Wednesday 29 April 2015
Nig. army unsure if rescued 200 Sambisa females are missing Chibok girls
The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, has confirmed that the troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued 200 girls and 93 women during a raid on Sambisa Forest in Borno State.
However, Olukolade could not however confirm whether the rescued girls were the Chibok girls, who were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State in April last year or not.
The Defence spokesman told our correspondent on the telephone that the tweets on the twitter handle of the Nigeria military supplied the true information about the military operation in Sambisa.
The Defence authorities had stated in three tweets that the soldiers rescued the girls and the women during an invasion of the Boko Haram stronghold.
It was further stated that the freed girls and women were being screened and profiled.
The Defence authorities stated specifically that the military had not been able to confirm whether the girls were part of the Chibok girls, who were abducted by Boko Haram on April 14, 2014.
It was further stated that the troops also destroyed three terrorists camps including Tokumbere, which is said to be highly notorious (for crimes).
He said, “Troops this afternoon rescued 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa. We cannot confirm if the Chibok girls are in the roup.
“The troops captured and destroyed three terrorists camps including the notorious Tokumbere Camp in the Sambisa Forest operation.
“The freed persons are now bein screened and profiled. We will bring you details later."
The Punch
Tuesday 28 April 2015
Top European countries scramble for state visits from Nigeria's president-elect
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, and her French counterpart, Fracois Hollande, have extended invitations to President-Elect, Mohammadu Buhari, to visit their countries.
Merkel currently heads the G7 economic block of industrialised countries, comprising Germany, Canada, France, Japan, United States of America, Britain and Italy.
The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Zenner; his Canadian and French counterparts, Perry John Calderwood and Denys Gauer respectively, paid separate courtesy calls and held closed-door meetings with Buhari at the Defence House, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Zenner, who spoke to journalists after his meeting with Buhari, said his visit was to congratulate the President-elect and Nigerians on the successful conduct of the last general elections.
He explained that he was also here to extend the invitation of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to Buhari, requesting him to visit Germany.
Zener said, “I am here to congratulate the President-elect, Gen. Buhari, on his election and handed over to him the letter from the German Chancellor, inviting him to Germany.
“We have a very deep and intense relationship with Nigeria and there are lots of areas where we can deepen our relation and develop them further, such as in the areas of economy and energy among others.
“We have a bi-national commission with Nigeria and we are one of the countries with which Nigeria has this Bi-National Commission and it covers the whole range of political, economic and security areas. There are many areas in which we can move further and deepen our very close cooperation.”
Speaking in a similar vein, the Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Ambassador Denys Gauer, said, “As the French Ambassador, I came to congratulate the President-elect on his brilliant achievement.
“His election is an enormous achievement for Nigeria and the democratic development of Nigeria. The people of Nigeria has expressed its confidence in the President-elect.
“The challenges of Nigeria are enormous and I have come to wish him success.
“We also held a small talk about our bilateral relations. As you know, our relationship has developed quite well in recent years. In the economic field, Nigeria is already the first commercial partners of France in Africa.”
He also noted that the presence of several French companies in Nigeria was a testimony to the level of confidence his home government had in Nigeria.
According to him, France was encouraging more of its companies to come into Nigeria and invest as well as establish partnerships with Nigerian companies.
On his part, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Perry John Calderwood, said Canada considers Nigeria an important partner, especially in the area of trade and investments.
He said, “We believe that it is possible to increase these ties to include
areas such as agriculture, mining, renewable energy, infrastructure, where Canadian companies have great expertise.
“We are very pleased to see that more and more Canadian companies are looking into new opportunities in Nigeria. I am also delighted that we have a significant development programme in Nigeria, focusing on health and economic development.”
The Punch
Merkel currently heads the G7 economic block of industrialised countries, comprising Germany, Canada, France, Japan, United States of America, Britain and Italy.
The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Zenner; his Canadian and French counterparts, Perry John Calderwood and Denys Gauer respectively, paid separate courtesy calls and held closed-door meetings with Buhari at the Defence House, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Zenner, who spoke to journalists after his meeting with Buhari, said his visit was to congratulate the President-elect and Nigerians on the successful conduct of the last general elections.
He explained that he was also here to extend the invitation of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to Buhari, requesting him to visit Germany.
Zener said, “I am here to congratulate the President-elect, Gen. Buhari, on his election and handed over to him the letter from the German Chancellor, inviting him to Germany.
“We have a very deep and intense relationship with Nigeria and there are lots of areas where we can deepen our relation and develop them further, such as in the areas of economy and energy among others.
“We have a bi-national commission with Nigeria and we are one of the countries with which Nigeria has this Bi-National Commission and it covers the whole range of political, economic and security areas. There are many areas in which we can move further and deepen our very close cooperation.”
Speaking in a similar vein, the Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Ambassador Denys Gauer, said, “As the French Ambassador, I came to congratulate the President-elect on his brilliant achievement.
“His election is an enormous achievement for Nigeria and the democratic development of Nigeria. The people of Nigeria has expressed its confidence in the President-elect.
“The challenges of Nigeria are enormous and I have come to wish him success.
“We also held a small talk about our bilateral relations. As you know, our relationship has developed quite well in recent years. In the economic field, Nigeria is already the first commercial partners of France in Africa.”
He also noted that the presence of several French companies in Nigeria was a testimony to the level of confidence his home government had in Nigeria.
According to him, France was encouraging more of its companies to come into Nigeria and invest as well as establish partnerships with Nigerian companies.
On his part, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Perry John Calderwood, said Canada considers Nigeria an important partner, especially in the area of trade and investments.
He said, “We believe that it is possible to increase these ties to include
areas such as agriculture, mining, renewable energy, infrastructure, where Canadian companies have great expertise.
“We are very pleased to see that more and more Canadian companies are looking into new opportunities in Nigeria. I am also delighted that we have a significant development programme in Nigeria, focusing on health and economic development.”
The Punch
I never apologised to Bode George-Tinubu (The Punch)
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has denied apologising to the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Chief Bode George.
George had said, during an interview with Sunday PUNCH, that Tinubu was responsible for his imprisonment but had apologised to him at the burial of the Deputy President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao, last year.
George had said, “Bola thought I hated him so much and convolutedly conspired to use a judge to put me in prison. We later met at the Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan, at the burial of my good friend, Alao Arisekola. The Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, who is a younger brother of mine, sprang up and said, ‘Why are you and Tinubu not greeting each other?’ and I said ‘Bola is on a different planet from mine’.
“Oba Otudeko was also there and he said, ‘Today at the burial of our mutual friend, Arisekola, we should end our hostility’ and I told them that he was involved in the conspiracy to lock me up. They called Bola, he shook my hand and said he was sorry. It was in public. Since then, if we meet in public, we greet each other but our concepts of politics are different.”
However, Tinubu in a statement on Tuesday by his media adviser, Mr. Sunday Dare, said he never apologised to George since he had nothing to do with George’s incarceration.
The ex-Lagos State Governor explained that although they both met at Arisekola Alao’s burial, their conversation had nothing to do with an apology.
He said, “Mr. George claims the alleged apology was made at the burial of Chief Alao Arisekola. On that date, personalities such as Oba Otudeko and Governor Ajimobi approached me because I did not greet Mr. George initially. They pleaded that, in the memory of the man we were all gathered to honour, I should greet Mr. George. At their request, I turned back and came to greet him by saying, ‘Good afternoon Egbon (senior)’. That was all.”
Tinubu argued that he could not have been involved in the incarceration of George since it was the Federal Government that instituted the case against George, a former Military Administrator of the old Ondo State.
He said rather, it was people within George’s party that orchestrated his two-year jail term in Kirikiri prison.
He explained that George, who has since been exonerated by the Supreme Court, was convicted of ‘invoice splitting’, which had nothing to do with politics.
He said, “Mr. George seeks to imbue me with more power than I could possibly have. I am flattered but in all humility, I must protest the false assessment. If he can remember, the government of the day was that of the PDP.
“I have never had or sought much influence in those circles. He was charged by the government ruled by his own party for an offence concerning financial irregularities at the Nigeria Port Authority, an appointment he received from that same government.
“It is an incredible tale indeed to state that somehow, I could direct a party that tried to dismantle the progressive political structure of my party to bring down one of its key members.
“The more plausible explanation for his legal tribulation was that a member of his own cabal blew the whistle on Mr. George’s antics for reasons that only he and that person truly know. The rest is now history.”
George had said, during an interview with Sunday PUNCH, that Tinubu was responsible for his imprisonment but had apologised to him at the burial of the Deputy President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao, last year.
George had said, “Bola thought I hated him so much and convolutedly conspired to use a judge to put me in prison. We later met at the Adamasingba Stadium, Ibadan, at the burial of my good friend, Alao Arisekola. The Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, who is a younger brother of mine, sprang up and said, ‘Why are you and Tinubu not greeting each other?’ and I said ‘Bola is on a different planet from mine’.
“Oba Otudeko was also there and he said, ‘Today at the burial of our mutual friend, Arisekola, we should end our hostility’ and I told them that he was involved in the conspiracy to lock me up. They called Bola, he shook my hand and said he was sorry. It was in public. Since then, if we meet in public, we greet each other but our concepts of politics are different.”
However, Tinubu in a statement on Tuesday by his media adviser, Mr. Sunday Dare, said he never apologised to George since he had nothing to do with George’s incarceration.
The ex-Lagos State Governor explained that although they both met at Arisekola Alao’s burial, their conversation had nothing to do with an apology.
He said, “Mr. George claims the alleged apology was made at the burial of Chief Alao Arisekola. On that date, personalities such as Oba Otudeko and Governor Ajimobi approached me because I did not greet Mr. George initially. They pleaded that, in the memory of the man we were all gathered to honour, I should greet Mr. George. At their request, I turned back and came to greet him by saying, ‘Good afternoon Egbon (senior)’. That was all.”
Tinubu argued that he could not have been involved in the incarceration of George since it was the Federal Government that instituted the case against George, a former Military Administrator of the old Ondo State.
He said rather, it was people within George’s party that orchestrated his two-year jail term in Kirikiri prison.
He explained that George, who has since been exonerated by the Supreme Court, was convicted of ‘invoice splitting’, which had nothing to do with politics.
He said, “Mr. George seeks to imbue me with more power than I could possibly have. I am flattered but in all humility, I must protest the false assessment. If he can remember, the government of the day was that of the PDP.
“I have never had or sought much influence in those circles. He was charged by the government ruled by his own party for an offence concerning financial irregularities at the Nigeria Port Authority, an appointment he received from that same government.
“It is an incredible tale indeed to state that somehow, I could direct a party that tried to dismantle the progressive political structure of my party to bring down one of its key members.
“The more plausible explanation for his legal tribulation was that a member of his own cabal blew the whistle on Mr. George’s antics for reasons that only he and that person truly know. The rest is now history.”
Again, fuel scarcity ravages Lagos, environs (Vanguard)
A day after the expiration of the three-day deadline given by Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, to stop lifting petroleum products due to debts owed them by the Federal Government, fuel scarcity has hit Lagos and environs.
The crisis worsened as motorists spent an average of 12 hours at petrol stations in their quest to purchase the commodity.
Also, majority of the fuel stations had altered their pump price, selling between N100 and N130 per litre.
The prolonged scarcity had also brought in its wake, a hike in transport fares, prices of commodities and services both in Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
In Oshodi, Ojuelegba and Ojota areas of Lagos, commuters were seen stranded, as there were few vehicles plying the roads.
Fuel Scarcity— Motorists queuing for fuel in Abuja, yesterday
Fuel Scarcity— Motorists queuing for fuel in Abuja.
In Abuja, large crowd of pedestrians were seen at almost all the bus stops, as one of the cab drivers told Vanguard that commercial drivers are left with no other option than to hike their fares, as most of them had to purchase fuel from the black market at a minimum of N200 per litre.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had blamed the fuel scarcity currently witnessed in some parts of the country on the strike action embarked upon by the members of National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, over their disagreements with major oil marketers.
NNPC in a statement by Mr. Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, said the strike was in protest of the huge amount NARTO and PTD members claimed they are being owed by major oil marketers.
To this end, the NNPC said the truck drivers have refused to lift petroleum products from the coastal depots.
“We are, however, working towards a speedy resolution of the issues to ensure a hitch-free distribution of products across the country,” the NNPC assured.
The NNPC also appealed to NARTO and PTD to call off the strike in the interest of the country and not unleash unnecessary hardship on Nigerians.
Furthermore, the NNPC assured Nigerians that it has enough stock of petrol to service the country for 27 days at a national consumption rate of 40 million litres per day even as it has stepped up efforts to end the distribution challenges in the fuel supply system.
According to the NNPC, “we have sufficient stock of petrol at our coastal depots in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Calabar
Baltimore boils, state of emergency declared
The small US state of Maryland has one of the largest concentration of Nigerians. It is no surprise some readers want Mega Mode Media to report the Baltimore riots, the latest protest which turned violent.
Lately, the state has been under tremendous tension following the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray at the hands of the police.
Police officers in riot gear clashed with rock-throwing youths Monday Baltimore, hours after a funeral for Gray, the black man who has become the nation’s latest symbol of police brutality.
Reporters for The New York Times are covering the spreading violence that broke out Monday in the Mondawmin neighborhood,where friends, neighbors, activists and government officials had gathered to eulogize Gray.
Mega Mode Media monitoring of the situation notices that events in Maryland is fast degenerating; some police officers were attacked, the state's governor and mayor have declared a state of emergency and have also activated the National Guard specially trained for grave emergencies in US.
These actions follow looting and arson against a CVS store. Firefighters efforts to operate a water hydrant with a tube to put out the fire was undermined when protesters cut the tube in many places. Human walls of anti-riot policemen line the main spot of violence as the tenseness escalates. Some arrests have also been made.
Protesters claimed their violent conduct is due to long, built up resentment against insidious racism exhibited by the latest act of police brutality against Gray, leading to an increase in the statistic of blacks felled by US police on flimsy reasons.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore mayor, announces the curfew from Wednesday, April 28, (today) from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for an initial period of one week.
Lately, the state has been under tremendous tension following the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray at the hands of the police.
Police officers in riot gear clashed with rock-throwing youths Monday Baltimore, hours after a funeral for Gray, the black man who has become the nation’s latest symbol of police brutality.
Reporters for The New York Times are covering the spreading violence that broke out Monday in the Mondawmin neighborhood,where friends, neighbors, activists and government officials had gathered to eulogize Gray.
Mega Mode Media monitoring of the situation notices that events in Maryland is fast degenerating; some police officers were attacked, the state's governor and mayor have declared a state of emergency and have also activated the National Guard specially trained for grave emergencies in US.
These actions follow looting and arson against a CVS store. Firefighters efforts to operate a water hydrant with a tube to put out the fire was undermined when protesters cut the tube in many places. Human walls of anti-riot policemen line the main spot of violence as the tenseness escalates. Some arrests have also been made.
Protesters claimed their violent conduct is due to long, built up resentment against insidious racism exhibited by the latest act of police brutality against Gray, leading to an increase in the statistic of blacks felled by US police on flimsy reasons.
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore mayor, announces the curfew from Wednesday, April 28, (today) from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for an initial period of one week.
Uduaghan warns Buhari, reveals Jonathan 's mistakes
The Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has warned the All Progressives Congress against marginalising the people of the South-South and the South-East as this could lead to crisis.
Uduaghan said this during a programme on Channels Television on Sunday.
The governor said the reports of the zoning of key offices by the leadership of the APC showed that the party might sideline the people of the South-East and the South-South because the people of the said geopolitical zones did not vote for the APC.
He, therefore, warned the party to run a government that would foster national integration.
He said, “Governor Rochas Okorocha said the APC is in the mainstream of the South-East but that is not true. If you monitor their meetings and the zoning (of key offices), they (APC) seem to be leaving out the South-East and the South-South because the zones did not vote for them.
“That is very dangerous because every segment of Nigeria must be carried along. This is because the thing that disenfranchises people and makes them to go back to trenches is very little. One of the issues in the last four years was that the North was not carried along but was neglected by this present government and there was an inflammation of the Boko Haram because of that.
“Boko Haram had been there before four years ago but because the North was not being carried along, people were unemployed; the group of people to be recruited was very much available. This can happen in any part of the country and that is why I am saying that they (APC) must first put Nigeria together and ensure that every segment of Nigeria has a sense of belonging. Don’t say these people are nobodies and you take them for granted, it would be very dangerous.”
On why President Goodluck Jonathan lost the election, Uduaghan said the President was surrounded by dishonest people and a team that was not as strong as those who managed his campaign in 2011.
Uduaghan said the defection of five governors from the Peoples Democratic Party in 2013 as well as the crisis in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum contributed to the PDP’s defeat.
He said, “Some people around him (Jonathan) were not telling him the truth. When you start elbowing people out this is what happens. For example, why should Olusegun Obasanjo leave the party? He is not somebody that you can take for granted in Nigeria. Why did we allow him to go?”
Copyright PUNCH
Uduaghan said this during a programme on Channels Television on Sunday.
The governor said the reports of the zoning of key offices by the leadership of the APC showed that the party might sideline the people of the South-East and the South-South because the people of the said geopolitical zones did not vote for the APC.
He, therefore, warned the party to run a government that would foster national integration.
He said, “Governor Rochas Okorocha said the APC is in the mainstream of the South-East but that is not true. If you monitor their meetings and the zoning (of key offices), they (APC) seem to be leaving out the South-East and the South-South because the zones did not vote for them.
“That is very dangerous because every segment of Nigeria must be carried along. This is because the thing that disenfranchises people and makes them to go back to trenches is very little. One of the issues in the last four years was that the North was not carried along but was neglected by this present government and there was an inflammation of the Boko Haram because of that.
“Boko Haram had been there before four years ago but because the North was not being carried along, people were unemployed; the group of people to be recruited was very much available. This can happen in any part of the country and that is why I am saying that they (APC) must first put Nigeria together and ensure that every segment of Nigeria has a sense of belonging. Don’t say these people are nobodies and you take them for granted, it would be very dangerous.”
On why President Goodluck Jonathan lost the election, Uduaghan said the President was surrounded by dishonest people and a team that was not as strong as those who managed his campaign in 2011.
Uduaghan said the defection of five governors from the Peoples Democratic Party in 2013 as well as the crisis in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum contributed to the PDP’s defeat.
He said, “Some people around him (Jonathan) were not telling him the truth. When you start elbowing people out this is what happens. For example, why should Olusegun Obasanjo leave the party? He is not somebody that you can take for granted in Nigeria. Why did we allow him to go?”
Copyright PUNCH
Sunday 26 April 2015
APC godfathers can't dictate to Buhari - Prof. Tam David -West (The Punch)
Former Minister of Petroleum and Energy, and ex-Minister of Mine, Power and Steel, Professor Tam David-West, in this interview with LEKE BAIYEWU, speaks on the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration and what he knows about the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)
What is your general assessment of the 2015 general elections?
Most Nigerians are satisfied that there was no violence. However, unlike some Nigerians, I am not overflowing in approval. They have put the cart before the horse. It was not a totally free and fair election. We are talking of the totality of the election. There were places in my area (Rivers State) where from Friday (election eve), there was shooting and nobody voted there. And yet they have declared results. That was a personal experience. There is no question that the Independent National Electoral Commission has improved greatly on its performance and I commend it. But I cannot be overflowing in commendation as if nothing bad has happened. The election was better than the previous one but it does not mean that there were no serious concerns in some areas. I can talk of my local government area, there was no election at all yet INEC announced 40-something thousand to the Peoples Democratic Party candidate. There was no election at all, and in some other places s there were brazen irregularities. We cannot go to sleep and say we are fine. The election went well but there were irregularities.
What do you make of President Goodluck Jonathan’s celebrated phone call to congratulate Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and concede defeat to him?
Sometimes, Nigerians disappoint me. (President Goodluck) Jonathan phoned (Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu) Buhari and they made him a hero; he is not a hero because of that. They said that it was a commendable thing and that it was statesmanship because he phoned Buhari to congratulate him and concede defeat. That does not make him a statesman at all. They do not know the meaning of statesman. He cannot become a statesman with one good act alone. Being a statesman involves the holistic activity, vision, performance and record of somebody. Congratulating Buhari or conceding defeat does not make Jonathan a statesman. He could be a sportsman, not a statesman.
This is what is done all over the place. (President of the United States, Barak) Obama was congratulated by Romney while voting was still going on. It is not a strange thing. For us not to be doing such here is because we are not behaving properly. What he did was the proper thing to do and I commend him for that. I am not belittling what he did but I cannot overrate him because of that. He knew what he was going to do. In other places, you will throw in the towel once you have known that there is no miracle that can happen for you to win. It is normal to say ‘in order not to waste time, I concede defeat.’ Romney did it to Obama. That is what happens all over the world. If it is the first time it is happening in Nigeria, I commend Jonathan for it. But I will not over-applaud him because of that. He had no other choice than to do it. Now Ebenezer Babatope has said he does not agree that Jonathan should have congratulated Buhari. To have congratulated Buhari and conceded defeat is noble but it made him a sportsman, not a statesman. Again, Jonathan did not do it on his own volition; Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar did a lot to bring that about.
But would you agree with those who said Jonathan should be commended for allowing the elections to be free without using his office to truncate the process?
President Jonathan did not conduct the election; that is another misconception. Yes, he was under pressure but anyone that tried that, including Buhari, would have made Nigeria a pariah state. I am not going to give him kudos because the election was free and fair or without violence. I am not being cynical or pathetic, but I will not. The 2015 election was a victory for Nigeria because the whole country had been tensed up; the polity had been tensed up by Jonathan. He did not correct (Edwin) Clark, (Doyin) Okupe, Dokubo-Asari, (Femi) Fani-Kayode, (Ayodele) Fayose and all of them. The whole place was heated up. The international community was looking at us. The 2015 elections has come and gone but we should not misinterpret it. If Jonathan failed to do what he had done and he rigged the elections, there was going to be violence. Nigeria would have been declared a pariah state by the international community. Our economy would have collapsed in a few months. Look at what is happening to Greece and Iran.
How democratic do you think Buhari will be now as a civilian president?
What pains me is that even among the international community, we are very lazy. Some of our colleagues are virtually indolent and lazy to do research. Buhari is not new in democracy. In his cabinet (as a military Head of State), after every State Executive Council meeting, every memo was voted for. If you issued a memo, Buhari would ask all of us to vote. If more ministers voted for it, he would pass it. Buhari, Idiagbon and I wrote a memo on petroleum tax to the council. Buhari and Idiagbon supported me but when we voted, I lost and he lost too. When we put it to a vote, he counted the votes and said we had lost. Buhari emboldened democratic system than Shagari’s parliament. In Buhari’s executive council, every memo was voted for.
Some people are of the opinion that Buhari may not achieve the best result in his anti-graft war with the kind of people around him. Do you agree?
That is also unthinkable. Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade cannot be selective. I know him. If he knows that you are corrupt, it is better to avoid him. If you come too close, he will use you as an example. There is no way anybody around Buhari can be corrupt. And there is none that is corrupt that can succeed with him. He can either change his ways or go.
Do you think he will apply the same measure to his party men?
Whether it is party man or anybody, it will apply to anybody. Buhari will never compromise his anti-corruption crusade or be compromised by anybody. I know him.
There are reports that people have started to lobby Buhari’s close associates for political appointments. Do you think the right people will form his cabinet?
They are wasting their time. I read it in the newspapers. They do not know the person they are dealing with or talking about. They don’t really know him. Buhari cannot build his cabinet on sentiments. He had said he was going to appoint Nigerians that were credible to work with him on his programme. If you are not a man of integrity, if you have a record of corruption, you cannot work with him. Therefore, all these people lobbying are wasting their time. You cannot lobby Buhari to get a position you are not qualified to have. I am sure of that.
First and foremost, you must be a man with integrity. You should have zero tolerance for corruption like he does. You should have no skeleton in your cupboard. You must be hard working because he will check your performance from time to time. I know this because I have worked with him.
But how will he manage a situation where powerbrokers are going to nominate some members of his cabinet?
It is a waste of time. If it is the Buhari I know, that will be a waste of time. I heard that powerbrokers are making such moves but Buhari will not appoint any person based on sentiment — because a big man brought the person. He is a much organised person. He is the best for Nigeria. He is not subject to any powerbroker.
What do you have to say about the mass defection from the PDP to the APC since the latter won the elections massively?
It is a minus for the system. (Dr. Nnamdi) Azikiwe called them (defectors) political harlots. Zik described those who jump from one party to the other as political harlots at the Jos Convention. It only shows that they are unprincipled. You do not leave your party because it lost election. You should stay there every time. Have you heard of people in the Labour Party defecting to the Conservative Party (in the United Kingdom) or the Democrats defecting to the Republican (in the US)? That shows that our politicians are sickening opportunists. They are not principled. If they have principle, do they have to leave their party because their party lost election? If I am in charge, any person that defects because of election loss will not be trusted again. My mother said many years ago and I believe her: ‘A person without principle is worse than a goat.
Do you now have fears of implosion for the APC?
The APC will not implode. I was in the merger committee of the APC for two and a half years and I know how we came about the APC after series of long meetings. The APC will stand strong. There is not going to be any implosion. The party has a strong foundation. Okupe said in an interview that the APC would die; that if the APC lasted one year, they should call him a bastard. Now it is about to rule the government. Nothing will happen; the APC will grow stronger and stronger. They tried everything to divide us; they planted some people in our midst when we formed the merger committee and we later realised that.
Would you advise Buhari to continue with the implementation of some programmes and policies initiated by Jonathan?
I am not Buhari but I know that he is coming with a new government with integrity and purpose. I also believe that he is not going to soil his hands in dirt.
Is that why you said Buhari did not need any advice from the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala?
Buhari does not need any advice from her at all. She is so full of herself. I told Okonjo-Iweala that she is brilliant but there are many Nigerians that are more brilliant than her. She said she graduated Magna Cum Laude at Harvard. Magna Cum Laude in the US means Second Class; Summa Cum Laude is the First Class. She was advising Buhari as she advised Jonathan. We have nothing to learn from her. If she has the magic, why didn’t she do it in Jonathan’s term? Buhari has nothing to learn from Okonjo-Iweala.
But are there programmes and policies Buhari can continue with?
Like what? I am not saying Jonathan’s government is zero, he can pick some good parts. There is no government that is an angel. There are always the good and bad parts. But a government is bad when the bad parts are more than the good parts. I want to see what part of Jonathan’s government to be picked. Let somebody point to me, I am ready to learn if it will be argued objectively. Mention to me one policy of Jonathan that is so commendable that we all can agree that it is commendable. Right now, I can’t see any one. When you talk of Jonathan and Buhari, Jonathan has made more precarious statements. Look at how he changed the name of the University of Lagos. With his PhD, didn’t he know that you cannot change a university’s name; that it was given to the school by a parliament? The problem with Jonathan is the he has a lot of sycophants around him that feed on him.
Does your last statement confirm the saying that Jonathan could have performed better but for the ‘wrong’ people around him?
If you are a good man surrounded by bad people and you cannot extricate yourself from them, then you are a bad man. A good man will change people if he knows that they are bad or he asks the bad people to go. If a good leader is surrounded by bad people and he allows them to stay, and they made wrong statements and he does not correct them, then he is either a bad man or intellectually weak. Let me give an example: Asari-Dokubo always said that the Ijaws were not Nigerians. Asari-Dokubo is my cousin. And he talks nonsense. He said Ijaws were not Nigerians but we have Jonathan as the President of Nigeria. Is that not stupid? If you are not a Nigerian, you cannot be the President of Nigeria. I told Jonathan, ‘You are not qualified to be called the President of Nigeria if you do not correct Asari-Dokubo that we Ijaws are Nigerians.’ I wrote about the issue and Jonathan did not dissociate himself from that claim. If I were APC, I would use that statement by Asari-Dokubo against them at the election, if the party was into dirty campaign. That statement alone, from which Jonathan never dissociated himself, was sufficient for him to be disqualified to run for the president. After all, it was one of their closest foot soldiers that said so.
Have you ever had the opportunity to meet with Jonathan to advise him?
I do not go to him. I do not know how to go to him to advise him. Have I not written enough opinions for him to see? If what I said was not true, why didn’t he correct me? Why I do not go to him is that if I went, people would say I went to look for job. I do not need any job from anybody. I once said if Jonathan paid me N5m per day, I will not work for him because I cannot relate with him. But I have written all I wanted him to know. He might have thrown them away. I do not have to sit with you to advise you. If you read my writings and you think they are nonsense, throw them away. That is your business. I do not write without praying to God to guide me.
Copyright PUNCH
Saturday 25 April 2015
Kim Kardashian's stepdad, Bruce Jenner, finally comes out as a woman, gets top transgender NGO's support
As Bruce Jenner‘s much-anticipated interview with Diane Sawyer premiered Friday with the famous Olympian revealing he "is a woman," GLAAD released a statement supporting the former Olympian.
“Today, millions of people learned that someone they know is transgender,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “By sharing this story, Bruce Jenner has shined a light on what it means to be transgender and live authentically in the face of unimaginable public scrutiny. Though Jenner’s journey is one that is deeply personal, it is also one that will impact and inspire countless people around the world.”
After months of remaining silent about his life-changing decision, the famed decathlete spoke publicly for the first time about transitioning from male to female in the interview on ABC’s 20/20.
“I would say I’ve always been very confused with my gender identity since I was this big,” said an emotional Jenner, 65.
“I tried to explain it, because I’ve had all my kids sitting in that chair … and I’ve tried to explain it this way. God’s looking down, making little Bruce … he says, ‘Okay, what are gonna do with this one. Make him a smart kid, very determined … and then when he’s just finishing he says, ‘Let’s wait a second.’
With his decision to go public Jenner hopes to make a permanent change in the transgender community,
“Every transgender person’s journey is unique, and by choosing to share this story, Bruce Jenner adds another layer to America’s understanding of what it means to be transgender,” said Nick Adams, GLAAD’s Director of Programs, Transgender Media.
“We hope that after hearing Jenner’s story, people will want to learn more about the issues and challenges facing their transgender friends, co-workers, and family members. Stories like these will help create a world in which everyone can express their gender identity without fear of discrimination and violence."
Culled from TIME
In the interview yesterday, Bruce reveals he first started raiding his mom/sister closet to wear feminine clothes at age seven or eight. He says be use to mark the spaces where he took the articles from so he could remember to put them away exactly without anyone finding him out: he was that secretive. He didn't have any idea why he was doing it apart from the fact that it made him "feel good."
Over time, this feel good feeling he gets when he wears female clothing or fascination with female stuff never dissipated, even through his three marriages or macho exploits of flying choppers, bike or race car driving, Olympian greatness and as a strict dad. While on the road as a motivational speaker, he buys female clothings which he wears and strut about in before mirrors. The pleasurable feeling he gets from doing this away,from prying eyes is indescribable.
The person who has known about Bruce's secret for decades is his sister. The interview shows that apparently, his decision to make the big reveal to Kris Jenner was catastrophic; according to him, she "was shaken." He said, "it rocked her." That was at the point when they quietly separated. Bruce hinted that had Kris been more understanding and supportive, maybe they would still be married. Kris' hurt has not lessened though, Bruce's first two wives released statements supporting Bruce but Kris, pointedly, declined when ABC contacted her for comment.
The decision was tough on his 10 kids too; Bruce is father to Burt, Casey, Brandon, Brody, supermodel Kendall, Kylie and stepdad to the equally famous Kardashian kids-Kourtney, Kim, Khloe, Rob. He called a big meeting with all of them and announced his secret. "They all cried," he said. Whether from empathy or pain ar the wistful realisation that the all-macho "Bruiser", as they fondly call him, and who they all aspire to be, is no more, we will never know. But, Bruce said the reveal has made them get more protective of him, especially of how the media should handle the news.
Meanwhile, Bruce is still unsure of how far he will proceed with changing his physical appearance; he has undergone many facial surgeries, reduction of his Adam apple, hormonal female oestrogen treatments for breast development but is uncertain over whether he will do gender reassignment surgery to replace his male sexual organ with a female's. That would mean having an interest in men but Bruce isn't into men because "I have always been, and still is, attracted to women," he said.
He decided to be true to himself and go open with his nearly 60-year internal struggles because he just couldn't "the curtains on it anymore." He admitted all his life is a lie, and at 65, if he doesn't get real with himself and dies tomorrow, he would never forgive himself for it.
What courage for a poster boy of alpha maleness! However, even with the daring revelation, Bruce Jenner shows he stull have balls. Here's hoping the world respects his decision.
Wednesday 22 April 2015
Miley Cyrus and cheating boyfriend make surprise announcement
Cabo came in like a wrecking ball. As suspected, Miley Cyrus and Patrick Schwarzenegger have called it quits for good on their five month long relationship, sources confirm to Us Weekly. The news comes after the pair attempted to reconcile following Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son’s wild spring break in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
“The Mexico scandal did serious damage,” one source tells Us; as previously reported, Schwarzenegger was caught getting way too close with a bikini-clad pal during spring break last month. Cyrus, who was previously engaged to Liam Hemsworth, gave the 21-year-old USC student a second chance after he begged for forgiveness, but he ultimately wasn’t who “she thought he was,” another source
“At first, she was into him because she thought he was a nice guy,” the insider explains of the “Wrecking Ball” singer, who first stepped out with the Kennedy heir this past November.
But after Schwarzenegger was caught doing body shots off another girl, their relationship took a turn. “She doesn’t put up with crap from guys,” a third source previously told Us.
“Patrick is focused on school,” the first source tells Us of the newly single college junior. Cyrus, for her part, is busy getting back in the recording studio to work on her fourth studio album.
KimYe installs home theatre in new home for, how much??
Kimye might consider themselves royalty, but even “Regal” Cinemas is not enough for them. A source tells Us Weekly that Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have installed a $35,000 Prima Cinema system into their $20 million Hidden Hills, Calif.
The home theater system “lets them watch a movie the same day it’s released in theaters,” the insider notes. But this movie ticket costs more than most people spend on utilities each.
To download one film for 24 hours, the parents of little North West will shell out $500 each time.
And it turns out they aren’t the only Hollywood power couple willing to pay the big bucks for the at-home cinema experience. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher and Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi all boast the high-tech gadget in their pads.
Considering Kimye’s massive home already has two pools and its own vineyard, what’s a pricy movie theater
Read more: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-35000-home-theater-500-movies-2015224#ixzz3Y4LWMoC9
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The home theater system “lets them watch a movie the same day it’s released in theaters,” the insider notes. But this movie ticket costs more than most people spend on utilities each.
To download one film for 24 hours, the parents of little North West will shell out $500 each time.
And it turns out they aren’t the only Hollywood power couple willing to pay the big bucks for the at-home cinema experience. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher and Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi all boast the high-tech gadget in their pads.
Considering Kimye’s massive home already has two pools and its own vineyard, what’s a pricy movie theater
Read more: http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-35000-home-theater-500-movies-2015224#ixzz3Y4LWMoC9
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APC reads riot act to PDP defectors (The Punch)
The All Progressives Congress on Wednesday formally shut its doors against members of the Peoples Democratic Party wishing to join its ranks.
The party also enjoined members and leaders of the ruling party to stay put where they are and rebuild their party to play its new found role as the main opposition party.
It admonished the PDP to come to terms with the cold, hard reality that its fortunes have since plummeted and that it is now in opposition.
The APC made its position public in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja.
According to the APC, the leadership of the PDP is not even waiting to be approached before fleeing to the APC.
Mohammed said, “PDP leaders and members are falling over themselves shamelessly and swearing undying allegiance to the APC.
“Well, in case they did not get the message of the President-elect and our National Chairman, we want to repeat it in very blunt terms: PDP leaders and members, you are not welcome in APC.
“Please stay in your party, but if – as we suspect – you cannot survive in opposition, then, take a walk, quit politics.”
Mohammed was reacting to a communiqué issued by the PDP, in which it alleged that the APC was harassing its members and that it was trying to turn Nigeria into one party state.
The APC said the fact that the PDP devoted a substantial part of the communiqué, issued after the inaugural meeting of the its National Working Committee and Governors/Senators-elect, complaining about alleged harassment and intimidation by the APC, instead of strategizing, shows that it was yet to come to terms with the reality on ground.
It also observed that the out-going ruling party still does not understand the enormity of the challenges awaiting it as an opposition party.
Mohammed said, “The truth of the matter is that the PDP is scared stiff of being in opposition. We don’t blame them as they have neither the capacity nor the commitment to be in opposition.
“A party that stood for nothing but looting and rent collection will naturally be afraid of being in opposition, where there is nothing to loot or rent to collect.”
The APC also admonished the PDP to stop whining over an alleged plan by the APC to use the Election Petition Tribunals ‘to truncate and subvert the freely given mandate by the people in the states and constituencies’, saying it amounts to blackmail
The party also enjoined members and leaders of the ruling party to stay put where they are and rebuild their party to play its new found role as the main opposition party.
It admonished the PDP to come to terms with the cold, hard reality that its fortunes have since plummeted and that it is now in opposition.
The APC made its position public in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Abuja.
According to the APC, the leadership of the PDP is not even waiting to be approached before fleeing to the APC.
Mohammed said, “PDP leaders and members are falling over themselves shamelessly and swearing undying allegiance to the APC.
“Well, in case they did not get the message of the President-elect and our National Chairman, we want to repeat it in very blunt terms: PDP leaders and members, you are not welcome in APC.
“Please stay in your party, but if – as we suspect – you cannot survive in opposition, then, take a walk, quit politics.”
Mohammed was reacting to a communiqué issued by the PDP, in which it alleged that the APC was harassing its members and that it was trying to turn Nigeria into one party state.
The APC said the fact that the PDP devoted a substantial part of the communiqué, issued after the inaugural meeting of the its National Working Committee and Governors/Senators-elect, complaining about alleged harassment and intimidation by the APC, instead of strategizing, shows that it was yet to come to terms with the reality on ground.
It also observed that the out-going ruling party still does not understand the enormity of the challenges awaiting it as an opposition party.
Mohammed said, “The truth of the matter is that the PDP is scared stiff of being in opposition. We don’t blame them as they have neither the capacity nor the commitment to be in opposition.
“A party that stood for nothing but looting and rent collection will naturally be afraid of being in opposition, where there is nothing to loot or rent to collect.”
The APC also admonished the PDP to stop whining over an alleged plan by the APC to use the Election Petition Tribunals ‘to truncate and subvert the freely given mandate by the people in the states and constituencies’, saying it amounts to blackmail
BREAKING: Nigerian armed forces storm Boko Haram's last stronghold, Sambisa Forest (Reuters)
Nigerian forces backed by warplanes invaded Islamist group Boko Haram's last known stronghold, the Sambisa forest, on Wednesday, in an effort to finally defeat their six-year-old insurgency, two military sources said.
Armies from Nigeria and neighbors Chad, Niger and Cameroon have in the past two months launched a concerted push to try to crush the insurgents, who have killed thousands and kidnapped hundreds in their battle to establish an Islamic state.
The Sambisa forest in northeast Nigeria is about 100 km (60 miles) from the village of Chibok from where Boko Haram abducted more than 200 secondary school girls a year ago. Intelligence officials had believed that this was where they were being held, although U.S. reconnaissance drones failed to find them.
A spokesman for the military was not immediately available for comment.
An official in the Chadian army said allied Chadian and Cameroonian troops were ready to attack Sambisa, which lies on the Cameroon border, from the other side and would move in soon.
The militants controlled an area the size of Belgium at the start of the year, but have since lost much of that ground.
Yet they remain a deadly threat to civilians, as illustrated on Friday when they slit the throats of 12 people in northeast Nigeria as the army was trying to evacuate the area around the former Boko Haram headquarters of Gwoza.
Failure to crush Boko Haram or protect civilians was one reason President Goodluck Jonathan lost an election on March 28 to Muhammadu Buhari, who has pledged to spare no effort in battling the militants after he is sworn in on May 29.
Buhari also said he would do everything possible to rescue the Chibok girls, but could not promise to find them
Armies from Nigeria and neighbors Chad, Niger and Cameroon have in the past two months launched a concerted push to try to crush the insurgents, who have killed thousands and kidnapped hundreds in their battle to establish an Islamic state.
The Sambisa forest in northeast Nigeria is about 100 km (60 miles) from the village of Chibok from where Boko Haram abducted more than 200 secondary school girls a year ago. Intelligence officials had believed that this was where they were being held, although U.S. reconnaissance drones failed to find them.
A spokesman for the military was not immediately available for comment.
An official in the Chadian army said allied Chadian and Cameroonian troops were ready to attack Sambisa, which lies on the Cameroon border, from the other side and would move in soon.
The militants controlled an area the size of Belgium at the start of the year, but have since lost much of that ground.
Yet they remain a deadly threat to civilians, as illustrated on Friday when they slit the throats of 12 people in northeast Nigeria as the army was trying to evacuate the area around the former Boko Haram headquarters of Gwoza.
Failure to crush Boko Haram or protect civilians was one reason President Goodluck Jonathan lost an election on March 28 to Muhammadu Buhari, who has pledged to spare no effort in battling the militants after he is sworn in on May 29.
Buhari also said he would do everything possible to rescue the Chibok girls, but could not promise to find them
Xenophobic attacks: Obanikoro summons S'African envoy (Vanguard)
Nigeria has complained to South Africa about a wave of attacks targeting foreigners and called on Pretoria to punish the culprits and compensate the victims, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Junior foreign minister Musiliu Obanikoro summoned South Africa’s High Commissioner Lulu Mnguni" to the Federal Executive Council Meeting at the State House Abuja on Wednesday April 22
register Nigeria’s protest over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against fellow Africans in South Africa”.
“In the meeting, ambassador Obanikoro condemned the attacks on foreigners in South Africa, expressing concern on the fate of Nigerians and indeed of other nationals who are migrants in the country,” said a statement from his office.
South Africa needed to take “concrete steps to quell the unrest and bring the culprits involved to book” to act as a deterrent and prevent further violence, the statement added.
“He also called on the South African authorities to compensate the victims of these attacks,” the ministry said. Soldiers were deployed overnight to tackle gangs hunting down and killing foreigners after at least seven people died in violence in the last few weeks. On Wednesday, police said 11 men were arrested in a raid in Johannesburg.
Vanguard
Kanye, Kim get pranked as Kanye gives unusual performance
The TIME 100 gala started on a somewhat awkward note for Kanye West and Kim Kardashian on Tuesday night.
While the couple were walking on the red carpet outside of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, they fell victim to a prank when fellow honoree Amy Schumer purposely fell at their feet. Kardashian smirked but West walked right by, seemingly not amused.
Once inside Lincoln Center, though, Yeezy ripped through his hit records as part of an action-packed 20-minute set. Ye performed everything from his recent singles "All Day" and "Only One" to "Black Skinhead," "New Slaves," "Blood on the Leaves" and "Runaway" before blessing the crowd with classics such as "Good Life," "Gold Digger" and "Touch the Sky." Several shirtless men covered in white chalk stood behind West as he performed.
"Craziest performance ever tonight at the Time 100 Gala," Kardashian wrote in a caption accompanied by a shot of her husband performing.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian were among the people named in TIME's annual 100 Most Influential People in the World issue.
BET
Gunmen kill el-Rufai’s campaign coordinator
Mallam Nasir el-Rufai
| credits: File copy
| credits: File copy
Markus Ishaya, a campaign coordinator to the Kaduna State Governor-elect, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, was on Tuesday killed by unknown gunmen.
Ishaya was said to have been trailed by the gunmen to his house in the Atuku Kasa area of Jema’am Local Governor Area of the state.
He was a local campaign coordinator of the governor-elect at the Atuku Ward.
According to the spokesman for the All Progressives Congress Kaduna Campaign Council, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, the coordinator was shot severally by the yet-to-be identified gunmen.
A statement by Aruwan said the APC in the state was notified of the death by the deceased’s family.
The statement said the killing of Ishaya had brought to 10 the number of members of the APC that had been killed in the state before, during and after the elections.
A family source said the men, two in numbers, who were heavily armed, stormed the residence of the APC chieftain and shot him severally, adding that “they didn’t pick any property in his residence except carrying out the ungodly act.”
The statement also added that “The Police have confirmed the incident. The police have also visited the scene of the crime and have commenced investigation.
“While we appreciate their prompt action, our expectation is that the security agencies will fully investigate this killing and prosecute the perpetrators.
“Security agencies must adequately protect Nigerians irrespective of their status and standing.”
The governor-elect, while condoling with the family, prayed for the soul of the deceased.
El-Rufai said, “Our empathy and prayers go to the family of Mr. Markus Ishaya and the entire community over this callous murder and desecration of human life.
“May Almighty God grant his soul eternal rest and give his family and friends the fortitude to bear this painful loss.”
Copyright PUNCH.
Why Nigerian President Jonathan fired police boss after polls
President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday sacked the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba.
Abba, who became IG less than nine months ago, was replaced by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, in acting capacity
A statement by Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, gave no reason for the sack of Abba.
The statement read, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has relieved the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, of his appointment and duties with immediate effect.
“President Jonathan has also appointed a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, as Acting Inspector-General of Police, also with immediate effect.
“Until his appointment as Abba’s replacement, Arase was the Head of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.
“Mr. Arase holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Law as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science and Strategic Studies. He is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Defence College.”
The PUNCH however learnt that the controversial governorship election in Rivers State was the main reason that cost Abba his job.
It was also learnt that the Presidency and the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party were unhappy with the sacked IG for the way he handled the March 28 presidential election.
The PDP and its presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan, lost the election to the All Progressives Congress and its candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.
The PDP also performed badly in the governorship election, a development it believes was traceable to Abba’s action.
A reliable government source in Abuja, said that the Presidency did not only feel that Abba failed to mobilise enough men for the PDP during the polls, it believed that he was “tactically working for the opposition (the APC).”
For example, the source said that Abba deployed over 2,800 riot policemen in Rivers State on April 4, a few days to the conduct of the governorship election. The team was led by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Tunde Ogunsakin.
This action, according to him, was taken by the sacked IG to negatively affected the hitherto arrangement by the Presidency and the PDP for the conduct of the governorship election in the state.
It was also gathered that when Ogunsakin arrived in the state, he called a meeting of all governorship candidates but that of the PDP, Nyesom Wike, refused to attend.
Wike, who is now the governor-elect of Rivers State, was said to have told the AIG that he did not have confidence in him and therefore would not attend the meeting.
A highly placed police source told one of our correspondents that few minutes later, Ogunsakin received a call from the Presidency ordering him to leave the state “immediately.”
He said, “The AIG didn’t sleep in the state as he left immediately. I think he slept in one of the neighbouring states.”
The riot policemen were also ordered to be “demobilised” and not allowed to be part of the security men used for the governorship election.
Infuriated party leaders from the South-South and across the country were also said to have complained to the Presidency about the conduct of Abba, who they accused of working for the APC.
Abba was also accused of not giving enough protection to the nine PDP members of Ekiti State House of Assembly opposed to the move by the 19 APC lawmakers to impeach Governor Ayodele Fayose.
A member of the PDP National Working Committee, who also spoke with one of our correspondents said, “You can see that the IG has forgotten that President Jonathan and his party are still in control till May 29 and that he should not be too eager to satisfy the incoming government.”
It was said that the Presidency decided to yield to the pressure from the PDP and a “powerful woman” from Rivers State on the need to relieve Abba of his job.
When contacted on the sack of Abba, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, said anyone asking about it (sacking) “should go to the President.”
“The question on whether our complaint led to the sack of the police boss should be directed to the President,” he said.
When one of our correspondents visited the Force Headquarters in Abuja at about 3.20pm on Tuesday, one of Abba’s aides said, “ the IG is not aware of his sacking. No one has informed him and he is in the office working.”
Also, a PDP leader, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, said Abba failed to act according to the script given to him by the Presidency.
He said Abba was believed to have approached the APC leaders to broker a deal which would elongate his tenure.
“Apart from that, immediately Buhari won, Abba threw caution to the winds and negotiated with the APC to help them with the governorship election to enable him to remain in office after Jonathan’s exit.
“He began treating Buhari like the President even while the President was still in office,” he added.
Copyright PUNCH.
Buhari Endorses Jonathan’s Minister Adesina For What? (Leadership)
 |
| Adesina |
The president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has asked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to support one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s right-hand men, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, to emerge the next president of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Dr Adesina is the current minister of agriculture and rural development.
To this end, Buhari has communicated his support for Adesina’s candidacy to the Ghanaian president, John Dramani Mahama, who is the current chairman of the sub-regional group, ECOWAS.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Malam Garba Shehu, the president-elect was quoted as saying that he was endorsing Adesina’s candidacy for the AfDB top job not just because the minister was a Nigerian but because he has a record of excellent performance over time.
“Dr Adesina has a proven track record in a career that predates his position as Nigeria’s minister for agriculture and rural development,” Buhari said.
He noted that Adesina had years of experience while working in Francophone and Anglophone countries, and a passion to help eradicate poverty in Africa by reducing unemployment and inequality among African youths.
“Dr Adesina is also an agricultural development expert with 24 years of experience in developing and managing successful agricultural programmes across Africa.
“Until his appointment as the minister of agriculture and rural development in 2011, he was the vice president, Policy and Partnerships Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Additionally, he has held senior leadership positions in a number of agricultural institutions in the world,” the statement added.
I don’t need your praise, Tinubu tells Kashamu
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has rejected the praises showered on him by Ogun-East senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu.
Kashamu, who is the Chairman of the Organisation and Mobilisation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, had last week, described Tinubu as his role model and the architect of modern Nigeria.
However, Tinubu, in a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Sunday Dare, described Kashamu as a pretender.
The former governor of Lagos State said there was no basis for comparison between himself and Kashamu, adding that he felt insulted by the open letter addressed to him by Kashamu.
He said, “The days of false adulation are gone in Nigerian politics. Fake praise singers like Kashamu will find that their particular craft is no longer in vogue. During this election cycle, their practice has dramatically turned from the way things are to how things used to be.
“Politicians will no longer be able to change direction and loyalties as if they were changing clothes. Those in politics must know that responsibility and accountability shall now follow them. One can no longer walk both sides of the street at the same time. In case Kashamu has not noticed, the politics of principle defeated the politics of posturing.”
Tinubu said it was ironic that Kashamu could praise him after conspiring with other PDP leaders to produce and broadcast a hate documentary against him.
He said Kashamu’s actions and lifestyle showed that President Goodluck Jonathan and the leader of the PDP in Lagos, Chief Bode George, were his true role models.
Tinubu said Kashamu, who was rude to elders like former President Olusegun Obsanjo could not be his political son
He said, “Kashamu may be prodigal but he is no political son of Tinubu. Kashamu’s political lineage tracks to people like Bode George and President Jonathan. He should direct his encomiums to these men who are his true role models. They need his contrived affections more than Tinubu does.
“This same Kashamu rained insults on former President Olusegun Obasanjo in a vicious campaign of calumny. Kashamu’s party, the PDP, sponsored defamatory documentaries full of lies and innuendos against me, General Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the APC.”
Tinubu urged Kashamu to turn himself to the United States’ authorities over the accusations of drug smuggling levelled against him, adding that only then would he believe that he was a reformed person.
The former governor said as a person of repute, he could not be seen to be hobnobbing with people of questionable character as this would affect his reputation across the world.
“Please keep your peace until you make your trip to the USA as a senator-elect. Upon your return we can then have a conversation. We can then proceed with your repudiation of the PDP with a promise that you will stop corrupting and fouling the political system.
“I am a patriotic, law abiding Nigerian and my achievements make me world-renowned. I am a global citizen that travels freely to the USA, the United Kingdom and other nations. I associate with individuals who seek democracy and good governance for all. I do not spend time with characters whose values are at variance with societal expectations and laws governing a decent society.”
Copyright PUNCH
BREAKING : See pics as Bruce Jenner, a man, confirms his sex change to female rumours!!
A new woman! Bruce Jenner steps outside his Malibu home for a smoke while donning a striped dress.
Who’s that lady?
Bruce Jenner, the thrice-married father of six who’s set to reveal he’s transitioning to a woman, was spotted wearing a floor-length striped dress Tuesday outside his Malibu homes.
Jenner, 65, was photographed sporting the long-sleeved black-and-white dress, with a slit from the knee to the hem, while stretching and smoking a cigarette on the mansion’s patio.
A new woman! Bruce Jenner steps outside his Malibu home for a smoke while donning a striped dress.
dr-fk/x17online.com/DR-fk/x17online.com
A new woman! Bruce Jenner steps outside his Malibu home for a smoke while donning a striped dress.
Bruce Jenner wears a maxi dress while smoking a cigarette.
dr-fk/x17online.com
Bruce appeared to be twirling around while he checked out his reflection in the window of his Malibu home.
While walking around his property, Bruce's striped dress was blown up by the wind, giving a glimpse of his shoes, which appear to be black flats.
Bruce Jenner wears a maxi dress while smoking a cigarette.
dr-fk/x17online.com
After perhaps spotting the camera, Bruce appeared to be hiding from the paparazzi as he hurriedly went back in,
“My whole life has been getting me ready for this,” Jenner, his shoulder-length hair pulled back in a ponytail, declares in a promo for the sitdown.
The images mark the second time this week Jenner’s wardrobe sparked speculation about his transition.
Bruce Jenner has transformed in recent years -- showing off a longer hair do, painted nails and reportedly having a procedure to soften the appearance of his Adam's apple. The former Olympian has kept quiet when it comes to his personal life -- but on April 20, 2015 the 65-year-old was spotted in a black and white striped dress while smoking outside, making it hard to deny his ever-so-changing appearance.
Bruce Jenner's extreme transformation View gallery
BRUCE JENNER SEEN APPEARING TO WEAR SPORTS BRA
A photo of the former Olympic gold medalist wearing what appeared to be a sports bra while riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle emerged Monday, leading many to assume the star had already undergone breast augmentation surgery.
It's believed Bruce Jenner will discuss his future as a woman in an interview with Diane Sawyer that will air soon.
Following the finalization of his divorce from Kris Kardashian in December, Jenner has made major changes to his appearance including wearing lipstick in public and growing out his hair.
The reality TV star has had a tumultuous six months since the split including being involved in a deadly car crash and intense media scrutiny over his altered
Jenner rose to fame during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, taking home the gold in the decathlon.
He re-entered the spotlight in recent years as the patriarch of the Kardashian clan.
He has yet to address the speculation over his rumored transition to becoming a woman.
The network has released several teaser trailers ahead of the program, dubbed “Bruce Jenner: The Interview,” that have provided little insight into what will be discussed.
TMZ has reported that Jenner “views the show as a ‘farewell’ to Bruce” and will “present himself” as a woman publicly for the first time.
But, in a related development, Bruce was reportedly miffed about the pictures of him in the maxi dress surreptitiously taken by a tenacious paparazzo. He reported the incident to the Malibu police authorities and they were seen at his house shortly afterwards. The cops have reportedly launched a manhunt for the photographer but it;s too late as the pictures wee already sold. Any damages he might claim for invasion of privacy is moot now as the pictures have gone round the world.
New York Daily News
 |
| Bruce Jenner: Hair appears coiffed, and decked out in stylish stripe |
Who’s that lady?
Bruce Jenner, the thrice-married father of six who’s set to reveal he’s transitioning to a woman, was spotted wearing a floor-length striped dress Tuesday outside his Malibu homes.
Jenner, 65, was photographed sporting the long-sleeved black-and-white dress, with a slit from the knee to the hem, while stretching and smoking a cigarette on the mansion’s patio.
 |
| I look good! (s)he thinks as he puffs and admire himself in the patio mirror |
dr-fk/x17online.com/DR-fk/x17online.com
A new woman! Bruce Jenner steps outside his Malibu home for a smoke while donning a striped dress.
 |
| Stretching |
dr-fk/x17online.com
Bruce appeared to be twirling around while he checked out his reflection in the window of his Malibu home.
 |
| Twirling and checking himself (Herself) |
While walking around his property, Bruce's striped dress was blown up by the wind, giving a glimpse of his shoes, which appear to be black flats.
Bruce Jenner wears a maxi dress while smoking a cigarette.
dr-fk/x17online.com
 |
| Dodging back in? |
“My whole life has been getting me ready for this,” Jenner, his shoulder-length hair pulled back in a ponytail, declares in a promo for the sitdown.
The images mark the second time this week Jenner’s wardrobe sparked speculation about his transition.
 |
| Aerial view of Bruce;s Malibu mansion |
Bruce Jenner has transformed in recent years -- showing off a longer hair do, painted nails and reportedly having a procedure to soften the appearance of his Adam's apple. The former Olympian has kept quiet when it comes to his personal life -- but on April 20, 2015 the 65-year-old was spotted in a black and white striped dress while smoking outside, making it hard to deny his ever-so-changing appearance.
Bruce Jenner's extreme transformation View gallery
BRUCE JENNER SEEN APPEARING TO WEAR SPORTS BRA
A photo of the former Olympic gold medalist wearing what appeared to be a sports bra while riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle emerged Monday, leading many to assume the star had already undergone breast augmentation surgery.
It's believed Bruce Jenner will discuss his future as a woman in an interview with Diane Sawyer that will air soon.
Following the finalization of his divorce from Kris Kardashian in December, Jenner has made major changes to his appearance including wearing lipstick in public and growing out his hair.
The reality TV star has had a tumultuous six months since the split including being involved in a deadly car crash and intense media scrutiny over his altered
Jenner rose to fame during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, taking home the gold in the decathlon.
He re-entered the spotlight in recent years as the patriarch of the Kardashian clan.
He has yet to address the speculation over his rumored transition to becoming a woman.
The network has released several teaser trailers ahead of the program, dubbed “Bruce Jenner: The Interview,” that have provided little insight into what will be discussed.
TMZ has reported that Jenner “views the show as a ‘farewell’ to Bruce” and will “present himself” as a woman publicly for the first time.
But, in a related development, Bruce was reportedly miffed about the pictures of him in the maxi dress surreptitiously taken by a tenacious paparazzo. He reported the incident to the Malibu police authorities and they were seen at his house shortly afterwards. The cops have reportedly launched a manhunt for the photographer but it;s too late as the pictures wee already sold. Any damages he might claim for invasion of privacy is moot now as the pictures have gone round the world.
New York Daily News
Tuesday 21 April 2015
Another child rape occurs
A 16-year-old, Azeez Ganiyu, who allegedly defiled a two-year-old girl, was on Tuesday arraigned in an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
Ganiyu, who resides at Ijora Badia area of Lagos, is standing trial for child rape.
The Prosecutor, Soji Ojaokomo, told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 16 at the same address.
Ojaokomo said the accused called the girl and lured her into a lonely place while her mother went to get food for her.
Ojaokomo said, “Ganiyu took the girl to an uncompleted building beside the house and defiled her.
“Her mother started looking for her child on her return and she asked her neighbor, who said she left the girl to play outside with other children.
“The mother said while she was searching for her child, she heard her screaming from an uncompleted building beside the house.
“When she got there, she saw Ganiyu satisfying his carnal desires with the child.”
He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
In his ruling, the Magistrate, Patrick Adekomaiya, ordered that the case file should be forwarded to the State Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 137 prescribes life imprisonment for defilement of a minor.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to May 5 for receipt of legal advice
Ganiyu, who resides at Ijora Badia area of Lagos, is standing trial for child rape.
The Prosecutor, Soji Ojaokomo, told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 16 at the same address.
Ojaokomo said the accused called the girl and lured her into a lonely place while her mother went to get food for her.
Ojaokomo said, “Ganiyu took the girl to an uncompleted building beside the house and defiled her.
“Her mother started looking for her child on her return and she asked her neighbor, who said she left the girl to play outside with other children.
“The mother said while she was searching for her child, she heard her screaming from an uncompleted building beside the house.
“When she got there, she saw Ganiyu satisfying his carnal desires with the child.”
He said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
In his ruling, the Magistrate, Patrick Adekomaiya, ordered that the case file should be forwarded to the State Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 137 prescribes life imprisonment for defilement of a minor.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to May 5 for receipt of legal advice
Physically-challenged hunchback and blind do what after 30 years?
It really was in sickness and in health when this Chinese couple made their wedding vows 55 years ago.
Devoted wife Wei Guiyi, 76, has guided her blind hubby Huang Funeng, 80, around with a bamboo pole in their small village in southern China for 30 years since he lost his sight to a degenerative eye condition.
Despite her own hunchback condition caused by osteoporosis, the pensioner never complains about their plights and says she looks forward to every new day, the People's Daily Online reports.
Guiding hand: Wei Guiyi, 76, guides her blind hubby Huang Funeng, 80, every day using bamboo sticks
Guiding hand: Wei Guiyi, 76, guides her blind hubby Huang Funeng, 80, every day using bamboo sticks
Now the story and images of the couple making their way around Donglan County in Guangxi province have been branded 'pictures of true love' as they have been picked up on social media.
Guiyi became the eyes for both of them when Huang was infected with a degenerative eye disease and lost his eyesight in 1985.
Huang now follows his hunchbacked wife around, clasping onto a bamboo shaft, as she takes him on daily errands to the shops.
Inspiring: Wei Guiyi guides blind husband Huang Funeng through the streets of Donglan County using bamboo sticks
Inspiring: Wei Guiyi guides blind husband Huang Funeng through the streets of Donglan County using bamboo sticks
Wei Guiyi has osteoporosis.
Huang Funeng lost his sight to a degenerative eye condition 30 years ago
They married 55 years ago when they were in their 20s but were never able to have children.
On their wedding day, they promised each other that they would look out for each other for the remainder of their lives
Huang Funeng said to his wife: 'I am going to look after you for the rest of your life' while she told him: 'I am going to depend on you forever.'
Now she describes everything she sees and encounters to him on their daily walks and and is in charge of everyday tasks like the shopping.
She said: 'We are very happy and have a contented life. We will always be by each other's side.
'I am his eyes and he is my everything'
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