One day before the new year President
Muhammadu Buhari is finally hosting his first media chat at the Aso Rock
presidential villa in Abuja today, December 30.
The president has very often been blamed for disclosing his biggest
moves to foreign rather than Nigerian media. Now the things have
changed. Read how it happened, minute by minute:
21.00 The first media chat has finished. Thanks for being with us.
20.58 The president speaks on Biafra issue: “Why does it have to
worry me, when I have militants of all kinds, Boko Haram and etc.
“The question is, who marginalised them (Biafra agitators)?”
20.57 “You want people who stole N50 billion to be granted bail to go
to London when we have 2 million IDPs in camps?” – President Buhari
continues.
20.56 Buhari’s answer: “DSS disobeyed court orders, people got
legitimate bails from courts, and they are still being held. It’s due to
atrocities they committed. They go against the country, and you expect
them to jump bail? The one we are calling ‘Kanu’ he has two passports,
he brought equipment. Do you know Kanu brought in sophisticated weapon
into the country, there’s treasonable felony case against him.”
20.55 “Are you not worried about Kanu?” the journalist asked the president.
20.51 President Buhari answering questions from Kayode Akintemi, Ibanga Isine, Ngozi and Mannir Dan Ali.
20.50 “The standard of tertiary institutions is really poor, I don’t
want students sitting on windows to take lectures,” Buhari answers the
question on tertiary institutions from Twitter.
20.49 One more round of questions from journalists (the panel) is expected.
20.47 Buhari continues: “We will look into the students already in
school to be able to use their Master Card Debit/Credit cards abroad.”
20.45 “We may have to send the young unemployed youth seeking N5k fee to farm to earn the money” – PMB
20.44 On N5,ooo monthly, Buhari says: “When my people have been quoted, how can I come here and say otherwise?”
20.43 The president further answers on minimum wage: “I cannot answer
the question of 18 thousand minimum wage, now and the federal
government will not touch that. The federal government will not touch
minimum wage.”
20.40 “The Judiciary is a seating dock we need the police and other
arms to take cases to them its unfair to blame the judiciary,” Buhari
added.
20.39 “Those making the allegations would have to prove it,” the president says.
20.37 Nigerians ask what Buhari’s government will do with corrupt judges.
20.36 “We are not depending on debt, we are renegotiating with those
who agreed to build infrastructure for us. Nigeria is not borrowing to
fund the 2016 budget but renovating with creditors to build capital
projects,” Buhari answers.
20.34 The question is: “How would the president respond to criticism of plans to borrow to fund a part of the 2016 budget?”
20.32 President Buhari answers first question from Twitter.
20.30 “I turned down a N400 million car proposal, the cars I have are good enough for 10 years,” Buhari says.
20.29 “The question of parastatals earning money, spending it and
giving government the change will stop,” the president insists.
20.27 Nigerians are expected to send in their questions via twitter, using the hashtag #askbuhari.
20.26 “Who checks the National Assembly? After hesitating… the president says: “The judiciary.”
20.25 President Buhari speaks on 2016 budget. “I think I will use
veto power to stop the national assembly from using N47 billion to buy
cars.”
He continues that he will review N3.6 billion for BMW cars
scandal. “I turned down a huge bill for vehicles, but I know we need
some vehicles for foreign visitors.”
20.23 “The policy on foreign currency withdrawal cannot be lifted
because the money is not there. A N100 billion goes to the National
Assembly for transport allowances alone,” the conversation continues.
20.19 “The change is in the TSA.”
20.18 The conversation moves to the questions on change – the slogan
of Buhari during the presidential campaign. The interviewer asks: “What
has changed?”
20.16 “We had 42 ministries, with 42 permanent secretaries. We had to cut them to 24 and asked some to go,” he continues.
20.15 “Fashola was not made a super minister for nothing. The issues
associated with power which will take time, will be answered. He added
that government is looking at different means of generating power,”
President Buhari answers.
20.14 Question: What is the president’s understanding of job
creation? And what was he thinking when the decided to make Fashola the
minister with three portfolios. What was the president’s vision for him?
20.11 He continues: “Our priority is to get our local refineries
working, to reduce cost. The cost of petrol is so low, you don’t have to
subsidize it.”
20.10 “By the end of next quarter, we might stop subsidy. I hope that our refineries can be functional,” Buhari states.
20.09 “Our first priority now is to get our refineries working,” he says.
20.07 The president being asked: “Are you considering putting a stop to the issue of subsidy?”
20.06 On the issue of people being unable to withdraw hard
currencies, the Nigerian leader says: “I will ask the governor of the
Central Bank. Those who want to import rice and toothpick should go
somewhere else to get foreign currency.”
20.04 “Our priority is for welders, barbers, building our roads and
railways, not rice and expensive textile wears,” the president says.
20.02 “But Mr.President would you support the devaluation?” The
answer from Buhari: “If you devalue the naira, against what? Against the
dollar, sterling, yen, dutch? I need to be convinced about devaluing
the Naira. We are importing including toothpick!”
19.59 “Insecurity, downturn of petroleum are very unfortunate incidents in this country,” Buhari continues.
19.58 “There are 45 accounts in NNPC alone. We introduced the
Treasury Single Account so that we can know what comes in and goes out.”
19.57 “I don’t support devaluation,” the president says.
19.55 Buhari answers on naira devaluation issue. “Should we be looking at devaluing naira?”
Buhari speaks to the panel of journalists.
19.53 The next portion of questions is on economy.
19.52 “When I say Boko Haram had been defeated technically, we have weakened capacity for conventional attacks” – Buhari.
19.51 “People die, it’s very serious. Hijab will have to be banned if
this (female suicide bombings) continues,” the president says.
19.50 Question: Is banning hijab an option or not?
19.49 The interviewer asks about the Boko Haram deadline. “Can you say whether the war has been ‘technically’ or otherwise won?”
19.48 Last question on security and the next subject comes.
19.47 Another question for Buhari: “Who would you be expecting the report of the Shi’ites’ killings from?”
19.46 “The President of Iran spoke to me about it and I told him as a
government, we have a system. I am awaiting the report of the
military,” Buhari says.
19.45 “I don’t want to speak about it in detail now,” the president continues.
19.43 Both the president and interviewers avoid giving names: “When
it (clashes with Shiites in Zaria) happened in the state (Kaduna), the
governor (Nasir El-Rufai) was visiting the area,” Buhari.
19.41 The conversation moves to the confrontation between the army
and the Shi’ia sect, and its similarities with the start of the Boko
Haram insurgency.
19.38 The president says he has money to take care of the IDP’s and
he wants to settle the kids in schools/communities. His words: “We are
determined to resettle children transported across the country as a
result of insecurity.”
19.37 Buhari says the Boko Haram victims are orpharned and Dangote, Danjuma have donated.
19.36 President Buhari speaks also on the IDPs. He stated that
there are about two million IDPs in the country, especially in Borno
state.
19.35 “Do we have any intelligence that the girls are alive? No
credible information. Working with Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Boko
Haram kept shifting them around,” Buhari said.
19.34 Question: “Are you sure the girls are there and alive?”
19.32 The president continues: “Some supposed leadership wanted to
make contact, but we insisted on identifying the leadership of the
so-called Boko Haram.”
19.29 “I have answered questions on Chibok girls and we know so far
from our attack on Sambisa that the girls are not intact. We are more
than willing to negotiate to free the girls without compromising our
national security,” he responds.
19.28 The next question comes: “On Chibok girls and technical defeat of Boko Haram, when are we bringing the girls back?”
19.27 “My ministers must make sure they declare their assets, that is
a constitutional requirement,” President Buhari says that any person
would go to court if he or she to be found guilty. “I am going to make
sure that nobody is above the law.”
19.26 Buhari seems to be a bit annoyed, or even angry.
Buhari hosts media chat from 19:00 to 21:00 on December 30, 2015.
19.25 “Nigerians to know progress of the anti-corruption war by end of 1st quarter of 2016,” the president continues.
19.22 “When I was being harassed, I told people that I had declared
my assets four times. I mentioned which banks I borrowed money, the
number of cars and all they were all deposited at the ministry of
justice. If they cannot produce the documents that I declared, they
should also answer questions on documents of public officers,” the
Nigerian leader says.
19.21 Question: “When do you intend to make full declaration of your assets?”
19.19 Buhari answers: “I have said that I will defend every property
of Nigeria. We are appealing to countries to please cooperate with us.”
19.16 “How long are you willing to go in this fight against corruption?” the journalist asks the next question.
19.15 “We have to be very sure of the documents we get. We have to
cross check records. I have confidence in the way EFCC and ICPC are
structured now,” Buhari added.
19.11 The next question is “What we have now is an iceberg, and I am just wondering is there no way to rejig ICPC and EFCC?”
19.09 Buhari continues: “Money has been recovered but whatever has been recovered, we have to remain in court.”
19.08 “Under whatever circumstances we cannot pre-judge what the court would do,” President Buhari.
19.07 KayodeAkintemi: “Who are the people that the government claimed have returned money and how much have they returned?”
19.06 “We are taking the people suspected of corruption to court. We
cannot comment. We want Nigerians to be patient,” the president says.
19.05 Buhari answered: “We are doing quite well. We have some
documents where Nigerian crude oil were lifted illegally and proceeds
diverted into personal accounts.”
19.04 “And the first question. Nigerians very love you. You are the
man of integrity. You were elected on the promise to fight
corruption.The honeymoon is over how do you think we are doing with the
fight against corruption?”
19.02 Kayode Akintemi of Channels TV, the anchor of the chat, welcomed President Buhari and introduced his colleagues.
19.00 All eyes on Mr. President, as the media chat begins.
18.45 Garba Shehu, the special adviser on media and publicity, says
that Nigerians can participate in the discussion on social media by
using the hashtag and also mentioning President @MBuhari.
Femi Adesina, the presidential spokesman, announced in statement that
Buhari intended speak on current national issues on December 30, 2015.
Some of the biggest challenges Nigeria is facing now are the Boko Haram
insurgency, failing economy, war against corruption etc.
The announcement was met with mixed feelings. While a lot of
Nigerians welcomed the idea, others took the opportunity to start asking
the president about the victims from the supposed army/Shiite clash,
while some were asking for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the acclaimed
leader of the IPOB.
Wednesday, 30 December 2015
Buhari Hosts First Media Chat
ATM Card Ban: Nigerians Appeal To Buhari
Nigerians living in Malaysia, especially
students have pleaded with Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari and the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) not to ban customers abroad from using
their Naira debit and credit card.
CBN in a bid to slow the flow of foreign exchange out of the country
ordered commercial banks to stop customers from using their debit and
credit cards abroad. The ban on usage of ATM card abroad is proposed to
take effect from for January 1, 2016.
Students who spoke with Daily Trust complained that many are already finding it difficult to withdraw money for their school fees and other expenses due to the recently introduced cash withdrawal limit imposed on customers abroad.
The students pleaded that usage of ATM card should not be banned. One said: “There are over 5,000 Nigerians schooling in Malaysia. Most of us rely on money being sent from Nigeria. There is no job here. We use our ATM card to pay for our expenses. Banning it usage will cause a lot of hardship for us and may lead to the termination of some students education. Government should help us.”
Other students suggested that the government should devise another means of controlling capital flight and strengthen naira without making the innocent suffer unnecessarily from the sins of the few corrupt Nigerians.
Just recently, CBN said that the recent restriction will remain until the country’s foreign reserves grow to significant levels.
Moses Tule, CBN’s director, monetary policy, said restrictions were likely to be lifted when reserves increase to between $50 billion and $200 billion, adding that all hands must be on deck to achieve the target,
Nigerians plead with CBN not to ban the use of Naira debit and credit card abroad
Students who spoke with Daily Trust complained that many are already finding it difficult to withdraw money for their school fees and other expenses due to the recently introduced cash withdrawal limit imposed on customers abroad.
The students pleaded that usage of ATM card should not be banned. One said: “There are over 5,000 Nigerians schooling in Malaysia. Most of us rely on money being sent from Nigeria. There is no job here. We use our ATM card to pay for our expenses. Banning it usage will cause a lot of hardship for us and may lead to the termination of some students education. Government should help us.”
Other students suggested that the government should devise another means of controlling capital flight and strengthen naira without making the innocent suffer unnecessarily from the sins of the few corrupt Nigerians.
Just recently, CBN said that the recent restriction will remain until the country’s foreign reserves grow to significant levels.
Moses Tule, CBN’s director, monetary policy, said restrictions were likely to be lifted when reserves increase to between $50 billion and $200 billion, adding that all hands must be on deck to achieve the target,
Monday, 28 December 2015
Ex-Govs Fayemi, Oni, Attacked Over Remarks Against Fayose
The verbal attacks from two former governors of Ekiti state
on Governor Ayodele Fayose has been greeted with high repugnance in the
camp of the incumbent governor, Ayo Fayose.
the duo of Engr Segun Oni and Dr Kayode Fayemi had slammed Governor Fayose over damning allegations made by the sitting governor.
However, in a swift response, Lere Olayinka, the special assistant to Governor Fayose on Public Communications and New Media, dubbed the verbal attacks on Fayose as meaningless.
In a statement made available to newsmen and obtained by Vanguard, Olayinka said:
“The two former governors are free to continually express their anger
over five electoral defeats they suffered in the hands of Fayose between
2014 and 2015.
“Governor Fayose will not dignify the former governors with any response. As someone who worked diligently with Engr Segun Oni when he was governor and out of office, I know that the same way he (Oni) described Fayose as a tragedy was the way he used to tell us then that Fayemi would end up in jail. But did he not mount the rostrum to campaign for the re-election of the same Fayemi that he said would be jailed?”
Olayinka described as more tragic, Oni’s association with the same people who humiliated him out of office and used their four years in office to destroy the economy of Ekiti state and also cancelled a full-fledged university he (Oni) sited in Ifaki Ekiti, his hometown.
the duo of Engr Segun Oni and Dr Kayode Fayemi had slammed Governor Fayose over damning allegations made by the sitting governor.
However, in a swift response, Lere Olayinka, the special assistant to Governor Fayose on Public Communications and New Media, dubbed the verbal attacks on Fayose as meaningless.
Governor Ayo Fayose’s aide Lere Olayinka attacks Ex-governor Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi over verbal attack on the governor
“Governor Fayose will not dignify the former governors with any response. As someone who worked diligently with Engr Segun Oni when he was governor and out of office, I know that the same way he (Oni) described Fayose as a tragedy was the way he used to tell us then that Fayemi would end up in jail. But did he not mount the rostrum to campaign for the re-election of the same Fayemi that he said would be jailed?”
Olayinka described as more tragic, Oni’s association with the same people who humiliated him out of office and used their four years in office to destroy the economy of Ekiti state and also cancelled a full-fledged university he (Oni) sited in Ifaki Ekiti, his hometown.
North Will Vote Out Buhari, APC in 2019 — Iwuanyanwu
A one-time Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant for the
the national chairmanship position, Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu has explained
that the North will vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) and
its present political office holders.
He said that the PDP will win back all the elective positions by
restoring the principle of zoning it failed to adhere to in the previous
2 general elections.
He buttressed this when he said: “Most of the Northern elites who are elite, who belong to the aristocratic class, they are scared about the despotism that is going on now, but they just wanted power to come to the north. Power has come to the North but this isn’t the power they are looking for!”
President Muhammadu Buhari who believes he will provide Nigeria with good leadership in an interview with the BBC said Nigeria is a rich country and has no business being poor. He however observed that the challenges the country had been facing was that of leadership which will be addressed by him.
Chief Iwuanyanwu who had his take on the recent the $2.1billion Dasuki arms scandal by saying:
“Well, you know that this government came to power under the mantra of change and anti-corruption. So, they were just playing to the emotions of the country, just playing to the gallery. The moment you tell a poor man that you are going to bring a big man down, he is very happy and expectant. So, it is natural, pulling down syndrome is what they are catching on, they know the mood of the nation.
“Because as far as I am concerned, yes the PDP has clearly stated its position, we are totally for the anti-corruption drive of the government, but it mustn’t be politicized, it mustn’t be vindictive, it mustn’t be selective. It must be holistic and the first question I am asking is, when did it start? Did corruption start with Jonathan, or did it start even with PDP in 1999? What about the whole lot of things that were done under military regimes. So, the question is, where do we begin, and why do you begin, where you are beginning? That’s number one.’’
The PDP stalwart also bared his mind on the reasons that made his party lose the central government to the APC.He said his party went against the zoning principle.He said in this wise, come 2019, his party will regain his lost mandate by fielding a Northerner who will win the presidential election. He said:
“One major thing that happened was when we tried to subvert the zoning system which was a cardinal policy on which the party was founded, so that everybody has hope that one day, it will be our turn. They scuttled it. Some of us spoke out. So, what we should do now is to completely dismantle the party leadership, at all levels because they have failed. It is a part of honour and dignity for them to quit.
“I have nothing personal against anybody but if you go to a battle and you lose, you quit and you give others opportunity to serve. It means there was something you didn’t do right. You go, as a mark of honour and integrity. The party has failed, we need a complete clean. A change of the leadership at all levels and reconnection back to the vision of the founding fathers of the party; zoning, transparency, competitiveness, not imposition and impunity. Jonathan was imposed, they even said they printed one form and no other person would run for the election. Even if they were in support of Jonathan they should have given other people a chance.
“So, we ended up excluding a huge chunk of Nigerians, because that situation was antithetical to democracy. So, PDP should change its leadership and go back to the founding vision. I think PDP is still the strongest and largest in Nigeria. In fact, APC isn’t a party but so many parties fused into one and that’s why they are having so many internal crises.
“We need a united party to have a united Nigeria and APC isn’t a united party. If the PDP can put its acts together, using the next convention and primaries and evolve a leadership that is chosen by the people, I can tell you that we would bounce back as quickly as possible. God is using the present situation to teach all of us a lesson, including the APC itself.
“Yes, lessons were learnt. It was the first intellectual exercise after the election. Papers were presented, people who were schemed out came to the centre to now say what they want. So, the brainstorming was very necessary.
“It was a very successful outing and the document that came out of it is what is now being used for the engineering of the party. For instance, we have gone back to zoning. Secondly, no more impunity and imposition— on paper! We have said all these things, it is now for the people, the owners of the party to take advantage of the result of that conference to take back the party and let power belongs to the people, let them choose their leaders and choose their candidates. If the people are allowed to choose their leaders and candidates, PDP will come back in 2019.
“But there is this sense of aloofness towards the PDP from the North, arising from its denial of the 2011 and 2015 presidential tickets.
“We don’t lobby the North, we only need to correct what is wrong! Why did they leave? There was a deliberate policy of exclusion and imposition and they have shown their anger. PDP made APC to win the election, without the angry members of PDP, the New PDP that went into that place, APC wouldn’t have won the election.
“So, if we are able to correct our mistakes, I am sure we will get some of them back, if we don’t get all. And if we get some of them back and zone the presidency to where it should have been since 2011, am telling you, and get a right candidate, it is possible.”
Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu
He buttressed this when he said: “Most of the Northern elites who are elite, who belong to the aristocratic class, they are scared about the despotism that is going on now, but they just wanted power to come to the north. Power has come to the North but this isn’t the power they are looking for!”
President Muhammadu Buhari who believes he will provide Nigeria with good leadership in an interview with the BBC said Nigeria is a rich country and has no business being poor. He however observed that the challenges the country had been facing was that of leadership which will be addressed by him.
Chief Iwuanyanwu who had his take on the recent the $2.1billion Dasuki arms scandal by saying:
“Well, you know that this government came to power under the mantra of change and anti-corruption. So, they were just playing to the emotions of the country, just playing to the gallery. The moment you tell a poor man that you are going to bring a big man down, he is very happy and expectant. So, it is natural, pulling down syndrome is what they are catching on, they know the mood of the nation.
“Because as far as I am concerned, yes the PDP has clearly stated its position, we are totally for the anti-corruption drive of the government, but it mustn’t be politicized, it mustn’t be vindictive, it mustn’t be selective. It must be holistic and the first question I am asking is, when did it start? Did corruption start with Jonathan, or did it start even with PDP in 1999? What about the whole lot of things that were done under military regimes. So, the question is, where do we begin, and why do you begin, where you are beginning? That’s number one.’’
The PDP stalwart also bared his mind on the reasons that made his party lose the central government to the APC.He said his party went against the zoning principle.He said in this wise, come 2019, his party will regain his lost mandate by fielding a Northerner who will win the presidential election. He said:
“One major thing that happened was when we tried to subvert the zoning system which was a cardinal policy on which the party was founded, so that everybody has hope that one day, it will be our turn. They scuttled it. Some of us spoke out. So, what we should do now is to completely dismantle the party leadership, at all levels because they have failed. It is a part of honour and dignity for them to quit.
“I have nothing personal against anybody but if you go to a battle and you lose, you quit and you give others opportunity to serve. It means there was something you didn’t do right. You go, as a mark of honour and integrity. The party has failed, we need a complete clean. A change of the leadership at all levels and reconnection back to the vision of the founding fathers of the party; zoning, transparency, competitiveness, not imposition and impunity. Jonathan was imposed, they even said they printed one form and no other person would run for the election. Even if they were in support of Jonathan they should have given other people a chance.
“So, we ended up excluding a huge chunk of Nigerians, because that situation was antithetical to democracy. So, PDP should change its leadership and go back to the founding vision. I think PDP is still the strongest and largest in Nigeria. In fact, APC isn’t a party but so many parties fused into one and that’s why they are having so many internal crises.
“We need a united party to have a united Nigeria and APC isn’t a united party. If the PDP can put its acts together, using the next convention and primaries and evolve a leadership that is chosen by the people, I can tell you that we would bounce back as quickly as possible. God is using the present situation to teach all of us a lesson, including the APC itself.
“Yes, lessons were learnt. It was the first intellectual exercise after the election. Papers were presented, people who were schemed out came to the centre to now say what they want. So, the brainstorming was very necessary.
“It was a very successful outing and the document that came out of it is what is now being used for the engineering of the party. For instance, we have gone back to zoning. Secondly, no more impunity and imposition— on paper! We have said all these things, it is now for the people, the owners of the party to take advantage of the result of that conference to take back the party and let power belongs to the people, let them choose their leaders and choose their candidates. If the people are allowed to choose their leaders and candidates, PDP will come back in 2019.
“But there is this sense of aloofness towards the PDP from the North, arising from its denial of the 2011 and 2015 presidential tickets.
“We don’t lobby the North, we only need to correct what is wrong! Why did they leave? There was a deliberate policy of exclusion and imposition and they have shown their anger. PDP made APC to win the election, without the angry members of PDP, the New PDP that went into that place, APC wouldn’t have won the election.
“So, if we are able to correct our mistakes, I am sure we will get some of them back, if we don’t get all. And if we get some of them back and zone the presidency to where it should have been since 2011, am telling you, and get a right candidate, it is possible.”
Boko Haram: Teenage Girls Hit Maiduguri In Separate Attack
After a twin blast that reportedly occured in Maiduguri at a mosque early this morning
December 28, two suspected teenage girls have attacked again
Yunusa Abdullahi, a civil servant who lives in Jiddari Polo area of the city, told Premium Times that aside the mosque attack, two girls detonated explosives at a neighbourhood called Buraburin a Boko Haram ravaged town
“A man saw two girls walking around and he tried to caution them to be careful as it was dangerous for them to be wandering when the two girls detonated themselves, killing the man and some other persons,” Abdullahi said.
“Since last night, residents have been finding undetonated bombs believed to have been abandoned by Boko Haram gunmen. We are under siege and we don’t know how many of these bombs or these female suicide bombers were sneaked into Maiduguri.”
Recent happenings have shown that the city which is already ravaged by Boko Haram might not be done with attacks. Just yesterday, Sunday, December 27the three wives of a village head and their ten children were allegedly blown up by a female sucide bomber who attacked their home in Maiduguri, Borno state.
According to witnesses, the woman took advantage of the chaotic situation as the troops were busy repelling the attack by the Boko haram on the metropolis. She pretended the terrorists were chasing her, and ran into the compound of a local, Bulama Isa, also known as the village head.
December 28, two suspected teenage girls have attacked again
Yunusa Abdullahi, a civil servant who lives in Jiddari Polo area of the city, told Premium Times that aside the mosque attack, two girls detonated explosives at a neighbourhood called Buraburin a Boko Haram ravaged town
“A man saw two girls walking around and he tried to caution them to be careful as it was dangerous for them to be wandering when the two girls detonated themselves, killing the man and some other persons,” Abdullahi said.
“Since last night, residents have been finding undetonated bombs believed to have been abandoned by Boko Haram gunmen. We are under siege and we don’t know how many of these bombs or these female suicide bombers were sneaked into Maiduguri.”
Recent happenings have shown that the city which is already ravaged by Boko Haram might not be done with attacks. Just yesterday, Sunday, December 27the three wives of a village head and their ten children were allegedly blown up by a female sucide bomber who attacked their home in Maiduguri, Borno state.
According to witnesses, the woman took advantage of the chaotic situation as the troops were busy repelling the attack by the Boko haram on the metropolis. She pretended the terrorists were chasing her, and ran into the compound of a local, Bulama Isa, also known as the village head.
Dasuki Arms Scandal: Convicts To Lose Properties – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has spoken over
the $2.1billion Dasuki arms scandal over the weekend as he said anyone
found guilty will lose all his or her property to the Federal
Government.
President Buhari made this known when he spoke about the falling economy of the country. He said inspite of the dwindling prices of oil, certain precautions taken by the government will prevent revenue leakages.
Buhari said these measures in turn will help provide sufficient cash to finance the 2016 N6 trillion budget.
Buhari said Nigeria is a rich country. He however observed that the
challenges the country had been facing was that of leadership which
never did the required things to reduce corrupt practices in the land.
The president explained this during an interview he had on the Hausa
service of the BBC stating that after his
administration blocks all loopholes for siphoning the nation’s wealth,
there will be sufficient money to run the affairs of the country
regardless of low oil price.
The president who spoke extensively said:
“Remember during the campaigns, we said Nigeria is facing three things and nobody disputed that assertion. Firstly; there was widespread insecurity, war in the North- East, while the country’s oil was being stolen at random in the South. Secondly, there is massive unemployment, 62 per cent of the nation’s population are youth from the age of 35 years downward; most of them are unemployed, including those who went to school and those who did not, that is a serious problem.
“Therefore, it has become necessary to restore peace and create employment. That is why we are returning to agriculture and mineral resources. Thirdly, bribery and corruption are basically suffocating the country. If we don’t kill these monsters, this country would go down.
“That is why those who stole monies meant for arms procurement and shared the fund among themselves are being arrested and are being shown documents, so that they would be asked to refund the money or face prosecution; we would use those documents to prove what they stole, collect all the assets acquired from the proceeds and then jail them.”
Buhari who lamented the fact that his government inherited over two trillion naira debt from the previous administration stated further that:
“It is generally believed that a fish begins to rot from the head; once the head is rotten, the whole body is also rotten. We have tried to remove all the heads of the organisations, and most of the lieutenants have been changed.
“A lot is happening in this government that people do not appear to understand; many permanent secretaries of ministries have been changed; we used to have 42 ministers, now we have 36 because the Constitution requires that each state of the federation must have a minister; we used to have 42 ministries, now we have 24.
“Everybody knows Nigeria is not a poor country, we are rich, and we have human resources, the problem had been that leadership did not take seriously, curbing corrupt tendencies,” he said.
“At the local government level, almost everyone knows each other. It would be easy to identify those to give who would go into trading and how to get it back. It would be like a cooperative and we all know how it operates.
“Also, state governments would identify those who have capacity to employ more people and all we need to do is to empower them. Our people already know how to go about implementing these modalities to create employment for the citizens.”
President Buhari made this known when he spoke about the falling economy of the country. He said inspite of the dwindling prices of oil, certain precautions taken by the government will prevent revenue leakages.
Buhari said these measures in turn will help provide sufficient cash to finance the 2016 N6 trillion budget.
The president who spoke extensively said:
“Remember during the campaigns, we said Nigeria is facing three things and nobody disputed that assertion. Firstly; there was widespread insecurity, war in the North- East, while the country’s oil was being stolen at random in the South. Secondly, there is massive unemployment, 62 per cent of the nation’s population are youth from the age of 35 years downward; most of them are unemployed, including those who went to school and those who did not, that is a serious problem.
“Therefore, it has become necessary to restore peace and create employment. That is why we are returning to agriculture and mineral resources. Thirdly, bribery and corruption are basically suffocating the country. If we don’t kill these monsters, this country would go down.
“That is why those who stole monies meant for arms procurement and shared the fund among themselves are being arrested and are being shown documents, so that they would be asked to refund the money or face prosecution; we would use those documents to prove what they stole, collect all the assets acquired from the proceeds and then jail them.”
Buhari who lamented the fact that his government inherited over two trillion naira debt from the previous administration stated further that:
“It is generally believed that a fish begins to rot from the head; once the head is rotten, the whole body is also rotten. We have tried to remove all the heads of the organisations, and most of the lieutenants have been changed.
“A lot is happening in this government that people do not appear to understand; many permanent secretaries of ministries have been changed; we used to have 42 ministers, now we have 36 because the Constitution requires that each state of the federation must have a minister; we used to have 42 ministries, now we have 24.
“Everybody knows Nigeria is not a poor country, we are rich, and we have human resources, the problem had been that leadership did not take seriously, curbing corrupt tendencies,” he said.
“At the local government level, almost everyone knows each other. It would be easy to identify those to give who would go into trading and how to get it back. It would be like a cooperative and we all know how it operates.
“Also, state governments would identify those who have capacity to employ more people and all we need to do is to empower them. Our people already know how to go about implementing these modalities to create employment for the citizens.”
Friday, 25 December 2015
Boko Haram Will Not Be Defeated Until Its Sponsors Are Arrested - Group
There have been increased calls for citizens
to remain security-conscious as it appears the war on Boko Haram has not
been won after all.
A report by Ends.ng has reached out to Nigerians asking them not to
lose their guards given that life in the Boko Haram territories is still
uncertain.
This is contrary to President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement in his interview with The BBC on Thursday, December 24 where he revealed that Nigeria has “technically won the war” against the dreaded Islamist sect.
According to President Buhari, the group no longer has the powers to launch “conventional attacks” against security operatives or the Nigerian populace.
Ordinarily, it is a welcome development seeing a deadly group as Boko Haram suffer defeat in a new administration under Buhari.
But The BBC reports that critics think of this achievement over Boko Haram as exaggerated, adding that each time the army chiefs claimed to have rid the country of the terror group, they have only gone under temporarily and rearmed for further attacks.
One of such criticisms comes from Ends.Ng – a group which claims to build peace and progress through individual efforts as well as by supporting Nigerian security operatives.
In the group’s publication on Friday, December 25, it stated that though Boko Haram might have been “technically” defeated, the dangers are not over in the terror regions of the nation.
It further revealed that the sponsors of Boko Haram are yet to be brought to book which makes it impossible for anyone to claim victory over the terror group.
“…Not a single sponsor of Boko Haram has yet been arrested by the Nigerian security services and army. This is the root of the deadly tree and until the root is killed, the tree will not be dead.”
Ends.ng also stated that governor Kashim Shetima of Borno state allegedly knows the sponsors of the dreaded group but has revealed on different occasions that he is keeping their names secret to protect them.
“We will like to remind the Nigerian security services that the governor of Borno state and head of the northern governor’s forum, Kashim Shettima knows the sponsors of Boko Haram. Kashim Shettima has said on several occasions that he is keeping mute to protect them.
“We will like to urge the Nigerian army to make Kashim Shettima and others who know the sponsors, talk. Dasuki has hinted that he knows the sponsors as has the former President Good luck Jonathan. By now we do believe they have handed over this information to the security services and we also expected top-level arrests before the December deadline.
“It is time to put a lasting and permanent end to this menace that has affected all of us including our army and turned some of us into beasts and walking dead. The stress has taken a permanent toll on our army. As is done world over, they need counselors and medical therapy. They should not keep laying their lives down for us and testing their physical and mental capacities while some people paid for this carnage and still live large and party happy,” it stated.
The publication also stressed the importance of the war against terrorism adding that it is as important as the anti-graft war.
It called for the arrests of the military chiefs involved in providing support to the terror group.
“These men must not continue to walk free after all they caused and the money for terror they looted. The Chibok girls and their families deserve justice; without which there can never be peace.”
Ends.ng is a group founded in 2013 and is committed to promoting peace and safety of the Nigerian populace as well as well as supporting the Nigerian civilian vigilante force popularly known as the Civilian JTF.
File photo of Boko Haram members
This is contrary to President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement in his interview with The BBC on Thursday, December 24 where he revealed that Nigeria has “technically won the war” against the dreaded Islamist sect.
According to President Buhari, the group no longer has the powers to launch “conventional attacks” against security operatives or the Nigerian populace.
Ordinarily, it is a welcome development seeing a deadly group as Boko Haram suffer defeat in a new administration under Buhari.
But The BBC reports that critics think of this achievement over Boko Haram as exaggerated, adding that each time the army chiefs claimed to have rid the country of the terror group, they have only gone under temporarily and rearmed for further attacks.
One of such criticisms comes from Ends.Ng – a group which claims to build peace and progress through individual efforts as well as by supporting Nigerian security operatives.
In the group’s publication on Friday, December 25, it stated that though Boko Haram might have been “technically” defeated, the dangers are not over in the terror regions of the nation.
It further revealed that the sponsors of Boko Haram are yet to be brought to book which makes it impossible for anyone to claim victory over the terror group.
“…Not a single sponsor of Boko Haram has yet been arrested by the Nigerian security services and army. This is the root of the deadly tree and until the root is killed, the tree will not be dead.”
Ends.ng also stated that governor Kashim Shetima of Borno state allegedly knows the sponsors of the dreaded group but has revealed on different occasions that he is keeping their names secret to protect them.
“We will like to remind the Nigerian security services that the governor of Borno state and head of the northern governor’s forum, Kashim Shettima knows the sponsors of Boko Haram. Kashim Shettima has said on several occasions that he is keeping mute to protect them.
“We will like to urge the Nigerian army to make Kashim Shettima and others who know the sponsors, talk. Dasuki has hinted that he knows the sponsors as has the former President Good luck Jonathan. By now we do believe they have handed over this information to the security services and we also expected top-level arrests before the December deadline.
“It is time to put a lasting and permanent end to this menace that has affected all of us including our army and turned some of us into beasts and walking dead. The stress has taken a permanent toll on our army. As is done world over, they need counselors and medical therapy. They should not keep laying their lives down for us and testing their physical and mental capacities while some people paid for this carnage and still live large and party happy,” it stated.
The publication also stressed the importance of the war against terrorism adding that it is as important as the anti-graft war.
It called for the arrests of the military chiefs involved in providing support to the terror group.
“These men must not continue to walk free after all they caused and the money for terror they looted. The Chibok girls and their families deserve justice; without which there can never be peace.”
Ends.ng is a group founded in 2013 and is committed to promoting peace and safety of the Nigerian populace as well as well as supporting the Nigerian civilian vigilante force popularly known as the Civilian JTF.
Tuesday, 22 December 2015
EFCC To Probe Okonjo-Iweala, Dasuki - Falana
A senior advocate of Nigeria and Lagos based
human right lawyer, Femi Falana has mandated the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence investigation into the alleged
diversion of $500 million of the $4 billion recovered from the family of
the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha.
In a letter addressed to the chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, on
Friday, December 18, Falana charged the commission to confirm the actual
amount of money and properties recovered from the loot, Punch reports.
Falana who quoted from and annexed to his petition copies of the Forfeiture Assets Decree No. 55 of 1999 on seized Abacha loot, a press statement by the Federal Ministry of Justice on the Abacha loot and photocopies of pages 494 to 496 of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s book, My Watch, that “over $2bn and £100m had been recovered from Abacha family abroad, and as well as N10bn in cash and properties locally before Obasanjo left office.”
Falana noted that the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, had justified the withdrawal of N446bn theft charges against one of the sons of the former Head of State, Mohammed Abacha, as a step to “facilitate the recovery of the sum of $380m from the Luxembourg proceedings and $550m from forfeiture proceedings instituted by the United States Department of Justice.”
Falana who urged the EFCC to probe the alleged diversion of about $500m and ensure it was fully accounted for, added that it would be difficult for the federal government to succeed in its plan to recover the nation’s stolen money stashed abroad.
The Senior Advocate further ordered a probe into the connection between the Abacha loot, former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former National Security Advicer, Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
He said, “Adoke further disclosed that the efforts of the administration had led to ‘the recovery of $226.3 million from Liechtenstein, in addition to the 7.5 million Euros that was recovered from an associated company of the Abacha’s in Liechtenstein in 2011. It will also be recalled that in 2011, the federal government was able to recover and repatriate through negotiated settlement with the Jersey 22.5m pounds confiscated from an associate of the Abacha family by the Island of Jersey.”
“But in a desperate bid to cover up the gross mismanagement and criminal diversion of the Abacha loot, former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had repeatedly maintained that only $500m had been recovered by the Federal Government.”
“To lend credence to the fraudulent claim, the World Bank confirmed in a reply to an enquiry by SERAP that the $500m recovered from the loot had been judiciously spent on some phantom development projects in several parts of the country.”
“But following the recent revelation by the Premium Times that a substantial part of the loot had been criminally diverted, Okonjo-Iweala has admitted that she transferred $322m from the Abacha loot to former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to prosecute the war on terror. Apart from the said £322m, Okonjo-Iweala also released £5.5m to Dasuki.”
“Okonjo-Iweala’s excuse that the said $322m was released due to the urgency of the crisis in the North-East region is untenable having regards to the fact that former President Jonathan had sought the approval of the National Assembly to take a loan of $1bn to equip the armed forces to fight insurgency.”
“Therefore, the self-induced urgency created by Okonjo-Iweala is not a justification for spending public funds without appropriation. It may interest you to know that $500m allegedly spent on development projects was also not appropriated by the National Assembly.”
“In view of the ongoing, we hereby request you to use your good offices to confirm the actual amount recovered from the Abacha loot by the Federal Government and the extent of the criminal diversion of the said loot by Okonjo-Iweala, Dasuki and other suspects. Unless the Abacha loot is fully accounted for, the Buhari administration will find it difficult to receive the cooperation of many governments in the ongoing efforts to recover the stolen wealth of the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Switzerland had previously returned to Nigeria over $700 million of the Late Head of State, General Sani Abacha in Swiss accounts.
Former Head of State, Late General Sani Abacha
Falana who quoted from and annexed to his petition copies of the Forfeiture Assets Decree No. 55 of 1999 on seized Abacha loot, a press statement by the Federal Ministry of Justice on the Abacha loot and photocopies of pages 494 to 496 of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s book, My Watch, that “over $2bn and £100m had been recovered from Abacha family abroad, and as well as N10bn in cash and properties locally before Obasanjo left office.”
Falana noted that the then Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, had justified the withdrawal of N446bn theft charges against one of the sons of the former Head of State, Mohammed Abacha, as a step to “facilitate the recovery of the sum of $380m from the Luxembourg proceedings and $550m from forfeiture proceedings instituted by the United States Department of Justice.”
Falana who urged the EFCC to probe the alleged diversion of about $500m and ensure it was fully accounted for, added that it would be difficult for the federal government to succeed in its plan to recover the nation’s stolen money stashed abroad.
The Senior Advocate further ordered a probe into the connection between the Abacha loot, former minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former National Security Advicer, Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
He said, “Adoke further disclosed that the efforts of the administration had led to ‘the recovery of $226.3 million from Liechtenstein, in addition to the 7.5 million Euros that was recovered from an associated company of the Abacha’s in Liechtenstein in 2011. It will also be recalled that in 2011, the federal government was able to recover and repatriate through negotiated settlement with the Jersey 22.5m pounds confiscated from an associate of the Abacha family by the Island of Jersey.”
“But in a desperate bid to cover up the gross mismanagement and criminal diversion of the Abacha loot, former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had repeatedly maintained that only $500m had been recovered by the Federal Government.”
“To lend credence to the fraudulent claim, the World Bank confirmed in a reply to an enquiry by SERAP that the $500m recovered from the loot had been judiciously spent on some phantom development projects in several parts of the country.”
“But following the recent revelation by the Premium Times that a substantial part of the loot had been criminally diverted, Okonjo-Iweala has admitted that she transferred $322m from the Abacha loot to former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to prosecute the war on terror. Apart from the said £322m, Okonjo-Iweala also released £5.5m to Dasuki.”
“Okonjo-Iweala’s excuse that the said $322m was released due to the urgency of the crisis in the North-East region is untenable having regards to the fact that former President Jonathan had sought the approval of the National Assembly to take a loan of $1bn to equip the armed forces to fight insurgency.”
“Therefore, the self-induced urgency created by Okonjo-Iweala is not a justification for spending public funds without appropriation. It may interest you to know that $500m allegedly spent on development projects was also not appropriated by the National Assembly.”
“In view of the ongoing, we hereby request you to use your good offices to confirm the actual amount recovered from the Abacha loot by the Federal Government and the extent of the criminal diversion of the said loot by Okonjo-Iweala, Dasuki and other suspects. Unless the Abacha loot is fully accounted for, the Buhari administration will find it difficult to receive the cooperation of many governments in the ongoing efforts to recover the stolen wealth of the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Switzerland had previously returned to Nigeria over $700 million of the Late Head of State, General Sani Abacha in Swiss accounts.
NASS On LockDown As Buhari Presents 2016 Budget Today
The National Assembly complex has been locked down by presidential guards ahead of the presentation.
There are strong indications that lawmakers are ready to ensure that the 2016 Appropriation Bill gets speedy consideration and is passed into law, Vanguard reports.
A source disclosed that once the budget is presented today by the president, the Senate and the House of Representatives will go to their various chambers to commence work.
The source said the arrangement is to present the bill for first reading today and tomorrow, the lawmakers will formally adjourn sitting till next year, when the bill would be presented for second reading and passed.
Thereafter, it will be referred to the appropriate committees on Finance, Budget, National Planning and Appropriation among others, which would make the job easy. At this point, ministers, heads of parastatals, departments and agencies of government would be invited to defend their budget.
The budget presentation by Buhari is coming on the heels of the approval of Medium Term Framework Expenditure (MTEF) by the National Assembly. The Senate approved the MTEF last Wednesday.
The FEC on Monday, December 7, approved the sum of N6 trillion for the expenditure for 2016 budget under the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). Yesterday, they approved the final draft of the 2016 budget with an unprecedented capital vote of N2 trillion.
The 6.07 trillion Naira budget proposal for 2016 was predicated on $38 per barrel oil benchmark; 197 Naira exchange rate.
It is an increase of about 40 per cent from the previous budget of 4.357 trillion Naira which was presented to the National Assembly in 2014 by former president, Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
Friday, 18 December 2015
Mother Teresa To Be Canonised As Saint In 2016
Mother Teresa is to be canonised as a saint after Pope Francis has recognised a second ‘miracle’ she performed curing a Brazilian man of multiple brain tumours in 2008.
Mother Teresa, also known as the “Saint of the Gutters”, is to be canonised next year after two of her miracles were recognized by the Vatican. The ceremony expected to be held on September in 2016 as part of the pope’s Jubilee Year of Mercy.
First miracle
Second miracle
The miracle in question
concerned the cure of a Brazilian man suffering from a viral brain
infection that resulted in multiple abscesses.
According to Father Brian Kolodiejchiuk, an unnamed man was in a coma
and about to undergo an emergency operation, when a neurosurgeon
“returned to the operating room and found the patient inexplicably awake
and without pain.”The surgery did not take place and a day later the man was declared to be symptom-free. Despite tests showing that prolonged drug treatment had made him sterile, he went on to have two children.
Controversy
She has often been described as a citizen of the world and a living saint. Once she described herself as “By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus.”
PDP Governors React To Nullification Of Gov. Udom's Election
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum has reacted to the nullification of the election of Udom Emmanuel, the governor of Akwa Ibom state, by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday, December 18.
According to the forum, the judgements were part of a cruel plan of
the All Progressives Congress (APC) to take control of “oil-producing
states” by all means.
The PDP governors alleged that Aminu Tambuwal, the Sokoto state governor, had canvassed that it was a national security risk for the oil-rich states to be controlled by the opposition.
Premium Times reports that Osaro Onaiwu, the coordinator of the forum, made a statement calling on the judiciary to rise above partisan influence and protect the country’s democracy.
“The nullification of the election of His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel by the Court of Appeal on Friday in Abuja should worry all those who truly desire good for this country.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the APC is bent on foisting a one-party state in Nigeria and to do so, it is ready to compromise the judiciary, destroy every fibre of integrity and sanctity of the judicial process through state compromise of the judiciary.
“For 16 years that the PDP governed, it respected the right to opposition and did not balkanise the judiciary as we have witnessed in the past seven months of the APC regime,” the statement read in part.
According to the governors, the nation’s judiciary is “tele-guided by a puppet master in Lagos”. However, they expressed assurance that the state apparatus would soon collapse “because a people’s will to choose their leaders can never be negotiated or mortgaged out of desperation”.
Meanwhile, happy residents of Akwa Ibom state shut down traffic in Uyo, the state capital, to celebrate the court ruling of the Appeal Court.
Governor Emmanuel Udom
The PDP governors alleged that Aminu Tambuwal, the Sokoto state governor, had canvassed that it was a national security risk for the oil-rich states to be controlled by the opposition.
Premium Times reports that Osaro Onaiwu, the coordinator of the forum, made a statement calling on the judiciary to rise above partisan influence and protect the country’s democracy.
“The nullification of the election of His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel by the Court of Appeal on Friday in Abuja should worry all those who truly desire good for this country.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the APC is bent on foisting a one-party state in Nigeria and to do so, it is ready to compromise the judiciary, destroy every fibre of integrity and sanctity of the judicial process through state compromise of the judiciary.
“For 16 years that the PDP governed, it respected the right to opposition and did not balkanise the judiciary as we have witnessed in the past seven months of the APC regime,” the statement read in part.
According to the governors, the nation’s judiciary is “tele-guided by a puppet master in Lagos”. However, they expressed assurance that the state apparatus would soon collapse “because a people’s will to choose their leaders can never be negotiated or mortgaged out of desperation”.
Meanwhile, happy residents of Akwa Ibom state shut down traffic in Uyo, the state capital, to celebrate the court ruling of the Appeal Court.
Rivers House Of Assembly Speaker Ikunyi Awaji-Igbani Quits
Ikunyi Awaji-Ibani, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, has resigned, Daily post reports.
According to the news medium, Awaji-Ibani resigned at 6:57pm today, December 18, immediately after passing the N307b 2016 budget as presented by Governor Nyesom Wike.
Without stating his reasons for leaving, Awaji-Ibani said: “In life, there is time for everything.
“I was called to serve and I think I have served you well. At this juncture, I want to announce that I am stepping aside for reasons best known to me.”
To be continue.........…
According to the news medium, Awaji-Ibani resigned at 6:57pm today, December 18, immediately after passing the N307b 2016 budget as presented by Governor Nyesom Wike.
Rivers
state House of assembly speaker, Awaji-Ibani resigns after passing the
N307b 2016 budget as presented by Governor Nyesom Wike.
“I was called to serve and I think I have served you well. At this juncture, I want to announce that I am stepping aside for reasons best known to me.”
To be continue.........…
Jubilation Trails Governor Udom’s Sack
The Appeal Court’s decision to nullify the
election of Governor Udom Emmanuel in line with the appeal of Okon
Umana, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11
election, has been greeted with jubilation in the state.
Shortly after the appellate court, sitting in Abuja, nullified the entire poll of the April 11 governorship election and upheld the ruling of the tribunal, residents of the state shut down traffic in Uyo, the state capital to celebrate the court ruling, Sahara Reporters reports.
See photos below:
Udom had been declared by the INEC as the winner in the April 11
governorship election alleged to be one of the most controversial in the
history of elections in the country.
It was reported that the election was allegedly marred with violence, harassment of voters, hijacking of election materials and unprecedented rigging which made international and local observers to pass a unanimous verdict that it was a sham and recommended a complete cancellation of the exercise.
The APC which is the main opposition in the state also came out strongly to decry the conduct of the exercise.
The APC said there was no election in the state as it accused the former governor Godswill Akpabio who is now a minority leader at the Senate, of allegedly deploying state machinery to rig the election and overturn the popular wish of the people.
As a result of this, the APC and its candidate, Umana Okon Umana, had to challenge the victory at the tribunal seeking a cancellation of the purported election.
In its ruling, the election petitions tribunal ordered a re-run governorship election in 18 out of the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom, but the Appelleal court has now nullified the entire election.
Shortly after the appellate court, sitting in Abuja, nullified the entire poll of the April 11 governorship election and upheld the ruling of the tribunal, residents of the state shut down traffic in Uyo, the state capital to celebrate the court ruling, Sahara Reporters reports.
See photos below:
Akwa Ibom residents shut down the streets to celebrate Governor Udom’s sack
A lady seen making a mockery gesture
Akwa Ibom residents shut down the streets to celebrate Governor Udom’s sack
Akwa Ibom residents shut down traffic to celebrate Governor Udom’s sack
Akwa Ibom residents shut down traffic to celebrate Governor Udom’s sack
Akwa Ibom residents shut down the streets to celebrate Governor Udom’s sack
Akwa Ibom residents shut down the streets to celebrate Governor Udom’s sack
It was reported that the election was allegedly marred with violence, harassment of voters, hijacking of election materials and unprecedented rigging which made international and local observers to pass a unanimous verdict that it was a sham and recommended a complete cancellation of the exercise.
The APC which is the main opposition in the state also came out strongly to decry the conduct of the exercise.
The APC said there was no election in the state as it accused the former governor Godswill Akpabio who is now a minority leader at the Senate, of allegedly deploying state machinery to rig the election and overturn the popular wish of the people.
As a result of this, the APC and its candidate, Umana Okon Umana, had to challenge the victory at the tribunal seeking a cancellation of the purported election.
In its ruling, the election petitions tribunal ordered a re-run governorship election in 18 out of the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom, but the Appelleal court has now nullified the entire election.
Minister Unveils FG Plans To Diversify Economy
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of
Information and Culture, has unveiled plans by the Federal Government to
diversify the country’s economy.
This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja, on Friday,
December 18, by the Special Assistant to the Minister, Segun Adeyemi, a
copy obtained by Naij.com.
Mohammed, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, at a workshop on ‘Mainstreaming Tourism into the Economic Agenda of Government’ in Abuja, on Thursday, highlighted the commitment of the present administration towards exploiting the full potentials of the tourism sector as part of the efforts to diversify the economy.
The Minister explained that the oil revenue could no longer provide resources to meet the growing and competing demands of the nation, therefore there is a need to explore tourism as catalyst for economic growth and job creation.
“The experience of the past three decades clearly highlights the shortcomings of a development strategy that places premium on foreign exchange earnings from non-renewable natural resources, especially oil and solid minerals
“The economic and social dislocation that has been the country’s experience from the 1970s right from the first decade of the country had its origin in the collapse of the international oil market. Our experience in the recent past also clearly demonstrates that oil and mineral resources are non-renewable and have very limited potentials for addressing the development challenges that face the country today over the medium and long-term period,” he said.
The Minister further expressed optimism that the nation’s diverse and unique cultural heritage, the flora and fauna as well as the historical sites that abound in the country are capable of driving tourism to create a sustainable economy that provides jobs and income for the nation.
“The uniqueness of tourism as an important economic sector is evident in its ability to employ the skilled, semi-skilled and the unskilled manpower, while its resilience is proven by the fact that despite wars, political turmoil, natural disasters, medical scares, terrorists attacks and economic and energy crises in various parts of the world, international trade in tourism services has grown spectacularly since the 1980s.
“Today, as the nation grapples with the daunting challenges of re-strategizing the gains of our democracy and also occupying its pride of place in the comity of nations, tourism has been identified as a veritable option for sustainable development,” the Minister said.
Mohammed, who was the immediate past spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC) restated the federal government’s determination to create a more conducive environment for tourism to thrive in.
He also listed the areas that needed improvement to include infrastructural development, curbing youth restiveness, which he said scares away tourists, enactment of a sustainable institutional framework for Public-Private Partnership and the establishment of a national carrier to fly the nation’s flag.
Mohammed also promoted the establishment of a Tourism Development Fund to serve as an incentive to encourage private sector participation in tourism development.
Just few days ago, following the alleged slow pace the economy is picking up under the new administration, Ekiti state Governor Ayodele Fayose has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to resign if he cannot solve the economic hardship in the country, and reminded the president of the three million jobs he promised to create annually during the campaign.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture says Federal Government will diversify economy through tourism
Mohammed, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, at a workshop on ‘Mainstreaming Tourism into the Economic Agenda of Government’ in Abuja, on Thursday, highlighted the commitment of the present administration towards exploiting the full potentials of the tourism sector as part of the efforts to diversify the economy.
The Minister explained that the oil revenue could no longer provide resources to meet the growing and competing demands of the nation, therefore there is a need to explore tourism as catalyst for economic growth and job creation.
“The experience of the past three decades clearly highlights the shortcomings of a development strategy that places premium on foreign exchange earnings from non-renewable natural resources, especially oil and solid minerals
“The economic and social dislocation that has been the country’s experience from the 1970s right from the first decade of the country had its origin in the collapse of the international oil market. Our experience in the recent past also clearly demonstrates that oil and mineral resources are non-renewable and have very limited potentials for addressing the development challenges that face the country today over the medium and long-term period,” he said.
The Minister further expressed optimism that the nation’s diverse and unique cultural heritage, the flora and fauna as well as the historical sites that abound in the country are capable of driving tourism to create a sustainable economy that provides jobs and income for the nation.
“The uniqueness of tourism as an important economic sector is evident in its ability to employ the skilled, semi-skilled and the unskilled manpower, while its resilience is proven by the fact that despite wars, political turmoil, natural disasters, medical scares, terrorists attacks and economic and energy crises in various parts of the world, international trade in tourism services has grown spectacularly since the 1980s.
“Today, as the nation grapples with the daunting challenges of re-strategizing the gains of our democracy and also occupying its pride of place in the comity of nations, tourism has been identified as a veritable option for sustainable development,” the Minister said.
Mohammed, who was the immediate past spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC) restated the federal government’s determination to create a more conducive environment for tourism to thrive in.
He also listed the areas that needed improvement to include infrastructural development, curbing youth restiveness, which he said scares away tourists, enactment of a sustainable institutional framework for Public-Private Partnership and the establishment of a national carrier to fly the nation’s flag.
Mohammed also promoted the establishment of a Tourism Development Fund to serve as an incentive to encourage private sector participation in tourism development.
Just few days ago, following the alleged slow pace the economy is picking up under the new administration, Ekiti state Governor Ayodele Fayose has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to resign if he cannot solve the economic hardship in the country, and reminded the president of the three million jobs he promised to create annually during the campaign.
Buhari Should Investigate Jonathan Over Arms Deal
Former political adviser to ex-president
Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak has stated that his former boss cannot
escape culpability for over the $2.1 billion arms deal fund.
Gulak made this disclosure when fielding questions from reporters in
Abuja on December 17. The former political adviser explained that
Jonathan as the number one citizen of the country must account for the
actions of officers he appointed whether he is aware or not of their
actions.
He said the ex-president should be liable for the looting of arms purchase fund because the buck stops at his table, Daily Trust reports.
Gulak noted that Jonathan was misled, cajoled and messed up and kept in complete darkness by a cabal in his government.
He said: “The revelation coming out (of the arms deal) was because there was no political experience. It was arrogance and impunity then. Jonathan did his best, but unfortunately, he cannot escape liability because the buck stops at his table. They misled him, they blackmailed him, they cajoled him and they put him in complete darkness as far as the political process was concerned then.
“Because he was the president and chief executive officer of the country, every act of his agents and officials, he must be bound by it whether he was aware of what they were doing or not. He is vicariously liable.
“We have seen the approvals by Mr President (Jonathan) for the purchase of arms and ammunition. The approval was clear, but we got to know that the purpose for which that approval was thereafter made was not in accordance with the approval. Although he (Jonathan) may be held vicariously liable, he was oblivious of what the cabal was doing. They were not with him, they were not working for his re-election, they were only working for their pockets.”
The former political adviser who is eyeing the chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party threw his weight behind the current probe of the arms deal saying it is not about APC or PDP.
He said: “The probe must be done. It is not about PDP or APC. It is not about partisan politics. It is about Nigeria. How can I just transfer $1.2 billion to somebody’s account in the name of prayers? Did Goodluck Jonathan know all this? I don’t believe so.”
In a related development, an Abuja High Court on Friday, December 18, granted the former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki and four others bail.
The presiding judge, Justice Huseni Baba-Yusuf granted the five accused persons on a bond of N250 million each.
Pundits have stared calling for the probe of Jonathan
He said the ex-president should be liable for the looting of arms purchase fund because the buck stops at his table, Daily Trust reports.
Gulak noted that Jonathan was misled, cajoled and messed up and kept in complete darkness by a cabal in his government.
He said: “The revelation coming out (of the arms deal) was because there was no political experience. It was arrogance and impunity then. Jonathan did his best, but unfortunately, he cannot escape liability because the buck stops at his table. They misled him, they blackmailed him, they cajoled him and they put him in complete darkness as far as the political process was concerned then.
“Because he was the president and chief executive officer of the country, every act of his agents and officials, he must be bound by it whether he was aware of what they were doing or not. He is vicariously liable.
“We have seen the approvals by Mr President (Jonathan) for the purchase of arms and ammunition. The approval was clear, but we got to know that the purpose for which that approval was thereafter made was not in accordance with the approval. Although he (Jonathan) may be held vicariously liable, he was oblivious of what the cabal was doing. They were not with him, they were not working for his re-election, they were only working for their pockets.”
The former political adviser who is eyeing the chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party threw his weight behind the current probe of the arms deal saying it is not about APC or PDP.
He said: “The probe must be done. It is not about PDP or APC. It is not about partisan politics. It is about Nigeria. How can I just transfer $1.2 billion to somebody’s account in the name of prayers? Did Goodluck Jonathan know all this? I don’t believe so.”
In a related development, an Abuja High Court on Friday, December 18, granted the former national security adviser Sambo Dasuki and four others bail.
The presiding judge, Justice Huseni Baba-Yusuf granted the five accused persons on a bond of N250 million each.
Appeal Court Affirms Akwa Ibom Tribunal Ruling
An Appeal Court sitting in Abuja on Friday,
December 19, affirmed a tribunal judgement on the Akwa Ibom state
gubernatorial election which ordered the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh governorship election in 18 out of
the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom state.
A five-man panel of judges at the appellate court unanimously
dismissed an interlocutory application filed by the flag bearer of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Emmanuel Udom over the lack of locus standi of the petitioners, the All Progressive Party Congress (APC) and its candidate, Umana Umana.
The application also challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the case.
But in its decision, the Appeal Court, affirmed that the April 11 gubernatorial election in the 18 local government areas in the state where election were cancelled was not conducted in substantial compliance with Section 85(1) Electoral Act 2010.
The court also said that there were inconsistency in the number of voters accredited during the election.
However, the court is still yet to deliver its judgement on Umana’s appeal against the tribunal’s judgement in which, he is seeking a total cancellation of the election results.
On Wednesday, October 21, an election tribunal nullified the elections that took place in 18 out of 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom state without unseating the governor.
The tribunal held that electins were not properly conducted in these local governments. It also ordered a re-run of the election by the the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the affected local government areas.
Governor Emmanuel Udom
The application also challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the case.
But in its decision, the Appeal Court, affirmed that the April 11 gubernatorial election in the 18 local government areas in the state where election were cancelled was not conducted in substantial compliance with Section 85(1) Electoral Act 2010.
The court also said that there were inconsistency in the number of voters accredited during the election.
However, the court is still yet to deliver its judgement on Umana’s appeal against the tribunal’s judgement in which, he is seeking a total cancellation of the election results.
On Wednesday, October 21, an election tribunal nullified the elections that took place in 18 out of 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom state without unseating the governor.
The tribunal held that electins were not properly conducted in these local governments. It also ordered a re-run of the election by the the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the affected local government areas.
Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Super Falcons Defender Weds Hubby In Style (PHOTOS)
Super Falcons defender Faith Ikidi was stunning in her gown as she had her wedding over the weekend.
The 28 year old has been capped 53 times by the national team in a glittering career.
She currently plays for Pitea IF of the Swedish Damallsvenskan. The
Damallsvenskan is the highest division of women’s football in Sweden.
The 28 year old has been capped 53 times by the national team in a glittering career.
Inaugural Mr Ugly Africa To Be Held In South Africa Next Year
Couldn’t get enough of the Mr Ugly Zimbabwe pageant?
Great news then, as the organisers have announced that they plan to
hold the first Mr Ugly Africa pageant next year!
Preparations for the inaugural Mr Ugly Africa competition have gathered momentum after the organisers confirmed that the pageant will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, next year.
The news comes after the organisers of Mr Ugly Zimbabwe visited their partners in South Africa to lay the foundations for the inaugural pan-African pageant.
The planners include pageant founder David “Apama” Nyachowe, secretary Abigail Mataranyika, and event organizers Givemore Farmboy Sambana and Polite Mlilo.
Apama said the preliminary discussions on holding the pageant have been successful.
“It will be happening at Sandton Convention Centre where Miss World 2008 took place. There will be more negotiations with network companies across Africa to partner us during these events, Mr Ugly Africa and World,” Apama said.
“We found a venue but negotiations are still under way and sponsors have managed to raise $50 000 so far and further negotiations are still underway for more sponsors to come in.
“We are also in talks up negotiation with Power FM South Africa to be our official radio station for marketing these events. We also have SABC stations to partner with us as we have proposed,” Apama added.
Mataranyika said the visit was of the delegation is a sign of even greater things to come.
“The tour went well. Mr Ugly Africa is going to be held in South Africa for the first time in September 2016 and the proposed venue is Sandton Convention Centre.
“In January we will be travelling to Uganda to see their ‘ugliest’ man as part of our world tour, and then to Nigeria before travelling to other continents in preparation of Mr Ugly World in 2017,” Mataranyika said.
Mr Ugly Zimbabwe, which was held recently, made headlines across the world when former champion William Masvinu cried foul after being beaten by current title-holder Maison Sere.
Preparations for the inaugural Mr Ugly Africa competition have gathered momentum after the organisers confirmed that the pageant will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, next year.
The news comes after the organisers of Mr Ugly Zimbabwe visited their partners in South Africa to lay the foundations for the inaugural pan-African pageant.
The planners include pageant founder David “Apama” Nyachowe, secretary Abigail Mataranyika, and event organizers Givemore Farmboy Sambana and Polite Mlilo.
Maison Sere, reigning Mr Ugly Zimbabwe champion
“It will be happening at Sandton Convention Centre where Miss World 2008 took place. There will be more negotiations with network companies across Africa to partner us during these events, Mr Ugly Africa and World,” Apama said.
“We found a venue but negotiations are still under way and sponsors have managed to raise $50 000 so far and further negotiations are still underway for more sponsors to come in.
“We are also in talks up negotiation with Power FM South Africa to be our official radio station for marketing these events. We also have SABC stations to partner with us as we have proposed,” Apama added.
Mr Ugly contestants
“The tour went well. Mr Ugly Africa is going to be held in South Africa for the first time in September 2016 and the proposed venue is Sandton Convention Centre.
“In January we will be travelling to Uganda to see their ‘ugliest’ man as part of our world tour, and then to Nigeria before travelling to other continents in preparation of Mr Ugly World in 2017,” Mataranyika said.
Mr Ugly Zimbabwe, which was held recently, made headlines across the world when former champion William Masvinu cried foul after being beaten by current title-holder Maison Sere.
Former champion William Masvinu
Iranian President Calls Buhari Over Shiite Killings
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday, December 15, received a call from his Iranian counterpart over the recent killings of Shiites in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria.
According to various Iranian media outfits, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran urged Buhari to act on the issue and ”not allow a small matter degenerate into a bigger one.”
Quoting the BBC Hausa service, Daily Trust reports that the Iranian leader also sought explanations on the whereabouts of the Shiite leader, Malam Ibrahim El Zakzaky, following reports in the Nigerian media that he has been detained by the Nigerian army.
President Rouhani was also said to have encouraged Buhari to launch a thorough investigation into the incident that led to the deaths of many members of the group.
Earlier in the day, Iran had summoned Nigeria’s charge d’affaires in its country to express its outrage at the Nigerian army’s crackdown on Shiite Muslims in Kaduna state.
The Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zari,f also called for “immediate and serious action to prevent violence” against Shiites in a telephone call to his Nigerian counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama.
Experts say the crisis is likely to affect seriously Iranian-Nigerian relations, and ruin several agreements reached during the recent visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Shiite-dominated country.
Buhari was in Iran between November 22-24 to attend the 3rd Gas Exporting Countries Forum, to review the market and to examine the opportunities for boosting gas production.
The Nigerian army and members of the Shiite Muslim sect, in Zaria, Kaduna state, were involved in a disputed incident which led to the killing of scores of the sect’s members on Saturday, December 12.
An official statement by Colonel Sani Usman, the army spokesperson, revealed that prior to the bloodbath in Zaria, a convoy containing Tukur Buratai, Nigeria’s chief of army staff, was attacked by the Shiite sect on the orders of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky.
The attack allegedly took place while Buratai was on his way to pay homage to the Emir of Zazzau and attend the passing out parade of 73 regular recruits at a depot of the Nigerian army in Zaria.
A similar face-off last year reportedly resulted in the death of many members, including the sons of the movement’s leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky.
Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Hassan Rouhani
Quoting the BBC Hausa service, Daily Trust reports that the Iranian leader also sought explanations on the whereabouts of the Shiite leader, Malam Ibrahim El Zakzaky, following reports in the Nigerian media that he has been detained by the Nigerian army.
President Rouhani was also said to have encouraged Buhari to launch a thorough investigation into the incident that led to the deaths of many members of the group.
Earlier in the day, Iran had summoned Nigeria’s charge d’affaires in its country to express its outrage at the Nigerian army’s crackdown on Shiite Muslims in Kaduna state.
The Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zari,f also called for “immediate and serious action to prevent violence” against Shiites in a telephone call to his Nigerian counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama.
Experts say the crisis is likely to affect seriously Iranian-Nigerian relations, and ruin several agreements reached during the recent visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Shiite-dominated country.
Buhari was in Iran between November 22-24 to attend the 3rd Gas Exporting Countries Forum, to review the market and to examine the opportunities for boosting gas production.
The Nigerian army and members of the Shiite Muslim sect, in Zaria, Kaduna state, were involved in a disputed incident which led to the killing of scores of the sect’s members on Saturday, December 12.
An official statement by Colonel Sani Usman, the army spokesperson, revealed that prior to the bloodbath in Zaria, a convoy containing Tukur Buratai, Nigeria’s chief of army staff, was attacked by the Shiite sect on the orders of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky.
The attack allegedly took place while Buratai was on his way to pay homage to the Emir of Zazzau and attend the passing out parade of 73 regular recruits at a depot of the Nigerian army in Zaria.
A similar face-off last year reportedly resulted in the death of many members, including the sons of the movement’s leader, Ibrahim Zakzaky.
Labour Union To Resist Buhari's Move To Increase Fuel Price
The proposed new pump price of petroleum by the
Muhammadu Buhari administration has already started generating reactions
across the nation.
Already, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has declared that it
will resist the government plans, vowing to stand in the way of
implementing the price increase.
According to the TUC, until the government provides convincing criteria and associated economic palliatives that would cushion the effect of the inevitable transportation crisis, they would not agree to it.
The Union reports that marketers in the country have already distanced themselves from the proposed price hike. They opine that it is at variance with prevailing market forces which currently compels price reduction across global petroleum products market.
TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama who expressed his anger at the decision to hike fuel prices at a time of economic hardship in the country, also faulted the decision accusing the federal government of not using market forces as parameters for taking market price decisions.
He also accused the government of throwing up price hike as basis for deregulation of the market without consultation with stakeholders across board.
He accused the government of taken price adjustments in the domestic fuel market as a fund raising strategy to generate funds to finance his programmes and policies, accusing the president of coming to power without any credible plan to fund its agenda and has now resorted to imposing indirect fuel tax on Nigerians through pump price manipulation.
He advised the government to take a cue from the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, which, he said, consulted widely on the use of fuel price savings for infrastructural development under SURE-P where, he stated that all stakeholders are represented in the management of the fund.
The union leader advised that all the import associated costs built on the pump price of fuel in the countr could be eliminated by fixing the nation’s downstream and midstream sections of the petroleum industry.
Recall that the federal government on Monday, December 14, said it would begin a gradual withdrawal of fuel subsidy next year.
Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, TUC President
According to the TUC, until the government provides convincing criteria and associated economic palliatives that would cushion the effect of the inevitable transportation crisis, they would not agree to it.
The Union reports that marketers in the country have already distanced themselves from the proposed price hike. They opine that it is at variance with prevailing market forces which currently compels price reduction across global petroleum products market.
TUC President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama who expressed his anger at the decision to hike fuel prices at a time of economic hardship in the country, also faulted the decision accusing the federal government of not using market forces as parameters for taking market price decisions.
He also accused the government of throwing up price hike as basis for deregulation of the market without consultation with stakeholders across board.
He accused the government of taken price adjustments in the domestic fuel market as a fund raising strategy to generate funds to finance his programmes and policies, accusing the president of coming to power without any credible plan to fund its agenda and has now resorted to imposing indirect fuel tax on Nigerians through pump price manipulation.
He advised the government to take a cue from the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, which, he said, consulted widely on the use of fuel price savings for infrastructural development under SURE-P where, he stated that all stakeholders are represented in the management of the fund.
The union leader advised that all the import associated costs built on the pump price of fuel in the countr could be eliminated by fixing the nation’s downstream and midstream sections of the petroleum industry.
Recall that the federal government on Monday, December 14, said it would begin a gradual withdrawal of fuel subsidy next year.
We Are Not Robots - Gary Cahill.
Chelsea defender, Gary Cahill has explained that
football fans should understand that the players are no robots, stating
that Chelsea have had memorable times and will soon be back to their
best.
The defender further disclosed that last season was very
though and as humans, the players cannot be expected to perform every
week, but is confident of an upturn in their flagging fortunes.
“There are some great memories and I don’t think we should forget the manner in which we won the Premier League, leading from the start, which was an unbelievable achievement for everyone at the club,” he told Chelsea magazine.
“The flip side, as always with football, is that it’s a game of two halves – and we’ve had a difficult period. Last season was fantastic, this season has been tough, but we’re looking to turn that around. We’re working hard to make things right.
“Not every single minute of your career will go well, individually and collectively, and not every season will go how you want it to, but it’s how you react to that.
“You’re not a robot, you’re not going to be nine out of 10 every game.
“But when things aren’t going well, you work even harder and look for a reaction. I’m sure we’ll turn it around,” he said.
However, Paris Saint-Germain coach, Laurent Blanc has boasted that Chelsea football club are familiar foes and are easy to prepare for, adding that their UEFA Champions League (UCL) clash should be a 50-50 encounter.
Gary Cahill
“There are some great memories and I don’t think we should forget the manner in which we won the Premier League, leading from the start, which was an unbelievable achievement for everyone at the club,” he told Chelsea magazine.
“The flip side, as always with football, is that it’s a game of two halves – and we’ve had a difficult period. Last season was fantastic, this season has been tough, but we’re looking to turn that around. We’re working hard to make things right.
“Not every single minute of your career will go well, individually and collectively, and not every season will go how you want it to, but it’s how you react to that.
“You’re not a robot, you’re not going to be nine out of 10 every game.
“But when things aren’t going well, you work even harder and look for a reaction. I’m sure we’ll turn it around,” he said.
However, Paris Saint-Germain coach, Laurent Blanc has boasted that Chelsea football club are familiar foes and are easy to prepare for, adding that their UEFA Champions League (UCL) clash should be a 50-50 encounter.
Chelsea Set To Replace Mourinho With Ramos - Report
The club’s executives of English Premier League
champions Chelsea football club are presently deliberating over the
future of Jose Mourinho, The Times reports.
According to the report, the discussion is centered on whether to dismiss the manager immediately or allow him to take charge for Saturday’s Barclays Premier League match against Sunderland.
The Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich is reluctant to sack Mourinho as
the Portuguese has no buy-out clause in his newly signed contract,
meaning Mourinho could command a compensation of up to £40million.
It is believed that Abramovich is keeping Mourinho as a result of the lack of realistic replacements.
However, Abramovich is in an emergency meeting with trusted advisors of the club which include: Bruce Buck, Marina Granovskaia, Eugene Tenenbaum and Michael Emenalo at Stamford Bridge.
Reports from in some quarter have it that Juande Ramos is a surprise candidate being considered as a potential caretaker manager by Chelsea should the board decide to sack José Mourinho before the end of the season.
Juande Ramos is a Spanish former footballer and manager who is currently a free agent after not renewing his contract with the Ukrainian football club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in May 2014.
He has managed a couple of European teams which include Real Madrid, Tottenham, Sevilla, CSKA Moscow.
According to the report, the discussion is centered on whether to dismiss the manager immediately or allow him to take charge for Saturday’s Barclays Premier League match against Sunderland.
Chelsea in emergency meeting over Mourinho’s future.
It is believed that Abramovich is keeping Mourinho as a result of the lack of realistic replacements.
However, Abramovich is in an emergency meeting with trusted advisors of the club which include: Bruce Buck, Marina Granovskaia, Eugene Tenenbaum and Michael Emenalo at Stamford Bridge.
Reports from in some quarter have it that Juande Ramos is a surprise candidate being considered as a potential caretaker manager by Chelsea should the board decide to sack José Mourinho before the end of the season.
Juande Ramos is a Spanish former footballer and manager who is currently a free agent after not renewing his contract with the Ukrainian football club Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in May 2014.
He has managed a couple of European teams which include Real Madrid, Tottenham, Sevilla, CSKA Moscow.
Biafra Issue ; Court 'Discharges' Nnamdi Kanu
A Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday,
December 16, discharged the cases against the director of the Indigenous
People Of Biafra Nnamdi Kanu.
At the ruling the chief magistrate, Shuaibu Usman struck out all criminal charges levelled against Kanu.
Usman said that since the State Security Services (SSS) through its lawyer Moses Idakwo had filed for a discontinuation of the case, the accused is thereby discharged.
At the ruling the chief magistrate, Shuaibu Usman struck out all criminal charges levelled against Kanu.
Usman said that since the State Security Services (SSS) through its lawyer Moses Idakwo had filed for a discontinuation of the case, the accused is thereby discharged.
Citing section 108 of the Administration of the Criminal
Justice Act, he said the case is struck out due emerging facts by the
prosecutor on the matter under investigation.
On Monday, November 23, the SSS had filed an application for the discontinuation of the case against Kanu.
Idakwo during his submissions said the facts emerging from
ongoing investigation by his client – the SSS – show that the case
against the Biafra agitator cannot be entertained by the magistrate
court.
He said that the magistrate court lacked the jurisdiction to handle such case. Kanu was arrested on October 14 on arriving Lagos, Nigeria from the United Kingdom.
Following his arrest, he was arraigned by the SSS before chief magistrate Usman.
But during the trial process, the SSS obtained an order
from the Federal High Court to keep Kanu in their custody for a period
of 90 days.
This the SSS said will enable it conduct investigation on Kanu following allegations of terrorism and terrorism funding.
This the SSS said will enable it conduct investigation on Kanu following allegations of terrorism and terrorism funding.
But in an objection, Kanu’s counsel, Egechukwu Obetta also
applied to the same Federal High Court presided by Ademola Adeniyi to
revoke the order it had given to the SSS.
He said the prosecutor had fraudulently obtained the order
during an ongoing trial of the accused person at the magistrate
court. Adeniyi is expected to rule on the matter on Thursday, December
17.
Kanu has also asked the court to strike out the criminal
charge with reference number FHC/ABJ/ CS/873/2015 levelled against him
by the SSS.
Recall that a statement published on the website of Radio Biafra on Saturday, October 17, disclosed the arrest of its director, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Department of State Services (DSS) as soon as he got to Nigeria from the United Kingdom.
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