₦airaland Forum

eleko1:
GEJ boys,una weludone ooo.The Voice of Jona is the voice of BokOs.Boko Haram is PDP,pdp is boko Haram. May the soul of AZazi/Yakowa RIP

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed to disrupt Nigeria’s general election in a new video released Tuesday, after two suicide attacks in the northeast blamed on the Islamists killed 38 people.

“This election will not be held even if we are dead. Even if we are not alive Allah will never allow you to do it,” Shekau said in the Hausa language, presumably referring to the polls scheduled for March 28.

The video appeared to be the first message released by the group on Twitter, a sign of its changing media tactics after previous messages were distributed to journalists on DVD.

Shekau was shown in unusual clarity in front of a solid blue background, dressed in black and with an automatic weapon resting to his right.

He also claimed a weekend attack in the northeast Nigerian city of Gombe, which the military says was repelled.

The Islamist leader, declared a global terrorist by the United States and sanctioned by the United Nations, disputed the military’s account of the Gombe clashes, claiming that his fighters overran troops and freed insurgents from prison.

Nigeria’s general election had been scheduled for February 14 but was postponed by six weeks, with the security services saying they needed more time to contain the violence in the northeast, Boko Haram’s stronghold.

Despite Shekau’s threat, experts doubt that the Islamist rebels have the capacity to disrupt voting nationwide, although election officials have conceded that voting could prove impossible in parts of the northeast.

The Abia State chapter of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party has described the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s exit from PDP as a belated action, saying the ex-President’s spirit had long left the party.

It also described Obasanjo’s tearing of his membership card as “disgraceful and childish action least expected of any statesman.”

Speaking with our correspondent in Umuahia, the Chairman of PDP in the state, Senator Emma Nwaka, said Obasanjo became embittered upon his discovery that President Goodluck Jonathan whom he had wanted to be his rubber stamp rather refused to be remote-controlled by him.

Nwaka said Obasanjo left PDP the day he started criticising Jonathan, adding that his tearing of membership card was a mere formality .

He explained that Obasanjo was no longer comfortable with Jonathan’s outstanding performances which he said had since dwarfed Obasanjo’s “abysmal performances in office.”

Nwaka said the former President “is never happy whenever it dawns on him that those he considers his protégés are outshining him,” hence his dumping of PDP on the platform of which he ruled the country for two terms.

He said Obasanjo was a disgrace to PDP and never sought the good of the party but was only after his selfish interest.

His words: “From his antecedents, Obasanjo likes it when he is calling the shots, but unfortunately, his devil-may-care disposition leaves much to be desired. He behaves like a bull in a China shop.”

Nwaka said Jonathan and PDP would still win the polls without Obasnjo’s vote which he said “cannot make any difference.”

Eternal rivals, Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Black Stars of Ghana will rekindle their rivalry once again with both sides set to clash in a friendly enounter in London on March 29.

The Nigeria Football Federation on Friday announced that the three time African Champions will face Bolivia in an international friendly match at the Akwa Ibom Stadium on March 26.
The highly anticipated encounter against the Ghanaians will come up three days after the clash against the South Americans.

The Super Eagles will use both games to prepare for the 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifiers which will commence in June.

The three time African Champions are looking to rebuild following their failure to qualify for the recently concluded 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea.

Ghana on the other hand will look to lift the gloom following their agonizing penalty shoot-out loss to Cote d’l voire in the final of the competition.

It would be recalled that Nigeria and Ghana played a barren draw the last time both countries met in a friendly encounter in October 2011.

The Super Eagles’ last international game was last month when a home-based side with a sprinkling of foreign-based players beat Yemen 2-0 in Dubai.

UrennaNkoli:
Who else do u expect ........

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has said that members of the Multi- national Joint TaskForce currently involved in the anti-terrorism war against the Boko Haram have seized food and logistics meant for members of the Islamist group operating in Baga, Borno State, in a coordinated air and land operation on Monday.

According to the Defence Headquarters, the operation also led to the capture of many insurgents.

It said, via Twitter, that another operation aimed at reclaiming Monguno, a town in Borno State, from the insurgents had been completed.

With the successful liberation of both towns, the Headquarters added, the military had recorded a significant breakthrough in its efforts to rescue the North-East from the pangs of terrorism.

“Troops, in an operation led by highly-coordinated air assaults, have completed the mission of clearing terrorists from Monguno and its environs.

A number of terrorists, as well as truck-loads of food and logistics meant for terrorists operating around Baga, have been captured,” the force headquarters tweeted.

It stated that Nigerian soldiers had recovered some arms and ammunition from the insurgents during the battle, which it described as successful.

“There were casualties, while arms were recovered in the operation in Monguno, Marte and other communities that are already secured. Military operation to clear terrorists from Monguno and other communities is successful,” it said.

While informing members of the public about the progress of the battle, the Defence Headquarters said, “The air and land operation is continuing with an aggressive advance towards other designated communities and locations meant to be cleared.”

Last weekend, the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, said fresh efforts by the insurgents to invade Gombe State, in the early hours of Saturday, were repelled.

“Calm has returned and the troops are pursuing them. They ran to different directions and are being pursued. They went to Gombe just to prove a point that they are still alive and can disrupt the elections,” he said.

The Boko Haram had reportedly sent a message to residents of Gombe at the weekend, warning them to steer clear of polling booths in the March 28 presidential election. The message, they said, was to avoid being harmed as they would strike during the election.

With the renewed campaign of the insurgents, including the attack on a Cameroonian military camp on Monday, many people have expressed concern over the incident. They have been wondering if the intelligence report that put the population of the terrorists at about 5,000 had not underestimated their capacity for more violence.

An analyst known as Lefty said it appeared the terrorists were tougher than assumed. Lefty, who commented on an online report, wondered why the multi-national taskforce comprising troops from Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad had not been able to successfully thwart their efforts.

Another online commentator, Blanketpower, said the MNJTF was fighting “bad guys who have the money and the power” to frustrate them. He described the war as “uneven”, saying the insurgents might change their tactics and decide to carry out attacks on families of the soldiers.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has commended Nigerians for cooperating with the armed forces to prosecute the war, which he said had reached a critical stage.

The President said the special squad established by affected West African countries needed more cooperation from civilians to make impact.

“I ask for the cooperation of all Nigerians because, just as we learned with the Ebola Virus Disease, we will not defeat terror unless we defeat it together! Let us pray for the gallant men and women of our armed forces and support them by providing information and by refraining from any action that will undermine their efforts and jeopardise their lives.

“We sleep on our beds at nights because they sleep in the open. We must honour the memory of our fallen soldiers by ennobling their sacrifice with our thoughts, words and actions. Nigeria is our only country and we are her only people. We must ensure that we put her first in everything we do at these critical times by subjugating all other interests to hers,” the President pleaded in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

Ahead of the rescheduled presidential elections next month, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has intensified its mobilisation of Islamic clerics in the Northeast geo-political zone.

The party organized a huge meeting under the banner of “sensitisation and mobilisation of Islamic clerics on non-violence 2015 elections”.  It was the culmination of events including visits to the clerics by Jonathan’s Campaign officials in the seven states that make up the Northwest zone.

The meeting, which was also attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo, saw 3,500 participants – mainly Imams and Islamic clerics – queuing up to collect gift packs, which was said to include cash.

It was learnt that the Senior Special Assistant on Islamic Matters to President Goodluck jonathan, Alhaji Tahir Umar Tahir, led the lobbying team to the Islamic clerics.

Tahir and his team started visiting Imams in their homes and mosques since Friday to persuade them to attend the meeting and support President Jonathan, it was learnt.

At the meeting, he donated N500,000 to Initiative for Muslim Women of Nigeria (IMWON) at NUT Endwell Auditorium, Magadisu Layout in Kaduna and four desktop computers to the organisation to mark the graduation of young Muslim women, who were trained by IMWON in different skills.

The vice president, who addressed participants at the meeting, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) is not a religious bigot.

Dispelling the notion that the APC flag bearer is a religious bigot, Sambo told the gathering that a few days ago, Buhari met with Christian leaders from the North and even accepted a gift of Bible from them, which he described as a good precedent of peaceful co-existence and religious harmony.

Sambo, who addressed the gathering in Hausa, added: “So, people should desist from making such unpleasant comments about politics and religion”.

He said the meeting was a clear demonstration that Nigerians must live together irrespective of their religion or ethnic background because God would have made all Nigerians Muslims or Christians if he so desired.

“From our independence in 1960, it has always been Muslims and Christains working together; Sir Tafawa Balewa worked with Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe and Second Republic President Alhaji Shehu Shagari worked with Dr. Alex Ekwueme. Ex-President Olusegun Obsanjo worked with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Late Umaru Yar’ Adua worked with Goodluck Jonathan and Today by Allah’s will, I am Jonathan’s Vice President. All these show that Christians and Muslims in Nigeria are neighbours and nobody can separate them”.

The vice president said the nation could not afford to have a repeat of what happened in 2011 hence there was the need for restraint from politicians and their followers.

“You as spiritual leaders of our people who have a great role to play for the nation to have peaceful elections. I challenge you to go out from here and reach out to your followers and preach the message of peace during the election”.

Former President has unleashed another attacks on President Goodluck Jonathan, acussing him of playing politics of do-or-die like President of Côte d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo and that Jonathan is afraid of being jailed by Buhari if he loses.

Obasanjo said this on Saturday at his hiltop mansion in Abeokuta while speaking with newsmen shortly after he came back to the country from his overseas trips.

Obasanjo while reacting to the postponement of the election said, the postponement of the election was a grand plan by Jonathan and his cronies to perpetuate office till the situation becomes clear that the election would favour him.

He acussed Jonathan of playing a brand of politics played by President Gbagbo who he said had delayed the presidential election of the country and when he eventually conducted the election and lost refused to leave the office.

According to Obasanjo, I was away because I had a number of assignment abroad which took me to Morocco, Munich, Nairobi, London and New Delhi. Exactly a week today, when we were in Munich for what they called Munich security conferences annual event and all people who are in security community normally, you found them there.

“For this year, the Vice President of America was there, the Secretary of State, John Kerry was there, the Chancellor of Federal Republic of Germany was there, President of Ukraine was there and many others.

“I was there with Koffie Annan, our side was to talk about peace and security in Africa, I was to handle the African perspective while Koffie Annan was to look at it from the global perspective.

“While I was out, I refused to make any categorical statement on this issue because I wanted to come back home and learn at first hand what actually transpired and what was going on, and it turned out to be a forced decision on the INEC because it was alleged that the Security Chiefs were unable to provide security and as a result the Chairman of INEC had to postpone, in accordance with the dictates of the so called Security Chiefs.

“I thought for me, that was bad precedent for democracy in Nigeria, it meant it doesn’t matter what preparation or lack of preparation any electoral body could make in Nigeria, the final decision weather election will take place on the day scheduled for it lies in the domains of the security, it is a sad day for democracy in Nigeria.

“And I will say this, we must all feel concern before democracy is killed. The observable and what would appear to be happening is that the president has a grand plan, a grand plan to ensure that by hook or by crook, he wins the election or if it all fails, they scuttles it and create chaos, confusion and unpleasantness in the whole country.

“Because it is the duty and function and responsibility of the security officers to provide security, the President is the Chief Security of the country and he is the Commander in Chief and if security is required anywhere anytime, it is his duty to provide it, failure to provide it is deriliction of duty, pure and simple.

“Either the President following his own grand plan or his aides and associates are working a script, they are playing a script which must not got his endorsement if not initiated from him.

“What again it looks to me is that the President is trying to playing Gbagbo, Gbagbo was the former President of Cote d’Ivoire and Gbagbo made sure he postponed the election in his country until he was sure he would win and then allowed the election to take place, he got an inconclusive election in the first ballot and I believe this is the sort of thing Nigeria may fall into if I am right in what I observed as the grand plan and then in the run-off, Gbgbo lost with 8% behind Ouattara and then refused to hand over. All reasonable persuasion and pleading was rebuffed by him and he unleashed horror in that country until nemesis caught up with him.

“I believe that we may be seeing the repeat of Gbabgo or what I called Gbagbo saga here in Nigeria, I hope not .

A suspected local leader of Boko Haram was arrested and several weapons including rocket launchers seized from his home in the town of Diffa in southern Niger Republic yesterday, security sources said.

The town on the Nigerian border has come under attack from the militants this past week, since Chad deployed hundreds of troops in the area as part of a regional effort to tackle Boko Haram.

The man was identified as Kaka Bonou, a trader known to authorities for suspected involvement in trafficking stolen goods, the security source said.

“Different type of weapons of all calibre including rocket launchers, were found in his house,” one of the Niger military sources told Reuters, requesting to remain anonymous.

The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, has designated the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, as Africa Regional Designated Centre, RDC, for food safety.

To this end, a team of experts from IAEA, University of Nairobi, Kenya and National Laboratory of Support Agriculture Development, Cote D’voire, yesterday, arrived Lagos to undertake audit of the agency’s food laboratory at Oshodi.

Director of the Agency, Dr. Paul Orhii, who enumerated the benefits of the centre to Nigeria, added that it would now provide training to other member states in the region.

He said the selection meant NAFDAC would no longer take any food samples for test abroad, adding that it would generate revenue for the sustainance of the food accreditation laboratory.

The Department of State Services (DSS), yesterday, said that it had invited the ex-Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, several times over recent provocative statements credited to him.

The Spokeswoman of the DSS, Marilyn Ogar, who stated this while fielding questions from Journalists during a routine security briefing, in Abuja, explained that not all their operational procedures would be public.

“First of all, whatever is the operational procedure that we take after we have issued out warnings; we do not make them public.

“And I want you to recollect that Asari Dokubo has been brought into the office – DSS, a couple of times. It is not in the position of the office to begin to tell you who has been brought in or who has not been brought in.

“We still stand by our words that whoever in any way would want to interfere or interrupt the peace that prevails, he or she would definitely go for it,” Ogar said.

The Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC), Mr Mike Omeri attributed the recent success recorded in the fight against insurgency in the north east to ‘country-to-country’ bilateral agreement entered into by the Nigerian government with its neighbours.

He disclosed that the 7,500 AU-backed multinational force recently announced would come from the four countries; Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger mainly affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

According to him, “The 7,500 AU-backed multinational force is to be composed of mainly troops from countries in the Lake Chad Basin Commission areas.

“The modalities for the operationalization of this force are being worked out at a tactical summit which started today in the Republic of Cameroun.

“In addition, the Chadian Chief of Defence Staff is currently in Nigeria to consolidate discussions on trans-border operations with his Nigerian counterpart.”

san316:
The phool forgot that the PVC is not only useful for election. it is a means of Identification.

Skako:
Jonathan vote is now minus 1

bcs APC member that is looking for change can't do that


let's march buhari to aso rock

change

Lacomus:
Let me see his face else na APC hnd wrk

Presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is appalled that neighbouring Chad and Cameroun are turning out to be more successful at the battle front against Boko Haram than Nigeria.

Nigeria’s poor performance,he says,is a disgrace.

“It’s a big disgrace for Nigeria. It is now Cameroon and Chad fighting the insurgency more than Nigeria. We will build the capacity and Nigeria should be able to secure its territorial integrity,” Buhari told Reuters.

Troops from neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon, all much smaller and poorer than Nigeria, have been battling the terrorists who have seized territory in Borno State.

Niger Republic said yesterday its troops killed 109 Boko Haram fighters in an attempted attack on Bosso close to the border with Nigeria.

The attack was repelled.

Buhari said that he was committed to using the courts if there are irregularities in the voting, and would not call his followers into the streets.

“I’m optimistic that I won’t lose. But we signed an undertaking that it will be violence free,” Buhari said. “We are attempting to stabilise a multi party democratic system.”

Buhari’s party,APC, insists that this month’s elections should proceed as scheduled ,saying the only reason the pro-Jonathan camp is pushing for a delay is that it knows he will lose if voting goes ahead now.

“There will be no delay. But if INEC is compromised then it will be too bad,” said Buhari.

Buhari said his administration also intends to tackle corruption within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC) and plans to reopen an investigation into missing crude revenues of around $20 billion.

He would also tackle the theft of crude tapped from pipelines in the Niger River delta.

“Our main objective is to secure the country. We will not tolerate insurgency, sabotage of the economy by the blowing up of installations, by stealing crude and so on…. All these things will be things of the past.”

General Muhammadu Buhari: 2. "Having known how the Boko Haram developed, what I would have personally done differently would be to get the Presidents of Cameroun, Chad and Niger together to say, ‘look our borders are porous and that we are not able to effectively protect them and monitor movements of people in and out of our territory, but please make sure that you do not provide training facilities or allow people to be coming into the county.’ "

General Muhammadu Buhari: 7. "If you do not cultivate a good relationship with your neighbours, it will cost you so much in terms of security and the economy. So you have to cultivate a friendship with your neighbours and then it goes on to ECOWAS, Africa and the rest of the world. I think this is a viable policy option."

General Muhammadu Buhari: 9. "Then you discuss with your neighbours to make sure that weapons are not crossing the borders and that there are [no] training facilities for terrorists."

watered:
U still dey learn for politics. I can bet my girlfriend that Buhari will lose to Jonathan

Effyzzie Music Group presents the music video for Yemi Alade's smash hit single "Taking Over Me" which features hip-hop royal Phyno and was produced by GospelOnDeBeatz.

The video shot in South Africa and Nigeria was directed by Justin Campos and Taiye Aliyu.

Watch, share and enjoy!