria just weeks ahead of national polls, authorities said Wednesday.
Brig. Gen. Hassan Umaru said three suspects are being held in connection to the materials found Tuesday in a house in an expensive residential neighbourhood in the city of Jos.
Materials included dozens of detonators, lab equipment, a timer and an instructional manual on bomb-making.
"Depending on the combination, this equipment can cause lethal damage anywhere," Umaru said.
The discovery comes two weeks after soldiers stopped trucks loaded with weapons and explosives heading for Jos. Authorities said they carried more than 33,000 pounds (15,000 kilograms) of ammunition along with explosive material, detonators and other equipment used to make bombs.
"We can't leave any room for these items to be used or there will be serious chaos," Umaru said.
He said people "who want to cause confusion" are bringing in ammunition ahead of April polls. Nigerians will vote for a new president on April 9 and new governors on April 16.
Jos is the epicenter of religious violence in Nigeria's "middle belt" where the country's predominantly Muslim north meets a mostly Christian south. Attackers in the region, however, had not been known to use bombs until a few months ago.
"The use of explosive devices is relatively new in the (state) but the December bombings brought in a new dimension in this regard," Umaru said after multiple Christmas Eve bombings in Jos left at least 32 dead last year.
Two bombs went off near a large market where people were doing last-minute Christmas shopping. A third hit a mainly Christian area of Jos, while the fourth was near a road that leads to the city's main mosque.
Violence in Jos, though fractured across religious lines, often has more to do with local politics, economics and rights to grazing lands. The government of Plateau state, where Jos is the capital, is controlled by Christian politicians who have blocked Muslims from being legally recognized as citizens. That has locked many out of prized government jobs in a region where the tourism industry and tin mining have collapsed in the last decades.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/world/breakingnews/bomb-making-material-found-in-a-house-in-divided-central-nigerian-city-2-weeks-before-polls-118492489.html

Arms depots found in Oyo

There have been reported cases of arms build-up by a political party in Oyo town, Oyo State, preparatory to the general elections.

Three illegal arms depots allegedly have been uncovered at Ladigbolu, Tobacco and Araromi in the ancient town.

Sources said six Trans City Transport Company (TCTC) buses arrived at one of the depots at Lane 2, Ladigbolu, about midnight, and offloaded arms and ammunition as well as fake police uniforms last weekend.

The following day, The Nation gathered that a blue helicopter emerged around 10:30 am, hovering above the building for about 10 minutes. It disappeared shortly after.

Sources said: “We were aware of the plan. We mobilised ourselves as neighbourhood watch at Ladigbolu. When the buses arrived, the hoodlums who accompanied them fired sporadically into the air. We would have confronted them, but we decided to take it easy.”

A similar incident was reported at the old Tobacco Company, and former office of a company where the large catche of ammunition was allegedly stored.

The office, owned by a prominent contractor to the state government, is being used as a campaign office for a governorship candidate.

Men of the State Security Service (SSS) were said to have been alerted on the development.

http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/31520.html

assme:
How about the Bakare that called Buhari old and decaying in 2006 and now campaigning seriously for&alongside Buhari. is not a love-peddler too?

stop raising issues that have been dealt with. Bakare has explained that several times and he even repeated same explanation in the vice presidential debate. Or dont you as a human being judge things wrongly and later change your judgement based on new truth and reality? Be sincere to yourself for once,

still finding it hard to believe that ACN influence in Lagos is not a Barrier for Jonathan to get more votes there,

Nigerian polls put president ahead in election race

Former anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu is hoping to secure strong backing for his presidential bid in the southwest, the stronghold of his Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) party, but the poll put him on just 4.7 percent of the overall vote.

It said 92 percent of respondents in Nigeria's most populous city of Lagos, in the southwest, would vote for sitting state governor Babatunde Fashola (ACN) in the governorship election, but 80 percent would vote Jonathan for the presidency.

Jonathan inherited power after the death of late northern President Umaru Yar'Adua last year and is seeking what would have been Yar'Adua's second term.

Buhari is hoping to capitalise on northern resentment at his candidacy but would need Ribadu to perform well in the southwest if he is to have a hope of forcing a run-off.

A second poll carried out by local firm NOI Polls, which has a partnership with Gallup, said 68 percent of Nigerians approved of Jonathan's performance so far as president.

The poll, commissioned by Nigerian civil society group the ANAP Foundation, said 53 percent of respondents expected Jonathan to win the April polls.

It said 73 percent of those questioned were aware that Buhari was running for president, while only 48 percent were aware that Ribadu was standing.

Jonathan has just completed a high-profile tour of the 36 states. Buhari's campaign is ongoing, while Ribadu's has been comparatively low key.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/03/22/nigeria-election-polls-idUKLDE72L0R220110322?pageNumber=2

Nigerian military jet crashes, killing pilot

KANO, Nigeria — A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet crashed Tuesday while taking off from a flight school near the northern city of Kano, killing the pilot, officials said.
The plane, one of several Chinese F7 jets purchased by oil-rich Nigeria, failed to lift off from the runway the military flight school shares with Kano's Mallam Aminu International Airport around 12:30 p.m., witnesses said. The plane crashed while still on the airport's ground and immediately exploded.
Air Commodore Yusuf Anas told The Associated Press that the pilot died in the crash. Anas said the plane recently had been brought from an air base in Makurdi.
"The Nigerian Air Force headquarters has already set up an accident investigation panel to unravel the circumstances that led to the accident," Anas said in a statement. "Further details on the crash will be made known as soon as the family of the deceased pilot is informed."
Airport officials postponed some afternoon flights out of Kano, an ancient city in Nigeria's Muslim north, as workers struggled to put out the fire and clear debris.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, has one of the biggest militaries in West Africa. Its Air Force has a fleet including fighter jets, transport aircraft and the small jets flown by its president. However, mechanical issues have grounded its planes in the past.
In 2002, a commercial airliner crashed during takeoff from Kano's airport, which sits nestled among homes and businesses in the sprawling ancient city. The airliner crashed into a neighborhood, destroying homes, mosques and a school, killing 145 people. In 1992, a military plane carrying 163 people crashed just after taking off from Lagos.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/7485825.html

When i thought the police where actually there to make peace as stated in an earlier report, i never knew they were solely there to carry out the agenda of their clueless oga. When will this country even learn? So this useless policemen could not learn from what happened in port harcourt? what a shame. Infact militants should serve as our police am sure they will do better,

proudly9ja:
Did anyone else notice that the police said there was no violence and only fired tear gas to disperse the crowd?

How did police know that the crowd were members of two different parties? How do we not know they only fired tear gas to disperse the CPC crowd that came for the rally?

I am not making accusations, only asking questions.

I also thought as much, am sure there is more to the police action than the reason they gave

timbuk two:
AFP aren't reporting this story. where is this story coming from?

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/Scores+injured+in+Nigeria+city+ahead+of+rally+/-/1066/1130464/-/tux7ce/-/
another press reporting same incident

NIGERIAN POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS IN TENSE CITY AHEAD OF RALLY

Police fired gunshots and tear gas on Monday to disperse a tense crowd that gathered near the site of a leading opposition candidate's election rally in the volatile Nigerian city of Jos.

A number of what appeared to be wounded people were also being taken in the direction of a hospital by police in the city in central Nigeria, an AFP correspondent reported.

Crowds of people, mainly youths, had gathered in the road leading to the campaign venue when police fired gunshots in the air to disperse them.

It was unclear whether the candidate, ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, would go ahead with the rally.

Police commissioner Abdulrahman Akano said two different groups of youths supporting Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan gathered in the road, leading authorities to intervene.

"We didn't allow the fight," he told AFP. "They were gathering , One or two canisters of tear gas had to be fired."

He said he was not aware of any injuries or police firing into the air. There had been no arrests.

Tensions have flared in the country ahead of the April vote, with a number of political meetings targeted with bomb attacks.

Jos and its environs have been hit by waves of violence involving Christian and Muslim ethnic groups in recent years that have claimed hundreds of lives.

On Sunday, two men aboard a motorcycle were killed in the city when a bomb they were carrying accidentally exploded.

Plateau state is located in the so-called middle belt between the mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south of Africa's most populous country of some 150 million people.

Buhari is a Muslim from the north, while Jonathan, the clear favourite in the election, is a Christian from the southern Niger Delta region. -AFP

http://www.thenewage.co.za/13124-1019-53-Nigerian_police_fire_tear_gas_in_tense_city_ahead_of_rally

na wa for this election ohh, I dont know where in a civilise word you throw stones at political candidates you dont agree with. May God Indeed help us in the forth coming election before the 50 year-old country collapses.