Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan held a closed door meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, but made sure General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye and the Founder Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo were there as witnesses.
The meeting which began today, Monday, January 12 at Obasanjo’s mansion on Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital at 7pm was still in progress as at 10pm.
The presence of the religious leaders as witnesses, sources said, was part of the conditions which Obasanjo gave to hold any talk with President Jonathan. [myad]
Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made it clear that he has no grudges with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, even as he described him as an incorruptible, honest, clean and patriotic leader.
Lamido, who spoke today as he addressed PDP supporters at a rally in Maigatari, Jigawa state, with correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in attendance, said that those he has grudges with are some of the General Buhari’s supporters, especially those that left the PDP to the APC.
“I agreed like every other person that Buhari is an incorruptible, honest, clean and patriotic Nigerian. My concern has always been defectors who our party, PDP, had made ministers, governors, speakers and members of the National Assembly and left us after benefiting so much.”
Lamido urged the electorate in the area to vote for PDP candidates in the coming elections, saying that the party’s governorship candidate, Aminu Ibrahim, and his running mate, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed, will continue from wherever he would stop “and will not betray the trust, if elected. [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan has said it is not the number of Nigerians jailed that would stop corruption, saying: “If I try 10 million Nigerians and jail 5 million, that does not stop corruption problem.”
The President, who spoke today at the ancient Mapo Hall, the venue for the flag-off of his campaign for a second term ticket in the 2015 elections made it clear that his commitment and method of solving corruption problems is not dependent on the number of people his administration tries or jails in court.
He said that though, his government has tried many Nigerians to show that it did not support corruption, but that the number of people tried for corruption related offences would never stem the tide of hydra-headed problem.
“Let me re-assure Nigerians that we will win war against terror. My commitment and method of solving corruption is not in terms of the number of people I try or jail.”
President Jonathan who used the forum to reel out the achievements of his administration noted that his government had empowered over one million people through its various intervention programmes.
Other achievements, he said, include Lagos-ibadan expressway, power projects, Ibadan Airport renovation, Ibadan-Lagos-Kano, among other empowerment projects cited in Oyo state.
This came just as the president urged Nigerian women to vote him for another four years to liberate themselves or risk being restricted to the kitchen by the opposition.
Though the president did not mention any political party, it was apparent he was talking about the opposition who allegedly promised to cancel the offices of first ladies.
He added that the offices of first ladies galvanised women who run NGOS and enabled women use their cognitive abilities for development.” [myad]
Presidential Candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to stop robbing the poor masses of Nigeria to satisfy those he called few money-bags. In a statement today by his Campaign Council, signed by the Director of Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, General Buhari urged President Jonathan and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Federal Government to allow the poor masses of Nigeria to enjoy the relief that has come to petroleum products globally. Buhari felt disturbed that in spite of the fall in the global prices of crude oil, Nigerians are still being made to buy petroleum products at pump prices as if the global price of crude oil had remained at $100 (USD) per barrel. The statement reads: “The current attempt by the government to deregulate the prices of some petroleum products has been completely compromised to satisfy few money bags to the detriment of the Nigerian people and the economy. “The price of diesel which has been deregulated since 2009 still sells at the pump price of N150 and N170 per litre, the same pump price when the international benchmark per barrel of crude was over $100. Now that the international benchmark has dropped to $47.5 (USD) per barrel as at Monday, we ask: where is the deregulation and the relief which it ought to bring to local consumers of diesel? “For the Nigerian consumers, unfortunately the collapse of crude oil price since October 2014 has not translated into any change in diesel, kerosene and PMS prices across the country. “We challenge the federal government to reconcile the information on the website of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, indicating the maximum open market price of diesel pay per litre in December 2014 as being at N111.6 and the fact that the price has come down to less than $50 (USD) as at Monday. “We want to posit that that the maximum indicative benchmark open consumers of diesel should pay is at a margin below N100 per litre. Therefore, Nigerians are being short-changed by about N50 to N70 on every litre of diesel sold by government. “The implication of this is that with average consumption of about 12 to 15 million litres, Nigerians are currently extorted of amounts between N600 Million to N1 Billion daily due to corruption-induced poor regulatory oversight of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. No wonder some few industry players are smiling to the banks and buying private jets while small scale industrialists who buy diesel on daily basis for power generation and transportation find it difficult to break-even with their businesses. “Similarly on Kerosene, information available on the website of the PPPRA puts the Open Market Price at N114.71 per litre although the market price is anything above N150 per litre when the global price for a barrel of crude oil was $65 (USD). Now that international price of crude is at $47.5 (USD) per barrel, why are Nigerians still buying kerosene per litre at the same price? Why are Nigerians not benefitting from the global shortfall in the prices of crude by having a cut in the pump prices of petroleum products? “We are aware that there are examples in other African countries where governments have cut the pump prices of petroleum products to reflect the changes in the global oil market. Countries like South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya have announced cuts in pump prices of petroleum products, why can’t the Nigerian government do same? “Given the failure of government to do the right thing by announcing a cut in the pump prices of these products, we are compelled to draw the conclusion that the federal government is short-changing Nigerians ostensibly to fund the campaign of the PDP presidential candidate. “The APC Presidential Campaign challenges the federal government to make explanations on why Nigerians cannot benefit pricing reliefs on petroleum products as occasioned by the fall in the global price of crude oil. Anything should of this is a fraud and Nigerians should take note. “As for PMS (petrol) the only product the government agrees as regulated at N97 per litre, the irony is that it does not even cost much as in the United States, a country that was importing oil from Nigeria until recently. “Moreover, even the current budget is still heavy on subsidy with an allocation of N458.68 billion, a scheme that has become a conduit pipe over the years for which the children of ruling party leaders have been beneficiaries.” [myad]
The United Nations has made a promise to assist the Nigerian Government and all affected neighbouring States in bringing an end to Boko Haram insurgency in the country within the shortest time possible. The pronouncement is coming on the heels of call for support to quel the menace of Boko Haram from Nigeria’s military, The UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon gave the assurance for such assistance in a statement issued today in New York by UN spokesman, Stephane DuJarric. [myad]
Presidential Campaign Council of All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused President Jonathan of not being serious about the welfare and safety needs of members of the nation’s security personnel, saying that he has shown that he could trade the welfare and security needs of the security personnel for political gains. A statement by the Campaign Council in Abuja today said it is for reason of political exigency and to carry on with his “gentleman image’ indicating a posture of ‘cannot hurt a fly’ that the President has failed continuously as a Commander-in-Chief. It accused him of his inability to mobilize the security forces and to provide them with the necessary leadership to accomplish their objective. The statement, signed by Director, Media and Publicity of the campaign, Mallam Garba Shehu, noted that the attitude of the Jonathan government to the cruel fate that befell more than one hundred policemen and operatives of the Directorate of the State Security Services (DSS) who lost their lives while on a mission to arrest the Spiritual Leader of the notorious Ombatse cult in Nasarawa State, last year, is yet the most glaring example of how callous and uncaring a government which claims to be democratic can be. The statement said that in serious countries, the government would not toy with the lives and well-being of its security men such that any act of violence visited on the personnel of the security establishment is taken as tantamount to an assault on the nation as a whole. It gave the action of the US and French authorities at the time terrorists attacked their Police personnel on duty as a case in point, saying that they did not rest until the perpetrators were eliminated even as investigation is still continuing to get to the root cause of the assault to prevent future occurrence. It said that in the case of the Ombatse killings of Nigeria’s security men, the administration of President Jonathan displayed incredible levity that shocked the nation and left a sour taste in the mouth of relations and families of the unfortunate slain security men. The APC Presidential Campaign asked the President to reflect on the way he handled the massacre of the nation’s policemen and DSS operatives in May 2013 in Nasarawa State. “This becomes necessary because President Jonathan has been telling the country during his ongoing political campaign that he cares about our security personnel. This cannot be true.” [myad]
Nigeria Army has reassured Nigerians that it will never give up on any part of the country where Boko Haram “terrorist are presently marauding. We want to reassure Nigerians that no portion of Nigeria’s territory has been or will be conceded to terrorists.” Addressing newsmen today in Abuja, on the true situation in Baga, Borno state where Boko Haram struck last week, the Director of the Defence Information in the nation’s Defence Headquarters, Major General Chris Olukolade said that appropriate plans, men and resources are presently being mobilized to address the situation in Baga town. Olukolade who admitted that the Boko Haram attacked on the Baga last week leaving a number of people dead, described the incidence as “terrible atrocities,” adding that such attack had been waged on the town since 3 January 2015. General Olukolade who frowned at the media reports which he said had done a lot of speculations and conjectures regarding the casualty rate where upon it claimed that over a thousand people were killed while others wrote with certainty that 2000 people lost their lives in the attack, further assured that necessary actions are being taken to put an end to the activities of the terrorists and restore law and order to the community. “To this end, a lot of covert operations including surveillance activities which recorded series aerial photographs are ongoing in that vicinity. It is however necessary to inform Nigerians in the interim that the exercise so far have not corroborated the report on the casualty rate which was put at 2000 deaths. From all available evidences, the number of people who lost their lives during that attack has so far not exceeded about 150 in the interim. This figure includes many of the terrorists who were bearing arms and got killed in the course of their attack and battle with troops. “It should be noted that Baga and the neighbouring towns have been under series of attacks and harassment by terrorists. In the course of this, many residents have left, leaving the population in the town almost seriously depleted. Many were also able to escape while the terrorists’ battle with troops lasted. The figure given by sources who claim to be eye witnesses must be an extremely exaggerated estimate. Unfortunately, this figure is now being bandied about in a section of the media as if it has been authenticated. It cannot be true. “It is pertinent to once again urge the media to be circumspect in adopting casualty figures especially the ones given to them by the so-called eye witness, who in most cases, are influenced by their own perspectives. “In any case, this is no time to debate about casualty figures or number of deaths as the life of any Nigerian is important. Much as the intention which could be with the aim of drawing attention to the atrocities being committed by terrorists group in Nigeria, is most welcome, the need for factual presentation of the situation is equally vital. “In case the aim of this misinformation is to further the design of those bent on discrediting the government and the military, all well-meaning people should consider it as a disservice to humanity. It is important to remind those who are adept at spewing falsehood or exaggerating situations with intent to embolden the terrorists and diminish the efforts of the security forces, that their actions are inimical to the safety of the innocent Nigerians who have borne the brunt of the terrorist attacks in our country.” General Olukolade said that the tendency to celebrate the occasional setbacks while downplaying the efforts and successes at containing the terrorists is unfair and very unfortunate. “It is noteworthy that many international bodies are being misled in their interpretation of the situation owing to sensational headlines and stories.” [myad]
The United Kingdom Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed fear that familiar signs that resulted in the June 12, 1993 political upheavals in the country are currently playing out as the country approaches the February general elections, even as it launched, via internet and social media, #FREEANDFAIRELECTIONINNIGERIA to ensure that the elections are peaceful. The group said: “As Nigerians go into the general elections in February 2015, with the Presidential Elections on the 14th of February, we are seeing very familiar signs such as preceded the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election results. This time the stakes are far higher.” In a statement online, by the Publicity Secretary, Philip Ilenbarenemen, the APC United Kingdom Chapter noted that whereas it was the Nigerian Armed forces that was the only body bearing arms in 1993, “today we have a proliferation of armed groups of diversely aggrieved militants playing warlord roles in the various communities. In addition to this, Nigeria is at a very critical juncture with a war on the terrorist gang, Boko Haram, being waged ineffectively and Niger Delta militants (who) are visibly engaged in stockpiling of weapons and threatening to overrun the south west and then the north if President Jonathan, their son is not re-elected the President in February 2015. “We note that these militant groups, led by Alhaji Mujaheed Asari Dokubo have not been reprimanded by the government and its security agencies, giving the impression of tacit support for their activities. “We remember how in 1992/93, a notorious and sinister group, the Association for a Better Nigeria, (ABN) led by the eccentric businessman/politician Chief Arthur Nzeribe and backed by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, who publicly denied any involvement with this group until they were exposed in the group’s campaign for the annulment of the universally acclaimed freest and fairest elections in the history of Nigeria – June 12 Presidential Elections. The acclaimed winner of that election was never allowed to assume the office of the President of Nigeria leading to widespread violent unrest and mass exodus from Nigeria and many more years of needless and draconian military rule and deaths in Nigeria. “In 2014 we saw the emergence of another sinister group in the same mould as the Association for a Better Nigeria, (ABN) called Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, (TAN). TAN is asking for a continuation of President Goodluck Jonathan in Office just as ABN campaigned for the continuation of General Babangida in office in spite of the outcry of Nigerians against such moves. TAN was allowed to freely campaign without any hindrance from law enforcement agencies all over Nigeria for President Jonathan’s re-election for nearly one year before the Independent Electoral Commission, (INEC) whose Chairman and senior officers were appointed by President Jonathan, but would not officially allowed other political parties to start campaigns. Ostensibly a non-governmental organisation, TAN like ABN had government ministers openly attending and speaking at their rallies made up of rented crowds of unemployed youths and women who were paid handsomely to appear at these rallies even as the Federal government was refusing to pay salaries and wages to its workers. Recently we have seen warning signs of Police and the Department of State Security brutality and disrespect for democracy and fundamental human rights of Nigerians, which are similar to what we saw during the period before the June 12 Presidential election annulment. “In October 2014, the Data Centre of the APC in Lagos Nigeria was raided twice in three weeks by operatives of the Department of State Security, DSS and its staff members including a pregnant woman were arrested and tortured in order to obtain statements against the APC. The repeat raid took place despite a subsisting Federal High court injunction against the Department of State Security. “On November 20 2014, the Police invaded the National Assembly of Nigeria Complex, the seat of the legislature. They allowed PDP members being President Jonathan’s party men, into the Complex but locked out opposition politicians including the Speaker of the House of Representatives who had just declared allegiance to the All Progressives Congress. When the Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and others scaled the gate to enter the building they were attacked by the Police who fired tear gas canisters at them. “These behaviours, coupled with inflammatory comments by government functionaries are causing serious concerns amongst citizens and opposition party members. “The legendary abuses and brutality by the Nigerian police and security services against Nigerians and opposition party members especially during elections MUST BE STOPPED IN NIGERIA NOW! Nigerians shall not accept the results of rigged national and state elections in 2015 and such electoral results and the outcome will be treated as a coup de d’état against the people of Nigeria. WE ARE IMPLORING YOU TO IMPRESS IT ON YOUR GOVERNMENTS NOT TO SUPPORT THE OUTCOME OF A RIGGED ELECTION OR PROP-UP THE GOVERNMENT THAT RIGGED THE ELECTIONS.” The group called on all freedom loving peoples around the world to stand in solidarity with the Nigeria people in their quest to be allowed to enjoy the benefits of democracy. It said that as part of its efforts to see that democracy thrives and that the government in Nigeria is “ONLY BY THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED”; that no Nigerian is disenfranchised and deprived of their fundamental human rights of freedom of association and choice; and that no Nigerian is harassed and intimidated with state power by security agents of the Nigerian state or by elected officers such as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a result of their religious or political beliefs, ethnic nationality, sexual orientation or gender, it has launched a petition to support #FREEANDFAIRELECTIONINNIGERIA, especially in the forthcoming 2015 General Elections. “We are by this press statement, calling on all Nigerians, friends of Nigeria, foreign governments and international organisations – Economic Commission of West African Countries, (ECOWAS), Africa Union, (AU), European Union, (EU), Common Wealth of Nations, and the United Nations Organisation, (UNO) and indeed lovers of freedom, peace and democracy from around the world, to sign up and support #FREEANDFAIRELECTIONINNIGERIA” The group insisted that Nigeria must not be allowed to fail as our detractors have predicted and programmed us to do. “Nigeria is the most populous African country, the 5th largest Oil producer, but one where political corruption ranks amongst the worst in the world. On the Corruption Perception Index, CPI 2013, Nigeria is 144th out of 177 countries that were surveyed by Transparency International; the global coalition against corruption scoring 25 on a scale where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. Nigerians are incensed at the levels of corruption and the harm it causes in the polity. People are unemployed and hungry, education and healthcare delivery is on the blink as a result and the PDP-led Federal Government is irritated and showing strains of brutality against the people for daring to complain and seek a comprehensive change of the situation. “The world cannot afford to allow Nigeria to fail as a state. The regional and global impact, let alone, the scale of potential human suffering of allowing Nigeria to fail or degenerate into a theatre of war are too heinous to face.” [myad]
Primate of Methodist Church in Abuja, Rev. Samuel Chukwuemeka Uche has called on the federal government to enact a law that would make it possible for any Presidential candidate who misbehave to be imprisoned for 12 years. He called on the Senate President, David Mark to initiate such law that should be passed within the next two weeks. Rev. Samuel, in his sermon today to mark the Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Abuja remarked: “Any presidential aspirant (candidate) that misbehaves should be imprisoned for at least 12 years. I thank God the Senate President is here. There should be a law that will see to it that such people should be in prison not the one that will take three years to pass, but the one that will be passed two weeks before elections.” He frowned at those he said, threatening to form a parallel government or those inviting the military, adding that such people are committing felony and that they should be in prison “because they are committing treason.” He cautioned against attempt by group of people to Christianize or Islamize Nigeria, saying that it would end in futility because it can never be possible. Rev. Samuel spoke about the menace of Boko Haram which he said would have been eliminated but had never been impossible because of many disgruntled elements who are involved.
“These people who allow themselves to be compromised are within the political elites, some are within the armed forces and other intuitions.These disgruntled country men and women have made themselves enemies of Nigeria. These people sabotage every effort of government to bring peace in the North east of Nigeria. “Some shameless individuals and groups make such utterances and use grievous situation as a tool for politicking, blaming the government in power as doing nothing to solve the problem of insurgency. Who is deceiving who? “I believe that Nigerians are wiser and our people know that it is sabotage that is making it impossible for our armed forces to recover the Chibok girls. “But why should people wage war against their country? Let me reveal to you this evening and at this important service at this juncture, that some of our soldiers because you know we Bishops we have impact in the society, we relate with soldiers and all manner of people. And some of the people in war front have confided in us that apart from some mercenaries from Chad, Libya as well as Somalia, 95 per cent of those fighting our country are Fulani and Kanuri origin. And this brings me to the critical question: why are they aggrieved? Two, who are their sponsors? “Let me attempt to answer question one. They are aggrieved because they want power at all costs. Ehey believe Nigeria belongs to them alone and they are born to rule while others follow. It is deceit. “The second is that they want to Islamize Nigeria and build a parallel caliphate different from the one we know in Sokoto. This can never happen. “The answer to number two: who are their sponsors? Their sponsors are fellow disgruntled Nigerians who hate their fellow countrymen. They are building their sky scrapers in the hemisphere and have no foundations; their building must collapse.” [myad]
Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has called for reconciliation among members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Governor made the call today at the thanksgiving service held in honour of the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa at St. Philip`s Anglican Church, Asaba.
According to him, it is important that the PDP wins in the general elections for the sake of the country and in particular, Delta State even as he said that effective reconciliation is important among members of the PDP.
“A lot of reconciliation has to be done in the party at the national level, at the state level, local government level, even at the unit level, I want to appeal for open heart to enable us reconcile and forgive one another,” Governor Uduaghan stated.
While observing that there is a lot of internal wrangling within the party at the national and state levels, the Governor said: “if you don’t forgive, you are in prison, when you forgive, you release yourself from that prison. You must forgive even a repeated offender, an unrepentant offender, and even people who believe you have offended them, we need to forgive one another so that God will forgive us all.”
He urged the people to be committed to PDP winning in the elections and commended Senator Okowa for giving thanks to God for receiving the PDP flag as the governorship candidate.
“What is important is winning the main election, and one step to win the main election is this thanksgiving service,” the Governor asserted.
Fielding questions from journalists later, Senator Okowa thanked God for his emergence as the governorship candidate and urged Deltans not to relent in their support for his aspiration.
Earlier, Venerable Felix Okonkwo in a sermon urged Christians to always forgive those who offend them, stating: “Great people forgive those who offend them, but, cowards seek vengeance.” He described Senator Okowa as a God-fearing person and urged him to always be prayerful.
Prayers were offered at the occasion for a peaceful election in Nigeria and Delta State in particular. [myad]
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