The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, has warned Nigerians on the danger of electing the Presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 election as he would be antagonistic them.

According to him, electing Buhari would return Nigeria to a combative presidency.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Tony Amadi, the national chairman of PDP said that what Nigeria and Nigerians need at this moment is a President that would further drive home the dividends of democracy and use dialogue to heal the wounds of the nation.

“There are many reasons why Nigeria must not return to a quasi-military dictatorship led by a war lord whose democratic credentials are suspect.

“It is also important to know that the power of the President is awesome and if you give it to a man who is not a coolheaded leader like President Jonathan, he will certainly throw the country into chaos at any time.”

The PDP chairman then extolled the qualities of President Jonathan, saying: “he a tested and trusted democrat who is well experienced in running democratically elected government having been elected as a Deputy Governor, Governor, Vice President and now President of the  Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

“General Buhari is the product of military dictatorship that cannot operate in a free country,” stating that he is unlike President Jonathan who at all times favours dialogue and persuasion which are the hallmarks of democratic governance.”

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Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, has said that Boko Haram cannot kill him as per the threat by leader of the sect, Shekau, saying that he remained  protected against any evil attack and nothing is going to happen to him except the will of Allah, the Creator.

“I am protected and nothing is going to happen to me”, Emir Sanusi said.

The Emir who spoke yesterday at a special prayer he presided over at the Kano central Mosque said that it is unacceptable for people to abandon their daily dealings or desert their places of worship because of the fear created by evil doers.

He advised the law abiding people in the state not to succumb to fear but to be their brothers’ keepers even as he reiterated his earlier call for the general public to protect themselves against the attacks of Boko Haram fanatical sect.

Commenting on Shekau’s position in attacking religious groups, Muhammad Sanuis II, urged all Muslim faithful and the followers of Tijjaniyya, Qadiriyya and Izala religious movements to be vigilant and continue to guard themselves and rise against insurgent attacks. [myad]

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state began the implementation of his government’s stomach infrastructure progremme when he distributed about 80,000  birds, 100,000 bags of rice and cash to the people of the state.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, said that hungry people besieged the Governor’s office to receive the gifts.
As early as 10 in the morning, the Governor, alongside several members of staff, started to distribute the package to the people who kept appearing in their multitudes.
The Governor later moved to the market places with same package for those who could not be available in the governor’s office. The governor promised that all the 16 Local Governments will enjoy the facilities in designated centres.
Fayose told journalists that what takes priority in his heart daily is the welfare of the people of the state who against all odds returned him to office after 8 years in a landslide victory.
He said that he will continue to pursue his welfare programme with all his strength as he could not withstand the people of the state suffering.
He said that the current financial situation will not deter him from reaching out to the people of the state, saying that he had made a covenant with God to  ensure that the people are liberated from the shackles of poverty.
When asked why he gave them money, the Governor said, ” they need to buy pepper, salt, maggi, palm oil etc to cook the chicken.”
Among the beneficiary of the exercise were the widows, aged, pensioners, traders and artisans.
The governor promised that the exercise which began on Thursday  will be on till the Christmas Day. [myad]

In an attempt to deny report of interception of a trailer loaded with Ballot papers thumb printed in favour of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Bauchi Police command ended up throwing more lights into the incidence.
The command started by describing the report as unsubstantiated, unfounded and misleading and capable of causing disharmony among political parties in the state.
However, the command’s spokesman, DSP Mohammed Haruna admitted in a statement that the command, on the 20/12/2014 at about 08:30am intercepted the Trailer following Intelligence report that a Trailer IVECO with registration number XE-784-ABJ was conveying a Container loaded with empty plastic Ballot boxes, property of Independent National electoral commission (INEC) to its North East office in Gombe State. That the trailer was intercepted by Police men on tactical operations point attached to Darazo Division.
He then went on to say: “attention of Bauchi Police Command had been drawn to an unsubstantiated rumour in the Social media that a Lorry conveying Electoral materials was intercepted this morning by security personnel and that it contains presidential ballot papers all voted in favour of PDP.Such rumour was not only misleading but a figment of the imagination of mischief makers who want to cause Disharmony among the peace loving Citizens of Bauchi State in particular and the Nation at Large.”
The police statement has only confirmed the report that the trailer was loaded with ballot  boxes, saying: “The fact in issue is that on the 20/12/2014 at about 08:30hrs,following Intelligence report, a Trailer IVECO with registration number XE-784-ABJ was conveying a Container loaded with Empty plastic Ballot boxes, property of Independent National electoral commission (INEC) to its North East office in Gombe State. It was intercepted by Police men on tactical operations point attached to Darazo Division.”
The Trailer, according to him, was off loaded and thoroughly searched in the presence of press and Party representatives, but nothing incriminating was found apart from 314 cartons of empty Plastic ballot boxes which corresponded with the Way bill clearance issued by the Nigeria Custom Service.
DSP Haruna appealed to members of the Public to disregard the rumour and go about their lawful business as the Command is working tirelessly to ensure safety and security in the State

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Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ima Niboro, vowed to turn the furtune of the organisation around within the shortest time possible, even as he has, within 10 months of his being in the saddle, changed the face of the organisation and its ways of doing business.
Niboro has not only renovated NAN’s New York Office in the United States, but also embarked on a similar upgrading exercise at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
Speaking with a delegation of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in his office in Abuja, Niboro said: “by the time I am through with this project, we’ll have a befitting working environment and will be in a position to host anybody from anywhere in the world.”
Niboro spoke about efforts being made to move NAN along with the times by digitalising its operations, adding that this. would reduce operational cost and enhance efficiency. He said that it would also result in more affordable subscription fees.
“We are targeting millions of subscribers.
“Already, you can subscribe to daily NAN news through sms. By the time we finish what we are doing, people would be free to subscribe for only the news they need. You can even subscribe for a day and pay online for a day.”
A journalist himself and immediate past Special Assistant on Media to President Goodluck Jonathan, Niboro spoke of his desire for NAN to generate more revenue, which explains why his administration is working hard to broaden the agency’s streams of income.
This, he said, informed the introduction of NAN Bulletin, an all-gloss monthly magazine edited by industry veteran, Obiora Chukwumba, a Deputy Director at NAN.
A fully commercial venture, NAN Bulletin sells for N500 a copy and competes for advertisements with private publications.
Its third edition is presently on sale.
Niboro promised that NAN would remain objective in its reports, even though it is a government agency.
He commended GOCOP for its efforts to sanitise online publishing in the country and stressed the need for journalists to report issues objectively in the national interest.
Speaking earlier, GOCOP’s General Secretary, Dotun Oladipo, explained the aims and objectives of the Guild, even as he expressed the Guild’s readiness to partner with NAN for the mutual benefit of both organisations.

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