₦airaland Forum

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described
as evasive, diversionary and preemptive, the
present government’s pile up of excuses for
possible failure in delivering on its campaign
promises to Nigerians.

The PDP
said it is
unfortunate that President Mohammadu Buhari and
the APC, who were privy to the nation’s dwindling
economy occasioned by global economic
downturn and fall in international oil price, even
before the start of the campaigns, chose to deceive
Nigerians with bogus promises, only to now resort
to excuses after using the promises to secure
power at the center.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh
in a statement , Tuesday, said the party notes with
dismay, President Buhari’s statement on Monday
that Nigerians should not expect much from his
first 100 days in office on claims that he met
“virtually an empty treasury and huge debts”,
noting that such only underlines the fact that the
present administration is really not equipped to
face the challenges of governance.

“While we restate our resolve to engage only in
credible and issue based opposition, we want the
President and the APC to note that their plea for
patience from Nigerians does not arise, because
ab-initio, there has not been any indication that
they are actually serious and determined to deliver
on their campaign promises upon which they rode
to power.

“Of course Nigerians are willing to support and
cooperate with the President, but we are worried
that the pictures emerging from his presidency and
his party do not in any way inspire hope in the
citizenry, especially as they have continued to
show that theirs is ostensibly a matter of obtaining
power by false pretenses.

“President Buhari and the APC must know that
Nigerians did not give them the mandate to engage
in frivolous excuses and pleas but to hit the
ground running with solutions and quick fixes they
promised during the campaigns.

We ask, is President Buhari’s statement an
admission of poor knowledge of national and
international economic affairs or does it
underscore the lack of capacity and skills by the
administration to effectively harness and galvanize
resources and potential inherent in Nigeria which
has already been nurtured as Africa’s largest
economy and one of the fasted growing in the
world.

“Even if Nigerians decide to wait endlessly, we
wonder how much the President can achieve
amidst the flip-flops from his presidency and
cacophony of interests from his party leaders
struggling to enlarge their selfish political and
economic frontiers.

“How can one reconcile President Buhari’s
statement with the recent ridiculous and
misleading claim by APC’s National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed that this
administration has achieved in three weeks what
the immediate past administration did not achieve
in five years?

“Since after their electoral victory, the APC and the
President have continued to expose their lack of
commitment towards their campaign promises.

“We recall that on May 5, 2015, twenty-four days
before his inauguration, President Buhari at a
meeting with APC leaders in Abuja opened the
excuse galore when he expressed his nervousness
to deliver in office, adducing that ‘Rome was not
built in a day’.

“We also recall that in their attempt to find an
escape route in one of their bogus campaign
promises, the APC denied that the President ever
promised Nigerians that they will end insurgency
two months after inauguration but had to swallow
their words after the PDP confronted them with the
April 22, 2015 CNN interview where Buhari made
that promise.

“Indeed, we empathize with the President knowing
that the confusion and clear lack of direction in his
party have not helped matters, but we urge him to
rise up to the challenge, take urgent steps and
disentangle himself from the selfish and unpatriotic
tendencies of APC leaders, especially given the fact
that Nigerians gave him a mandate for which they
will continue to hold him accountable.

“Finally, the PDP restates that it is eager to see the
APC and the President unveil
their economic
roadmap and blueprint for governance so as to
enable us through robust opposition, provide
credible alternatives and options for their policies
and programmes in the overall interest of our dear
nation”.


www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/stop-giving-excuses-hit-the-ground-running-tell-buhari/

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the great stars of
world football and now one of the oldest and most
crucial parts of our galaxy.

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward, whose play
sometimes appears to be out of this world, has
had his name given to a galaxy which houses a
cluster of stars thought to have provided
conditions pivotal for life to flourish.

The CR7 galaxy - recently discovered by
astronomers - is said to have existed when the
universe was only 800 million years old - some 13
billion years ago.

The stars of CR7 "ultimately allowed us all to be
here by fabricating heavy elements and changing
the composition of the universe," according to Dr
David Sobral of the University of Lisbon.

Sobral, who led a group of astronomers in
discovering CR7, confirmed its name was inspired
by Ronaldo and the name of the method used to
date distant objects in the universe - Cosmic
Redshift 7.

Real Madrid star Ronaldo, who adopts the mantle
CR7 because of his initials and shirt number, won
Fifa's Ballon d'Or award in 2013 and 2014 and
scored a staggering 66 goals this season.

The former Manchester United has never been
short on confidence but it turns out he has been
so much more than a star for so long.

m.bbc.com/sport/football/33185760

ki02020:
No......I just gave my opinion

opinion indeed!
U didn't even try to hide ur bias

The lawmaker representing Agege Constituency 1, Mudashiru Obasa, has emerged the Speaker of the 8TH Lagos State Assembly.

Obasa, who is a fourth term legislator, was nominated by Mr. Olanrewaju Oshun of Mainland Constituency 2 and the motion was seconded by Mr. Sola Giwa of Lagos Island constituency 2.

The new Speaker, who is a loyal supporter of a leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was elected unopposed.

Details later…

www.punchng.com/news/obasa-emerges-lagos-assembly-speaker/

This one dat is thanking Buhari, how many megawatts has buhari added to d national grid? Any transmission or distribution infrastructure added yet? Yet because u hate to give credit to GEJ for anything....

This may prove what Prof Nebo was saying: dat their efforts at providing steady power supply were sabotaged.

The meeting scheduled by the All Progressives
Congress leadership with all National Assembly
members-elect to adopt a concensus candidate
that would be presented as Senate President
during the inauguration of the 8th National
Assembly, has been cancelled.

Some senators-elect, who confirmed the
development to our correspondent on Thursday,
explained that the party leadership took the
decision following a growing tension as a result of
protests by the lawmakers who allegedly
disagreed with an attempt to impose concensus
candidates on both chambers of the National
Assembly.

However, a member of the National Working
Committee of the party, who spoke on the
condition of anonymity, said the meeting which
would have been held in two sessions, 7:00am;
and 10:00am, was cancelled to enable the NWC
consult properly with President Muhammadu
Buhari, who is currently out of the country.

The NWC had, at its meeting held with Buhari on
Tuesday night, listed certain critical criteria for the
next Senate president.

The meeting had agreed that the party’s candidate
for the post must come from the geopolitical zone
with the second highest number of votes after the
North-West during the Presidential Election held
on March 28.

The party leadership also agreed that the next
Senate president must not have any corruption
charges hanging on his or her neck and should
be one of the most ranking senators in the current
Fourth Republic.

A senator who attended the meeting told our
correspondent that the leadership of the party was
mandated to, within three days, present the most
eligible aspirant as consensus candidate for the
post, based on the listed criteria, during
inauguration next week.

The two gladiators currently contesting the office
of the Senate President are Senators Bukola
Saraki ( Kwara Central ) and Ahmad Lawan ( Yobe
North ).
www.punchng.com/news/apc-postpones-meeting-with-nassembly-members-elect/

One Juventus fan is putting all other fans to
shame ahead of his side’s clash with
Barcelona in the Champions League final on
Saturday.

Nicolo De Marchi is a life-long supporter of
the Old Lady and has decided to show his
commitment to the club by walking and
cycling from Turin to Berlin where the final
is being staged.

It’s more than just that, though – Nicolo
has been promised a ticket at the Olympic
Stadium if he makes it to the event on time.
He began his quest by tweeting the club
claiming he would leave the next day if they
offered him a ticket.

Unbelievably, Juventus president Andrea
Agnelli promised him it would happen!
With only three days remaining until the
main event, Nicolo needs to get his skates
on, but he’s shown absolutely no signs of
giving up so far.

He set off on the epic journey on May 28
from Juventus Stadium and crossed the
border into Germany on Monday.

for pictures, visit:
metro.co.uk/2015/06/03/juventus-fan-walking-from-turin-to-berlin-to-see-the-champions-league-final-5229243/

Buhari is said to be a frugal person. he doesn't like affluence and ostentatious living they say.

so I expect him to cut these allowances by at least half.

GEJ man of peace! Handing over without a fuss We will miss u sir

Fare thee well

You have Wike's record and did nothing abt it since. Of what use is d record then? Or maybe his record is clean?

Rather d current fuel scarcity is a reminder of what Jonathan spared from for 4 years!
Before him fuel scarcity was a common thing, happening every now and then. But he put it to an end. And all along We took about availability of fuel for granted. The current situation is nothing but a conspiracy to make him look bad after d good will he garnered since after d election.

An attempt by the leadership of the All
Progressives Congress to elect a consensus
candidate for the post of Senate President at a
retreat organised for Senators-elect in Abuja was
frustrated on Saturday as two factions emerged
from the camp, endorsing two separate
candidates.

The party leadership had planned to conduct a
primary election for the 59 senators elected on the
ticket of the party in order to produce a
consensus candidate that would emerge as the
next Senate President during the inauguration of
the 8th National Assembly in June.

However, few hours into the retreat, a group which
simply identified itself as Senate Unity Forum,
walked out of the event and addressed a news
conference where they declared that they had
resolved to support the joint ticket of Senators
Ahmad Lawan and George Akume for the senate
top posts.

They circulated a resolution signed by Lawan
( Yobe North ), Akume (Benue North West ) and
the group’s spokesperson, Senator Barnabas
Gemade (Benue North East), wherein the senators-
elect explained that their decision was in the best
interest of the party and Nigeria.

The group, which did not disclose its
membership strength said, “We, the Senate Unity
Forum comprising senators-elect from various
states and various zones of Nigeria, have met,
held extensive discussions and resolved to
support Senator Ahmad Lawan as Senate
President and Senator George Akume, as the
Deputy Senate President of the 8th Senate.”

But some hours later, no fewer than 24 senators-
elect, under the aegis of “The like minds,” filed
out of the retreat and announced that 35 members
of the group had adopted Saraki ( Kwara Central )
as their next senate president.

They also said each of the 35 members of the
group had signed a document which indicated
their commitment to the Saraki endorsement and
had followed it up by a jointly signed letter, which
they would present to the National Chairman of
the party, Chief John Oyegun.

The senators, in their resolution read by Dino
Melaye (Kogi West), said, “Senators of the like
minds are here today at the retreat organised by
our dear Party All Progressive Congress, which is
meant to equip and empower Senators-elect of
the 8th Assembly to prepare them toward the
challenges ahead.

“We commend the leadership of our party for this
timely and well-focused exercise. The issue of
National Assembly leadership is about integrity,
competence, discipline and leadership skills and
not about fixing of candidates just for mere horse-
trading.

“Our stand is about electing a senator who
eventually becomes the chairman of National
Assembly and relates with the executive on behalf
of Nigerians, fellow Senators and the National
Assembly as an institution.

“Furthermore, leadership of National Assembly is
about the Senator that has the wherewithal to
stabilise the legislative institution, working with
the executive and judicial arm of government to
be effective and perform to their optimal capacity.
“In addition, we are aware of the fact that all
senators from the North-Central zone have taken
a firm position that they are only interested in the
office of the senate president which has been
earlier zoned by the National Working Committee
of our party to the zone.

“We are also aware that North-Central Senators
have resolved to abide by the resolution of the
zone on a single candidate and anything short of
this is an attempt to jeopardise the collective
interest of the zone.

“Of the 59 Senators of the APC, 35 of us present
here today hereby reaffirm our collective
commitment and resolution to ensure the
candidature of Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki as
the Senate President of 8th Assembly.
“We have also resolved that the office of the
Deputy Senate President be zoned to the North-
East.”

Our correspondent observed that the South-West
APC senators-elect, except Tayo Alasoadura, were
conspicuously absent at the briefing, while
members of the like minds senators who were
present cut across the North-Central, North-West,
and the North-East geopolitical zones.

The latest development has therefore pruned
down the numbers of aspirants contesting the
senate presidency from four to two because while
Akume had accepted to be Lawan’s deputy, Ali
Ndume ( Borno South ) was among the senators
that endorsed Saraki on Saturday.

www.punchng.com/news/apc-factions-emerge-over-senate-presidency/

Pataki:
Goodbye Retardeeeen.
See you in Kirikiri.

So u are in Kirikiri? which of them pls, minimum or maximum

The All Progressives Congress (APC)
National Leader, Sen. Bola Tinubu, says merit will
not be compromised while choosing the Senate
President.

Tinubu said this in Abuja on Thursday after holding
a closed-door meeting with the President-elect,
retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

He said he would not go against anything the party
decided but assured that merit would not be
compromised while making the decision.

He said: “Well, you have heard from the party; you
have heard from leadership. My desire is not to
rock the party. I am a disciplined party man and
we will look at it critically.

“However, the nation is expecting us to take a
decisive leadership decision. Merit would not be
compromised. You have to be competent; you
have to possess the character for the leadership.
“You have to be PAN Nigerian and be a very solid
character to lead the National Assembly and that is
what we are talking about,’’ he said.

Tinubu said the party had decided, in a meeting,
that zoning would not be considered in choosing
the leader because it could “compromise the
credibility, qualification of an individual.

“Let everybody aspire just like we aspired’’.
He said predictions were rife during the APC
presidential primaries that the party would run into
“chaotic storm.

“We put those people to shame and came up with
the best. Expect the best from us always,” he said.

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/05/senate-presidency-we-will-not-compromise-merit-tinubu/

A whole governor enticing men to marry from his state.. Is there scarcity of husband in Nasarawa state?

.

themilanway:
Where was he when GEJ,PEJ,Mark and go co were shuttling London,Germany and the US for medical treatment and check up as if those countries were about to go into extinction?

Nigeria is a country filled with hypocrites.

Those are d things Buhari promised to CHANGE. Change means doing things differently.

He can't promise us heaven on earth before election and after election he's telling us he's not a miracle worker

Twelve out of the 13 senators elected on the
platform of the All Progressives Congress from the
North East, said in Abuja on Friday that they were
not in support of Senator Ahmad Lawan’s
emergence as the consensus candidate of the
geo-political zone for the post of Senate
President, in the incoming Eighth National
Assembly.

The lawmakers, led by Senator Danjuma Goje
( Gombe Central) at a news conference, said they
were still pleading with the leadership of the party
to zone the position to their region but that they
had not picked anyone as the consensus
candidate.

They also vowed to resist any attempt by anyone
or group of people, to impose a candidate on
them.

The Senators said they would decide on the
consensus candidate on their own instead of
queuing behind a candidate anointed by
outsiders.

Goje, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues,
explained that Senators from the North-East held
a caucus meeting on Thursday night at the
Kaduna room, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja with
Lawan himself in attendance.

He said the meeting resolved that the caucus
should be allowed to consult with the party
leadership to nominate their preferred candidate
for the position.

Goje alleged that Lawan sneaked out of the
meeting while they were still agreeing on the
resolutions, only for him to be announced few
minutes after, as the candidate endorsed from the
North-East for the post of Senate President by
both the North-West and South-West senate
caucuses.

He said, “This to us, the remaining 12 APC
senators- elect from the zone, is fraudulent and
unacceptable and in fact, desperation at its peak.”
Goje insisted that 12 out of the 13 APC senators-
elect from the North East, had resolved to
establish the zone’s caucus for the 8th Senate.

He appealed to the APC highest hierarchy to zone
the highest position in the National Assembly, that
is, the position of Senate President to the zone in
view of its peculiar circumstances.

‘’We don’t know anything about the endorsement
of anybody from the North-East being reported on
the pages of newspapers.

“We disassociate ourselves from any endorsement
from other zones because the party has not
zoned any position to us yet and we don’t want
to jump the gun.”

www.punchng.com/news/senate-presidency-north-east-senators-threaten-lawans-chances/

A major crisis has hit the All Progressives
Congress in Enugu State after report emerged on
Friday that the APC National Vice-Chairman,
South-East, Mr. Emma Eneukwu, allegedly
slapped the party’s governorship candidate, Mr.
Okey Ezea, following an argument over ministerial
slot in the forthcoming Muhammadu Buhari-led
administration.

The alleged incident happened on Thursday
during a meeting of South-East APC leaders at the
Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

It was gathered that the closed-door meeting was
chaired by Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha,
and had Senator Chris Ngige, Senator Osita
Izunaso, Gen. J. O. J. Okoloagu (rate.), and
others in attendance.

Ezea disclosed the development in a text message
that was forwarded to journalists in Enugu on
Friday.

Apparently, the meeting discussed the sharing of
key appointments as Ezea, in the SMS, said
Eneukwu slapped him because he (Ezea) told the
South-East leaders that Nsukka zone, where he
hailed from, should produce the minister.

He accused Eneukwu, who is from Udi, Enugu
West Senatorial Zone, of wanting the ministerial
slot for himself and trying to actualise the
ambition through violence.

The text message read, “Emma Eneukwu slapped
me today because I told South-East leaders that
Nsukka has not been minister since 1999.
“He did this before Rochas, Ngige, Izunaso, J. O.
J, Gen. Eze, Ucha etc.

“I just said the truth and requested justice and
equity in the affairs of our party and Enugu State.
“Emma (Eneukwu) wants to be minister by
violence. Emma is from Udi Local Government
Area which has been producing minister since
2007, including the incumbent, Chinedu Nebo.”
When our correspondent contacted him on the
telephone afterwards, Ezea confirmed that the text
message actually emanated from him.

But Eneukwu denied slapping Ezea, adding that
such incident never happened.

He said, “I am surprised about that, nothing like
that happened, I am very surprised.

“That story is alien to me; I don’t know anything
about it.

“Maybe it is a calculated attempt to mar my
image. I didn’t attack anybody, I am not a thug. I
don’t fight.”

Asked what transpired at the said meeting, he
said, “We went to see Buhari, that was all I knew.
Nobody was talking about appointment.

“We will not be talking about appointment when
the party has not decided on the positions that
should come to the zone. We have not known the
positions allocated to the zone.”

Our correspondent gathered that the alleged
incident has thrown the Enugu State chapter of
the party into confusion.

Some party members, who our correspondent
sighted at the party’s state secretariat in Enugu,
discussed the incident in hushed tones.
But they refused to comment on the matter when
our correspondent sought their views.

www.punchng.com/news/apc-chieftain-slaps-enugu-gov-candidate-over-ministerial-slot/

Lagos – The three children who suffered serious
injuries following an unexpected attack by a
monkey in Illado, Ikorodu, Lagos, are receiving
treatment at the Shallom Hospital in the area, the
Police in Lagos said on Thursday.

The children, attacked on Tuesday, are eight-year-
old girl, Funmilayo Gbadegeshin, two siblings Roda
and Emmanuel Alombo.

Eyewitnesses said that the monkey is owned by
one Mrs Daniel, popularly known as “Iya Ibeji’ who
also resides in Illado also.

Mr Babatunde Oyesola, one of the residents, who
said he witnessed the incident, said that the
monkey left the owner’s house and went into the
Gbadegeshin’s home.

It attacked Funmilayo right in the parents’ home as
she just returned from school.

He added that after the she was rescued and was
rushed to a nearby hospital the monkey moved to
another house belonging to Mr Alombo to attack
Roda and Emmanuel.

The children had just returned from school also.
Oyesola said that neighbours on hearing the shout
of the girl, felt she was being scolded by her older
sister.

“The incident happened at about 4.30 p.m. when
the children had just returned from school.
“I heard Funmilayo shouting and crying, so, I felt
her sister was beating her for something she did,
but when the cry did not stop, I decided to check
what was happening myself.

“When I got there, I saw blood all over the place
and saw a monkey jumping out from the window
but because of what I saw, I had to save the girl
first.

“We noticed that the vein on her right hand has
been cut off and the bloo
d was seriously rushing
out of it,’’ he said.

Oyesola added that while Funmilayo was being
attended to in the hospital, other children who
were attacked by the monkey too were rushed in.
Another eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said
the monkey had been attacking people in the area
and that necessary precautions had not been taken
by the owner.

The victim’s father, Mr Mojeed Gbadegeshin, who
was away when the incident occurred, said he was
called from work that the monkey had attacked his
daughter.

“When I got to the hospital, I met a crowd and I
was asked to go inside and see the state the
monkey left my daughter.

“Afterwards the owner of the monkey came without
uttering a word of sympathy and she only left with
the monkey,’’ he said.

Gbadegeshin said that a report was made by well-
wishers in the area to Igbogbo Barracks Police
Division.

The police were said to have arrested the monkey
and its owner.

Confirming the arrest, the Lagos State Police
Command’s spokesman, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said
the owner and the monkey were already in
custody.

“One of the children was badly injured and the
other two were mildly injured but they are
currently being treated.

“Also, necessary precautions will be taken to check
such attacks by animals reared by people in
communities.

“Necessary tests will be carried out on the children
to ensure that the monkey is a healthy animal and
that the children are free from any form of
disease,’’ he said. (NAN)

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/monkey-attacks-three-kids-in-ikorodu/

Whether they are Chibok girls or not, we celebrate their rescue! Those girls are people's children too...

The Hausa Community in Ekiti State has denied
ever indicting Governor Ayodele Fayose of
allegedly clamping down on them and
crippling their businesses in the State for not
voting for President Goodluck Jonathan during the
March 28 presidential poll.

In a statement signed by its leader , Alhaji Musa
Kanga and Secretary, Alhaji Babangida Umar in
Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, they said banning
of indiscriminate display of wares, particularly on
highways, by the government should not be
linked to politics.

The body dissociated itself from the rumour ,
saying it was targeted at creating friction between
the government and the Arewa people who have
co-existed in a mutual manner since Fayose
came on board last year.

The body was reacting to the rumour flying
around that the banning of products from being
displayed on Fajuyi- Adebayo-Opopogbooro road
, a place dominated by Hausa traders by the State
government, was a vendetta against Hausa
people for voting Major Gen Muhammadu
Buhari during the poll.

The body said : “Anybody, irrespective of tribe or
State of origin contravening environmental law
should be sanctioned according to the law.

“That the government decided to act to prevent
violation of the law , such should not be linked to
politics or be perceived to translate to a
clampdown on Hausas for not voting President
Jonathan during the presidential poll.

“Election has come and gone and the governor
must be allowed peace of mind to govern the
State properly”, it said.

www.thisdaylive.com/articles/hausa-community-fayose-not-victimizing-us-for-voting-against-jonathan/208004/

Commercial banks have sent marketers, mostly
females after newly-elected senators and
members of the House of Representatives in Abuja
to open discussions on investments and other
business deals.

The energetic, sweet-talking and mostly female
marketers, flooded the International Conference
Centre, venue of an ongoing induction course for
the new arrivals on Monday.

Investigations by The PUNCH showed that the
target of the banks largely was to woo the
lawmakers to open accounts with them.
Some of the smartly dressed marketers also
offered loan opportunities they claimed their
banks could guarantee with “friendly repayment
terms.”

Over 290 members of the House for example, are
newcomers, out of the total of 360.
In the Senate, about 69 senators are also
newcomers, out of 109.

Findings showed that the marketers started
tracing the lawmakers since Sunday night when
Senate President, David Mark, declared the
induction programme open at the Transcorps
Hotel, Abuja.

“They flooded the Congress Hall of the hotel
Sunday night.
“They didn’t give the lawmakers breathing space,
as they offered all sorts of facilities (loans) and
seeking to maintain their accounts,” a senior
legislative aide confided in The PUNCH on
Monday.

A member of the House earns around N27.9m
every quarter as official allowance.
Presiding officers and other principal officers
receive higher figures.

This excludes a monthly salary of N1m.
Senators collect over N30m as quarterly
allowance and receive higher salaries than their
House counterparts.

The PUNCH gathered that the practice over time
was for the banks to compete among themselves
to attract as many of the lawmakers as possible
to maintain the lawmakers’ accounts.
“In the end, many lawmakers get loans in
amounts ranging from N50m to upward of
N200m.

“They will be here for four years and it is
understandable that the banks see this as a
window for quick returns,” one National Assembly
official told The PUNCH .

However, investigations indicated that there were
several cases of lawmakers who failed to repay
the loans before the expiration of their tenure,
leading to disputes between the two sides.

In 2011, a particular new generation bank
withheld the severance packages of many
members and also seized their assets, owing to
failure to meet up with their loan obligations.
One marketer, who gave her name simply as
Elina, told The PUNCH that there was nothing
wrong with seeking for “investment opportunities.”
She argued that being new in Abuja, most of the
members needed information on sources of
funding to assist them in settling down for the
business of legislation.

“We know how it is; there will be accommodation
challenges.
“Some need funding for transportation even
before they get their official votes for vehicles and
other support services.

“So, the banks are there to provide these support
services by way of funding,” she added.
The National Assembly and its bureaucracy,
including the National Assembly Service
Commission, has a total budget of N120bn this
year.

The figure was a drop from the N150bn it had
enjoyed since 2007.

www.punchng.com/news/banks-use-female-marketers-to-woo-senators-reps-elect/

The Ondo Government has banned the production
and consumption of locally-made gin, commonly
called `ogogoro` in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Dayo
Akinyanju, announced this at a news conference in
Akure on Saturday.

The commissioner attributed the ban to the
outbreak of an unknown disease two weeks ago in
Irele Local Government Area of the state.

“Our clinical analysis reveals the fact that there
were no known viruses, while toxicology reports
have confirmed our prime suspicion of methanol
poisoning.

“We have reviewed our strategies and embarked
on sensitisation to let people know that locally-
made gin is prohibited.

“We will also embark on searches because this
batch of methanol-containing gin must have gone
round because 4 cases: 2 alive and 2 dead have
been found in Odigbo Local Government Area,“ he
said.

Akinyanju said that stakeholders such as religious
leaders, transporters, youths, market women, and
the relevant association would be informed of the
development.

He said, “We will start with the entire South
Senatorial District, then move to the Central
Senatorial District.

According to the commissioner, the unknown
disease has so far claimed 23 lives with ten other
people receiving treatment.
“Two of them have regained their sights and are
back home.

“We appeal to the general public to desist from
drinking the gin until we are able to identify the
source of contamination or find out how the
methanol got into the drinks,“ he said.

The commissioner said that the state government
was working closely with the National Agency for
Food, Drug Administration and Control and the
National Orientation Agency to sensitise members
of the public to the dangers of consuming such
drinks. (NAN)

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/ondo-govt-bans-production-consumption-of-ogogoro/

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said African
leaders were happy over the defeat of President
Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential
election.

He told an audience at the United States Institute
of Peace in Washington DC that his checks in a
number of African countries suggested they were
happy over the result of the election.

He said some Nigerians described President
Jonathan as a moving train who was stopped
from collapsing Nigeria.

The former President, who led the African Union
Observation Mission to the April 2015 General
Election in Sudan to the event, said, “I have
visited six countries since the election, they are
as happy about the results. It is good not only for
Nigeria, it is good for Africa and I believe it is
good for the world.”

He also advised African leaders to shift from the
mentality of clinching to power by all means,
urging them to demonstrate statesmanship for the
survival of the African continent.

Obasanjo also said that the President-elect, Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari (retd) , “has moved Nigeria
one very important step up in our democracy.”

He also advised African leaders to have
consultations with elders in order to promote
public accountability and pave way for leaders
who were fearful of giving up power to step down
in favour of a future of statesmanship.

The former President said, “Governance reform
and capacity-building programmes, for example,
are apt to look everywhere but within. For a
change, let us move away from the melancholic
issue of what is wrong with Africa.

“If we are truly committed to invigorating
conversations about an Africa-focused, Africa-led
and Africa-driven framework for substantive self-
determination and sustainable development, it is
important to rethink and reframe how we situate
Africa at the centre of inquiry.”

Obasanjo said countries like Togo, the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Gabon were among
countries with leaders reluctant to give up power
for fear they might “land in prison or in the
grave.”

“What if African statespersons made a coordinated
effort, measured against concrete benchmarks, to
strategically learn from their own scorecards to
help implement home-grown solutions for
leadership, governance and succession in
government, business and civil society sectors?”
he asked.

Meanwhile, a former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria,
Princeton Lyman, described the former President
as one of the world’s leading statesmen, adding
that he set an example for governance.
He said the last general elections couldn’t have
been successful without the input of the former
President.

www.punchng.com/news/african-leaders-happy-over-jonathans-defeat-obasanjo/

The House of Representatives Committee on
Education on Thursday asked the Federal
Government to stop the 2015/2016 Presidential
Special Scholarships for Innovation and
Development on the grounds that the scheme was
designed to favour some sections of the country
to the exclusion of others.

The committee, which is chaired by a lawmaker
from Kano State, Mr. Aminu Sulaiman, met with
the Chairman of the Implementation Committee,
Prof. Julius Okojie, in Abuja on Thursday.
Lawmakers engaged Okojie, who doubles as the
Executive Secretary of the National Universities
Commission, in a heated debate over the matter.
Thursday’s directive of the committee was the
second since last year when it started
investigating the criteria for the award of the
scholarships.

For example, Suleiman claimed that northerners
were sidelined in the awards, leading to what he
called “education imbalance and monumental
abuse.”

But, Okogie replied that no considerations other
than “merit”, qualified the beneficiaries for the
awards.

Okojie added, “Unless we are saying that the
criteria have to change, I will not advise that the
programme should be scrapped.”
However, he assured the lawmakers that he would
pass their position to President Goodluck
Jonathan.

The committee observed that out of the 104
short-listed for the scholarships this year, none
came from the North-West and North-East.
Members also said the North-Central received
only seven slots, while the Federal Capital
Territory also did not get any.

But, Okogie explained that the award was meant
for First Class graduates, who were under 30
years of age, for further studies in any of the top
100 universities in the world.

www.punchng.com/news/reps-asks-fg-to-stop-2015-presidential-scholarships/

The President of Egypt, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, has
extended an official invitation to President-elect,
Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in order for
the two African leaders to discuss how to
strengthen the bilateral relations between both
countries and the fight against terrorism.

A statement on Tuesday in Abuja by the Head of
Press and Information in Egyptian Embassy in
Nigeria, Mr. Ahmed Maher, explained that this was
discussed when al-Sisi called Buhari on the
telephone to congratulate him on his victory
during the recent presidential election.

The statement quoted the spokesman for the
Egyptian Presidency, Ambassador Alaa Youssef,
as stating that “during the call, they discussed the
bilateral relationship between the two countries
and agreed on the importance of this relationship
and the need to develop it on various levels.”
The also agreed to have more dialogue and
coordination at the African level for the interest of
the continent, which it described as a priority in
Egypt.

During the visit, Buhari and the Egyptian President
will also “discuss the regional and international
common interests like fighting terrorism and
enhancing the security and the stability of the
continent for the desired development of their
people.”

www.punchng.com/news/egyptian-president-invites-buhari-to-discuss-anti-terrorism/

another gossip from Sahara desert!

cy4cent:
it's an irony that a state that has the highest number of professors in Nigeria has a thug as it's leader, n they celebrates his victory, hmmmm !!!! pathetic...

could this be out of fear

it's a pity however it is viewed, I do not envy them at all ...

... and what do say about Nigeria having thousands of professors and yet having someone without school cert as their president?

Following the victory of the APC at the March 28
presidential election, Sunday Vanguard sought the
people’s opinion on the promises made by the
party’s candidate, retired Maj. Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari.

THE PROMISES:
1. Provide free education
2. Pay the poorest 25 million people social security
money
3. Generate 20,000 megawatts of electricity in four
years.
3. Pay NYSC members after service year
4. Provide one meal a day for students
5. Stop Boko Haram and bring back missing Chibok
girls
6. Remove immunity from public officers
7. Fight corruption

Mrs. Olawale Seun, trader

I hope he can achieve all his promises particularly
on power supply. It remains a hope anyway. May
God help him.

Mr. Ossas, car dealer

People are waiting for Buhari to deliver on his
promises. Can he really fight corruption? Looking
around him, the promise appears unrealisable. I
only pray that God helps him to fulfil these
promises and there are many of them.

Mrs. ibu Esther, trader, Ojo Market

I think he was just making promises. He is not in
a position to fulfil many of the promises made
particularly on corruption. He was head of state
and he changed nothing. To make impact, he has
to start the cleansing from his party. However, I
think Nigerians have given him a chance, let him
use it and let us see how the change goes.

Mr. Dayo Ogunade, civil servant

I wish him luck on his promise to help the poor.
Many don’t have a roof over their heads, some are
hawking to make ends meet. I think the man was
just sweet talking to capture votes of the people.
His antecedents don’t show him doing anything
but we watch and see.

Alhaja Fashola, civil servant

If Buhari works with the public and fulfils all his
promises, Nigerians would be happy and things
will improve. On the issue of Boko Haram, he
promised to do something fast to stop the
insurgents, bring peace and return the Chibok
girls. Again, we hope he solves the matter of
perennial power failures in the country.

Mr Patrick Umoh, bank security officer

I don’t believe in empty promises. I hope he can
tame terrorism in the North. I am waiting for May
29, so we know the stuff heis made of I know he
was a military head of state, but I would hold back
my comments until he takes charge.

Mr. Frank Eze, business man

I know him as a man of integrity, a disciplined
individual. But we want him to create jobs. Many
people lost their lives while seeking immigration
jobs. I almost lost my life when I went to sit for an
exam in Surulere. We had to write the exam
standing, because we discovered the organisers
didn’t have good arrangement for the exam. Those
who worked with President Goodluck Jonathan,
really rubbished the man. Buhari’s promises are
too many and too wide: Provide stable electricity,
make Naira equal to the dollar, etc. Many things
are wrong in the country for the past 16 years, so
when a man makes promises, people are bound to
watch to see the change he promised.

Chief Opita Obie, businessman

Buhari seems to be a man of few words, I believe
he can do great things, let’s just watch and see as
he takes the mantle of leadership in the country. I
believe he can do great things in the country.

Miss Vivan Onachi, self employed

If only he can removet all those public officers
working against the system and deliver on
corruption, he would be remembered for a long
time.

Miss Amaka Adimu, 12-year-old hawker

I believe Jonathan has done his best, so we hope
Buhari can improve on what he had done. I believe
the APC candidate can effect the change he
promised.

Mrs Helen Ebub, trader

Buhari has won the election, whatever he promised
to implement he should try to do it. It may not be
easy but God will help him to overcome so that
Nigerian can be in peace. However, the issue of
free meal which is already being implemented in
Imo State and some northern states is
commendable.

Madam Josephine Otu, trader

Buhari says he will reduce crime rate, make Naira
equal to the dollar, improve education, etc. I just
pray that God gives him good health to accomplish
these things. I believe change has come to the
country.

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/buharis-promises-nigerians-speak/

A former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu, says there is little or no police presence
in areas which the Peoples Democratic Party is
considered to be strong in Lagos.

Tinubu, who is a National Leader of the All
Progressives Congress, said this while addressing
journalists at Sunday Adigun Street, Alausa, where
he voted on Saturday.

The former governor alleged that the PDP-led
Federal Government had relegated the
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, to
the level of an area commander just because the
party had ulterior motives.

He said rather, the controversial Assistant
Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, was
the one acting as the Commissioner of Police for
the elections.

He said, “The alarming issue now is the
inconsistencies and lack of police presence in
areas of their own boasting. They announced
Monday last week that the AIG has been assigned
to supervise the elections. Yesterday (Friday), we
heard the CP has been relegated to an area
commander and the AIG is now a Commissioner
of Police in charge of the election.

“From that, you smell rats. It is not good enough
for confidence building. If there is no written
order, it should not be possible for anybody, no
matter how highly placed, to make an oral posting
of the police or the army.”

Tinubu condemned the spate of violence in the
South-South geo-political zone, saying it was
barbaric.

He said it was violence and threats of such that
might have caused a low voter turnout in several
parts of the country.

Tinubu added, “We have to remove violence from
our politics. Election is about people and service,
it is not a process of gun, war and violence. It is
power by all means that is the cause of the
violence and we have to remove that and allow
the process to function and nurture the process of
democracy, respect the rule of law and lives and
property of Nigerians.

“The attempt to be governor or control states
should come from the people’s sovereignty; the
right of the people to choose their own leaders.”
The former governor commended the Independent
National Electoral Commission for the smooth
process of accreditation, saying it would boost
voter confidence
www.punchng.com/news/police-absent-in-pdp-strongholds-says-tinubu/

Still trying to recover from the defeat
suffered by his party in the Presidential and
National Assembly elections last week, National
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji
Adamu Muazu, has admitted that the party was
humbled by the loss.

The defeat notwithstanding, Muazu, who is fondly
nicknamed ‘the Game Changer’ by his party
faithful, has assured Nigerians that the PDP will be
reformed to meet the expectations of its members
and Nigerians.

According to the chairman, the ruling party has
learnt lessons from its defeat and will never again
let Nigerians down when it bounces back to
power.

The chairman’s position was contained in a series
of tweets he posted on his twitter handle #AM, and
@Muazuaa

In one of the posts, Muazu said, “We are humbled
by the 28th of March decision of many Nigerians
and promise never again let you down. We will
reform our party.

“We have learnt some very useful lessons with the
March 28th elections and we want to assure
Nigerians you will see a new PDP.

It will be recalled that the ruling party was defeated
by opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, on
the March 28 elections, which have thrown up
former military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, as the
president-in-waiting and majority of members in
the Senate and House of Representatives.

The development has halted calculations in the
camp of the PDP, which had boasted that it would
rule Nigeria for at least 60 years before ceding
power to another party in the country.

With the conceding of defeat by President
Goodluck Jonathan before the announcement of
Buhari as the president-elect last Wednesday, the
president might has foreclosed the idea of his
party challenging the outcome of the election,
which most of the international observers declared
as credible and peaceful.

But the PDP has promised to return to the drawing
board and return in a more formidable way in 2019
to take over from the APC.

www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/were-humbled-by-jonathans-defeat-adamu-muazu/