From left Vice President Arc. Namadi Sambo PDP National Chairman Alh Adamu Muazu Etiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn President Goodluck Jonathan and the Executive Director of Eagle Hills Mohammed Abbar Showing up the Prototype of the Centinary City at the Braking of the Grand of the Centenary City in Abuja President Goodluck Jonathan left and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Wife of Ethiopian Prime Minister Mrs Roman Desalegn and the First lady Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan,right back row left is the SGF Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and Chairman of the Centinary City and Former Head of State Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, at the Braking of Grand of the Centenary City in Abuja
A top ranked Lagos State table tennis player, Fatimo Bello has said that she is preparing fully to be part of the Commonwealth game coming up in Glasgow, Scotland on July 23. The game will last up to August 3.
Fatimo, who has just returned from a two-year ban by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) said: “I will strive hard at the trials for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow to be sure I am part of the country’s representatives.
“I have participated in various international competitions but not the Commonwealth Games. So, this is an opportunity for me to accomplish my target. I know the trials will be highly competitive because of the calibre of players that will be on parade and that is the reason I’m doubling my effort in training to be successful.”
Fatimo who won the women’s singles event at the 2012 Asoju-Oba Table Tennis tournament said that participating in the Nigeria Open Challenge came handy for players’ preparation for the Commonwealth Games.
“This competition is coming at a period when we are preparing for a major Games; my joy is that many foreign countries are participating which will help us to hone our skills.”
Fatimo was banned for dual registration with Delta and Lagos states in the women’s singles event at the 18th National Sports Festival in Lagos in 2012.
The federation placed a two-year ban on her, preventing her from taking part in any competition it organized.
“Honestly, I missed out during my ban because I was not part of the competitions that took place. However, I did not allow the situation to affect my interest in the sport. I thank the NTTF for lifting the ban and giving me the opportunity to come back to the table tennis family. I have learnt my lessons and will move forward.” [myad]
The South African Football Association (SAFA) has said that it has not finally given the job of coaching the National football team, Bafana Bafana, to the current head coach of Nigeria’s Supper Eagles, Stephen Keshi.
A report on a Nigerian website had last week, said that Keshi has been appointed the head coach of the South African national team.
In a statement today, the Association said that Keshi is one of the 14 candidates that head a short-list for the vacant Bafana head coach position. It said that a Portuguese-born Carlos Queiroz, who will be leaving his post as manager of the Iranian national team after the World Cup, is the frontrunner to return to the Bafana helm, adding that it is yet to decide who their preferred candidate will be. “That article, which is attributed to a source, is devoid of any truth as SAFA will only make the decision on the appointment of the new coach in mid-July,” the Association’s President, Danny Jordaan stated on the association’s official website. “Keshi’s name is among various names that have been thrown around by the media. Safa has not yet arrived at any decision regarding the appointment of the new senior men’s national team coach. That decision will be pronounced once the World Cup is over,” Jordaan concluded. Others that are in the running to succeed Gordon Igesund, include Dutch duo Dick Advocaat and Patrick Kluivert, Shakes Mashaba and Frenchman Herve Renard, to mention just a few. Whoever replaces Igesund, though, will be the 18th man to take charge of Bafana Bafana since 1992. [myad]
A four-seater plane flying from Nigeria to Gabon via Cameroon is said to have disappeared in the air.
According to Cameroon aviation sources, the plane, owned by the US Company, Global Aviation, took off from Kano, Nigeria at 1800 hours yesterday en route Libreville in Gabon, where it was scheduled to arrive at 2300 hours, after a stopover in Douala, Cameroon.
However, the station said that the plane, with only the American pilot on board, did not make it to Douala. It said the last contact the plane had with the control tower took place in Mongo, which is two hours flight from the Cameroonian economic capital.
Report says that search and rescue operations led by Cameroon’s civil aviation authorities have not yielded any positive results. [myad]
Suspected members of the deadly Boko Haram were said to have abducted 91females made up of young girls and women as well as 31 boys from Kummabza village, 150 kilometers from Maiduguri, capital of Borno state.
According to eye witnesses, the abductions took place on Saturday in an attack in which four villagers were killed.
Security forces have however denied the kidnappings even as Nigeria’s government and military are still contending with widespread criticism that they are yet to retrieve the over 200 female students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno state, abducted by Boko Haram over two months ago.
A Kummabza resident and member of one of the vigilante groups that have had some success in repelling Boko Haram attacks with primitive weapons, Aji Khalil confirmed the abduction of a new set of 91 females and 31 boys.
This is even as a senior local councilor from the village’s Damboa local government said that the there was truth in the latest abductions but that he was not authorized to give information to reporters.
He said that the elderly survivors of the attack had walked some 25 kilometers (15 miles) to the relative safety of other villages.
The Damboa council secretary, Modu Mustapha, said he could not confirm or deny the abductions and directed a reporter to the council chairman, Alamin Mohammed, who did not answer phone calls or respond to text messages.
Boko Haram has been demanding the release of detained members in exchange for its hostages but President Goodluck Jonathan has said he will not consider a swap.
A strategy to rescue the girls appears to have reached an impasse. Nigeria’s military has said it knows where they are but fears their abductors would kill them if any military action is taken. [myad]
Nigeria soldiers, this morning in Kaduna, stopped the motorcade of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and searched his official car. He was in the flagged car on his way to the venue of an international conference on security.
Sources said that the soldiers asked him to wind down his window glass to the surprise of other VIPs, who drove past the same route.
It was learnt that the security details attached to Tambuwal protested but the soldiers stood their ground, announcing that they were acting on “orders from above.”
The attitude of the soldiers was said to have angered Tambuwal who stormed out of the car and trekked to the venue, a few metres away.
While Tambuwal’s car was searched, other VIPs, including governors, who attended the conference were allowed into the hotel without hindrance.
A source, who witnessed the drama, said, “The convoy was driving to Hotel 17, the venue of the conference. The soldiers sighted the speaker’s convey and picked out his car, insisting that it must be searched.
“They asked him to wind down his window glass. The speaker was shocked that even after recognising him, the soldiers still said they wanted to search his official car.”
The incident occurred at the entrance to Hotel 17, Kaduna, venue of an International Conference on Security and Development Challenges of Pastoralism in West and Central Africa, organized by the office of the National Security Adviser.
The theme of the conference was: “The Role of Pastoralists in Preventing Insurgency and Conflicts for Sustainable Peace and National Security.”
Tambuwal, who arrived at the venue of the conference at exactly 9.16am for the 10 am opening ceremony, had his convoy stopped by soldiers who insisted they must search his official car before he could be allowed in.
The speaker’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Imam Imam, confirmed the incident and said that since the event was scheduled to start at 10am, his boss arrived at 9.16am only to “face embarrassment in the hands of the soldiers.”
He wondered why it was only Tambuwal’s car that was picked for the search among the many VIPs, including governors, who came for the event.
“What they are doing is undermining the legislature as a whole. It is not about the speaker but the institution.
“We are just urging them (security) to be mindful of the fact that the institution must be protected at all times. The constitution provides that the integrity and sanctity of both the Legislature and the Executive must be protected at all times. If it cannot be protected, then it is unfortunate.”
It was gathered that Tambuwal later delivered his speech at the event and left for Ibadan in Oyo State. [myad]
A group known as Concerned Realists of Southern Kaduna has come out with a verdict that both the Kaduna and Nigeria federal governments have failed woefully in arresting the spate of insecurity in Kaduna in particular and Nigeria in general.
The group said: “we wish to tell the world that there is monumental failure in handling security issues in Southern Kaduna by Federal and Kaduna governments and security agencies, and we make bold to state that government of the state itself is inciting crisis like we saw in Chawai Chiefdom where two persons lost their lives at the weekend, following forceful appointment of a traditional ruler by Kaduna state government while a case is pending in court.”
The leader of the group, John Danfulani, in a statement today announced an attack, hours ago, by unknown gunmen, killing over 40 helpless citizens in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, even as he called for the imposition of emergency rule in Southern Kaduna, of which Sanga is a part.
“We received the sad news of the latest massacre of helpless citizens in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State with impunity by unknown gunmen in possession of sophisticated weapons.
“As we write, over 40 dead bodies have been taken and registered in a mortuaries located in the local government, while search for more dead bodies intensify. Aside these, unspecified number of our kith and kin have sustained serious injuries in the said ferocious attacks that occurred in the wee hours of Monday to Tuesday morning.
“Similarly, four persons, incidentally couples were killed on Sunday in two locations before Tuesday massacre. The spokesman to the governor, Ahmed Maiyaki as reported in The Punch of today (24th June, 2014) denied as falsehood, saying, “Nobody was killed and everything is peaceful and calm in the areas mentioned.”
“The politicization of the crisis in Jere Chiefdom by the state government and some powerful forces is also another point we cannot forget in a hurry and as such the denial did not come to us as surprise because that is the trade, the reality is, the killings occurred and records are there with security agencies.
“It is on all these that we make the following demands:
·We refused to be intimidated or harassed in expressing reality of Southern Kaduna excruciating predicaments and failure of government and security agencies. No amount of force or blackmail can suppress our views.
·The security situation in Southern Kaduna is giving less attention and concern, while it is degenerating and human lives greatly being wasted with impunity
“We are reiterating our stand that Southern Kaduna security crises deserves State of Emergency because terrorists are carrying out gradual and systematic genocide in our community
“It is of utmost important because of Southern Kaduna sensitivity and central nature sharing borders with Nasarawa, Bauchi, Plateau, and Niger states and the Federal Capital Territory
“Again, the insecurity ravaging Southern Kaduna region ought to be separated with politics and vested interests, instead must be handled with utmost sincerity, justice and honesty contrary to what we are presently witnessing.
“It is clear; there is absolute failure of governance and security. Kaduna State is in mess and sheer confusion and lack of direction.” [myad]
Minister of the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed has described himself as a prominent politician and statesman with a network of friends across Bauchi State and the country who recently donated 22 number of 18-seater buses to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his Bauchi state. He said that such unnamed friends believe in his leadership qualities and those of his principal, President Goodluck Jonathan “whose Transformation Agenda is improving the wellbeing and living standard of Nigerians rapidly. It is not out of place for my friends to assist the party in my state.” The Minister frowned at the action of those trying to misinterpret the positive democratic spirit behind the donation of the vehicles by his friends at a time when he was away in Brazil as a member of the federal government delegation to the commencement of the World Cup tournament. Senator Bala said that neither him nor his friends “could afford to be aloof from political scenario in his home state since he did not fall from heaven but was born somewhere in this country.” The Minister made it clear that he had never used public funds in FCT or any other Ministry for political purposes because he considers such as a grave offence. [myad]
Suspected members of the dreaded Boko Haram have just struck at the Kano School of Health Technology along Gidan Murtala-Bayero University Road.
Sources said that a high calibre improvised explosive device went off at about about 2pm when students were already in the classes receiving lectures.
No official reports have come at the time of reporting the incidence, but unconfirmed sources hinted that many students and teachers lost their lives in the explosion.
On Saturday, June 21st 2014, the 732,106 registered voters in Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria, comprising 371, 419 females and 360, 747 males, were asked to go to the State’s 2,195 polling units and 177 electoral wards to choose the next governor of their beloved State. This is on account of the expiring controversial court restored electoral mandate of the incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who leaves office around October 2014, having started governing the State in October 2010. In announcing the poll’s results on Sunday, June 22nd 2014, the Independent National Electoral Commission’s chief returning officer and vice chancellor of the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Prof Isaac Asuzu, declared Mr. Peter Fayose of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner with 203, 090 votes, as against the incumbent governor’s 120, 433 votes. A total of 348, 656 valid voters voted in the poll out of the total registered voters of 732, 106. Mr. Peter Fayose also scored the constitutionally required majority votes in the entire 16 LGAs in the State.
Other two important staggered governorship polls in Nigeria had earlier taken place in another Southwest State of Ondo and Southeast State of Anambra. In that of Ondo State, held on 20th October 2012, the incumbent governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, scored 260, 199 votes to beat his two main rivals: Barr. Olusola Oke of the PDP, who got 155,961 votes and Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN of the APC, who scored 143, 512 votes. In the said poll, out of 1, 638, 950 registered voters, a total of 624, 659 voted, out of which, 30, 145 votes were invalid and 594, 244 were valid votes. Governor Mimiko also secured the constitutionally required majority votes in 13, out of 19 LGAs in the State. He became governor on account of court restoration of his electoral mandate in early 2009. He was first sworn in on 24th February 2009.
In the case of Anambra State, its staggered governorship poll took place on 16th and 30th November, 2013. At the end, Mr. Willie Obiano of the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) was declared winner by the INEC’s chief returning officer and vice chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof Epoke, with 180, 178 votes. Mr. Tony Nwoye of the PDP came second with 97, 700 votes and Dr. Chris Ngige of the APC came third with 95, 963 votes. The poll was conducted in 4,608 polling units and 326 electoral wards. Out of the total registered voters of 1, 776, 167, a total of 442, 242 people voted, out of which 16, 988 were declared invalid votes and 425, 254 were valid votes. Governor Obiano also secured the constitutionally required 25% votes in 19 LGAs and won majority votes in 16 out of the 21 LGAs in the State. Anambra State, courtesy of former governor Peter Gregory Obi was the first State in Nigeria to earn judicial restoration of its stolen electoral mandate in March 2006 per Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal.
Restoration Of Sanctity Of The Ballot Box: With the successful conduct of the three staggered State governorship polls under reference, sanctity of the ballot box is gradually being restored on Nigerian electoral polity. The outcome of the Ekiti State governorship poll has, again, shown that elections are not won on the pages of newspaper or by enormity of media propaganda or noise-making. It also shows that the era of elitist politics is steadily fading in Nigeria. Such popular outcomes witnessed in the Ekiti State governorship poll had earlier taken place in Ondo in October 2012 and Anambra in November 2013. The great people of Ekiti State like their Ondo and Anambra counterparts have adamantly refused to be contaminated by the propaganda virus of the Africa’s noisiest opposition political party in Nigeria. This is the most striking thing about the giant strides at restoring sanctity of the ballot box on the country’s electoral polity. When the voice of the majority spoke in Ondo in October 2012, the Africa’s noisiest opposition political party called it “armada of electoral rigging”.
When they spoke again in Anambra in November 2013, they said it was a charade and continuously made negative reference to it both locally and internationally until few hours into the Ekiti poll, which it horribly lost out. Now that the same majority voice has spoken in Ekiti governorship poll of June 2014, Nigerians are waiting to hear another labeling to be hung on the neck of the popular poll’s outcome. When they lost in Ondo in October 2012, they relocated to the pages of newspaper and screens of politically oiled television stations and radios. When their propaganda refused to make public relevance, they filed papers in court and took over the functions of its proceedings on the pages of newspaper and visual/audio media, yet at the end, their arguments became “orbiter dictum” and woefully failed the litmus test of “ratio decidendi”. In Anambra, the riggers became the rigged and Anambra People became the winners. They cried and ran to the court of first instance for “justice”, but the court in her hallowed wisdom, sent them packing.
Redefinition Of Opposition Politics In Nigeria: Nigeria parades one of the worst and noisiest opposition political parties on African Continent. Opposition political parties are universally best known as “the best government in waiting seeking to oust the worst government in power through the ballot box”. But in Nigeria, it is a clear case of “the worst government in waiting seeking to oust the worse government in power through political guerrilla warfare”. The fundamental aim of every credible opposition political party is to oust the lowest performed government in power through the ballot box powered by mass enfranchisement and ballot sanctification. But in Nigeria, opposition political parties fear ballot box a lot because they do not have better options of leadership to offer the electorates warranting voting them into office. Even where they are in control of State politics, they run deficit governance and government by propaganda leading to their abysmal performances during re-election bids. Any opposition political party that hinges its success on cross-carpeting and decampment is a party of gangsters and empty vessels with defeatist aim of political noisemaking and merchandise. We call for redefinition of opposition politics in Nigeria so as to bring it in tandem with the international best practices.
While we congratulate the great people of Ekiti State for courageously making their best electoral choice by electing Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose and rejecting the outgoing governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, we renew our earlier call on the leaders of Civil Society organizations in the country, particularly those who said they are working for pro-democracy and pro-civil rights organizations to change the concept of engaging the electoral processes. Paying much attention to “poll monitoring” and less attention to pre-poll advocacy activities is a defeatist and archaic concept. We understand that much energy is dissipated on poll monitoring on account of its huge foreign currency inflows, but CSO advocacy activities should be taken beyond the boundaries of concept of “business enterprise” and rooted in “service to humanity”. This is what is behind the invention of “NGO” in 1839 with the formation of “Anti Slavery International” as the world’s first NGO.
We also call on those funding “poll monitoring” advocacy activities of the pro-democracy and pro-civil rights organizations both at local and international levels to pay more attention to pre-poll advocacy activities and channel more funds into them. Pre-poll advocacy activities are more publicly important than mere monitoring of polls. Issues of roguish voters’ register and mass disenfranchisement, quality of candidates and their fielding by political parties, poll campaign violence, internal party democracy or party primaries as well as candidates/parties’ manifestoes are not issues to be advocated upon on election day. They are purely pre-poll advocacy activities, considered the bedrock of every credible democratic process. Elections’ day situation rooms’ reports or analyses are less valuable than that under reference.
Emeka Umeagbalasi is Board Chairman of the International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law-Intersociety
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Minister of the Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed has described himself as a prominent politician and statesman with a network of friends across Bauchi State and the country who recently donated 22 number of 18-seater buses to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his Bauchi state.
