₦airaland Forum

Hon. Abiodun Tobun, who is representing Epe Constituency 1 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, is not only seeking a re-election into the House, he wants the people to continue to vote for his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State and in Nigeria.



He believes the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot handle the problems of the state and the country, and that the people know those that are concerned about their welfare.

Hon. Tobun spoke to Naij.com recently about the forthcoming general elections, PVC, the state of the nation and why the APC should be given a chance at the centre and why the party should continue to rule in Lagos State.

The 2015 election is posing a level of uncertainty. What do you think are the chances of your party?

APC has been in Lagos State for a long time and we have been doing well in the state. People want good roads, healthcare facilities and so, many other things have continued to happen in the state. Lagos residents are so clever, they are wise and educated and they know what is good for them. So, we have no problem when it comes to Lagos State. The few ones that pose problems, we know how to contain them and it is not by violence, it is just by telling the people to go all out and collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to ensure that they have a say. APC is in control of Lagos State and we will do everything legally possible to retain the state. In Epe, my chances are bright by God’s grace.

How do you view the postponement of the elections?


It is criminal. It is suicidal. You have four years to prepare for the elections and it had been programmed and planned; so why would you now postpone the elections? Postponing the elections made the international community to loose focus on Nigeria, investors are running away and this is not good for democracy in the country. Our democracy must be protected at all times. The PDP is afraid: its members know that change is imminent and they are afraid of change at the centre. So the PDP must be changed, and then the APC would bring in good governance.

Poor distribution of PVC is one of the reasons the PDP has claimed for the postponement…

Let them use any approach; if they use the PVC, we are ready, if they use the Temporary Voters Cards (TVCs), we are ready, if they use Option A4 where the people queue behind their candidates, the people are ready, we are ready. We are going to make sure our votes count and we are going to defend our votes. The postponement is rubbish. Why are they afraid? What they could not do for four years, would they do it in six weeks?

There is fear concerning the level of violence that may erupt with the election. What do you think?

I want to assure you that we would have crisis-free elections in Nigeria. For the fear of unknown, for the fear that they would be voted out of power, the PDP wants to prove stubborn by all means. But we are a progressive party, we will not join issues with them, we will campaign vigorously to ensure that our people are in line with our mission and vision for a better Nigeria and to ensure that they vote massively. They (the PDP) would come with their antics to cause problems, but we will make sure we contain them by not joining issues with them.

We will make sure we mobilize the people to vote for our party and we will make sure the people vote the PDP out of power because the people have resolved to change them. It happened in many other countries and they did not cause problems. Former governor Kayode Fayemi of the APC was voted out of power in Ekiti State and there was no violence, so why are they afraid? Let them go, let the people vote for who they want. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) has contested on about three occasions and he lost, yet he didn’t cause any problem even as a retired General in the Nigerian Army. He went to court and abided by the ruling of the court. President Goodluck Jonathan, who got to the throne on a platter of gold, thinks he owns the throne and his surrogate or stooges that surround him are not reasonable. They should shun self-centeredness, they should know that Nigeria does not belong to an individual; they should allow the will of the people to prevail. We in our party will eschew violence; we will uphold the tenets of free and fair elections in our party. If they want to resort to violence, the police should be up and doing to arrest the situation and bring the culprits to book.

Why do you think the APC should remain in Lagos State and why should they be allowed to rule at the centre?

Look at what is on ground, our record of development; look at where we were as a country before the PDP took over and what is happening now. PDP has failed us, they have not been able to give us electricity for 15 years, security of life and property cannot be guaranteed, there is infrastructural decay, we don’t have hospitals and the PDP is a corrupt party. Most of the former governors that were prosecuted and jailed were PDP governors, you cannot see a single progressive amongst them. PDP is the one celebrating corruption, look at former governor Daprieye Alamaseigha of Bayelsa State, he is back and they granted him amnesty; the former governor of Edo State, Mr. Lucky Igbinedion and others are members of the PDP. We are not going to allow them to continue, we are not going to allow them to come back. Go to the media, the social media, people are saying they want change. In Lagos State, how do you expect someone like Mr. Jimi Agbaje of the PDP to defeat someone like Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC who knows about good governance? This is Jimi Agbaje, who cannot manage a corner shop in Apapa, he was one of us and we know his acumen cannot carry the position of the governor of Lagos State, so we asked him to go to the senate, but since he has selfish interest, he went to the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA). The man is a political prostitute. He moved from about three or four parties before he got to the PDP, he is looking for ways, but Lagos residents are smarter, he cannot carry the mantle of leadership of Lagos State.

However, if you have someone like the Presidential candidate of the APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) as the President of Nigeria, he would work to ensure that Nigerians have the much needed development. In Lagos, we must continue, we still have missions and visions, we are not there yet. We want to move the state to the next level. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed started the foundation, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola is building on it and Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode would move the state to the next level. Lagos residents are sharp and smart; they would never fall into the trap of the PDP.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/392482-why-agbaje-cant-be-lagos-governor-tobun.html

Less than a week after departing Lagos State, President Goodluck Jonathan will visit the state again on Sunday to meet with about 5,000 youths in a programme titled, ‘Meet the President.’

A former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, announced this on his Facebook page.

He wrote, “Nigeria’s most youth-friendly President ever, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, will be meeting with Nigerian youths in Lagos this weekend. Power to the youths!”

Jonathan had, last week, spent five days in the state where he seized the opportunity to visit Yoruba monarchs and also meet with market leaders to seek their support

Lagos State, which is the most populous state in the country, has almost six million registered voters.

According to leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, in order to win the March 28 elections, Jonathan will need to gain the majority of the votes in the South-West particularly Lagos because the North-West, where the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), hails from has over 18 million registered voters.

The North-West comprises Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states. Buhari won in all the North-West states in 2011.

However, the South-South and South-East, where majority of Jonathan’s supporters are, have the lowest number of registered voters in the country.

The APC has been in control of Lagos since 1999 but the state has a large number of non-indigenes which the President is banking on for support.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the APC has slammed Jonathan for allegedly distributing dollars to the people of the state in an attempt to buy their votes.

The party in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, described the act as shameful.

It said while Jonathan was busy doling out cash to all and sundry in Lagos, Vice-President Namadi Sambo was busy in Kaduna doing the same thing.

The statement read, “Dollars and local currencies were doled out by the President in millions to market leaders, town unions, traditional rulers, actors, artisans, transporters, government workers and local chiefs, without any modicum of respect to the exalted office he occupies. No wonder our foreign reserves have just been depleted by $1.6bn.

“Never in the history of this country has a sitting President displayed this kind of desperation and financial irresponsibility in a country that lacks basic infrastructure and common indices of human development. It is now crystal clear to Nigerians why the PDP and President Jonathan shifted the February 14 presidential elections to March 28.

“This is the money the President would have used to create jobs for millions of young jobless Nigerians. This is the millions that would have been used to rebuild our decayed and moribund universities. This money would have been used to rebuild our teaching hospitals to become centres of excellence.

“Funny individuals, scammers and people with questionable character besieged the Presidential Lounge, Marina Lagos to collect their own largesse. Those who do not deserve even half a penny lined up to deceive the President.”

http://www.punchng.com/politics/jonathan-to-visit-lagos-again-apc-slams-president/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released a new ad showing the Media Head of President Jonathan’s campaign doing all the talking or should one say campaigning for the APC. We reckon Chief Femi Fani-Kayode won’t be smiling at this one but it is his face, his voice and indeed his opinion in there after all. Watch video below;

http://omojuwa.com/2015/02/new-ad-alert-femi-fani-kayode-campaigns-for-the-apc-jonathan-wont-like-this-watch/

Femi Falana, senior lawyer, has expressed fears that the general elections postponed to March 28 and April 11 may not to be held.

He said that the Service Chiefs should give a public responsibility that the poll would no longer be rescheduled.

“According to the INEC chairman, Professor Jega, only the service chiefs could guarantee that the rescheduled elections would hold,” said Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

“That was the submission of the INEC boss when he appeared at the Senate last week. For reasons best known to them, the security chiefs have not assured the nation that security would be provided on the new election dates.

“We are compelled to call on the National Assembly to extract a firm undertaking from the NSA and the security chiefs that the General Elections would not be further postponed or disrupted.

“The undertaking ought to be made publicly by the security chiefs in view of the categorical pronouncement of the Court of Appeal that the armed forces have no role to play in the electoral process.”

Mr. Falana also asked the Service Chiefs to follow the recent decision of the Court of Appeal that soldiers’ placement for polls duties is illegal.

“Since all authorities and persons are bound to obey the verdicts of our courts, the President and the security chiefs should demonstrate their commitment to kowtow to the rule of law by withdrawing soldiers from election duties,” he said.

“We need to prevent a slide into anarchy; we need to take our destiny in our hands; we need to ensure that darkness does not once again descend on our country.

“We are insisting that nothing must change the new dates of March 28 and April 11. Elections must be allowed to hold on these dates. Nigeria is on the march again, this time, no one will be able to halt the decisive will of the people for democracy and sustainable livelihood.”


Attahiru Jega, the Chairman of the main electoral body, named the Service Chiefs guilty for failing to ensure the security of its personnel if the elections went ahead.

But according to Mr. Falana, President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was the brain behind the polls postponement, stating that the decision is unlawful.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/390082-elections-2015-falana-asks-service-chiefs-to-ensure-nigerians-publicly.html

The governor of Kano state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, expressed his assurance that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, is in better health than President Goodluck Jonathan.


His campaign office had issued a statement saying that in the course of the visit, Buhari will hold meetings with key members of the British political establishment and interact with some global institutions with interests in the affairs of Nigeria.

However, there has been speculation by supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party that Buhari went to London to receive medical attention because of his poor health.

The Kano governor, who was speaking with newsmen in Kano on February 22, 2015, said Buhari had no health challenges, Premium Times reports.

“By my judgement, since we finished our party primary elections, he is sound, hale and fit to rule this country.

“In fact I feel he is healthier than the incumbent occupier of the seat because he went to all the states on campaigns in addition to other engagements that come in between,” he said.

Kwankwaso took the opportunity to accuse the federal government and the PDP of sharing money to win the upcoming presidential election. But he also stressed that money alone could not give success in the polls.

“The Federal Government and the PDP can use all the money in the treasury to bribe whoever they want, but God, the Almighty, has his own way of doing things.

“Power belongs to Him not to those with money or who control security agencies. Nigerians are wiser,” he said.

On his rule as governor, Kwankwaso said all state governors work to develop their states unless if they chose to steal instead.

“People are surprised and many are asking questions that where did we get the money to do these projects we are doing in Kano. But the truth of the matter is that – you cannot steal and perform. It is the money for projects that people steal that is why they are not performing. In Kano we don’t steal,” he said.

In the interview the governor also mentioned some of the main projects he undertook in the state including the award of an independent power project at Tiga and Challawa-Gorge Dam, the establishment of one garment factory in each of the 44 local governments areas in the state and the establishment of a Micro Finance bank in each local government area. Kwankwaso added that 44 schools for Islamic studies and 44 technical schools were built in the state.

Recently the governor of Kano state announced that drugs worth N315, 383, 437,64, were destroyed at Mariri on the outskirts of Kano city. According to Kwankwaso, it was a breakthrough in the administration’s war against the sale and consumption of illicit drugs in the state.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/390005-buhari-is-fit-to-rule-nigeria-kwankwaso.html

Very funny pictures

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo seems to have started a new trend in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obasanjo, who dumped the party few weeks back in a well publicised ceremony, gleefully asked the PDP ward chairman in his domain to tear up his party membership card in the full glare of the media and his supporters.

While Obasanjo’s action was still eliciting reactions from political stakeholders and commentators, the senior special assistant on security to Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe state, Alhaji Abdullahi Babangida Muhammad, who dumped the PDP for the opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC), also decided to go the Obasanjo way.


Interestingly, another member of the party, Yunusa Halid, recently tore up his membership card, while announcing his defection to the APC.

Halid, a youth leader in New Karu, Nassarawa state carried out the political ‘ritual’ in the presence of a large number of his followers.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/389894-another-pdp-member-tears-his-card.html

The All Progressives Congress, the Nigerian Bar Association and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties have demanded a probe of the audio file which purportedly captures the voices of Peoples Democratic Party leaders plotting to rig the June 2, 2014 elections with officers of the Nigerian Army in Ekiti.

The recording, which was on Sahara Reporters, purportedly captured the voices of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Iyiola Omisore and a former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, in a meeting where they allegedly gave directives to one Brig.-Gen. Momoh to favour the PDP.

The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Sunday, wondered why the military had been silent over the tape which has been in circulation for over two weeks.

The party also berated President Goodluck Jonathan for dismissing the tape as fake without even investigating it.

The statement read, “If the government officials and politicians whose voices were heard in the tape are not interested in clearing their names, what of the military institution that was dragged into the show of shame? Has the integrity of the military not been compromised by the alleged role of a General and hundreds of his troops in the rigging saga?”

The party said the inconsistency of the Federal Government’s response to the whole saga has exposed its underbelly and made it more urgent for a forensic investigation of the tape to be carried out.

‘’First, those whose voices were heard on the tape rushed to deny there was any such meeting. Later, after they were confronted with a preponderance of evidence, they started owning up one by one even though they all denied the meeting was about rigging. Of course, Nigerians know better.

Meanwhile, in an interview with one of our correspondents in Ado Ekiti, the state Chairman of the CNPP, Tunji Ogunlola, described the tape as a “very embarrassing occurrence and it is condemnable.”

He added, “The National Assembly should investigate the matter. If such happened during a governorship election, it means it might be worse during a presidential election. Those allegedly involved should be summoned.”

Also speaking on the issue, the Chairman of the NBA, Ado Ekiti branch, Dr. Foluke Dada, in a separate interview with one of our correspondents, also backed the calls for investigation of the tape.

“We can’t confirm the authenticity of the audio, so we have to be cautious in our reaction. But it is a serious allegation that relevant authorities must investigate.”
http://www.punchng.com/politics/apc-nba-demand-investigation-of-ekiti-audio-tape/

the PDP and there Propaganda, all I know is that Buhari is winning the Election. #Sai Baba! #sai Buhari.

Taking the large amount of money that has been spent from the commencement of the 2015 general elections by the President Goodluck Jonathan led presidency and the ruling party into cognizance, one will be whacked to compromise or doubt if truly unemployment is at an alarming rate in Nigeria, doubt the need of the country to seek a loan from a foreign bank in order to combat insecurity and also if the people wallow in abject poverty among others.

Undoubtedly, the need for an underachieved government to spend several millions of Naira which most often commensurate with the financial worth of the publicized capital projects on the pages of national dailies remains a debate among the elitist population, this has garnered criticism from a large percentage of the people on the need for a government to waste the internally generated revenue from tax payers money on placing adverts on the pages of national dailies because we strongly believe that capital projects are evident achievements that the populace can see and discuss at every gathering. Perhaps, the Nigerian population remained silent for a long time, until the incumbent adminsitration successfully diverted tax payers money to the reelection campaign of President Goodluck Jonathan and other contestants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. This has made the reckless spending of the ruling party an easy task and with reflections in the multi-million mudslinging sponsored adverts on our national dailies and on different television broadcasts.

Although, the reasons why Governors from PDP led States can conveniently harness support and raise a whooping sum of over N21B in a single presidential fund raising dinner while the working force in most of their respective States are either earning below the minimum wage or been owed by the State government and the addition of financial contributions from the incumbent government enriched business owners while the company payroll is either slim or their members of staff have been engaged without salaries and allowances for a certain period of time, does beat the comprehension of most Nigerians who are seen to be helpless or as mere tools in the hands of our selfish ruling class but it does not beat the understanding of the key players in our polity.

It is very pathetic that some Nigerians prefer to live as an oppressor provided their daily meals are not affected and their shady businesses are not altered, remain mute when others are oppressed, or be the oppressor if the society does not curb the animals in them, this is quite synonymous to the reasons why a lot will continue to act like they are not affected by the $20B missing NNPC funds, the decision of the former Minister of Aviation to spend a sum of N550M on bullet proof vehicles, the $30B missing funds under the watch of the Minister of Finance and the decision of the Minister for Petroleum to spend N10B on chartered jet. Nonetheless, it is neither convenient for those who have taken the position of bystanders nor is it peaceful for those who have taken the frontline of people agitating for a working country, as our heritage continue to fall apart despite their efforts but a war for justice , equity and transparency in governance can not be won when a large population of the people seems to prefer sitting on the fence when a very few among us continue to agitate for a free country as bequeathed to us by our heroes past.

It should interest Nigerians that recent unfolding has further affirmed the claims of the elitist population, press releases from international organisations and foreign journals, as we are neither compelled nor coerced to accept and believe that the incumbent administration has successfully spent tax payers money on the ongoing waste of resources by the PDP on the President Goodluck Jonathan reelection bid. Well this should not be a surprise to Nigerians who are aware of the 51 percentage of the total annual budget going to the government at the center while the remaining 49 percentage is shared among the States in the Federation.

Conclusively, a support for a government that has spent tax payers money on their strive to remain in power in order to continue feeding on the country’s treasury is nothing but a wicked decision that will further plunge our heritage into financial chaos.

President Goodluck Jonathan is a pathological liar. In fact, he is the first President in our modern politics that can lie even in his sleep. His life style is uncanny and deliriously inhumane. I don’t know why people still take him seriously. I have enjoyed taken unapologetic swipe on Obasanjo for giving us such a huge mistake. Four years isn’t a joke. The damage is alarming and could be generational. He lied on all things; he is just a devil incarnate. There is no single truth, not in iota reference of him. I am really ready to take anyone on this. Reading through his many lies again about the coming elections gives an illogical farce that I know won’t survive unless we are just bunch of morons the Presidency thinks we are. The meddling with the affairs of INEC, the one of the few institutions that Nigerians should trust gives an ominous indication that the Presidency isn’t sincere about conducting elections in 2015. This would anger anyone that has tasted development in developing countries, missing basis of democracy. This is likely going to open another draconic debate between warring political ideologies. The good thing is, it will definitely achieve its aim, but only the intellectually sage person can translate without remedy to mischief. Nigeria project without extremely cast iron doubt is populism concentrated. The people are conscientious; more actively involved in passing comments and reeling blames having understood that conscience and silence are knotted principle that makes a thriving and sustainable democracy. Not many countries survived the tragedy of democracy in the hands of their political leaders unless they are actively veracious in the process and activities of government. Not even, in developing nations. This, I presume Nigerians soon realized and boom, there perception is re-awakening after the many lies turned tragedy suffered in our nascent democracy by our political leaders. I have mentioned lies; Jonathans/Gejites would find the inkling insulting and probably ignore the basis. There is no need to take history on any journey; I will analyze the basis with clues from recent gaffe of Jonathan. Starting with his numerous and unfounded lies cum deceit that our modern understanding of government philosophy called failures. Haven’t he promised a more transparent and fair electoral process? Didn’t he promise not to dabble in affairs of judicial system? Haven’t we read he promised issue based campaign? What that means is nothing personal about what you want to do and what you intend doing for the people. It also means, the 2015 electioneering won’t be confrontational to anyone not even the electorates, who dare that? Didn’t he promise an improved power? Do we have now electricity in full moon at least for 12hours a day in any part of Nigeria? Oh! Do I hear you say, the failure is peculiar to party in government? Didn’t he promise second Niger Bridge? But he is yet to make do his promise. How many of Jonathan empty promises do you have in your memory tackling corruption? We have had and always have his flimsy assurances to battle terrorism not knowing he has refused to equip our soldiers with ammunitions and weapons to curb the insurgency. Who is to blame? Who is lying? Why has he lied on the soul of many Nigerians? Are we settling for this lying bitch yet again against the backdrop of his failures and unfounded lies that have heaped tragedy and pain on us? In honesty, President Jonathan is my worst nightmare that I wouldn’t want to see beyond May 29, 2015. The opposition and political analyst should begin to take his words with mere pitch of salt. This isn’t the first time we would be having a chief executive promising something and doing the other. Obasanjo did it and the bridge didn’t fall, Governors and Senators are doing it while we take solace and hold them accountable at a logical time like this, the electoral season is always momentum in memories. The fate of Nigerians in another 4years from local government to the Presidency begins with the choice we make. So, as an apostle of good governance and respect for democratic principle, I owe my country a duty of erecting accountable leaders through any laudable means I can think of and Jonathan isn’t just an option. He is the worst tragedy of our democracy. From Abuja last weekend I returned to Lagos through the available air metro of Emirate. As I landed at the Muritala Muhammed Airport, was a haughty smell that would arise anyone’s fear the moment you take revolving attempt to make a stop at the airport extension. I had once read about the damning condition of Muritala “International” airport on Newspaper, the one that have ever ossify my worries was the piece Tolu Ogunlesi put together last year. The toilets, the flagship, the conveyor and the lifts that connect you to any route are all in bad and shabby state. There I wonder what the money hungry “TAN” Transformation Ambassadors are actually projecting about the President with pocket sticking lies. I also remember we had a Minister, a woman that loves her country and extended the affection through her sapping effort of service but won’t negotiate her comfort in exotic cars, and have never hid her taste for luxury managing the aviation industry for more than 3years. It means, it takes 5years of a mentally deranged person to identify failures and still want to associate, let alone canvass support for such after 5years in power. In the wake of 2011 during President Jonathan electoral campaign was a file of some exciting electoral promises that look like a solution to our long run of ill luck in leadership. In total ninety one. The promises have proved to be a mirage that may never see any good light till the expiration of his tenure. The lists of the promises are not the focus but the many lies turned tragedy amidst tyranny spewed by Jonathan with no complicity. Power; In 2012, President Jonathan jolted and rebooted our confidence coming bold and elegant with global assurance of fixing our power sector. He reminiscent-ally said, our power generation is facing rehabilitation of all existing power generation; distribution and transmission assets to give a minimum of 6,000mw of electricity; the harnessing of alternative sources of energy such as coal, wind and solar to generate an initial 13,000mw, and the unbundling of PHCN into 18 successor companies. As if the deceit hasn’t suffered a huge condemnation enough, Jonathan had again gone sneaky, recently undertook a MoU with General Electric mostly to add up to 15 percent in power projects to achieve 10,000mw addition by 2020. Having done this, it is wisdom to expect the effect of this move but no, Nigerians aren’t swayed, they understand the idea is motivated by desperation for 2015 election. Such political calculation is dead on arrival. Yes, dead and buried. Nigerians are seeing his evil machinations rolling up his gladiator’s sleeve. They don’t have the interest of Nigerians. They are bridled by desperation to return to power. Ofcourse, his desperation can be measured by the latest #Ekitigate saga. Nigerians can hear an army General saying he is under instruction to mastermind the rigging of Ekiti gubernatorial election and pervert the cause of justice. Perhaps a long narrative of his evil would suffice. Nigerians must be warned!

See more at: http://citizenconfidential.com/president-jonathan-is-a-tragedy-of-democracy-lustful-evil-he-is-a-choice-we-cant-take-maxwell-adegbenro/#sthash.eYeKFtVb.dpuf

A group known as the Civil Society Coalition on Good Governance, has told the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan what will happen if the nation’s democratic process is truncated.

The spokesman of the group, Comrade Declan Ihekaire, at a press conference in Lagos, on Thursday vowed to resist any attempt by President Jonathan’s administration and the PDP to truncate the nation’s electoral and democratic process.

The group also accused the Federal Government of planning to re-enact another “June 12” episode, following the substantial signs and fears of further postponement of the country’s general elections.

The spokesman also pointed out that the threat to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega as well as the hinted formation of an interim national government.

The group warned that the consequences of any attempt to undermine the will of the Nigerian people would be catastrophic for the nation, especially for the impoverished citizens who are already pushed to the wall.

Ihekaire, however, urged the ruling party and the Jonathan-led administration to put the interest of the country above their personal and narrow interests, advising them to shun any action that is capable of throwing Nigeria into further brink of disintegration.

Recall that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had also warned Nigerian politicians against electoral violence and advised voters not to be enticed into committing electoral misconduct before, during and after the February election.

Meanwhile, ahead of the general elections, many prominent Nigerians have begun relocating their families outside of the country, fearing outbursts of violence that may accompany the elections.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/388772-group-threatens-jonathan-pdp-over-democratic-process.html

Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has countered President Jonathan’s statement concerning last month leaked Ekiti rigging audio tape.


According to Chief Fani-Kayode, the audio recording is authentic contrary to the president’s report.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan’s outwardly dismissed the Ekiti rigging audio recording, saying it was a fabrication that is not worth his attention.

However, the spokesperson for his campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode has admitted that the tape is genuine but that the characters involved in the meeting captured in the recording were not discussing how to rig the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti state.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Mr. Fani-Kayode said his team had listened to and reviewed the recording and that it came to the conclusion that the opposition All Progressives Congress turned fact on its head by claiming that Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state; former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; and the Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan (who all featured in the recording), planned how to rig the election.

“We have listened to the audio clip and we make bold to say that the discussion that took place in it did not make any mention of any form of rigging in the Ekiti state governorship election and neither did it contain any evidence of any conspiracy to rig,” he said.

Mr. Fani-Kayode also said rather than attempting to orchestrate rigging, what the audio clip clearly revealed was Governor Fayose expressing concerns that a military commander was not acting on information about illegal movement of weapons into certain parts of the state.

“The Governor and others were apparently worried that safety of the voters and INEC officials could be compromised if security measures were not strictly enforced,” he said.

Mr Fani-Kayode’s admission of the authenticity of the tape is another chapter in the series of contradictory responses that has surrounded the whole saga. From Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti who finally confessed the tape is real after earlier denial, saying he was the one chastising the army general for compromising. Then to Senator Musiliu Obanikoro who according to Sahara Reporters, confessed to some colleague senators in Abuja that he did participate in the meeting held June 2014, contrary to his earlier denial. It was then the turn of Police Minister, Mr Jelili Adesiyan who admitted the tape is real, saying the conversation in the leaked tape was an argument between Fayose and Brigadier General Momoh after the former accused the later of being bribed by the then incumbent governor of the state, Kayode Fayemi.

A document obtained by Online News portal has shown a list of Kaduna Islamic clerics who were allegedly rewarded for being supportive towards the President Jonathan campaign to be re-elected into office.

The supposed document also revealed how much each cleric received. The said document was obtained by Abusidique.

The document which was in form of a memo was signed by a particular Garzali Tanko, said to be the Director of Finance of the National Coalition for Jonathan/Sambo Presidency who listed 13 of the clerics to benefit from various sums ranging from N1,000,000 to N500,000.

Naij.com cannot independently verify the authenticity of the document in the picture.

The memo indicated that the payment is the second of such as the first phase was carried out in December.
READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/388178-kaduna-islamic-clerics-receive-bribes-from-jonathan.html

The All Progressives Congress has alleged a fresh plot by “desperate politicians” to circulate leaflets in mosques and
churches, asking Muslims to only vote for Muslims in the forthcoming elections.

In a statement in Lagos on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the plot was in line with the track record of those who had consistently used religion to divide Nigerians in order to feather their political nest.

”They are hoping that by further inflaming passion with the highly emotive issue of religion, they can revive their shrivelling political fortunes. That is why they have devised the latest strategy of pitching Christians against Muslims through the circulation of satanic leaflets. Nigerians should not be taken in by this cheap plot,” it said.

APC reminded Nigerians of the most recent attempt to use religion as a tool to win votes, citing the case of Vice President Namadi Sambo saying the PDP had more Muslims than the APC, and that the APC Vice Presidential
candidate is a pastor, who runs 5,000 churches.

”It must baffle every right-thinking Nigerian what the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stands to gain by his resort to base instincts. It is more baffling against the background of the fact that it was his party, the PDP, that first labelled our party, the APC, a Muslim party.

”Not even when the APC elected a Christian as its National Chairman, supported by many party officials, who are also Christians, did they back off from their incautious claim. It did not occur to them that our party is more religiously diverse than they have sought to portray it to Nigerians,” the party said.

It said while the APC had been campaigning on issues of relevance to Nigerians, “including how Nigerians would be put back to work, how the citizens would be better protected, how they would be weaned from their forced dependence on electricity generators and how the party’s governors have delivered the dividends of democracy in their states, those on the other side have been trading in negative and inciting campaigns of the most primitive kind.”

APC added, ”We ask Nigerians to disregard anyone peddling religion as a tool for securing votes in any part of the country. Faith is a personal thing to individuals and no responsible government will seek to use religion to divide the people,” APC said.

Prof. Attahiru Jega, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that only card readers would be used for accreditation of voters for the general elections. Jega made this known while briefing the Senate on Wednesday in Abuja on INEC’s preparation for the elections. He said that the use of the cards was constitutional, insisting that the commission would not revert to manual accreditation of voters during the elections. He assured that if any card reader developed problem, it would be replaced.

Jega told the senators that the commission would not use Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs) for election under any condition as being canvassed in some quarters. He stated that the use of the card reader would not contravene any section of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended.

According to him, the use of PVCs and the card reader for the conduct of the elections, we believe, is in accord with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended. “They were introduced also, pursuant to the powers granted to the commission by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
‘’INEC is empowered by Section 16(4) of the Electoral Act, 2010 to and I quote: ‘wherever it considers it necessary, replace any voter card for the time being’. “An election is said to be validly conducted if it meets certain basic requirements, including accreditation of voters.“The use of the card reader for the purpose of accreditation of voters is one of the innovations introduced by the commission to improve the credibility of the electoral process.

“It is not offensive to the Electoral Act or to the Constitution. It adds value to the desires of Nigerians to have a credible election in line with international best practice,” he said. The INEC chairman clarified that the use of the card reader would not amount to electronic voting, explaining that though Section 52 of the Electoral Act prohibits the use of electronic voting, the card reader was not a voting machine. According to him, the card reader is only an electronic machine introduced to improve the integrity of the voting process.

He stressed that INEC didn’t see the need for an amendment of the Electoral Act to accommodate the use of card readers. Jega said that for the purposes of ensuring that the electoral process was credible, the card reader would be used in the verification of voters. “In the likely event that a card reader fails, we have enough spares to deploy before the end of the accreditation at 1 p.m.

“If we cannot replace before the end of accreditation, then the election in that particular point will be postponed to the following day when a new card reader will be provided. “If you say, if a card reader fails we go back to manual voting, we are worried that everywhere we will revert to manual accreditation because there are many people who don’t want card readers to be used. “The likelihood of card reader failing is slim; we had solid legal advice and we do not believe it violates legal provisions. “It is not electronic voting, it is verification. There is a difference between voting and the voting process.

“Anybody can go to court on anything but we believe we have not done anything wrong,” he stated. Jega disclosed that the commission hoped to utilize the six-week election date extension period to carry out voter education and public enlightenment. He also pointed out that so far, the commission had tested the card readers for durability and functionality and was satisfied with the results. While enumerating the advantages of the card reader, he said that it would increase the credibility of the election process.
“Once the card reader is configured, it can only read PVCs issued by INEC at the polling unit that it has been configured for.“It reads the embedded chip card not the barcode; it enables authentication of the identity of the voter by matching his or her finger print with that code on the chip of the card.

“It keeps a tally of all cards read and all cards verified or authenticated with all their details, including the time when this was done,’’ he said. “This information can be sent to a central server using an SMS; the stored information on the server will enable INEC to audit results from polling units.
“It will as well as do arrangement of statistical analysis of the demographics of voting, something INEC has never been able to do effectively.

“The ward collation officer can use this information to audit polling unit result sheets and to determine whether accreditation figures have been altered, a common feature of electoral fraud in our jurisdiction,” Jega added. He disclosed that the PVCs were made to last for more than 10 years, and as such, could be used for the 2019 elections.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/card-reader-constitutional-says-inec/

The Transition Monitoring Group on Wednesday asked President Goodluck Jonathan and the Independent National Electoral Commission not to further postpone the general elections.

The TMG, in a statement by its Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, warned that any attempt to change the dates of the elections would be resisted by Nigerians.

It alleged that the Federal Government and some other persons in the ruling party have “been pushing the military further into partisan political terrain, in a manner that portends grave danger to our democracy.”

While condemning the alleged surveillance of the homes of opposition politicians, the TMG said the Federal Government is eroding its legitimacy if it does not desist from such an act

The group also advised the Army to probe a leaked audio which linked some Peoples Democratic Party leaders to the alleged rigging of the governorship elections in Ekiti State.

The statement read, “The contents of a recently leaked audio tape, which allegedly presented an unholy alliance between the military and some politicians during the Ekiti governorship election should be investigated. If the content of this tape is anything to go by, and the culprits therein are not brought to book, the same scenario may well be expected in the 2015 elections.

“While the TMG is still in the process of investigating these claims, we call on the military to immediately speak and explain to Nigerians the roles of the officers identified in the tape. Silence in this matter will not be taken as golden; we insist the military should immediately speak up on this issue to clear the air and save its sinking reputation.

“It is disturbing that the military, an institution that should at every point be seen as a symbol of Nigeria’s national unity, has allowed itself to be dragged into the partisan arena, to the extent that Nigerians are increasingly losing confidence in it.”

The group called on political parties to stop paying lip service to the quest for peace by ensuring they denounce supporters that engage in violence.

http://www.punchng.com/politics/elections-must-hold-in-march-tmg-tells-jonathan/

All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has declared the unavailability of permanent voter’s cards (PVCs) for some residents of Lagos state as unacceptable.



Tinubu revealed this during an emergency stakeholders’ meeting held at the party’s secretariat in Lagos.

He was joined with Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola, the APC governorship candidate in the state Akinwunmi Ambode and the chairman of the party in the state, Chief Henry Ajomale, ordered party members, council executive secretaries, as well as members of the State House of Assembly to go back to their wards and units and sensitise people who registered to go and collect their PVCs.

He blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of buying PVC’s and VIN number of voters at about N10,000; not to win the election but to de-populate those interested in voting for the APC.

Tinubu said, “PDP is jittery; they are afraid of defeat and [have] pressurised the INEC to shift the election. On our part, we are ever ready. They have been buying peoples’ PVCs and destroying it because they know they cannot use it. They have embarked on de-population strategy,”.
READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/388040-pdp-are-buying-pvcs-tinubu.html

Allege CBN spent $5bn to defend naira

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — A coalition of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in Nigeria, yesterday, maintained that President Goodluck Jonathan has no constitutional power or authority to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, the group which is under the aegis of Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, said they will attack any move to “push out” Jega as chairman of the electoral body before the forthcoming general elections.

The group said: “For the avoidance of doubt, we reiterate the fact that the President of Nigeria has no constitutional power or authority to remove the Chairman of INEC.

“INEC is not a civil service institution, it is a public institution whose actions are covered by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, the call for pre-retirement of Prof. Jega before the elections, will not and cannot be sustained. We as the civil society are ready to stand for that.”

In their press statement which was read yesterday by the Executive Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, the coalition insisted that the postponement of the elections earlier scheduled for February 14 and 28, not only “evoked dark memories of past military dictatorships” but “thrown up various constitutional and political challenges that undermine and subvert our fledgling democracy.

“Since the announcement of this dubious postponement, Nigeria has effectively been in a state of suspended animation. In the last few days alone, we have seen the effect of postponed elections on our economy, our politics, our society and our collective state of emotional and psychological well-being.

CBN spends $5bn to defend naira

“The economic costs are mounting. Compounding drop in oil price, the Naira has lost 25 per cent of its value going from N160:$1 in October to N200:$1 at the Interbank as of February 11.

“The CBN spent $5 billion in the last quarter to defend the naira but this is unsustainable, as our foreign reserves have dropped significantly in the last few months. As the CBN lacks the resources to defend the naira, the naira will eventually be left in a free fall and for a country that is import dependent, all prices will go up which means the cost of living will go up, the value of earnings will reduce and inflation will rise.

“This will undoubtedly result in wide spread labour and industrial unrest.

“Of all the threats, the most critical at this moment is the crisis of legitimacy. Section 132 (2) and 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) clearly states that an election shall be held “not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office.” As such, elections cannot happen later than April 29, 2015.

“Therefore, the elections dates of March 28 and April 11, 2015, cannot be moved. The current government has spent its electoral legitimacy and must renew its mandate with the people to ensure it can make appropriate plans to handle the security and fiscal crisis we have on our hands.”

“Situation Room calls on the National Assembly, as the hub of democracy, to join in protecting our hard won democracy to ensure elections hold on March 28 & April 11, 2015 as announced.”
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/youve-no-power-sack-jega-csos-tell-jonathan/#sthash.If0nusnJ.dpuf

Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo has enjoined Nigerians not to die for a mediocre in their search of a leader to run the country.
obasanjo
Obasanjo who spoke in London, at the launch of his book, My Watch, was however less than enthusiastic in his earlier endorsement on Tuesday of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), given in Nairobi Kenya.

The book, My Watch, which is the chronicle of Obasanjo’s years in the presidency, is banned in Nigeria pending judicial adjudication on a libel suit brought by a chieftain of People Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Buruji Kashamu.

The former president as however taken to international circuit to promote the book, with the launc first in Nairobi, where he endorsed Buhari for the presidency.

He told the Financial Times in London, “The circumstances he (Buhari), will be working under if he wins election are different from the one he worked under before where he was both the executive and the legislature-he knows that. He is smart enough. He is educated enough. He is experienced enough, why shouldn’t I support him?”

At the London launch on Wednesday night, the former president was however more circumspect, saying “What I said… I will say it again and I will do it. When the time comes for me to vote, I will consider the track record of all the candidates that are contesting and I will assess them. Then, based on my assessment for who I believe have the best track record to perform the job of the Nigerian president, then he will have my vote and if anybody should know what the job of the Nigerian president requires, I should know.

He was nevertheless still dismissive in the assessment of the work of the incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan, whose political career he helped fast-track from deputy-governor in 2005 to vice-president in 2007 and then backed for the presidency in 2011.

Obasanjo has always attacked Dr. Jonathan’s second term bid warned.

“And there is no sentiment in the affairs of Nigeria. Nigeria is a population of 180 million and you wouldn’t have anybody other than one person or two persons that can run the affairs of Nigeria? What the hell are we talking about? For me there are millions who can run the affairs of Nigeria that are not even coming out.

“So why should you die on behalf of one who is probably performing as a mediocre.With all due respect. if you love Nigeria, you would look for the best for her and I don’t believe that at this point in time, we have the best” he said
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/dont-vote-mediocre-president-obasanjo/

The commander of the 32nd Artillery Brigade Brigadier General A.A. Momoh, summoned a Board of Inquiry to investigate Captain Sagir Koli, the informer who revealed the alleged 2014 plan by which the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rigged the Ekiti gubernatorial poll.



The information comes in new documents which were leaked to Sahara Reporters.

Captain Koli personally recorded a meeting between military officials and politicians on June 20 in Akure to discuss the implementation of the alleged plot, which supposedly returned Governor Ayodele Fayose to power.

General Momoh was the senior military officer who supposedly acted on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff in the rigging plot.

It was claimed that two of the politicians involved were acting on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to the leaked documents General Momoh summoned the board “to investigate the circumstance that led Capt. SI Koli (N/12074) to abscond from his place of duty on 1 Aug 14 and still remain absent while deployed for security duty during the 2014 Osun State Gubernatorial Election.”

General Momoh said the inquiry run by Colonel D. Akama would sit at a date and time “to be determined by the president,” but it is not understood whether that referred to President Jonathan.

The board called nine witnesses, including three from Captain Koli’s troop, the 32nd Artillery Brigade. Reproductions of the answers and opinions were not part of the new documents, but were to be submitted on August 14, 2014

It is also alleged that Brig. General Momoh, at about the time that he summoned the Board of Inquiry, also approved the illegal kidnapping and torture of Capt. Koli’s 15-year-old younger brother, Adamu Koli.

Capt Koli told journalists that Brig General Momoh’s approved the kidnapping and torture of the teenage Adamu was to lure him out of hiding. The captain has been in hiding since he first leaked the audio-tape.

Capt Koli, as one of the assistants to Brig General Momoh, escorted the general to the meeting, during which he said the politicians intimidated him and gave him orders. They allegedly promised him a huge money payment and a promotion if he successfully rigged the election. Among other things, he was said to have been ordered to detain members of the opposition party, as well as award privileges to members of the PDP involved in the rigging plot.

The audio-tape supposedly revealed that prominent PDP politician Musiliu Obanikoro was commanded to join the meeting on special assignment by President Jonathan, who wanted to make sure that the Ekiti contest finished in a PDP victory. It also allegedly disclosed, and other statements by Capt Koli confirmed, that the Ekiti poll was to be the plan for electoral manipulation in the Osun State gubernatorial election that was to follow in 2014, and later for the 2015 general elections.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/384543-ekiti-rigging-new-details-emerge.html

Members of the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram has reportedly carried out an attack on Chadian soil.


Boko Haram fighter on a mission.

This was made known by security sources who told BBC Africa that the attacks took place in the wee hour of the night.

It was reported also that this is the first attack the sect is executing in Chad since it started its uprising against
According to security officials, the extremist were believed to have crossed Lake Chad by motorboat and attacked a village on the shores of the lake.

Recall that Chad recently joined Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon in a military coalition called multinational taskforce against the Boko Haram Islamist sect.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the terrorists were repelled and pushed back by Chadian military troops after killing several people.

Meanwhile, the Chadian army yesterday said it killed 13 fighters from the Islamist militant group Boko Haram in the Nigerian town of Gambaru, Bornu State, while also saying two female suicide bombers attacked the Niger frontier town of Diffa on Wednesday.

Recall also that Niger’s parliament recently voted to send troops to Nigeria to join the fight against Islamist militants group Boko Haram after the extremist attacked a prison and detonated a car bomb on Monday in the town of Diffa, near Niger’s border with Nigeria.

Also, in a determined effort to make sure the devilish activities of the sect is completely brought to an end, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin on Saturday agreed to establish a 7,500-strong force to fight the group.

The former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro has instituted a suit against online news platform, Sahara Reporters following allegations of election rigging the latter levelled against him.

Other defendants joined in the suit are Punch Newspapers Ltd., Omoyele Sowore, Publisher of Sahara Reporters and Festus Owete, General Editor at Premium Times.

The suit was filed on Tuesday, 10th February at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja and Obanikoro is seeking damages of N1 billion, The Breaking Times reports.

The former Minister of State has also reportedly hired the services of celebrated US firm, Tacopina & Seigel to handle the case against Sahara Reporters, which is located in New York.

Sahara Reporters had earlier released a recording  which purportedly featured Obanikoro, Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose and Senator Iyiola Omisore discussing plans to rig the June 2014 elections in the state.

http://pulse.ng/politics/ekiti-elections-obanikoro-sues-sahara-reporters-others-for-n1bn-over-rigging-allegations-id3478359.html?utm_campaign=daily-2015-02-12&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=ekiti-elections-obanikoro-sues-sahara-reporters-others-for-n1bn-over-rigging-allegations

Unarguably, if a child is not offered education or willingly refused to embrace education, while the society and the leaders allows him to enjoy his freedom of choice, then the society bears the brunt when the anger in that child builds up to become a terror in his adulthood.



I have decided to share a discussion that eschewed between myself and a colleague who spent his childhood and his teenage years in one of the troubled North Eastern States in Nigeria, the lengthy discussion will be compressed in order to contain his uncensored experiences and my debatable perspectives on the aged terrorism that has consumed nearly a million life, displaced over 3million people, destroyed thousands of homes, gradually spreading across her territorial borders, and has cost the people more than the eyes can meet.

My friend was born in the early 80’s and was privileged to get enrolled into one of the reputable private elementary schools in Kano State, his childhood experiences in the hands of uneducated children of his age group, each time the school bus come to pick him in the morning and drop him after school hours was fun to him as at that time because he was left with a switching position of who is superior between him and those angered children, but his reminisce now throws a jab at his happy hours, believing that it all started when they were children but ignorant of the fact that children grow up with childhood ideologies and tends to pose threats to the society when they become adults.



He shared his experiences of how those uneducated children stands beside the road, chanting “YOU THAT ATTEND WESTERN SCHOOLS HAVE AN INCOMPLETE EDUCATION” in their local dialect, while himself and his peers in the school bus replies with a counter response of “WE THAT ATTEND WESTERN EDUCATION TENDS TO LIVE A BETTER LIVE THAN YOU GUYS, YOUR COMPLETE EDUCATION SHOULD REFLECT IN THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE”, at times this counter response hits those kids below their belts, which most often triggers the monster in them, that they take to hitting the school bus at the sides or at the back. This action was seen as a mere display of anger and was not envisaged to metamorphose into a terror gang.



His experience was synchronised with other colleagues of mine, who were born in the early 80’s and had their elementary education in the North Eastern States, as they also share their childhood experiences. So this leaves me with a submission that today’s terror is indeed a build up of neglected childhood anger, they were all happy and pushing leverages of how bright their future is compared to the future of those uneducated angered kids in our society.



Today, i am convinced that the present day terrorism in Nigeria that has outbursted into a regional terror did metamorphosed from the sets of uneducated and misguided children of mostly the late 70’s and the early 80’s; those sets of children were living with the believe that Education without reciting the holy Quran and observing their Solats is nothing but an incomplete education while they who attend schools where readings from the Holy Quran and observing Solats is core, have a complete education compare to their peers. IT SHOULD INTEREST YOU THAT THOSE SETS OF KIDS ACROSS THE NORTHERN REGION, GREW UP TO BECOME UNITS OF ANGERED KIDS, LATER BECAME SMALL TERROR GROUPS; I have it on a fact that, Boko Haram started as an ideology that was synonymous to the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the South West, Bakassi Boys in the Eastern Nigeria and the Arewa Group of the Northern Nigeria, but with strives to discourage western education which later metamorphosed into a terror group, as a result of the interference from self served politicians who engaged them with funds and cash in order to fulfil their political aspirations.



Engaging groups with funds in order to mobilise their people towards achieving our political ambitions has become the order of the day, but it becomes ridiculous when politicians engage groups of angered youths with funds and arms in order to attack their contenders and help them attain elective offices, as those groups gets jobless after the elections while the arms remain in their custody; this groups are most often abandoned when the politicians who engaged them secure elective offices because of the change in the aura around the politician.



It is no fallacy that, the former executive governor of Borno State Alimodu Sheriff triggered the Borno State wing of the groups of angered uneducated youths in the North East, by empowering them with adequate funds and arms, when he was seeking to be elected as the executive governor of the State; those groups he engaged did their best to heat up the homes of his opponents and eventually he was declared the winner of the election. As political power will always have it way, the former governor of Borno State gave them a deaf ear and refused to continue funding the terror group, which made the group to devise other means of generating funds to meet their over blotted standard of living. This resulted to kidnapping, robbery, amongst others before they were later superimposed into an existing larger terror group which later metamorphosed into the present day Boko Haram terrorist group. Nonetheless, he is still believed to have a link with the metamorphosed terror group.



Conclusively, the Boko Haram terrorist group have eventually become a regional threat as against it claimed objectives as revealed by faceless members of the group, with the rising level of abductions, incessant bomb blasts and seizing of territories, and a declaration of their intention to build a caliphate; regardless of how we found ourselves in this horrible situation, the government must restore the confidence in the people in order to get their supports towards combating the ongoing terrorism in the country.

This is a nice piece, the election must hold and let everybody know that. Jonathan and INEC should not jd postpone the election again unless he wants trouble in this country. All we ares saying is that this Election should not be shifted again #Sai Buhari!!!

The sum of N40m donated by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke to the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State has caused division between the chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd.) and the members of the State Working Committee.



According to Punch, the chairman was suspended by the members of the Committee on February 11, Wednesday, for alleged misconduct and diversion of the N40m gift.

It was learnt that the decision to suspend Inokoba was taken on Tuesday, after deliberation by members of the State Executive Council.

While confirming  the suspension, Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, Mr. Osom Makebre, explained that the decision of the State Executive Council had been forwarded to the national leadership of the party for ratification.

He said in accordance with the party’s constitution, it was expected that the Deputy Chairman of the party, King Serena Dokubo-Spiff, would take over the running of the party within the next 30 days.

Other accusations leveled against the chairman included promoting factions within the state PDP and engaged in financial dishonesty with funds provided by members of the PDP from the state and national level.

Inokoba was also accused of refusing to join in the ongoing campaigns for candidates of the Bayelsa Central Senatorial district because the candidates were not his choice.

The chairman according to reports, has not taken the suspension in good faith, his aide, Mr. Nelson Agadi, has described the suspension as illegal and “a sponsored action.”


http://www.naij.com/383720-bayelsa-pdp-divided-over-diezanis-n40m-gift.html

Definitely there must be, and our next President is #GMB no matter what we are #marching for Buhari.

For three straight days, the private residence of the national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu has been under surveillance by battle ready and helmet wearing soldiers. Numbering close to thirty and riding in three patrol vans and an army trucks stationed close to the entrance of the gate to Tinubu’s house along Bourdillon road in Ikoyi they have become a permanent feature. Their obvious target, Tinubu himself and perhaps the hordes of politicians and visitors that visit his bourdillon residence. The soldiers were first noticed on Sunday a few minutes to 11pm in an army truck. They stationed about 500 meters away from Tinubu’s gate. Later they moved close to his gate as if making efforts to enter. The stern looking soldiers were around for hours on Sunday and returned on Monday to continue their surveillance. Monday night about 10.45pm, they returned to the residence in two army vans and were there throughout the night. Some of the soldiers discharged from the van and walked back and forth in front of the house and around the house in what is clearly some casing effort. This morning, Tuesday, two vans from the army were stationed on both sides of the house along Bourdillon road their missions shrouded in secrecy. In a swift reaction, Tinubu said he will not be intimidated by this show of strength, intimidation and possible harassment. “I remain resolute in my advocacy and support for the rule of law. Jonathan’s government has through the service chiefs staged a coup against Nigerians and the Constitution and now wants to silence his critics. I will not be muzzled through the barrel of the gun. The guns and bullets they should use to defeat Boko Haram are now being turned against the opposition and innocent Nigerians”. Tinubu remains emphatically resolute and committed to the path of change in Nigeria and the liberating manifesto of the All Progressives Party,APC. Tinubu, is an unrelenting critic of the maladministration of the Jonathan-led PDP government. Tinubu is credited to have played the most pivotal role in the re-building of the Nigerian opposition and the formation of the APC, Nigeria’s most formidable opposition party since independence. The exact mission of the soldiers is not known but it fits clearly into a new pattern of intimidation of leaders of the APC and the opposition. The recent massing of soldiers for 3 days now at Tinubu’s gate might be part of a broader plan by the Jonathan Presidency to intimidate Tinubu and his political associates and scare him from making provocative statements or building a broad coalition against the present government as he did during the NADECO days. As the scaremongering by the army continues, Nigerians must come to the realization that the military has abandoned its statutory role and have now being dragged into partisan politics. Nigerians and the South West should hold the Jonathan led Military responsible if any harm or danger comes to Tinubu and his family. The case of the “Unknown Soldier” is too recent in our memory. -

See more at: http://citizenconfidential.com/combat-ready-soldiers-mass-at-asiwaju-bola-tinubus-house-on-bourdillon-road-ikoyi-lagos-for-3-days-in-a-row/#sthash.eKtLiRQr.dpuf

this will surprise you.

Reasons for the Postponement of Election... take a look.

By Samuel Oyadongha There had been much anticipation in the days leading to the Presidential campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Yenogoa, Bayelsa State given the alleged chasm between Governor Serikae Dickson and the wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan. The First Lady had been alleged to be behind those scheming to be working to stop Governor Dickson from aspiring towards a second term in office. For her alleged inclination, some stakeholders in the state had warned the first lady not to come along with the president for the rally. Her supporters on the other hand were alleged to have also conceived a plot to humiliate the governor by booing him at the campaign ground. As if envisaging trouble, the organisers had banned the use of sachet water which they feared could be used by any of the warring sides to pelt their antagonists on the podium. Even more, a day to the rally of last Friday that the police came out in full force in a show of force to intimidate the troublemakers. As early as 8.00 a.m. thousands of residents of Yenagoa had trooped out of their homes early as 8am to line up the major roads to give the august visitors a rousing welcome. To bolster the crowd, the state government had closed all schools in the capital city for that day. Massive crowd The massive crowd at the stadium, including large number of pro-Jonathan groups led by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and Women groups, defied the sweltering sun singing dancing as the event was turned into a huge carnival.. The situation was not different outside the campaign ground as the army of supporters who could not access the sport facility waited patiently for over six hours for the arrival of the president, his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan herself a great mobilise, and their entourage. Some women and men who could not stand the scorching sun collapsed. Many were dehydrated as they were barred from entering the campaign ground with sachet or bottled water following alleged security reports of plan to use such objects as missiles. It was as if God saw the plight of the crowd, the heaven opened up and poured its showers of rain to cool the heat just as the President was about to give his speech at the event. The fear of many security officials and non-partisan political observers was quickly brought to fore when Governor Dickson rose to welcome the president and his delegation. Just as he commenced a section of the crowd as had been feared booed him but this was countered by the singing and drumming of his supporters. But the governor, a former policeman was hardly perturbed as he proceeded as if unbothered by the revolt of his political antagonists who had reportedly combined with those who have faulted his slow execution of stomach infrastructure. The president, however, later came to his aid to rebut the insinuations in some quarters that the First Family was agreed on the campaign to hound the governor out of office. Clad in Ijaw traditional attire and amidst thunderous applause from supporters, the president expressed happiness to be back and appreciated the support he has received from the people of the state during his political journey which has seen him move from deputy governor to president -
See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/jonathans-home-trouble-dame-dickson/#sthash.0aFYMrQT.dpuf

You are fool.... when Buhari was the Head of state his deputy was also a Muslim TUNDE IDIAGBON and he did not Islamize the country then, despite a lot of pressure from World Muslim Body to Islamize the country. now When his deputy is a Christian In which he is a pastor of one of the over 5000 branches of the church he headed, tell me how can he Islamize the country. Do you think we on Nairaland are fool? #GMB come MARCH!