Wednesday, April 1, 2015

We'll Pursue Robust, Dynamic Foreign Policy, Says Buhari













The President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari ( rtd) has said his administration will engage in a dynamic and mutually rewarding relationships with foreign countries.


Buhari who was formally declared winner of the 2015 presidential election by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  Prof. Attahiru Jega in the early hours of today said in his acceptance speech that President Goodluck Jonathan has exhibited statesmanship by willingly conceding defeat.


Addressing Journalists and party supporters who waited at the party national secretariat in Abuja to receive him till the wee hours of today, the President-elect said he would begin the process of healing the wounds caused by the intense electioneering campaigns by extending a hand of friendship and conciliation across the political divide.


Buhari also promised to extend my hand of fellowship to President Jonathan, adding that he looks  forward to meeting him soon to plan the transition from one administration to another.


“The International press and our friends abroad deserve special commendation for their support throughout the process. We promise a robust and dynamic engagement with your countries in matters of mutual interest to nations.


“At exactly 5:15pm this evening President Jonathan called to congratulate me on my victory. For this I want all Nigerians to join me in congratulating and appreciating Mr President for his statesmanship.


“This was a hard- fought contest. Emotions are high. We must not allow them to get the better of us. This is not the time for confrontation. This is a moment that we must begin to heal the wounds and work toward a better future. We do this first by extending a hand of friendship and conciliation across the political divide. We hope and pray our friends in other parties reciprocate,” he said.


More details later.


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Jonathan has nothing to fear – Buhari

Nigeria’s president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday said he was extending a hand of conciliation to President Goodluck Jonathan after a rancorous presidential election, with an assurance that Mr. Jonathan has “nothing to fear” after losing power.
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Mr. Buhari spoke after receiving the Certificate of Return as the president-elect, from the Independent National Electoral Commission.


President Jonathan earned international praise Tuesday after conceding defeat and telephoning Mr. Buhari to congratulate him even before the official announcement of election results by INEC.  In his speech early Wednesday, President Jonathan said he kept his promise of credible and peaceful elections, and reaffirmed his commitment not to plunge the nation into bloodshed over his political ambition.


In what appeared a direct response to the president’s gesture, Mr. Buhari said the nation should put behind the turbulence of electioneering and accept the “change” his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, promises.


He said he holds no grudge against anyone, including members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the president’s team.


“But despite the rancour of the elections, I extend a hand of friendship and conciliation to President Jonathan and his team. I hereby wish to state that I harbour no ill will against anyone,” Mr. Buhari said.”  “Let me state clearly that President Jonathan has nothing to fear from me. Although we may not agree on the methods of governing the nation, he is a great Nigerian and still our president,” he said.


The president-elect said Mr. Jonathan deserves the support and “permanent respect” of all Nigerians by virtue of the office he has held.


“This is how an honourable nation treats its servants and conducts its affairs; and this is how Nigeria should be,” he said, adding that he will meet with the president for both sides to work out a smooth transition.  Mr. Buhari said Nigerians should put the past, especially the recent, behind, but must not forget to learn from “old battles and past grievances—and learn to forge ahead”.


Mr. Buhari said he has also put behind the controversy over his academic eligibility for the election.


“Some unfortunate issues about my eligibility have been raised during the campaign. I wish to state that through devotion to this nation, everything I have learned and done has been to enable me to make the best possible contribution to public life. If I had judged myself incapable of governing I would never have sought to impose myself on it. I have served in various capacities and have always put in my best,” he said.


He said his government will be a listening one and will treat all Nigerians equally. “I pledge myself and our in-coming administration to just and principled governance. There shall be no bias against or favouritism for any Nigerian based on ethnicity, religion, region, gender or social status. I pledge myself and the government to the rule of law, in which none shall be so above the law that they are not subject to its dictates, and none shall be so below it that they are not availed of its protection.


“You shall be able to go to bed knowing that you are safe and that your constitutional rights remain in safe hands. You shall be able to voice your opinion without fear of reprisal or victimisation. My love and concern for this nation and what I desire for it extends to all, even to those who do not like us or our politics.


“You are all my people and I shall treat every one of you as my own. I shall work for those who voted for me as well as those who voted against me and even for those who did not vote at all. We all live under one name as one nation: we are all Nigerians.”
Source

Police shut Ekiti Assembly as APC lawmakers resume

There was tension in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday as the 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers stormed the Ekiti State House of Assembly to resume legislative duties.   Their return, which, caught workers and the seven Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers loyal to Governor Ayodele Fayose unawares created palpable tension as officials of the Assembly started packing their loads.
Ekiti Assembly

 The return of the lawmakers followed Tuesday’s directive by the State Secretariat of the party asking them to resume legislative duties. But over 100 soldiers and police promptly took over the Assembly to maintain peace while the Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, ordered its immediate closure.


The 19 APC lawmakers had been on self-exile since November 20, 2014 when the seven PDP lawmakers impeached the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin and his deputy, Tunji Orisalade.  Mr. Dele Olugbemi, an ally of the governor was installed as the Speaker by the faction and had been presiding over the Assembly.  Those that returned to the Assembly on Wednesday with Omirin include  Orisalade, Mrs. Wunmi Ogunlola, Mr. Ade Ajayi and Gbenga Odebunmi among others.


The Omirin-led lawmakers arrived the Assembly in a convoy of 14 vehicles at around 12 noon and hurriedly went into parliamentary session which started with praise and worship, as well as prayer said by Mr. Folorunso Ogundele, representing Efon constituency.  The session lasted for ten minutes and when the lawmakers emerged from the Assembly and briefed the pressmen, who had patiently been waiting outside.


Omirin, who spoke on behalf of members disclosed that they were in the assembly to begin their legislative duty.  As they emerged from the Assembly, some of them chanted ‘Sai Buhari, Sai Baba’-the political slogan of the President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).


Omirin described Olugbemi as an impostor, saying he has come to take his rightful place.  “Why are you surprised that we are here? I don’t expect you to expect surprise that we are in our offices because we are duly elected as members of the State House of Assembly.


“This is my office and I shouldn’t be asked why I am here. Though we have instituted a case against the seven lawmakers for the fake impeachment against me, but that would not prevent us from doing what we are supposed to do,” Omirin stated.


When asked whether Buhari’s victory prompted their action, Omirin said “No, that is not true. It was just a mere coincidence. Don’t forget, the fact that I am not here since November does not mean I have not been performing my duties. So, whether Buhari is declared or not, we have to do our work.  “I have been attending Speakers’ meetings in Abuja and attending to my people at my constituency, so we haven’t abdicated our duty.”


Efforts made by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations in Ekiti State to pacify APC Lawmakers not to reconvene fell on deaf ears, as the lawmakers engaged him in verbal war and told him that they needed not to take any permission from the police before holding their session.  When the factional speaker, Olugbemi emerged from the Assembly, he criticised the Police Commissioner for closing down the Assembly.


“Mr CP, I don’t think it was right to have closed down the Assembly. We have the capacity to contain the APC lawmakers. We are ready to meet them fire for fire.” But the CP said he took the action to prevent violence in the State, saying the police must be proactive to prevent Ekiti from being plunged into crisis.  Meanwhile, jubilant APC members took over the streets of Ado Ekiti, the state capital to celebrate Buhari’s victory in the Saturday’s Presidential election.


They seized the ever-busy Ado-Ekiti-Akure highway along Ajilosun area as early as 5:30am in defiance to the 7:30 p.m to 6 a.m curfew imposed by the governor before the declaration of the final result. The state Publicity Secretary of APC, Taiwo Olatubosun, had on Tuesday urged the Ekiti people to ignore Fayose’s curfew and celebrate the party’s victory at the presidential poll.


The jubilant crowd, numbering about 1,000 brandished brooms, which is the APC’s symbol while many others used the large sized-posters of Gen. Buhari as garments. Policemen were on the ground to control the traffic and maintain the peace and order. While some were singing and dancing on the highway, others were beating drums and shouting praises of Buhari.



One of them, Mr. Okunola Olumide, said there was no known law in Nigeria that forbids people from rejoicing over legitimate accomplishments such as naming ceremony, promotion as well as winning of elections. Another spokesperson, Mrs. Wuraola Ogunyemi, said mass jubilation over Buhari’s victory was a national exercise, and wondered why the governor would hurriedly impose a curfew.  They also advised the governor to allow the APC legislators perform their constitutional duties or risk another round of impeachment.


“Ordinarily, we do not have problems with Fayose as a governor so as not to see our party as jealous of his profile, as long as he allows our members in the House to perform the functions attached to their offices as representatives of the people and stop serial attacks on our state secretariat and posters.


“Fayose had written those of us in APC off, in the political arrangement of Ekiti State, because he said few days ago that his party, PDP would again win all State Assembly seats in the coming election, we shall see how he will achieve that now,” another supporter said.

How Jonathan lost

IF President Goodluck Jonathan was afraid of the outcome of the just concluded presidential election, he never showed it. Before the election was held, he had started giving conditions on the type of people he wanted to dominate the forthcoming Eighth National Assembly
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“I would want you to elect members of the Peoples Democratic Party to the National Assembly so that I can work with people who are not rancorous” – President Goodluck Jonathan told party supporters at one of his numerous presidential rallies.


But like the biblical Moses, Jonathan has failed to lead his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, to his dreamland. His reign has brought to an abrupt end the 16-year uninterrupted reign of the party, whose former National Chairman, Vincent Ogbulafor, had boasted would remain in power for at least 60 years. A senior employee of the party told our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday that the former party chairman could have probably meant 16 years in his projection.


Though the President didn’t start out to fall by the wayside, some states actually plotted his downfall. Principal among them were the five out of the six states of the South-West. Traditionally, the President, being a southerner was expected to have wormed his way into the hearts of the people of the South-West. This was because when he was being haunted by the then presidential candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change, who was his major challenger in 2011, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Jonathan came to seek the backing of the zone. All of the states in the zone obliged him except Osun, where he lost. But in other states like Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo, he won.


However, in 2015, it was a different scenario as only the people of Ekiti State seemed to still remain friendly with the President. With a little margin, he got 176,466 votes as against 120,331 votes of Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress. Even in Ondo State, where the President’s party is in charge, the people revolted. In unison, the majority of the people abandoned him for Buhari by giving him 251,368 votes as against 299,889 they collectively gave the former Head of State.


Taking a leaf from the South-West example, some states in the North-Central, which were traditional supporters of the President, also deserted him. Those states include Benue, Kogi and Kwara. A former Governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, was among the members of the PDP, who were hounded out of the party. Saraki threw his hat into the ring and joined forces with the opposition to give a killer blow to his former party and its presidential candidate.


Though the President was able to make a showing in other states from the zone, voters from the North-West were not considerate of Jonathan in their voting. The only zone with seven states witnessed all of them chorusing in harmony and actively participated through their votes in the revolution that sacked Jonathan from Aso Rock. These states are Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kaduna.


It was also not a rousing outing for the outgoing President in the North-East, where his government has been battling Boko Haram insurgency. Five out of the six zones voted for change and rejected continuity which the President campaigners said he represented. Voters from those states that would prefer President Jonathan to relocate to his Otuoke, Bayelsa State home, instead of spending another four years in office, were those of Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Borno and Gombe. The governors of the zone, who are members of his party and who he regularly referred to as his field commanders, were outrun by the voters with their Permanent Voter Cards, which they willingly used as their weapons. These governors are Isa Yuguda (Bauchi), James Ngilari (Adamawa) and Ibrahim Damkwambo (Gombe). Nevertheless, the President made a remarkable showing in Taraba State. But that was not enough to guarantee his second term ambition. These are the part of history-making states that made President Jonathan the first Nigerian president to lose his re-election bid. A return to Otuoke, therefore, beckons.


The President would however not return alone. He is expected to be accompanied by members of his immediate family led by his wife, Patience, whose stay in Aso Rock has added a wide vocabulary to Nigeria’s political lexicon.


Her many gaffes were said to have drawn more flaks for the President. If this was true, Patience was not bothered. While the President asked his supporters to moderate their speeches and stop hate campaigns, his wife was uncontrollable.


Throwing caution into the winds on many occasions during the PDP women presidential rallies, Patience once described Buhari as “brain dead” and asked Nigerians to reject the retired soldier. Referring to his age, she said it was wrong for such a 72-year-old man to be dragging the office of the President with her husband.


It was obvious that her counsel was not convincing enough to the voters, who in their millions voted for Buhari and rather asked Patience and her husband to vacate the opulent building they moved into since 2007.


Source

Ministers pay solidarity visit to Jonathan

The Presidential Villa, Abuja wore a mournful look in the early hours of Wednesday, the morning after President Goodluck Jonathan lost his re-election bid.
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A few workers who had already closed from work as of  the time the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, named Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of the All Progressives Congress the President-elect, were seen discussing the development in hush tones.


The weekly Federal Executive Council meeting did not hold.


But some members of FEC, mostly ministers, gathered at the President’s office later in the day to pay a solidarity visit.


Some of the ministers who met with the President were the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN); Minister of State II, Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali; and Minister of National Planning Suleiman Abubakar.


Some female ministers also gathered and visited the President in group.


They included the Minister of Women Affairs, Zainab Maina; Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson; Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe; Minister of Environment, Laraba Mallam; Minister Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Akon Eyakenyi.


One of the ministers who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that they used the opportunity of the visit to encourage the President and commend him for his achievements.


The government official expressed the optimism that Jonathan might win the Nobel Peace Prize for ensuring that the nation remains peaceful after conducting a free, fair and credible election.


It will be recalled that some ministers and governors had on Tuesday evening visited the President.


Among the early callers were Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State; Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Emeka Wogu.

Obama hails President-Elect Buhari, Jonathan !

United States President,Barrack Obama, on Wednesday, praised President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-choose, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), for their open duties to peacefulness amid their battles.
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Obama, in a proclamation said President Jonathan put Nigeria’s hobbies first by surrendering thrashing while complimenting Buhari on his triumph.


“I look forward to working with President Jonathan throughout the remainder of his term, and I thank him for his many years of service and his statesmanlike conduct at this critical juncture.  I urge President-elect Buhari and President Jonathan to repeat their calls to their supporters to continue to respect the election outcomes, focus on unifying the country, and together lead Nigeria through a peaceful transition,”Obama stated.


The statement read, “I commend INEC for its extensive efforts to increase the credibility and transparency of the electoral process.


Looking ahead to the governorship elections on April 11, it is imperative that national attention turn to ensuring isolated logistical challenges are overcome and peace is protected, even in the most hotly contested races.


” On behalf of the American people, I extend congratulations to the people of Nigeria and to President-Elect Buhari and look forward to continuing to work with the newly-elected government on our many
shared priorities.”

President-elect, Buhari receives certificate of return from INEC.

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Details later !

Ijaw council urges youths to avoid violence

The President of the umbrella body of all Ijaw youths in the country, the Ijaw Youth Council,  Mr. Udengs Eradiri,  has called on all Ijaw youths across the country to avoid all acts of violence, destructions and protests as a fall of last Saturday’s Presidential election, won by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress.

Eradiri also congratulated Buhari on his electoral victory and said that Ijaw youths would key into his administration just the same way youths from other ethnic nationalities from other parts of the country supported the Jonathan Administration.

FFK begs Nigerians to cooperate with Buhari

A previous Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, has asked Nigerians to coordinate with the President-elect, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)
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He said this at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday while talking on the result of the Presidential decision which the decision party, the Peoples Democratic Party and its applicant, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan lost.


Buhari who was the applicant of the All Progressives Congress, won the decision. Fani-Kayode talked with writers in his capacity as the Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization.

Dawn of a new General

General Muhammadu Buhari rides on doggedness and integrity to become Nigeria’s new President, AKEEM LASISI writes

In many circumstances, any mortal above 70 years of age is seen, at best, as a symbol or agent of history. He is not the first person you want to consider when you are looking for an agent of change.

But, at 72, Daura, Katsina State-born retired General, Muhammadu Buhari, has upturned that philosophy. On Tuesday, he emerged winner of Nigeria’s most keenly-contested presidential election, thus making him the first person to sack a sitting President in Nigeria. With this, Buhari appears to have completed the process of his professed conversion from a dictator to a democrat.

Orubebe apologizes for his behaviour yesterday, says he regrets it

Previous Niger Delta Affairs Minister Elder Godsday Orubebe has apologized for his conduct at the gathering center in Abuja yesterday morning.
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Talking with correspondents the previous evening, the PDP party specialists, who held up processes and utilized injurious words on Jega, said he lamented his activity and asked Nigerian to overlook his conduct.

Dangote Cement proposes ₦6 dividend

Dangote Cement Plc has proposed a dividend of N6 per share for the financial year ended December 31, 2014.
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The dividend proposal is expected to be presented to the company’s shareholders for approval at its Annual General Meeting, which is scheduled to take place on April 29.


According to the company, the closure date of the dividend is April 20, while the payment date is the day after the AGM, which is scheduled to take place in Lagos.


The dividend was proposed following a year in which the company reported a profit after tax of N159.5bn.


The cement giant had ended 2014 with revenue of N392bn, compared with the N386bn revenue it generated in 2013.


Its administrative expenses, however, rose from N25.9bn to N274bn, while sales/distribution expenses increased from 35.6bn to N37.4bn and finance cost jumped from N13.7bn to N32.9bn.


Consequently, profit was N184.7bn for 2014, compared with N191bn the previous year, while its profit after tax declined from N201bn to N159.5bn.


The dividend payment proposed by the company’s Board of Directors, translates to a dividend yield of 3.9 per cent and a payout ratio of 63.5 per cent.


The Executive Director, Dangote Cement, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, was quoted as saying that the dividend was proposed after the company overcame challenges in its operating environment.


He said, “Despite the challenging conditions of the erratic fuel supply and prolonged rainy season that affected revenues and profitability in Nigeria, the fact that we have increased our dividend payout ratio is a clear sign of confidence in our future.”


The dividend payout ratio increased from 59.1 per cent to 63.7 per cent.


Meanwhile, the company had said that its expansion in Africa is underway with plants opening in South Africa and Senegal, Cameroon recently operational and plants readying for production in Zambia and Ethiopia.


Edwin was quoted as saying of the expansion, “We commissioned nine million tons of new capacity at our Obajana and Ibese plants and this puts them amongst the biggest cement plants in the world.


“Outside Nigeria, we opened up new factories in South Africa and Senegal in 2014 and our grinding plant in Cameroon has just become operational.


“We have started commissioning our plants in Zambia and Ethiopia and are on track to open more factories in Africa in the coming years. The success of our expansion is evidence that we are delivering on our strategy to become e a much larger, more international company.”

Focus on challenges ahead, EU protectorate tells Buhari

The European Union and France have congratulated the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and challenged him to focus on the challenges and opportunities ahead.


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The High Representative and EU Vice-President, Federica Mogherini in a statement on Wednesday on the presidential elections in Nigeria, thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for his great contribution to building the country and to consolidating its democracy over the past five years.


The VP said the EU looks forward to working with Buhari and his government in the future.


She acknowledged the candidates that have conceded defeat gracefully and urged those  who wish to contest the results to do so through the appropriate procedures.


Mogherini said the EU Election Monitoring Mission would remain to monitor the governorship elections on April, 11  “which it is hoped will be conducted in the same peaceful and democratic spirit.”


She said, “Nigerians can now look forward to focusing on the many challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of the country. The European Union has been a close partner for Nigeria over the past 50 years, and will continue to support its development and to share its values in promoting peace, prosperity and democracy on the continent and in the world.”


President of the Republic of France, Francois Hollande, who  also congratulated Muhammadu Buhari on his election as President of Nigeria, welcomed the commitment of Nigerians and the quality of work of the Independent National Electoral Commission.


A statement from the French Embassy  in Abuja on Wednesday , said that Hollande would speak with  Buhari on Thursday, adding that the French government intends to establish with him the trustful relations it had with President  Jonathan.


Meanwhile, the Head of ECOWAS Election Observation Mission, former Ghanaian President John Kufuor and his colleagues from the African Union and the Commonwealth have congratulated Nigeria’s National Peace Committee for its work.


They called on Nigerians to carry through the entire electoral process the maturity and discipline displayed during the presidential and federal legislative elections.

What will I be doing here? – Chief Bode George

Taking after the rise of Gen Buhari as the new President of Nigeria, previous Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George says he may be going on outcast.
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“What will I be doing here? I can decide to go and live anywhere. Look at everyone surrounding him (Buhari). So, I am not joking about it, what will I be doing here? At 70, what will I be doing here? All we have been doing to restructure the country has been lost. We have been trying to ensure balance in the polity but all that has gone. What else will I be doing here?” he told Vanguard

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND congratulates Buhari

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, has conveyed a complimentary message to President-elect, Gen Buhari.
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In an announcement signed by the gatherings representative, Jomo Gbomo, MEND said the crisis of Buhari would help Nigeria recapture her peace and solidarity.


“The Nigerian people have spoken and elected General Mohammadu Buhari to be the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In doing so, we have not only made the right choice of a new leadership, we have also reaffirmed the strength of our democracy. President-elect, General Buhari’s message of hope, freedom and opportunity resonates with our group, as it does with the Nigerian people. In these difficult times, with the economic crisis and security challenges, we are confident that under your leadership, Nigeria will once again regain its peace and unity” the statement read

Video: Watch President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan's concession speech

President Jonathan says no one’s desire is justified regardless of the blood of any Nigerian.
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He truly is the legend in this. He guaranteed that Nigerians had the flexibility to picked who they needed as their leader.

Asari Dokubo denies tweet claiming he is friends with any government in power

Former Niger Delta militant Asari Dokubo has denied a tweet being circulated where he purportedly said that he is a friend of any government in power. That is not his real twitter handle.


What he wrote on Facebook above and the controversial tweet bellow.

Photos: Youths in Borno carry coffin of PDP

Young people in Borno state were seen toward the beginning of today conveying a counterfeit PDP Coffin.


They moved ahead to the Gwange Cemetery where they said they plan to cover the counterfeit coffin.

See another pic bellow.


As they continued to the cemetery, they were droning R.I.P PDP IN NIGERIA. R.I.P PDP IN BORNO. R.I.P MAI MALAFA. R.I.P TO SAS. R.I.P TO IMAM. R.I.P GAMBO LAWAN.

PDP vows to challenge Buhari’s ‎victory at tribunal

The Peoples Democratic Party has said it will challenge the outcome of the March 28 presidential election.  The Independent National Electoral Commission, through its Chairman and Chief Returning Officer, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday morning, declared Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.)‎ of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election.
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The PDP through its agent at the National Collation Centre in Abuja on Wednesday, when the final result was declared, had refused to sign the result sheet despite its candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, having earlier conceded defeat.


‎The agent of the PDP, Bello Fadile, who was in attendance when parties were being called upon to sign the result sheet, told journalists shortly after the result was declared that the party was not satisfied with the outcome of the election and had decided to challenge it at the election tribunal.

“Whether I sign it (the result sheet) or I don’t sign it, does not make any difference. It doesn’t invalidate the result‎. When we go to court, then we can challenge the result,” Fadile said.


When asked to confirm if the PDP will challenge the result at the presidential election petitions tribunal, Fadile added, “Sure! The party petitioned. Don’t forget. So the party will follow through the petition. There are rules for this. The law is there.


“The result was declared on the 1st of April, I think. We will follow the due process. Like the president (Jonathan) said, ‘If you have any grievances, follow due process and the due process in this instance is to go to the tribunal.”

Open Letter To President-Elect Muhammadu Buhari

Your Excellency Sir: Let me quickly jump in front of the oncoming bandwagon in offering my congratulations. I know you do not have too much time for niceties because much has been left on the Augean Stables for you to clean up.
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Let me be one of the first to offer my two kobo on how you should begin the art (for, in Nigeria, it is indeed an art) of governing us for the next four years. My advice is neither in chronological order nor even in any order of preference. But most of it stems from lessons learned in the huge fall from grace to grass of your immediate predecessor, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan.


(Declaration of Assets) Even before your official swearing in ceremony scheduled for May 29th, go ahead and declare your assets as you promised. Do it publicly. In fact, find some money and buy space in a few national dailies and online media outlets and declare your assets. I am sure your Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, will follow suit. Nigerians know both of you are not stupendously rich, so no need to worry about having to explain how you came about your assets. Then go ahead and make it (in private, of course) a requirement for all your ministerial, judicial and heads of MDA appointees, to also declare their assets.


(Appointments) Please look beyond the APC for a combination of brains and brawn. Make deliberate efforts to find talents in other parties (believe it or not, there are good people even in the PDP) and appoint them to, not just inconsequential positions, but key positions that will task their intellect and vigor. Look beyond active politicians for skilled people because many of them want to serve and can serve very well but for myriad reasons, could not participate in politics. Spread your appointments across the nation as fairly as possible. I know the southwest practically elected you (the north had always been with you) and you will be pulled by those of us from the southwest to reward us and not marginalize us like Jonathan did. But you are president for the whole country. Beam your searchlight on the east, south-south and all over the country and look for talents. If you try hard, you will find talents in the states that voted against you. You will find talents among Nigerians living abroad. You have to demonstrate the level of maturity that Jonathan lacked and show the world that you are not vindictive. How nice would it be if you could ask Nuhu Ribadu to be Minister of Interior, in charge of the Police, Immigrations, Prisons, Civil Defense and Customs? These are parastatals that have become cesspools of corruption and need someone of Ribadu’s incorruptibility, energy, patriotism and attention-to-detail to lead. How about Raji Fashola for Ministry of Works or Ministry of Justice? You get my drift?


(Corruption) Nigerians trust you and to some degree, trust Osinbajo. But that is not the same and will, of course, not be the same for your appointees. You cannot single-handedly eradicate corruption in Nigeria. In fact, no one can eradicate corruption from any country. You can only do your best to reduce it to the bare minimum. To this end, you must return transparency and independence to the EFCC and ICPC. Once nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to serve for a specified term, the chairpersons of both organizations should only be removable by (a simple majority) legislative impeachment. This removes the EFCC from Executive control and allows every political party to have a say in how it does its job. Please ask your political appointees to sign an undated Resignation Letter before you appoint them. This will serve you well in the future if they misbehave and you need to sack them. All you would need to do is put a date on their Resignation Letter and ACCEPT their resignation. This letter serves to keep them on their toes. I have heard other members of your party (and specifically Prof. Osinbajo) promise to not go after those who have perpetrated corruption before your election. I hope that is not true. Nigerians expect you to go after those who stole the future of their children. No, you should not allow this to consume you and detract from more important things. Nonetheless, we cannot afford to let them go scot-free. They must pay, if only to serve as deterrence to future thieves.


(Judiciary) You must overhaul the judiciary as a matter of urgency. The process of litigation in Nigeria is too long, too tedious, too expensive and too prone to abuse that justice is often delayed and thus often denied.  Please embark on the construction of more courtrooms, upgrade the infrastructures of the existing ones, improve the welfare of judiciary workers and build more prisons to house those convicted in your new, expedited process.


(Federal Budget) This is too fat. You have to demonstrate to Nigerians that you are going to live by example. All those billions of naira usually allocated for food in Aso Rock need to be drastically cut down. Everybody working in or visiting Aso Rock is already being paid handsomely. They can pay for their own food. Make the cafeteria in Aso Rock a pay-for-your-own-food establishment for everybody. Cut down on the number of people traveling out of town and out of country who collect estacodes and allowances for doing practically nothing on such trips. Then invite the Senate leader and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and ask them to lead their respective legislatures in taking drastic cuts both in salaries and in other emoluments. Nigerians find it unconscionable that a Senator earns more than the President of the United States. Your predecessor was too compromised to have the moral authority to ask the legislators to take a pay cut. You do not have such a problem. They – the legislators – are looking for motivation, direction and purpose. You must provide that leadership.


(NNPC) I don’t need to tell you that this is the nation’s jugular. Fortunately, you are probably the most knowledgeable about this sector out of all who have governed Nigeria. So, there is very little anybody can tell you about this that you do not already know. You must appoint persons of absolutely unquestionable character to head this Ministry and the various parastatals that support our oil industry. Your Minister of Petroleum must believe in refining our oil within our country. And so that person must commence the construction of new refineries and the repair of old ones. If you have to borrow money to do anything, this is one sector you must get going almost right away. By the time your party comes to ask for our votes in 2019, we must be paying far less at the pumps than we are currently paying and exporting finished oil products to neighboring countries.


(Transportation) I take you at your word that you will revive the moribund Nigeria Airways by first deploying most of the aircraft in the currently bloated Presidential fleet to the national carrier. It has been a national embarrassment that the Giant of Africa has been unable to manage its airline. Remember that what killed Nigeria Airways was corruption (from ticketing fraud to spare parts fraud and) general poor maintenance record. Your new Nigeria Airways must be peopled with crack professionals and technicians – people who take aviation safety and customer service seriously. On the railways, you will agree with me that the situation whereby people and merchandises heading from Abuja to Ondo, Ile-Ife, Sokoto, Ado Ekiti, Birnin Kebbi, Akure, Benin City, Ogbomosho, Oyo, Jalingo, Yola, Damaturu, Dutse, Calabar, and many more key towns cannot even contemplate taking the train. Train tracks do not pass through these places! And the tracks we have are single tracks that force trains to wait for each other for hours at trains stations. These were the tracks betrothed to us by the colonial masters and we are yet to improve on them. Please start building new tracks and get rid of those archaic, used locomotives with which your predecessor “transformed” us back to the Stone Age. Remember, a viable rail system will ease the pressure on our roads as large goods such as petroleum tanks and containers will find it cheaper and faster to use the railways.


(Defense) Like NNPC, this is another sector about which nobody can lecture you. As the Boko Haram quagmire has shown us, there has been gross corruption or negligence or incompetence of all of the foregoing in the Ministry of Defense dating back to before your predecessor. Things just got past him more because he knew next to nothing about this sector and he was too incurious and too afraid to ask questions. Luckily for us, you know what is going on and nobody can accuse you of being too afraid to ask questions. The ranks of our military leadership, the officer corps, has been politicized and bastardized to the point that they have lost credibility with Nigerians. The respect and adulation normally enjoyed by the military has been erased and replaced with scorn and derision. People now see the military as a bunch of willing tools in the hands of politicians; a rag-tag bunch who will scamper off the battlefield with tails tucked between their legs at the sound of Boko Haram’s Hilux trucks. You have to restore the dignity of the Nigerian military. Heads have to roll. In fact, heads that have left the service but responsible for the rot in the military must be recalled and set rolling. You must set up a panel of former military officers, aided by a crack team of accountants, to look into the books of the military and find all the missing trillions – the reason our military lacked weapons and other equipment when called up to defend the country; the reason why thousands of our citizens were easily massacred by terrorists; the reason why we lost parts of our country to a Boko Haram and the reason why our country became the butt of jokes in international military circles. You must reorient the military to the path of professionalism – training for war in peacetime as if they are at war; training them in some of the best countries in the world and with some of the best militaries in the world; equipping them with the most modern war-fighting equipment; taking care of their welfare and that of their family and building for them infrastructures that befit the status we want them to occupy in the world. If you have to reduce the size, please do so. Remember, size is not might. Most advanced nations have moved away from large, slower military to smaller and more mobile, more nimble forces. That is the direction we should be headed. We should be building a smaller but more lethal force.


(Intelligence) There are too many unintelligent personnel parading themselves as intelligence operatives in our country. Like the military, they too have been co-opted into serving the whims and caprices of the government of the day. And they do not know what they are doing. I make this last statement boldly, confident that I know what I am talking about. Our intelligence organizations should complement the efforts of the law enforcement agencies and the military. In fact, they should be integral parts of those organizations and should not, themselves, be exempted from being scrutinized. You need to infuse the DMI, the NSA, the DSS and all the others with well-trained (internationally well-trained) professionals who can teach basic and advance intelligence gathering, packaging and dissemination to the end user. The gun-toting, sunglasses-wearing and suit-decked so-called intelligence personnel are just collecting pay checks. Where, for example, is the Boko Haram leader? Where are the Chibok girls? How are weapons getting inside Nigeria – and I mean heavy weapons? How are fighters getting inside Nigeria and how are they getting re-supplied? You need to overhaul this sector.


(Medical) Please send a bill to the legislature prohibiting all government officials from using government money to fund any aspect of medical care they receive abroad. They can exercise their inalienable right of free movement, but Nigeria should no longer pay for anybody to receive treatment abroad. In the mean time and while the bill snakes through the legislature, use your executive powers to deny requests for overseas medical travels that involve the use of government funds.


Clearly, your biggest challenge is electricity. This is the giant killer that has “killed” those before you. If you fail in everything above and succeed in stabilizing electricity supply, increasing its generation and distributing it effectively, your name will be written in gold. This will task your brain and sap your energy the most. Every sinew of your being must be engaged when you appoint people to solve this very huge problem. With the talents that abound within our country and outside, with the resources at our disposal, you can eradicate our dependence on all sorts of generators. With stable electricity, you won’t need to create too many jobs as Nigerians will create jobs by themselves.


Your Excellency, I know you have a full plate and you are no spring chicken. That is why assembling a team of very qualified and able people from across the country and the Diaspora will make your job easier. All you need to do is provide the motivation, purpose and direction and they will execute. Begin, Sir, by appointing a credible spokesperson who also has a strong background in the media – a true professional. I think Reuben Abati has proved to us that ability to churn out bombast-laden articles does not make an effective spokesperson. You need someone who will command the professional respect of members of his/her journalism constituency as well as be able to articulate your programs and actions without being condescending and patronizing. Sir, please do not appoint someone who will attack your political enemies. That job should go to your party’s spokesperson.


Good luck (not Goodluck) Sir.Abiodun Ladepo


Oluyole2@yahoo.com


Ibadan, Oyo State.

Drama as PDP declines signing Presidential poll result sheet

The  Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday  refused to sign the final result sheet for the March 28 presidential election, which it lost to Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.) of the All Progressives Congress.
drama


This was despite that the PDP presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, had  conceded defeat earlier before the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission and Chief Returning Officer of the election, Prof. Attahiru Jega, returned Buhari as the President-elect at about 3.44am on Wednesday.


One of the PDP agents, Godsday Orubebe, who had earlier caused a row when the collation exercise continued on Tuesday, had left the National Collation Centre in Abuja before the announcement of the final result by Jega.


The second agent, Bello Fadile,  was present ‎when party agents were being called upon to sign the result sheet.


At about 3.36am when Fadile approached the podium, where Jega was seated, instead of signing the result sheet as other agents invited before him had done, he only spoke few words in hushed tones to the INEC boss, shook hands with him (Jega) and returned to his seat.


Fadile however waited till the end ‎of the event at about 3.53am to receive a copy of the result.

"Jonathan allowed freedom blossom" - Reno Omokri



See more bellow.


former V.P Atiku Abubakar congratulates Gen. Buhari on his victory

The former Vice President wrote a congratulatory message to Buhari which he posted on FB. See it below…
atiku

My hearty congratulations to His Excellency, General Muhammadu Buhari, for being elected the next president of our beloved county, Nigeria. You have led our party, the All Progressives Congress to an unprecedented victory within two years of it’s official formation, and in so doing, written the most important chapter of our democracy.


The great Nnamdi Azikiwe once wrote that “history will continue to vindicate the just”. Your victory in the polls, with votes from across the length and breadth of our country, bears witness to the acceptance of not just our party, the APC, but also your ideology of justice, fair play and zero tolerance for corruption as the bedrock for national rebirth.


At this historic moment, it is most important to say a hearty thank you to every Nigerian who voted for the APC. Your votes have not just elected the first opposition party into federal power, but has also set a precedent which will have positive implications for democracy across Africa.


Dear GMB, the journey has just begun. Millions of Nigerians have put their trust in you, because they were not satisfied with the status quo. You represent the hope of a new generation of Nigerians, and you cannot afford to fail them. Our party has made a promise of change to our young people, to secure and rebuild our country, create jobs and opportunity, and improve citizens’ welfare. We will stand behind you to ensure we keep those promises, just like we did during these elections.


Our country needs a new direction. We have voted for you, and our party won the election, but when you assume our highest office, you must become the president of not just the APC, but all of Nigeria, including the people who did not vote for you. We look up to you to heal the fractures of our country, and truly unite this country like never before.


To President Jonathan, I want to specially thank you for conducting a historic election. Your party may have lost the elections, but you have won the admiration of the world by not interfering with the wishes of Nigerians. History will be kind to you.


It is my sincere hope that we will all come together as one country, to build the Nigeria of our dreams.

God bless Nigeria.

Pics: Dangote, Tambuwal, Abdulsalam, others with Buhari in Abuja



Africa’s wealthiest man fly private jet or super fast bust (My guess) reach there shap shap….hahaha. Buhari pictured talking with Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar. Aliko Dangote, Primate Nicholas Owoh, Tambuwal, Osinbajo, Chris Ngige and others are around Nigeria’s leader elect at their APC office in Abuja last night. More photographs bellow.

!st Official Statement by President Goodluck Jonathan on presidential election 2015

Official statement by president Jonathan after the announcement of the results of presidential election Fellow Nigerians, I thank you all for turning out en-masse for the March 28 General Elections.
SAFRICA-NIGERIA-DIPLOMACY-ECONOMY-TRADE

I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word. I have also expanded the space for Nigerians to participate in the democratic process. That is one legacy I will like to see endure.


Although some people have expressed mixed feelings about the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I urge those who may feel aggrieved to follow due process based on our constitution and our electoral laws, in seeking redress.

As I have always affirmed, nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else. I congratulate all Nigerians for successfully going through the process of the March 28th General Elections with the commendable enthusiasm and commitment that was demonstrated nationwide. I also commend the Security Services for their role in ensuring that the elections were mostly peaceful and violence-free.

To my colleagues in the PDP, I thank you for your support. Today, the PDP should be celebrating rather than mourning. We have established a legacy of democratic freedom, transparency, economic growth and free and fair elections.


For the past 16 years, we have steered the country away from ethnic and regional politics. We created a Pan-Nigerian political party and brought home to our people the realities of economic development and social transformation.  Through patriotism and diligence, we have built the biggest and most patriotic party in Nigerian history. We must stand together as a party and look to the future with renewed optimism.


I thank all Nigerians once again for the great opportunity I was given to lead this country and assure you that I will continue to do my best at the helm of national affairs until the end of my tenure. I have conveyed my personal best wishes to General Muhammadu Buhari. May God Almighty continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I thank you all.


Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR

President,

Federal Republic of Nigeria

March 31, 2015