Second attempt by Boko Haram to over-run and take over Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno state today met with suprior power of the Nigerian military who killed no fewer than 500 of the invaders. The hard fighting soldiers were said to have routed the ragtag forces of the Jihadist group away from the capital city of Maiduguri to about 40kilometers away to a town called Masa. It was gathered that the battle which ensued when members of Boko Haram attacked Maiduguri led to the loss of 500 members of Boko Haram while 15 civilians lost their lives. Another 36 civilians suffered injuries. This is according to official figures from the military. Meanwhile, a suicide bomber is reported to have detonated a bomb in Potiskum, Yobe state in front of the home of a prominent and wealthy politician, Alhaji Sabo Garbu. Alhaji Garbu is a PDP candidate for the house of representatives. 8 people were reported dead. [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan has said that Kaduna state has benefited tremendously in terms of education, transportation and many more from his government in his first term in office and promise to do more if he is re-elected for second-term in office.
President Jonathan, who spoke today at People Democratic Party (PDP) presidential rally which held at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium (ABS), Kaduna, said that when he return, he would concentrate in reviving the moribund textile industries the state.
According to him, important role of textile industry in the economy is enormous, that his next administration would shift attention to revamping it for the purpose of geerating more employments. “The greater thing we need to do within the next one year is to revive Kaduna textile industries. We understand that it will generate employment opportunities for our people.
“With power in place now, reviving these companies and ensuring continuity will now be easy. We must do everything to revive it,” he said.
Speaking at the rally which was attended by thousands of party members and supporters, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, urged the people of Kaduna state to vote for Jonathan in the February presidential election so that he could continue with his transformation agenda of which Kaduna state had been a major beneficiary.
“Kaduna should not make the mistake of voting the wrong people because we are all looking up to the state. We must not allow those who will rig to succeed. We must stay and defend our votes.
“Mr. President has the love of the country at heart than any other presidential candidate today. Here is a man who has done a lot for the country. The least you can do is to vote for him to continue his transformation agenda” Mark said. [myad]
Possibly the worst year of my life was 1984. I was 10 years old and blissfully unaware of the changing face of Nigeria’s political landscape. And a rather unyielding face it was – that of Muhammadu Buhari who had recently overthrown Shehu Shagari, a democratically elected president. For Buhari, this was a necessary coup d’etat because Nigeria was being overrun by corrupt politicians. However, his regime would have a devastating impact on my family’s fortunes.
For the first time, at the close of the school term in Edinburgh, my father wasn’t there to pick us up. My older brother, aged 15, took charge and we made our way to Heathrow. Touching down in Nigeria, it was my mother who met us at the airport. She didn’t smile, perhaps couldn’t; her mouth was turned down at the corners like she was being flattened by existence. Something was wrong, clearly. I waited until we were settled in the car and piped up: “Where’s Daddy?” Without turning to glance at me, my mother answered: “He’s in jail.” She always had an aversion to bullshit but even, for her, that was pretty cold. For the rest of the journey, I thought about my Daddy who returned the cash to the phone company when our account was credited with thousands of naira; Daddy who, born into abject poverty, personified what it meant to work really hard and make your own dreams come true, in a hopefully new meritocratic Nigeria.
On getting home, one of my older brothers explained that Buhari’s deputy, the uncompromising, much-feared Colonel Tunde Idiagbon, had commanded that all government contractors in Ogun state had received a notice to appear before a special committee. My dad honoured the invitation and presented all the papers to show that it was in fact the government that owed his company money. He was given two options: to pay a large amount (that no one quite understood how they arrived at) or go to jail. On principle, my dad said he wasn’t going to pay money that he didn’t owe. He was not alone. I have a group of friends with whom I am forever bound by this shared ordeal of seeing our fathers treated like criminals. And as it was for many, this period signified the beginning of financial ruin.
My father spent six months in jail and came out a different man. For one, he started clapping at our solemn family devotion in the mornings, something we never did. He explained that that was what they did in prison. He was never a big talker but seeing him work at adjusting to normal life was painful for everyone around him.
Before his release, the two giant crushers and all the machinery and equipment that belonged to his civil engineering firm were liquidated. As children, our lives changed too. We were placed in state schools and said goodbye to our privileged lifestyles.
My dad is 87 now and he’s an active member of the local advisory board of the All Progressive party, the opposition party that has recently adopted Buhari as the presidential flag-bearer, 30 years after his first outing as a military head of state. Like many Nigerians, my father was saddened when he heard President Goodluck Jonathan claim that “stealing is not corruption”. With 24% unemployment, there are limited opportunities for young people, making them easy fodder for militants in the southernmost parts of the country and dreaded religious fundamentalists in the north. People clamour for leadership.
For the last three weeks, I have been travelling with the presidential campaign team and I have had the opportunity to listen to people and interview them. I have also had a personal need to understand this man Buhari who has run for the highest office a record three times. At the beginning, I admit I had doubts and misgivings. It’s hard not to when you’ve been stung before. But after several conversations with him, I have come to understand what the mass hysteria is all about and why Nigerians would vote for this soft-spoken but highly principled 72-year-old.
It’s quite simple and, having worked as a schoolteacher for years, I can use a school setting in my analogy. Kids like a teacher to whom they can give the runaround but when it’s crunch time, they favour an environment where the teacher is firm, one where clear boundaries have been set. Having a president who is widely described as “clueless” may have seemed to many like an opportunity, but the goodwill that Jonathan enjoyed in 2011 has been frittered away. These days, governors in the opposition parties are starved of funds and harassed when they don’t do the bidding of a first lady who campaigns for her personal candidates. Many Nigerians believe that it is time to return to one of the few faces of anti-corruption in Nigeria’s political history. Even my wrongly-imprisoned Dad would recognise that Buhari’s ambition was to stem corruption.
Unlike many Nigerian past presidents, Major-General Buhari does not have a huge mansion. You won’t hear about him owning a bank or sitting on the board of banks. Neither does he own expansive farmland. In fact, he wrote to the minister of finance requesting that he only receive 10% of the allowance that all past presidents receive on a monthly basis. Overwhelmingly, his lack of greed and personal venality means people trust him. Within a democratic dispensation, whatever excesses Buhari’s singlemindedness at tackling corruption might have shown 30 years ago can and will be curbed.
He has surrounded himself with a brilliant, savvy team of young Nigerians and I much enjoy the passion with which he talks about his three main priorities: unemployment, insecurity and education. For some Nigerians, he might not be an ideal candidate but for many more, people want anything but Jonathan. And even better it’s someone that they feel they can believe in.
Lola Shoneyin is a Nigerian novelist and poet. [myad]
Former governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that the Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Bhari has emerged as a man on a rescue mission the same way late Nelson Mandela did to South Africa and Ronald Reagan did to America at slightly over 70 years each. Tinubu, who spoke today at the APC Presidential rally in Lagos said: “I (had) prayed that Nigeria would get better and we would not need a man like him (Buhari). But today, we are in a great crisis; we face a lot of challenges. When South Africa was in a great dilemma and was about to disintegrate, they called Nelson Mandela of 74 years old. He used his wisdom to save his country. “When the United States was in economic depression, they called 73-year-old Ronald Reagan because he was frugal and incorruptible. “When America was faced with depression and war, they called a retired General, Dwight Eisenhower, to rescue the country and the country was returned on a path of success. “When France was faced with war and economic depression, they called a retired General, Charles De Gaul, to rescue the country.” Tinubu, who is one of the top leaders of APC said that Nigeria has come to a dangerous socio-economic morass so much that Buhari’s certificate or no certificate would not be enough to now qualify him from ruling the country. “So what do we need now? Buhari. This is the time for us. General Buhari, whether you are qualified or not qualified, we are calling you to come and rescue us in Nigeria,” he said. Tinubu said that because of his belief that General Buhari could save this country from the collapse, he had to sacrifice his presidential ambition for him, stressing that Nigeria is facing an economic crisis and an internal war and needed a person with Buhari’s experience because of the General’s reputation of anti-corruption and military warfare. “People define patriotism as putting the country first but this is what the ‘Poverty Development Party’ refuses to understand. We chose Buhari not because Bola Tinubu is not interested in the Presidency. I am capable, competent, qualified, younger and richer but there comes a time that people must make sacrifices for their nation.” Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos said at the rally that President Goodluck Jonathan had done nothing for the people of the state despite the fact that the President got over 1.2 million votes from the state in 2011. According to him, every project that the Federal Government was supposed to have assisted Lagos in executing had been frustrated by the Jonathan administration. He, therefore, asked the people of the state to vote for the APC at all levels. General Buhari described the failure of the PDP-led Federal Government as unprecedented in the history of Nigeria, adding: “we all know what we have gone through in the past 16 years under the PDP. The APC has identified three core problems that must be tackled immediately. First is insecurity, two is the destruction of the economy and three is corruption. “But whatever we have to do, we will have to secure Nigeria first. What is happening in the North-East where hundreds of people are being killed is unacceptable. We know that the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Army are capable of bringing peace and stability into the country but they just need good leadership.” [myad]
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has commenced radio programme to enhance anti-corruption campaign in the country. The programme, titled: “Common Enemy: Fighting Corruption Together” is currently being aired on Radio Nigeria and Unity FM, Abakiliki. A statement from the information consultant of the ICPC, Mr. Folu Olamiti said that phone in programme is to encourage civil participation of Nigerians in the campaign against corruption. Participants are advised to tune in to Radio Nigeria and Unity FM Abakiliki at 3.30pm every Thursday from now till June 2015 for the programme. Contributions will also come through face book or twitter. He said that the radio programme is a follow up to a recommendation by a participant, Mr Emeka Ugwu during the Anglophone West Africa Youth Integrity Camp in Badagry .The ICPC in partnership with the UNDP organised the programme for 67 youths in Bada. [myad]
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organization has asked All Progressives Congress (APC) to organize a Presidential television debate at its own terms and conditions, promising that President Goodluck Jonathan, the party’s Presidential candidate would be there to participate in the debate. In a statement today, the Director of media and publicity for the PDP presidential campaign organization, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode said PDP is insisting on the participation of the APC Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari in a live television debate with President Goodluck Jonathan. Fani-Kayode emphasised that PDP is ready to attend any debate, anywhere in the country with the APC candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, even if that debate is organized by the APC’s spokesman Lai Mohammed and the APC itself, as long as it would be televised live. “The decision of the APC not to participate in the debate organized by the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) on grounds of alleged bias is baseless and absurd. The decision of the APC to boycott the debate provides ample evidence of their cowardice and their unrelenting contempt for the Nigerian people. “The truth is that the electorate would like to see the presidential candidates of all the political parties square up in a television debate to answer questions on their blueprint for governance and national development. “The PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation are interested in our candidate, President Jonathan engaging General Buhari in a robust and lively debate so that both men can speak about issues like corruption, insurgency, the fight against terrorism and the economy all of which are areas in which Buhari has grounded his unjustifiable and mischievous attacks on our candidate. “Since the APC are not comfortable with anyone else handling and organising the debate and since they keep alleging bias on the part of any sensible and impartial organizer, we challenge them to organise the debate themselves. As long as the debate is live and they will allow our candidate to speak his mind on all issues, without any interruption and without cutting him short, we assure them that we will attend. Our candidates-President Jonathan and his Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo will take up the gauntlet and join issues with them anywhere in this country and at anytime as long as the Nigerian people can witness the event live and as long as it is done openly for the world to see. “We know that they may have a few challenges with the English language; so, if they like they can even conduct the debate in vernacular: we would be prepared to pay for a translator or an interpreter just so that they could understand the proceedings. Whenever they want to organise such a debate and wherever they choose as the venue, we will be there, as long it will be televised live. This is because we believe that under any circumstances and in every situation President Goodluck Jonathan will give Buhari the thrashing of his life in any frank and open discussion about his record in public office.” [myad]
National Publicity Secretary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh has said that people in the Northern part of Nigeria are just eager to vote en-mass for President Goodluck Jonathan over and above the Presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari in the February 14 election.
“Indeed, Nigerians in the north are eager to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan come February 14, 2015. Voters in the region appreciate the direct positive impact of the numerous development projects executed by the Jonathan administration in all sectors of life.
In a statement today, Metuh predicted that President Jonathan will defeat General Buhari in the election, saying that Jonathan is enjoying soaring popularity among the voting population across the country.
According to him, the President would win more than two-third of the total votes cast as well as the required 25 percent in all the states of the federation, adding that President Jonathan will beat Buhari in the north, not only because the PDP controls 12 out of the 19 states of the region, but because the citizens are pleased with the numerous development projects he executed in the region.
Metuh explained that the various projects and appointments in the north have placed President Jonathan ahead of Buhari especially following the fact that the APC presidential candidate never executed any in the region when he was head of state and has so far failed to articulate an acceptable blue-print for development.
“They appreciate the fact that recognizing that agriculture is the mainstay of the northern economy, President Jonathan ensured that out of the 2.7 million direct farm jobs achieved by his administration, over 2 million are in the north.
“They appreciate the fact that President Jonathan established the e-wallet system, which eliminated the corruption in the distribution of fertilizer and other farmputs, making the products directly accessible to millions of farmers in the region thereby boosting their productivity. They appreciate the fact that silos are brimming and food pyramids are returning in the north.
“In education, President Jonathan’s imprint in the north remains indelible. Today, the once relegated Almajiri boys can now go to school following the establishment of the Almajiri System of Education, the first of its kind, with over 150 special schools already built, while others are nearing completion, a noble idea, General Buhari never thought of when he was head of state.
“Also, out of the 14 new universities established by President Jonathan, 9 are located in the northern states thereby ensuring that all states of the region have a federal university. This is in addition to the establishment of new secondary schools and training of teachers for quality education in the region.
“Furthermore our citizens in the north are happy with President Jonathan for his efforts in tackling desertification in the region especially with the establish of more than 80 km of 15–row Green Belt in addition to the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation in Kano and 10 other Northern States.”
Metuh recalled the increased attention to the health need of the area especially the interventions towards polio eradication and treatment of VVF among others.
He said that President Jonathan has repositioned the region for prosperity and that the north now stands to benefit immensely from the revitalization of the railways, especially the rehabilitation of the Minna-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano narrow gauge, the Markurdi-Lafia-Kuru-Bauchi-Gombe-Ashaka-Maiduguri line and the branch line from Kafanchan to Kaduna, which are expected to increase productivity in the region.
The PDP National publicity secretary said that roads in the region have received serious attention under Jonathan citing the decades-long intractable Kano-Maiduguri highway, the longest stretch in the country, which is now being successfully tackled in addition to the Abuja-Lokoja road, which is now a delight for road travellers. [myad]
Serena Williams today, beat Maria Sharapova 6-3, 7-6 (5) to continue her 100 percent record in finals at Melbourne Park and move closer to Steffi Graf’s record of 22 major titles in the Open era.
Williams, at 33 years and 127 days, became the oldest winner of the Australian women’s title in the Open era and moved into outright second place on the list of major winners in the Open era, moving clear of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova on 18.
Still affected by a recent cold, Williams controlled the first set around a rain delay when play was stopped for 13 minutes during the sixth game for the roof on Rod Laver Arena to be closed. Williams came back on court momentarily, but returned to the locker room.
”I had a really bad cough, I ended up throwing up,” Williams said. ”I think in a way that just helped me – I felt better after that.”
She returned to court and fired an ace to start a run of six straight points to take the set away from Sharapova.
Williams won the first six points of the second set, too, before Sharapova started hitting out.
The five-time major winner had 18 of her 21 winners in the second set, and fended off four break points.
No. 2-ranked Sharapova saved two match points, including one in the 10th game when she hit a forehand winner down the line, and she calmly held serve twice to stay in the match. In the end, though, it wasn’t enough to end a decade-long losing streak to Williams.
”I haven’t beaten her in a long time but I love every time I step on the court with her,” said Sharapova, who trails 17-2 in career head-to-heads against Williams and hasn’t beaten the American since 2004. ”I’ve had some of the best memories of my career on this court and also some of my toughest losses, but that’s the life of a tennis player.”
Williams was closing in on her 19th Grand Slam singles title, her 16th straight win over Maria Sharapova and her sixth Australian Open championship when she was docked a point by the chair umpire for hindrance – for yelling in celebration too early when she thought she’d hit a service winner.
”I got too excited and I hit a great serve … I didn’t expect her to get it back,” Williams explained of the hindrance call in the seventh game of the second set. ”I said, ‘C’mon’, a little too soon. I guess there’s a rule that you can’t do it. So I’m fine with it. I moved on very fast to the next point; just tried to stay as focused as I could.”
The muted fist pump, she said, was just for fun.
”I’m like, ‘C’mon.’ It just goes to show you I have more fun on the court. I would have never done that three years ago, four years ago,” said Williams, who has let similar calls upset her in the past. ”So I just kind of made a little sarcasm after that.”
On her third match point, she let her racket go before hearing a let call to what she thought was an ace.
”I thought, ‘Wow this is it, I did it,’ only to hear let. I was like, ‘OK Serena!”’ she said.
So she fell back on her biggest weapon, firing another ace – her 15th of the set and 18th of the match. This time, after checking it was official, she bounced around like a little child and the celebration was real.
”I’m so honored to be here and to hold this 19th trophy,” Williams said. ”I didn’t think it would happen this fast, to be honest, but it feels really good.”
”When I think about Paris, I don’t think about 20. I just think about winning there,” said Williams, who didn’t reach a quarterfinal in a Grand Slam between her wins at the 2013 and 2014 U.S. Opens.
On the men’s side, Fabio Fognini and Simone Bolelli became the first all-Italian team to capture a Grand Slam men’s doubles title in more than 50 years after beating French pair Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-4.
Novak Djokovic has won all four times he’s reached the Australian Open final and is aiming to maintain his 100 percent record when he takes on Andy Murray in Sunday’s singles final. [myad]
The Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu 11, has warned the new Assistant Inspector of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 2 Police Headquarters, Lagos, Joseph Mbu to stop from any attempt to intimidate the people of Lagos as he earlier did in Rivers State, when he was police commissioner.
Akiolu who gave the warning while receiving the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari’s delegation in his palace said: “Nobody can intimidate us. Let it be clear that Lagos is not Port Harcourt.”
The traditional ruler, who advised people of Lagos to cooperate with security agencies, added that though police redeployment is normal during elections, but that “any policeman that comes here to cause trouble will fail. I and my people will give him a matching order.”
He stressed the importance of police officers not be partisan, adding: “police should do their constitutional role without bias.
“I want to sound a word of warning to security agencies. If anybody comes here to come and cause trouble he will fail. Others have tried and failed. Sometimes back, someone (a police officer) was posted here and he attacked me and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. I told him (police officer) he will fail and he did fail,” the monarch said.
He however urged the people of Lagos to cooperate with the security agencies for the general well-being of the state.
“I urged my people to cooperate with the police and the army to do their job. I want all my people to be peaceful and law-abiding. All shall be well with us,” he said.
The monarch said Lagos State has suffered under the PDP-led Federal Government since the return of civil rule in 1999. He described Buhari as an upright, honest and dedicated gentleman who meant well for the country.
“Lagos won’t ever lag behind again in the forthcoming dispensation. I know the ability of Buhari. He is very passionate about this country and he will deliver.” [myad]
All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organization has expressed happiness over the decision of the African Union (AU) to commit 7,500 troops in a multinational effort to fight the Boko Haram terror sect. Leaders of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) met yesterday and agreed to the plan to bring to an end the killings and maiming of residents of the North East part of Nigeria by the militant group and endorsed a plan for a regional task force of 7,500 Army to fight the sect. The meeting which was presided by President Alpha Conde of Guinea, said the effort would end the militants, who recently expanded their attacks to the borders of Lake Chad region of Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin had earlier in the month requested the AU to seek U.N. Security Council mandate for their plan to take on insurgents who are allegedly fighting to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria. Smail Chergui, the AU commissioner for Peace and Security Council, told reporters on the sidelines of an African summit in Addis Ababa shortly after the meeting that: “We are thinking of a force of 7,500 women and men which will be submitted to the U.N. Security Council for approval.’’ Chergui hoped that the concept of the force would be better organised and “we can achieve the goal that we are looking for to really stop the killing and these barbaric acts of Boko Haram’’. He said the African group would meet in Cameroon early February “to draw up a concept of operations and strategy, rules of engagement, command and control, and related issues.” Each of the five nations would contribute a battalion with each contingent to base within its national borders, with operations to be coordinated from Chad. And a statement from the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Garba Shehu, said that the decision of the AU to send troops to confront the Boko Haram onslaught will bring succour to many Nigerians who have haplessly waited for government intervention. The statement, signed said: “for the victims of the Boko Haram onslaught and for Nigerians who are residents of areas most hit by Boko Haram attacks, this is the best news that has come for a long time. “It is an action that has become necessary in the face of the seemingly show of ineptitude and a clear lack of proactive initiatives on the part of the PDP government, a government that prefers to muddle up and politicize issues of paramount importance than to squarely face them. such as the security of lives and property of those they swore to protect. “We will only implore the AU troops to conduct themselves in accordance with the global rules of engagement, particularly as it relates to issues of fundamental human rights.” [myad]
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