Only Lovers of Poverty Will Vote for Jonathan-Osinbajo

The vice presidential candidate of the All progressives Congress, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo
Vice-Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Yemi Sinbad
The running mate to the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, said the poor state of the nation’s economy has plunged many Nigerians into poverty.
He added that there must be a change of government at the federal level to liberate Nigerians from poverty.
The former Attorney General of Lagos State spoke at a town hall meeting with artisans, tradesmen and farmers, organised by the Lagos State Government in Ikeja.
He said only those who love poverty and would want to remain perpetually in hunger that would vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
Osinbajo said, “No one is ignorant of all that is happening in this country. No one likes hunger and poverty, but people are hungry. In 2015, only those who love to continue to be hungry that would prefer that the government in power at the centre remains there.
“By God’s grace, we will remove them from the seat of power. The people there presently cannot do anything because they don’t know what to do. They lack the capacity and capability to govern the country.”
In the same vein, the APC governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, said APC, from the period of Bola Tinubu to Governor Babatunde Fashola, had continuously provided good governance to the people of the state, adding that if voted into power, his government would not deviate from the principle.
Ambode said, “Our promise to you as a party is to provide good governance and able leadership. We want to take good care of your businesses so that you will have more to take care of yourself, your children and your home. There must be change of government at the Federal level. APC must take over in Abuja.”
Fashola noted that if Nigerians observed the situation of the country critically, they would find that the country was not better off than it was in 2011.
Fashola, who enjoined Nigerians to vote for APC at both the governorship and presidential elections, said, “The time to make a very important decision is here. Your request for continuity in Lagos is what I support. But for that project to continue, it would require you to vote for our party in 2015 election.
“Also, Muhammed Buhari and Osinbajo are our candidates for the presidential election, if you vote them into power in 2015, you will have successfully rescued this country from destruction.”
Copyright PUNCH.

West Brom sack manager Alan Irvine

English Premier League club West Bromwich Albion on Monday announced they had sacked manager Alan Irvine following their defeat to Stoke on Sunday, their seventh in nine matches.

"Irvine leaves the club with immediate effect and has been placed on gardening leave," said a statement on the club's official website. 

It explained that the decision had been taken with "regret but necessity" and that they expect to name Irvine's replacement by the weekend. 

The club lie 16th in the league, just one point above the bottom three. Assistant head coach Rob Kelly will take charge of the team for their New Year's Day game at West Ham. 

Albion's technical director Terry Burton said: "We appointed Alan in the summer convinced that we had taken on one of the foremost coaches in the UK and nothing that has happened since then has altered our view. 

"The individual progress of our players such as Craig Dawson and Saido Berahino are testament to that. 

"Securing a sixth season in the Premier League is the over-riding target and sometimes unpleasant decisions have to be taken to serve that imperative. 

"Alan has impressed everyone with his manner, dedication and diligence but he knows that results have simply not been good enough," he added.

Mega Mode Media: Naira falls N1.92k at inter-bank market on no doll...

Mega Mode Media: Naira falls N1.92k at inter-bank market on no doll...: The nation’s currency, the naira, on Monday lost N1.92k to the US dollar at the inter-bank market as there was no foreign exchange supply fr...

AirAsia flight QZ5801: Items resembling slide, plane door seen (Times of India)

Items resembling an emergency slide, plane door and other objects were spotted during a aerial search on Tuesday for the missing AirAsia plane, according to information from the flight.

"We spotted about 10 big objects and many more small white-coloured objects which we could not photograph," Indonesian air force official Agus Dwi Putranto told a news conference.

Dozens of ships and planes earlier today joined a widening international effort now covering huge swaths of Indonesian sea and land.
The United States announced it was sending the USS Sampson destroyer, joining at least 30 ships, 15 aircraft and seven helicopters in the search for the jet carrying 162 people, said Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo.

A Chinese frigate was also on the way, while Singapore said it was sending two underwater beacon detectors to try to detect pings from the plane's all-important cockpit voice and flight data recorders. Malaysia, Australia and Thailand also are involved in the search.

The plane vanished on Sunday halfway into what should have been a two-hour hop from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore. Officials saw little reason to believe the flight met anything but a grim fate.

Based on the plane's last known coordinates, the aircraft probably crashed into the water and "is at the bottom of the sea," Soelistyo said on Monday.

It is believed to have crashed into Indonesia's Java Sea, a busy shipping lane where water on average is only 45 meters (150 feet) deep, but broad aerial surveys so far have turned up no firm evidence of the missing Airbus A320-200.

Saudi Arabia confident in oil rebounding on global growth (Business Day)

Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, is confident that crude prices will rebound with global economic growth boosting demand.

Prices will recover from a slump due to a glut created by a lack of cooperation from producers outside the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, Saudi Arabia Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi said at a conference in Abu Dhabi. Al-Naimi ended his speech showing the confidence as he jumped off the stage and smiled.

Brent oil tumbled into a bear market this year as the U.S. pumped the most crude in more than three decades and economic growth slowed from China to Germany. The increase in global crude demand was about 700,000 barrels a day this year, below the projected 1.2 million barrels a day, Al-Naimi said.

“The oil market will recover,” Al-Naimi said. “Fossil fuel will remain the main source of energy for decades to come.”

Oil surged from a five-year low at the end of last week after Al-Naimi said the slump in prices was temporary. West Texas Intermediate climbed 4.5 percent to $56.52 a barrel on Dec. 19 and Brent advanced 3.6 percent to $61.38 a barrel. Saudi Arabia accounted for about 13 percent of global oil output last year, BP Plc estimates.

Money managers are the most bullish since August about the rout being over. The net-long position in West Texas Intermediate rose by 26,455 contracts to 217,723 futures and options in the week ended Dec. 16, the most since mid August, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data show.

“We are now in a provisional, correctional period,” Mohammed Al Sada, Qatar’s energy minister, said at the conference. “Markets have stabilization mechanisms that will bring stability. We don’t know exactly how long it will take but it will stabilize because the current prices will separate the efficient producers from the producers who have high costs.”

Lower oil prices won’t have a major effect on Saudi Arabia’s economy, Al-Naimi said. Economic growth will expand 4.3 percent this year and 3.6 percent next year, according to analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Lack of cooperation from non-OPEC producers and wrong information in the market hit prices, Al-Naimi said. Saudi Arabia’s oil policy doesn’t target other countries, he said. If non-OPEC producers were to offer cuts, OPEC probably wouldn’t follow suit, he said. “If they want to cut they are welcome. We’re not going to cut. Certainly Saudi Arabia is not going to cut.”

High prices in the past three years and technological developments contributed to increased production, resulting in lower oil prices, Al-Naimi said. Brent averaged $100.61 a barrel this year, down from $108.71 in 2013 and $111.68 in 2012.

Output in the U.S. is the highest in three decades as companies split rocks to produce shale oil. Current prices won’t stimulate investment in energy in the long run, Al-Naimi said. Less efficient oil producers will be affected by low oil prices, he said.

Oil production costs between $5 to $100 a barrel to produce, Qatar’s Al Sada said at the conference. Shale oil costs between $30 to $90 a barrel, Al-Naimi said. “The rocks in the earth are not homogeneous, they have some sweet spots, where the oil is easier to get out, and sour spots, where it’s more difficult.”

Saudi Arabia has 265 billion barrels of oil reserves, and will increase refining capacity to 3.3 million barrels a day by 2017 from 2.1 million barrels in 2014, Al-Naimi said. It’s also looking to more joint ventures in downstream projects abroad, he said.

Mourinho may face punishment (chelsea.com)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is unlikely to face punishment over his comments about referee Anthony Taylor.

Taylor booked Cesc Fabregas for simulation during Chelsea’s game against Southampton after an incident Mourinho feels should have been a penalty.

“I think it is a scandal because it is not a small penalty - it is a penalty like Big Ben - He made a big mistake like I make, like the players make sometimes,” said the boss.

Didier Drogba has sent out a warning to Manchester City in the Premier League title race.

The striker says ‘the game is on’ as Chelsea look to defend their lead heading into the New Year.

“I think it's going to be tough - I think now we start again a new championship. I think the game is on,” said the forward.

Tomas Kalas is being tipped to move to Queens Park Rangers on loan, with reports suggesting he’ll return early from a spell with Cologne.

He’s being tipped to have his future sorted out over the next two days, before the start of the January transfer window.

Naira falls N1.92k at inter-bank market on no dollar supply (Business Day)

The nation’s currency, the naira, on Monday lost N1.92k to the US dollar at the inter-bank market as there was no foreign exchange supply from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and oil majors.
This is coming after the two-day festive holidays, marking the Christmas celebration.
After trading on Monday, the local currency closed at N183.10k/$ compared to N181.18k/$ on Wednesday last week, according to the data obtained from Financial Markets Dealers Quotations (FMDQ).
The naira depreciation was attributed to increased demand for the greenback by the end users of foreign currency.
The usual twice weekly Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) could not hold on Monday as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had closed forex auction for the year.
Meanwhile, the local currency on Monday gained N0.50k/$ at the parallel market as it closed at N191.00k/$ as against N191.50k/$.
On Wednesday, last week, before the holiday naira lost N4.50k to the US dollar at the parallel market as the official window remained closed.
A review of naira performance for the year indicates that on a year-to-date basis, the local currency has depreciated by 9.30% (or N14.30) at the official market segment to N168.00/USD as at December 24, 2014 (from N153.70/USD).

Why FG fails to meet 4,000mw of electricity generation (Business Day)

Despite several assurances, the Federal Government has failed to meet its target of 4,000 megawatts of electricity supply because of the high
spate of gas pipeline vandalisation, it says.

The implication is that Nigeria will be unable to take full advantage of the economic development which its gas resources promise, until government finds a solution to pipeline vandalisation.

Small and large businesses would continue to bear the high cost of purchasing and operating power generators which then make their goods and services often uncompetitive in the global and local markets.

Government says even though it succeeded in the last few days in hitting 4,200 megawwats, it is not sure if this can be sustained because of the constant vandalisation of the major pipelines which supply gas to the power companies.

It further says that the level of vandilisation on the major gas pipelines is having a serious negative impact on gas supply to the power plants.
Frank Edozien, Special Technical Assistant to the minister of Power, who spoke to BusinessDay, says although government had genuine intentions when it made the promise, saboteurs are frustrating its efforts.

Edozien says even though electricity generations as at today, is 4,200 megawatts, the rate of disruption does not give any confidence of sustainable supply for a long time.

He says on a weekly basis, the vandals sabotage government efforts at meeting the 4,000 megawatts mark.

He adds that efforts to police the pipelines have not been very effective.

“ The Trans -Forcados and Trans – Niger pipelines and even the Escravos- Lagos pipeline are also not spared. But the government is making efforts to arrest the issue.”

On whether the country has installed capacity to evacuate even the 4,000megawatts it is generating, in view of the current supply level, Edozien says the transmission lines can currently evacuate between 6,000 and 7,000 megawatts if there is enough power generated.
He adds however, that the lack of power supply to some areas could not be blamed entirely on lack of adequate power generation because the different distribution companies have their own internal problems.

Instead of the distribution companies addressing the issues within their networks, they prefer to blame it of lack of sufficient power supply from generation companies, he says.

Electricity consumers have been groaning because of lack of supply from the distribution companies, which is compounded by crazy or estimated bills which compel them to pay for service not rendered.

On several occasions this year, the Utorogu and Ughelli East gas plants were shut down for repair. The shutdown of the gas plants resulted in downturn in the electricity supply in some locations across the country.

Each time such a facility is shut down on account of vandalisation, it impacts on the output of power generation stations which get their gas supplies from these plants. The affected power plants include the largest power generating station in the country, Egbin power plant, located in Lagos and Omotosho power plant in Ondo.

Earlier in the year 2014 the Escravos- gas pipeline which collapsed under the weight of frequent vandalism, was repaired. The action of the vandals led to a drop of over 1,000-MW in the electricity generation level.

As Beks Dagogo-Jack, chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP) noted recently, with the large gas reserves available in Nigeria, there has been a focus on power generation on gas-fired power plants. However, recent problems with vandalism and attacks on crude and gas pipelines have revealed a significant risk point of the power reform in this regard.

Daniel disagrees with PDP delegates’ choice of Kashamu for Ogun East senatorial district (Business Day)

Contrary to the announcement made by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which picked Buruji Kashamu as senatorial candidate for Ogun East as against Gbenga Daniel, ex-governor of the state, the former governor has kicked, saying such a political arrangement would take PDP nowhere.

Daniel, who was apparently reacting to alleged endorsement of Buruji Kashamu, chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation of the PDP in South West by over 700 delegates from nine local government areas under Ogun East senatorial district against the former governor, declared that the political arrangement that produced Kashamu instead of him would further affect the fortunes of the party in the state in 2015.

The former governor, in a statement issued in Abeokuta by Ayo Giwa, his media officer on Monday, submitted that the primaries for which the delegates cited that it produced Buruji Kashamu as the party senatorial candidate for Ogun East did not exist because the National Working Committee had earlier voided such primaries and therefore was of no effect.

The former governor explained that there was a political understanding reached at an emergency meeting held on Christmas day at the instance of the party’s National Working Committee which directed him, “Otunba Gbenga Daniel to run in order to enhance the success of the party at all levels in the senatorial district and by extension, the whole state.”

The statement reads, “Former governor of Ogun State and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Otunba Gbenga Daniel has expressed his discontent about the activities of some leaders of the party, admonishing them to desist from discussing political developments within the party in the media as this negates one of the articles of the PDP constitution.

“The internal disagreements which are supposed to be necessary ingredients of democracy are, on daily basis, being externalised. This smirks of indiscipline and must be discouraged by all lovers of democracy especially at this crucial period when we inch towards a major election that will shape the future of the nation.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has declared that there were no authorised primaries held in Ogun State as the leadership of the party had earlier on called on all stakeholders to come with a unity list of candidates encompassing all various interest groups across the state. Tremendous progress has been made in this respect and the onus lies on the leadership to point the way forward.

“In order not to disrupt the arrangement, Otunba Gbenga Daniel elected not to run and pulled out of the senatorial race some weeks before the so-called primaries were held. However, at an emergency meeting summoned by the national leadership of the party on Christmas day, Otunba Gbenga Daniel was directed to run in order to enhance the success of the party at all levels in the senatorial district and by extension, the whole of the state.”

EverythingBuhari: Blame Buhari for Lagos Traffic-FG

EverythingBuhari: Blame Buhari for Lagos Traffic-FG: The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, says the people of Lagos State should blame the presidential cand...

EverythingBuhari: Blame Buhari for Lagos Traffic-FG

EverythingBuhari: Blame Buhari for Lagos Traffic-FG: The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Jumoke Akinjide, says the people of Lagos State should blame the presidential cand...

FG owes 70,000 workers three-month salaries (The Punch)

No fewer than 70,000 civil servants in 30 Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government have yet to receive their three months’ salaries.

The Secretary-General of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Mr. Alade Lawal, made this known   just as investigations by The PUNCH revealed that states like Osun, Oyo, Benue and Plateau are owing their workers between three and four months’ salaries.

Prominent among the ministries listed by Lawal during an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Monday are Education, Works, Labour and Productivity, Mines and Power.

He said, “About eight MDAs have been owing workers their salaries from   October. The number rose to 11 in November and in December, hit 30, including departments and agencies.”

Asked what was responsible for the increase in the number of MDAs indebted to their workers, Lawal said some government officials involved in salary payments were engaged in a game of deceit.

He said, “They are telling us that some of the MDAs are involved in expenditure items different from salaries. They said they were spending on items not related to salaries. But that is not supposed to be the fault of the workers.

“There should be synergy in government whereby they have to work in tandem with the Budget Office and Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation. They know what they are doing, they are muddling up the whole exercise and suffering workers unnecessarily.”

He said the government had no tangible reason for not paying the workers, having promised to do so before December 24.

“As of   December 22, they promised us that before Wednesday, December 24, these payments would be made. But as I am talking to you now, affected workers have not been paid.

“The Ministry of Works alone has about 26,000 workers. If you add them together, they can’t be less than 70,000 workers that are affected.

“We have been liaising with our people. But you know, this is a festive period and it has affected some of the trade union actions we intended taking. The promise that they made last week which they also told the press that they would pay before Christmas, we thought they were serious about it. But latest developments indicate that they are   deceiving us.”

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had in a statement by her Special Adviser on Communication, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, on December 22 promised that the   salary arrears of civil servants in MDAs would be paid before Christmas.

The PUNCH gathered on Monday that civil servants in states like Osun, Oyo, Benue, Plateau and Abia had a bleak Christmas as they are being owed between two and four-month salaries.

In Osun State for instance, the Chairman of state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Saka Adesiyan, told one of our correspondents in Osogbo that workers were being owed October, November and December salaries.

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr. Boye Abolarin, also confirmed that   secondary school teachers   were being owed October, November and December salaries.

Abolarin said that workers were subjected to hardship while politicians were feeding fat especially during the Yuletide.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola, however,   blamed the development on the dwindling monthly   allocations     to the state.

Aregbesola, in a   statement made available to our correspondent by his media aide,   Semiu Okanlawon, said, “Either at the federal or at the state level, where is it that workers   are being paid as and when due?

“We thought this situation will not last long. That was why we used our strategic reserve to augment salaries for one year. All our savings were spent on augmentation of salaries.”

In Oyo, the state NLC   Chairman, Basiru Alli,   said   that the November and December salaries of some workers were being awaited.

He said, “I will not say that government in the state is owing us, it is actually delaying payment of workers salaries. As of now, not all workers have been paid November salaries. Some are still waiting for theirs. We do not know when the December salary will come.”

Asked what efforts the NLC was making to ensure all the workers got paid, Alli said that they were told by the government that   dwindling allocations from the Federal Government were responsible.

“We hold consultations with the government from time to time and what we were told the last time was that it was not a deliberate attempt to delay the salaries but due to dwindling allocations, the state had to manage its resources.”

But the Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said that all workers had been paid November salaries.

He said, “The state government is passionate about staff welfare. We are handicapped by the dwindling allocations from the Federal Government. We have a wage bill of N4.9bn but the allocation we have this month was N2.9bn. Last month, the state got N3.1bn from the Federal Government. We are   working hard to ensure workers are paid the December salaries.”

The situation in Benue State is not better as the   government is also currently owing three months’ salaries.

Before the Yuletide,   the government owed workers five months’ salaries but it paid two months’ salaries at different intervals.

A civil servant, who pleaded anonymity told The PUNCH that a day to Christmas, some of his colleagues received alert for one month salary while on Monday, others received alert for their second salary payment.

The civil servant   explained that they could not enjoy the Yuletide due to the debts they had incurred.

He said, “What the state government paid to us was used to settle   debts .

“Mind you, we from the mainstream civil service are not on any industrial action but the state is currently owing us three month-salaries. I can tell you that the situation is worse for lecturers as they have been on half salaries for five months.”

Investigations by The PUNCH in Abia State indicated that while civil servants in the   ministries   had received their November and December salaries, their counterparts in the parastatals were being owed some months .

The Chairman, NLC   in the state,   Sylvanus Eye, said workers in the parastatals had not been paid November and December salaries.

He added that teachers as well as council workers   were also being owed arrears of two months.

The state   leadership of NLC had about three weeks ago picketed the office of the Accountant General   over the salary arrears of the parastatal workers   and for allegedly witholding check- off dues of the union.

When contacted, the Accountant General,   Gabriel Onyendilefu, said that “the function of payment is dependent on available cash”.

He explained that in the past five months, the state’s allocations from the federation accounts had been dwindling following the constant fall in the price of crude oil.

In Kogi State, local governments’ workers complained that they only received half of their salaries for October and November.

They alleged that they still had some backlogs of salaries that were not fully paid.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, said the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, had informed them that they would receive alert of their December payment on Tuesday(today).

The NLC Chairman, Plateau State chapter, Mr. Jibrin Bancir, told one of our correspondents that the government was owing many workers four months arrears of salaries and   leave grants.

The worst hit are local government workers who have not been paid for about seven months.

Meanwhile, the NLC has directed its state chapters to furnish it with actual state of affairs in connection with the salary arrears.

Noting that it was criminal for any government to owe workers their salaries, the NLC said it would take a firm decision in a couple of days on the issue.

The General Secretary of the congress, Mr. Peter Ozo-Eson, stated this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents in Ilorin on Monday.

Okonjo-Iweala

He said, “We have not taken a firm decision on what to do until we get actual information on which state, what is owed, how many months and the actual amount from all the state councils. We hope that within a couple of days, these reports would have got to us and we would take a firm position on them.

“We would rely on the reports that we get from our state chapters. We are asking our state to advise us on salary payments and if there are debts. Based on that we are going to collate take appropriate actions in relation to getting those salaries paid.

“We condemn any state government that is owing arrears of salaries because the workers must be the first to be paid before they start spending on any other issue.”

Ozo-Eson said it was worrisome that even the Federal Government was owing some categories of its workers for about three months.

He lamented that some state chapters of the NLC did not give the national body a report on time that their members   were being owed.

He stated that payment of workers’ salaries should be made a priority.

The NLC secretary said,   “For us, it is criminal for any government not to pay workers’ salaries, accumulate them over months while the governors and other political office holders take their own salaries. Such is criminal. We are also aware that even the Federal Government is owing some categories of civil servants their salaries   for over three months.

“This is extremely unacceptable. Whatever is the reason for that! In the case of the Federal Government, they try to explain it in terms of problems with migration to IPPIS system.We think whatever is the logic, those salaries and   arrears need to be paid immediately.

“On state governments that are owing, unfortunately some of the NLC chapters   did not bring it to our notice early enough for us to know that salaries are owed. If you owe a worker salary for a month, you have no moral obligation to expect workers to come and render any service.

“So to hear that there are states and large number of them that are owing workers for two or three months is completely unacceptable.”

Copyright PUNCH.

Only corrupt Nigerians oppose Buhari, says APC (The Punch)

Odigie-Oyegun

THE All Progressives Congress on Monday said that only corrupt Nigerians and persons opposed to change would be against the election of its presidential flag bearer, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as the nation’s President in 2015.

The National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, stated this while speaking with journalists in Benin, against the backdrop of speculation that the former military Head of State would probe past political office holders if he emerged victorious in the 2015 presidential election.

Odigie-Oyegun stressed that the party was interested in the future of the country, rather than digging into the past.

He said, “The only people I can think of, who will fear the Buhari Presidency are those who do not want change; they are those who want to continue with business as usual; they are those who want to continue to profit from the level of corruption in the society. We will have no apologies for people like that.

“But it is clear that from the Buhari’s perspective and that of the APC, the future of the people of this country is too important for us to spend valuable time trying to dig into the past.”

While urging public office holders to desist from corrupt practices, the APC national chairman assured Nigerians that the law would take its course, adding that anybody who believed that the future of Nigeria was greater than his or her personal proclivity would have nothing to fear.

He said, “The message will be clear – whatever you engage in before that is detrimental to the people of this country, please stop it. Change has come. It is time for change and anybody who decides that he does not want to be part of the change and wants business as usual, that is his choice.

“And we are going to go into a situation, post May 2015, where the law will normally take its course. There will be a line drawn on the sand; on one part is the past, the other side is the future.

“If you are part of the future – part of change, part of changing the society from all these deliberate ills that have brought us to our kneels, you are our friend. You have nothing at all to fear. We don’t have time to go digging into the past. The future of our people is the challenge that we have; not the past.”

The former Edo State Governor described the comment by one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s aides, Doyin Okupe, where he (President Jonathan) was likened to Jesus Christ, as ”the highest blasphemous comment” and “the highest level of sycophancy” he had ever heard.

He added that “They will be swept out by the power of the people and God.”

He also expressed optimism that Nigerians would resist every form of rigging in next year’s elections.

Odigie-Oyegun said, “One, we hope the PDP does not rig. Two, I hope the party realises that there is a great movement for change and we hope they (the people) are wise enough. They recognise it and allow the peoples vote to count.

“The international community has been sensitised. You can only rig when the people largely are on your side. I expect that they won’t be foolish enough to attempt the kind of crude and blatant rigging that can upturn the results that we expect and upturn the wishes of the people.

“I cannot predict; we are not in control of security forces. We are not in control of the police. We pray for peace; we want peace; we desire peace in the interest of the long-suffering people of this country.

“But they will need to do something totally crude that any blind man can see. That is for them to succeed on February 14. That, I think, is virtually impossible.”

Copyright PUNCH.

My Certificates are with the Nig. military-Buhari

Buhari

A former Head of State and the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 general elections, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has told the Independent National Electoral Commission that his academic qualifications and credentials are with the military.

A visit by journalists to the headquarters of the commission on Monday in Abuja revealed that Buhari’s academic qualifications were not on display, unlike those of other Presidential candidates, including President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party.

But in an affidavit, which he deposed to at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, he explained that all his certificates were with the Secretary, Military Board.

The affidavit dated November 24, 2014, was stamped and received by INEC on December 18 2014.

“I am the above-named person and deponent to this affidavit therein. All my academic qualifications documents as filled in my presidential form, President APC/001/2015, are currently with the Secretary, Military Board as of the time of presenting this affidavit. The affidavit is made in good faith and for record purpose,” Buhari stated.

The PUNCH had exclusively reported that Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo had also told INEC that his Bachelors and Masters’ degree certificates in Architecture from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, had been consumed by fire.

Sambo, who is the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, had made the declaration in the documents he filed with INEC and displayed on the commission’s office in Abuja, even though the details of the fire that consumed the certificates were not given.

Sambo’s papers were received and stamped by the INEC between December 10 and 18, 2014 and validated by two letters from the ABU, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent.

Copyright PUNCH.

Mega Mode Media: Khloe's ex. French Montan, drops a surprise

Mega Mode Media: Khloe's ex. French Montan, drops a surprise: He admitted to getting into a relationship with famous Khloe Kardashian, the reality star, in order to cash in on her popularity to getting ...

Buhari, Obasanjo Planning Interim Govt.-FG

The Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, on Monday, said a plot by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to form an interim government has been uncovered.
The minister said this in Lagos at the launch of a book titled, ‘Watch the Watcher,’ written by an activist, Yinka Odumakin, in reaction to Obasanjo’s controversial book, ‘My Watch’.
Adesiyan said he had already directed the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba; and the Department of State Service to arrest anybody that made inflammatory statements ahead of the 2015 elections.
He said, “Many of those in the APC are disgruntled PDP members who are no longer relevant and because they could not have their way, they have started to heat up the polity. They have said they will form a parallel government if they lose.
“I have already told the IG and the DSS to arrest anybody making such mutinous and inflammatory statements.”
Adesiyan said his suspicion was fuelled by a threat by the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, that the APC would form a parallel government if the 2015 general elections were rigged.
He added, “Obasanjo is already planning to install an interim government with Buhari. But we will vote and we will work with whoever wins the election.”
Adesiyan, who was detained in 2003 for the murder of the Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, said the former President was vindictive and was fighting Jonathan because he (Jonathan) had refused to be used by him.
The minister, who was later freed over Ige’s murder, said Obasanjo picked Jonathan as the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s running mate because he felt he could control him but his plans backfired.
The minister said, “He picked a President that was sick and while we were campaigning for the President, he (Yar’Adua) was always in Germany receiving treatment. While many were lobbying for the VP slot, Obasanjo picked a gentleman, Goodluck Jonathan, who had no strong political base so that he could control him.
“Unfortunately for Obasanjo, God had a better plan and Jonathan refused to be used. Obasanjo, being the man that he is, has now teamed up with Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar to snatch power but Tinubu will outsmart him because we Osun people are smart. Ask Tinubu, he is my brother, from my state. He is from Iragbiji while I am from Ode-Omu.”
The Director of Communications, Buhari Campaign Organisations, Dele Alake, said it was silly for anyone to say that Buhari was plotting the emergence of an interim government when Buhari was also participating in the presidential election.
He said, “It must have dawned on Nigerians that the PDP don’t have any answer to the multifarious problems plaguing Nigeria and that is why they have resorted to mudslinging and character assassination.
“If Buhari was planning an interim government, why would he be running for President in the first place? I think sanity has taken leave from them.
“Buhari remains the only viable solution to the quagmire that Nigeria has fallen into and it will take a disciplined person like Buhari to straighten things out.”
When contacted, a source close to Obasanjo, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was only the ex-president that could react to the allegation.
The source told our correspondent on the telephone, “It is only Baba that can react to the matter.”
Copyright The Punch

Why did Nig.'s VP tell electoral agency his credentials are unavailable?

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo has told the Independent National Electoral Commission that his Bachelors and Masters degrees certificates in Architecture from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, have been consumed by fire.
Sambo, who is the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the declaration in the documents he filed with INEC and displayed on the commission’s office in Abuja although the details of the fire that consumed the certificates were not given.
Sambo’s papers were received and stamped in INEC headquarters between December 10 and 18, 2014.
The VP’s declaration was validated by two letters from the ABU, a copy of which was obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday.
The first letter, signed by one Alhassan Garba for the institution’s registrar under the title, “To Whom it may Concern: Mohammed Namani Sambo,” read, “I certify that the above-named person having completed an approved course of study and passed the prescribed examinations was awarded the Bachelor of Science (Architecture) with Second Class Honours (Lower Division) in 1976 by the Senate of this University. His original certificate got burnt. Please treat his case in view of this certification. Thank you.”
The second letter, also signed by Garba for the ABU registrar, read, “I certify that the above-named person having completed an approved course of study and passed the prescribed examinations was awarded the Master of Science (Architecture) on May 25, 1978 by the Senate of this University. His original certificate got burnt. Please treat his case in view of this certification. Thank you.”
Meanwhile, indications have emerged that only 13 political parties would field presidential candidates in the 2015 elections.
The parties and their candidates are the People Democratic Party, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan; the All Progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); Action Alliance, Tunde Anifowose-Kelani; Kowa Party, Prof. Oluremi Sonaiya; United Progressives Party; Chief Chekwas Okorie; and National Conscience Party, Chief Martin Onovo.
Others are African Democratic Congress, Dr. Ibrahim Nani; United Democratic Party, Godson Okoye; Alliance for Democracy, Rafiu Salau; Peoples Party of Nigeria, Kelvin Alagoa; Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Alhaji Ganiyu Oseni; African Peoples Alliance, Alhaji Adebayo Ayeni; and Hope Democratic Party, Ambrose Owuru.
Copyright PUNCH.

PDP leader says Jonathan is scared of APC's Buhari

A leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, Chief Jude Tabai, has said the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is a big threat to President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015.
Tabai, who is also a youth leader in the Niger Delta, expressed the fear in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday.
He said, “By and large, the PDP should see the opposition party as a challenge, no matter who they project as their candidate owing to their desperation to get power. Even though we know that they have nothing to offer to Nigerians but the PDP should be wary of their desperation, because the APC is a propagandist party.
“The PDP should use the remaining one month to the elections to sensitise Nigerians to the antics of the opposition to clinch power at all costs.
“If anybody says Buhari is not a threat, that person is deceiving President Goodluck Jonathan. This is because Buhari and his party (the APC) are ready to kill and maim innocent souls in order to force themselves on Nigerians.”
The PDP leader, however, lampooned Buhari for his alleged desperation to rule the country.
He said, “The major fact that I want Nigerians to understand is that Buhari does not deserve to be President of this country, neither does he deserve to be elected by Nigerians.
“This is because Buhari has made all Nigerians to know that he is a man who wants to become President through violence or through war or bloodshed.
“He has proved it in previous elections. He had threatened Nigerians that “monkeys and baboons would be soaked in blood” if he didn’t win the 2011 presidential election. That alone is an indicting statement to, innocent Nigerians, both big and small, are being soaked in blood even up till date.”
Copyright PUNCH.

Agbaje picks deputy running mate

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has chosen a trained teacher and an accountant, Alhaja Safurat Olayinka Abdulkarim, to run with Mr. Jimi Agbaje, its Governorship Candidate in the 2015 race for Lagos State.
A staunch Muslim, who had been Running Mate to Late Engineer Funso Williams (PDP Governorship Candidate for Lagos in 2003), Safurat is the wife of a retired Air Force officer and holds an MBA.
In a press statement yesterday (Saturday) by Agbaje’s Media Director, FELIX OBOAGWINA, Mrs. Abdulkarim said she would complement her principal, and assist in ushering into Lagos a refreshing atmosphere, devoid of state-brewed intimidation and human rights abuses.
It is a second coming for Safurat Abdulkarim, who in 2003 had been Running Mate to the Late Engineer Funsho Williams, a PDP Lagos Governorship Candidate, mysteriously assassinated later in 2006.
“I feel humbled about being chosen for this noble responsibility,” she said of her pairing with the PDP Governorship Candidate. “Mr. Jimi Agbaje is an amiable personality. He is a complete gentleman. I hope I can really, really complement him and assist him in winning the 2015 election because Lagosians strongly desire a change in government.”
Describing PDP’s chances in the governorship polls as very bright, the Deputy Governorship Candidate said she and Agbaje were entering the race at a time when Lagosians wanted to break the shackles of subjugation that had held them bound for 16 years.
“Our chances are very bright. Everybody is tired of the government of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has demonstrated much impunity. Citizens want a change in government. They want personalities who can bring positive programmes to their lives. We want to usher into Lagos a better way of governance, devoid of coercion and intimidation and harassment, characteristics that earmark the current administration.”
With a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Ado-Ekiti in 2007, Safurat began her educational life in Ansar-ud-Deen Primary School, Badagry, Lagos, between 1966 and 1972.
From 1975 to 1980, she attended Government Teachers’ College, Badagry, where she obtained a Teacher’s Grade II Certificate.
She thereafter proceeded to the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, from 1985 to 1987 for an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Accounting, followed by a Higher National Diploma (HND) from the Kano State Polytechnic (1990).
In 2006, she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Management from the University of Ado-Ekiti.
Starting out in her career as an Accounting Officer with Bintu Binta Trading Company, Kano, in 1987, Mrs. Abdulkarim later returned to the South-West, where she rose to become the General Manager of the Ikeja, Lagos-based Disk Engineering Limited (1990 to 1996), and thereafter Managing Director of Transmit Network (1996 to 1999).
Born 23rd June 1961 to the Muslim family of Mr. Abdulmananu Mofolorunsho Layode and Mrs. Risikat Ayinke Layode, Safurat has her roots in the indigenous Egun and Awori extractions of Lagos.
Her father hailed from Layode compound in Awhonjigoh Quarters, Badagry, while her mother came from the famous Akibon family, a lineage of warriors from Akogun Compound in Iba Town, in present day Ojo Local Government.
Between 1998 and 1999, this staunch member of the Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) was appointed Vice Chairman and Supervisory Councillor in the Caretaker Committee of Badagry Local Government.
Safurat is married to Wing-Commander Bala Abdulkarim (Rtd), with whom she has children.

Buhari, Osinbajo bare fangs against Jonathan over missing monies

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and his vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), have declared war on corruption.
They, therefore, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his anti corruption gains on the war against corruption especially as his administration faces complicity in the case of a missing $20bn from the nation's till.
Buhari said this in a statement by the Director, Communications, Buhari Campaign Organisations, Mr. Dele Alake, yesterday.
He said, “In the spirit of the war against corruption, we demand the release of the audit report of the missing $20bn.
“Clearly unable to oppose us with an equally clean and unassailable ticket, we can understand why our opponents are running from pillar to post digging graves in search of rumours in the impossible hope of misinforming unsuspecting voters and spinning a web of blackmail and deceit.
“In this electoral contest of vision and moral stature, only the guilty needs to be afraid. Luckily, our lives are like the open book. We challenge our opponents to stake their desire to lead Nigeria again on what they have achieved with the billions of resources they received.”
Buhari said if voted into office, he would implement programme which would entail a zero-tolerance for corruption.
He said his life was an open book as he had nothing to hide.
The APC presidential candidate boasted that he and his running mate lived exemplary lives and had become reference points for how to live a morally upright life.
He said corruption was Nigeria’s biggest problem as it led to a myriad of problems especially poor living conditions for Nigerians.
He said, “Our vision is a new Nigeria in which corruption and abuse of office shall be sanctioned according to existing laws with the strengthening of the institutions of state; a Nigeria where the public and private sectors will collaborate to create zero tolerance for sharp practices in the running of government business.
“There is a clear linkage between the billions of naira lost to corruption and the poor living conditions of our people: it is the resources meant for the development of our people that are diverted to service the greed of a few
“It is indeed true that, by sheer force of personal examples, my running mate and I, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that it is possible to live above the greed that dominates the system.”

See strategy! Stars of embattled movie did what?

James Franco and Seth Rogen, the lead stars of The Interview, also rose to the rescue of the controversial movie that was nearly cancelled but received a revival courtesy of a surprise Christmas Day release mainly through online streaming.

A few minutes ago, the leading men gave it another boost with a streaming live-tweeting interview with Franco and Rogen in another promotional bid to popularise the movie positively.

The movie's production led to the hacking of Sony's computers by groups that American intelligence traced to North Korea. This situation led to the release of damaging and confidential information about the internal workings of the corporation and its stars on one hand, and state of affairs within the multinational itself. One email exchange revealed how Angelina Jolie was dubbed merely a "celebrity" who is "minimally talented". Another detailed a racist convo among Sony's top management where a list of recent movies having African-American leads were proposed for President Barack Obama's viewing pleasure if the US president wishes to relax with one. Such include The Butler, Djago Unchained and 12 Years a Slave.

After creating a massive PR disaster for Sony, the issue escalated with issuance of terror threats on US soil that will rival September 11, 2001 especially, against theatres showing the movie if it is released. Consequently, Sony stopped its release.

The decision however, caused a spat between Sony and Obama. The White House apparently disliked the foreign policy implications of surrendering to North Korea's whims and sharply reprimanded Sony for doing so. Judging from results from US media houses which conducted opinion polls on the matter, the decision also was unpopular among majority of Americans.

Consequently, Sony re-examined its options and decided to make a free online release of it over the yuletide. And undoubtedly limiting its negative publicity with love tweets from Franco and Rogen. Judging from the attendant buzz this action caused it's clear this is a smart move, isn't it?

Khloe's ex. French Montan, drops a surprise

He admitted to getting into a relationship with famous Khloe Kardashian, the reality star, in order to cash in on her popularity to getting famous in his musical career.

That gambit seems to be yielding dividends for French Montana, an American rap artiste.

He has lined up a musical collaboration with Queen Bey, as Beyonce is fondly called, for a remix of 7/11 which is one of the tracks from her last album.

Granted, he might have been working on getting this deal for a while but surely, the increased exposure that is certain to greet the remix is due to French's involvement, prior or ongoing, with Khloe.

Well, we are waiting to see how it plays out.

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Nigeria's Gombe state hit by bus blast (BBC)

Militant Islamists have carried out a wave of bombings in Nigeria since 2009

Continue reading the main story

Boko Haram

• What now?
• Escape from Boko Haram
• Battle to free the girls
• 'I saw my parents killed'

At least 20 people have been killed in a bombing at a bus station in Gombe city in north-eastern Nigeria, emergency workers say.

Body parts lay scattered across the scene after the explosion near a bus filling up with passengers, they said.

Militant Islamist group Boko Haram is waging an insurgency in the area.

Meanwhile, a video purportedly released by the group shows dozens of people being executed at a school dormitory after they were made to lay face down.

There is no independent confirmation that Boko Haram produced the video. It is unclear where or when it was shot.

But the video bears Boko Haram's insignia and shows gun-wielding men chanting "Allah is great" and speaking in the Kanuri language associated with the group's fighters, says BBC Nigeria analyst Jimeh Saleh.

Militants from Boko Haram, which means "Western education is forbidden", often attack educational establishments.

Red Cross official Abubakar Adamu Gombe told the BBC Hausa service that he expected the number of people killed by the explosion in Gombe to rise.

Eighteen people had been rushed to hospital with serious injuries, he said.

Government official Mato Yakubu said the blast occurred at 10:50 local time (09:50 GMT), as people were climbing on to a nearby bus at the Dukku bus park, AFP news agency reports.

At least three people were killed in a bomb attack at another bus station in Gombe city on 31 October.

Gombe state shares a border with Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, the three Nigerian states worst-affected by the insurgency and which have been under emergency rule since last year.

At least 2,000 civilians have been killed by Boko Haram this year.

The group launched its insurgency in 2009 to create an Islamic state in the region.

The kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in April from the town of Chibok in Borno state sparked international outrage.