The immediate past President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, narrates his roles in the 2015 Presidential elections; how, why and what led to the defeat he, as an incumbent on the platform of the ruling Poeples Democratic Party (PDP), he suffered and his conceding victory to the candidate of the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari.
FasholaThe minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said that the 2019 presidential election is a choice between going backward and moving forward to the next level,
Fashiola, who spoke today, Tuesday at the inauguration of 5,000 foot soldiers in Lagos for the campaign of Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at The Haven in Ikeja GRA, said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has done more in three years than 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.
He said the change the APC promised in 2014 cannot be actualized in four years, saying: “President Buhari is taking Nigeria to the next level. We are going to the Next Level. Mr President has inaugurated a structural infrastructure fund for road construction. N15 billion has been released for the continued construction of Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
“There is need for the progress to continue. Dubai was built with oil-money, Nigeria can be built with it too. The past administration squandered oil revenue.
“Federal Government is constructing at least one road in every state in Nigeria. We are also constructing houses in 34 states in Nigeria.
“We have collected 690 containers for the construction of 90 transmission stations and through our policy of mini grids, our markets now have uninterrupted power supply.
“In the last 3 years we have constructed 40 kilometres of roads per year. In 2015, the total number of roads completed nationwide was 80 kilometres. In 2016 after we took over, we completed, 274 kilometres of road, 478 kilometres in 2017 and 474 kilometers in 2018.
“Electric generation has moved from 4000 Megawatts that we met to 7000MW. That’s an increase of 3000MW, an average of 1000MW a year. We have started an Independent Power Project (IPP) in nine universities in Nigeria. We have accelerated the distribution of meters by outsourcing it to distributors. 108 companies have applied for the supply of meters nationwide. Just be patient, we will resolve pre-paid meter issue.”
This was even as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Gbenga Ashafa said that the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge will be a smooth ride by the first quarter of next year.
He said that the Ibadan-Abuja contract has been signed while Kaduna-Kano is underway.
“This government is giving Nigerians hope. We do not have choice other than to support the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.”
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs) Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said that two-third of the Nigerian states are growing rice even as she decried continued reliance on imported rice, saying they are unhealthy for consumption.
According to her, farmers are now smiling to the bank due to the assistance received from the Federal Government.
A vote for Buhari, she said, will take Nigeria to the next level.
Running mate to Lagos APC governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, gave reasons why Nigerian should vote for Buhari.
“During Goodluck Jonathan era in 2014, N18 billion was voted for Ministry of Works, whereas Fashola then as Lagos State governor voted N78 billion for the state Works ministry. In 2016, under President Muhammadu Buhari, N222 billion was voted for Ministry of Works. Can you see the difference? What were (PDP) they doing with our money? We can’t return these people (the PDP) to power. President Buhari does not have interest in accumulating assets, rather to develop the country.”
Nigeria’s former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has said that some ambitious governors belonging to the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), played up the religion and ethnic group he belonged to, to edge him out of power in the 2015 Presidential election.
“Their opposition to my re-election was principally driven by personal ambition. They therefore played up the issue of where I come from and the faith, I professed to fuel their burning ambition. My performance mattered quite little, if it mattered at all.”
Dr. Jonathan, in his book titled: “My Transition Hours” which was launched today, Tuesday in Abuja to mark his 61st birthday, said that some former Governors of the PDP, who defected to the then opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) cost him the presidency because of their ambition.
The forme r President said that such PDP governors attacked him with a barrage of ‘Fake News.’
“This time around, there were governors who were rounding off their eight years tenure and were blinded by ambition.
“Some governors wanted to be Vice President whilst others strived to be the President. If I contested none could realize his ambition. This muffled implosion would fully manifest in the buildup to the 2015, which each ship-jumper calculating how much he or she would take from the PDP or the most opportune moment to cause maximum damage and based on that, plot their exit.
“As they jumped ship in preparation for the 2015 elections, only very few of this lots, if any at all, bothered about what the PDP did or did not do in terms of delivering our campaign promises.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has praised former President Goodluck Jonathan for choosing to tread the path of honour by conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election, an act that brought Nigeria’s democracy to maturity.
Dogara, who spoke today, Tuesday in Abuja at the launching of the book “My Transition Hours” written by the former president, said that not only did the singular action bring honour to him and place him among the rank of Africa’s statesmen; it also conferred legitimacy to Nigeria’s political process.
He stressed that the former president deserves to be celebrated for not choosing to take the path of African demagogues and narcissists by relying on the executive powers when he was in authority in order to pursue an ambition of remaining in office.
“In moments of difficulties, great uncertainty such as the presidential elections of 2015, it took only leadership for us to be able to renew our confidence in our political process. “
The speaker recalled the tension that the nation was under during the period which was fully doused when the then president Jonathan “decided, not out of compulsion but as has been amply testified to by the former president of Ghana, out of his own volition, to make that gracious call and I tell you, that gracious call conceding defeat was what changed the narrative of politics in Nigeria.
“Your excellency, we celebrate you. Those who chose not to do what you did today are not being celebrated, as a matter of fact if they were to organise an event like this, nobody will even attend and I guess the high point would be the events in Cote d’ivoire involving Laurent Gbagbo and we all know where he is presently, where he has been confined to and that is lesson to anyone who will not want to follow this legacy of honour and dignity that you have established as a standard.
“We celebrate you today because your executive powers conferred you the authority to take a seat among the demagogues and the narcissists of Africa but you refused. You chose instead to take a seat at the table with all those statesmen of Africa and today, you are celebrated. That singular gracious call you put to your opponent was what brought our democracy to maturity and conferred legitimacy to our political process. Nobody ever is going to change that. We celebrate you today because by doing that you have brought honour to yourself and you have brought honour to all those that will identify with you.”
“You are a leader of the past, of now and of the future; you will rise again; I wish you the best you wish yourself,” President Muhammadu Buhari said of his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who voluntarily conceded defeat in the 2015 general elections.
President Buhari, who spoke at the launching of a book titled: “My Transition Hours”written by former President Jonathan, marking his 61st birthday today, Tuesday, described Jonathan as a true democrat.
Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said that former President Jonathan’s act of courage had made him a patriotic leader and earned him popularity among Africans and other leaders.
He called on Nigerians to see elections as contests, which should be done in a free, fair and peaceful environment even as he advised Nigerians should eschew bitterness, bigotry, hate speech and “promote Nigeria for us and generation yet unborn.”
Speaking at the event, former President Jonathan condemned any act of inducement of voters and vote buying during elections in the country, adding that the act was contrary to democratic norms and therefore, wrong.
The book launch was graced by hundreds of prominent Nigerians, including former Heads of state Abdulsalam Abubakar, Yakubu Gowon, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The All Progressives Congress National Chairman (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, former Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President Bukola Saraki, ex-PDP governors and many members of the political class, traditional rulers and members of the diplomatic corps also graced the event,
Source: NAN.
Goodluck JonathanPresident Muhammadu Buhari has seen the life of the immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as an inspiration to young Nigerians.
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians to pray for peaceful electioneering campaigns which officially began yesterday, Sunday ahead of next year’s general elections.Buhari who wished all the citizens peace, happiness, and good health said that the nation is making great progress under the APC federal government in dealing with issues of security, the war against corruption, the reform and restructuring of the economy and the provision of needed infrastructure.
Atiku AbubakarPresidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has declared that he would privatize government-owned crude refineries, issue new licenses for greenfield investments in refineries and consider re-introducing bidding rounds for marginal fields and oil block.
Presenting his manifesto today, Monday in Abuja, Atiku said he would make sure Nigeria refined half its current crude output of roughly two million barrels per day by 2020.
“Nigeria remains largely dependent on sales of oil, which make up roughly two-thirds of government revenues. But it refines almost none of its crude, instead exporting what it produces and paying to import refined products – a large drain on the country’s wealth.”
Atiku said that he would eliminate subsidies on imported fuel and let the market determine the price, a potentially risky strategy in a country where even rumours of price hikes have triggered violence.
The PDP candidate vowed to invest $90 billion in infrastructure annually over the next five years, and set up a $20 billion infrastructure debt fund with private backing to finance projects.
He said that he would sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. Buhari has up to now kept out of the continent-wide pact, saying he wants to carry out wider consultations.
Atiku re-iterated his plan to partially privatize state oil firm Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
He said that the exchange rate controls were an issue. But it stopped short of saying whether he would end them.
Police IGP, Ibrahim IdrisThe Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim K. Idris, has advised all Political Parties to abide by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended)even and the Guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), even as he positioned his men and officers for the campaigns that have just begun.
A statement by the police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood said that IGP warned that the Force will not condone hate speeches, indecent and criminal defamatory conducts from any individual or group that can cause threat to public peace and safety anywhere in the Country during the campaigns and beyond.
IGP made it clear that the full weight of the law will be applied on any individual or group arrested even as he warned all Commissioners of Police in all the State Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other Senior Officers that have one role or the other to play in the implementation of the security arrangement for the 2019 General Elections not to engage in political partisanship or bias but to remain focus and provide security for all throughout the period.
“Parents and Guidance, Traditional/Religious Leaders, Public Office Holders are hereby implored to monitor their children, wards, subjects and adherent to be law abiding and resist to be used to cause disturbance of public peace and violation of law and order during the period of the campaigns and beyond.”
The police boss directed the implementation of a robust and elaborate security arrangement and measures to ensure adequate security and safety for the electioneering campaigns and rallies throughout the Country.
“The Commissioners of Police in the Thirty Six (36) State Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and their supervisory Assistant Inspectors General of Police in the Twelve (12) Zonal Commands have also been directed by the Inspector General of Police to protect and safeguard all venues of campaigns, rallies and other INEC approved electioneering activities of all Political Parties throughout the Country from now on till the end of the stipulated campaign period for the 2019 General Elections.
“Threat Assessment and deployment of Police personnel to flash points and vulnerable areas have been carried out to prevent and nip in the bud any form of inter-party frictions, political thuggery and clashes that can lead to disturbance of public peace anywhere in the Country.
and play the game according to the rules. They are to prevail on their flag bearers, members, supporters and fans not to engage in any act or conduct that can incite violence or disturbance of public peace anywhere in the Country during the campaigns and beyond.
“The Commissioners of Police in the Commands and Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police throughout the Country are under strict instructions of the Inspector General of Police not to tolerate any form of political thuggery, intimidation, demonstration of violent conducts and over dramatization of political fans that can precipitate political clashes and jeopardize prevailing peace in their Commands from any Political Party or Politician(s).
“Commissioners of Police are to effect arrest and immediately prosecute any party member or supporters in possession of firearms or dangerous weapons during political campaigns and rallies in their respective States.
“The Commissioners of Police in the Thirty Six (36) States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are to continue the meetings of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) with INEC and other Security and Safety Agencies on the implementation of the action plans and security arrangements of the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring adequate security for the political campaigns and rallies for the 2019 General Elections.
Reversing the Stigma Associated With Intersex Children, By Aisha Bunu
The term hermaphrodite refers to an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes. It can also be said to be an organism that has complete or partial reproductive organs and produces gametes normally associated with both male and female sexes. Therefore, a hermaphrodite is an individual that has both testicular and ovarian tissue present. Wikipedia defined hermaphrodite as an ovotesticular disorder of sex development. It is a medical term for an intersex condition in which an individual has some or all of the primary sex characteristics of both genders for example, a penis and a vulva.
In sexually reproductive organisms, males have organs that produce male gametes called sperm, while females have different gametes called eggs. In sexually dimorphic organisms, each organism only has one type of reproductive organs and the population is divided into two genders. Sometimes the organisms are divided almost equally. In these cases, individuals must compete for mates. Sometimes the genders pair off equally, one male for one female. Other times one male or female breed with a large group of the other gender.
Hermaphroditism is caused by a variety of genetic conditions. In one form, a hermaphrodite or an intersex person is created when two fertilized eggs fuse together to form a zygote with two X chromosomes and a Y chromosome. Other cases of hermaphrodites are caused by mutations on the SPY gene found on the Y-chromosome which is responsible for initiating the first step in determining testicular differentiation.
In general there are three types of hermaphrodites: True hermaphrodite, male pseudo and female pseudo. The genitalia of a true hermaphrodite can vary from completely male or female to a combination of both or even ambiguous looking. Female pseudo means that a person has XX chromosomes with normal female internal organs but with masculanised genitalia, while male pseudo means that a person is with XY chromosomes. Such a person has testes which are usually hidden in the abdominal cavity with external female genitalia.
Being intersex is a naturally occurring variation in humans and not a medical problem which occurs more commonly than people realize. Although being intersex is relatively common, there is lack of awareness among the general population. The first two questions parents ask when their baby is born are “is it a girl or boy?” and “is everything OK?” In the case of hermaphrodite babies, both questions are difficult to answer even though these babies are usually perfectly healthy in all other respects as their biology does not meet our society’s traditional definitions of sex and gender.
The term hermaphrodite is generally considered a derogatory term and a lot of intersex people are faced with stigmatization having to deal with both male and female sexes as well as poverty. In Nigeria, having both sexes is considered an abomination which is hidden and kept as a family secret. The birth of such a child is normally silenced and the child is isolated from the general public either because the parents are ashamed of such a child or because they are afraid others might try to harm their child. Different kinds of traditional rituals are also being used in which their genitals are mutilated and the killing of intersex babies is still widely practiced.
Intersex medical interventions include hormonal, surgical and other medical interventions performed on an individual to modify their ambiguous genitalia and other sex characteristics for various purposes some of which include: improvement of fertility, provision of an outlet for menstruation, to improve urinary or fecal continence, to prevent or reduce urinary tract infections or obstructions, to reduce risk of cancer in gonads and to close opened wounds or exposed genital organs. These surgeries reduce the likelihood of future problems for intersex people and generally make them more accepted in the society by giving them a normal appearance. They also alleviate parental distress over the atypical genital appearance. However, the basis of wanting to do these surgeries has been based on cultural values as much or more than medical or scientific value.
Intersex people exist in all countries of the world. According to the World Health Organization, at least 1 birth in 2000 is intersex. These individuals sometimes live in societies that perpetuate violence and killings by cultural, religious and traditional beliefs and practices.
Intersex people are real and face discrimination in education, employment, healthcare, sport and this has a detrimental impact on their mental and physical health as well as poverty levels.
Intersex children and adults are not only stigmatized but they are also subjected to human right violations and discriminatory treatments which include abandonment. Traditional and religious leaders can play a major role in stopping these harmful cultural practices. Community leaders need to engage in awareness education against stigmatization and call on bans on discrimination to combat stigma. This will lead to the society as a whole being more accepting of all kinds of differences.
The Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has been raising awareness on this issue by providing clear and consistent information that promotes understanding of intersex as a range of innate physical variations in sex characteristics in a bid to challenge misconceptions and to bring an end to stigmatization and pathologisation. She has also been discouraging parents from being ashamed of their children’s condition by making them aware that the condition is not a disease but a natural phenomenom that can be corrected via medical intervention.
Mrs. Buhari has paid for numerous intersex correction surgeries which are broadly divided into masculinizing procedures intended to make genitalia more like of those of typical males, and feminizing surgical procedures intended to make genitalia more of typical females. She has also encouraged all parents of intersex children as well as intersex adults to come forward and receive help in the form of funding for surgeries and counseling for those who have experienced emotional trauma and stigma.
In trying to overcome stigmatization against people with intersex condition, there is the need for the whole society to provide both financial and moral support to those affected and their families. Traditional rulers can provide protection and support to them and ensure that all citizens despite their condition are treated with respect and dignity, and create awareness on the fact that the condition is not a disease and that it can be corrected.
Religious leaders also have a role to play by educating their congregations on the need for social equality and inclusion, due to their position of trust. Privileged individuals and corporate citizens can also contribute financially by paying the medical bills of those intersex people that come out to seek for medical assistance.