Brazilian President, Michel Temer has abandoned his official residence, Alvorada Palace in fear of what he called bad vibes and ghosts.
Brazilian News Weekly reports that Temer surprised many people when he announced that he had left the presidential house. He moved alongside his former beauty queen wife and their seven-year-old son, and relocated down the road to the residence of the vice-president.
The modernist Alvorada, which was designed by Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer, would be a dream home for many. The Palace has a huge pool, football field, chapel, medical centre and vast lawn.
But the 76-year-old Temer, and his 33-year-old wife Marcela, found the cavernous, glass-fronted building dangerous to inhabit.
Temer was quoted by the newspaper as saying: “I felt something strange there. I wasn’t able to sleep right from the first night. The energy wasn’t good.”
According to the newspaper, his wife, Marcela felt the same thing, but only Michelzinho (their son), who went running from one end to the other, liked it.
He added: “We even started to wonder: could there be ghosts?”
Marcela had reportedly brought in a priest to pray and drive out any evil spirits, but to no avail.
The family then moved to the still luxurious but smaller Jaburu Palace nearby.
It would be recalled that Temer moved into the presidential quarters after succeeding Dilma Rousseff, the immediate past president, who was impeached for breaking budget accounting laws. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari remains the only Nigerian leader that has commanded respect from both the common man (Talakawas) and the elites in the history of Nigeria since independence. He rode on this popularity to clinch the presidency in 2015 having gotten his hands burnt on three previous occasions in his attempts to become the country’s president through the electoral process.
Mother luck smiled on him when the progressives in alliance with the international community made his dream come true. He became president of the most populous black nation on earth and his victory was widely celebrated.
Soon after his ascendency to the throne, it became dogged with controversies with many in the land accusing him of favouritism. His Fulani kinsmen were seen as untouchables as atrocious acts by them in the maiming and killing of innocent Nigerians were ignored him. The economy nosedived leaving it in a parlous state that ultimately led to recession. The blame game of heaping the country’s woes on the past administration festered for a while before Nigerians got fed up with the sing song that it was Jonathan government’s looting of the treasury that sent us into recession.
Now came the sickness, President Buhari became incapacitated due to an undisclosed ailment that made him to be transported out of our shores, his trip oversea was first transmitted to the Senate as a ten day medical trip but later transmuted to an indefinite sojourn. Tongues starting wagging, a foreign media started the demonic gist that our dear president died in a London hospital during his medical sojourn. The Nigeria media harped on it, amplified by the social media. Haters or Wailers feasted on it, while supporters or Hailers wanted everyone to discountenance the news of the president’s death.
The president refused to speak to Nigerians but chose to speak to a select dignified few through telephone conversations. Nigerians became more befuddled and asked to hear their President’s voice, but all this to no avail.
His Vice, Yemi Osinbajo acted in his stead this while and the man made giant strides in calming the tension in the land by paying visits to aggrieved zones like the South East where IPOB was in the forefront in the agitation for an independent Biafra nation and the Niger Delta where frayed nerves was calmed over resource control.
Where Buhari failed, Osinbajo succeeded and most Nigerians prayed for an extended vacation for the Commander in Chief. Suddenly, when Nigerians were beginning to feel comfortable with Buhari’s absence, the man appeared.
His coming into the country at 7.45am on Friday, 10 March, 2017, threw a spanner in the wheel of progress as far as Nigerians were concerned. Buhari has not helped to douse the tension in the land by his return with his confessional statement that he is indeed very sick. He won the heart of critics by openly admitting that he has never felt this sick, even in his military days the way he felt and openly confessed that his capable vice, Osinbajo will continue to act in his stead while he takes a deserved rest at the Villa for three weeks before jetting out for further treatment overseas.
Now, the question pundits are asking is; if Buhari felt he was not medically fit to continue in office as the President, why bother to come back home. Some mischief makers are of the opinion that that he came home to stall any impeachment move by the National Assembly who might use constitutional provisions of absence from duty for a period of time to remove him from office.
It is advisable that Muhammadu Buhari learns from history. He must tread on the part of history to be remembered for good by throwing in the towel. It is obvious that due to health challenges, he can no longer continue as the President of Nigeria. History will celebrate him if he takes this heroic decision. Ibrahim Babangida lost it all by refusing to announce MKO Abiola winner of the 1993 presidential election.
Let Buhari not tread the same part of Babangida, because Wailers like me will celebrate him as an icon of democracy if he chooses to resign now and allow his vice, Yemi Osinbajo to continue where he stopped.
Babangida will only be celebrated by a few elites that benefited from his regime in death and ignored by the Talakawas, let Buhari learn from this. [myad]
More jitters run in the circle of currency speculators as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is believed to have concluded arrangement to inject more foreign exchange to ensure liquidity in the interbank FOREX market. The speculators had, in the recent past, taken advantage of the scarcity of foreign exchange.
Confirming the proposed additional foreign exchange injection into the system to newsmen in Lagos over the weekend, the Acting Director, Corporate Communications of the CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor said that bank was determined to sustain the provision of liquidity in the foreign exchange market in order to enhance accessibility and affordability for genuine end users.
This was even as he cautioned dealers in foreign exchange not to engage in any unwholesome practice that is detrimental to smooth operations in the market.
Okorafor warned that the CBN would impose heavy sanctions on any organization or official involved in such act.
As at last week, the CBN had intervened in the interbank FOREX market by offering over $1.2 billion for both wholesale and retail interventions. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has commanded a renowned academic, poet, columnist and dramatist, Professor Niyi Osundare, as he turns 70 for his power of the pen which he said will continued to resonate through generations.
“As you turn 70, I commend the disciplined, forthright and diligent spirit of the erudite scholar, whose written works already span the globe, attracting numerous awards, and whose voice of wisdom will continue to resonate through generations.”
President Buhari, in a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina said noted that through courage and the power of the pen, Osundare has contributed immensely to the political history of Nigeria
Joining the literary world to congratulate Osundare at 70, President Buhari described him as a literary icon, adding that the septuagenarian’s sacrifices over the years can only be rewarded with strong democratic institutions that guarantee free and fair elections, and an effective governance that provides security, good health facilities and sound education to its citizenry.
The President prayed that the almighty God will grant Professor Osundare longer life, good health and more wisdom to serve humanity. [myad]
Arsène Wenger of Arsenal has again blamed the referee for “killing” his team’s 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich last Tuesday, insisting, however that his team had been “outstanding” match..
Arsenal eased past Lincoln City at the Emirates with a few gears to spare on Saturday afternoon. But rather than styling victory as a return to form, Wenger was adamant his team had simply carried on their fine performance in the midweek thrashing that ended their Champions League campaign.
“We played an outstanding game against Bayern Munich but our game was killed by the referee,” Wenger said, his team having swamped a gallant Lincoln during a second half in which they scored four goals. “I’ve watched this game three times and our game was killed by the referee.
“The first defeat in Bayern I accept, but the last one against Bayern when you are down to 10 men against a team of that quality and you then concede a penalty, it is not a football game anymore. The players didn’t let me down, or themselves or the club. It was an outstanding performance as long as we were 11 versus 11.”
There were words of praise too for Arsenal’s National League opponents at the Emirates who produced an excellent, disciplined display in the opening 40 minutes, but were picked apart as Arsenal began to pass and move with more fluency.
“It was difficult, you could see in the first half they had a very direct game but they had clarity about what they wanted to do and they did that very well. Overall it was important for us not to make a mistake. They had a big crowd behind them as well – they had a chance.”
Lincoln’s likeable, hugely talkative manager, Danny Cowley was left to rue Petr Cech’s fine save from Nathan Arnold in the first half (“that goes in the National League”) but was visibly moved by his team’s achievement in playing at this late stage of the competition.
“We tried to press hard from restarts, we knew we couldn’t press them all game, they’re too good at possession.
“The second half it felt like he’d brought 15 players, it felt like the clock had stopped. That was one hell of a long 45 minutes for us.”
There was support also from Cowley for Wenger at the end of a difficult week. “People criticise Arsène Wenger but anyone who really knows football, you see the way those players move, how they understand space, and that comes from good coaching. Any manager who has stood the test of time as long as Arsenal’s Wenger has deserves complete and utter respect as far as I’m concerned.” [myad]
Christians in Nigeria, under the umbrella of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed happiness over the return to the country of President Muhammdu Buhari after about 50-day medical trip to the United Kingdom, even as it called on members and other Nigerians to sustain prayers for his continuous wellbeing.
The CAN President, Dr Samson Ayokunle, stressed the need for continued prayers for the complete recovery of President Buhari.
Welcoming the President back to the country, Ayokunle, in a statement by his Special Assistant on media and communications, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji said: “CAN rejoices with the family of President Muhammadu Buhari, the government and the whole nation on his return to the country after spending 51 days abroad for medical reasons.
“We will continue praying for his full recovery in order to be able to continue the task of rebuilding the country and most especially, to end the economic recession and its attendant problems.
“We urge him to do everything within his power to strengthen Naira which has been facing unprecedented devaluation since its emergence in order to bring the much awaited relief to the people who have been groaning under the yoke of the economic recession.”
The CAN President commended Buhari for handing over power to his deputy as mandated by the constitution, praising Osinbajo too for living up to the expectation of his principal and the people.
“It is worthy to commend President Buhari for transferring power to the Vice President, Osinbajo whole away to avoid any breach of the constitution as we witnessed in recent history. We also acknowledged the loyalty, commitment and dedication of his deputy who live up to the expectation.”
The CAN leader noted with dismay, the failure of the government at all levels to pay the workers and the pensioners as and when due which has compounded the problem in the polity.
“It is disheartening to note that workers and pensioners are being denied of their inalienable right nation-wide as a result of the poor management of the meager resources at all levels of the government, and it is our prayer that God will help President Buhari and his team to bring the economy out of the wood sooner than later.
“Our prayers, complimenting the efforts of those who are at the helm of the affairs will go a long way in bringing back the golden era with an accelerated speed. Our God who did it in Samaria is still on the throne on our behalf.”
Dr. Ayokunle tasks its members to always remember that praying for those at the helms of the affairs of the country is a divine mandate.
“The Scripture tasks us to be praying ‘for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior’ (1 Timothy 2:2-3).
“As Christians, it is a divine mandate to be interceding for our leaders in order for us to enjoy the benefits that our country brings; we must strive to always pray for the people who have been made to rule over us, irrespective of our political and religious differences.” [myad]
A medical doctor, who has just finished his National Youth Corps Service, Dr. Emmanuel Ogah has allegedly stabbed his 62 year old biological mother, Mrs. Janet Ogah to death in Ogun State of Nigeria.
Investigation by the state police command revealed that the suspect, who has just finished his NYSC programme, came back home three days earlier and had been having issues with the deceased since then.
The suspect was said to have claimed that his mother was in the habit of insulting and disgracing him in the presence of her apprentices, and that frustrated him into taking her life.
In a statement issued in Abeokuta today, Saturday the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi said that Ogah was arrested following a complaint by the elder brother of the suspect, Cletus Ogah, adding that the elder brother reported at Itele Ota Divisional headquarters that his younger brother had stabbed his 62 year-old mother, one Janet Ogah, to death.
The command said that following the complaint, the DPO of the division, CSP Lukman Raheem, led detectives to the scene at No 16, Ololade street, Lafenwa, Itele Ota , where the suspect was arrested.
“In his statement, the suspect claimed that his mother was in the habit of insulting and disgracing him in the presence of her apprentices, and that frustrated him into taking her life,” it said.
According to the command, the corpse of the deceased, a food vendor, has been deposited at the Ota General Hospital morgue, for autopsy.
It said that the State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, had ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect to homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, for further investigation. [myad]
Former Military President, retired General Ibrahim Babangida has said that his prediction that Nigeria should go with two-party system is gradually manifesting.
“Gradually, my earlier suggestion about the practice of a two-party system is gradually coming to the fore in the country.
“In 1999, when I was advocating for a two-party system, some of my colleagues had their doubts, but I told them that it provides a choice, which is the first essence of democracy.”
Babangida spoke in Minna, the Niger State capital today, Saturday, when the Strategy and Inter-Party Affairs Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presented its report on how to move the party forward, to him.
He expressed optimism that PDP could still rule for 60 years “provided it can put its house in order. PDP’s presence is felt not only in Abuja or Lagos, but down to the lowest level.
“ if you go to the grassroots, the ordinary man will talk about PDP; that is the asset the party has and should use to spring back to reckoning.
“Already, it is accepted and known. All you have to do is work harder and try to convince the people back to your fold,” he said.
Earlier, chairman of the committee, Prof. Jerry Gana had advised the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to allow opposition political parties to always voice their opinion on issues.
Gana also advised the APC to allow rival parties to develop so as to offer Nigerians other options “at all times”, saying: “the presence of opposition is key to democratic growth; we must allow Nigerians to listen to the other side,” he said.
Professor Gana was accompanied by Alhaji Aminu Wali, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Chief Tom Ikimi, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, Professor Rufai Alkali and former Niger governor, Babangida Aliyu.
The former acting National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has asked the government to sack the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as presently constituted, saying that it cannot conduct unbiased election in 2019.
Prince Secondus who was reacting to the Thursday’s release of timetable for the 2019 general election, said in a statement in Abuja that Nigerians need no further proof to establish that the Electoral body is designed to do the bidding of ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) all the way.
According to the former PDP boss, the commission has shown enormous arrogance and lack of democratic principles in its affairs in rushing to release the timetable for the election that is 24 months away, when it has many urgent and unfinished matters before it.
“It is curious that an electoral commission that is yet to be properly constituted and has before it many unfinished matters including voter education and enlightenment had to rush out date for 2019 general election in full disregard of rule guiding it.
“As we speak, Anambra state gubernatorial election is due later this year and the state has no Resident Electoral Commissioner REC to carry out all the needful as enshrined in the constitution before the election
“Since last year, Nigerian Senate had raised alarm over the implication of non constitution of INEC but while the National Commissioners are filled, over 30 seats of Resident Electoral Commissioners remain vacant.”
Secondus said that statutorily, the President has the responsibility to appoint the RECs, subject to the confirmation of the Senate in line with Section 153 of the 1999 constitution as amended, Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution, which established INEC; and Section 14(1) and (2) of the Third Schedule, which established the office of the National Chairman of INEC, the 12 National Commissioners as well as the RECs.
“Is it not curious therefore that INEC that is rushing to release 2019 timetable operates currently without RECs in the following states, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Edo, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara.
According to Secondus, INEC in its determination to carry out an APC designed agenda rolled out the timetable without carrying out the necessary due diligent that includes adequate consultations with critical stakeholders like the political parties and civil society groups whose input is always sought and accommodated before the final decisions are taken.
Prince Secondus then described as worrisome the character exhibited by the electoral body since Prof Mahmood Yakubu took over the leadership of the commission and doubt his ability to conduct free fair and credible poll.
“From Kogi, to Bayelsa, Imo to Edo and Rivers states this commission under the watch of the current Chairman has failed to establish itself and engender the people’s confidence that it would be able to conduct unbiased election.
“If it is not inconclusive election, hacked website, it’s result falsification and result padding in connivance with the ruling APC.”
Secondus then charged Nigerians especially critical stakeholders in the nation’s democracy project to view the rush by INEC to release 2019 as an action pregnant with agenda set out to Favour the ruling APC.
He then suggested the dissolution of the present commission and its reconstitution with men and women of integrity as a measure to save this democracy from the APC desperation. [myad]
The Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), an initiative of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has graduated 130 cadets from the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria, Egypt.
This brings the total of Seafarers in the sector to 1,045 graduates from the NSDP project, representing 42 percent graduates of the over 2,500 NIMASA sponsored beneficiaries.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Egypt, The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside said that NIMASA sponsored over 2,500 aspiring cadets to the best maritime institutions around the world including Egypt, Romania, The Philipines, United Kingdom as well as India.
Giving a breakdown, he said that 226 graduated from the Arab Academy in Egypt, 76 from South Tyneside, Newcastle in England while 743 graduated from various partner Universities in The Philippines.
The Director General who was represented by the Executive Director of the Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services of the Agency, Gambo Ahmed congratulated the graduands who had their degrees in various maritime related disciplines, ranging from marine transport and logistics, nautical engineering and enjoined them to bring to bear the knowledge acquired to improve on the fortunes of the Nigerian maritime industry.
The Director General said that the school has offered to partner with NIMASA in providing sea time training for the graduating students and other NSDP graduands from other schools, which has hitherto been a challenge. This he noted will further complement the Agency’s other efforts in getting sea time training for graduate cadets.
Dakuku said that NIMASA is also exploring other avenues to enrich the NSDP programme and reiterated that the impact of the programme would be felt world over, as Nigeria would soon start exporting Seafarers like the Philippines and other reputable maritime nations. This he said will reduce unemployment in the country and attract the much needed foreign exchange.
The graduands were full of appreciation for the opportunity granted them to excel by NIMASA and pledged to use the knowledge acquired to enhance the Nigerian maritime sector.
Speaking with the Coordinator of NSDP scheme, Barriater Victor Egejuru, Deputy Director of Maritime Labour in NIMASA, the youths thanked the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and Management of NIMASA for the opportunity given them to progress in their chosen career and in growing capacity in the maritime sector. [myad]
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Buhari May Well End Up A Hero, By Emmanuel Iriogbe
President Muhammadu Buhari remains the only Nigerian leader that has commanded respect from both the common man (Talakawas) and the elites in the history of Nigeria since independence. He rode on this popularity to clinch the presidency in 2015 having gotten his hands burnt on three previous occasions in his attempts to become the country’s president through the electoral process.
Mother luck smiled on him when the progressives in alliance with the international community made his dream come true. He became president of the most populous black nation on earth and his victory was widely celebrated.
Soon after his ascendency to the throne, it became dogged with controversies with many in the land accusing him of favouritism. His Fulani kinsmen were seen as untouchables as atrocious acts by them in the maiming and killing of innocent Nigerians were ignored him. The economy nosedived leaving it in a parlous state that ultimately led to recession. The blame game of heaping the country’s woes on the past administration festered for a while before Nigerians got fed up with the sing song that it was Jonathan government’s looting of the treasury that sent us into recession.
Now came the sickness, President Buhari became incapacitated due to an undisclosed ailment that made him to be transported out of our shores, his trip oversea was first transmitted to the Senate as a ten day medical trip but later transmuted to an indefinite sojourn. Tongues starting wagging, a foreign media started the demonic gist that our dear president died in a London hospital during his medical sojourn. The Nigeria media harped on it, amplified by the social media. Haters or Wailers feasted on it, while supporters or Hailers wanted everyone to discountenance the news of the president’s death.
The president refused to speak to Nigerians but chose to speak to a select dignified few through telephone conversations. Nigerians became more befuddled and asked to hear their President’s voice, but all this to no avail.
His Vice, Yemi Osinbajo acted in his stead this while and the man made giant strides in calming the tension in the land by paying visits to aggrieved zones like the South East where IPOB was in the forefront in the agitation for an independent Biafra nation and the Niger Delta where frayed nerves was calmed over resource control.
Where Buhari failed, Osinbajo succeeded and most Nigerians prayed for an extended vacation for the Commander in Chief. Suddenly, when Nigerians were beginning to feel comfortable with Buhari’s absence, the man appeared.
His coming into the country at 7.45am on Friday, 10 March, 2017, threw a spanner in the wheel of progress as far as Nigerians were concerned. Buhari has not helped to douse the tension in the land by his return with his confessional statement that he is indeed very sick. He won the heart of critics by openly admitting that he has never felt this sick, even in his military days the way he felt and openly confessed that his capable vice, Osinbajo will continue to act in his stead while he takes a deserved rest at the Villa for three weeks before jetting out for further treatment overseas.
Now, the question pundits are asking is; if Buhari felt he was not medically fit to continue in office as the President, why bother to come back home. Some mischief makers are of the opinion that that he came home to stall any impeachment move by the National Assembly who might use constitutional provisions of absence from duty for a period of time to remove him from office.
It is advisable that Muhammadu Buhari learns from history. He must tread on the part of history to be remembered for good by throwing in the towel. It is obvious that due to health challenges, he can no longer continue as the President of Nigeria. History will celebrate him if he takes this heroic decision. Ibrahim Babangida lost it all by refusing to announce MKO Abiola winner of the 1993 presidential election.
Let Buhari not tread the same part of Babangida, because Wailers like me will celebrate him as an icon of democracy if he chooses to resign now and allow his vice, Yemi Osinbajo to continue where he stopped.
Babangida will only be celebrated by a few elites that benefited from his regime in death and ignored by the Talakawas, let Buhari learn from this. [myad]