Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / NewStats: 3,153,020 members, 7,818,022 topics. Date: Sunday, 05 May 2024 at 04:59 AM |
Nairaland Forum / LordVarys's Profile / LordVarys's Posts
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (of 20 pages)
Politics / Re: US To Send Soldiers To Nigeria: New York Times by LordVarys: 7:54am On Feb 26, 2016 |
Lalasticlala, obinoscopy, mynd_44 the biggest story of the day should obviously be on the front page |
Politics / US To Send Soldiers To Nigeria: New York Times by LordVarys: 6:18am On Feb 26, 2016 |
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/02/26/world/africa/us-plans-to-help-nigeria-in-war-on-boko-haram-terrorists.html?referer= [b]DAKAR, Senegal — The Pentagon is poised to send dozens of Special Operations advisers to the front lines of Nigeria’s fight against the West African militant group Boko Haram, according to military officials, the latest deployment in conflicts with the Islamic State and its allies. Their deployment would push American troops hundreds of miles closer to the battle that Nigerian forces are waging against an insurgency that has killed thousands of civilians in the country’s northeast as well as in neighboring Niger, Chad and Cameroon. By some measures, Boko Haram is the world’s deadliest terrorist group. The deployment is a main recommendation of a recent confidential assessment by the top United States Special Operations commander for Africa, Brig. Gen. Donald C. Bolduc. If it is approved, as expected, by the Defense and State Departments, the Americans would serve only in noncombat advisory roles, military officials said. Even as President Obama has drawn down the large American armies sent to Iraq and Afghanistan, he has relied heavily on Special Operations forces to train and advise local troops fighting the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, and to carry out clandestine counterterrorism missions.[/b] Already, about 50 American commandos are advising fighters battling the Islamic State in eastern Syria. Scores more in a new, secret kill-or-capture unit are hunting Islamic State militants in Iraq. The Pentagon has offered to send American advisers with Iraqi brigades on the battlefield instead of restricting them to bases inside Iraq. Dozens of American commandos are conducting surveillance missions in Libya and counterterrorism missions in Somalia. “Rather than entangle U.S. combat forces on the ground, help build the capacity of regional forces to tackle their countries’ security challenges,” said Jennifer G. Cooke, Africa director at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, who visited Nigeria last month. “Training and advising and perhaps imparting the lessons we learned the hard way is a good thing.” Since taking office last year, Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, has vowed to pursue a military campaign against Boko Haram more vigorously than his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan. His shake-up of the military high command and new cooperation with neighboring countries has proved effective. A Nigerian Army soldier in Lagos last year.STEFAN HEUNIS/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE — GETTY IMAGES Mr. Buhari, a former general, has boasted of the military’s successes in wresting control of a huge portion of terrain from the group, declaring a “technical” victory late last year. But while the military has killed or captured thousands of militants and put an end to raids of villages by dozens or more fighters, the group has still carried out suicide attacks at a relentless pace in Nigeria and neighboring countries. “Despite losing territory in 2015, Boko Haram will probably remain a threat to Nigeria throughout 2016 and will continue its terror campaign within the country and in neighboring Cameroon, Niger and Chad,” James R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, told the House Intelligence Committee in Washington on Thursday. To help combat this threat, Mr. Buhari has embraced American assistance, ending several years of tense relations that sank to new lows in 2014 when the United States blocked the sale of American-made Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria from Israel, amid concerns about Nigeria’s protection of civilians when conducting military operations. Groups like Human Rights Watch say the Nigerian military has at times burned hundreds of homes and committed other abuses as it battled Boko Haram and its presumed supporters. Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States responded sharply at the time, accusing Washington of hampering the country’s effort to defeat Boko Haram. American officials also expressed hesitancy about sharing intelligence with the Nigerian military, fearing their ranks had been infiltrated by Boko Haram, an accusation that further infuriated Nigerian leaders. In December 2014, Nigeria canceled the last stage of American training of a new Nigerian Army battalion that was to take the lead in fighting terrorists. Those days now seem over. This month Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the State Department’s top diplomat for Africa, announced that the suspended training for the Nigerian infantry battalion would resume soon. Nigeria will provide the ammunition. Two weeks ago, Gen. David M. Rodriguez, the head of the Pentagon’s Africa Command, hosted Nigeria’s chief of defense staff, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, at the American headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. “To contain Boko Haram, working together is a priority,” General Rodriguez told his visitor. About 250 American service members have deployed to a military base in Garoua, Cameroon, where United States surveillance drones flying over northeastern Nigeria are sending imagery to African troops. Drone photos recently helped the Nigerian Army avoid a major Boko Haram ambush, according to a senior American intelligence officer. Another breakthrough occurred late last year when General Bolduc, a Green Beret with multiple Special Forces tours in Afghanistan, visited Nigeria. When officials there asked for assistance, General Bolduc quickly sent an assessment team to conduct a 30-day review. Among the team’s main recommendations was to position “small dozens” of Special Forces in Maiduguri, a major city in the northeast on the edge of the conflict, to help Nigerian military planners carry out a more effective counterterrorism campaign. British special forces are already assisting in the city. (The American military now maintains only a tiny intelligence cell in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.) Nigerian military officials have embraced the recommendations and are drawing up detailed requests, American officials said. Just last fall, life seemed to be turning back to normal in the areas near Maiduguri, which for years had been the epicenter of Boko Haram’s activities. But after a major military operation uprooted the militants from nearby villages they had seized, many fighters have returned to Maiduguri to launch repeated suicide bombing operations in the city or in villages on the outskirts that have caused dozens of deaths. At the end of last year, fighters attacked the city with rocket-propelled grenades and several suicide bombs. Residents say they eye one another with suspicion, especially women wearing religious gowns, fearful that explosives may be hidden underneath. These relentless attacks have put more pressure on Nigeria and its neighbors to marshal their forces against a common enemy. After taking office last year, Mr. Buhari began forging relationships with the presidents of neighboring countries to establish information-sharing and to build trust between his nation and Niger, Cameroon and Chad. But grouping the four nations together to share information and untangling decades of mistrust among them have proved harder. A regional task force established by the countries last year has largely stalled amid lingering distrust and differing views about the threat. Less than half of the task force’s $700 million budget has been raised, and sinking oil prices have hurt the economies of Chad and Nigeria, Ms. Cooke said in congressional testimony this week. Still, working together has yielded victories. Earlier this month, the Cameroonians teamed up with the Nigerian military as part of a joint operation on Nigerian soil just across the border in the far north, killing more than 160 Boko Haram fighters, dismantling a logistics hub for the fighters and destroying explosive devices, according to officials there. 4 Likes
|
Politics / Re: A Year On From Nigerian Election Victory, Buhari's Reforms Founder......reuters by LordVarys: 7:56pm On Feb 25, 2016 |
Foreign Affairs / Trump Wins Nevada Caucus, Looking Invincible by LordVarys: 6:35am On Feb 24, 2016 |
Donald J. Trump was declared the winner of the Nevada caucuses on Tuesday night, according to The Associated Press, gaining a third consecutive victory in an early-voting state and strengthening his position in the Republican presidential race before the wave of Super Tuesday elections on March 1. Turnout in Nevada was reported high compared with previous caucuses. Mr. Trump was seen as a favorite going into the contest, but his victory still serves as a setback for his chief competitors, Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, who must now try to break Mr. Trump’s winning streak in the larger states that vote in the coming weeks. For Mr. Trump, the outcome in Nevada is another sign of his campaign’s durability and the breadth of his appeal: He has now handily won primary elections in New England and in the South, and a caucus fight in the far West. He won over independent voters in New Hampshire and evangelicals in South Carolina, and prevailed in Nevada, where Mormon voters and rural activists wield influence. This latest triumph may only encourage Mr. Trump in the brash campaign style that has alienated many Republican officials and mainstream voters. In the two days leading up to the Nevada caucuses, Mr. Trump called Mr. Cruz a liar and threatened to deliver vicious attacks on Mr. Rubio as well. At a rally in Las Vegas on Monday evening, Mr. Trump ridiculed a protester in his audience and told supporters that he would have liked to “punch him in the face.” His supporters in Nevada were jubilant on Tuesday night. Holding Trump signs and flags and a few Bud Lights, the crowd at the Treasure Island casino erupted into a minute-long cheer when Mr. Trump was projected the winner on a CNN broadcast, and chanted the candidate’s name. Interactive Feature | Nevada G.O.P. Caucuses: Live Updates But the chants quickly turned to boos as soon as the network mentioned Mr. Cruz. The results are likely to reinforce the sense among national Republican leaders that only direct confrontation can block Mr. Trump from claiming the party’s nomination, because none of the party’s most powerful voting blocs seems likely to thwart him on its own. Mr. Trump’s success in Nevada is also likely to increase the pressure on his opponents to somehow join forces against a common enemy. Mr. Cruz and Mr. Rubio have attacked each other angrily in recent days, as each has struggled to establish himself as Mr. Trump’s strongest rival. Mr. Cruz has intensified his hawkish comments on immigration to compete with Mr. Trump, and has argued that only a conservative running well to the right of Mr. Trump can challenge him effectively. Mr. Rubio, on the other hand, has sought to unite Republican leaders behind his bid, casting himself as the only candidate capable both of defeating Mr. Trump and winning a difficult general election race. Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor, appeared to open a wider path in the race for Mr. Rubio when he ended his campaign on Saturday after a disappointing finish in the South Carolina primary. A host of senators and members of Congress and a few governors have backed Mr. Rubio in recent days, bolstering his claim on support from the national party establishment. And Mr. Rubio has criticized Mr. Cruz in increasingly personal terms, calling him a dishonest politician who has routinely lied to voters. But Mr. Rubio has still finished no better than second in any nominating contest, and that did not change in Nevada, where he had strong support from top Republican elected officials. Two other candidates, Gov. John Kasich of Ohio and Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, competed in the Nevada caucuses, but they never appeared to be in a position to win. Their chief role might have been to siphon away votes from Mr. Rubio and Mr. Cruz — Mr. Carson drawing votes from religious Republicans, and Mr. Kasich pulling away support among more centrist voters. http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/02/24/us/politics/nevada-caucus-gop.html |
Politics / Re: BREAKING-PDP Bows To Pressure, Sheriff To Stay 3 Months Till Convention by LordVarys: 11:10pm On Feb 23, 2016 |
Cc lalasticlala, obinoscopy, mynd_44 |
Politics / BREAKING-PDP Bows To Pressure, Sheriff To Stay 3 Months Till Convention by LordVarys: 11:09pm On Feb 23, 2016 |
Following disagreements over the emergence of Ali Modu Sheriff as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party’s leadership says he will spend only three months as chairman, after which a national convention will be held to elect a new leader. Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo state governor and chairman of PDP governors forum, disclosed this to journalists after a meeting of party leaders in Abuja on Tuesday. “As you can see, we are just from a meeting. You are all aware of some controversy generated recently because of recent developments in our party,” he said. “I am happy to let you know that all the major organs in the party: the Governors Forum, National Working Committee, National Assembly Caucus and the Board of Trustees have agreed to stand by our National Chairman to ensure that our party moves forward. “We have put behind us all the controversies in the press in recent times. I want to assure you that we are together as a party. “We have also mandated the national chairman and the National Working Committee to put in motion immediately the processes of ensuring that within three months, a National Convention of our party is called. “And we will brief all our members nationwide within the next two weeks of the timetable in that direction. In the next two weeks, the timetable will be out, all culminating in our national convention within three months.” However, former PDP ministers continue to reject Sheriff as national chairman, saying he is unfit to hold the position. https://www.thecable.ng/sheriffs-pdp-chairmanship-to-last-only-3-months#.VszU6oD3nhY.twitter |
Politics / Re: Did Ben Bruce Have A Twitter Account During Jonathan's Reign? by LordVarys: 8:04am On Feb 21, 2016 |
^^^^^ |
Foreign Affairs / Re: BREAKING: Donald Trump Has Won South Carolina’s Republican Primary by LordVarys: 8:02am On Feb 21, 2016 |
Babacele:But Bernie's supporters hate her and say they won't vote her in November plus Dem turnout has been poor so far, If I was to place a bet, i'll bet on a Republican Trump or Rubio to win in November, Republican Voters have been coming out in droves to vote and turnout is always the best predictor of victory. 1 Like |
Foreign Affairs / Re: BREAKING: Donald Trump Has Won South Carolina’s Republican Primary by LordVarys: 3:00am On Feb 21, 2016 |
CFCman:Since Jeb has dropped out and if Kasich and Carson also do, establishment votes will coalesce around Rubio, but that's hypothetical. For now Trump looks the strongest and he could pick up all 50 delegates from SC since he's leading all counties but one. Cruz as always is underrated but could sweep the stakes on Super Tuesday. As for the Dems, the race is effectively over, Clinton's African American firewall wins the South for her with a huge margin. |
Foreign Affairs / Re: BREAKING: Donald Trump Has Won South Carolina’s Republican Primary by LordVarys: 2:34am On Feb 21, 2016 |
CFCman:Clinton won too...relishing a Trump vs Clinton contest, Meanwhile Republicans are turning out massively for their primaries while you Dems aren't...bad sign for November |
Politics / Re: Did Ben Bruce Have A Twitter Account During Jonathan's Reign? by LordVarys: 12:39am On Feb 21, 2016 |
Rossikk:You don't expect ElRufai or Tinubu no matter their grouses to start tweeting or writing articles when they have Buhari's ear, same goes for Ben. El Rufai used to tweet actively when he was in the opposition and kept a weekly column where he propounded his ideas till his clash with the late Gen Azazi. Now he barely tweets because he doesn't need to, there are channels through which he can make his point. Even during GEJ's administration, he had been semi vocal about this issues, I do remember during the 25th anniversary gala of Silverbird which Jonathan attended, he gave a well received speech on some of these issues he is championing about, he also kept an intermittent column in Thisday where he wrote about his ideas occasionally. The only difference is now he gets visibility as an opposition senator active on social media. Ben Bruce has always been a pragmatist and a populist even in his failed 2012 gubernatorial run in Bayelsa. 4 Likes 2 Shares |
Politics / Re: Did Ben Bruce Have A Twitter Account During Jonathan's Reign? by LordVarys: 11:22pm On Feb 20, 2016 |
He has been a long time personal friend of GEJ so he had direct access to the president and could pass his points directly to him without making noise and believe me, Ben is no sycophant Now he's an opposition senator whose duty is to keep the govt of the day on their toes and he's doing a damn good job of it. The Buhari led govt also makes it easy to be criticized with their utter non-preparedness for governance almost a year after winning. How many of you guys who criticize Ben even know your own Senators or interact with them, Since he was elected, he has never missed a single plenary or committee hearing despite running the nation's largest entertainment group and he has communicated his ideas not just to his constituents but the whole country. He's pretty smart and is building a profile that would serve him well in the future. Simply put, not everyone can be cheerleaders of AGIP like you wish. 7 Likes |
Politics / Re: Photos From Ben Murray-Bruce's 60th Birthday Celebration by LordVarys: 8:24am On Feb 20, 2016 |
omenka:Oh yes, a very cunning someborry |
Politics / Re: Photos From Ben Murray-Bruce's 60th Birthday Celebration by LordVarys: 7:59am On Feb 20, 2016 |
omenka:Running for Chairman would have spoilt his chances of clinching the party's ticket in 2019 as no PDP Chairman ever escapes alienating the governors. The Jonathan camp is fully behind him and Peter Obi for 2019. |
Politics / Buhari's Budget Was Not Based On Zero Budgeting-Auditor General by LordVarys: 7:49am On Feb 19, 2016 |
The 2016 budget was not predicated on the zero-based budgeting system as widely claimed by the federal government and Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the Auditor-General of the Federation (AuGF), Samuel Ukura, shockingly disclosed yesterday. Ukura, who made this disclosure while defending the budget of his office before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, admitted that though the federal government had chosen zero-based budgeting as the template for the 2016 budget, it was later forced to jettison it because the reality on ground did not favour its implementation. However, the auditor-general’s claim was dismissed last night by officials of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, who said Ukura did not know what he was talking about and wondered how he could have made the assertion given that he does not work in the Budget Office of the Federation. Disclosing that the federal government was forced to return to the traditional envelope system, Ukura said the N2.9 billion budgeted for his office this year, just like other proposals in the 2016 budget, was drawn up using the envelope system previously used by the Ministry of Finance. “The budgets of all ministries, departments and agencies of government this year are all enveloped-based and not zero-based as has been the case over the years, including that of my office, which was even largely done for us by the supervising ministry (budget and national planning ministry),” Ukura, who by virtue of his office is independent and reports directly to the president, said. His disclosure shocked the committee and compelled Senators Akpan Bassey (Akwa Ibom, North-east) and Foster Ogola (Bayelsa, West) to remind Ukura how his revelation contradicted the submission before the joint session of the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari on December 22, 2015 while presenting the budget. But Ukura insisted that the zero-based budgeting system was dropped from the outset and proceeded to throw more light on the intricacies on the zero-based budgeting process. “This year’s budget is enveloped-based and not zero-based in anyway; it is the envelope system. The zero-based budgeting they wanted to introduce was not adhered to at the end of the day. “In zero-based budgeting, it is assumed that such expenditure does not exist, you start from zero and justify why that expenditure must be used and at the end of it, the result you are going to get out of it. “So it is a system which is good and which would have also helped to set targets but that wasn’t applied at the end of the day perhaps because it was hurriedly introduced. “Under zero-based budgeting, a budget proposal and by extension, defence, is not about fighting but discussing what is made available for one to work with, because what they want, they give,” he explained. Having given his explanation on the differences between the two methods used in the budgeting process, the committee then queried Ukura on why his office shied away from its responsibility of auditing the accounts of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), especially with regards to its penchant for budgeting N32 billion annually as recurrent expenditure when DPR, in the real sense, only has a staff strength of about 1,400 persons. As the committee attempted to dismiss the auditor-general as incompetent following the perceived failure of his office to raise a single audit alarm despite the rampant cases of corruption in the country including the recent budget padding, its chairman, Senator Andy Uba (Anambra, South), came to his rescue and attributed the shortcomings on poor funding for the AuGF’s office by the federal government. He described as unacceptable a situation where the important audit office of the federation, which is supposed to be independent, was allocated a paltry N654 million for the audit of the N6.08 trillion budget and all the MDAs. Uba assured Ukura that the committee would increase the budget, adding: “If you are not adequately funded, you are exposed to corruption and this committee will not allow that to happen." However, officials of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning refuted Ukura’s claim that the 2016 budget was not drawn on the zero-based budgeting process. One official, who preferred not to be named, said: “Perhaps he does not know what it entails. But I can assure that the Budget Office drew up the 2016 Appropriation Bill using zero-based budgeting.” He added that the auditor-general does not even work in the Budget Office of the Federation and wondered how he could have spoken on behalf of the office. He recalled that once the federal government decided to transit from the envelop system to the zero-based budgeting system, consultants were hired by the federal government and conducted extensive training programmes for officials in the Budget Office and Directors of Finance in the MDAs. “The training sessions took place even before the federal cabinet was sworn in and a template produced for all the MDAs to follow, so how can the auditor-general now say that the zero-based budgeting system was not used for the Appropriation Bill. Did he not go for the training; may be he did not understand it. “Perhaps the auditor-general was referring only to the budget of his own office and not the entire 2016 budget,” he said. The official also reminded THISDAY that it was as a result of the zero-based budgeting system several discrepancies arose in the 2016 budget. “Remember that the discrepancies and errors in the 2016 budget arose due to the zero-based budget system. These arose because of the difficulties officials had adapting to the new system, so how can the auditor-general say that it was jettisoned?” he asked. http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/auditor-general-2016-appropriation-bill-was-not-predicated-on-zero-based-budgeting/232318/ 2 Likes 1 Share |
Business / Re: President Buhari Is Confused And 90% Of His Ministers Are Incompetent by LordVarys: 6:51am On Feb 19, 2016 |
I thought you were a change agent |
TV/Movies / New York Times Special On Nollywood by LordVarys: 5:27pm On Feb 18, 2016 |
ASABA, Nigeria — Sitting on a blue plastic stool in the sweltering heat, Ugezu J. Ugezu, one of Nigeria’s top filmmakers, was furiously rewriting his script as the cameras prepared to roll. “Cut!” he shouted after wrapping up a key scene, a confrontation between the two leading characters. Then, under his breath, he added, “Good as it gets.” http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/02/19/world/africa/with-a-boom-before-the-cameras-nigeria-redefines-african-life.html 22 Likes 1 Share |
TV/Movies / Re: Did You See Deadpool Today? Tell Us Your Thoughts About It by LordVarys: 10:04am On Feb 13, 2016 |
PiccoloBrunelli:Same here..... watched it twice, still didn't get the whole hype |
TV/Movies / Re: Did You See Deadpool Today? Tell Us Your Thoughts About It by LordVarys: 9:38am On Feb 13, 2016 |
Deadpool was awesome, just what the Superhero genre needed, Ryan Reynolds was funny. Finally a movie that lived up to its pre release hype unlike Star Wars which I found disappointing 1 Like |
Politics / BBC Mocks Nigeria's Budget Debacle by LordVarys: 9:12pm On Feb 11, 2016 |
.
|
Foreign Affairs / Donald Trump Wins New Hampshire Primary by LordVarys: 6:44am On Feb 10, 2016 |
Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders swept to thumping outsider victories in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, seizing on the fury of grass-roots voters to rock the elites who control American politics. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, meanwhile, whose aspirational conservative message contrasts with Trump's populist rhetoric surged to a surprise second place in the GOP race. But the nation's second presidential contest failed to clarify the battle between establishment candidates. There are doubts about Kasich's viability in more conservative states and ability to raise money. Marco Rubio faces renewed questions about his readiness after a shaky debate performance robbed him of momentum. And Jeb Bush, the one-time front-runner, did just enough to survive. WATCH: Trump describes New Hampshire victory CNN's New Hampshire coverage in 90 seconds 01:36 That means the opposition to Trump and Iowa caucuses winner Ted Cruz remains divided. http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/09/politics/new-hampshire-primary-highlights/ 3 Likes 1 Share |
Politics / Re: Wike Had Foreknowledge Of S’court Ruling – Peterside by LordVarys: 4:44pm On Feb 09, 2016 |
Just because you lose a case doesn't mean you should malign our most revered institution. The CJN asked Justice Odili to recuse herself from the case to avoid any appearance of prejudice. Dakuku should be a man and accept his loss in stride. Any keen legal observer would have deduced that judgement after Ambode and Yari's elections were respectively upheld on similar grounds. |
Politics / Re: Dasuki To Face Fresh Charges Over 1994 Millitary Charge by LordVarys: 3:20am On Feb 07, 2016 |
Cc lalasticlala, obinoscopy |
Politics / Re: Why We Ignored Card Reader Reports In Election Cases – S’court by LordVarys: 11:56pm On Feb 06, 2016 |
doctokwus:I think twas a Federal High Court headed by Justice Ibrahim Buba that issued that perpetual injunction on Odili, The Supreme Court can't stoop to that level |
Politics / Dasuki To Face Fresh Charges Over 1994 Millitary Charge by LordVarys: 11:34pm On Feb 06, 2016 |
Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria's former national security advisor remains in custody as he is under investigation for alleged offences committed decades ago when he was an army officer, a state prosecutor said Thursday. Sambo Dasuki is already facing three trials with a slew of charges in connection with looting billions of dollars that were supposed to go towards fighting Boko Haram Islamists. He is one of just 55 people the Nigerian government claims stole more than $6 billion between 2006 and 2013, leaving Africa's biggest economy reeling in the wake of the global oil price plunge. But despite being granted bail in December, Dasuki has been kept in custody by Nigeria's intelligence agency, the Department of State Services (DSS), without access to his legal counsel. Prosecutor Rotimi Jacobs told an Abuja court that Dasuki was rearrested because the government is investigating an "alleged breach of service law" when he was serving as a colonel in the army before his retirement in 1994. Defence lawyer Joseph Daudu said Dasuki -- a powerful member of former president Goodluck Jonathan's administration -- is being denied the right to a fair trial and that all three cases against him should be dismissed. "There's really no way he can get a fair trial in the circumstances," Daudu said to AFP, vowing if necessary to take the matter to the Supreme Court. Dasuki is rumoured to have arrested Muhammadu Buhari at gunpoint when he was overthrown in a 1985 coup after serving nearly two years as head of a military government. Daudu said that Dasuki will neither "confirm or deny" that rumour, but added there is "no love lost" between his client and Buhari, now Nigeria's elected president. Political analyst Chris Ngwodo said that far from settling old grievances, the ultimate reason for Dasuki's continued incarceration is that the government is struggling to stitch together its case against him. "What is the most important thing for them is for him to be in custody, they do not want to make him free," Ngwodo said. "So they are resorting to somewhat underhanded tactics," Ngwodo said. "What they will keep doing is finding fresh ways of holding him in custody until they can fine tune their case." http://news.yahoo.com/nigerias-ex-security-czar-faces-probe-alleged-military-191424729.html;_ylt=AwrC1zHOc7ZWqycAjVyZmolQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBzdWd2cWI5BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxMAR2dGlkAwRzZWMDc3I- 2 Likes 2 Shares |
Politics / Re: 5 Most Popular Daughters Of Nigerian Presidents by LordVarys: 9:03am On Feb 06, 2016 |
Anwonspee:He has three biological children , two girls Aruyola, Aruabai, and Ariwera Adolphus the sole boys |
Politics / Re: Tompolo Congratulates Okawa, Ikpeazu & Udom Emmanuel by LordVarys: 2:38pm On Feb 05, 2016 |
Hehe......Warri nor dey carry last . No one wants to sign his death warrant to get him. 3 Likes |
Politics / Give Us Ambassadorial,Board Positions-Dakuku Tells Oyegun by LordVarys: 6:01am On Feb 05, 2016 |
As a fallout of the Supreme Court judgment that resolved the contentious governorship election in Rivers State in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on Wednesday requested a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari to address the party’s affairs and its political fortunes in the state. A high-level delegation led by the APC governorship candidate Dr. Dakuku Peterside, made the request during a meeting with the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja. [b]Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Peterside said: “It will interest you to know that many of our members, supporters and sympathisers are still at a loss to see us work as orphans. We have a herculean task explaining to them that we actually formed government at the centre. It is like we lost the elections. “To an overwhelming majority of them, the only indication that we might be part of government at the federal level is because our leader and Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign which led to a people’s revolution that defeated the former ruling party and former Governor of the state, Hon. Chubuike Rotimi Amaechi is a minister. “The concerns of our members are re-enforced by the fact that more than eight months after APC has formed government at the federal level, notable PDP chieftains and members who spent state resources to work assiduously against us (APC) are still occupying strategic federal government positions, dispensing patronages to PDP members to the disadvantage and chagrin of APC members.[/b] Peterside reported that as a result of the unflinching support party leaders and members gave to President Buhari and the APC, they have been exposed to undue attacks and internal discriminations. He said: “We were called all sorts of names including being branded as traitors and almost live like outcast in our communities and environments...Even today, we are not out of danger as we a killed, molested, maimed and insulted.” Peterside also reported that security infrastructure that were skewed against the APC before and during the 2015 elections are still working against and frustrating the party activities in the state. “The partisanship against us was and is still enormous.” he said. The delegation, among others, requested the APC national leadership to assist in funding the forthcoming rerun elections in the state. “The restructuring of the Presidential Amnesty Programme by making sure that the current leadership and managers of the programme understood the political connotation of its implementation; urgent replacement of all agents and heads of agencies that the immediate-past federal government administration used to frustrate the change revolution; “Purge of vestiges of and sympathisers for the immediate-past federal government administration in the leadership of security agencies, especially in the Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. “That political appointments in all federal government ministries, departments and agencies including ambassadorial positions be made to reflect the current realities of a change of government.” Speaking during the meeting, Oyegun expressed shock over the Supreme Court’s decision on the state governorship election which revalidated the victory of the PDP’s candidate, Nyesom Wike. He, however, promised that the party national leadership would give necessary support to ensure successes in subsequent elections in the state. Oyegun said: “The APC national leadership has not neglected party leaders and supporters in Rivers State. The state has always been in the front burner of discussion and decision in the party. There is obviously something fundamentally wrong in the state which needs to be investigated and addressed. “Your visit have had a sober effect on me. This meeting will kickstart urgent actions to address what went wrong. As of today, there a attempts being made by INEC to bar us from elections in Anambra and other states. We must address these issues. I still find the judgement on the Rivers State governorship election totally astonishing. There is something fundamentally wrong in the judiciary. “We have lost very important resource-rich states to the PDP. No matter how crude oil prices have fallen, it is still the most important revenue earner for the country. “I will take up your request to facilitate a meeting with the President. We will do that as soon as possible and also make it clear that there are problems which as a party, we must address. http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/rivers-guber-fallout-rivers-apc-seeks-succour-from-buhari/231059/ |
Politics / Re: This CJN Statement Weeks Ago Was A Pointer To The Supreme Court Judgements by LordVarys: 7:49am On Feb 04, 2016 |
smoothralph:The oldest justices like Mahmud, Onnoghen by OBJ, some by Yar’Adua and the bulk by GEJ |
Politics / Re: This CJN Statement Weeks Ago Was A Pointer To The Supreme Court Judgements by LordVarys: 6:57am On Feb 04, 2016 |
Caseless:As per the Yar'Adua case, the Court's ruling was based on upholding the national interest, not legal facts and the judges were under a lot of pressure. But as for these judgements on the 3 states, while I concur that the elections in the states were substantially flawed, the petitioners Dakuku,Otti, and Umana failed to prove their cases beyond card reader usage which the Lagos Appeals Court already ruled is unknown to the constitution. The amended 2014 electoral act makes it almost impossible to prove beyond reasonable doubt as you must have valid witnesses and evidence from every contested PU. The Supreme Court looked only at the facts and not the ethics. I liked the judgements because they've at least prevented Nigeria from sliding into a one party state. If we want genuine electoral reform, the National Assembly has to be key especially reviewing the electoral act. Sadly NASS is full of clowns. 28 Likes 4 Shares |
Politics / Re: This CJN Statement Weeks Ago Was A Pointer To The Supreme Court Judgements by LordVarys: 6:28am On Feb 04, 2016 |
Caseless:This has nothing to do with Buhari, the Supreme Court has always been very independent even during Abacha's tenure with the famous Uwais heading then, the Offshore-Onshore dichotomy and the Lagos LG funds cases when the Court ruled against OBJ's administration, the narrow 4-3 win by Yar'Adua in his election petition which took the intervention of former heads of state 9 Likes |
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (of 20 pages)
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 132 |