₦airaland Forum

President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari to Akwa Ibom State was Friday marred by a security breach allegedly caused by Senator Godswill Akpabio’s wife, Mrs Unoma Akpabio.The President’s wife was in the state for the first time to flag off her project, Future Assured Programme, organised in collaboration with National Directorate of Employment (NDE) which saw the empowerment of 11,600 women and youths of the state drawn from the 31 local government areas of the state. The drama occurred at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo when Mrs. Akpabio allegedly attempted to assume the responsibility of the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel. The action, it was gathered, prompted  the protocol officers from the presidency to wade in. It was gathered that while the door of the aircraft opened and the First Lady, Aisha Buhari was to alight from the aircraft, Mrs Akpabio suddenly stepped forward shoving aside Mrs. Martha Emmanuel in order to  receive the President’s wife instead of Mrs Emmanuel. This led to the door of the aircraft being shut while the President’s wife retreated and waited inside until the senator’s wife was persuaded to stop further attempts to ridicule the state by her actions. However, when normalcy was restored after 25 minutes, the aircraft doors were opened once again as Mrs Buhari stepped down to a warm embrace of Mrs Emmanuel who introduced her to other Akwa Ibom women at the airport to receive her. Meanwhile, some women who witnessed the drama at the airport expressed displeasure at the show of shame by Mrs Akpabio. Those who spoke to journalists recounted that no former first lady in the state came to embarrass her throughout her tenure as first lady between 2007 and 2015, wondering why she forgot that her tenure expired in 2015. “She received the wife of President Yaradua during her time, and also received Mrs. Patience Jonathan, no woman ever insulted her this way”, She lamented. It had been speculated earlier that there was an attempt by the APC to disrupt the protocol during the visit of Mrs Buhari, to score cheap political gains. Speaking at the empowerment event along Edet Akpan Avenue Uyo, Mrs.Aisha Buhari commended the NDE for their proactive approach towards the empowerment of Nigerians and charged participants to submit themselves to the training in order to become grounded in their area of training. She said, “ You will recall that since the inception of this administration through Future Assured Programme we have empowered thousands of women and youths in the six geopolitical zones of this country in line with my pledge to contribute in reducing the level of  poverty. This will ensure that women of Nigeria are self reliant” In a remark former Senate Minority leader Chief Godswill Akpabio lauded Buhari for his transformative policies adding that many of them left the PDP because of the President’s transformative programme including  introduction of social intervention programmes. Akpabio commended the President for increasing the electricity capacity of the country, appointing many people from the state into positions of authority and assured  the President that strategies have been put in place to ensure that the APC win with a landslide in all elections in the state next year. Earlier, the governorship candidate of the APC, Obong Nsima Ekere commended the federal government for the priority attention it had given to poverty alleviation in the country, adding that change would come to Akwa Ibom with the anticipated victory of the APC from 2019.
http://mognews.com/2018/12/15/aisha-buharis-visit-to-a-ibom-drama-as-akpabios-wife-disgrace-herself-at-the-airport/

By now, the message ought to be clear to those who have ears: illegal migration to Europe through the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea is almost a certified death sentence. But unfortunately, in spite of the gruesome experiences of those who tried it and were lucky to return alive to tell their stories, more young men and women are still embarking on that journey to Golgotha. African migrants’ 75 foot fishing boat capsized off Libya There is ‘No good Brexit’ for UK car parts boss Perhaps what still pushes many intending illegal migrants to try their luck is the perception that the number of people who become victims is much less than those who succeed in their quest. For instance, the United Nations Migration Agency – the International Organisation of Migrants Organisation, IOM – recorded that between January and December 2017, up to 171,365 migrants successfully crossed the Mediterranean Sea into Italy, Spain, Cyprus and Greece, while 3,116 drowned in the Mediterranean Sea. In 2016, 363,504 arrived alive in Europe while 5,413 had drowned. This year, more than 2,000 died in the Sea while the number that crossed is not yet known, though it has been shrinking steadily due to tougher anti-migrant measures being taken by countries. In addition to deaths in the Mediterranean, there is a large amount of annual death toll in the Sahara and other places en-route. A non-governmental organisation, Migration Enlightenment Programme Nigeria, MEPN, quotes Libya’s Foreign Minister, Mohammed al-Taher Siala, as saying that around 30,000 illegal migrants are languishing in Libyan detention centres, while another 750,000 are roaming the deserts. At least, those in detention can nurse the hope that one day, they will be able to join the lucky 15,000 migrants who have been successfully repatriated to Nigeria alive this year. It is important for the Federal Government through its National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons, NAPTIP, to work very closely with the governments of states where large numbers of people join the trans-Sahara migration train annually to discourage the risky venture. Traditional rulers, religious and community leaders should assume greater roles in this effort. Even those who succeed in entering Europe are forced into dehumanising and soul-wrenching experiences that make the journey not worth undertaking. Even as the situation is in Nigeria, anyone willing to survive in the system can always find ways to do so without breaking the law. Our young people should join in efforts to hold our leaders more accountable because they are the ones given the mandate to create economic and employment opportunities for the people. As we await the general elections, we must avoid toeing party lines and eulogising failed leaders who have nothing more to offer. There are ample opportunities for genuine change, and when leaders are elected they should be strictly held to account. Nigeria will be great.
http://mognews.com/2018/12/12/beware-of-death-in-sahara-mediterranean/

AHEAD of 2019 general, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, urged Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies and stakeholders to ensure the country conducted free, fair, transparent and credible elections. Meanwhile, Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have both taken a swipe at the security agencies and INEC over election malpractices and votes buying that have become serious threat to the country’s electioneering process. Dogara and Saraki Saraki and Dogara spoke, yesterday, in Abuja at a one-day public hearing on “Vote Buying and Improving Electoral Processes in Nigeria” organised by the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC. Saraki, who stressed that vote buying and election rigging, remained contemporary challenges that mar the nation’s electoral process, said: “We must deal with them in such a manner that does not detract from the credibility and legitimacy of the coming 2019 polls. Also corroborating the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, warned that the nation must not surrender to what he described as criminality of votes buying. He stressed that more worrisome dimension to vote buying was the alleged use of officials of the electoral umpire, INEC, and security agents to induce or intimidate as well as force voters to vote for particular candidates. He asked Nigerians to be wary of public officials that distribute cash to the members of the public at a time close to the 2019 general elections, noting that vote buying syndrome must be checked. Dogara added that the recent phenomenon of direct pricing and buying of votes as if in a market square was very disturbing. Dogara regretted that the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the security agencies were alleged to be accomplices of the electoral fraud and vote buying. The speaker, who called on lovers of democracy to rise against the ill developments, said:  “A more worrisome dimension to vote buying is the alleged use of the officials of the electoral umpire, INEC, and officers of security agencies to induce, or intimidate and coerce voters to vote for particular candidates. ‘’Such absurdities have been widely reported in the media and confirmed by some local and international observers in respect of the recently concluded governorship elections in Osun State. “As expected, all lovers of democracy worldwide rose to condemn these despicable incidents. Condemnation is not enough, it will amount to hypocrisy, if we don’t take the bull by the horn by taking concrete steps to eliminate these evils that make mockery of our hard worn democracy. “The essence of this public hearing, therefore, is to enable all of us interrogate these issues and proffer the way out.  We must not leave here before we have proffered practical steps to be taken in order to ensure that each vote counts in our elections and our elections henceforth will qualify as democratic elections not the kind of sham elections usually organized by totalitarian regimes.’’ Responding, the chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, explained that the commission does not sell or buy votes. He, however, condemned votes buying, even as he warned that it should not be allowed to define the nation’s election, as such aberration was not in any way acceptable. The INEC boss, who noted that such actions deny citizens of quality representation as well as give the country a bad image before the international community, said rather than public hearing, it would have been better if confessional hearing was conducted by the lawmakers. Professor Mahmoud urged the National Assembly to pass the Electoral Offences Tribunal Bill into law as recommended by Uwais, Lemu and Ken Nnamani electoral reform committees, adding that votes buying was not only a Nigeria issue, but had also become an international phenomenon. “Votes buying is not acceptable, it must never be allowed to define our elections. It is illegal and morally wrong. It denies citizens quality representation and give us bad name internationally. It does not give us a good representation,’’ he said.      
http://mognews.com/2018/12/11/avoid-vote-buying-saraki-dogara-urge-inec-security-agencies/

Grants concessional commission to 4 SNCOS Authorities of the Nigerian Air Force said on Wednesday that the Air Force Council (AFC) on Tuesday, 4 December 2018, approved the promotion of a total of 64 senior officers to the next higher ranks in the Nigerian Air Force. The affected senior officers comprise 14 Air Commodores who were promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal, 36 Group Captains promoted to Air Commodore and 14 Wing Commanders promoted to the rank of Group Captain. A statement by Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramolala, Director of NAF Public Relations also said that “In line with the provisions in Chapter 8 of the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS) Officers 2017 (Revised), the Air Force Council also approved the concessional commission of 3 Air Warrant Officers (AWO) and one Master Warrant Officer (MWO) to the rank of Flight Lieutenant”. Those promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal include Air Commodores James Gwani, Moses Onilede, Charles Umolu, Olurotimi Tuwase, Musa Muktar, Emmnuel Alade and Musibau Olatunji. Others are Air Commodores Maxwell Nnaji, Sule Lawal, Aliyu Bello, Ismaila Yahaya, Emmanuel Chukwu, Abdullahi Kassimu and Ibrahim Ali. Among those promoted from the rank of Group Captain to Air Commodore include Precious Amadi, Eneobong Effiom, Francis Edosa, Ndubuisi Okoro, Abubakar Sule, Olufemi Odeyinde, Olasunkanmi Abu, Razaq Olanrewaju, Micheal Ekwueme, Simon Peter, David Pwajok, Suleiman Usman, Patrick Obeya. Others are Ahmed Shinkafi, Ayodele Laoye, Nnamdi Ananaba, Esen Efanga and Ademuyiwa Adedoyin. Also promoted to the rank of Air Commodore are Abdulrasheed Kotun, Albert Bot, Kennedy Mataluwo, Shehu Bakari, Zayyan Usman, Henry Yurkusi, Bashir Mamman, Jibrin Usman, Mohammed Ibrahim, Anthony Martins, Mohammed Aliyu, John Ukeh, Mohammed Yusuf, Adeniran Ademuwagun, Isaac Abatan, Gideon Bako, Anthony Ekpe and Okey Ezeanyagu. Those elevated to the rank of Group Captain include Wing Commanders Valentine Oraeki, Abraham Sule, Abubakar Muhammed, Shehu Chindo, Oluwaseun Oluwatayo, Mohammed Ahmed, Adolphus Akins, Ali Idris, Idris Suleiman, Ibrahim Shehu, Dogari Apyeyak, Yahaya Bashir, Logomfa Nansoh and Mba Igbe. The Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) granted concessional Commission to the rank of Flight Lieutenant include Air Warrant Officers Julde Muhammed, Mohammed Madugu, Theophilus Enem and Master Warrant Officer Samuel Ogunnubi. The promotion exercise is expected to motivate the affected officers to re-dedicate themselves towards more effective and efficient service delivery. The senior officers and newly commissioned officers will be decorated with their new ranks at a later date. 
http://mognews.com/2018/12/05/14-air-vice-marshals-50-other-officers-promoted-by-nigerian-airforce-2/

Democracy on paper is not enough. Free, fair, and violence-free elections are crucial for the protection and deepening of representative democracy in any country. It is shameful and inhuman when political candidates use their own citizens as pawn to pave the way for their political ambitions. Unfortunately, electoral violence has been a continuous problem in Nigerian politics since she became a federation in 1963. Usually, the violence and killings occur either before the election (electoral campaign) or after the election. File photo: Nigerians The First Republic (1963-1966) collapsed due to the widespread violence unleashed by politicians in the disputed 19665 general election that led to the first military coup of January 15, 196. During the Second Republic (1979), the country returned to civil rule, but not long before some politicians again, resorted to electoral violence especially during the August 1983 general election where political observers said that, Akin Omoboriowo versus Governor Adekunle Ajasin saga in the old Ondo State allegedly involved in electoral fraud in the state led to three days of severe killings and arson, resulting in military takeover on December 31, 1983. Third Republic Constitution The constitution of the Third Republic was drafted in 1989 as General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida  (IBB) (the  military head of state), promised to end military rule by 1990. He allowed for elections of civilian governors for each state, taking office in  January 1992, followed by the presidential election. When the presidential elections were finally held in June 1993, confusion arose over the election saying that, only around 30% of the registered electorate actually voted. The initial results from the elections indicted that Chief Moshood Abiola had won the majority of votes in 19 states and he declared himself president. The results were annulled by the ruling National Defence and Security Council, and Mr Babangida himself said that ‘the polls had been marred by widespread irregularities’ so he established an Interim National Government, and then declared that the transition to civilian rule could not be completed by August 1993. He resigned and was replaced by Chief Shonekan. Mr Shonekan resigned after some months and General Sani Abacha, the vice-president, assumed power. Sani Abacha immidiately dissolved all existing organs of state and installed his own regime. Towards the Fourth Republic, a new Constitution was to be formally adopted in October 1998. In May 1999, General Abubakar announced that the “era of coups” is over and once more there was transition to a civilian rule. Since then, Nigeria has had five successive general elections (1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015) but with each of them recording high electoral violence. According to Nigerian Watch, between June 2006 and May 2014, there were about 915 cases of election violence resulting in about 3934 deaths. The North central recorded about 1463 deats, 911 deaths in the North-West, 644 deaths in the South-South, 319 and 386 deaths in the North-East and South-West respectively. Based on this fact, I argue that, the violence that occurs in Nigerian electoral campaigns, election period and post-election result is linked to the use of the ‘divide and rule policy’ by Nigerian political leaders and political candidates towards exploiting the people, turning them against each other and creating violence and disaster just to get what they want. This suggests simply that there is a problem with the system and something needs to be done about it. The killing must stop because Nigerian lives matters. In fact, reading through the history of Nigerian electoral violence and the record of the killings makes one wonder, is Nigerian representative and liberal democracy worth the name or can we do better?   To answer this question, we should explore John Locke’s writings that lay the foundation to today’s representative and liberal democracy. John Locke was an English philosopher and he was among the most famous philosophers and political theorists of the 17th  century. In most of his works, he opposed authoritarianism and absolute monarchy. In his essay concerning human understanding he argued that, ’knowledge and identity comes from accumulated experience’ because at birth, the human mind was a blank slate (Tabular Rasa). Everything that the human mind knows and does is learned from perception, interpretation and experience (empiricism). ‘Ideas cannot be said to be in the mind until one is conscious of it’. This means that, whatever content people are feed with determines their perception and here, it is easier for political leaders through the media and propaganda can influence the mindset of people and if proper education is not acquired to liberate the people, the people could easily sell their safety for a little amount of money or promises given to them by the political leaders to engage in violence or killing and they won’t hesitate. Unfortunately, some youths are the ones mobilized by the politicians to perpetuate the electoral violence. Many of these young Nigerians are educated and unemployed. The school system appears not good enough to imbibe in them the spirit of patriotism, and many of those who are uneducated amongst them were probably unable to afford education. Nigerian government needs to educate the people. Build more schools, infrastructures and hospitals. Nigerian government needs to regulate the educational system especially private schools. They need to do a check and balances on the tuition fees for most of the private schools especially the schools own by churches which are the most expensive whereby even the church members may not afford to send their kids to the church schools that they might have contributed to its foundation. In ‘Two Treatises of Government’, Locke argued that, all humans are born free and equal yet people need a sense of order so government was formed through a social contract mainly for the protection of life and properties. He emphasized that there should be a ‘constitution to limit exercise of power by the state in order to avoid abuse of power because individual rights must be protected. So Nigeria became a representative democracy and as S14 (2) (b) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1999 reads, ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of govern’ but does that even mean that Nigeria is standing by this promise? A violent free election A violent free election will boost patriotism among Nigerians and in a diverse country like Nigeria; a violent free election would give the people a sense of unity. The more the political candidates tear the people down with the idea divide and rule policy, the more it gets difficult to achieve ‘unity in diversity’ rather, it will be ‘we against them’ mentality where everyone for themselves meaning that, people would rather fight for their ethnic groups, for their religion or for their region. We should look at the long term effect of pitting one group against the other because in the end, we might achieve our aim to be in power but such action will always endanger the stability of Nigerian democracy and the perception and interpretation of people and also the rise of identity politics. My hope is that, Nigeria would set a good example of what is like to be a good representational democracy with a free, fair, and violence-free election for the world to see the true beauty of the country in its glory. It will resonate well around the value we place on human lives, and fit in squarely the popular saying that “Nigerian Lives Matters”. *Ene Gift Linus, a Nigerian Masters Degree student at the Department of of Political Science and International Relations at the Instanbul Aydin University, Turkey. 
http://mognews.com/2018/12/05/stop-nigerian-lives-matters-2/

THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun State, yesterday, urged the Inspector General of Police to reactivate the charges of forgery and conspiracy to forge a police report for which the former governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was standing trial before assuming office in November 2010. Aregbesola The PDP recalled that Mr Aregbesola and one other person were facing a six count charge before an Abuja High Court for allegedly forging and presenting a fake police report to an election petition tribunal in 2007. In a statement by state chairman of the party, Mr. Soji Adagunodo argued that now that Mr Aregbesola no longer enjoys constitutional immunity, the Inspector General of Police was duty bound to arrest him and present him before the court to prove his innocence in the charge. While recalling that it was on the basis of the forged police report that the Appellate tribunal in Ibadan ordered a retrial of Aregbesola’s petition in 2009, Adagunodo said it was curious that the former governor and his party abandoned the report when their petition went back for trail in the same year. The Party said since time does not run against the state in criminal matters, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police have no excuse whatsoever to abandon the case of forgery against the former governor. Civil Society asks EFCC to invite ex-governor Meanwhile, the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation for Osun State, CSCEOS, has asked the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, to immediately invite Mr. Aregbesola for investigation over several petitions written against him while in office, maintaining that the immunity for the executive governor has restrained the anti-graft body to do their constitutional function. In a letter to the EFCC submitted November 26, 2018,  by Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, the group reminded the body that Aregbesola has a case to answer over several alleged fraudulent practices he engaged in during his tenure of office.  
http://mognews.com/2018/11/29/osun-saga-pdp-urges-ig-to-reactivate-forgery-case-against-aregbesola/

Two siblings Aged 18 & 19 years respectively was apprehended by the polce today in Lagos for killing a 10 years old boy for a ritualust at the sum of 200,000.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/29/siblings-aged-18-and-19-killed-their-friend-and-cut-off-his-head-for-rituals-in-lagos/

Stop remembering the good memories. Don’t think about the times they made you laugh, but remember the times they broke you and made you cry. Count the number of sleepless nights, the unanswered text messages, the broken promises, and the shattered dreams.
Stop remembering them as the hero you created in your mind. Remember them as the one who broke your heart.
Realize that you are replacing the reality of them with your memory of them; giving them more credit than they deserve. You’re remembering them as a glorified version of who they were, but this is not their reality.
They are not the person you want them to be. They are not the person you dream about when you go to sleep. They are not the person who swept you off your feet. If they were, they would still be here.
Stop defending them to your friends when they ask.
Stop making excuses for why they hurt you.
Stop waiting for the moment that they will walk through that door and apologize. Because it won’t happen. They walked away and they aren’t coming back. Stop waiting for them at all.
Stop hoping that they will come back to you and realize that you are better without them. Be thankful that they set you free. Let go of the future you once had planned. Be open to the endless opportunities and the new loves and adventures that will come your way.
Stop loving them. Let them go even though your heart is screaming for you to hold on.
The person you fell in love with is gone, they aren’t there anymore. All that’s left is a shadow, a remembrance, a shell of the person you once loved.
Stop thinking that no one will ever love you the way that they did, because someone will love you better.
Stop romanticizing the people who hurt you. They walked away, and you should too.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/28/stop-thinking-about-people-who-hurt-you/

According to our reporter name withhold, they came to steal at a supermarket near brass in ABA abia State and the owner of the supermarket reportedly raise alarm and before they could rush out to climb their okada (bike) to zoom off, they were caught
http://mognews.com/2018/11/28/two-young-boys-caught-and-burnt-to-death-in-aba-photos/



The Manchester United striker was benched in the Premier League earlier this season, much to his own unhappiness
Romelu Lukaku has revealed exactly what happened when he was dropped by Jose Mourinho, with the Manchester United striker left "angry" by the Portuguese's decision.
The Belgium international was benched for clashes with Everton and Manchester City, playing a total of 58 minutes across the two games, while he was also a substitute against Young Boys in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Lukaku eventually came on in every game, with United underperforming, though he failed to score.
He has hit the net just four times in all competitions this season, and he has revealed that his conversation with Mourinho has led to him reassessing his own goals as he bids to fire United back into contention in the Premier League.
Asked how he felt when he was dropped, he told Bleacher Report: "I was like, oh wow, sh*t happened, but I really had a conversation with the coach about it and I said 'listen, it's been a long year and also with the World Cup, I felt a bit tired'. He saw it. He made his decision.
"He said I didn't look happy. That I was angry. And I said 'yeah, hell yeah I'm angry. Like, do you think I should smile?'
"And then we had that little chat and then after that chat we just moved on. It was like 10 minutes, and from then on like you know it opened something in myself, like a new fire to go and get what's mine."
Nevertheless, Lukaku has become a trusted Mourinho lieutenant at Old Trafford, having played over 50 games in all competitions last season, scoring 27 goals.
And he insists that he would do anything for the ex-Chelsea and Inter manager to ensure that he is successful.
"One of them, yeah," he said, when asked if he was Mourinho's favourite player.
"Because I would go through a brick wall for him and he knows that.
"He's the type of coach where he would be honest with you and tell you how it is, and if you cannot deal with that, I mean, that's a big problem."
United have struggled so far this season and lie seventh in the Premier League, 14 points behind leaders Manchester City and seven behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
They are next in action this weekend, against Southampton.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/28/i-can-do-anything-for-mourinho-lukaku/

A Facebook user wrote

"This female Ekwensu kidnapped this little baby ,and tied her inside a cement bag for some days now getting to a week in Ozuoba axis in Rivers state, Nigeria. How the baby survived is still a miracle.. Luck ran out of her this afternoon as she was caught and she later confessed to the crime..Parents, neighbors, guardians, Be extremely vigilant this season and beyond."
http://mognews.com/2018/11/27/lady-that-kidnapped-and-put-a-baby-inside-bag-of-cement-for-days-nabbed-photos-2/

Muhammadu Buhari Monday assured the Nigeria police that his administration will continue to give attention to both their welfare and their operational needs with a view to restoring its lost primacy in the internal security framework of the country. The President gave the assurance when he granted audience to members of the Nigeria Police Service Commission and the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force at the Presidential Villa. The visitors were on a “Thank You” visit following Buhari’s approval of Rank Salary Structure Adjustment, by which salary, allowances and pension of policemen will be increased. President Buhari, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, regretted that the inability of the police in their constitutional role as the frontline force in the prevention of crime, had led to military involvement in the maintenance of law and order throughout the country. He said, “From Taraba to Sokoto, to the South-South, people don’t feel secure until they see the military. I am pleased to make the increase in salary and allowances in the hope that it will increase the performance index of the police and strengthen Nigeria’s internal security system.” He observed that the more efficient the police is, the more confident the government and citizens will be. According to him, “The military should be reserved for higher tasks. The police should be able to cope well with the challenges of armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom and such crimes. In every town and village, there is the presence of the police. “From all these places, they should be able to forward first class intelligence to you on which to act. “There is a need to amplify the question of more men of the police, especially given the condition we are in – emergency in the North-East, pervasive insecurity and abduction for ransom and banditry in many parts of the country. “I congratulate you on the success you recorded against criminals taxing people and stopping them from their farms. We are expecting more from you,” the President told the police.” Full-time Commissioner in the Nigeria Police Service Commission, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi (rtd), who represented the chairman, Musiliu Smith, had informed the President that the Rank Salary Structure Adjustment would enhance police welfare and morale. The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, also assured that the police would redouble efforts to ensure free, fair and credible elections throughout the country next year. Speaking with State House correspondents on the forthcoming elections at the end of the meeting, the IGP said, “We are ready; we have gone round the country; we have conducted several bye-elections which obviously prepared us to face the main challenge next. “I am assuring all Nigerians that we are going to do our best in ensuring that we have a free and credible election next year. “Obviously, we have the equipment but if we can get more, we will appreciate it.” On the welfare of the Police Force, he said that he was excited with the whole commitment and efforts aimed at improving not only the salary but the training of the Nigeria Police Force. He also said that he was expecting more dedication and loyalty to government and people of Nigeria from the officers and men of the Nigeria Police. Also Justice Clara Ogunbiyi said that the welfare of Nigeria Police needed to be enhanced because the idea of security had become critical. Policemen, she said, should be encouraged as the entire populace will like to see them perform maximally. She said, “We are here on behalf of the PSC to appreciate the President Muhammadu Buhari for seeing it to enhance the welfare of Nigeria Police. “To enhance in their emolument generally and to see that things are improved not only in terms of salaries and allowances but also seeing that infrastructure is improved; their working conditions, training expected of the police. “In our recent retreat; we were in Enugu and we saw that a lot of the training facilities are in deplorable condition. “We will want to see that our policemen are properly trained; and our police will be able to match up with any police force anywhere in the world, “This is one the reasons why we think we need to encourage the government to do that and the president is doing same in the right direction,’’ she said. 
http://mognews.com/2018/11/27/im-happy-i-increased-police-salary-buhari/

Governors from North East rose from a meeting on Sunday where they assessed the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari and resolved the government had done well and the president deserved a second term. The governors who attended the meeting in Bauchi included Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno, Gov. Bindow Jibrila of Adamawa, Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi, The All Progressive Congress(APC) in the North East has endorsed President Mohammadu Buhari’s second term bid, saying he has performed well. They gave the endorsement at the end of a two -day APC North East Zonal meeting in Bauchi on Sunday. Malam Mustapha Salihu who is the APC National Vice Chairman for the North East said the president has done much for the sub-region in terms of providing infrastructural development as well as the fight against insurgency. “I want to say that this gathering is mainly an endorsement meeting to show appreciation to Buhari’s administration for salvaging us from the shackles of insurgency, no single kilometre is now under Boko Haram. “The meeting is also to reiterate our support come 2019 by giving him triple number of votes as against what was given to him in 2015. “On the whole, the meeting is to map out strategies with the stakeholders to see how we will go about the forthcoming general elections to re-elect Buhari for a second term,” he said. Also Speaking Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno said, the president has done extremely well, as the sub-region is net beneficiary of his administration. “We all know the sorry state of the country, we are the net beneficiaries of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in terms of appointment, securing lives and properties and projects. “Because the Mambilla hydro power project in Gembu Taraba alone, is game changer in this part of the world. “Therefore North East is Buhari’s territory, believe me the sub-region will solely back him in 2019 general elections,” he reiterated. On his part Senate Leader, Alhaji Ahmed Lawan said senators of APC are more united after the defections and will continue to support the present administration on efforts to provide development in the country. “We are committed, loyal, patriotic and we will continue to support the president to actualise the wishes of Nigerians, and we will be committed party members who are supporting the continuity of the present administration. “The 2019 general elections will be determined by integrity, history of candidates we know how they destroyed the resources. “People should remember where we are coming from and where we are, right now. “Buhari has done a lot of very good programmes and projects. Some have been concluded but there is still a lot that needs to be done. ”So we need to vote for him and return him as president so that he can complete the good work he has started,” Lawan said. Also, The APC National Secretary Alhaji Mai Mala Buni said that Buhari had performed well in all sectors of Nigerian society. ”President Buhari has performed well in all segments, namely education, technology, employment, insecurity, appointments and others. “I therefore urged all eligible voters to come out and vote for him in 2019. 
http://mognews.com/2018/11/26/governors-endorse-buhari-for-second-term/

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is making moves to secure United States entry visa for Alh. Atiku Abubakar, the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC Acting National Publicity Secretary made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja. “We have come across credible reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has made moves to secure United States entry visa for the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alh. Atiku Abubakar, “ he said. The APC spokesman added that the former president was also lobbying the U.S authorities to withdraw the ban reportedly placed on Atiku from entering the U.S. He recalled that the entry ban was placed on Atiku following a $500,000 bribery scandal in 2005 that involved Atiku, his fourth wife, Jennifer, and former United States Congressman, William Jefferson. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obasanjo, had on Thursday, endorsed the candidacy of Atiku who was the Vice President when he was in office. Nabena, however, stressed that former Obasanjo’s intervention in Atiku’s ban from the U The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it has reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is making moves to secure United States entry visa for Alh. Atiku Abubakar, the 2019 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Mr Yekini Nabena, the APC Acting National Publicity Secretary made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja. “We have come across credible reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has made moves to secure United States entry visa for the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alh. Atiku Abubakar, “ he said. The APC spokesman added that the former president was also lobbying the U.S authorities to withdraw the ban reportedly placed on Atiku from entering the U.S. He recalled that the entry ban was placed on Atiku following a $500,000 bribery scandal in 2005 that involved Atiku, his fourth wife, Jennifer, and former United States Congressman, William Jefferson. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obasanjo, had on Thursday, endorsed the candidacy of Atiku who was the Vice President when he was in office. Nabena, however, stressed that former Obasanjo’s intervention in Atiku’s ban from the United States of America was evidence of “his legendary hypocrisy and self-serving interest in national affairs“. He noted that Obasanjo during and after leaving office, had always insisted on Atiku’s unsuitability to govern Nigeria based on his knowledge of his extensive corrupt practices while he served as Vice President. “Recall that the former president while in office had deployed enormous resources of the country on a global dragnet coordinated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in getting Atiku prosecuted for corrupt enrichment and money laundering. “A report by the U.S Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Senator Carl Levin reported that Atiku used offshore companies to siphon millions of dollars to his fourth wife in the United States, Jennifer,“ Nabena said. This, he said, happened while Atiku was still the Vice President of Nigeria between 2000 and 2008. He added that it was on the strength of the report, that President George Bush barred Atiku and other corrupt politically exposed persons from being issued visa to the United States. This, the APC spokesman said was the reason Atiku had not been able to travel to the United States till date.\n\nnited States of America was evidence of “his legendary hypocrisy and self-serving interest in national affairs“. He noted that Obasanjo during and after leaving office, had always insisted on Atiku’s unsuitability to govern Nigeria based on his knowledge of his extensive corrupt practices while he served as Vice President. “Recall that the former president while in office had deployed enormous resources of the country on a global dragnet coordinated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in getting Atiku prosecuted for corrupt enrichment and money laundering. “A report by the U.S Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, chaired by Senator Carl Levin reported that Atiku used offshore companies to siphon millions of dollars to his fourth wife in the United States, Jennifer,“ Nabena said. This, he said, happened while Atiku was still the Vice President of Nigeria between 2000 and 2008. He added that it was on the strength of the report, that President George Bush barred Atiku and other corrupt politically exposed persons from being issued visa to the United States. This, the APC spokesman said was the reason Atiku had not been able to travel to the United States till date.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/13/apc-accuse-obasanjo-of-lobbying-u-s-authorities-to-withdraw-atikues-ban/

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, yesterday, described as false and baseless, report making the rounds that he misrepresented facts by claiming he graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, with a First Class degree. In a statement in Abuja, Director of Press in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Idang Alibi, said at no time did Kachikwu claim to have graduated with a First Class from the UNN, clarifying that the minister graduated from the school with a ‘Second Class Honours (Upper Division) degree’ from the Faculty of Law of the institution in 1978, and also emerged the best student. Alibi was reacting to a publication by an online news medium that alleged that Kachikwu lied about his academic qualifications, while it also claimed that this was not the first time it had found Kachikwu guilty of double-speak. Ibe Kachikwu Alibi said: “The assertions in the publication are wrong and baseless and a careful check with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources would have cleared this misrepresentation. “By every measurement index, the minister has performed outstandingly in his school work and has records to show for it.” He further stated that the ministry observed that Kachikwu’s Wikipedia page was tampered with recently by unknown persons and might have been re-edited for sinister purposes. Explaining the video of its presentation at the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, COZA, cited by the report, Alibi said the substance of Kachikwu’s comment in the church was to the effect that he had a first class performance in school and was emphasizing on the need for hardwork amongst youths to get them to the top of their game. Alibi maintained that the official curriculum vitae and resume of the minister was in the public domain and had been submitted to various levels of government and parastatals. He said: “Also line 6, page 3 of the document herein attached clearly states that Dr. Kachikwu obtained a “Second Class Honours (Upper Division) degree” from the Faculty of Law in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he graduated as best student in 1978. In addition, no First Class Honours were awarded by UNN that year. However, he was on the list for best graduands with Second Class Upper Honours for that year. “He was the best graduating student in the Nigerian Law School in the year 1979 (the first in class) with multiple prizes (winning five out of all seven prizes given). ‘’In 1979, the Nigerian Law School had not begun a process of classifying its certificates. That begun many years later. However best graduands have subsequently now been classified in the First Class category by the Law School. “For Harvard University, his CV correctly states that he was a Distinction graduate for the Master’s degree programme (First in Class) at Harvard University and that he obtained his SJD in a record time of one and a half years. The various academic awards received during his education days are clearly spelled out in his CV/Resume. “On the Wikipedia page that was cited in the report, it would be expedient to note that Wikipedia cannot be used as an authentic source of referencing or verification of facts considering that anybody that has access to a Wikipedia page can also edit same to suit any narrative they want to claim or push. “To buttress this fact, we have noted that Dr. Kachikwu’s page has recently been re-edited recently by persons unknown to him and to us.” The spokesman of the ministry said Kachikwu had worked at the highest level of the oil and gas industry globally for over three decades and, indeed, lectured at respectable global institutions as the University of Ife, Nigerian Law School and Harvard Law School.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/12/i-never-said-i-graduated-with-first-class-from-unn-kachikwu/