We, the people from the Kogi State Central Senatorial District, comprising Okene, Adavi, Okehi, Ajaokuta and Ogori/Magongo Local Government Areas, wish to heartily congratulate and rejoice with the President- Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari on his resounding victory at the March 28, 2015 Presidential election.
General Muhammadu Buhari was able to make history by being the first since the independence in 1960, to successfully defeat an incumbent President through legitimate democratic process. It is also gladdening that the election, which hitherto, raised fears in the minds of Nigerians and international communities turned out to be one of the most peaceful, orderly as well as free and fair.
We are not only happy to be part of this epoch making process but are proud of the great role Kogi Central, nay Kogi state played to actualize this great feat for Nigerians. Our people, from Kogi Central Senatorial District, have always been identified with progressive politics.
In practical term, the block votes that stood General Muhammadu Buhari out clearly in the whole of Kogi state came majorly from the Central Senatorial District. Indeed, since General Muhammadu Buhari began the contest for the Presidency in 2003 and subsequently three consecutive times, we have always been on his side giving him massive votes. Infact this was exemplified in the 2015 presidential election during which the good people of Kogi central senatorial district, as usual, gave their overwhelming support to General Muhammadu Buhari. For the March 28, 2015 presidential election, the figures of votes cast by the electorate show that 89,261 people from the Kogi Central voted for General Muhammadu Buhari while only 27,376 people voted for President Goodluck Jonathan with a whopping 61,885 vote difference. For the Kogi East Senatorial District, 100,798 people vote for General Muhammadu Buhari and 86,196 voted for President Goodluck Jonathan with difference of 14,602 votes while from the West Senatorial District, the votes were 74,782 votes for General Muhammadu Buhari and 36,415 votes for President Goodluck Jonathan with difference of 38,367 votes. In summary, while President goodluck Jonathan pulled the constitutional requirement of 25 percent in the East and West Senatorial District, he lost same only in the Central Senatorial District.
Even if one goes by the number of votes in each local government, the fact would be laid bare that the people of Okene, Adavi, Okehi, Koton Karfi, Lokoja were particularly 98 percent for General Muhammadu Buhari. It is on the basis of our historic loyalty and belief in General Muhammadu Buhari and his party that had led to the continuous neglect in all strata of developments by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led government both at national and state level. It’s based on this foregoing that we passionately appealed to the incoming government of the APC, under General Muhammadu Buhari to consider Kogi central senatorial district for the ministerial slot of Kogi State. At this juncture it’s pertinent to know that the distribution of political appointment in Kogi State has been in disadvantage of Kogi central senatorial district. The people of Kogi Central Senatorial District make this appeal on the bases of equity fairness, justice and reward for the commitment of the people during the presidential election. Indeed Kogi State Central Senatorial District deserves the ministerial slot in the incoming administration for these incontrovertible facts.
To correct this imbalance, we, the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District hereby crave the indulgence of the president-elect General Muhammadu Buhari under the APC government to consider and appoint worthy sons and daughters of the Senatorial District for appointment as minister of the Federal republic of Nigeria.
Above all we wish the incoming government to consider the reviving of Ajaokuta steel company limited as well as Itakpe Iron Ore mining company limited in addition to other federal projects that require the immediate attention of the incoming government that have been abandoned deliberately as a way of punishing the people from the Senatorial District simply for their political stand.
We once again congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari and all stakeholders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on the well deserve victory at the 2015 presidential election.
From: Kogi Central Progressive Forum
Motto: Peace, Equity and Justice
Address: No 1, Old National Bank Road, Idoji , Okene, Kogi state
Five months after it was presented, the Senate today, passed a N4.493 trillion budget for the 2015 fiscal year.
The approved budget was N51 billion higher than the budget estimate of N4.425 trillion proposed by the executive.
The Senate reduced the recurrent expenditure proposed by the executive from 2.607,601 trillion to N2.607, 132 trillion and also scaled down the capital expenditure from 642.848 billion to 556.995 billion Naira.
Benchmark price of crude was set at 53 dollars per barrel with an exchange rate of N190 to $1. [myad]
National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has made it clear that all accredited media organizations in the country, including the African Independent Television (AIT) would be allowed freedom to cover the activities of the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari.
He said however that the repercussions for any medium that abandons the law guiding the media practice and takes to partisan politics will not include barring any accredited media organization from covering the activities of the President-elect.
According to Lai Mohammed in a statement today, the incoming Buhari Administration will not discriminate against any media organization, irrespective of its role during the electioneering campaign leading up to the recent polls even as he enjoined all media organizations to observe the highest level of professional standards in carrying out their duties.
”There is a Code of Ethics guiding the practice of journalism in Nigeria, and this demands every journalist to ensure a strict adherence to the highest levels of ethics and professionalism in carrying out their duties.
”There must be repercussions, within the realms of the law, for media organizations which have wantonly breached the Code of Ethics of the journalism profession and turned themselves to partisans instead of professionals. But such repercussions will not include barring any accredited media organization from covering the activities of the President-elect.” [myad]
Indonesia has finally executed eight drug convicts including two Australians and four Nigerians and the ninth convict, a Filipina was spared at the 11th hour.
The convicts, who also included a Brazilian, four Africans and one Indonesian, were put to death by firing squad on the prison island of Nusakambangan, MetroTV and the Jakarta Post newspaper reported.
Here are brief profiles of the inmates, who include two from Australia, one each from Brazil and the Philippines, and four from Africa:
Myuran Sukumaran
A ringleader of the Bali Nine drugs smuggling syndicate, Sukumaran was born in London in 1981 and moved with his Sri Lankan family to Australia when he was a child.
He dropped out of university and became involved in the Sydney drugs and party scene. Enticed by the prospect of easy money, in 2005 he helped to organise a shipment of heroin destined for Australia, but was caught and sentenced to death a year later.
Sukumaran said the shock of jail prompted him to change his life and he has become a model prisoner, teaching other inmates English and art. He has also become an accomplished artist himself, painting several pictures in his final days on Nusakambangan, the high-security prison island where Indonesia carries out executions.
One of his lawyers returned from a visit to the island Tuesday with a painting signed by all nine death row convicts. It was entitled “One Heart, One Feeling, One Love” and depicted a heart in bold colours.
Andrew Chan
Like Sukumaran, Chan, 31, also hails from Sydney. He was born in 1984 to Chinese-immigrant parents Ken and Helen, who spent some four decades running restaurants. Chan started taking drugs when he was 16 and said his parents were unable to control him.
Just two years after Chan’s parents retired, they were told their 21-year-old son had been arrested in Indonesia for being a ringleader of a heroin-smuggling gang. In jail he has become a committed Christian and, after six years of theology study, he was ordained as a minister in February.
On Monday, he married his Indonesian girlfriend, Febyanti Herewila, in a jailhouse ceremony, his final wish before facing the firing squad. Like Chan, Herewila is a pastor. She got to know Chan while helping inmates at the jail on Bali island, where he was until recently imprisoned.
Mary Jane Veloso
Born to a poor family in the Philippines, Veloso, 30, is a single mother of two boys who insists she went to Indonesia for a job as a maid and was duped by an international drug syndicate.
She was arrested in 2009 with 2.6 kilograms (5.7 pounds) of heroin sewn into the lining of her suitcase.
Veloso says she was first offered a job by a friend in Malaysia, but upon her arrival she was told the work was actually in Indonesia so immediately flew there. She claims the heroin was secretly hidden in her suitcase in Malaysia.
Her sons, now aged six and 12, are spending her final days with her in Indonesia.
Her case has attracted huge attention in the Philippines, with near daily rallies of support and world boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao pleading for her life to be spared.
Rodrigo Gularte
Brazilian Gularte, 42, was arrested in 2004 while trying to enter Indonesia with six kilograms of cocaine stashed in his surfing gear.
His family have tried without success to obtain clemency for him by saying doctors have classed him as paranoid schizophrenic, which would normally see him transferred to a psychiatric facility.
Sylvester Obiekwe Nwolise
Nwolise is a 49-year-old Nigerian who was found guilty in September 2004 of trafficking 1.18 kilos of heroin through Sukarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta two years earlier.
His clemency appeal was rejected in February this year.
The previous month, Indonesia’s national narcotics body said he was running a drugs ring in jail, according to Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Okwudili Oyatanze
Fellow Nigerian Oyatanze, 45, was sentenced to death for trafficking heroin, also through Sukarno-Hatta airport, in 2001.
His clemency appeal was rejected earlier this year.
Raheem Agbaje Salami
The NDLEA said Salami appears to be Nigerian but holds a Spanish passport and is thought to be also known by the name Jamiu Owolabi Abashin.
He entered Indonesia using a Spanish passport under the name Raheem Agbaje Salami.
He was caught with five kilos of heroin inside a suitcase at the airport in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, on September 2, 1998 and was sentenced to life imprisonment the following year.
That was reduced by the high court to 20 years, but he was later given the death sentence by the supreme court.
Martin Anderson
There is some confusion about Anderson’s nationality. A spokesman for Indonesia’s attorney-general said he is Nigerian but Nigeria’s NDLEA said he is a Ghanaian citizen who was born in London in 1964.
He was arrested in Jakarta in 2003 and sentenced to death. [myad]
The relative peace in the nation’s health sector may run into crisis soon if the Joint Health Sector Unions goes ahead with its nationwide strike scheduled for May 8.
The organisation premised its threat on the refusal of the Federal Government to accede to its 15-point demands, while several efforts to meet President Goodluck Jonathan have yielded no positive response.
The organisation therefore offered a last reminder to meet the President, warning that everything should be done by stakeholders to avert the impending strike.
The Vice President of JOHESU and President of National Union of Allied Health Professionals, Mr. Felix Faniran, issued the threat today in a directive to the union’s members nationwide.
“Dear all, kindly refer to the outcome of the last JOHESU leaders meeting, which was held on Thursday April 23 at Abuja as a follow-up to the earlier meeting of April 14, where a decision was taken to request an audience to see Mr. President for immediate implementation of our 15-point demands as promised by Mr. President to the union’s leadership when he met us on February 1.
“Since there was no response, it was further resolved that a reminder be sent to Mr. President to meet our demands on or before April 30. Should this fail, the leaders shall meet on May 1 and declare a nationwide industrial strike with effect from May 8, 2015. It is hoped that everything possible shall be done to avert the impending strike.”
It Could be recalled that JOHESU suspended its over two-month strike on February 2 following a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.
The action commenced on November 12, 2014 over government’s refusal to implement its agreement concerning welfare for health workers.
The National President of JOHESU and now President of Nigeria Labour Congress Dr. Ayuba Wabba, had said Jonathan had pleaded for time to review their demands with a promise to implement them accordingly. [myad]
The summit of the group of seven industrialized countries in the world popularly known as the G-7 has extended its invitation to Nigeria’s President- elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, to attend the next meeting scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany, on May 8 and 9.
The G-7 invitation was conveyed to Buhari by the German ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Zenner, during his congratulatory visit to Buhari on Monday at the Defence House in Abuja.
The summit of the G-7 group is currently chaired by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel while the countries that make up the G-7 are United States, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Canada.
If Buhari accepts the invitation, it will be his first major international outing as the country’s president-elect and would open doors of opportunity to reach-out to the more prosperous nations for collaborative engagements.
Speaking on the bilateral relations between his country and Nigeria, Zenner said Germany is interested in stepping up investment in the energy sector and assisting with checkmating the threat of insecurity.
“I am here to congratulate the President elect, 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 lot of areas where we can deepen our relation and develop them further such as in the area of economy, 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,” he said.
The President- elect also got assurances from the France ambassador to Nigeria, Denys Gauer that French government will do more to assist in eliminating Boko Haram and all other terrorists groups in the West African sub- region.
Gauer who also extended an invitation to Buhari to visit France, expressed the readiness of French companies to increase investment in the country and to establish more partnership deals with their Nigerian counterparts.
“Our relationship also developed in the area of security. Boko Haram has become a major threat not only to Nigeria, but to neighbouring countries.
“Since the special summit in Paris in May last year, France has worked a lot to perfect cooperation and collaboration among countries in the region and also work with the Nigerian Armed Forces especially in exchange of information and to contribute to the common fight against the terrorist threat.
“I expressed our willingness to continue in the same direction, with the same objective to eliminate that terrorist threat in Nigeria and in the region. I also passed a copy of the letter from the French president in which he invited him to France as soon as it will be possible for him,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Canadian High Commissioner to,Nigeria , Perry John Calderwood who also paid a congeatulatory visit to Buhari promised to improve ties in the areas of agriculture, mining, renewable energy, infrastructure where Canadian companies have great expertise. [myad]
Nigerian troops today reportedly stormed the dreaded Sambisa Forest and rescued 200 girls and 93 women from the enclave of Boko Haram even as the soldiers were also said to have destroyed at least, three major Boko Haram’s camps.
Reports have it that the well-coordinated invasion of Boko Haram strong-hold by the daring Nigerian soldiers also led to the destruction of the notorious Tokumbere camp in the Sambisa Forest.
Director of the Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade confirmed the development and said that he could not confirm the identity of the freed victims and their origins. He added that he could not state if any of them was from Chibok until after thorough screening and proper investigations.
“I can only confirm the rescued this afternoon of 200 girls and 93 women in different camps in the forest. We are yet to determine their origin as all the freed persons are now being screened and profiled. Please don’t misquote me on their origin. We will provide more details later.” [myad]
Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has called for continuous independence of the Judiciary to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy. Dr. Uduaghan who made the call today when the outgoing Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Abiodun Smith paid him a farewell courtesy visit in Asaba, observed that the Judiciary deserves to be truly independent in their activities for the growth of the country and congratulated the retiring Chief Judge for a “meritorious service to the people of Delta State and Nigeria. “On behalf of government and people of the state, I want to thank God for your life and for the opportunity given to you to serve Delta State at the highest level,” Governor Uduaghan said, adding, “God granted you the good health and wisdom to serve our people.” He disclosed that his administration did not interfere in the activities of the Judiciary because of his belief that as an arm of government, it should be allowed to discharge its activities effectively. “Let me commend the Chief Judge and Judges in the state for making it possible for us not to interfere in your work, there is no judgement or decision that you have made that have warranted the government to disagree with you, you have done your work dutifully and diligently even under harsh conditions, we believe in the independence of the judiciary”, the governor stated. Governor Uduaghan particularly lauded the judiciary for not been cowed, noting, “even during the days of kidnapping, when Judges and members of their families were made target, you delivered bold judgement against kidnappers which helped to stem the trend,” Hon. Justice Smith who was accompanied by the President, Customary Court of Appeal, Justice. Stella Oghene and a retinue Judges thanked Governor a Uduaghan for giving him the opportunity to serve the state as the Chief Judge. “The greatest joy in our hearts is that you have allowed us to do our work as judges,” Justice Smith said, assuring that the Judiciary would continue to perform their functions without bias. [myad]
The collapse of a convention centre being built northwest of the Saudi Arabian capital has left more than 50 workers trapped under rubble.
Official media said today that the collapse happened at noon and resulted in more than 50 workers being trapped, adding that four people who were wounded were recovered from the building site for Qassim University.
Bandar al-Roshodi, the university spokesman, told Saudi television news channel Al-Ekhbariya that the workers were mostly from Pakistan.
“Until now we are searching,” he said.
Roshodi said that the trapped workers were of different nationalities, saying that he hoped that there could be chances of more survivors.. “We have hope, God willing.”
Pictures from the scene showed a sprawling but low-level construction site, where many steel support rods had collapsed along with other parts of the structure. [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan has made it clear that he is not afraid of the probe of his government by the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that he is not afraid of any investigation after leaving office.
According to Abati, the investigations will not be out of place since Jonathan’s administration also reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office.
“As Alhaji Mohammed threatened in his statement, the incoming administration will be perfectly within its rights to review all actions of the present government as it may deem fit. “We see nothing wrong with that. After all, the present administration reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office with resultant benefits for policy and project implementation.”
He said that President Jonathan has ordered the immediate release of the full report of PriceWater Cooper’s investigations into the alleged unremitted $20 billion to the Federation account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
“President Jonathan is also deeply concerned by the continuing suggestions that his administration still has something to hide about the unproven allegation that about $20 billion is unaccounted for by the NNPC during his tenure.
“To lay the matter to rest, President Jonathan in line with Section 7(2) of the NNPC Act, has directed that the full report of the PWC Forensic Audit of the NNPC accounts be released immediately to the public so that all Nigerians will be properly informed on the matter.” [myad]
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Appeal To General Muhammadu Buhari On Kogi State Ministerial Appointment
We, the people from the Kogi State Central Senatorial District, comprising Okene, Adavi, Okehi, Ajaokuta and Ogori/Magongo Local Government Areas, wish to heartily congratulate and rejoice with the President- Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari on his resounding victory at the March 28, 2015 Presidential election.
General Muhammadu Buhari was able to make history by being the first since the independence in 1960, to successfully defeat an incumbent President through legitimate democratic process. It is also gladdening that the election, which hitherto, raised fears in the minds of Nigerians and international communities turned out to be one of the most peaceful, orderly as well as free and fair.
We are not only happy to be part of this epoch making process but are proud of the great role Kogi Central, nay Kogi state played to actualize this great feat for Nigerians. Our people, from Kogi Central Senatorial District, have always been identified with progressive politics.
In practical term, the block votes that stood General Muhammadu Buhari out clearly in the whole of Kogi state came majorly from the Central Senatorial District. Indeed, since General Muhammadu Buhari began the contest for the Presidency in 2003 and subsequently three consecutive times, we have always been on his side giving him massive votes. Infact this was exemplified in the 2015 presidential election during which the good people of Kogi central senatorial district, as usual, gave their overwhelming support to General Muhammadu Buhari. For the March 28, 2015 presidential election, the figures of votes cast by the electorate show that 89,261 people from the Kogi Central voted for General Muhammadu Buhari while only 27,376 people voted for President Goodluck Jonathan with a whopping 61,885 vote difference. For the Kogi East Senatorial District, 100,798 people vote for General Muhammadu Buhari and 86,196 voted for President Goodluck Jonathan with difference of 14,602 votes while from the West Senatorial District, the votes were 74,782 votes for General Muhammadu Buhari and 36,415 votes for President Goodluck Jonathan with difference of 38,367 votes. In summary, while President goodluck Jonathan pulled the constitutional requirement of 25 percent in the East and West Senatorial District, he lost same only in the Central Senatorial District.
Even if one goes by the number of votes in each local government, the fact would be laid bare that the people of Okene, Adavi, Okehi, Koton Karfi, Lokoja were particularly 98 percent for General Muhammadu Buhari. It is on the basis of our historic loyalty and belief in General Muhammadu Buhari and his party that had led to the continuous neglect in all strata of developments by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led government both at national and state level. It’s based on this foregoing that we passionately appealed to the incoming government of the APC, under General Muhammadu Buhari to consider Kogi central senatorial district for the ministerial slot of Kogi State. At this juncture it’s pertinent to know that the distribution of political appointment in Kogi State has been in disadvantage of Kogi central senatorial district. The people of Kogi Central Senatorial District make this appeal on the bases of equity fairness, justice and reward for the commitment of the people during the presidential election. Indeed Kogi State Central Senatorial District deserves the ministerial slot in the incoming administration for these incontrovertible facts.
To correct this imbalance, we, the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District hereby crave the indulgence of the president-elect General Muhammadu Buhari under the APC government to consider and appoint worthy sons and daughters of the Senatorial District for appointment as minister of the Federal republic of Nigeria.
Above all we wish the incoming government to consider the reviving of Ajaokuta steel company limited as well as Itakpe Iron Ore mining company limited in addition to other federal projects that require the immediate attention of the incoming government that have been abandoned deliberately as a way of punishing the people from the Senatorial District simply for their political stand.
We once again congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari and all stakeholders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on the well deserve victory at the 2015 presidential election.
From: Kogi Central Progressive Forum
Motto: Peace, Equity and Justice
Address: No 1, Old National Bank Road, Idoji , Okene, Kogi state
Phone No: 07030304053, 08092728575. [myad]