President Jonathan Predicts: PDP Will Do Better In Guber Poll

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April 11, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will record good results in the gubernatorial and State houses of assembly elections which took place across the country today.

Fielding questions from journalists after undergoing accreditation at Ward 13, Unit 39, Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, the President expressed hope that the party’s overall performance will be better than the March 28th Presidential and National Assembly elections.

“My conviction is that PDP will do well. It may probably do better in a number of states. In some states our performance will even improve. Even if you look at the last elections, our performance in some states improved. But in some states our performance was a bit low.I think that in the overall PDP will do well.”

The President arrived at his hometown of Otuoke at exactly 11am to participate in the state houses of assembly election and was accredited by the card reader within 10 seconds.

This is contrary to the experience he had two weeks ago when several card readers in that same polling unit could not read his finger print and he had to be accredited manually after standing for an hour.
Speaking on the development, the President said: “`it is technology. There must be some minor errors and they have rectified the faults. Although I am still hearing that we have some problems of rejection but I think INEC has a way of handling their assignment. The most important thing is that elections will be conducted.”

The President gave two reasons for the low voter turnout for the election in Otuoke compared to the March 28th polls, saying the stake is usually higher for Presidential election and again, there was no governorship election in Bayelsa state at this time.

“Naturally different levels of elections elicit different interests. Presidential elections are quite interesting. Governorship elections are quite interesting. If we were to have a governorship election in Bayelsa state, the mobilization would have been higher because you need to mobilise the voters to come out.
But for State Assembly elections, the interest is not as high as the presidential elections or governorship elections.
We expect low turnout for states that don’t have governorship elections. There is no governorship elections in Bayelsa that is why the turn out may be low.

[myad]

APC, PDP, Other Parties Kick As Police Declare Curfew In Adamawa

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 10, 2015

Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba

Leading political parties in Adamawa state, including All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others have opposed the decision of the State Police Command to impose a dusk to dawn curfew on the state. The curfew from Sunday, April 12, 2015, according to the command is aimed at forestalling violence after the state governorship House of Assembly election.

The state Commissioner of Police, Gabriel Adaji, made the announcement while briefing newsmen in his office on Friday in Yola preparatory to Saturday’s election.

The police commissioner said the curfew would begin from Sunday to Tuesday, April 14 between 6pm and 6am.

He explained that the measure was to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections in the state.

“After the last presidential and National Assembly elections, we had some nasty and ugly experiences in the state, hence the present measures,” the CP said.

Adajie added that the ban of tricycles, wheel barrows, truck pushers and any other hawking materials were still in force, warning that the law would take its course on any person or group that violates the order.

The police boss commended the people of the state, especially politicians for their peaceful conduct and orderliness during the presidential and National Assembly elections.

But, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Ahmed Lawal, said that the party did not see any reason for the declaration of a curfew in the state if the election is peaceful even as the Director General of the Campaign Organisation of PDM, Sunday Wugira, said that the party had yet to understand the rationale behind the imposition of the curfew.

Also, Secretary of the PDP in the state, A.T. Shehu, said the curfew is unwarranted, insisting that the police should have banned celebrations after the announcement of elections results instead of imposing a curfew on the state. [myad]

Nigeria’s Super Falcons Mess Up Mali With 8 – 0 Win

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 10, 2015

African champions, Super Falcons of Nigeria messed up their Malian counterparts with a 8-0 goals to advance to the women’s football event at the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo. Assisat Oshoala of Liverpool Ladies star played a vital role in all the goals scored by the Nigeria sides and also scoring a double herself.

France-based Desire Oparanozie gave hosts Falcons the lead after three minutes even as Francisca Ordega made it 2-0 after 18 minutes, before Oshoala increased Nigeria lead on 36 minutes. Oparanozie then made it 4-0 just a minute to half time.

A minute after the interval, Oshoala netted her brace as Mali tried to play damage control.

Ordega became the third Nigeria star to grab a brace when she hit target in the 62nd minute.

Skipper Evelyn Nwabuoku fired home the seventh goal from 23 yards after 69 minutes, before substitute Esther Sunday completed the rout in the 71st minute off a rebound.

[myad]

I Can’t Believe Oronto Is Dead, Governor Uduaghan Laments

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 10, 2015

The Delta State‎ Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, is still finding difficult to believe that the Special Adviser on Research, Documentation and Strategy to President Goodluck Jonathan in the person of Mr. Oronto Douglas is dead, even as he said it was a devastating personal loss to him.
In a statement reacting to the death of Oronto after a protracted fight with cancer, Gocvernor Uduaghan,through his Press Secretary, Felix Ofou, remarked: “I can’t believe that Oronto – that’s what we all call him, is gone. I refuse to use the word dead. I’m very disturbed that such a brilliant mind, articulate strategist and friend has been struck down‎. It is even more painful that this has happened when the nation would have benefited from his vast knowledge and depth of wisdom.”
Governor Uduaghan recalled the patriotic and heroic role of the Presidential Adviser in articulating a broad Niger Delta strategy as well as ensuring a continuous rapprochement between the states in the region and the President.
“I can tell you that he played a major role in ensuring that governors of the Niger Delta region maintained a cordial and close relationship with the Presidency. He was an unrelenting advocate of peace and justice. A bridge builder who wanted the progress of his boss at all times.
“It was a sad day for Delta State, for the Niger Delta and Nigeria. It is a personal loss for me, my family and everyone that has had a close encounter with him. Oronto Douglas will be greatly missed.”

[myad]

Dr. Abati To Lai Mohammed: Please, Leave President Jonathan Alone

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 10, 2015

Special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati has asked the national publicity secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Muhammed to look for another target and leave the President alone.
Reacting to the APC spokesman’s allegation that President Jonathan went to Lagos yesterday to plan the rigging of the governorship electiontomorrow, Dr. Abati said that Lai Mohammed’s fatuous tale does not make any sense.
“I repeat: we will like to advise that the APC should just leave the President alone. President Jonathan was a candidate in the presidential election; he did not rig the election. Why would he want to rig tomorrow’s elections?”
Abati, in a chat with newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, faulted Lai Muhammed who had earlier accused the President of going to Lagos to rig the uubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, April 11.
He made it clear that Lai Mohammed was lying as usual even as he referred to him as being “rude.”
Abati admitted that people like the leader of the notorious Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Gani Adams: a minister in Jonathan’s cabinet, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Jimi Agbaje as well as many others visited him while in Lagos and asked: “So what?
“Anytime the President is in Lagos or any part of the country, a lot of people come to pay homage to him. Nothing unusual happened during his last visit to Lagos. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro’s visit to the President in Lagos is not something that anybody should use to play politics. Obanikoro is a Minister of the Federal Republic. He came to see his boss.
“Mr. Jimi Agbaje is the Governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos. I don’t see how his visit to the President, who is also the leader of his party, the PDP, should become an issue.
“Yes, Gani Adams also visited, but so did a lot of other people.”
Dr. Abati swore that the President did not hold meetings with the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), neither did he meet with the police, or polling officials or with anybody who is involved in organising elections.
“So to say that the President went to Lagos to supervise the rigging of Saturday’s election is most uncharitable and cruel.
“After the Presidential election, the President immediately congratulated General Buhari and the whole world has commended him for saving Nigeria. President Jonathan’s sportsmanship, statesmanship and leadership saved this country at that critical moment. He has demonstrated his commitment to free and fair election, the rule of law and due process. He has shown that he is a man of character, honour and integrity. Nigerians generally are proud of him. He has left a worthy legacy and shown a great example. “That, obviously, is the narrative that Lai Mohammed and his masters want to change, so they are now cooking up meaningless tales.”

[myad]

Governor Uduaghan Commissions N3.5 Billion Fly-Over Bridge In Asaba

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 10, 2015

Delta state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has commissioned a 3.5 billion naira 120 metre-long six span flyover bridge, constructed by the state government to enable the state capital to take its rightful place as one of the best state capitals in the country.

Speaking at the ceremony in Asaba Thursday, Governor Uduaghan said that the project was part of his administration’s urban renewal programme meant to improve the social economic and political lives of the people.

“A lot of things have happened in the state capital and it is assuming the status of a befitting state capital, at the beginning we started with the airport, the new government house then we did the schools and the health sectors, very soon an ultra modern hospital will be completed. ”

“We have done a lot in Asaba to make it a befitting state capital. This project started two years ago, not eight years ago and today, we are commissioning it.”

He observed that the flyover was very strategic as it will ease traffic on the road which connects Edo State and reduces time of journey from Asaba to Abuja and the northern parts of the country.

“The flyover is very strategic, it is on the road that leads to Abuja, with the completion of the Utor bridge at Ebu, which constitute an arterial road from the South-South and South –East States through Edo state to Abuja and other parts of Northern Nigeria, this flyover bridge is very timely.”

Dr. Uduaghan assured Deltans that his administration would continue to execute projects and called on the people to vote for the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and the House of Assembly candidates of the party during the elections.

The commissioner for Works in the state, Hon. Funkekeme Solomon in an address, said the flyover bridge located at the intersection of Nnebisi, Okpanam, Anwai roads was awarded to “Messrs CCC Construction Company Nigeria Limited by the state government in 2013 at a contract sum of N3, 528, 939, 077.63.”
“The scope of the works included a 120 metre-long six-span bridge, two ramps of about 140 meters each on either approach bringing it to a total of 400 metres long,” he said, noting, “the entire bridge/ramps structure is a four-lane dual carriage way, comprising of two in each travel direction demarcated with a New Jersey Barrier.”

Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Professor) Chike Edozien represented at the occasion by Chief John Edozien, thanked Governor Uduaghan for his efforts towards transforming Asaba. [myad]

The 219 Chibok Girls Are Still Alive In Captives, Parents, Ezekwesili Insist

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 9, 2015

Chairman of the Chibok Community in Abuja, Mr. Hosea Abana and the Coordinator, BringBackOurGirls group, Oby Ezekwesili, have expressed optimism and strong conviction that the 219 female students of Chibok Secondary School who were abducted from their school by Boko Haram on April 14, last year are still alive, contrary to speculations that they might have been killed during military raid of the Zambisa forest.

The duo who spoke in separate interviews with journalists today when the BBOG group staged a walk round major streets of Abuja being their second day of global activities in commemoration of Chibok girls said: “as parents, we believe that our children are still alive and well. Zambisa forest is a large expanse of land that even extended as far as Bauchi so I don’t believe that the military has combed everywhere. Our daughters are still being held by their captives.”

Also, Ezekwesili said her group would never give up hope on the safe return of the girls even as she insisted that they had not been killed by the solders inside the forest.

“Our Chibok girls are somewhere on the surface of the Earth and for as long as we are a country, we have the military, we have the intelligence, we have collaboration, we have cooperation with other nations of the world, we must find our Chibok girls.

“How can our country move on without 219 citizens that can still be rescued. It just doesn’t make sense. No society grows by abandoning the citizens.

“We are not going to speculate. We refuse to speculate as to whether they are alive or dead. People want to think about the possibility of them being dead. We know we must bring back our Chibok girls, their parents are waiting, they have not lost hope. They are holding on to even a slimmer of hope that their girls would be rescued.”

“It would be exactly one year that the girls were taken. We started our countdown to the April 14 yesterday (Wednesday ) and today (Thursday ) we are working across the city to remind the people that 360 days and counting, the girls have not been rescued.

“We believe that these girls can be rescued, we believe that even beforeMay 29, our Chibok girls can be rescued.

“So during this week of global action, we have cities all over the world reminding everyone that the girls we began to call for 360 days ago, are still not back with their parents.”

She explained that tying the ribbon in strategic places across the city was a reminder to everyone that the Chibok girls were still not around.

“People want to move on but we can’t afford to move on. We must find our Chibok girls and bring them back home,” she added.

[myad]

9ice, The Musician, Gets Political Job In Ajimobi’s Government In Oyo

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 9, 2015

A prominent Nigerian musician, Abolore Akande, popularly known as 9ice, has gotten a plum political appointment as Special Adviser to the governor of Oyo state, Abiola Ajimobi, who is seeking a re-election on Saturday.

The Gongo Aso crooner joined All Progressives Congress (APC) and contested for the ticket of the party for the Ogbomosho Federal Constituency but was defeated at the primary.

His appointment was announced on Twitter, although, his primary assignment to the governor is unknown as at now.

[myad]

As Table Turned: PDP Now Complains Of Nigeria Becoming A One-Party State

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 9, 2015

With All Progressives Congress (APC) taking the centre stage in the changing political arrangement and mass defection from the once largest party in Africa, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party is now complaining that Nigeria may become a one party state.

It’s National Auditor, Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju, who said this in a statement today in Abuja, made it clear that APC would be held responsible in Nigeria turns to a one party state, adding that a one party state is dangerous for the nation’s nascent democracy.

Adeyanju said that rather than dumping PDP for the APC because of its brilliant performance in the last elections, “members should go back to the drawing board, put on their thinking caps and plan ahead of future elections. That is what is expected of a good politician, who really wants to serve his or her community.

“Our nascent democracy needs strong opposition, which will spur any ruling party to work hard for good governance. Rushing to the APC by PDP members, especially the so-called bigwigs, is not the answer to the current predicament of the PDP and it is dangerous to our nascent democracy. Rather we should come together to review our poor outing and look for a way forward.”

He expressed optimism that if PDP leaders could come together and put their acts together in a proper perspective once again, the party would surely bounced back having being in power for almost 16 years and based on its achievements.

[myad]

Despite His Bragging, Fayose Gets Closer To Impeachment

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Greenbarge Reporters

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April 9, 2015

File photo: Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Fayose standing at the court premises in Ekiti state

In spite of his initial bragging and show of bravado, the Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose inched towards impeachment as the 19-member All Progressives Congress (APC) state House of Assembly members moved one step forward today with a resolution directing the Chief Judge to set up an impeachment panel to look into the allegations of gross misconduct against the governor.

The resolution was signed by the speaker, Wale Omirin and two other members of the “G19”, the 19 majority members of the APC who want the two-time governor removed from office.

The House membership was saide to have met at an undisclosed location in Ado-Ekiti to discuss the way forward following the notice of impeachment they served against Fayose on March 3rd 2015.

Appearing on a live radio and television show on Tuesday, Governor Fayose bragged: “I’m like Israel that is in the midst of enemies but will always prevail. Whoever wants to remove me will first have to impeach God.”

In October 2006, Fayose and his first term deputy, Mrs. Biodun Olujimi, were impeached on corruption charges. If impeached in the ongoing drama, he would become the first man in Nigerian history to be impeached twice from the same elected position.

[myad]