President Goodluck Jonathan has reminded politicians in the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) that Nigeria is not a personal estate of anybody and that no one can lay claim to it more than any other citizen. The President, who spoke today at the Christmas Church service in Abuja was apparently reacting to the statement credited to the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi to the effect that if APC loses the 2015 election, it would form a parallel government. Jonathan said that the only democratical way of forming government is through election, adding that once people vote the politician out, such politician should leave. According to him, it would be irresponsible for any politician whose interst is to serve the people to create condition that would bring about confusion and violence.
President Goodluck Jonathan has asked Nigerians to pray to God to exterminate demons of hatred, divisiveness and disunity in the country. This is even as former Nigeria Vice President Atiku Abubakar called on Nigerians to celebrate Christmas with renewed hope for a better Nigeria. In a separate messages to Nigerians marking Christmas tomorrow, December 25, President Jonathan and Atiku made it clear that with constant prayers and right attitude, Nigeria would overcome the present challenges. Jonathan noted that greater internalization of the virtues of love for fellow men, tolerance, Godliness, honesty, fairness to others, selflessness, and peaceful co-existence with others, by all adult Nigerians, and the inculcation of the same in the youth, will definitely help the country to overcome most of its present challenges. “Peace and love for others, especially, were a constant refrain in the Messiah’s teachings and admonitions to mankind. “Therefore, as we celebrate his birth, I urge all Nigerians to offer special prayers for a greater manifestation of divine peace in our country and the vanquishing of all demons of hatred, divisiveness and disunity in our midst. “As we celebrate Christmas, let us also remember and offer special prayers for all of our countrymen, women and children who have suffered and continue to suffer untold hardship, deprivation and death at the hands of terrorists and insurgents. “Let us also continue to pray for our gallant soldiers and security agents who remain at the forefront of the national effort to overcome terrorism and violent extremism, even as the rest of the nation celebrates Christmas and the coming New Year.” President Jonathan urged all patriotic Nigerians to rededicate themselves to doing all within their powers to support the brave men and women of the armed forces in the ongoing war against terrorism, and to also support the Federal Government’s efforts to provide more succour to the hapless victims of terrorist atrocities. The President called on individuals and corporate organisations who have not yet done so, to donate more generously to the Victims’ Support Fund which was established to raise additional funds to assist those who have been adversely affected by continuing insecurity in parts of country remains active. He reminded Nigerians that Christmass is being celebrated against the background of preparations for next year’s general elections, assuring that his administration will give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) all necessary support to ensure that it delivers very free, fair, credible and acceptable elections in 2015. “National security agencies will also be given all necessary support to enhance their ability to ensure that the elections which should strengthen democracy in our country are peaceful and violence free. “I urge our political class to be law- abiding and place the greater interests of our nation above all personal or sectional interests in the countdown to the elections. “Let us all be more statesman-like, conduct issues-based campaigns, and eschew the promotion of falsehood, division and hatred of others as we seek the votes of our countrymen in what should be a peaceful competition among contending points of view for the progress and development of our dear nation. “I remain convinced that God Almighty is still with us as a nation even in the midst of our current challenges which we shall surely overcome with greater unity of purpose, dedication, commitment and perseverance. “Let this year’s celebration of the birth of Christ the Messiah rekindle, strengthen and reaffirm our faith in our national ability to overcome all challenges, with God on our side.” In his own message, former Vice President Atiku said that irrespective of the difficult challenges facing the country, Christians and indeed all Nigerians should celebrate the yuletide with hope and prayers that God will heal the land with His infinite peace. “Our country is in trouble of maladministration marked by insecurity, but we should still celebrate Christmas with hope because it is a season of joy; and with prayers and deep reflections, God will heal our land and we shall prosper again,” He urged Nigerians irrespective of their belief systems to promote peace and harmonious coexistence for the unity and stability and progress and development of our nation.
A prominent Nigerian Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi has predicted that a truly one hundred percent free and fair election in the 2015 general elections will be an illusion.
He said that what is happening in the polity today as the nation approaches the election period are harbingers of what is coming up when anyone of the contestants, especially for the President is declared loser.
Sheikh Gumi, through his Facebook post titled, “PDP v APC: It’s Not about Religion,” today noted with regret that there has been intimidation going on from both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC). The Sheikh appealed that what should be paramount and of highest in the minds of Nigerians now should be peace and stability, saying that every life must be protected
“Muslims and Christians – should be secured also, without putting an extra burden on the already exhausted military and police.
“It’s good that both presidential candidates of the PDP and APC have re-emphasized that the 2015 presidential contest is not a religious one. The two parties have also reiterated the same. Therefore, the 2015 elections is not a Crusade v Jihad and consequently there is no martyrdom. The only ethical obligation on the clergy of both religions, Christians and Muslims, is to explain it to their congregations to avoid violence.
“Nigeria doesn’t need another religiously tainted war. The Boko Haram has already tormented all.
“APC was ‘demonized’ by elements in PDP as a “Janjaweed” party to the extent that they were pushed to take a pastor instead of a nominal Christian as their vice presidential candidate. This in turn has nationally brought another dangerous innovation and dimension into the dirty game of power struggle.
“Now men of religion will surely be messed up and ‘dirtied’. Next as Muslims become sensitized too, a Sheikh will soon be on the list and a u-turn to another religious conflict – inter-faith and extra faith will ensue. Thanks to the recklessness of both parties that have proven no matter what they claim; are still self -centered and egocentric.
“The choice of a pastor to deputize for Gen. Buhari is meant to shake to the core the Christians who were made to see the candidate as a religious fanatic and also the Muslims alike who saw the General as having some Islamic aura. It should then effectively neutralized the ‘demonization’ of PDP as a Christian party. It’s now the Church not just Christians that have a foot engrossed in APC. A privilege the Mosque cannot be said to enjoy in any of the two parties.
“Therefore both parties are a group of Nigerian Muslims and Christian’s joined together for a common. Each with its winning slogan and strategy. Each can only promote his/her religion on personal basis but the union is purely secular and worldly. The essence of our democratic union.
“So no Muslim or Christian should be demonized for joining any of the parties. Muslims and Christians should all freely choose which party they like without any compromise on their religious obligations. It’s a matter of mundane desires and preferences. No party is holy or is making brief for the Almighty God.
“Therefore, you as a voter, take all precautionary steps, legal and practical, to vote and protect your rights. But never violence.
“As for Islam for which I speak for, since there are Muslims on both sides, any Muslim who will kill or die fighting another Muslim will be condemned to Hell for eternity. Likewise, whoever that will also kill another non-Muslim Nigerian because of the constitutional treaty of peaceful coexistence between Nigerians will not smell the fragrance of Paradise.
“In a Hadith narrated by both Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Noble Prophet said: “when two Muslims fight each other with their swords, the killer and the killed are in Hell”
“In another Hadith, the Noble Prophet said: “whosoever will kill any soul of non-Muslim under peace treaty will never smell the fragrance of Paradise which can be found from a distance of forty years,” narrated by Al-Bukhari. Islam abhors mutiny and treason which are culpable felonies, deception, and breach of trust, rigging, lying, material and spiritual corruption. And one may not need to ask which Nigerian or party is not a culprit to any of these divine offences? Therefore the word is let us take it easy and live in peace.
“This democracy has been unconstitutionally raped repeatedly by the military might and polls rigging, yet your civility, patience and prayers had always been our only remedy and the strength of our unity.
“Therefore don’t kill or expose yourself to political violence for naught. This world is going to end. And the day you die, you will only be judged by Divine ruling not by the Nigerian Supreme Court decisions.
“Whoever calls you out to violence ask him to show up himself and his children first. This way we can altogether avoid post-election violence, chaos and anarchy.
“Let us remind ourselves, we saw that when Boko Haram takes over a village both Muslims and Christians run helter-skelter for their lives to Federal government controlled areas. Meaning there can be a situation worse than what you are in now. Therefore, thank God and never allow yourself to be used in violence in anticipation of a better life, while you will end up lamenting over our previous situation as bad as it may appear.
“The near event draws nigh. There shall be none besides Allah to remove it.” [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan (L) Receiving Letter Of Credence From The New Ambassador Of Zimbabwe To Nigeria, Mr Lovemore Mazemo At The Presidential Villa Abuja
President Goodluck Jonathan pledged that his administration will continue to actively encourage and support the development of more mutually-beneficial trade and economic relations between Nigeria and other developing nations.
Speaking at separate audiences with the new ambassadors of Cuba and Zimbabwe, President Jonathan said that in keeping with its commitment to privatization, trade liberalization and the full diversification of the Nigerian economy, the Federal Government will welcome greater economic ties with Cuba, Zimbabwe and other emerging economies.
“Nigeria is a very vast economy. We are not just about oil. We have a very vibrant business community that has a global presence in both the service and non-service sectors.
“We will encourage these businesses to expand their interests into your economies,’’ the President told Ambassador Carlos Eleterio Trejo Sosa of Cuba and Ambassador Lovemore Mazemo of Zimbabwe, who were at the Presidential Villa to present their letters of credence to him.
President Jonathan noted that with the full support and encouragement of his administration, Nigerian businesses were already operating successfully in some African and European countries, and making commendable progress in the development of entrepreneurial skills, resource mobilization and global competitiveness.
He wished the new ambassadors successful tenures in Abuja and assured them of the full cooperation of the Federal Government as they work to enhance existing bilateral relations between Nigeria and their countries.
The new ambassadors thanked President Jonathan for receiving them and assured him that they will work hard to boost trade and economic relations between their countries and Nigeria.
Many years after alarm bells began ringing in Southern Nigeria protesting lower cut-off marks for Northern candidates for admission into Federal Government Colleges, a Federal High Court in Lagos has struck down the government admission policy.
Justice John Tsoho who handed down the landmark decision says that admission into federal colleges should no longer be based on “other factors” but purely on merit.
A foremost lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) had approached the court on the basis of the constitution and the 2009 Fundamental Human Rights Enforcement Rules of the Court to ask that the policy of admission that recognizes ethnicity, gender, religion and place of origin was discriminatory and therefore against the constitution.
In handing down his decision, Justice Tsoho asserted that the admission policy of the federal government was a clear departure from the 1999 Constitution (as amended), adding that the policy was discriminatory and went on to declare it null and void.
For many parents and their wards in Southern states of the federation where the education system is firmly established and therefore well advanced, it defies comprehension that a candidate from, say Osun will need 127 marks, Imo 138 and Anambra 138 to qualify for admission, while a child from Yobe and Zamfara requires less than half of these numbers to get enrolment.
Taken in isolation of the several factors that gave rise to these differential points of entry, many will feel outraged that we run a system that is inherently discriminatory, unfair and unjust. But it is equally surprising that the technical points of Olisa Agbakoba’s arguments could sway the Judge to set aside factors of imbalance, capacity and endowment to put the Court in collision course with, not only common sense but the federal system of government with diversity at the core of its existence.
A federal system inherently recognizes diversity of components parts and to that extent, seeks to balance the disadvantages of some parts with the others, so that they are mitigated. That is why grant support differs from one state to another. Take for instance funding for ecological projects. Ecological devastation of say Anambra or Enugu is not the same as you have in Nasarawa or Osun States. You don’t say each of the states must draw equal sums because the constitution speaks about the equality of state.
Under the current dispensation, there is a massive intervention by government aimed at mitigating the past neglect of the Niger Delta. We now have a ministry for Niger Delta. In addition to that, there is a development commission, the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, both of them enjoying the full backing of the Federal Executive Council, the National Assembly and the entire citizens of the country in the belief that to bring peace, stability and equality of all citizens to bear on that region, government needed to go beyond the normal budgetary allocations to accelerate development of the neglected areas.
In the same vein, the President, Dr. Jonathan Goodluck has himself spoken severally about a planned intervention in the North-East, in order to ameliorate the losses and hardship caused by the on-going insurgency.
Lower cut-off points in Nigeria has a history of its own that included, but not limited to the poor acceptance of the modern school system for cultural reasons in the region; the poor state of education infrastructure including the lack of teachers in sufficient quantity and quality as well as poor governance generally characteristic of the North. The children have no hand in these.
Until 1978 when the United States Supreme Court forbade racial quotas in college admissions, even the country’s best colleges and universities reserved quotas for lower-income students, unrepresented minorities and athletes. Despite the Supreme Court ruling, suspicions continue to linger about the Harvard and University of California, UCL continuing use of race as a way of building on diverse student body.
Besides, there are several studies showing that skills that are validated by admission tests and examination are not necessarily those that enhance classroom participation or inter-personal dynamics when doing research with peers or professors.
Arguments canvassed by Mr. Agbakoba though technically sound and founded on the constitution, fail to take into account embedded disadvantages suffered by certain parts of the country which needed to be corrected through the allocation of those quotas. America has outlawed quotas because those under-represented sections of the populace – blacks, women and Asian American have mostly risen to the level where they thrive on their own, earning placements in schools without the need for quotas. The problem we have here is that people simply copy or adopt foreign solutions without adapting them to our situations.
In scrapping the admission policy of the Ministry of Education, one is left to wonder whether the judge has weighed the political and social implications of the order he has given.
Nigeria is today a country ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency which has been linked directly to poverty and the lack of education. One of the policies of the current administration that has won it plaudits is its establishment of the Almajiri School System, which seeks to remove 10 million children roaming the streets so that they get access to the school system.
A Judge who orders more children from these areas be pushed to the streets through denial of access to schools is adding to the country’s problem not solving it. This order will only broaden the recruitment base of the Boko Haram. It will lead to the reduction of school intake in volatile sections of the country. If the litigants had in mind the pursuit for equality for all through the justice system, you wonder why they targeted school enrolment instead of the glaringly unequal distribution of state resources and such other privileges that has brought about the social crisis rocking the country.
Justice that is fair and equitable all over the world recognizes mitigating factors and it cannot be different dealing with disadvantaged kids. There is a mitigating factor even in criminal trial.
A federal system of administration should seek to bring up and strengthen all component parts not to weaken any part thereof. It is significant that this court decision is coming at a time of differing perceptions of the government at the centre, with many having the view that it is tilted and biased against the North. The court order can only reinforce this negative perception, and a sense that there is after all, a method in the madness.
While government should be impelled by this political judgment to seek a solution that satisfies all, the Attorney-General of the Federation should in the meantime appeal against it without delay.
Edo State female footballers playing for the state owned female club known as the Edo Queens in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL), today, protested the non-payment of over two years salaries and allowances.
The footballers said they were stranded as they could not raise transportation fares to their respective states to celebrate Christmas.
The Edo Queens who stormed the premises of the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in protest said they have been neglected by the authorities of Edo State Sports Council.
The players said their plight was compounded by the slashing of their away match bonus from N3, 000 to N2, 500.
The footballers’ spokesperson and Nigeria’s goal keeper at the 2014 under-17 tournament, Okeke Oyinye, said they would be having a bleak Christmas celebration after all efforts to get the authorities to pay part of the salary failed.
“We went to the ministry we were told that the government was already processing our payment and that we should proceed on holiday and resume on January 6.
“And we are saying they should pay us because we don’t even have transport to travel to our respective states and celebrate with our family,” she stated.
Reacting to the development, the state’s commissioner for youths and sports, Chris Okaeben, said the protest was not necessary because the government has put machineries in place to clear the arrears.
“So you mean those girls are protesting? How many are they? They should consider themselves sacked because we are already in the process of paying them.”
Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be courageous enough to prosecute all those who breached the electoral act on election expenses.
Falana who was reaction to the donation of N21.7billion to the Peoples Democratic Party campaign organization by some individual and organizations towards the 2015 general election, decried the monetisation of the political process.
The PDP has come under pressure to unveil those who made donations to the party.
Falana, however, said the monetization of the electoral process was not limited to the ruling party, adding that PDP, APC, APGA and LP have already realised billions of naira from aspirants through the sales of expression of interest and nomination forms.
“Many aspirants contested and won the primary elections only to have the results annulled.”
The Buhari Support Organisation, the umbrella body coordinating the activities of various support groups campaigning for General Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential bid has said that it has so far received the donation of N54,415,386.70 through direct deposit and sale of cards to members.
The group which hosted Buhari to a media chat on Tuesday said the money being generated under its crowd funding initiative is being warehoused in a First Bank account 2026724405
Currently, the BSO said it has registered well over 8,492,226 members with over 475,796 coordinators spread throughout the length and breadth of the country.
Speaking at the event, Buhari said he would like to disabuse the minds of critics of his campaign style who had already started accusing him of violating the provisions of the Electoral Law that he has nothing to hide about the source of his funds.
He recalled that he had earlier launched an initiative to raise fund through voluntary contributions from loyalists and supporters who are expected to pay at least N100 each. “My financial strength is based on that of the ordinary Nigerians.”
On whether he intends to collaborate with other presidential aspirants who contested the APC ticket with him, Buhari said he had already begun reaching out to them and that he hoped to run a uniform campaign with all the leaders of the party given opportunity to assist.
Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s fortune is fast waning following the nearly 10 percent devaluation of the Naira, announced a few weeks ago by the governor of the Central Bank of Ngeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Dangote is now the biggest loser among Nigeria’s richest people as the Naira’s slump, coupled with falling stock prices. They have erased more than $7.8 billion of his fortune since February, when FORBES locked in the values for its annual ranking of the World’s Billionaires. Dangote was worth $25 billion at the time; as of market close today, he’s worth $17.2 billion.
More than half of the drop in his fortune has happened since early November. As of Nov. 7, Dangote was worth $21.6 billion, $4.4 billion more than now.
Analysts said that the last few weeks have been a bit of a disaster for many companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Several blue-chip stocks such as Dangote Cement, Zenith Bank, Transcorp and United Bank of Africa among several others have hit one-year-lows as a result of the fall in oil prices, a general uncertainty regarding the 2015 general elections, Central Bank regulatory headwinds, and weak earnings from large cap companies. These have all contributed toward putting naira-denominated assets including equities at risk.
“This is whipping up negative market sentiments as foreign and institutional investors such as pension funds who hold equity stakes in companies (due to their large cap and liquidity status) have mostly fled their positions,” says Ugodre Obi-Chukwu, a leading financial analyst and publisher of Nairametrics, a website that provides analysis and opinion about Nigerian stocks, investing, personal finance and the economy.
Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest manufacturer of cement has shed close to 40% of its market value between the beginning of November and now. The company’s stock, which was trading at N215 ($1.15) at the beginning of November, is now valued at N165 (88 Cents) as at Monday. At the beginning of November, Dangote’s stake in the cement manufacturer was valued at more than $18 billion. It is now valued at $13.2 billion. Dangote has also lost more than $230 million in paper value within the same period on his stakes in publicly-traded Dangote Sugar, Dangote Flour, and National Salt Company of Nigeria. Between November (when FORBES published the list of Africa’s 50 Richest) and today, Dangote, has lost more than $4 billion in his net worth.
After Dangote, the second biggest loser among Nigeria’s ultra-rich is Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, an investment company. Heirs Holdings, which is wholly-owned by Elumelu, is the controlling shareholder in Transcorp, a publicly-listed conglomerate with interests in power production, hotels and agriculture. Transcorp’s current market capitalization is now $700 million, down from $1.4 billion at the beginning of November. Heirs Holdings has lost an estimated $345 million in paper value on Transcorp, and its stake in the company as at Monday is now worth roughly $400 million, down from $700 million. Elumelu’s investments in other listed companies like UBA, Africa Prudential PLC and UBA Capital have shed a little over $27 million in value.
Other big losers include Nigerian multi-millionaire banker Jim Ovia, a co-founder of Zenith Bank. The value of his stake in the financial services provider is $240 million as of late Monday, down from more than $350 million last month. He owns a 9 percent stake in the bank.
Twenty one Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are believed to be owing school teachers and other workers in their respective state as at the time, last week they collectively announced the donation of N1.5 billion of naira to the presidential campaign funds in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Some of the governors are said to be owing the workers for an upward of two and three months’ salaries. In Ebonyi state, authorities are said to be owing teachers under the Universal Basic Education scheme for nearly 12 months of salaries.
In Abia State, secondary school teachers were last paid in August, while primary school teachers have been owed since October.
In Akwa Ibom State, the nation’s leading oil producer which draws more than triple of what other states receive from the federation account monthly, local government workers were on strike. Before the strike, they were forced to receive half salaries for several months, while authorities claimed they had no money.
In Cross River, the situation had worsened after months of indebtedness that state-run television, the Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC), shut off production last week and has since remained off air till date. Other staff fortunate to have received reasonably up-to-date pay, have yet to be paid for November.
But on Saturday night, Cross State governor, Liyel Imoke, stood next to his Bauchi State colleague, Isa Yuguda, as Yuguda announced to the president and the nation how the 21 governors who had been struggling to pay salaries long before the present oil crisis, rallied N50 million each in donation to the PDP.
“We may do more in future, but that is what we were able to raise for now,” Yuguda assured.
In all, the PDP and the president raked in over N21 billion, with donations coming from government contractors, nameless associates, and Tunde Ayeni, the head of Skye Bank, who has bought a string of government assets, including the mega telecoms carrier, NITEL/MTEL, in a process that has already become controversial.
On Monday, Arabian Amlak Investment Limited, one of the 22 companies that bid for NITEL, filed a legal challenge, saying the Nigerian government, through the Bureau of Public Enterprises, deliberately skewed the privatisation process to favour Mr. Ayeni’s company.
As chairman of the PDP fund raiser, Mr. Ayeni donated N2 billion. He announced that he was donating N1 billion on behalf of himself and an unnamed partner, and another two billion on behalf of his friends. After a while, Mr. Ayeni returned to the podium to announce another donation of half a billion naira on behalf of himself and other players in the country’s power sector.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
President Goodluck Jonathan has reminded politicians in the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) that Nigeria is not a personal estate of anybody and that no one can lay claim to it more than any other citizen.
