₦airaland Forum

NASS Leadership: APC May Pick Consensus Candidates Today

As the country awaits the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly next week, National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) may use consensus option to determine the best candidates for the posts of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

While the party is set to announce its consensus candidates today, Senators Bukola Saraki ( Kwara, North-Central ) and Ahmad Lawan (Yobe, North-East ), are the two leading contenders for the office of the Senate President. LEADERSHIP recalls that the NWC at its meeting held with President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday night had listed certain criteria which the next senate president must meet.

The meeting had agreed that the party’s candidate for the post of senate president must come from the geo-political zone with the second highest number of votes after the North West at 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.

LEADERSHIP checks also revealed that the leadership of the party was at the meeting 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.

It would be recalled that the APC organised a retreat for its senators-elect last week in a bid to choose a consensus candidate for the senate presidency, the plan however, failed as two camps emerged during the retreat: “Like Minds Senators” and the “Senate Unity Forum” who were supporting the candidature of Saraki and Lawan, respectively,

There were claims and counter claims by both camps on the number of senators supporting the candidature of the duo.

Buhari had earlier reiterated his willingness to work with anyone who emerges the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives of the incoming 8th National Assembly.

“I am prepared to work with any leader the House or Senate selects. It doesn’t matter who the person is or where he or she is from. There is due process for the selection of leaders of the National Assembly and I will not interfere in that process,’’ he promised.

However, there are fears that the decision of the APC to use criteria, considered strange to the rules of the Senate and constitution of the country could be counterproductive as the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is waiting patiently in the wings to take advantage of the division in the APC.

In his reaction, the coordinator of the Like Minds, senator-elect, Dino Melaye, cautioned the NWC against too much interference in the affairs of the senate because the upper legislative chamber is guided by rules.

Melaye said, “The NWC is there to offer advice and not to determine those who will contest leadership positions on the floor of the Senate. The constitution of Nigeria and the rules of the Senate are clear on how a senate president could emerge”.

Reps May Jettison Consensus Arrangement

As the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) continues surreptitious moves for a consensus candidate for the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives ahead of next week’s inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, a group of the members-elect have resolved to have their way irrespective of the party’s final decision on the matter.

Indication to this end emerged yesterday when members of the Consolidation Group spearheading the candidacy of Hon.Yakubu Dogara (Bauchi) said their candidate was the best for the House’s top job irrespective of what the party’s decision might be, stressing that Dogara’s choice was in the best interest of the House.

Jibrin Steps Down For Dogara

In another development a major contender for the speakership position, Hon. Abdulmumini Jibrin (Kano) yesterday stepped down for Dogara.

At a press briefing to announce his decision to step down for Dogara, he added that their group was encouraged by the stance of President Muhammadu Buhari, who made it clear that he was ready to work with anybody who emerged Speaker of the House.

“I think at this stage of our development, at this crucial stage, what we are supposed to be talking about is what will be good for our country.

“As far as the Speakership of the 8th Assembly is concerned, the candidacy of Hon. Yakubu Dogara is in the best interest of the House and the entire country,” Jibrin said.

On what will be the group’s next line of action in the event North-East geopolitical zone where Dogara comes from was excluded from the party’s arrangement, he said that the same party has already given them the green light to choose a speaker of their choice.

“Of course, everybody respects zoning, but just yesterday, the party came out and spoke to the country that the decision lies with the

House of Representatives. Ultimately, the decision would be made on the floor of the House. In an unlikely event that they don’t, it would be decided at the level of the House,” Jibrin added.

Earlier at the briefing, which was attended by Dogara himself along with other 15 lawmakers from the group, Jibrin announced that he was stepping down for Dogara for a peaceful and vibrant 8th Assembly “In the last few weeks I had consulted widely with my supporters and colleagues, In order to diffuse the prevailing tension, unite the House and ensure a smooth take-off of the Buhari administration, I hereby withdraw from the race for the Speakership of the 8th House of Representatives and consequently throw my weight behind the candidature of Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, one of our senior colleagues, a man of integrity, an astute legislator and an amiable gentle man,” he said.

He added that he has consequently also donated his ‘fully operational’ secretariat and situation room to Dogara, saying that he along with his supporters now support his ambition to be the next Speaker wholeheartedly.

Jibrin cited seven reasons for his decision including: “He comes with no baggage. He is trusted by all with the largest acceptability and capacity to unite the House. He is honest, straight forward and does not lie,” among others.

CAN OF WORMS...

An American scholar in Wisconsin says a serious investigation into the background of fifteen alleged Saudi 9/11 hijackers, who were falsely blamed for “the 9/11 inside job”, would open up a huge can of worms.

“This missing document, these 28 pages, allegedly contain evidence of Saudi involvement in financing and backing the alleged 9/11 hijackers,” said Dr. Kevin Barrett, a founding member of the Scientific Panel for the Investigation of 9/11.

“And those who have seen these pages, including [former] Florida Senator Bob Graham and other people in the Congress have said that it completely transforms one’s viewpoint of 9/11,” he told Press TV in a phone interview on Wednesday.
Dr. Barrett made the remarks a day after Republican Senator Rand Paul joined a group of bipartisan House lawmakers to force the disclosure of pages extracted from a 2002 Congressional inquiry into the September 11, 2001 attacks.

He said the reason that the classified pages are still hidden from the American people and the world is that an investigation into “the links revealed between the Saudi government and these patsies” will reveal that 19 hijackers were actually trained by the CIA in the United States.

The political commentator and activist said the document “utterly annihilates the official version and it reveals that 9/11 was not an attack by a rogue group of terrorists, but it was actually a state-sponsored operation.”

“So the real reason that this document is such a hot potato is that if an investigation genuinely tried to find out why these 19 young men, who were falsely blamed for the crime of the century, were being supported by the Saudi government, then that would then lead to a detailed investigation of their backgrounds and we would learn that these people were actually US intelligence agents; they were not merely supported by the Saudi government, they were also supported by the FBI,” he noted.
"They were living with an FBI informant at times they were getting money from the Saudis. And they were also in the United States on CIA snitch visas. These are the visas that CIA issues to people who spy for it in Saudi Arabia. It’s part of the reward; you get paid if you’re Saudis and spy for CIA, and you get a free trip to America on a snitch visa,” Dr. Barrett revealed.

“So, the CIA brought the 15 Saudi hijackers to America -- alleged hijackers I should say -- on this these visas that prove that these fifteen Saudis were actually CIA agents. That’s just one of the facts that will emerge if there is a serious investigation of this,” he added.

“We will also learn that these alleged 19 hijackers [were] trained in secure US military facilities during the run-up to 9/11, including Pensacola Naval Air Station and others."

Dr. Barrett offered the example that “Muhammad Atta, or the person who posed Muhammad Atta, who spoke fluent Hebrew by the way, was a regular at the officers club at the Florida military base.”

“So looking at the backgrounds of the patsies, who were falsely blamed for the 9/11 inside job, the coup d’état by Zionist neo-conservatives with the help of Israeli intelligence and treasonous elements in the United States military and political system, will reveal this huge can of worms,” the American scholar underlined.

“It will be the scandal of the century; it will completely destabilize the United States, by revealing that the top leaders in the United States are the worst sort of liars and traitors,” he said.
“And frankly many people in positions of power here in the US, even those who are not at all complicit in the 9/11 coup d’état, don’t want to destabilize the country that much. And that’s why there’s been so much resistance to declassifying these critically important 28 pages,” Dr. Barrett concluded.

The September, 11, 2001 attacks, also known as the 9/11 attacks, were a series of strikes in the US which killed nearly 3,000 people and caused about $10 billion worth of property and infrastructure damage.

US officials assert that the attacks were carried out by al-Qaeda terrorists but many experts have raised questions about the official account.

They believe that rogue elements within the US government orchestrated or at least encouraged the 9/11 attacks in order to accelerate the US war machine and advance the Zionist agenda.

Oil marketers in Nigeria have agreed to call-off their strike with immediate effect. They have also agreed to commence the immediate lifting of petroleum products across Nigeria in the next six hours.

This is contained in an agreement brokered by the Nigerian Senate after a meeting between the oil marketers and the Federal Government.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Downstream, Senator Magnus Abe announced this at the end of the meeting at the National Assembly complex in Abuja on Monday.

The agreement also states that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) should immediately revoke the license of any oil marketer that refuses to lift petroleum products across Nigeria.

With this development, PENGASSAN, NUPENG, MOMAN, IPMAN and all other officials also addressed the press where they affirmed the resolutions and agreement.

The Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was present at the hearing and endorsed the agreement on behalf of the Federal Government.

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Finally the slogan "CHANGE" has commenced. By Ibrahim Dosara:

The aims and objectives of the A P C include among other things, to bring about change. Change in all its ramifications. Change in our orientation ranging from our social way of life, living standard, public conduct, economy etc. Change in our national economy etc.
This means CHANGE in our courage to fight doggedly for our rights, protecting the rights and doing the right things for our county. This has happened when political parties came together to form a strong vibrant opposition party that fought gallantly to take over the government and this has happened. So there is change. The process of voting also changed when registration, accreditation, voting, collation, and transmission of results have been changed and made electronically. This is why we have the most transparent, peaceful, credible and internationally acceptable election eve in Nigeria. The electorates themselves too have changed as they refused to be intimidated or motivated financially by the PDP to do what they shouldn't do for their country. Even the way in which Mr Orubebe was handled at the National Collation Centre is another sign of change in Nigeria. The peaceful conduct of youth jubilators in yet another change taking place in Nigeria.
So, finally the change has come and has just began. You are therefore requested to be good and patriotic Nigerian by supporting the government of General Muhammad Buhari to govern this country appropriately for us to live in peacefully with full since of satisfaction and sense belonging. As part of our contributions in this regard, we come up with a project called: "NIGERIA CHANGE PROJECT". It is a program designed by the Buhari Support Organisations to help General ran a government of the people for the people and by the people, with the understanding and cooperation of all Nigerians.
Thank you so much.


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Tambuwal Flays Plot To Remove Jega
Ayodele Afolabi, Abuja – Speaker of the House of
Representatives,

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has
criticized the alleged attempt to remove the
chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega,
describing it as unconstitutional and inimical to
the survival of democracy in the country.
Tambuwal made this observation when he
received members of the NCS-SR who paid him a
courtesy call in his office.
Prior to the meeting with the NCS-SR, the House
had during plenary taken the same position as
that of the Speaker, when, at plenary, it resolved
that it would subject any person or organisation
that attempts oust Jega to litigation by the
International Criminal Court (ICC) or a suitable
local justice forum.
Tambuwal noted that those plotting Jega’s
removal are simply playing a script that Nigerians
are familiar with. “When the Emir of Kano,
Muhammad Sanusi II,” whose removal he
explained precipitated the current economic woes
being experienced in the nation, “I had cause to
condemn the act. Those contemplating Jega’s
removal are acting along the same line.”
“But Jega is not a civil servant. We should be
careful. We shouldn’t sent the wrong signal to the
people of Nigeria,” the Speaker appealed.
Kicking against the veiled declaration of war and
the indications from some quarters that an
interim government is in the offing, Tambuwal
observed that “signs are ominous that if we are
not careful, the dark days will return to Nigeria.”
“There is no interim government in the
constitution. Those talking about interim
government, are they planning a coup? It is
outside the constitution and I don’t know why our
security agencies are condoning it? It is a
treasonable offence. We should respect the wishes
of the people and the will of God.”
“It is very clear that certain individuals are not
interested in a free and fair electoral process,” he
added, stressing that, if on the contrary the
electorates decides, their verdict should be
respected.
“We should always remember that power belongs
to God and He gives it as He wills. We should
appreciate that not up to 10 per cent of us
(Nigerians) are politicians. What then happens to
the remaining 90 per cent? If you do what pleases
you and at the end of the day crises breaks out,
what happens?,” he asked.
He urged politicians to look at the ordinary people
of the country. “Are we as a nation where we
ought to be? Are we doing the right thing?, he
again asked as he assured that “as a parliament,
we will continue to do our. We are in this
together, working towards a transparent, free and
fair election.”
Tambuwal also had a word of caution for the
electronic media which beam sponsored
advertisements attacking some members of the
opposition political parties.
“Some of the adverts are well over and above
board,” he pointed out, wondering whether leaders
of such organisations ever think about the future.
In his speech, Clement Nwankwo of the NCS-SR
said the group is worried about the economic
crises in the country, the fate of the constitution
and the forthcoming general elections.
“We are making the point that the dates of the
elections are so close to the handover dates, so it
will be intolerable to postpone the elections
again.”
He also criticised the idea of foisting an interim
government on the nation and the suggestions
that Jega should proceed on terminal leave. Citing
sections 156-7 of the 1999 Constitution (as
amended), which do not provide for such option in
the case of the disengagement modality of INEC
appointees, Nwankwo asked the National
Assembly to intervene and ensure that the
membershi of INEC remains sacrosanct.
In his submission, Festus Okoye also upheld what
Nwankwo said. “We believe that there is a certain
institution of democracy that should be respected
and protected.”
“INEC is one such. If it is undermined, democracy
will be degraded. If we destroy INEC, the
constitution has not provided another body to
hold the elections. The National Assembly should
find a way of protecting INEC from unwarranted
attack so that we will have an election that is
free,” Okoye said.
Meanwhile, expressing apprehension about Jega’s
fate and the likely eruption of violence, the House
yesterday that it would “hold personally
accountable at domestic judicial forum or at the
International Criminal Court, any person or
organisation that foists on INEC any decision or
action whatsoever, including unconstitutional
attempt to remove the current INEC chairman,
that has the effect of making it impracticable for
the election to hold on 20th March and 11th April,
2015.”
The House, also prompted by a motion on ‘threat
to further tamper with the status quo
arrangements for the 2015 general elections’
moved by Hon. Ali Ahmed (APC, Kwara), the
House equally urged the federal government,
states and security agencies to “heed the warning
of imminent and present danger associated with
any interference with the existing schedules of the
general elections.”

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The Independent National Electoral


Commission, INEC, has declared that 42,779,339 PVC’s have so far been distributed. The commission disclosed on January 7 disclosed that 38 million cards had been distributedand and that 26 million PVCs were yet to be collected. The percentage of collected PVCs is now 62.15 per cent. INEC also disclosed that 145,000 smart cards had been distributed so far. It further disclosed that the number of polling units is 119, 973. According to the commission, Abia State has distributed 1,020,997 (73%); Adamawa: 1,239,820 (79%); Akwa Ibom: 1,328,714 (79.05%); Anambra: 1,222, 002 (62.25%); Bauchi: 1,745,441 (84.97%); Bayelsa: 386,125 (63.26%); Benue: 1,132,187 (56.18%); Borno: 999, 470 (56.18%). Cross River distributed 776,977 (66.09%); Delta: 1,422,595 (62.52%); Ebonyi: 714,351 (66.50%); Edo: 1,046,960 (58.63%); Ekiti: 492, 869 (67.33%); Enugu: 738,933 (51.70%); FCT: 459,913 (52.18%); Gombe: 873,698 (78.0%); Imo: 682,046 (37.24%). Others are Jigawa: 1,460,620 (79.76%); Kaduna: 2,976,628 (87.36%); Kano: 2, 612,400 (52.50%); Katsina: 2,245,303 (79.40%); Kebbi: 1,232,357 (83.8%); Kogi: 773,197 (57.24%); Kwara 711,920 (62.33%). Lagos distributed 2,267,039 (38.39%); Nasarawa: 850,619 (66.45%); Niger: 1,250,379 (62.07%); Ogun: 666,752 (36.4%); Ondo: 824,715 (54.09%) Osun: 995,562 (70.75%); Oyo: 1,156,593 (47.88%); Plateau: 1,141,260 (57.01%); Rivers: 1,253,606 (49.40%); Sokoto: 1,211,717 (75.17%); Taraba: 1,079,383 (80.51%); Yobe: 740,336 (67.31%); and Zamfara: 1,045,855 (69.92%).

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AIT/GEJ Lied To Nigerians

1. Fela NEVER mentioned Buhari in $N2.8B scandal. He mentioned OBJ. AIT edited that part off.

2. Buhari did not expel Ghanians from Nigeria. Shagari of the NPN did. AIT made a FALSE assertion.

3. Gloria Okon did not disappear under Buhari it was under IBB and Dele Giwa was murdered for it.

4. GEJ went so low to bring Buhari’s daughters into politics. Can one use Dame’s inability to bear a child as a campaign issue?

5. Fela’s mother the GREAT Funmilayo Kuti died after OBJ Kalakuta in 1978 Buhari came into power in 1984.

6. All Politicians that was sentenced to prison by the 1984 Military Tribunal were found to either enrich themselves with public funds or diverted public funds. Non were convicted by fiat

7. GEJ and AIT went after Buhari’s late wife and daughter. How low and desperate can Jonathan get?

8. AIT/GEJ alleged that Buhari has been losing since 1999. This is a lie. Buhari's first shot was in 2003. In 1999 Chief Olu Falae of ANPP/AD contested against Obj.

9. AIT/GEJ criticised Buhari for Heading PTF Board. Whereas, PTF is till date the most successful parastatal ever in Nigeria. Through PTF, the Amazon Dora Akunyili was known.

Vote for GMB/APC for Change in Nigeria. PDP propaganda is distasteful and obscene. Should be condemned by all.

The AIT documentary on Buhari will not make him less popular. President Jonathan is still playing catch up."

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Bauchi Man Rapes 8-Year-Old Girl
Audu Limun, Bauchi – The Bauchi State Police
Command has arrested a 25 year-old man for
allegedly raping an 8 years old girl.
The suspected rapist, Auwalu Abdullahi a resident
of Tilden Fulani in Toro LGA in Bauchi state was
arrested by police detectives from Toro division.
According to Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO)
of Bauchi state Command, DSP Haruna
Mohammed the suspect was arrested on 4th of
January 2014.
He said “On the 4/01/2015 at about 15;00hrs,
police detectives attached to Toro Division
arrested one Auwalu Abdullahi male and 25yrs of
Tilden Fulani in Toro LGA.
According to him, “Suspect lured an 8 years old
girl who happened to be the Daughter of his
neighbor into an uncompleted building and had
unlawful canal knowledge with her. Scene of
crime was visited and victim rushed to the
hospital for medical examination where
penetration was confirmed.”

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STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CONDEMNS TERRORIST ATTACK ON FRENCH MAGAZINE

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the Federal Government and people of Nigeria extend heartfelt condolences to President Francois Hollande and the people of France as they mourn the victims of yesterday's dastardly terrorist attack.

President Jonathan and Nigeria join the rest of the civilized world in condemning the heinous, senseless and totally unjustifiable killing of journalists and other persons during the attack on the satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo.

The President believes that the cowardly and ignoble attack by violent extremists is a monstrous assault on the right to freedom of expression.

President Jonathan also sees the attack on Charlie Hebdo as another manifestation of the depravity and brutality which the world has to contend with in what must become a truly collective effort by lovers of peace, progress and freedom across the globe to rout the agents of darkness and retrogression

The President assures President Hollande and the people of France that Nigeria stands in full solidarity with them on this day of national mourning for those who lost their lives at the hands of terrorists in Paris yesterday.

Noting that France has been a strong ally and dependable partner in strengthening regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa as a whole, President Jonathan pledges that his administration will continue to work with the French government and other friendly governments in all continents to end the scourge of global terrorism.

President Jonathan urges media practitioners worldwide not to be discouraged or disheartened by the brutal murder of their colleagues in Paris yesterday, but to remain strong and fearless in pursuit of truth and the defence of human rights and freedom of expression.

The President prays that God almighty will comfort the people of France, especially the bereaved families and grant speedy recovery to all those who were injured in yesterday's attack.
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Jonathan met with the Queen of England.

He asked her, "How do you run such an efficient government? Are there any tips u can give to me? I want to help Nigeria."

"Well," said the Queen, "the most important thing is to surround yourself with intelligent people."

Jonathan frowned, and then asked,"But how do i know the people around me are really intelligent?"

The Queen replied, "Oh, that's easy, you just ask them to answer an intelligent riddle." The Queen pushed a button on her intercom. "Please send David Cameron in here, would you?"

David Cameron walked into the room and said,"Yes, your majesty?"

The Queen smiled and said, "Answer this riddle. David, your mother and father have a child, it is not your brother and it is not your sister. Who is it?" Without pausing for a minute David Cameron answered, "that would be me."

"Yes, very good," said the Queen.

Jonathan went back home to ask his Vice President Sambo.

JONATHAN: Answer this. Your mother and your father have a child, it's not your brother and it's not your sister, who is it?

SAMBO: "I'm not sure, let me get back to you."

He asked all his staff in the Office but none could give him an answer. Finally, one day, VP Sambo ran into Dora Akunyili. Sambo asked, Dora,

SAMBO: Your mother and father have a child and it's not your brother or sister, who is it?"

Dora answered sharply, "That's easy, its me!" Sambo smiled,and said "Thanks!"

Then he went back to speak with President Jonathan.

Sambo: Sir, I have the answer to that riddle, It's Dora Akunyili!

Jonathan got angry,he said to Sambo. "No wonder Nigeria isn't moving forward, I am surrounded by Dummies! The answer is David Cameron!"

WHO IS MORE INTELLIGENT?
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Goodluck
Jonathan
Should Resign Now For Muhammad
Buhari - Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka
It was a night of memory and
surprises
for many Igbo people last night and
early morning today at the popular
Catholic Adoration Centre, Emene
Enugu, as the controversial Enugu
Diocesan priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike
Mbaka,
urged Ndigbo and every good
Nigerian
to vote out the current Nigerian
president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan,
for his political opponent, General
Muhammad Buhari.
According to the man of God,
President
Goodluck Jonanthan has
disappointed
Nigerians and means no good
anymore
for the country. Full of passion and
pity
for Nigeria, Fr. Mbaka knelt down in
front of the altar of God during his
homily, cried and asked God to give
Nigeria a good leader and never
President Goodluck Jonathan. He
used
the opportunity to beg Nigerians to
vote
wisely in the forthcoming election.
"I love President Goodluck Jonathan
and
I used to be his ardent fan, but I
want
good for my people and that's why I
want Nigerians to vote out Goodluck
Jonathan and vote General
Muhammad
Buhari. I don't care if Buhari is a
Muslim
and from the North; all I care about
it's
that Buhari can save Nigeria,'' Fr.
Mbaka
said.
To clear the air and let people get
his
reasons of wanting Jonathan out as
the
Nigerian president, he went further
to
lament on the issue of insecurity and
corruption in the country, asking the
federal government to account for
the
missing $20 billion and stop
insurgency
in the country.

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People Democratic Party, PDP, House of
Representative aspirant, Aisha Osori, has
denounced the PDP to join the All
Progressives Congress, APC, after emerging
winner on the platform of the PDP.
Ms. Osori made the announcement on Tuesday in
Abuja while briefing journalists at the APC
national secretariat. Ms. Osori emerged winner at
the recent AMAC/Bwari federal constituency
primary in the Federal Capital Territory.
Aisha Ofori
Ms. Osori, who was presented with the
membership card of the APC, told journalists she
decided to defect after watching the APC primary
because she believed in APC’s vice presidential
candidate, Yemi Osibanjo, who was her lecturer
at one time.
“I decided to denounce membership after
watching the APC conduct its presidential
primary in a fair and competitive manner and
after seeing the combination of Osibanjo and
Buhari, both men of integrity,” Ms. Osori said.
“Osibanjo used to teach me at the University of
Lagos, faculty of law, I believe that is a great
combination that would move the country
forward and I want to be part of that team,’’ she
said.
According to her, the APC slogan “Change” is
enough reason to support the party as she was
sure of winning the on the platform of APC.
Ms. Osori noted that more than 70 per cent of
Nigerians were youth who wanted the change
that “APC represents’’.
On what her contribution would be to ensure the
success of the APC at the general elections, Ms.
Osori, who leads the non-governmental
organization, Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund,
cited experience.
“The years of experience I garnered in the private
sector as a lawyer and also as writer, first with
Thisday and later with Leadership newspapers,
will be of value to APC.
Reacting to the defection, the APC National
Secretary, Mai-Mala Buni, who presented the
membership card to Ms. Osori, expressed delight
because his party was waxing stronger by the
day.
“Such event will be a continuous thing. Our
doors are open. Everybody, who is ready to join
the party, is welcome anytime, any day,’’ he
said. (NAN)

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STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT JONATHAN ON BRIEF VISIT TO BRITAIN
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan left Abuja this afternoon for a brief private visit to the United Kingdom.
The President was accompanied on the trip by some of his principal staff and personal aides.
He is expected back in Abuja tomorrow ahead of official engagements at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday including scheduled audiences with groups from Delta and Lagos States.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
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The North Korean government is fuming over the release of the "The Interview," claiming President Barack Obama forced the film into theaters and onto streaming video services.
"U.S. President Obama is the chief culprit who forced the Sony Pictures Entertainment to 'indiscriminately distribute' the movie and took the lead in appeasing and blackmailing cinema houses and theatres in the U.S. mainland to distribute the movie," North Korea's National Defense Commission said Saturday, according to state-run media.

"Obama always goes reckless in words and deeds like a monkey in a tropical forest."
In the screwball comedy, a tabloid journalist who is granted an interview with North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un is asked to assassinate him. But when he arrives, the movie version of the dictator charms him. Later on, however, the two wage battle.

Just getting "The Interview" into theaters and online streams has been an ordeal.
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Islamist militants stage Christmas attack on African Union peacekeepers' base in Somalia
Al Shabab militants attacked an African Union peacekeeping base in Somalia on Thursday as soldiers were sharing a Christmas meal. At least three soldiers, a civilian, and five of the attackers from the Islamist group — al Qaeda's Somali affiliate — were killed. Three of the eight assailants were captured. A military spokesman said some of the attackers involved in the "reprehensible attack" were wearing Somali army uniforms when they managed to sneak onto the base.


ISIS governor in Mosul reportedly killed in airstrike
The Islamic State's shadow governor of Mosul in northern Iraq was killed in an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition, an Iraqi police commander said Thursday. The ISIS leader, Hassan Hassan Saeed al-Jabouri, had only been installed by the Islamist militant group 25 days earlier. He was the second ISIS governor reportedly killed by airstrikes since the group seized control of the city — Iraq's second-largest — earlier this year. The U.S. has not confirmed Jabouri's death.




Armored van spills millions of dollars onto Hong Kong highway
Boxes filled with $2.4 million spilled out of an armored van onto a Hong Kong highway on Christmas Eve, prompting drivers and passersby to scramble onto the roadway to grab as much cash as they could. The melee brought traffic to a halt on the road in the center of the Chinese-run city. Police officers dashed in, too, to retrieve the money. "Any person who finds the relevant bank notes should return them to police as soon as possible, or they may be committing a theft," police warned.


LeBron James loses in his first game in Miami since leaving the Heat
The Miami Heat beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-91 on Thursday in James' first game back in Miami since he left the Heat after helping the team reach the NBA finals four years in a row. James scored 30 points, but it wasn't enough to counter former teammate Dwyane Wade's 31 points — 24 of them in the first half. James and Wade embraced warmly before the game and before the start of the second half.


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10. AIR AFRICA AIRCRASH
this incident happens on (8th January, 1996) overshot the runway having failed to takeoff at N'DOLO AIRPORT, crashing into kinshasa's simbazikita street market killing 237 people on the ground.

9. KOREAN AIR LINES FLIGHT 007
this incident takes place on (1st September, (1983) inadvertently trespassed into soviet airspace due to pilot error, and was struck by 2 missiles fired from a soviet fighter jet shortly afterwards fatally crippling the Boeing 747, killing 269 passengers and crew members onboard.

8. AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 191
this happens on the (25 may,1979) left engine detached during takeoff due to improper maintenance causing the pilots to loss control over their aircraft, crashing into an open field 1.4 km from the end of the runway killing 2 on the ground along with all 271 people onboard the aircraft.

7. IRAN ILYUSHIN IL-76 CRASH
this takes place on the (19 February, 2003) commenced its descent in poor weather conditions slamming into mountainous terrain due to pilot error killing all 275 people onboard.

6. IRAN AIR FLIGHT 655
this incident happens on the (3rd July,1988) shot down by U.S. NAVY having been mistaken for an Iranian F-14 fighter jet, killing all 290 innocent people onboard.

5. SAUDIA FLIGHT 163
this takes place on the (19 August, 1980) an inflight fire in the cargo hold caused thick smoke to pour into cabin full of passengers as a result of pilot error despite the captain performing a successful emergency landing at RIYADH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, none of the 301 passengers and crew made it out alive.

4. TURKISH AIRLINES FLIGHT 981
this takes place on the (3rd march,1974) cargo door blew off in mid-flight taking a chunk of the cabin floor with it causing an explosive decompression in the cabin and severed all hydraulic line, which lead to a complete loss of control over the aircraft ploughing into a forest outside paris,france killing all 346 people onboard.

3. SAUDIA FLIGHT 763 AND KAZAKHSTANAIRLINES
this occurred on the (12 November,1996) saudi Arabian airline collided in mid-air due to pilot error on the Kazakhstan airlines aircraft causing both planes spiraling towards the ground in flames, crashing around 97 km west of NEW DELHI INDIA, a few kilometers apart from one another killing 349 people on both planes.

2. JAPAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 123
the occurred on the (12th august, 1985) involved in a tail strike incident in 1978. the damage was impurely repaired, causing the bulkhead to give way 7 years later, blowing a huge section of the vertical stabilizer off, severing all hydraulic lines. making the huge Boeing 747 uncontrollable, slamming into a mountain ridge after 32 minutes of astonishing flying from the pilot, killing 520 of the 524 passengers and crew onboard leaving only 4 lucky survivors.

1.TENERIFE AIRORT DISASTER
the occurred on the (27 march,1977) PAN AM FLIGHT 1236 AND KLM 4805 collided on the runway at Los rodeos airport due to pilot error as a result of heavy fog and communication problems between the crew and the air traffic controller. taking the lives of 585 people on both aircraft

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Dear Patriots,
Today Monday ,22nd of December has been declared
Solidarity campaign day for General Mohamodu Buhari / Pastor(Prof) Osinbajo. We humbly request all patriotic Nigerians agitating for a genuine change in our great country (Nigeria) to put up their pictures on your BB, Twitter handles,Facebook,whatsapp, and all social medias ! We intend to have 50 million of their pictures up. It is possible!!!! PLS Re-BROADCAST.

We are casting our votes for General Muhammad Buhari & his running mate Prof (Pastor) Osinbajo.
Please make Monday 22nd December a date.

Sections @allafrica Videos En francais
Nigeria: Boko Haram Releases Gory Video
22 December 2014 , By Kareem Haruna, Source: Leadership
(Photo: Indepth Nigeria)
A gory video released on the internet by Boko Haram insurgents yesterday revealed how the insurgents gathered hundreds of trapped residents of Bama in a school dormitory and shot them point blank, with one of the sect's leaders describing the victims as infidels who they could no longer fend for under their new rule.

The video, which lasted for nine-minutes and 42 seconds, showed a large hall with bunker beds containing hundreds of civilians, mostly men, lying down in rows as the insurgents, armed with AK47 rifles, pointed the guns at them and shot down one by one.

This came less than 48 hours after it was reported that the terrorists were assembling aged persons in Gwoza town and shooting them point blank. Bama is the next town to Gwoza when coming to Maiduguri town.

The whole hall was silent except for the sound of rifles that came intermittently, followed by the occasional shout of Allahu Akbar (God is Great) from outside the windows of the long dimly lit hall.

From time to time, a voice or two would draw the attention of the shooters that some of the shot persons were not dead yet, and a shooter would walk over to the identified body and fire his rifle again.

The shooting, which had started before the video recording, showed victims lying about, some still wriggling in their final throes of death. An impatient shooter would dispatch a bullet into a wriggling body if he felt it did not die quickly enough, and then move on.

At a point, a wounded victim in grey clothes who was hiding under the corpses of his fellow dead colleagues, was fished out, and two of the shooters fired at him before he finally slumped on top of other corpses.

The floor of the dormitory hall was so filled with corpses that the attackers could hardly move freely.

Seven minutes into the video, one short and scraggy looking leader of the terrorists stepped forward to speak.

Even though most of the background voices were Kanuri, the terrorist who did not give his name spoke in Hausa.

"We are indeed very happy that God, the most praised and most exalted, has brought us to the town of Bama. In the past, our brethren in this movement (Boko Haram) had mistakenly assembled and locked up people in the prison, which is wrong because we have it on Islamic authoritative traditions that when prisoners of war are arrested, it is either they are kept or killed.

"Even though the prophet had advised during his time that the prisoners can only be kept and not killed, we felt this is not the right time for us to keep prisoners; that is why we will continue to see that the grounds are crimsoned with the flowing blood of prisoners. And, as you can see here in this video, we have made sure the floor of this hall is turned red with blood, and this is how it is going to be in all future attacks and arrests of infidels.

"From now, killing, slaughtering, destructions and bombing will be our religious duty anywhere we invade. As you can see, and as Islam has prescribed, we don't live together in the same place with infidels. The covenant we had with God is for the infidels to be six feet down in the earth and we walk the earth or vice versa.

"Another message to our brethren and people all over the world is, don't be deceived that we are killing innocent people recklessly; be assured that all those we killed are not innocent people - they are infidels. God that created mankind has said in the holy Qu'ran that He created man and among them are believers and among them are infidels. He did not give a third category. So it is either you are a Muslim believer or an infidel. Even the people of Bama whom we have killed now may call themselves Muslims, but we see them under the category of infidels; that is why we killed them.

"And to our great leader, Abubakar Shekau (sic), we plead with you to be patient with us as you lead us in this holy mission. We will always be loyal to you, and would never go agai
Sambo and Osinbajo
The choice of the running mate for the Peoples
Democratic Party’s presidential candidate,
President Goodluck Jonathan, and the All
Progressives Congress’s candidate, Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), may influence voting
in the 2015 presidential election, writes LEKE
BAIYEWU
The two biggest political parties in Nigeria — the
ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the
opposition, All Progressives Congress — have
presented their candidates for the 2015
presidential election. They are President
Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP and a former
Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)
of the APC. The battle for the number one office
in the country is between these two.
While a presidential aspirant emerges the
candidate of a political party by winning a
primary election, the vice-presidential candidate
is selected or appointed as a running mate by
either the candidate, the party or by a consensus
reached by both.
According to political analysts, the choice of a
running mate in an election should be strategic.
The personality, background, affiliations and
political clout of the aspirants are considered
before the candidate is chosen. The analysts
believe that in a political clime like Nigeria,
parties will consider the tribe or ethnic
nationality, education and career, religion and
political antecedents of the running mate. These,
they say, are factors that will get more votes for
the presidential or governorship candidate.
The PDP and President Jonathan had announced
Vice-President Namadi Sambo as his running
mate for the 2015 presidential election after his
declaration as the flag bearer of the PDP during
the party’s national convention held in Abuja
between December 10 and 11, this year.
On the other hand, the APC and Buhari on
Wednesday announced Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as
the presidential running mate of the party.
The geographical presentation of the presidential
and vice-presidential candidates of both the PDP
and the APC is the South-South (Jonathan)/
North-West (Sambo) versus North-West
(Buhari)/South-West (Osinbajo).
It took the APC five days, after Buhari had
emerged as the presidential candidate, to choose
his running mate. The party had held its national
convention and presidential primary election
between December 10 and 11, where Buhari, who
beat a former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar;
Governor of Kano State, Rabi’u Kwankwaso;
Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; and
newspaper publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah, to the
ticket.
Unlike the PDP, where Jonathan announced his
running mate at the event, the APC did not do so
until last Wednesday.
Records have shown that Jonathan won
massively in the southern part of the country,
while Buhari won massively in the northern part
in the 2011 presidential election. This was
despite the fact that Jonathan’s running mate
was from the North, while Buhari’s running mate
was from the South.
This must have been the reason why observers
of the process that led to the emergence of
Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate said the APC
— a conglomerate of the opposition parties that
contested against Jonathan in the last election
— was very careful about the selection of its
vice-presidential candidate.
Contestants on the APC list were Governors of
Lagos, Babatunde Fashola; Edo, Adams
Oshiomhole; Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi; Imo,
Rochas Okorocha. Others were Bola Tinubu and
a former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi.
Political experts, who had weighed the options
as well as the political clout of the aspirants,
had looked away from Osinbajo.
The ticket PDP is presenting is Christian-Muslim,
and according to analysts, the APC must have
considered the fact that the current political
atmosphere in the country would not allow a
single religious ticket. This factor, it was learnt,
worked against some of the aspirants, despite
their popularity and clout.
Again, the APC was said to have considered its
areas of strength and weakness in the country
vote-wise. While Buhari is said to be popular in
the North, Jonathan has a strong grip on the
South-South and the South-East. This
presumption was said to have thrown Amaechi
and Oshiomhole up as top contenders.
Political pundits have however described the
choice of Osinbajo as a step to secure the votes
in the South-West, which is the most populous
zone in the South and second most populous in
the country, according the 2006 national census
figures.
Also, the APC is said to be eyeing votes from
members of The Redeemed Christian Church of
God, said to be the biggest Pentecostal church in
Nigeria, through Osinbajo, a leader of the church.
Another factor considered by the APC, according
to analysts, is that Buhari is seen as a symbol of
transparency and accountability and he needed a
new blood in the system, with an unquestionable
record, as his running mate.
While the leader of the party, Tinubu, claimed
that Buhari nominated him for the job but he
turned down the offer, observers of Osinbajo’s
emergence as the running mate have described
him as Tinubu’s eye in Buhari’s cabinet, should
the APC eventually win.
The Executive Director, African Centre for
Leadership, Strategy and Development, Dr. Otive
Igbuzor, in his analysis, described the office of
the vice-president as a very important position.
According to him, two factors should determine a
running mate — ability to garner more votes and
the competence to perform in that position.
He said, “First, when anybody is going for
elections, the first thing is to win. One of the
first considerations for a running mate is
somebody who can get you some votes that will
enable you to win. That is why, historically,
people don’t choose running mates from the
regions where they come from. Whether we like it
or not, politics in Africa is still influenced to a
large extent by ethnic consideration.
“As citizens, we should tell candidates (and
parties) to look beyond votes because we also
want to look at competence. A running mate, as
we have seen in the case of Umaru Yar’Adua and
Goodluck Jonathan, will automatically step into
the shoes of the president if there is any
challenge. A running mate must be competent to
be able to assume the substantive position in
case anything happens.”
Sambo, 60, was born in Zaria, Kaduna State. He
had all his education in the state. He bagged a
Bachelor of Science in Architecture (1976) and a
master’s degree in Architecture (1978) from the
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
As a National Youth Service Corps member, he
served with the Oyo State Ministry of Works and
Housing between 1978 and 1979.
When Bauchi State was created in 1976, Sambo
was said to be among the first set of architects
that designed various offices and staff housing
schemes for government officials. It was said,
also, that he supervised the upgrading of Yankari
Games Reserve Holiday Resort and the Bauchi
State Urban Development Board, which
developed the master plan of Bauchi town and
other cities in the state.
In 1986, Sambo was appointed Commissioner for
Agriculture by the Kaduna State Government
where he executed the World Bank-assisted
Kaduna Agricultural Development Project, which
helped to transform the state into a major food
basket of the nation.
He was later redeployed to the Kaduna State
Ministry of Works, Transport and Housing in
1988, where he completed the Kaduna
Metropolitan Water Supply Scheme; the World
Bank-assisted First Multi-State Water Supply
Project; and initiated the Kaduna State 99 Towns
Electricity Project, which connected over 70
towns to the national grid.
After leaving the service of the Kaduna State
Government in 1990, he consulted for the World
Bank, as well as Federal and State Governments.
He also served in different capacities in the
private sector, both as an employee and
employer.
Sambo was elected the Executive Governor of
Kaduna State in 2007. He became the Vice-
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in
2010, after Jonathan, the then Vice-President,
was sworn in as President to succeed the late
Umaru Yar’Adua.
Sambo contested as the running mate of
Jonathan in the 2011 presidential election, which
they won. He had been chosen again as
Jonathan’s running mate in the 2015 election.
Buhari’s running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has
been described as being more of a technocrat
and religious leader than a politician. Although
he was in government and held public offices for
some time, he is still regarded as a green
greenhorn in politics. However, he has influential
people around him.
Osinbajo, 57, is said to be a close associate of
Tinubu, who is widely regarded as a kingmaker
in APC.
The eminent lawyer is a senior pastor of the
RCCG. He is the ‘Pastor in Charge’ of Olive Tree
House of Prayer for All Nations, Banana Island,
Lagos branch of the church. He is also said to
be very close to the General Overseer of the
RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye. He is also the
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the
Redeemer’s University, an institution owned by
the RCCG.
A Professor of Law, Osinbajo, is a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria. He was a Special Adviser to
Bola Ajibola, the Attorney-General of the
Federation between 1988 and 1992. He was the
Head of the Department of Public Law at the
University of Lagos between 1997 and 1999. He
was later appointed Attorney-General and
Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State
between 1999 and 2007 under Tinubu’s
administration. He supervises the commercial
litigation arm of the SimmonsCooper Partners,
where he is a Senior Partner.
Osinbajo graduated from the University of Lagos
in 1978, where he studied Law. He began his law
practice at the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1979.
He had his master’s degree from the London
School of Economics and Political Science in
1980. He is a member of the International Bar
Association and the British Institute of
International and Comparative Law. He also
served in the Nigerian Body of Benchers, as well
as the Council for Legal Education of Nigeria. He
has more than 31 years of litigation experience.
Osinbajo is a co-founder and member of Board
of the Convention on Business Integrity and
Justice Research Institute Ltd. He and his wife,
Oludolapo — a granddaughter of the late Youba
leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo — co-founded the
Orderly Society Trust, a group that promotes
Christian ethics and orderliness in 2007.
Coincidentally, Osinbajo is the second lawyer-
pastor to be chosen as Buhari’s running mate.
Founder of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor
Tunde Bakare, also a lawyer, was the retired
general’s running mate in 2011 presidential
election on the platform of the Congress for
Progressive Change.
Both Sambo and Osinbajo are expected to add
electoral value to their bosses at the 2015 polls.
In his submission, a professor in the Department
of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka,
Emmanuel Onyebuchi, pointed out that the
decision by the APC to choose Buhari’s running
mate from the South-West was strategic.
“It took them (APC) that much of time because
they must have done some political arithmetic.
Buhari, coming from the North, would not have
chosen his vice from the North. Choosing a vice-
presidential candidate from the South-East
would not have been a wise political decision,
considering the fact that the geopolitical zone is
more than 90 per cent for Jonathan.
“Even though Amaechi from the South-South is a
strong member of the APC, the question is how
much votes will he be able to get for Buhari. The
essence of choosing a running mate is to choose
from an area where you are likely to muster
enough political support in terms of voting. It
would not have been politically wise to choose
him.
“The option he had was to choose from the
South-West, believing that he is going to get the
needed votes in the election.”
Copyright PUNCH.
Dear Patriots,
Today Monday ,22nd of December has been declared
Solidarity campaign day for General Mohamodu Buhari / Pastor(Prof) Osinbajo. We humbly request all patriotic Nigerians agitating for a genuine change in our great country (Nigeria) to put up their pictures on your BB, Twitter handles,Facebook,whatsapp, and all social medias ! We intend to have 50 million of their pictures up. It is possible!!!! PLS Re-BROADCAST.

We are casting our votes for General Muhammad Buhari & his running mate Prof (Pastor) Osinbajo.
Please make Monday 22nd December a date.

Thank you, God bless u & God bless Nigeria- from #Agent4 a better Nigeria#
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Persee Oliver
Nigerians,
1- Who is feeding over
250 girls
kidnapped
by Boko Haram?
2- Who did the contract
for the
supply of over 200
Hijabs that kidnapped
girls were
wearing?
3- How is Boko Haram
feeding
its hundreds
of fighters?
4- Where is Boko Haram
getting the supply of
the arms they use to
kill people?
¤ Who is
fueling the over 50
vehicles Boko
Haram use
in conducting their
attacks?
5- Who is
providing Boko
Haram with
internet to upload
videos of over
30 minutes
on YouTube?
6- How does Boko
Haram manage to
travel in
a convoy of over fifty
vehicles and
motorcycles in a state
that is
under "state of
emergency" without
being noticed?
7- Why does the foreign
media
know more about Boko
Haram than our
government and
local media?
8- If Boko
Haram is a Northern
or Muslim
agenda to make Nigeria
ungovernable for
Jonathan, why are they
killing
Islamic scholars and
threatening to kill
prominent
Northern
politicians?
,9- If Boko Haram truly
want
people to join Islam,
why are they killing the
Muslims?
10- Are Boko Haram
really
Muslims? Christians?
Or a hidden Organization
sponsored by yet-
known personnels to
distabilises the Unity of
Nigerians, divert
Nigerians's
attension so they
can loot and do
whatever they
think they can
do??
May GOD Almighty
expose
whoever is behind this
madness!

I AM NOT A POLITICIAN BUT I DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO SHARE THIS AS SHARED WITH WHO IS AFRAID OF BUHARI?
I write this because of millions of Nigerians who are below 30 and who constitute a significant chunk of our voting population.
This is the ICT generation that is largely ignorant about the events of the Buhari era (1984-85) and so can be misinformed and misled by needless propaganda. I have sat with many in the under-30 bracket and those slightly above who only have faint recollections of the Buhari era and the level of ignorance about that era is amazing.

Before being MILITARY Head of State, Buhari had been Governor of one of the Northern States (under Obasanjo’s Military government) as well as Minister for Petroleum. He later served as Chairman of PTF under Abacha.

Please consider the following unassailable facts: