₦airaland Forum

FORMER Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has defeated President Muhammadu Buhari in two separate online polls concerning the 2019 general election.

The duo are presidential hopeful of the two major political parties in Nigeria gearing up for the 2019 general election.

Two polls promoted by pro-Buhari influencers, sprung up shortly after the administration marked its third anniversary on May 29.

In the first poll conducted by Mark Essien, Abubakar, came first with 43 per cent of votes, while Buhari trailed him with 35 per cent. The poll had a total of 9,067 participants.

In the second poll conducted by an online medium, Y naija, on its twitter handle, 7,444 participants voted in the poll.

YNaija, Nigeria’s most successful youth blog run by Red Media, played a major role in Buhari’s media during the 2015 elections. In its poll Abubakar polled 70 per cent while Buhari came second with 19 per cent.

Similarly, in an ongoing poll on the website of HEADLINE — https://www.headlineng.com — Abubakar is seen defeating Buhari, even though Sowore Omoyele, a presidential hopeful and publisher of Sahara Reporters is seen leading in the poll.

In a recent poll on the same topic by NOI/Gallup, the President’s rating on performance dip to 41 per cent.

In that NO1/Gallup Poll also, the administration’s three-year scorecard in the critical areas that have the greatest impact on the lives of ordinary Nigerians, the presumed base of the President were dismal: Economy (16%), Job Creation (15%) and Poverty Alleviation (12%).

IKE Ekweremadu, the deputy president of the Nigerian Senate, has explained why the age limit for governorship and senate were retained in the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ bill recently signed into law.

His explanation is a direct response to the demands of the Not Too Young To Run Movement which on Friday, called on members of the National Assembly to review its vote on the age qualification for the senate and governorhip.

The head of the movement, Samson Itodo, said the review should be in tandem with its initial proposal which put the age qualification for governor and senate at 30 years.

It described the retention of the 35 years for both offices as “unfortunate and disappointing” as it urged the National Assembly to revisit its vote.



President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday gave his assent to the bill passed by the National Assembly last year.

Qualifying age for the Presidency, which used to be 40 years, has now been reduced to 35 with the age for governor and senate retained at 35 years contrary to the demands of the movement.

Mr Buhari said in the bill presented to him for assent, there was no reduction in the age requirement for the office of senators and governors, indicating that age would still be left at 35. He said he hoped it will be looked after eventually.

Mr Ekweremadu, on Friday, explained that the 35 years age qualification for the Senate and governorship was retained to correct the initial disparity in the 1999 Constitution between the age requirement for the Senate and the Presidency.

He said the National Assembly reasoned that going by the provisions of Section 146 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the president of the Senate could hold the office of the President for a period not exceeding three months should the offices of the President and Vice President be vacant at the same time for any reason.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, Mr Ekweremadu explained that Section 146 (1) provides that the Vice-President shall hold the office of President if the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death or resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or the removal of the President from office for any other reason in accordance with section 143 of the Constitution.

“However, Section 146 (2) further provides that where any vacancy occurs in the circumstances mentioned in Sub-section 1 during a period when the office of Vice-President is also vacant, the President of the Senate shall hold the office of President for a period of not more than three months, during which there shall be an election of a new President, who shall hold office for the unexpired term of office of the last holder of the office’.

“So, since the President of the Senate, a Senator, could become an Acting President by happenstance, it is only right that the qualification for both offices are the same.

“However, the Not-Too-Young-To-Run amendment is just one giant step forward. It is not the end of the road, but just the beginning of the road. It is not an end in itself, but a means to an end.

“I believe that anyone, who is 18 years old and qualified to vote should also be qualified to stand for an election. This is our ultimate target and I believe we will get there. So, it is work in progress because constitution amendment is a continuum,” he said.

The deputy senate president urged the youths to mobilise into the political parties in their numbers to begin to influence party decisions, push for direct primary elections, internal democracy, level playing ground, and other reforms that will complement the provisions of the current millage achieved by way of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run amendment.

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for attempting to parade themselves as the architects of the ‘Not Too Young to Run Act, which was sponsored and pursued by it members in the National Assembly and state houses of assembly.

The president signed the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ bill into law inside the Council Chambers of State House Presidential Villa, in the presence of invited youths from across the county.

In a brief remark after signing the bill, the president pleaded with the youths to shelve their political ambition till after the 2019 general election.

“You can aspire for president but please postpone your campaign till after 2019 election,” Buhari said.



Reacting, the opposition party said President Buhari had no input whatsoever in the bill; never showed any support or enthusiasm towards the initiative but had no option than to perform a mandatory statutory duty of assenting to the bill, given that it had already passed through the constitutionally required approval of two-third of states in the federation.

In a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said, “This development is indeed a democratic victory for the Nigerian youths over forces, particularly, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that had hitherto disdained and disregarded them as lazy and inconsequential but had to succumbed to the dictates of the law and pressure by the youths and the PDP.”

“The ‘Not too young campaign’ which is now global started in support of bills and motions moved by Tony Nwulu in the House of Representatives and AbdulAziz Nyako in the Senate,” it added.

Although Mr Nwulu is a member of the PDP, Mr Nyako is officially an APC senator from Adamawa. He and his father, Murtala Nyako, ex-Adamawa governor, joined the APC from the PDP in the build up to 2015 general elections. They are, however, having a running battle with the APC governor in Adamawa amidst rumours they would return to the PDP.

The opposition party commended “the sponsor of the bill, Hon. Tony Nwulu (PDP, Lagos) and the resilience of the Nigerians youths in getting the initiative through, in line with the vision of the PDP to allow younger Nigerians to actively participate in elective positions in governance at all levels.

“In preparation for the passage of the bill, the PDP had since launched our ‘Generation Next Movement’, which has already put younger Nigerians at vantage positions to participate in elective positions ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“In line with the ‘Generation Next Movement’, the rebranded PDP among other pro-youth incentives, has since approved certain critical clauses and waivers so that the young people will actively vie for positions in the 2019 general elections.

“In line with our dream of providing enabling environment for youths participation in elections and governance, the PDP, after winning in 2019, will further lower the age qualification to entrench our vision that ‘whoever can vote can be voted for’, which is a global standard.

“The PDP therefore urged the Nigerian youths to immediately take advantage of the Generation Next platform and incentives already established by the repositioned PDP and actively participate in the collective quest to rescue our nation from the misrule of the APC.”

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has begged Nigerian youths to shelve their political ambition until after the 2019 general election.

This is coming months after the president described the youths as illiterates, lazy and people who want freebies.

Mr Buhari made the plea on Thursday while signing into law the Not Too Young To Run’ bill passed by the National Assembly last year.

He signed the bill in the presence of selected invited youth from across the county at the Council Chamber of State House Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The president had on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the ‘Not too Young to Run Bill’ will be signed into law in a few days’ time.

“You can aspire for President but Please postpone your campaign till after 2019 election,” Mr Buhari, who is running for a second term pleaded with the youths.

The new law is aimed at relaxing some of the stringent and discriminatory provisions of the constitution.

The bill was passed by the National Assembly last year to alter Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the constitution. It was to reduce the age qualification for president from 40 to 30; governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.

Lawmakers also approved independent candidature in the new law. It was part of a wider constitutional amendment process which the National Assembly carried out last year.

Since its passage in July 2017 by the National Assembly, about 25 states, representing more than two-thirds of the country’s 36 states, had adopted the bill as at March ending.

It was the outcome of relentless efforts by a coalition of more than 40 youth-based initiatives across the country.

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2018 democracy Day Speech as worst since he assumed office in a democratic setting.

The PDP also noted that the president’s speech was uninspiring, hollow, full of self-praise and false performance claims, without addressing issues agitating the minds of Nigerians.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday, the PDP said the speech was garnished with a list of phantom projects and executive regurgitations, inherently designed by his handlers to sway Nigerians and divert attention from the many failures of this administration.

“The few Nigerians who bordered to listen to the address were miffed that, in the most insensitive manner, Mr. President failed to show the littlest empathy to millions of citizens groaning under the worst form of poverty, starvation and economic hardship occasioned by his misrule.

“President Buhari’s aloofness to the plight of Nigerians is manifest in all the lines of the speech.

“In fact, no line in the supposed Democracy Day Address had any inclination towards justice for victims of abuse of human rights, reported executive high-handedness, illegal arrests and detentions, extra-judicial executions as well as victims of killings and daily bloodletting in Benue, Taraba, Zamfara, Kaduna,Plateau, Borno, Kogi, Yobe and other parts of the country, by insurgents and marauders.

“Mr. President, on Democracy Day, had no words of assurance on the unrelenting violation of our constitution; assault on the National Assembly and erosion of personal freedom of citizens.

“The President said nothing on the humonguous corruption going on under his administration, where APC leaders and cabal at the Presidency have stolen over N10 trillion, mainly from a sector under his direct supervision.

“PDP also notes the fact that the President had no committing words towards the conduct of free, fair and credible 2019 general elections, apparently overwhelmed by the avalanche of his public rejection ahead of the polls.

“Incredibly, Mr. President’s handlers chose to subject him to a fantasy trip, making false performance claims with phantom projects, muddling up economic statistics and ended up worsening his already diminished public perception.
This is exactly why the PDP had earlier advised President Buhari not to border to address Nigerians on Democracy Day.

“The PDP notes that Nigerians have reached a consensus that the 2018 Democracy Day celebration is the last for the Buhari Presidency and the APC. Our citizens have endured under the misrule of the APC, keeping their hopes in the 2019 elections to get back our democracy on the platform of the repositioned PDP.

“In solidarity with Nigerians, the National Working Committee of the PDP has already held a meeting where it reviewed the circumstances and will formally address Nigerians on the issues of misrule of our nation in the last three years,” the PDP said.

ONE of the aspirants for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Dayo Adeyeye, has defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress, (APC).

Adeyeye, a former spokesperson of the PDP, announced his defection and those of his supporters to the APC on Tuesday.

Adeyeye, who was former Minister of State for Works during the PDP regime of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, lost the primaries of the party to the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka.

He accused Governor Ayo Fayose of having given undue advantage to Olusola-Eleka.
Adeyeye’s defection is coming despite his promise before the primaries to support whoever emerges as candidate.



Explaining why he dumped the PDP, Adeyeye said the decision was the wish of his constituents.

“Leaving the PDP was not an easy decision to make. That was a party to which I have rendered invaluable service at the most trying period of its history.

“Expectedly patriotic leaders of the party appealed to me to reconsider my decision in the light of my previous services and loyalty to the party. But the issue was never about me as a person. It was about the interest of the very many people who associate with me and more importantly the collective interest and future of Ekiti people. For me politics has always been an opportunity to serve and make contribution towards the development of my community and the nation.

“Therefore where I am compelled to make a choice between loyalty to a political party and loyalty to my community, l will readily chose my community or state. Political parties come and go but the community remains. I cannot change my state or hometown but I can always change my party if I feel that it can no longer serve as a vehicle for our collective good as a people,” he said while addressing reporters in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

FAYOSE REACTS

Meanwhile, Governor Fayose has said Adeyeye defection from the PDP to APC will not affect the party’s fortune.

The governor made the disclosure in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday.

“I am not bothered by the action taken by the former aspirant in the just concluded PDP governorship primary election in the state.

“His move to APC will not in any way affect us. This is because majority of those he thought were behind him did not defect with him.

“In fact, one of his two party agents for the last primary is still with us in PDP and you know what that means.

“If somebody is your party agent and could not go with you to another party it tells a lot and even as he is moving from PDP, many others from APC are coming to us, so we have nothing to lose with his defection.”

The governor said that he held no grudge against him because he had the right to move from one political party to the other adding that he wished him well in his new party.

“While he was the PDP national spokesman, he had spoken terrible things against the APC and he has now gone to join the same party,” Fayose added.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has revealed why he emerged victorious in the 2015 presidential election.

Mr Buhari attributing his victory to God and technology said the introduction of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and Card Readers, were why he emerged victorious after three unsuccessful attempts.

The president stated this while while playing host to judges at the presidential villa in Abuja on Tuesday night.

Buhari also urged Nigerians to collect their PVC and elect their preferred candidates in the coming 2019 general election.



“I decided to put agbada and come back, I tried three times and then fourth time I eventually made it. Thanks to God and thanks to technology because this permanent voters card and card readers are fantastic. Those who went to their polling booths in their constituency and voted, their votes counted.

“Before, votes were disregarded and results written and there was nothing you can do before the justices to proof your case. But now with technology it has been made easy. That is why I keep appealing to the governors to embark on voters education, to please tell the people that their voters card is their national card so to speak.

“Let them vote for anybody they want across ethnicity and religion… I think that is why I am calling on and I am begging the governors to please continue with voters education so that people will take their permanent voters card seriously and make sure that they don’t loose it.

“I am bothering you with this because you are in a position of influence and you come from a constituency that is recognized and what you say will mean a lot to the people at your constituency,” Buhari stated.

Earlier, Alfa Belgore, former chief justice of Nigeria, who spoke on behalf of members of the judiciary said before now votes did not count as results were written.

He also said the current economic challenges was not peculiar to Nigeria, commending the effort of the Buhari administration.

A hashtag #BuhariDemocracyDayLies has been trending on micro blogging site – Twitter.

The hashtag HEADLINE gathered was started by Reno Omokri, ex-presidential aide of former President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Omokri in a series of tweets on Tuesday commenced the compilation of what he termed ‘lies‘ by President Buhari after the latter addressed Nigerians as the nation marked its 19th year of uninterrupted democracy.

After he launched the campaign on Twitter, others users joined the conversation.



“I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to remember that he is fasting and Ramadan fast is not only about abstinence from food, it is also about abstaining from lies. I congratulate him on his new Guinness World Record of most lies in a single speech #BuhariDemocracyDayLies,” Omokri said in one of his tweets.

BELOW ARE SOME REACTIONS CAPTURED BY THIS REPORTER.

DAVID Umahi, Ebonyi State governor has threatened to deal with traders in the state who obey the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB).

It is the tradition of Pro-Biafra groups to always sit-at-home annually on May 30 to commemorate the dead of those who lost their lives in the struggle.

Mr Umahi while addressing the people at the 2018 democracy day celebration on Tuesday threatened to permanently forfeit the shop of any trader in the state who obeys the order from IPOB.

Mr Umahi who said such order would not be observed his state noted that the manner in which IPOB was pursuing its course was not right as the Ohaneze Ndigbo took the right action in the comity of Ibo sons and daughters.



“We do not need distractions or second colonisation as we continue to believe in God to change our narrative with no man born of a woman setting us back.

“Any trader that closes shop on the day will forfeit it forever and any protest will be decisively dealt with.

“Ebonyi indigenes should go about their businesses peacefully and safely and if the South-East governors say we don’t want IPOB activities, it does not mean that we are happy with the zone’s marginalisation in the country.

“We call on the Federal Government to look into the plight of South-east and address the issue of marginalisation because we believe in one Nigeria that will enshrine justice and fairness.

“We also believe in the sanctity of human lives and call on the citizens to cooperate in ensuring the growth and development of the state and country,” he said.

Mr Umahi during the occasion to reeled out his government’s achievements in education, health, agriculture, infrastructure development, commerce and industry and human empowerment among other sectors.

However, the Deputy Coordinator of the Biafra separatists in the state, Mr. Ugochukwu Nweke, vowed that it would implement its sit-at-home order in all parts of the state

“What I am saying is that our activities will go on tomorrow as planned all over the world, not only here in Ebonyi. Government has no right whatsoever to takeover anybody’s shop on the grounds of closing their shop to honour the sit-at-home order.

“Our activities tomorrow will be monitored through our searchlight. Government has no power to give such order. We are going ahead to carry out our activities tomorrow. Nobody can stop us from doing that,” vowed Nweke.

McAkpos:
https://repnaija.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screenshot-10_27_2017-5_14_42-PM-1.png
Hi Guys!

In anticipation of 2019 general election, every Nigerians are expected to get their permanent voter’s card to be able to exercise their franchise.

As long as you’re above 18, it is your right and duty to vote in someone deemed fit enough to help achieve the Nigeria of your dreams.

Just imagine yourself in a situation where you’ve got to trade your voter’s card in exchange for 50 million Naira cash;

What would you do?

As For Me:


Be Sincere! Drop Your Comments

https://repnaija.com.ng/be-sincere-would-you-sell-your-pvc-for-50-million-naira/

#Lalasticlala

BOKO Haram terrorist have now been degraded, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

Mr Buhari stated this on Tuesday while addressing Nigerians on the 19th celebration of the uninterrupted reign on democracy in the country.

His new position on the terrorist group differs from his administration’s claim the Boko Haram have been ‘technically defeated.’

Other officials including military chiefs have also claimed, at different times, that the terror group has been ‘defeated,’ a claim faulted by many Nigerians who make reference to the continuous killings by the terror group.





The president’s statement on Tuesday appears a clarification of his controversial declaration in December 2015 that the insurgent group has been ‘technically defeated.’

Since Mr. Buhari made the statement, hundreds of Nigerians have been killed in suicide attacks, and coordinated attacks on communities in the North-east region.

Similarly, in his 2018 New Year’s Day speech, Mr President said the insurgents have been beaten.

“We have since beaten Boko Haram,” he said. “Isolated attacks still occur, but even the best-policed countries cannot prevent determined criminals from committing terrible acts of terror as we have seen during the past years in Europe, Asia, Middle East, elsewhere in Africa and in America.”



In his latest description, Mr Buhari also flashed back to the situation before his ascension.

“Public safety and security remains the primary duty of this government. Before this administration came into being three years ago, Boko Haram held large areas of land spanning several Local Governments in the North East.

“Today, the capacity of the insurgents has been degraded leading to the re-establishment of authority of government and the release of captives including, happily, 106 Chibok and 104 Dapchi girls, and over 16,000 other persons held by the Boko Haram,” Mr Buhari said in his Democracy Day Speech.

Since assuming office, Mr President said, the fight against Boko Haram has led to release over of 16,000 people.

He commended the Armed Forces and the multi-country security force for the feat.

Mr Buhari pledged his administration’s commitment to end the insurgency.

The Boko Haram insurgency has caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009 according to the Borno government.

GARBA Shehu, a presidential spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, has explained why he was sacked by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, when he served in the oust administration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mr Shehu who served as a media aide to former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, during the Obasanjo administration is now the Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to President Buhari.



His explanation contained in an essay he published on Sunday titled, ‘The Real Price Of Change The Change Campaign (2)’ is in response to Reno Omokri, a ‘pastor’ and former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan who accused him of demonstrating a lack of strong ethical values by jumping from one politician to another.

Mr Shehu, had while reacting to the apology tendered by the PDP to Nigerians urged the opposition to return the nation’s resources it looted as a sign of remorse for its misrule rather than angling to return to power in 2019.



“The PDP is desperate to recapture power because it no longer has unhindered access to national resources for private uses and its apology should be seen in this context.



“The PDP has not even acknowledged the fact that it plundered the national economy, and for a party that dismissed the anti-corruption war as a political witchhunt, it is impossible to believe that its public apology comes from the bottom of the heart.

“Even desperate thieves apologize because they are caught and not because they are incapable of repeating the crime if they had another opportunity.

“We believe that the PDP should not only apologize for the imposition of candidates, and the culture of impunity, but must also come clean and acknowledge that they participated in large scale corruption and massive diversions of public funds to private pockets while poverty was ravaging the ordinary Nigerians,” Shehu said in a statement issued in Abuja two months ago.



However, in a statement circulated last week, Mr Omokri said Mr Shehu lacked the moral grounds to insult the PDP because he was “brought” into the “limelight” by the erstwhile ruling party.

“The PDP brought Garba to limelight. The PDP is Garba’s mother and father. When Garba Shehu indicts PDP for 16 years of alleged ‘misrule’ he should accept responsibility for 12 of those years,” Mr Omokri, said.

He said Mr Shehu was the author of many scathing press statements against Muhammadu Buhari, who was then a major opposition figure.

“Now he crafts press releases for the same man he once attacked against the same people he once praised!

“Garba is the epitome of AGIP-Any Government in Power. I am the epitome of loyalty. There is no basis to compare myself with him. I follow my conscience. Garba follows his stomach.” Omokri added, challenging Shehu to counter him if he was lying.

Responding, Mr Shehu questioned Omokri’s status as a pastor, brushing aside the criticism and said his detractor was a nonentity at the time he worked at the State House in the 2000s.

He also said the time frame he worked for Mr Abubakar differed from the one Omokri published.

“For those Reno tried to mislead, yes it is a fact that I worked in the media office of a PDP administration. Not for five years as the new-day pastor published but only for six months at which point it was announced on NTA news, to my surprise, that my letter of resignation had been accepted when I hadn’t written any.



“I learned of course that I was fired because the head of the country at that time, who believed that every published criticism was sponsored by an insider, read the weekly magazine, The News, and didn’t like what was written about him,” Shehu added.

He also rendered details of how he switched from Mr Abubakar to Mr Buhari in 2015.

“When they lost to Muhammadu Buhari in the party primaries, the candidates in that race, Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, Waziri Atiku Abubakar, Rochas Okorocha and Sam Nda-Isaiah surrendered their media assets to the winner who had the grace to ask me to lead the media team. When we won, he (then President-elect Buhari) invited me to serve as one of his two spokespersons and I pledged 100 per cent loyalty to him and that’s where I am. This cannot be AGIP by any standards.

“Reno should stop lying, if only to help the pastoral calling to retain its good name. Otherwise he should quit the ministry,” he said.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been urged not to address Nigerians on the occasion of the 2018 Democracy Day on Tuesday.

This advise is coming from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who stressed that in the last three years, such addresses had contained deceits, falsifications and unfulfilled promises, hence it was needless releasing same this year.

The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Sunday, noted that Nigerians have become frustrated and despondent by the magnitude of lies and deception told by the Buhari Presidency and the APC and would prefer to spend the next twelve calendar months contending with such past deceptions than fresh falsifications.

A governor elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated why he will never castigate President Muhammadu Buhari.


President Buhari politically belongs to the All Progressive Congress (APC). He had during his swearing in as the country’s leader said, “I belong to everybody and belong to nobody.”

FORMER President, Goodluck Jonathan, has stated why the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot be defeated in the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State.

Mr Jonathan, speaking at the inauguration of a flyover built by the administration of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, in Ado Ekiti on Friday, also advised Nigerian leaders to make personal sacrifices in the bid to strengthen the nation’s democracy and make the country great.

The former Nigerian leader said his party, the PDP, cannot be defeated in the coming gubernatorial poll in the state because of the popularity of the incumbent governor.

“Since I came in I have been going round the state with the Governor. I have seen the support the Governor still has, I have seen the support the Peoples Democratic Party enjoys in the State. I have also seen the enthusiasm of our people. I don’t believe anybody can defeat the PDP in Ekiti, if real election is going to be conducted,” he said.

He described Governor Fayose as a man who has the courage to lead his people, noting that he never compromised anything that had to do with the interest of the people of Ekiti State.

“He (Fayose) has done well and has defended and protected the interest of the people of Ekiti State. We are here for infrastructural development. While here, I have inspected the High Court complex that was commissioned yesterday (Thursday). I have inspected the market being constructed. I was a part of commissioning of the new Governor’s Office and I have inspected the office. This night I am commissioning the Flyover. Everybody is talking about this flyover which is not just the first in Ekiti State but the first flyover of its kind in Nigeria.

“The resources of Ekiti State is small compared to many other states. It is a feat to have this kind of projects done here. We have to thank the vision of such a dynamic man Ayodele Fayose who is the Governor of the State.”

Mr. Jonathan also commended Fayose in the area of education, stressing that any leader who wanted to develop and liberate his people would first treat education as a priority.

“Anybody who does not encourage education wants to imprison the minds of the people so that he will continue to subjugate them and exploit them.”

On the need for free and fair elections in the country, Mr. Jonathan said: “I use this opportunity to call on Mr. President because I was there before, and I know that when you are there, there is so much pressure on you to use all the powers at your disposal to subjugate democracy.

“Don’t do that because what you go with, at the end of the day, is the good name you leave behind. If you use your powers negatively, posterity will haunt you. I call on Mr. President to use his power to strengthen democracy because all the great democracies we see in the world today were built by people. People make sacrifices to make their country great.”

Making a case for good leadership, the former President stated further that he always felt sad each time people said negative things about Nigeria, noting that it has got to a stage where the nation’s neighbours cite the country as a bad example.

“A President of a neighbouring country, Ghana, recently made two negative remarks about Nigeria. First, the current Ghanaian President was addressing Ghanaians about the movement of cattle within their shores and he said openly that Ghana is not like Nigeria where cattle roam freely. That was quite uncomplimentary.

He added that recently the same President was speaking in the United Kingdom when he made disparaging remarks about Nigeria’s currency.

“If it has got to a level when the Presidents of neighbouring countries will cite Nigeria as a negative example, then we must know as leaders of this country that certain things are not going well, and we must change the way we do things.”

THE House of Representatives on Thurday buried the hope of reviving the Peace Corps bill.

The bill, sponsored by Emmanuel Orker-Jev (APC, Benue) seeks to turn the Peace Corps, currently a non-governmental organisation, into a government para-military agency.

The National Assembly had earlier passed the bill. On sending it to President Muhammadu Buhari for his assent, the president refused to sign it into law, sending it back to the two chambers.

Buhari stated that his reason for refusal was because of scarcity of resources.

Both lawmakers from the Senate and the House had threatened to veto the president on the bill.

However, on Thursday, the bill failed to pass the second reading at the lower legislative chamber.

INNOCENT Chukwuma, the chief executive officer of Innoson Motors has been declared wanted by the Ikeja Special Offences Court on Thursday.

The judge of the court, Mojisola Dada pronounced Chukwuma wanted for failing to appear before it for arraignment.