More than twenty three years after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, believed to have been won by the late business mogul and candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief M.K.O. Abiola, National Chairman of the party at the time, Chief Tony Anenih, has opened up on how the bid by the political class to reclaim the now infamous June 12 mandate was thwarted by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
In his autobiography, titled: “My Life and Nigerian Politics” billed for public presentation at the International Conference Centre in Abuja on Saturday, Anenih’s narrative, delivered in lucid prose, captures the various political events and developments that culminated in how Abiola won the presidential election, how the outcome of the election was annulled midway by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida and how the Interim National Government (ING), set up with Chief Ernest Shonekan as head to conduct another presidential election, was overthrown by Abacha.
The book, which chronicles the life and times of the author, most especially the political odysseys that have defined his persona, will, according to the Planning Committee of the event, be presented to the public by former Minister of Defence and foremost philanthropist, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma on a low-key occasion that will be chaired by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar.
The Planning Committee said that the book presentation would be preceded by a thanksgiving service at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro Cathedral Catholic Church, Garki, Area 3, in Abuja under the superintendence of John Cardinal Onayekan.
The committee said that the book would be on sale after the unveiling by General Danjuma and urged members of the public and the political class to grab copies in order to update themselves on the story of political intrigues at the highest level as told by one of the unique players. [myad]
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has opened 224 bids submitted by companies seeking to purchase and lift Nigerian crude oil grades for the period 2016/2017. This, according to the NNPC spokesman, Ndu Ughamadu, is a bid to sustain what he called the gale of transparency in the operations of Corporation.
In a statement, Ndu Ughamadu, who is the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC said that successful companies would participate in the lifting of about 700, 000 barrels per day of crude oil on offer by the NNPC on Free on Board (FOB) basis, subject to the execution of sales and purchase agreement with buyers.
“The event which was broadcast live on a national television network had in attendance, representatives of the bidding companies and officials of the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, and some members of the civil society as observers.
“Speaking at the event, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said that the public bid opening was in consonance with the transparency and accountability agenda of Mr. President in the oil and gas industry.
“We do everything transparently in NNPC and also ensure fairness in all the transactions that we do; , there is nothing that is hidden just as you have seen today.”
He indicated that the exercise was targeted at getting competitive bids from refiners, and also big traders, as well as companies that have made substantial investment in the oil and gas industry particularly in the downstream sub-sector in Nigeria.
The Group Managing Director dismissed insinuation that Nigerian crude grades were receiving low patronage in the international market noting that the demand for Nigerian crude remained high because of its low sulphur content.
The statement said that the 26 Nigerian crude oil grades on offer include: Bonny Light, Forcados Blend, EA Blend, Bonga, Qua Iboe Light, Yoho Blend, Erha and Escravos Light. Others are; Pennington Light, Agbami, Brass Blend, Abo, Oyo, Okono Blend, Amenam Blend, Akpo Condensate and Usan. The rest include: Atam Blend, Okwori, Okoro, Ima, Ukpokiti, Obe, Okwuibome, Ebok and Asaratoru. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has formally welcomed former Nigeria Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, to the club of 70s, having clocked 70 years tomorrow, November 25. In a letter he personally signed, President Buhari said he was delighted to welcome Atiku Abubakar “to the 70s club,” and prayed that Allah would grant him “many more years of good health and service to Nigeria.” The President added: “Over the years, I have admired your courage and doggedness in defending your interests and your generosity in promoting education. The American University in Yola is one of your noble legacies, and my hope and wish is that it will endure.” President Buhari said that both himself and the former Vice President should be grateful to Allah, who has granted them grace to be in the 70s club, and sends “kind personal regards.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) also congratulated Atiku, one of its chieftains, and said that Nigeria’s history will be incomplete without reference to the former Vice President’s contributions to the social, political and economic development of the country.
The APC Assistant Director of Publicity, Mr. Edegbe Odemwinge, in a statement today, Thursday, applauded Atiku for his solid contributions to the growth of the APC and for entrenching democracy in the country.
“Our great party, the APC celebrates with your Excellency on the occasion of your 70th birthday. Over the years, you have proven yourself as a democrat, detribalized leader, elder statesman, successful businessman, political icon and philanthropist.”
Odemwinge, who issued the statement on behalf of the National chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said that the party particularly commends Atiku’s investment in the country’s education sector and other business ventures.
According to him, the investments had touched lives positively and generated employment for many Nigerians.
Oyegun added that the APC attest to Akitu’s solid contributions to its growth and wished him many more happy, healthy and fulfilled years of service to the party and country. [myad]
The Ondo State Government has declared Friday as public holiday to enable workers prepare for Saturday’s governorship election even as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is still engaged in blame again against the backdrop of the Supreme court ruling and eventual recognition of Eyitayo Jegede as the party’s governorship candidate.
In a statement today, Thursday, declaring Friday as public holiday, the state Head of Service, Toyin Akinkuotu directed all heads of MDAs to inform workers in their offices.
Also in a statement the Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu, INEC said that the Commission recognized Jegede in compliance with the judgement of the Court of Appeal which was delivered yesterday.
The statement recalled that in compliance with an earlier Order given by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, 14th October 2016 (re-affirmed on 27th October 2016), it had recognized Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP candidate for the Governorship election. A full text of the statement reads:
In compliance with the judgment delivered today Wednesday, 23rd November 2016 by the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby declares that Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) is now the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Ondo State Governorship election scheduled for Saturday, 26th November 2016.
It will be recalled that in compliance with the Order given by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division on Friday, 14th October 2016 (re-affirmed on 27th October 2016), the Commission recognized Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP candidate of the PDP for the said election.
The Commission wishes to appeal to the good people of Ondo State to come out and exercise their franchise on the Election Day in a peaceful manner. All the political parties and their candidates participating in the election are also enjoined to play by the rules and cooperate with the Commission to ensure the smooth conduct of the election.
Meanwhile, Jimoh Ibrahim and Modu Sherrif are still kicking, claiming that they are still the authentic flag bearers of the PDP despite the Supreme Court ruling against them. [myad]
A Civil Society Organization, Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC) has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) in Imo State to charge the detained human rights activist, Aku Obidinma to court with evidence of breach of State Security.
The Executive Director of the MIIVOC, Dr. Walter Duru, who made the call while addressing newsmen in Owerri today, Thursday, said that the continued detention of the activist is an abuse of the fundamental human rights of the citizen.
Describing the action of the DSS as politically motivated, Dr. Duru insisted that the Service should stop playing politics, but to concentrate on its constitutional duty of internal security.
“If DSS has any evidence of breach of State Security against Aku Obidinma, they should charge him to Court and not illegally detain him in perpetuity. It amounts to impunity.
“Information at our disposal suggests that the Coordinator of Imo Bilie Initiative, Aku Obidinma was arrested on Monday, 21st November, 2016 by men of the Department of State Services. He is said to have attended a Radio programme in Owerri on Monday, 21st November, 2016 and was dropped off by his colleagues and that was the last time anyone had contact with him.
“His phones have been switched off. We are reliably informed that he is in the custody of the DSS. He has been there without communication and nobody, including his family members has been allowed access to him. This is most unfortunate.”
Dr. Duru warned against any attempt to muscle freedom of expression in the state, insisting that the people’s fundamental rights be respected.
The group recalled that Aku Obidimma, a former aide of Imo State Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, has been a fiery critic of his former boss.
The group is not sure however, if the arrest of Obidinma is connected to his critical stance against his former boss. [myad]
From Left to Right: Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama bow their heads for an opening prayer to kick-start the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, November 23. Photo by Sunday Aghaeze. [myad]
For Muslims, Jesus is one of the five elite prophets, and he will come again at the end of time to bring peace. Although Muslims and Christians have a very similar idea of Jesus as far as birth, general personality, and second coming are concerned, there are major differences in the way each religion treats Jesus.
Muslims do not hold Jesus as the son of God. For Muslims, he is a messenger from God, and beloved of God. Despite the differences, given his importance to both traditions, Jesus is and should be a figure that Muslims and Christians can rally around and use as a foundation for dialogue and peace.
To understand Islam’s Jesus, the first thing one should know is that belief in Jesus is one of the major principles of faith in Islam. Belief in all prophets and messengers of God is one of the six articles of faith in Islam. Therefore, when a Muslim utters the statement of faith – “there is no deity but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God” – from his or her heart, indirectly he is saying that Jesus, like all other prophets and messengers, is a messenger of God.
Muslims believe that there were 124,000 prophets who came before the prophet of Islam. Not just anyone can be prophet or a messenger of God: only people of extraordinary character can be one. Muslim theologians have developed five attributes that a prophet of God must possess: trustworthiness, truthfulness, innocence, the ability to convey God’s message, and intelligence. Anyone who lacks one of these principles cannot be accepted as a prophet or a messenger of God. These attributes are indeed attributes that can be said about almost any Christian understanding of Jesus.
There are five prophets who tower above the others. Jesus is one of these prophets, along with Abraham, Moses, Noah, and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon them all). These five are known collectively as the ul al-ázm: the possessors of steadfastness. Islam views Jesus, and all prophets before him, as well as their faithful followers, as Muslims, with a small m. The word muslim in Arabic literally means those who have submitted themselves to the will of God. Since there are no capital letters in Arabic, the term muslim encompasses both muslims and Muslims.
Despite Muslims not believing Jesus is the incarnation of God, there are many aspects of Islam’s Jesus that Christians can recognize. In fact, there are far more shared qualities than there are differences. For instance, Islam’s Jesus was a miracle worker, most famously speaking from his cradle to defend his mother, Mary, over charges of adultery and licentiousness. The Qur’an states that when Mary gave birth to Jesus and brought him to her people, they asked her, “From where did you get your baby?” They wondered how she could have a baby without getting married. Mary pointed at the baby, and Jesus spoke, saying, “I am the servant of God. He has given me the Book (the Gospel) and He has appointed me to be a prophet”(19:30).
The Qur’an instructs Muslims to love all prophets without distinction; however, for many Muslims, there is a special love for Jesus. This is perhaps because, according to Muslims, Jesus spoke both in the Qur’an and in the Gospel about the coming of the prophet of Islam. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said. “And I will ask the father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever” (14:16). This Advocate, according to some Muslim theologians, is the Prophet of Islam. In the Qur’an, Jesus said, “O children of Israel! Surely I am the Messenger of God to you, confirming the Torah (that was revealed) before me and giving the good tidings of a Messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad”(60:6). Ahmad comes from the same root as Muhammad, and it is understood that it is another name for the Prophet of Islam.
It is important to look more deeply at what is written in the Qur’an about Jesus. In the Qur’an, Jesus is mainly characterized by his message, which centers on worshipping the one God (5:116 – 17). Jesus is mentioned in more than ninety verses of the Qur’an.
The Qur’an Jesus is a receiver of Divine scripture. God revealed to him a special message, Injil, the Islamic name for the Gospel (3:48, 5:46-7, 19:30, 57:27). The Qur’an refers to the Gospel as a source of guidance, light, and admonition for God-fearing people (5:46-7). Jesus made certain things, which were forbidden to Israelites, lawful (3:50). Jesus called upon the people to submit themselves to the will of God. Because of this, the Qur’an praises the disciples of Jesus for their struggle in the way of God and their support for Jesus.
The Hadith or the sayings of the Prophet are the second most important source for Islamic theology, and one can also find many references to Jesus in the Hadith. Citing all of these references is beyond the scope of this essay, but I want to look closely at one example. A reliable hadith in al-Bukhari’s al-Sahih states that the Prophet saw a dream in which he was circumambulating the Ka’ba, Islam holy shrine in Mecca, and while doing so, he saw Jesus doing the same. He saw Jesus as very clean, with combed hair.
“In my dream while I was circumambulating the Ka’ba, I saw a man of brown color, the best one can see among brown-colored human beings. His hair was so long that it fell between his shoulders. He had combed his hair and it was as if water was dripping from his head, and he was on the shoulders of two men circumambulating the Ka’ba. I asked, ‘Who is this?’ They replied, ‘This is Jesus, the son of Mary.”
Given the importance of cleanliness in Islam, the fact that Jesus is described in this way is significant. It reinforces that Muslims should strive to fulfill his message of peace and serenity, a message proclaimed by the Prophet of Islam.
In the Hadith, there are also around 100 sayings about Jesus’ descent from Heaven, which is analogous to the “Second Coming” in Christian tradition. According to Islamic theology, Jesus will come as a messianic figure with an eschatological role that includes bringing justice and reviving religion. Muslims understand his coming as a promise of change in the course of history and as the onset of the establishment of justice. Jesus, a symbol of goodness, will defeat the Antichrist, a symbol of oppression and evil. This is such an important part of Islam that manuals of Islamic theology refer to the descent of Jesus and his defeat of the Antichrist as a statement of belief.
Because of this theological principle, both classical and modern Muslims have elaborated on the concept. In my book, Islam’s Jesus, I dedicated two long chapters to this element of Jesus’ role in Islamic theology. Islam does not just accept the idea of fatalistically waiting for the coming of Jesus; individuals must strive to make the world a peaceful place. It must be said though that while the person of Jesus is as an essential part of Islamic theology, given the many direct references to him and his message in the Qur’an, when it comes to his descent, the case is different. The descent of Jesus is not mentioned in the Qur’an per se. however, there are some verses that are considered hints at his descent. For example, 43:61 indicates that Jesus is the Sign of the final Hour. Most commentators see this as referring to his descent prior to the Hour.
Like theologians, Muslim mystics also have spoken about Jesus and his message. Sufis like Ibn al-Arabi, Rumi, and al-Sharani, have much to say about Jesus and his role in the Islamic tradition. Once again, there are too many examples to discuss; to suffice; I will just mention one form Rumi.
In a verse of poetry, Rumi wrote about the poetry, Rumi wrote about the power of Jesus’ breath – not the physicality of that breath, but the power hidden in it that raises the dead. Rumi likened a human being to the breath of Jesus. The physical aspect of that breath is weak, but there is a very strong inner aspect of both the breath and the human being. He wrote: “Man is like the rod of Moses; Man is like the breath of Jesus.” On another occasion, Rumi compared the nature of Jesus to that of angels: “Jesus and Idris (Enoch) ascended to heaven, since they were of the same race as angels.” (For more information on this, see book: Islam’s Jesus, pp. 129-130.)
In conclusion, the essences of the teaching of Jesus are love, peace, and compassion. One should remember that all verses of the Qur’an begin with, “In the name of the Most-Compassionate, Most-Merciful.” It is this call to mercy and compassion that can bring together members of all faiths, and particularly members of the Abrahamic faiths. As I argue in my book, the members of the Abrahamic family constitute more than one half of humanity; if they can come together in peace and love, they will go a long way to securing a safe, peaceful future for the world.
Today, humanity needs this message of love, hope, and peace, more than ever. It can be argued that when the Prophet said that Jesus will come as a just ruler, he emphasized the importance of justice and peace on earth. If the trend toward dialogue and cooperation leads to justice and peace in our world, it will mean the fulfillment of the messages of both Muhammad and Jesus (peace and blessing be upon both of them).
–Saritoprak is a Professor of Islamic Studies, Nursi Chair, John Carrol University, Ohio, The United States of America. [myad]
News men covering the Presidency in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, under the canopy of State House Press Corps (SHPC), today, Wednesday, held a free, fair and credible election to pick officials, to lead them. The election was conducted under a very friendly atmosphere and when the results were announced, the losers and winners embraced themselves.
In this picture, the outgoing chairman, Kehinde Amodu (1st right) and the elected- incoming chairman, Ubale Musa (2nd left) embraced each other as Yusuf Ozi-Usman (1st left) and others hail. [myad]
Nigeria Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun has announced a set of plans by the Federal Government to get Nigeria out of the present economic recession.
Responding to questions on the state of the economy at the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja today, Wednesday, the Minister assured Nigerians that the government is doing everything possible to improve the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). On the issue of debt, the minister said that the government administration discovered debt from the previous administration in various sectors; which the Federal Government has now put under management, adding that significant work has been done by the government to commence payment of these debts. “We are working in conjunction with the Central Bank and we have already consulted the National Assembly on what we are doing to solve the problem,” she said. According to her, issues like cash calls, contractor debts, among others, have been discussed within the administration and solutions implemented already. Adeosun said that the National Assembly is being carried along on what the administration proposes to do even as she expressed the confidence that the Federal Government’s fiscal roadmap will boost the revenue and the nation’s GDP. She however warned that there is no short cut to recovery and that the government is bent on investing in infrastructure in order to be able to create jobs that will provide succour. [myad]
A group of renowned computer scientists and lawyers in America have alleged that the results of the recently conducted election that led to the declaration of Donald Trump of the Republican were manipulated and asked his Democrat counterpart, Hillary Clinton to challenge the results, especially in three key states.
The group of activists, including voting rights lawyer John Bonifaz and J Alex Halderman, director of the University of Michigan’s center for computer security and society, believe that their evidence shows that results in these three battleground states – which lost Clinton the election on 8 November – might have been hacked.
As reported by New York Magazine, the group is not speaking on the record but is privately lobbying Clinton’s team to challenge the election results.
In Wisconsin, Clinton received 7 per cent fewer votes in counties that depended on electronic-voting machines compared to countries that used optical scanners and paper ballots, and consequently Ms Clinton may have lost up to 30,000 votes. She lost Wisconsin by 27,000 votes.
The group has already held a call with Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and campaign general counsel Marc Elias to argue that while they have not found conclusive evidence of a hack, the pattern in their results merits an independent review.
Clinton has made no indication she would challenge the results and the White House is intent on a smooth transition.
The deadline to file for a vote recount is between Friday and next Wednesday for the three states.
The vote in Michigan has still not been called as the results on 8 November were very close – and the 16 electoral votes in the state have not been proportioned to either Mr Trump or Ms Clinton.
Trump has 290 Electoral College votes, compared to Clinton’s 232 votes. Michigan is likely to be given to the Republican side.
Clinton would need to win Michigan and overturn the results in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania to win the Electoral College.
Another factor is so-called “faithless electors” who will not vote for the candidate which won in the popular vote in their state. So far, six Electoral College voters said they would not vote for Trump.
Meanwhile, more than 4.5 million people have signed a petition for more Electoral College delegates to defy the instructions given to them in their state.
There have only been 157 faithless electors throughout history but they have never overturned an election.
Trump said on Tuesday during a meeting with the New York Times that he was “never a fan” of the electoral college and he would have preferred to win in the popular vote.
Heba Abedin, the sister of Ms Clinton’s top aide Huma Abedin, called on Facebook for people to phone the justice department and request an audit of the vote.
“They are starting to recognise there really is something off about the election results as they come in,” she wrote.
Clinton said during the third presidential debate that Trump’s refusal to definitely accept the election result if he lost was “horrifying.” [myad]
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President Muhammadu Buhari has formally welcomed former Nigeria Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, to the club of 70s, having clocked 70 years tomorrow, November 25.
