₦airaland Forum

Palpable fear has gripped Ogun State
governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s
camp following the defection of eight lawmakers to
the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and Social
Democratic Party, SDP, in the state.
Speaker of the House, Suraj Adekunbi disclosed
the decamping, yesterday, during plenary,
while reading a letter announcing the defection of
eight lawmakers to the PDP and the SDP.
Adekunbi said: “I received a letter announcing the
defection of Messers Joseph Adegbesan, Salmon
Adeleke, John Obafemi, Remmy Hazzan and
Obafemi Olowo-Oloja to the PDP.
“I also got three letters this morning from Hons.
Olufemi Allen-Taylor, Oludaisi Elemide and
Elizabeth Anifowose announcing their defection
from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the
Social Democratic Party, SDP.”
Adegbesan, Adeleke and Obafemi had dumped the
Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN, to join the PDP
while Hazzan and Olowo-Oloja also dumped the
APC for the PDP.
Allen-Taylor, Elemide and Anifowose who were
members of the APC defected to the SDP.
Vanguard gathered that the development has sent
jitters into the APC camp of Amosun as the
governor was planning to present the 2015 budget
proposal to the state House of Assembly on
November 18.
The Speaker who also read the governor’s letter
during plenary said he will present the fiscal
proposal at 10. am.
According to him; “This is in accordance with the
provision of section 121 of the Nigerian
constitution.
“Governor Amosun expressed gratitude to the
members of Ogun State House of Assembly for
their cooperation with the executive,” the letter
said.
The House after the latest defections is divided into
two main camps with 13 members including the
speaker in Amosun’s APC faction, while PDP and
SDP also have combined figure of 13 lawmakers.
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/11/tension-amosuns-apc-faction-8-lawmakers-defect-pdp-/

why must u pple resort to lies to sell APC to nigerians? this is the same thing they posted the they TAN did their rally at eagle squre. i mean the same statement, word for word!
one thing with lairs is that they dont remember all the lies they have told before and so will alway contrdic themselves

smh for APC

I didn't vote for him in 2011 (I was INEC adhoc staff), that's my regret. this time around if I eventually get my PVC, I will surely vote for him.

The hope of a former Adamawa State Governor,
Murtala Nyako, to return to office suffered a
setback on Friday as a Federal High Court sitting
in Lagos dismissed a suit seeking his
reinstatement.
Justice Okon Abang, who struck out the suit for
want of merit, also awarded a cost of N70,000
against the applicant.
A Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, had
on August 8, 2014, filed the suit.
Following the adoption of the report of a seven-
man investigation panel, which indicted Nyako of
16 counts of gross misconduct, Nyako was
impeached on July 15, 2014 by the state House
of Assembly.
But the lawyer, who said he filed the suit in the
interest of the public, had asked the court to
declare the impeachment as unlawful,
unconstitutional, null and void.
Delivering judgement in the suit on Friday, Justice
Abang held that the lawyer lacked the locus standi
to institute the action, adding that the suit did not
qualify as public interest suit.
Stating that only Nyako had the right to challenge
his own impeachment, the judge described
Ogungbeje as a meddlesome interloper.
He said the applicant should have allowed Nyako
to carry his own cross, rather than crying more
than the bereaved.
www.punchng.com/news/court-dismisses-suit-seeking-nyakos-reinstatement/

I'm making up my mind not to read any thread again whose source is sahara.reporters. what a shameless site!

Kano state Governor and Presidential aspirant of
the All Progressives Party (APC) Mallam Rabiu
Musa Kwankwaso has sad that the people of
Kano want reconciliation with the Presidency.
To this end, he disclosed that he approved the
visit of the emir of Kano Muhammad Sunusi II to
president Goodluck Jonathan for reconciliation.
Kwankwaso said " I will be very happy if Villa will
be inviting Kano people for reconciliation. We
want reconciliation to be reconciliation not
something else.
"Emir of Kano told me he is going to Abuja for
meeting with the president and I gave him
approval to go.
"The Emir after their meeting with president also
briefed me about all what happened there".

Details later

www.thisdaylive.com/articles/kwankwaso-kano-people-want-reconciliation-with-presidency/192896/

Amb. Martin Uhomoibhi, outgoing
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, said on Thursday that Nigeria’s economic
growth rate had been steady despite the
insurgency in some parts of the country.
Uhomoibhi said this in an interview on the sideline
of an event organised in his honour by the African
Diplomatic Corps in Abuja.
The Permanent Scretary, who will retire from the
civil service on Nov. 3, commended the efforts of
the military to curb the spread of terrorism in the
country.
“Terrorism is a challenge, it’s not a Nigerian
problem, it’s a global challenge but Nigeria is
attacking it from a uniquely Nigerian perspective.
“We are pursuing a whole of government approach
using what we call `the carrot and stick approach’
to deal with it and I bet you, evil can never
overcome good.
“The sheer size and the determination of the
Nigerian people, the commitment of our leaders to
that target is unmistakable and we will, with the
collaboration and support of the world, deal with
terrorism.
“If you look at the history all over the world what is
happening is not new.
“It is naïve to think that terrorism can be dealt with
in 24 hours; Nigeria is dealing with it in our
development strategy.
“Nigeria is achieving 7.4 per cent growth of the
GDP (Gross Domestic Products) every year for six
years consecutively in spite of terrorism.
“ There is no nation on earth that has battled
terrorism and maintained a GDP growth.
“Nigeria has emerged as the biggest economy in
the continent; emerged as the second most
entertaining industry in the world.
“It is the latest kid on the block as one of the most
attractive investment destination in the world.
“Look at what Nigeria is doing; rather than what it
is not doing. With this, terrorism will pass.”
He also called urged Nigerians not to relent in the
fight against terrorism.
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/nigerias-gdp-steady-rise-spite-insurgency-perm-sec/

justhelp:
I never bother to read ur senseless post because of the useless topic u gave the thread, but I hope u mean gej is becoming less popular in the north and tambuwa is becoming more popular in Nigeria , u can still change it, do that u can make sense.

u shld have bothered to read the post, because if u had, u would have noticed dat it's not my personal opinion. it's a survey as reported by Thisday newspaper.
You refused to read it because d article favours GEJ whom u hate!!!

A survey is showing that President Goodluck
Jonathan is gradually gaining new grounds in
constituencies traditionally seen as “off limits” in
the past.
The in-roads are aided by a combination of
factors, especially the fact that Jonathan has
conscripted high-ranking northerners in his
administration to quietly sell him to the rest of the
North.
THISDAY checks showed that the incumbent was
getting wider acceptance in states like Sokoto,
Katsina and Zamfara- previously seen as generally
disagreeable to Jonathan’s candidature.
A popularity survey also showed that Jonathan is
striking a cord and leading among youths and
women voters in the region. Civil servants and
business men remain the swing group that he
must work hard to win over, checks revealed.
In Katsina for instance, the family of the late
President, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, is said to be
impressed with the way Jonathan had carried on.
A source said the family benefitted from the
current administration in various ways with
Jonathan surprisingly remaining loyal to the late
patriarch of the family.
Another factor working for Jonathan is the
governor, Ibrahim Shema, who is a loyalist of
both the late president and the incumbent.
The source noted that the current Inspector
General of Police, Suleiman Abba, was a nominee
of former First Lady, Turai Yar’Adua, a request
that was promptly granted to her, even though the
new IG’s competence was not in doubt. Abba was
Turai’s ADC. Katsina however still presents a
huge hurdle to Jonathan, considering that the
former Head of State, General Muhammadu
Buhari, hails from the state where the General is a
folk hero of sorts.
It is not clear if Jonathan would win big in the
state, says the source.
He said: “The elite here are comfortable with the
president. His almajiri programmes and other
efforts to empower the youths are starting to yield
some results.”
In Sokoto State, Jonathan’s popularity rating
appears to be rising compared to 2011.
Former minister and current deputy governor,
Alhaji Muktar Shagari, is the arrow head of the
Jonathan offensive here.
He has continued to advertise the achievements of
the Jonathan’s administration as it affects the
region.
He told THISDAY that the North has benefitted
immensely from Jonathan and that it was only
proper to repay the gesture.
He said, “President Jonathan’s agricultural
policies for one are touching on the lives of
peasant farmers in the entire region. In the past,
fertiliser was never accessible. But now, with the
new policies in place, our farmers are very happy
and they are grateful. As far as the North is
concerned, agriculture is the mainstay. So any
effort to improve that sector is a major boost to
our region.”
The insurgency too has not affected Jonathan’s
rating in the North-east. Rather in what looks like
a paradox, leaders of thought in the area are
impressed with his soft approach to the crisis.
They are equally appreciative of how he has
dialogued with the leadership of the zone in
ending hostilities.
Although a section still criticises him for a sloppy
handling of the insurgency, charging him with not
making a show of force in quelling the terrorists.
Former Managing Director of the Bank of North,
Shettima Bulama, in an interview with THISDAY,
hailed Jonathan’s war on terror and scored it
high. A leading Borno elder, Bulama said the soft
approach is winning the war more than violent
response which some people prefer.
He said, “recently, the government is doing its
best in the circumstances, its consulting people,
and neighbouring international communities in a
tactical manner to overcome this. To a large
extent it has succeeded. Few months ago life in
Maidugiri, the capital of Borno State, was
unbearable because of the insurgents walking
around freely, but because of the tactical approach
by both the local populace and the Military, sanity
has been restored, and their activities narrowed
down to few local governments, this is both a
collective effort of the people and the government.
As slow as the approach may be by government
it’s a better solution.”
www.thisdaylive.com/articles/jonathan-gaining-new-grounds-in-the-north/192766/

But dat info abt recounting of votes; I didn't hear from olisah mutuh or any PDP official, dat info came from AIT. Or is AIT now working for PDP.

BTW: that advice abt not spreading lies should be more useful to Lai Mohammed

pendy79:
Why the sensational title for a constitutional act by the Governor if their tenure ended yesterday should he give them extra time out of his own volition?

did he nt know dat their tenure was supposed to expire yesterday? he shld have conducted local govt election b4 d expiration of their tenure. he just did dat so as to appoint his cronies as caretaker chairmen

Omimah:
These people think we are f00ls. We all know that the 8,000 organization PDP claims are yearning for Jonathan to be re-elected is funded by the party. I'm close to one of them is the South South. Yeye dey smell.

which one are u close to? tell us the name and the names of their leaders. through what means do they receive funds from PDP since u know.
Bigger yeye dey smell.

The national leadership of the Peoples
Democratic Party is pushing for the resignation of
the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Mallam Aminu Tambuwal over his defection to the
APC.
Already, the members of the National Working
Committee of the party had met with PDP leaders
in the House concerning the defection.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief
Olisa Metuh, disclosed this in an interview with
journalists in Abuja.
He said, “After a thorough consideration of the
matter, the NWC came to a conclusion that the
Hon. Speaker, as a responsible elected officer,
knows full well what is needful and honourable of
him since his new party is in the minority.
“We are not unmindful of the fact that Hon.
Tambuwal became Speaker on the platform of the
PDP as the political party with the majority of
seats in the House of Representatives and that
this incontrovertible fact has not changed.”
It was gathered that the party might be pushing
for his impeachment if he refused to resign.
www.punchng.com/news/pdp-seeks-tambuwals-resignation/

the truth is dat most of these foreign analysts are not on ground and whatever is their opinion abt Nigeria may not be actual reality.

the truth is dat these foreign analysts are not on ground and whatever is their opinion abt Nigeria may not be actual reality.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said he
could not rule out the possibility of committing
errors while administering the affairs of the
country.
He admitted that while leading the country, there
are possibilities of “faults and failures.”
Jonathan spoke at the second edition of an
interdenominational church service with the theme
“A day with Jesus for Nigeria in Israel” held in
Israel as part of his two-day pilgrimage to
Jerusalem. The event which was aired live was
monitored on the Nigeria Television Authority.
The errors notwithstanding, Jonathan said he was
sure that God would not allow him to take a
decision or steps that would be against the
interest of the country.
“For me, and I believe for the governors that are
here with me, we are mere mortals. As mere
mortals, we are not insulated from errors. There
may be faults or failures. But one thing I know is
that God will not allow me to do anything that will
not be in the best interest of our country,” he told
the congregation that included state governors,
ministers, clerics and Nigerian pilgrims.
The President said despite the many challenges
facing the country under his watch, he saw a new
Nigeria emerging.
He said he saw a new Nigeria that all its citizens
would be living in peace and unity and children
yet unborn would be proud of.
Jonathan said, “I see a new Nigeria emerging; a
Nigeria that our children will be proud of; a
Nigeria that things will work; a Nigeria that we
will have good education system; a Nigeria that
we will have a good health system.
“I see a new Nigeria that we will have food
security; a Nigeria that we will have houses for
our people; a Nigeria that we will have good
infrastructure for our movement. Above all, a
Nigeria that we will live in peace and unity.
“Of course, we know that this is a period of
challenges. Even as if we are saying this, it looks
like a mirage to people because we know the
challenges we have.
“But it does not take a lifetime to solve a
problem. With prayers and unity, we shall
overcome all our challenges.”
While identifying the Boko Haram as one of the
greatest problems of his administration, he made
a case for collective efforts to tackle the nation’s
unique challenges.
He also listed kidnappings in the South, poor
governance and corruption as some of the
nation’s vices.
The President however said that with citizens’
commitment and prayers, the nation would
overcome.
Quoting from Lamentation 3:37, Jonathan
declared, “Who is he that speaks against Nigeria
and comes to pass when the Lord has not
commanded it?” amidst a loud ovation from the
congregation.
He asked the pilgrims to pray for unity, peace and
security as well as against what he called counter
forces that could hinder his administration’s
transformation agenda.
Jonathan said, “With unity, we can do anything.
The country was so united when we encountered
Ebola. With God on our side, we were able to
conquer Ebola Virus.
“That singular act had brought Nigeria to the
limelight, even when CNN(Cable News Network)
talks about Ebola, it make reference to Nigeria.
That is what unity can do. With unity and prayer,
we will get to where we want our country to go.
“My request is that you should stand by the
government. When you stand by the government
just like you stood by us during the Ebola era, we
will surely overcome our challenges,” he said.
The Presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church
Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, preached the
sermon at the service that featured special
prayers for the President, his family, other leaders
and the country.
Other Nigerian pilgrims joined the President and
its entourage for the service.
The President had earlier in the day had a bilateral
talk with the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin
Netanyahu, in Jerusalem.
Jonathan is expected back in the country on
Monday (today).
The other clergymen present at the service were
the Primate Church of Nigeria (Anglican
Communion), Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh; and
President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor
Ayo Oritsejafor.
Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Gabriel
Suswam (Benue); Willie Obiano (Anambra); Jonah
Jang (Plateau) and their wives joined members of
the Federal Executive Council like the Minister of
State for FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide; Minister of
Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; and Minister of Water
Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe at the service.
www.punchng.com/news/my-govt-not-free-from-mistakes-says-jonathan/

Results declared so far from last Saturday’s local
government elections in Delta State showed that
the ruling Peoples Democratic Party has won the
15 of the 16 chairmanship seats declared so far
as on Sunday.
The result for Ethiope East chairmanship was
declared inconclusive, and rerun elections will be
conducted in some polling units before a winner
can emerge.
The Labour Party’s candidate and the PDP
candidate were running neck to neck with the
results upheld so far in Ethiope East, where Great
Ogboru, Labour Party chieftain holds sway.
The winners in Ethiope West, former Governor
James Ibori’s home and Patani were returned
unopposed.
From the councillorship results declared so far, 96
candidates were returned unopposed.
www.punchng.com/news/pdp-sweeps-delta-council-polls/

Kolade354:
guy u are talking crap where has power improved am 16 and i can reason more dan u...

why will I be arguing with a 16yr old boy?

he has delivered on dat promise because power has improved significantly since he became president.
If u refuse to see it, dat's ur problem.

Terror came to the heart of the Canadian capital
Ottawa on Wednesday as a suspected jihadist
gunman shot dead a soldier at the national war
memorial and then rampaged through the halls of
the federal parliament.
The attacker, who was killed in a gun battle inside
parliament, was named as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, a
Canadian-born 32-year-old.
He was a recent convert to Islam from Quebec with
a history of drug abuse and whose passport had
been seized by authorities after he was designated
a "high-risk traveller", Canadian media reported.
The centre of Ottawa was paralysed as heavily
armed police fanned out in search of at least one
other suspected gunman following what appeared
to have been an jiahdist terrorist attack on the
heart of the country's government.
Canada was already on edge after a radical Muslim
convert killed a soldier and injured a second on
Monday in a deliberate hit-and-run car attack in
Quebec before being shot to death by police.
The similarity in the reported backgrounds of the
two killers has raised fears that "lone-wolf"
extremists - possibly a cell of radical converts in
Quebec - are targeting Canadian military personnel
in retaliation for the government's support of US-
led air strikes in Iraq and Syria.
Zehaf-Bibeaus' victim was identified as Cpl Nathan
Cirillo, 24, a reserve infantryman and young father
who was part of a two-man honour guard carrying
an unloaded rifle at the war memorial.
In a chilling detail, a witness described how the
gunman earlier raised his arms in a display of
triumph, a rifle in the air, after shooting Cpl Cirillo
at point blank rage in front of the cenotaph. The
location for the start of his rampage appeared
horrifically symbolic as it honours the country's
war dead.
Canada had just raised its domestic terror threat
level from low to medium on Tuesday because of
"an increase in general chatter from radical
Islamist organisations", officials said. Ottawa also
this week sent six fighter jets to the Middle East to
join US-led strikes against the Islamic State in Iraq
and the Levant after a parliamentary vote.
During his rampage, Zehaf-Bibeau came alarmingly
close to Stephen Harper, the prime minister who
was meeting MPs as the gunman burst into the
parliament with his gun blazing. Mr Harper was
rushed from the building while other politicians
dived for cover under tables.
The Ottawa Hospital said that it received three
victims of the shooting, including Cpl Cirillo who
was pronounced dead despite frantic attempts by
passers-by to save his life. The other patients, one
of whom was a parliamentary aide, were
discharged by the evening.
First aiders rush to assist the solider shot outside
the National War Memorial (Daneil Thibeault/CBC/
Reuters)
Kevin Vickers, the sergeant at arms, was praised
by MPs for saving further lives after he shot the
gunman outside rooms packed with politicians
gathered for weekly caucus meetings.
"MPs and staff owe their safety, even lives, to Kevin
Vickers, who shot the attacker just outside the
MPs' caucus rooms," said Craig Scott, a New
Democrat MP.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/canada/11181394/Soldier-killed-as-gunman-brings-terror-to-Canadian-Parliament.html

The Zimbabwe students’ union on Thursday made
war not love over a new code of conduct banning
students from kissing on campus at the country’s
top university.
In a circular displayed at halls of residence,
authorities at the University of Zimbabwe said
students “caught in any intimate position such as
kissing or having sex in public places” would be
punished.
The university also barred resident students from
bringing members of the opposite sex to their
hostels and “loitering in dark places outside the
sports pavilion or lecture venues.”
Student leader Gilbert Mutubuki said students
would resist the rules introduced two weeks ago.
“We are against these rules which we view as
archaic, repressive and evil,” Mutubuki, president
of the Zimbabwe National Students Union
(ZINASSU) told AFP.
“We are urging students to resist the rules. These
rules reduce the university to a primary school.
The authorities need to be reminded that this is an
institute for adults who are mature.”
He said the rules, which also bar students from
accommodating non-resident colleagues, were
meant to curtail students’ right to associate.
“We believe these are security measures meant to
limit students from associating.”
Until Zimbabwe introduced tough security laws,
university students often staged anti-government
protests sometimes joining forces with trade
unions and rights groups.
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/banning-kissing-campus-reduces-university-primary-school/

agarawu23:
President Jonathan TO Nigerians


"If I’m voted into power within the next four
years, the issue of power will become a thing of
the past. Four years is enough for anyone in
power to make significant improvement and if I
can’t improve on power within this period, it
then means I cannot do anything even if I am
there for the next four years.”


-GEJ 2011.

we are now in 2014 yet no light as he promised and he expect my vote


Hasn't he failed

he said there would be significant improvement in power and power has significantly improved since dat time. only haters like u and APC pretend not to see it.

even Buhari himself knows this

Ahead of the 2015 presidential election, Third
Republic governor of Anambra State, Dr.
Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has said a presidential
aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives
Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is no
match for President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ezeife said he was certain that the President
would defeat Buhari in 2015 with a wider margin
than he did in 2011 – if the retired general
emerges the presidential candidate of the APC.
Jonathan has already been adopted as the
presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party while Buhari, who was the first
runner-up in the 2011 presidential election, is one
of the top contenders for the APC’s presidential
ticket.
Ezeife told our correspondent on Tuesday that
none of the presidential aspirants on the platform
of the APC can defeat the President in 2015, and
added that Jonathan had divine backing.
He said, “Jonathan appears to be a tool in the
hands of God. God does everything with a
purpose and it doesn’t appear God has finished
with Jonathan. Others can contest for the
Presidency, at least, that will make money to flow
around to poor people. There will be no change in
Aso Rock after the 2015 presidential election.”
“There will be no contest. Buhari is no match for
Jonathan. This is a clear case. Look at how Ebola
ended in Nigeria. They are still battling with it in
America. Look at the level of development that is
going on. The man (Jonathan) always acts as if
he doesn’t know what he is doing but he will be
doing everything right.
“Now we are talking about ceasefire with Boko
Haram. Those who said they would make Nigeria
ungovernable have failed. Nigeria is still
governable and Jonathan is governing it.”
Ezeife, however, expressed worry that Buhari’s
statement may lead to post-election violence if he
loses the February 14, 2015, presidential election.
www.punchng.com/politics/buhari-is-no-match-for-jonathan-ezeife/

The House of Representatives n Wednesday
approved President Goodluck Jonathan's request
for a $1 billion loan to fight the Boko Haram-led
insurgency.
The House, during Wednesday plenary session,
towed the line of the red chamber which had
approved the request.
All the four clauses contained in the report of the
House Committees on Aids, Loans and Debt
Management and Finance on the external
borrowing of not more than $1 billion "to tackle
the national security challenges in the country"
were considered and carried.
www.thisdaylive.com/articles/boko-haram-house-okays-1billion-loan-for-jonathan/191938/

The All Progressives Congress on Tuesday wrote
a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan alleging
threats against its National Publicity Secretary,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed by the leader of the Niger
Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Mujahid Dokubo-
Asari.
In the letter which was signed by its National
Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, the APC said Asari’s
threat, was contained in an interview granted to
the online newspaper Premium Times on Friday,
Oct. 17th 2014.
According to the party, the threat was sequel to a
press statement which was issued on behalf of the
party by Mohammed on Oct. 8th 2014, asking the
Federal Government to explain the reported
presence of Mr. Asari Dokubo on the plane that
transported US$9.3 million cash to South Africa In
the interview, Mr. Asari Dokubo said while he
would adopt a civilised response to Mr.
Mohammed by first suing the APC spokesperson
for his remarks, he (Asari Dokubo) warned that
should the courts fail to deliver justice, “he will
resort to self-help by using his hands and any
other means to deal with Mr. Mohammed.”
The party said “we find this threat totally
abhorring, dangerous, unacceptable and
uncivilized, and therefore wish to request that you
call Mr. Asari Dokubo to order and invite him to
explain what he meant by his threat to resort to
self help.
“We have attached a copy of the said interview to
this petition.
“We take the unwarranted threat very seriously, in
view of the antecedents of Mr. Asari Dokubo and
his propensity to violence, and will definitely hold
him personally responsible if anything untoward
happens to our National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji
Lai Mohammed.”
The party noted that since ours is a country that
operates under the rule of law rather than the laws
of the jungle, it believes anyone who is aggrieved
over any issue should resort to the courts to seek
redress.
It explained that where aggrieved persons decide
to take the laws into their own hands, as Mr.
Asari Dokubo has threatened, it is an invitation to
anarchy.
www.punchng.com/news/apc-writes-jonathan-over-asaris-alleged-threat/

By Femi Aribisala

In Nigeria, nobody gets elected as president on the
platform that he is going to be an anti-corruption
crusader when he gets into office.
One thing is for sure: Muhammadu Buhari would
like to be the next president of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. He has tried three times and
has failed every time. Finally realizing it is a lost
cause, he said he would not try again.
But now he is persuaded to try again. His
supporters are impressed that he won 12 million
votes against Goodluck Jonathan in 2011.
However, they need to be reminded that he lost to
Jonathan by over 10 million votes.
Since the third time did not turn out to be a charm
for Buhari, what are we to call his fourth attempt?
Listening to the declaration of his new-fangled
presidential bid in Eagles’ Square, Abuja a few
days ago, it is seems this fourth time is going to
be one big charade.
The sign was provided by none other than Buhari
himself. Since his one credential is that he is a
man of integrity who, as president, is expected to
wrestle corruption down to the ground, Buhari
decided to burnish his anti-corruption image by
revealing that he obtained his 27.5 million naira
APC nomination form with a bank loan. However,
what this declaration did was to tell Nigerians that
Buhari is a pretentious anti-corruption crusader.
His Mr. Clean posture is nothing but a public
relations gimmick.

Question marks

In fairness, some of us have known this all along.
Under Buhari’s watch as Petroleum Minister in the
late 1970s, $2.8 billion (worth billions of naira
today) was missing from the NNPC account. The
matter was subject to Senate investigation under
the chairmanship of Olusola Saraki in 1983. But
before the report could be dealt with, Buhari
conveniently overthrew the Shagari government in
a military coup d’état.
Vera Ifudu, an NTA newscaster, revealed that
Saraki told her in an interview that the missing
money was traced to Buhari’s account at Midland
Bank in London. For this disclosure, Vera was
summarily sacked by the NTA. However, she
appealed against her dismissal in court and won.
She even received a handsome financial
compensation for wrongful dismissal from the NTA.
Instead of clearing his name as a man of integrity,
Buhari refused to appear before the Oputa Panel set
up to look into the matter (among under things) by
the Obasanjo administration.
Buhari claims to be an anti-corruption crusader,
nevertheless, he agreed to serve under Sani
Abacha, one of the most corrupt Heads-of-State
ever in the history of Nigeria. While there has
been no proven allegation that Buhari corruptly
enriched himself as Chairman of the Petroleum
Trust Fund under Abacha, it is abundantly clear
that this fabled anti-corruption crusader failed to
curb the rampant corruption that prevailed in the
organization. Group Captain Usman Jibrin, a
board member of PTF, resigned from the
organization in protest over Buhari’s irregular
appointments of consultants.
In 2000, the Obasanjo administration set up an
Interim Management Committee to look into the
affairs of the PTF, under the chairmanship of
Haroun Adamu. The Committee discovered that
billions of naira was stolen under Buhari’s
chairmanship.
Political platform
Now the same Buhari who would not or could not
curb corruption in the PTF wants us to believe he
will fight corruption as president of Nigeria.
However, he has chosen the APC as the political
platform on which to undertake this. But the APC
is an unscrupulous political party that is choc-full
of corrupt politicians. It is the party of Murtala
Nyako who was impeached as governor of
Adamawa State for converting state money to
personal use. It is the party where Buhari himself
and others went cap-in-hand to Otta to beg
Obasanjo to be their “navigator.”
Surely Buhari knows that he cannot fight
corruption by being the presidential candidate of
the APC. Whatever anti-corruption crusading
Buhari had in him in the past must have ended
when he decided to join the APC. Should he
become president, does he intend to probe his
corrupt party-members? Has he made them
understand he would be coming after them once
elected? If he has, does he really expect them to
help him get elected so he can retrieve their stolen
loot and send them off to jail?
A 72 year-old man with Buhari’s experience, who
was overthrown in a preemptive coup by members
of his own government, knows that in Nigeria,
nobody gets elected as president on the platform
that he is going to be an anti-corruption crusader
when he gets into office. That is a sure signal for
all the politicians in all the parties to gang up
against him and make sure he never makes it.
If you really want to be anti-corruption, you have
to keep your mouth shut about your plans until
you get elected and then catch your corrupt
colleagues by surprise. You must also have
resolved not to seek re-election for a second-
term. It is not only the populace, but the
politicians in particular, who insist on “stomach
infrastructure.” But if you are talking anti-
corruption while still seeking the nomination of
your party, it must be because it is well known to
your corrupt colleagues that your anti-corruption
stance is merely for public consumption.

Cleaning up APC

It is not surprising, therefore, that despite all the
noise about anti-corruption coming from Buhari
and his cohorts; he has failed to fight against
corruption in the APC. We did not hear him raise
a voice against the incongruity of a so-called
progressive party demanding a cynical nomination
fee of 27.5 million naira for its presidential
primaries. One would have expected a truly anti-
corruption crusader to make the point that the
nomination fee is unacceptable. Instead, Buhari
readily acquiesced to the requirement in order to
safeguard his all-important presidential ambitions.
Since Buhari cannot, or does not, fight against this
corrupting nomination fee in the APC, and insist on
its reduction to something far more reasonable,
how can he expect us to believe that as president
in a political system with the separation of powers;
against a legislature likely to be controlled by the
PDP; he would be able to fight corruption?
Somebody is fooling somebody here. Or else,
somebody is living in a cloud cuckoo land.
Charity, they say, begins at home. If Buhari is
truly anti-corruption, he should begin his crusade
in the APC. Is it progressive for a political party in
Nigeria to ask its candidates to come up with 27.5
million just for the nomination papers for an
election where only one person will emerge as the
winner? Is it not corrupt politicians that are likely
to have this type of easy-come easy-go money?
Is this not an open invitation for the winner, if he
actually manages to secure election to the
presidency, to recoup this extortionate fee from
public funds?

Anti-corruption bank loan

What did anti-corruption Buhari do about this
outrageous APC requirement? This is where the
whole matter becomes ridiculously implausible.
According to Buhari, rather than fight against the
measure, he took out a ban loan to pay for it.
Buhari told us about his “loan” out of
embarrassment; in a pathetic bid to validate his
anti-corruption credentials. But this so-called
loan indicates that Buhari does not understand
what it means to be anti-corruption. For Buhari,
anti-corruption is a posture; it is a swagger; it is a
badge; but it has no bite and, in the usual Nigerian
fashion, it will be prosecuted with hypocrisy.
Buhari wants us to believe that he cannot afford
27.5 million naira. Nevertheless, he rides around
in a bullet-proof Jeep and maintains a convoy of
Land Cruisers. He cannot afford 27.5 million
naira. Nevertheless, he declared his candidacy
lavishly in Eagle Square, Abuja. Did he also take
out a bank loan for that? Four months to a make-
or-break election, Buhari would have us believe he
has no money. How does he propose to finance
his presidential campaign? Is he going to take 1
billion naira loan from the World Bank for this?

Dubious loan

Why would a bank lend Buhari that amount for a
presidential pie-in-the-sky that failed to
materialize three times in the past? Is that not
likely to be a bad loan? How long did it take for
the loan to be processed? What did he put down
as anti-corruption collateral? How does he
propose to pay the money back? Mr. Integrity
needs to spell all this out for the sake of his fast-
disintegrating anti-corruption credentials.
I did not know loans are so easy to secure in
Nigerian banks today. Perhaps Buhari could
introduce me to his bank manager. I would also
not mind taking this kind of soft loan. I am sure I
can always come up with some unproductive
excuse or the other for it. Is such a loan even
legal today under Nigeria’s stricter banking laws?
How many honest Nigerians can afford to give a
non-refundable 27.5 million naira to a political
party, on the off-chance that they will be able to
secure the party’s presidential ticket? If they win
the nomination and even get elected president,
how would they pay back the money?
Not presidential material
It is clear that Buhari is not only lacking the money
to pay for APC nomination papers, he does not
have the funds to pay for advisers, to counsel him
about what to tell the public and how to prosecute
an effective presidential campaign. His advisers
might have educated him that there is something
called “fund-raising.” Surely, the most popular
politician in the North-West can find some of his
ardent supporters to give him 27 million naira.
Certainly, a former governor of the Central Bank
can easily cough up the money.
Buhari wants to fight an election that will take
place in four months time. From what he tells us,
he does not have 27 million to prosecute that
election now. If this is true, he is not the right
man to be president of Nigeria. For a man who is
running for election for the fourth time, that is the
height of cluelessness. It shows Buhari is lousy at
marshalling resources. Otherwise, he is fooling
nobody but himself.
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/muhammadu-buhari-running-president-anti-corruption-bank-loan/

NATIONAL Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu
yesterday handed over to God those who criticise
the Federal Government on the issue of Chibok
secondary school girls still in Boko Haram’s
captivity.
Muazu who was apparently not happy with critics
from the opposition trailing the issue in spite of
federal government’s effort to secure the release of
the girls abducted by the insurgents in their
dormitories on April 14 this year, however accused
the opposition of politicising the matter, saying that
the PDP will no longer answer critics on the issue.

Disclosing these in a separate tweets on his twitter
account on Sunday, Muazu said, “We will refrain
from making further comments on this issue but
let Allah judge all of us on this issue of
#PoliticsOfChibok.”
The PDP National Chairman who noted that the
opposition had crossed the line on the Chibok
abduction and many other issues, stressed that it
was no longer necessary to join issues with them,
adding, “It’s true that in politics, all game is fair
game. But there are certain lines that should never
be crossed. One of such is the Chibok issue.
“We were told a certain political party has turned
the plight of our abducted Chibok daughters to a
political issue. How very sad. Dear Nigerians, our
great party is tired of responding to pettiness, lies
and propaganda. We have better things to do than
that.
“Dear Nigerians, pardon us when we do not
respond to some of their lies, half truths mixed
with propaganda and misinformation.”
The party chairman who assured its teeming
supporters that it will continue to listen to genuine
criticisms from Nigerians and take necessary
actions to correct any wrong step, said, “Taking
note of some of the complains of members of our
great party and non-members alike. We will act on
some of them and you will see changes.”
www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/muazu-hands-jonathans-critics-god/

Nigeria has been declared officially free of Ebola
after six weeks with no new cases, the World
Health Organisation says.
Africa’s most populous country won praise for its
swift response after an infected Liberian diplomat
brought the disease there in July.
The WHO officially declared Senegal Ebola-free on
Friday.
The outbreak has killed more than 4,500 people in
West Africa, mostly in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra
Leone.
An estimated 70 per cent of those infected have
died in those countries.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign ministers are
meeting in Luxembourg to discuss how to
strengthen their response to the threat posed by
Ebola.
European countries have committed more than
500m euros (£400m; $600m) but the UK is
pressing to double that amount.
The money is being sought to help reinforce over-
stretched healthcare systems in Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Guinea and to mitigate the damage
Ebola is doing to their economies.
Ahead of the talks, German Foreign Minister
Frank-Walter Steinmeier suggested the EU could
send a civilian EU mission to West Africa that
would serve as a platform for sending medical
staff.
Another diplomat said there were plans for three
countries to spearhead aid to the region – the UK
for Sierra Leone, France for Guinea and the US for
Liberia.
Earlier, the Spanish government said a nurse who
became the first person to contract Ebola outside
West Africa had tested negative for the virus.
www.punchng.com/news/who-declares-nigeria-ebola-free/

doctokwus:
I don't evn knows who takes dis vanguard report serious.This is less dan beer parlour gossip;its childish daydreamingm
Men dat cannot evn win their LG on their own are being touted as running mate to Buhari.I tink GMB is far smarther than dis.Anytin less than Buhari/Oshiomole;B/Fashola;B/Rochas;or B/Amaechi pairing is dead on arrival.
Borrofice kor,Boniface ni!

say what u know bro. Tinubu calls d shots. Whoever he chooses bcoms d vp candidate. Buhari can't even win d ticket wtout Tinubu's support.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) says it
will support President Goodluck Jonathan during
presidential election in 2015 because of his
performance in his first tenure of office.
Mr Rafiu Salau, the National Secretary, SDP, said
this in Abuja on Saturday during an interview.
He said the party’s primaries to elect candidates
for the National Assembly and the State House of
Assemblies would begin on Nov. 16 and end on
Nov. 30.
According to him, the party will begin to verify the
credentials of various candidates after the
primaries.
“There are some people that have shown interests
but we, as party members, are contemplating
accepting Jonathan as the party’s candidate.
“He is carrying out the dream of our founding
fathers, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and we are going
to adopt him and work with him,’’ Salau said.

www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/2015-elections-sdp-support-jonathan/

of all d monies mentioned none was paid into Jonathan's acct. they said people close to d president, who are those people? they didn't say. they mentioned one Aliyu. how is he related to d president? they didn't say.
I looked through d article to see how d so called fraud involved Jonathan, I didn't see.

APC and propaganda.....