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Jonathan Bribed Pastors With ₦7bn, Not ₦6bn - Pastor

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwGQ77uZxr1ngTiqsv-dT1iYAYAOVqX6cWeBXFaeaM-FCyBZ9bbR6fK1C0Xq0QLUTJsKNSZ0WS872ZY8jlKWFilRaUfXpGa5-ySc-DMztw98j9Jn35dq4SqS70kcyb5aIA-cBeqFtMIWp/s1600/goodluck_jonathan_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwGQ77uZxr1ngTiqsv-dT1iYAYAOVqX6cWeBXFaeaM-FCyBZ9bbR6fK1C0Xq0QLUTJsKNSZ0WS872ZY8jlKWFilRaUfXpGa5-ySc-DMztw98j9Jn35dq4SqS70kcyb5aIA-cBeqFtMIWp/s1600/goodluck_jonathan_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>More facts appear to be emerging on the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, that President Goodluck Jonathan gave pastors across the country ₦6 billion to vote against the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , Maj-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in the presidential election.</b></div>
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A Borno-based Pastor, Kallamu Musa-Dikwa, said on Thursday that the money that was given to pastors by the President was actually ₦7 billion and <b><a href="http://nigerianewsroom.blogspot.com/2015/02/pdp-gave-pastors-6-billion-to-campaign.html">not ₦6 billion as alleged by Amaechi</a></b>, who doubles as the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation.</div>
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Amaechi had alleged that unnamed leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party paid ₦6 billion to Christian clerics to campaign against Buhari and the APC.</div>
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The governor’s allegation caused a stir among the Christian clerics, with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Northern State Christian Elders Forum asking Amaechi to name the church leaders, who collected the huge bribe.</div>
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But Musa-Dikwa, who is the Executive Director of the Voice of Northern Christian Movement, told journalists in Kaduna on Thursday that the said money was channelled through the Christian Association of Nigeria.</div>
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He said the CAN got the said money(₦7bn) on January 26, 2015 and disbursed ₦3 million to each State Chairmen of the CAN across the country, the <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-bribed-pastors-with-n7bn-not-n6bn-cleric/">PUNCH</a></b> reports.</div>
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Musa-Dikwa, who was an Associate Pastor with the E. Y. N. Church, Farm Centre, Dikwa Road, Maiduguri, Borno State, under Rev. Emmanuel Kwajihe between 2002 and 2004, said the CAN had started threatening Christians in the state (Borno) that they must re-elect Jonathan in the rescheduled election.</div>
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He said, “It was ₦7 billion that was given to the CAN leadership by President Goodluck Jonathan. They (CAN) later disbursed ₦3 million to the State Chairmen of the CAN.</div>
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“The money was handed over to the CAN Leadership on 26th January, 2015.”</div>
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“Actually, President Jonathan is using CAN President, and it was the CAN President who collected the monies and shared ₦3 million to the CAN executives in each state.</div>
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“And some Pentecostal Bishops also collected their share. Actually, the money is not ₦6 billion, it is ₦7 billion. This is what I know. One of the CAN officials from Abuja told me that they have collected the money. The corruption in CAN is terrible. They are corrupting the body of Christ because of money.</div>
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“They are now threatening Christians in Borno State that they will deal with anybody, who refuses to vote for Jonathan. And the CAN officials are now campaigning that if Buhari emerges President, he will Islamise Nigeria; and that Osinbajo collected monies from Islamic world; and that the same Osinbajo will resign soon after Buhari wins to give way for Tinubu to emerge Vice President.”</div>
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Musa-Dikwa named some high-profile clerics, who had benefitted from the controversial largesse to actualise the re-election bid of Jonathan.</div>

Jonathan Bribed Pastors With ₦7bn, Not ₦6bn - Pastor

More facts appear to be emerging on the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, that President Goodluck Jonathan gave pastors across the country ₦6 billion to vote against the Presidenti…

19 Feb 2015

Man Breaks Into Mortuary To Have Sex With Corpse

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxh9OCr-00Q7uVgseqKJ0Wf0MplFooADkucNR2sSxmMulRG6SVMkW8a4ldtbk1iSxo2T5lyuNU7dY-CkvK5d5YBXRTw7idAlVoq0lDNXxihsEjtqizOYaGmlGkyMG2luPkKEKFWvJ6JJIz/s1600/george-man1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxh9OCr-00Q7uVgseqKJ0Wf0MplFooADkucNR2sSxmMulRG6SVMkW8a4ldtbk1iSxo2T5lyuNU7dY-CkvK5d5YBXRTw7idAlVoq0lDNXxihsEjtqizOYaGmlGkyMG2luPkKEKFWvJ6JJIz/s1600/george-man1.jpg" width="630" /></a></div>
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<b>A homeless man in Columbus, Georgia, USA, Domonique Smith, has been arrested and charged to court for breaking into several funeral homes to have sex with female corpses.</b></div>
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The 26-year-old Smith, was Monday after he was found with a bike reported stolen from a local funeral home.</div>
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On interrogation, he confessed that he stole the bike from the funeral home after he had broken in to sleep with dead bodies.</div>
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The suspect took the police to a vacant home where he had other allegedly stolen items, like TVs and guns.</div>
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According to Captain Gordon Griswould of the Columbus Police Department, Smith has been charged with necrophilia case, which carries a prison sentence of one to 10 years.</div>
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Captain Griswould said:</div>
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"The investigation led us to believe he had a sexual act with the woman’s body."</div>
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Smith was initially charged with second-degree burglary, entering an unoccupied dwelling, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and theft by receiving stolen property.</div>
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A necrophilia charge was added after authorities discovered that a woman's body at the Hill Watson Peoples Funeral Service had been disturbed during the alleged burglary, <b><a href="http://5newsonline.com/2015/02/13/police-homeless-man-breaks-into-funeral-home-has-sex-with-corpse/">5 News</a></b> reports.</div>

Man Breaks Into Mortuary To Have Sex With Corpse

A homeless man in Columbus, Georgia, USA, Domonique Smith, has been arrested and charged to court for breaking into several funeral homes to have sex with female corpses. The 26-year-old Smith, was M…

19 Feb 2015

Ex-Footballer Among Arrested Robbery Gang

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacxY8lLDsG1_jNCRgIAUaTHjsdcLI68-62t6nGBVen_r_GZKYGlNw69dNYCkcAGpWR93tW04tDb1vo3OhJVSeGsH-lZzFX1szosSi4mBF_TcTraqSo3ZyJvNYmF7Fcxl_UNB0VW-hVXGE/s1600/Channels-TV-Robbers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacxY8lLDsG1_jNCRgIAUaTHjsdcLI68-62t6nGBVen_r_GZKYGlNw69dNYCkcAGpWR93tW04tDb1vo3OhJVSeGsH-lZzFX1szosSi4mBF_TcTraqSo3ZyJvNYmF7Fcxl_UNB0VW-hVXGE/s1600/Channels-TV-Robbers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>An armed robbery suspect in the custody of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Nura Muhammed, who claimed to be an ex-footballer with the Niger Tornadoes Football Club of Minna, was among the eight-man robbery gang paraded at the command headquarters by the Commissioner, Kayode Aderanti.</b></div>
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The 33-year-old former footballer, who confessed to the  crime, said he was actually a receiver of the stolen cars including a Honda CRV Sports Utility vehicle (SUV) 2013 model, belonging to Lagos-based Channels Television, that was snatched in January this year.</div>
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Muhammed said he started receiving stolen cars in 201 and that he has received over 14 cars since he started the business.</div>
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Hear him:</div>
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"I was a cow dealer in Lagos. I was selling cows at Agege abattoir, but sometime in 2005, I incurred a debt of about ₦2.6 million. I ran away from Lagos when I could not pay up my debt and my creditor was looking for me.</div>
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"When I left Lagos, I went to Abuja, where I stayed briefly. I left Abuja for Minna, Niger State and in 2011, I joined Niger Tornadoes Football Club. I was paid  ₦150,000 monthly. Our coach then was Landa Bosso.</div>
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"A year later, I quit football when I sustained injury on my leg and  went back to Abuja where I started a football viewing centre.</div>
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"It was a young man who sold soft drinks beside my viewing centre that first introduced me into the business of receiving stolen vehicles.</div>
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"I was arrested in 2012 for receiving a stolen car and I left Abuja for Kano, my home town after I was released by the police.</div>
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"It was while I was in Kano that I ran into one Tony, who was also a receiver of stolen cars.  He introduced me to Ejike, the leader of our car snatching syndicate.</div>
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I bought about seven cars from Ejike. The police arrested one of my boys when he came to collect the Honda CRV.</div>
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"I didn’t know that the car belongs to Channels Television.  It was my boy who was arrested that brought the policemen to my place in Kano.</div>
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"After my arrest, I was  brought to Lagos where I assisted the police in the arrest of  other members of our gang."</div>

Ex-Footballer Among Arrested Robbery Gang

An armed robbery suspect in the custody of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Nura Muhammed, who claimed to be an ex-footballer with the Niger Tornadoes Football Club of Minna, was among the eigh…

19 Feb 2015

EFCC Docks Banker Over ₦25 Million Fraud

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLAPgffHhyJcbs4p3vReMeUI_UvJn-6Kgf6AULdSP1QD800JRzXCIr4gUAjVOuSqsnQ3iktxFnktyq__Dtyl77kc-1TDXJ9KphafUUTCgHQkJ0WPX7jdVEQt9ZE_YuNY-MIa1mkPyFWx1/s1600/Friday-Yahaya.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLAPgffHhyJcbs4p3vReMeUI_UvJn-6Kgf6AULdSP1QD800JRzXCIr4gUAjVOuSqsnQ3iktxFnktyq__Dtyl77kc-1TDXJ9KphafUUTCgHQkJ0WPX7jdVEQt9ZE_YuNY-MIa1mkPyFWx1/s1600/Friday-Yahaya.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>A shady former marketing officer with a Lagos branch of the Fidelity Bank, Friday Yahaya who also goes by the name Peter Arikhan, has been arraigned before the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for allegedly stealing the sum of  ₦25,350,000, from depositor's account while working in the bank.</b></div>
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The lawyer for the anti-graft agency told Justice Lawal Akapo that Yayaha, over a period of 10 months, struck different depositors and from one particular victim, he stole the sum of  ₦21,710,000.</div>
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The accused was arraigned on a 16-count charge bordering on stealing, impersonation and forgery.</div>
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In a press release, the EFCC head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said:</div>
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"Yahaya, a former marketing ‘staff’ of Fidelity Bank, Balogun Business Association branch, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, allegedly defrauded nine customers of the bank through diversion of their deposits into his personal account with the bank.</div>
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"Friday Yahaya (Peter Arikhan) sometime between the months of February and November 2013, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of Fidelity Bank Plc, stole the sum of N21,710,000 from account number 6050729408 maintained by Ifeanyi Okoye, property of Fidelity Bank Plc."</div>
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Yahaya however pleaded not guilty to the charges and Justice Akapo adjourned the matter till March 11 for hearing of defence bail application and ordered the accused to be Yahaya remanded in Ikoyi Prison.</div>

EFCC Docks Banker Over ₦25 Million Fraud

A shady former marketing officer with a Lagos branch of the Fidelity Bank, Friday Yahaya who also goes by the name Peter Arikhan, has been arraigned before the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, by t…

19 Feb 2015

[MUST READ]: Apotheosis Of The Asiwaju | 247 Nigeria

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiwJwncirozoqvth0WbG2qSv2IVsyCPM9pyVNgXWNQU0c985548b3x3kQ_OA36cKsCnpXWURgbpchdQfQILEFec7OWAkuEiIgrc2086n0XAYbTMQ2mUBfVBR-WLjNjgC2watlSJnLTgU4M/s1600/Bola-Tinubu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiwJwncirozoqvth0WbG2qSv2IVsyCPM9pyVNgXWNQU0c985548b3x3kQ_OA36cKsCnpXWURgbpchdQfQILEFec7OWAkuEiIgrc2086n0XAYbTMQ2mUBfVBR-WLjNjgC2watlSJnLTgU4M/s1600/Bola-Tinubu.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>When the occasion is piled high with difficulty, rise with it – Abraham Lincoln</b></div>
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The Yoruba nation is fraught with many crises. But myopia is not one of them. The Yorubas are a cosmopolitan people who respect the feelings of other. But then, making a generalization has its limits as there would be pockets of non-conformists in any human community.</div>
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Since the demise of Obafemi Awolowo, there has been no clear Yoruba leader with a vision that is nationalistic, liberal and strategic. The political class has failed as much as the traditional rulers. The latter are indeed worse because they have jettisoned their ‘divine rights’ as custodians of societal ethos. Many of the traditional rulers have been vilified for churning out titles against all known norms of their forebears.</div>
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The proliferation of hitherto non-existing one got to a head in this Republic with notorious politicians getting titles in the most scared of Yoruba royal courts. Many of the new chiefs don’t even have a clue what the meaning of their titles neither can they give the job description. How then can these rulers be trusted with a dignifying role in the constitution and governance process? Some extremists will argue that regard that institution as an anachronism in a democratic setting. However, it is truism that many of the kings are also political jobbers. They give out these titles to curry favours from the seats of power either in Abuja or in their state capitals.</div>
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These people hardly learn from history. This chameleonism had in the past got some caught up in the maelstrom of power struggle. Each time, power changes hand they earn more opprobrium in the hands of their supposed subjects who read through their shenanigans. They are either dethroned or exiled or eased out and only through divine providence have some of them returned to the reckoning.</div>
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I therefore found it curious that some didn’t see through the archetypal simulation of ‘Oranmiyan’, the victorious builder of nations that extend beyond the shores of Nigeria as the sobriquet for Rauf Aregbesola’s campaign organisation. Loved and deified by his people so much that he offered to pay the supreme sacrifice when it mattered most, but ironically things are no longer so at the cradle of civilization and Yorubaland. Perhaps they should be reminded that the obelisk known as the Staff of Oranmiyan is a reminder to the mystery of Oduduwa’s son whose legendary exploits, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose political scion, Aregbe has come to emblematise.</div>
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The spirit of Oduduwa resides in Bola Tinubu, who is surreptitiously taking over the oversized shoes of Awolowo that no one had been able to thrust their legs in since May 9, 1987. More than anyone else, Tinubu, in spite of his human shortcoming is reinventing nationalism in an age where politicians have sold their minds to the spirit of anything goes. Clearly, he doesn’t stand on the same moral high ground as Awo, but he symbolises his progressive leaning.</div>
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Tinubu, waded through the drudgery of political chicanery, made friend across the country and as governor made non-Yoruba Lagosians in the nation’s economic capital commissioners and before other governors saw the light of a cohesive and possibility of national integration devoid of the rancour inherent in the dichotomy between indigenes and settlers.</div>
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Controversy rages till today as to Tinubu’s ancestry still. But whether he swirls from Iragbiji in Osun State or sired in Lagos Island, there’s is no doubt stamping his authority on the soil of Nigeria as the undisputable leader of the APC in the country. Those he ‘anointed’ or engaged have demonstrably displayed a capacity for delivering. Ask Lagosians – whether autochthonous or settlers. Raji Fashola has justified him.</div>
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The emergence of Gen. Mohammadu Buhari has thrown him into national reckoning. And the frenzy surrounding how to demystify Buhari and the political chicanery of Asiwaju speaks volume about the ever-humorous Accountant, who like MKO Abiola has become a national brand.</div>
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2015 is a destination to define this myth.</div>
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<b>Credit: <a href="http://247nigerianewsupdate.co/apotheosis-of-the-asiwaju/">247 Nigeria</a></b></div>

[MUST READ]: Apotheosis Of The Asiwaju | 247 Nigeria

When the occasion is piled high with difficulty, rise with it – Abraham Lincoln The Yoruba nation is fraught with many crises. But myopia is not one of them. The Yorubas are a cosmopolitan people who…

19 Feb 2015

Man Flees As Wife Demands For More Sex

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A German man in Munich who could not withstand the excessive sexual demands of his lover, had to run for his dear life.</div>
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Aside that, he reported to the police asking them to put a restraining order on her, citing attempted murder on her part.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/13/man-flees-after-too-much-sex_n_1423530.html">HUFFINGTON POST</a></b> reports that the man had gone to spend the night at his woman's home and after a lot of rolls in the hay, the man reportedly tried to leave the apartment. But she wouldn't let him exit and instead allegedly insisted on more sex.</div>
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That's when the man ran to the cops for help, according to authorities.</div>
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The police had to arrest her and told her to stay away from the man.</div>

Man Flees As Wife Demands For More Sex

A German man in Munich who could not withstand the excessive sexual demands of his lover, had to run for his dear life. Aside that, he reported to the police asking them to put a restraining order on…

19 Feb 2015

Man In Court For Stripping 3 Sisters During A Fight

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<b>A 30-year-old man, Ben Okpokiri, has been dragged to the Ogudu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on a charge of stripping three women naked and assaulting them.</b></div>
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The culprit who resides at 28, Ekiti Pupa Street, Oworonshoki, a suburb of the State, was said to have committed the offence on February 10, 2015, at the address.</div>
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The police prosecutor, Lucky Ihiehie, told the court that the accused unlawfully assaulted the three complainants and stripped them naked in public during a fight.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.blacknaija.com/new-update/man-strips-three-sisters-naked">Black Naija</a></b> reports that Okpokiri stripped Bukola Afolabi, 25; Deborah Afolabi, 18; and Esther Afolabi, 14, all sisters living at the same address as the defendant.</div>
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Ihiehie said that the offence contravened Section 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State which stipulated a maximum of 1 year imprisonment, if found guilty.</div>
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The Magistrate, A. M. Davis, granted bail to the defendant in the sum of ₦120,000 with two sureties in like sum and an evidence of tax payment and residence for two years to be verified.</div>

Man In Court For Stripping 3 Sisters During A Fight

A 30-year-old man, Ben Okpokiri, has been dragged to the Ogudu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on a charge of stripping three women naked and assaulting them. The culprit who resides at 28, Ekiti Pupa Str…

19 Feb 2015

We Pay ₦300 To Enter Nigeria, Says An Illegal Immigrant

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<b>A suspected illegal immigrant from the Niger Republic, Shuaib Kaneda, says many illegal immigrants usually entered Nigeria by paying between ₦300 and ₦500 to unidentified persons.</b></div>
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Shuaib added that he had spent eight years in Nigeria, but could not acquire valid documents before he was arrested by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command.</div>
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The 34-year-old was among 82 illegal immigrants paraded on Wednesday at the Command’s office in Alagbon, Lagos.</div>
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The suspects were said to have been arrested at different parts of the Lagos Island area after an intelligence report.</div>
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Shuaib was arrested along with a relative, Idris, who had spent barely one year in the country when he was caught.</div>
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Shuaib, who spoke in pidgin, said, “I have been here for about eight years now. I work as a loader and make between ₦1,000 and ₦1,500 a day. I use the money I make to feed my family in the Niger Republic. I am married and have two children and they are in Niger.</div>
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“I travel home every six or eight months. The people at the border see many of us when we come in. Sometimes, they collect ₦300 and other times, we give them ₦500 before we pass.”</div>
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His brother, Idris, also explained that he came into the country to make money which he usually sent home to his family of three.</div>
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Another suspect, Alimaru Saliade, told <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/metro-plus/we-pay-n300-to-enter-nigeria-illegal-immigrant/">PUNCH Metro</a></b> that he sneaked into the country by mixing up with cows being transported into Nigeria.</div>
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Saliade, who claimed not to know his age, said in pidgin, “I followed cows to Lagos. I have been here for four years now and I have not been able to get my documents because I don’t have money.”</div>
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For Yaya Ibrahim, coming to Lagos was to avoid being idle in the village.</div>
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“I was in my village and was not doing anything. So, my uncle asked me to come and work in Lagos and that was how I found myself here. My parents live in Ghana but we are from Niger,” he said.</div>
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The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, Muyiwa Odunubi, said the command raided the suspects based on intelligence report.</div>
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He said while some of the suspects were caught around banks’ branches, others were found sleeping under the bridge and “constituting nuisance to residents”.</div>
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He said, “We have a surveillance team that keeps a tab on illegal immigrants in the state. When our men went out, they got them in all manner of places. Some were caught around banks, others were found sleeping under benches. Even fuel stations were not spared.</div>
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“In the Idumota area of the state for instance, we found that they have a room where they sleep. It is not clear whether they rented the apartment or somebody gave them the place. We introduced ourselves and arrested them; they never resisted.”</div>
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The Comptroller of the state’s command, Mrs. Justina Ahmadu, commended the officials, adding that the service would intensify efforts to rid the state of anything that could constitute security risk.</div>
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She waved away Shuaib’s claim, saying most of the illegal immigrants came into the country through unauthorised routes because they did not have valid documents that could guarantee their stay.</div>
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“This is a continuous exercise and we will continue to weed out illegal immigrants from the state. Anyone without a valid passport or resident’s card will be sent packing.</div>
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“We appeal to Lagosians to cooperate with us during our operations by not harbouring any illegal immigrant or fighting our men. This is the only way they can assist us to discharge our functions efficiently,” she said.</div>

We Pay ₦300 To Enter Nigeria, Says An Illegal Immigrant

A suspected illegal immigrant from the Niger Republic, Shuaib Kaneda, says many illegal immigrants usually entered Nigeria by paying between ₦300 and ₦500 to unidentified persons. Shuaib added that h…

19 Feb 2015

Scores Feared Burnt To Death On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

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<b>Many people were, late on Wednesday, feared burnt to death in a fire incident that occurred at the Long Bridge, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.</b></div>
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Most of the victims of the inferno were occupants of a passenger bus, heading towards Ibadan, before a tanker, fully loaded with petroleum product, exploded.</div>
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The fire was said to have started from the tanker but spread to the commercial bus, another mini bus and a Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle.</div>
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The incident created serious traffic on the road, as vehicles heading towards Mowe were directed to face the oncoming vehicles from Ibadan.</div>
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A source around the vicinity of the explosion described the fire as the “biggest” that she had ever witnessed in life.</div>
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The source, who pleaded anonymity, said they had to come out of their vehicle and run back, following the repeated explosions from the tanker.</div>
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The fire, as of 8.30 p.m., was still raging, while fire fighters and policemen were making attempts to put it out.</div>
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The Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Hyginus Omeje, confirmed the incident but could not confirm the casualty figure as of the time of filing this report</div>
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The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, also confirmed it, but stated that men from the Ogun State Fire Service were handling the incident, <b><a href="http://www.tribune.com.ng/news/news-headlines/item/29908-scores-burnt-to-death-in-lagos-ibadan-expressway">Nigerian TRIBUNE</a></b> reports.</div>

Scores Feared Burnt To Death On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Many people were, late on Wednesday, feared burnt to death in a fire incident that occurred at the Long Bridge, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State. Most of the victims of the inferno were o…

19 Feb 2015

Obey Court Ruling Against Use Of Military For Elections, APC Writes INEC

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<b>The All Progressives Congress has written President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to ensure that the judgment barring the involvement of soldiers in elections is complied with in the forthcoming polls.</b></div>
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The letter dated February 16, 2015 was addressed to Jega, but was copied to President Jonathan, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and the National Chairmen of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party.</div>
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The Director, Legal, the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), who authored the letter on behalf of the party, said with the recent court decision, Armed Forces personnel should not be deployed to provide security during elections.</div>
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The party was referring to a judgment delivered on January 29, 2015 by Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Sokoto and another by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, on February 16, 2015.</div>
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The APC in its letter, in which it profusely quoted parts of the court judgments, said it acknowledged the INEC’s “frustrations at the illegal imposition of armed forces personnel into a purely civil election process.”</div>
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The party’s letter read in part, “I am sure all well-meaning Nigerians share your deep-seated concern on the militarisation of our elections.</div>
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“It is therefore imperative your good office and commission ensure henceforth, and until there is an enabling Act of the National Assembly, the court orders are obeyed and armed forces personnel are never again deployed in any form of security supervision of our elections.”</div>
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Justice Aikawa of the Federal High Court in his judgment on the suit marked: FHC/S/CS/29/2014, among others, restrained the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and INEC “from engaging the service of the Nigerian armed forces in the security supervision of elections in any manner whatsoever in any part of Nigeria, without an Act of the National Assembly.”</div>
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Justice Abdul Aboki, in his lead judgment in the Ekiti State Governorship Election appeal on February 16, held that “even the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian armed forces and to unleash them on peaceful citizens, who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders.</div>
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“Whoever unleashed soldiers on Ekiti State, disturbed the peace of the election on June 21, 2014; acted in flagrant breach of the Constitution and flouted the provisions of the Electoral Act, which required an enabling environment by civil authorities in the conduct of elections.”</div>

Obey Court Ruling Against Use Of Military For Elections, APC Writes INEC

The All Progressives Congress has written President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to ensure that the judgment barring the i…

19 Feb 2015

How Obasanjo Tackled Every Administrations After Him | Premium Times

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<b>As far back as December 2013, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, expressing concern about the direction of the latter’s administration, it was clear the former president was on a familiar mission.</b></div>
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In the 18-page letter dated December 2, the unmistakably angry Mr. Obasanjo expressed irritation at the way the Jonathan administration was handling the affairs of the Nigerian state. He spoke of an alleged threat to the unity of Nigeria and complained about the president’s renege on a promise he made in 2011 to spend only one term of four years in office.</div>
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He also lambasted the administration over what he described as the increasing cases of corruption in government and the alleged training of snipers ahead of the 2015 general elections, among others.</div>
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Expectedly, multiple criticisms and praises greeted the letter. Some individuals and groups expressed deep anger over the leaked letter and even called for Mr. Obasanjo’s head. The opposition National Conscience Party, NCP, accused the former president of treason, alleging that he was inciting Nigerians against the government. The Presidency also joined the fray in a noticeable bout of anger. In a letter dated December 20, Mr. Jonathan described Mr. Obasanjo’s letter as a threat to national security.” The president denied all allegations levelled against him by the former President.</div>
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On the flip side, a few organisations came to Mr. Obasanjo’s rescue. The All Progressives Congress asked the National Assembly to commence investigation into the allegations. The party specifically asked the parliament to initiate impeachment process against Mr. Jonathan. A non-government organisation, SERAP, internationalized the issue when it requested a UN agency to probe the allegations made in the letter.</div>
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Mr. Obasanjo was not one to be swayed by such criticisms or praises. In November 2014, at a book launch in honour of the pioneer Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Mustapha Akanbi, the former president rated Mr. Jonathan’s performance as “below average.” He also said the nation’s economy “is in doldrums, if not reversed.”</div>
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The following month, while hosting South-West women in his Abeokuta home, Mr. Obasanjo accused Mr. Jonathan of squandering $2 billion Excess Crude money left by his administration. He also said his administration left $25 billion to his successor, Umaru Yar’Adua who subsequently raised it to $35 billion. He also said he left $40 billion in Nigeria’s foreign reserves account after paying the nation’s outstanding debt at the time and that Mr. Yar’Adua raised it to $60 billion. He, however, regretted that the Jonathan administration depleted the reserves to $40 billion.</div>
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From far away Kenya where he had gone to launch his new book, “Under My Watch” Mr. Obasanjo reportedly endorsed the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, against Mr. Jonathan, who is the candidate of his own party, the PDP.</div>
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Although he later clarified the Kenya statement, saying he did not endorse the APC candidate, Mr. Obasanjo launched a fresh attack on Mr. Jonathan at a press briefing on Saturday, which ultimately led to his exit from the PDP on whose platform he ruled the nation between 1999 and 2007.</div>
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He had alleged that Mr. Jonathan, believed to be his godson, was working towards tenure extension by organizing a controversial election and possibly leave power the same way former Ivorien President, Laurent Gbagbo did.</div>
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However, not many have realized that Mr. Obasanjo, who governed the country as a military head of state between February 1976 and October 1979, was merely doing what he had penchant for.</div>
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Since he left office in 1979, Mr. Obasanjo has never failed in fiercely criticizing his successors and predecessors, especially on issues of national unity whenever he had the opportunity. He enjoys doing so, arguably.</div>
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On a number of occasions, the former president had fired letters, the type he sent to Mr. Jonathan, to the nation’s leaders, warning against destructive trends and events in a country he said he fought hard to unite during the civil war. At other times, he organized lectures and conferences to make his protests known.</div>
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A few times, he tore at his immediate successor, Shehu Shagari, the nation’s president between 1979 and 1983. He did so virtually to all the nation’s heads of state or presidents. In fact, the only administrations he never criticized were his.</div>
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A common trend that runs across his attacks on his predecessors is that something terrible happened to almost all of the regimes soon after he criticized them.</div>
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<b>Muhammadu Buhari/Tunde Idiagbon</b></div>
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Despite styling itself “the offshoot of the Murtala/Obasanjo regime,” the Buhari/Idiagbon administration came under a barrage of attacks from Mr. Obasanjo, who repudiated that honour.</div>
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Mr. Buhari served in the Murtala/Obasanjo administration (1976-1979) as a military governor of the old Borno State and later petroleum minister. Although, he played a role in stabilizing the Buhari/Idiagbon administration and even nominated ministers to it, including Onaolapo Soyele (Finance Minister), Mr. Obasanjo was soon to become uncomfortable with some of the regime’s policies. He sought opportunities to meet Mr. Buhari to offer his advice. Perhaps, the administration appeared too deaf to listen to the former head of state, forcing him to go public.</div>
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At a lecture he gave to the Agriculture Society in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, in August 1985, Mr. Obasanjo criticised the Buhari administration for allegedly running what he called “tilted federalism.” Interestingly, before the lecture, Mr. Obasanjo had sent an advanced copy of the lecture to Mr. Buhari. That same month, Mr. Buhari regime was sacked in a palace coup led by Ibrahim Babangida, the then Chief of Army Staff.</div>
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As Mr. Buhari himself confessed some years later, “He (Obasanjo) sent an advance copy of the address to me. Indeed, he criticised my administration but I could recall that he visited me several times. In my own case, there was never an attempt to stop him from coming to see me. I expected him really to be coming to discuss with me.</div>
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“Before he wrote the address, I sat with him to discuss the issue and I explained to him what he perceived as my administration being rather partisan in a way. I asked him for such incidents and I was given the example of NEPA, where senior officers were retired....</div>
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“So, I pointed out that really, there was no question of one section of the country being punished at that time. There was no incident to prove this but as you know General Obasanjo like everybody else had to be susceptible to the pressures of his locality.</div>
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“I tried to explain but the General still went ahead to read the address. Of course, by coincidence, I was removed the same month.”</div>
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<b>Babangida Administration</b></div>
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A couple of times, Mr. Obasanjo criticized the policies of the Ibrahim Babangida administration which rule the country between 1985 and 1993. The former head of state was particularly sad that the regime refused to give human face to the Structural Adjustment Policy, SAP, and the endless transition programme.</div>
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On several occasions he granted press interviews to both local and international media to express his frustrations. In those interviews, he explained that he made efforts to see Mr. Babangida to discuss the issues, but that those efforts were futile. He reportedly wrote letters, but the president never acknowledged any.</div>
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When Mr. Obasanjo suspected that the military president was reluctant to leave office, he convened a summit on May 25, 1993, at his Ota farm, which was impressively attended.</div>
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Among the retired military generals he assembled to discuss the state of the nation were Mr. Buhari; his former deputy, Tunde Idiagbon; former Army Chief of Staff, Theophilus Danjuma; former Chief of General Staff, Ebitu Ukiwe; former External Affairs Commissioner, Joe Garba, and another former Chief of Army Staff, Alani Akinrinade.</div>
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From the political class came Olusola Saraki, Adekunle Ajasin, Datti Ahmed, Margaret Ekpo, Lateef Jakande, Mahmud Waziri, Onyemobi Onuoha, Rufus Mohammed, Olu Akinfosile, Abubakar Rimi, and a few others. Proferssors Adebayo Adedeji, Bolanle Awe and David Iornem represented the academia.</div>
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In his opening address, Mr. Obasanjo expressed concern about the increasing demands for secession and threats to national unity, among other issues.</div>
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“You can probably understand any personal anguish as a man who had fought for the unity of Nigeria with men who lost their limbs and lives when I hear people propound the theory of break up,” he said.</div>
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“Brothers and sisters, we will not be twice lucky. The world has changed somewhat since 1960s. There are so many forces and interests out there that will successfully militate against Nigeria surviving a second secessionist attempt.”</div>
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During the six-hour meeting, the participants at the summit expressed the fear that Mr. Babangida would not hand over power because of his winding and prolong transition. They also expressed worry about the inability of the political class to present a common front against the military president. They called for the decentralisation of resource control within a strong and united Nigeria. The meeting also set up a new body known as Association for Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria, ADGN, to further promote their agenda against the Babangida regime.</div>
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Before the summit, Mr. Obasanjo had informed Mr. Babangida about his plan to host the meeting at the Gateway Hotel, Ota, but curiously the junta made to abort it. Unknown to government, the former head of state secretly provided another venue – his farm.</div>
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Four months after the summit, the gap-toothed Babangida hurriedly left power and fled to his home town, Minna. That was after he deceitfully organized a presidential election, which he claimed was inconclusive, but which was clearly won by Moshood Abiola.</div>
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The nullification of the election threw the country into turmoil. Mr. Obasanjo was involved in the negotiation that installed his kinsman, Ernest Shonekan as head of the Interim National Government, ING, which Mr. Babangida hurriedly packaged. He allegedly opposed handing over of state power to Mr. Abiola.</div>
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<b>Shonekan Administration</b></div>
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The contraption called ING did not last long enough to attract Mr. Obasanjo criticism. It lasted 82 days between August and November, 1993.</div>
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<b>Abacha Administration</b></div>
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Quite early in 1994, Mr. Obasanjo, at a lecture organised by Arewa House in Kaduna, sternly criticised the Abacha administration, which assumed office in November of the previous year, of lacking in credibility and moral fiber. He also accused the administration of habouring dark design to perpetuate itself in power and blamed Mr. Babangida for Mr. Abacha’s ascension to power.</div>
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“General Babangida is the main architect of the state in which the nation finds itself today and General Sani was his eminent disciple, faithful supporter and beneficiary.”</div>
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It was not clear if Mr. Obasanjo was angered by the upstaging of the ING, which he was involved in floating, or he was truly concerned about the state of the nation. He had launched an international campaign against Mr. Abacha, accusing him of lacking in ethics and transparency.</div>
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At home, Mr Obasanjo opened discussions with some leaders and began to build bridges, particularly in the Eastern flank of the country.</div>
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Mr. Abacha was uncomfortable with the development and was worried about the former head of state’s offensive. The taciturn general decided to tame Mr. Obasanjo and other critics, including his (Obasanjo) erstwhile deputy, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. Mr. Abacha perceived Mr. Yar’Adua’s political activities were undermining his own self-succession agenda. In 1995, they were implicated in a phantom coup plot and jailed.</div>
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While Mr Yar’Adua later died in prison, Mr. Obasanjo did not regain his freedom until the emergence of the Abdulsalami Abubakar regime which replaced Mr. Abacha after the latter’s death in June 1998.</div>
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<b>Adulsalami Abubakar Adminsitration</b></div>
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The 11-month administration June 1998-May 1999) freed Mr. Obasanjo from Makurdi Prison where he was serving life sentence. He was soon to be drafted into politics by some northern elements led by, interestingly Mr. Babangida whose administration he had fought. The former head of state won the presidential election.</div>
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Mr. Abubakar, who allegedly played a prominent role in Mr. Obasanjo’s emergence as president never experienced the other side of his successor apparently because he was in prison and also because that administration was short-lived.</div>
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<b>Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Administration</b></div>
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Shortly before Mr. Yar’Adua became critically ill and eventually died, Mr. Obasanjo was no longer comfortable with him despite playing major role in his (Yar’Adua) emergence as President in 2007. Reason: Mr. Yar’Adua had reversed virtually all the policies of his predecessor and was already investigating some aspects of Mr. Obasanjo’s regime. Mr. Obasanjo’s position as the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, which he had awarded himself while leaving power could not help persuade the new president’s from going for his benefactor’s jugular. Indeed it was speculated that Mr. Yar’Adua was contemplating arresting Mr. Obasanjo.</div>
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In his book, “The Accidental Public Servant,” a former FCT Minister, Nasir el-Rufai claimed that the former president was living in mortal fear that his successor would pick him up someday. Then Mr. Yar’Adua illness! Mr. Obasanjo worked underground to see the president’s deputy, Goodluck Jonathan succeed the ailing president. He soon saw an opening to go public.</div>
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At the <i>7th Annual Trust Dialogue</i> organised by <i>Media Trust Limited</i>, publishers of <i>Daily Trust</i>, which he chaired, on January 20, 2010, Mr. Obasanjo admonished his successor to follow the “path of honour and morality” and resign if he knew he was no longer fit to carry on as President. It did come to many as a shock, however, having helped to install that administration. Five months after, precisely in May. Mr. Yar’Adua died in office.</div>

How Obasanjo Tackled Every Administrations After Him | Premium Times

As far back as December 2013, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, expressing concern about the direction of the latter’s administration, it was clea…

19 Feb 2015

Niger Gov Sidelines Deputy, Asks Speaker To Act As Gov

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-ML-3oQhFVmlJBSwh6AYThpyGJC_vutJMrEWTvpCC97iQF9CGTARdqa0rw2anePdEM31xv1IVNl3Y6LXOwl4a_Zn6KG5YNf0Wj3Jrk1gzu628c0WD0f_6k-enmWyDAIWak2vXjW6UaUb/s1600/Babangida-Aliyu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji-ML-3oQhFVmlJBSwh6AYThpyGJC_vutJMrEWTvpCC97iQF9CGTARdqa0rw2anePdEM31xv1IVNl3Y6LXOwl4a_Zn6KG5YNf0Wj3Jrk1gzu628c0WD0f_6k-enmWyDAIWak2vXjW6UaUb/s1600/Babangida-Aliyu.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State on Wednesday side-lined his embattled Deputy, Ahmed Ibeto, who defected to an opposition party, and asked the Speaker of House of Assembly, Adamu Usman, to act in his capacity while away to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj.</b></div>
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Mr. Aliyu said in a letter to the speaker that he would be out of the state from February 19 to 26.</div>
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"In my absence, the Speaker will oversee my schedules as the Acting governor", he said in the letter.</div>
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Mr. Aliyu had moved against the Deputy after he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.</div>
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Last week, Mr. Ibeto was reportedly walked out of state cabinet meeting, although the government denied the reports.</div>
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The latest development came Wednesday as the Speaker, Mr. Usman, an ally of the Governor, also walked two lawmakers out of the State Assembly, for defecting to APC, after declaring their seats vacant.</div>
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Mr. Usman, Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, said the defection violated the constitution of the state legislature.</div>
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According to <b><a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/177100-niger-gov-aliyu-sidelines-deputy-hands-over-to-assembly-speaker.html">PREMIUM TIMES</a></b>, the affected members are Bashir Lokogoma (Wushishi) and Nazeer Abdullahi (Rijau).</div>
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Mr. Usman said the House took the decision based on a letter from the PDP State Working Committee confirming the defection of the two members to APC.</div>
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The Speaker then ordered the two members to be walked out of the House by the Sergeant-at-Arms.</div>
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The two members said the action of the Speaker amounted to impunity, adding that their lawyers would take up the case in court "because there exists a court order restraining the House from taking such action".</div>

Niger Gov Sidelines Deputy, Asks Speaker To Act As Gov

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State on Wednesday side-lined his embattled Deputy, Ahmed Ibeto, who defected to an opposition party, and asked the Speaker of House of Assembly, Adamu Usman, to act…

19 Feb 2015

We've Recaptured 11 Communities, Killed 300 Insurgents - DHQ

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<b>The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, has said that troops of the Nigerian Army and personnel of the Air Force have killed over 300 fighters of the Boko Haram sect.</b></div>
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Olukolade said in a statement on Wednesday that the insurgents were killed during a combined operation of the Air Force and ground forces put in place to liberate 11 communities captured by the Boko Haram sect.</div>
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According to him, the communities liberated by the troops are Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul.</div>
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He said that troops had commenced a cordon and search operation in the areas involved in the latest operation.</div>
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He stated further that some of the terrorists and their weapons were captured by the troops.</div>
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Olukolade also said that the military captured "five different types of armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, about 50 cases of packed bombs and eight different types of machine guns, five rocket-propelled grenade, 49 boxes of various types and calibres of ammunition, as well as 300 motorcycles destroyed in the fighting.</div>
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He added that "a total of six Hilux vehicles including those mounted with anti-aircraft guns were also destroyed."</div>
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The Defence spokesman said that two soldiers lost their lives while ten others were wounded in the encounter with the terrorists, <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/weve-recaptured-11-towns-killed-300-insurgents-dhq/">THE PUNCH</a></b> reports.</div>
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Olukolade said that various phases of highly coordinated combined operation involving the Air Force and ground forces were ongoing in the mission area within and outside the country.</div>
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Meanwhile, about 30 civilians were killed when an unidentified airplane dropped a bomb on a Nigerian border village, military sources based nearby in Niger said on Wednesday.</div>
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"We don’t know whose plane it was. We understand that the victims are residents who were gathered for a ceremony but who were mistaken for terrorists,” said a military source based in the town of Bosso in Niger.</div>
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He added, “Around 30 people perished.”</div>

We've Recaptured 11 Communities, Killed 300 Insurgents - DHQ

The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, has said that troops of the Nigerian Army and personnel of the Air Force have killed over 300 fighters of the Boko Haram sect. Olukolad…

19 Feb 2015

Rido Women Protest Their Men's Sexual Weakness

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<b>A group of women from Rido community in Kaduna State have said that their husbands can no longer sleep with them because of alleged erectile dysfunction.</b></div>
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The women, who staged a peaceful protest at the NDA Junction in Kaduna, heaped the blame on the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), alleging that the chemical waste and fumes from the company, the immediate neighbour of the community, had, over time, accumulated to render them barren and kill the sexual potency in their men folk.</div>
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Specifically, some married women and men in Rido told journalists that they suffered from one form of reproductive health problem or the other due to the toxic waste from the KRPC. For the men, it was weak erection and infertility, while for the women, it was cry of frequent abortions and lack of ovulation.</div>
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An analyst on the community, Mohammed Bashar, said: “Most of the complaints could be associated with secondary infertility, because victims have, in the past, given birth to children before they suddenly stopped. There was widespread belief that smoke and poisonous gases emitted from the refinery have reproductive health effect on people living in the area, but no medical report has confirmed the allegation due to inability of villagers to seek comprehensive medical tests, perhaps owing to lack of awareness and poverty.”</div>
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“Also, villagers claim that infants and children suffer heath effects that sometimes lead to disability or death.</div>
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Jummai Isaac, 27, said she got married in year 2000 and suffered from infertility. “I haven’t conceived since I got married in the last fourteen years, and doctors have, on several occasions, confirmed to me absence of any known cause of inability to get pregnant. Initially, doctors thought I had fibroid in my womb, but after scanning and some medical tests, they dispelled that notion.”</div>
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For further reading, see the story as reported by <b><a href="http://www.tribune.com.ng/arewa/item/29317-when-rido-women-protested-their-men-s-sexual-inability">NIGERIAN TRIBUNE</a></b>.</div>

Rido Women Protest Their Men's Sexual Weakness

A group of women from Rido community in Kaduna State have said that their husbands can no longer sleep with them because of alleged erectile dysfunction. The women, who staged a peaceful protest at t…

19 Feb 2015

2015 Elections: How To Make Nigeria The Winner - By Abdulrahman Dambazau

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The theme: <b>2015 Elections: How to make Nigeria the Winner</b> appears simple, but I found it very complex and thought-provoking. Certain assumptions could be made with regard to our theme today: first, that although most of the elections conducted in Nigeria in the past had presented some serious challenges, the 2015 elections are likely to present much more serious challenges that could jeopardize national security interests unless plans are made to ensure hitch-free elections; second, that going by what has been speculated within and outside Nigeria, there is the possibility that the country will disintegrate, and the 2015 elections would probably be the platform for it unless it is handled with care; third, that there is hope the 2015 elections would provide the opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s unity and uphold her integrity; and fourth, that the 2015 elections would provide opportunities to elect good leaders that would clear the path for peaceful co-existence, security, and national development. Since this is a dialogue, I will be raising a lot of questions in an attempt to provoke discussions on how to make Nigeria the winner after the 2015 elections, which are just around the corner.</div>
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Winning itself in the context of the 2015 elections has its own implications: what stage of winning are we referring to, such as prioritizing into short, medium and long terms; or are we looking at winning in terms of successful conduct of the elections in 2015 in which they not only would be free, fair, all-inclusive, and credible, but also free from the type of post-elections violence we witnessed in 2011; or that the 2015 elections would lead to the long awaited consolidation of democracy in which good governance would be evident through accountability and transparency, and the respect for the rule of law and human rights; or ensuring that the aftermath of the 2015 elections does not lead to the disintegration of Nigeria as earlier predicted by some US security analysts? Would the 2015 elections bring about a radical change leading us to economic growth and political stability? Would they improve Nigeria’s corruption image in which the Transparency Corruption Index (TCI) depicts Nigeria as one of the most corrupt nations on earth? Would they improve Nigeria’s poor governance image as depicted by the 2013 Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG)? IIAG defines governance as “the provision of the political, social and economic public goods and services that a citizen has the right to expect from his or her state, and that a state has the responsibility to deliver to its citizens.” </div>
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The framework comprises four categories: safety and rule of law; participation and human rights; sustainable economic opportunity; and human management. Nigeria’s 2013 ranking was 41st among the 52 African countries assessed. Or would the 2015 elections provide the opportunity to improve Nigeria’s status in the UN Human Development Index (HDI) from being among the low developed to highly developed countries in the world? The 2014 Human Development Report (HDR), the latest in the series since 1960, ranks Nigeria 152nd out of the 185 countries assessed. In the context of human security, what would be Nigeria’s post-2015 development agenda? To what extent would the outcome of 2015 elections significantly reduce the risks of terrorism to which Nigeria presently occupies the 4th most risk position (even ahead of Somalia) in the world according to the 2014 Global Terrorism Index; or to turn things around in the world of cyber crime in which a computer crime and security survey ranked Nigeria as the most internet fraud country in Africa and the 3rd in the world. In other words, what is our target of Nigeria being the winner in post-2015 elections? And at what point after the 2015 elections should we feel comfortable that Nigeria is the winner, assuming we are able to identify the winning parameters and thus map out her winning strategy?</div>
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There is no doubt that as we move towards the 2015 elections the political environment in Nigeria has been anything but stable, accompanied by high tension signaling warnings of impending political instability and violence, added to the criminal violence resulting from such crimes as kidnapping, armed robbery, ritual murders, and rape occurring all over. Already, over the past five years the nation has been struggling with the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast that is threatening our peace and stability, and to a very large extent, Nigeria’s sovereign and territorial integrity, bearing in mind that some parts of her territory are already under the control of the insurgents (according to recent reports, 20 out of the 27 local government areas of Borno State are under the insurgents, with the flag hoisted).</div>
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There is also the issue of recognition and ownership of Nigeria, and one may not be far from reality to assume that Nigeria is still struggling to be recognized as a nation by those who reside in her territory. To be the winner at anytime, Nigeria requires collective ownership to the extent that the approximately 170 million “citizens” see themselves first as Nigerians rather than clinging to their various ethnic and/or religious identities. We identify ourselves on the basis of our religion and ethnicity, and the only time we are Nigerians is when we identify ourselves at international borders holding the travelling passport. No wonder we find it difficult to conduct successful census that would enable us plan for development as a nation, mainly because we argue over which religious group, section or tribe is more in number, without focusing on the quality of the population.</div>
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Today we talk of ethnic nationalities and the urge for self-determination for each ethnic group. No doubt there are people who do not believe in Nigeria as it is currently structured. Similarly, there are those who believe that the amalgamation of the north and south was either a genuine mistake or a deliberate gerrymandering by the British colonial government in line with its interests; still there are others who are convinced that the north and south do not share anything in common culturally, therefore it is impossible to live together as one nation; others feel that Nigeria is too large a country, therefore would prefer an arrangement that would give each region self-determination; and yet there are even those with separatist agenda, such as Boko Haram, NDPVF, MASSOB, MEND, and OPC, who believe that everyone should go his separate ways for whatever reasons they hold. From the foregoing picture, what has become very clear is the fact that the unity of Nigeria has been under intense threat, and with the current divergent political interests and the combative nature of most politicians in pursuant of do-or-die politics, what would likely be the picture post-2015 elections? As a matter of fact there are people who threatened to put the country on fire if their preferred candidate does not win the presidential election. How can Nigeria be the winner after 2015 elections against the forces of anarchy, violence, and disintegration? What should be the strategy for this winning agenda? The 2015 elections represent just the peak or high point of this contest, but there are many other factors that come to play in deciding the “how” to make Nigeria the winner.</div>
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The 2015 elections are not going to be the first in Nigeria, but there are signs that they would be the most critical in Nigeria’s history. These elections would hold in a highly charged political environment, a situation that began within the last 15 years but apparently reaching its peak currently. Although there are a number of differences between the current situation leading to the scheduled February 2015 elections and those relating to past elections in Nigeria, the most serious one however is the fact that at no time in the history of this country did we find ourselves so divided along religious and ethnic lines than now. Most politicians rely on the strength and efficacy of using religion and ethnicity as tools for political mobilization by taking advantage of the strong religious and ethnic sentiments among Nigeria’s populace. Hardly do politicians argue on the basis of the issues reflecting national interests and national development, and to a large extent, the bulk of Nigeria’s population neither understands nor appreciates the implications of such political manipulations. </div>
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Furthermore, capitalizing on Nigeria’s unequal wealth distribution system, a rich natural-resource country but with over 70% of the population living below the universal poverty line, politicians have also introduced money as an additional tool for political mobilization. People are ready to do anything for money, including selling their votes and killing political opponents. It is very clear the extent to which politicians have used money to establish private “armies” used for political violence with the clear mandate by their masters to maim or kill whoever they consider an enemy, using all kinds of weapons (including small arms and light weapons). The last 15 years have witnessed the gradual militarization of politics which gave birth to, for example, the Borno ECOMOG, now transformed to Boko Haram; all manners of armed “cultists” groups, especially in Rivers; the Niger Delta militant groups, such as NDPVF and MEND; the Yan K’alare of Gombe; Ombatse of Nasarawa; the Area Boys of Lagos; the Egbesu Boys in Niger Delta; Sara-Suka of Bauchi; Bakassi Boys of Cross River; Yan Daba of Kano; Kauraye of Katsina; etc.</div>
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On the other hand, although one may argue that the process of politicization of the military began with the January 1966 Major Chukwuma Nzeogu’s coup which led to the termination of the First Republic and the beginning of an extended involvement of the military in politics, it is equally worthy to note that the last 15 years of the current democratic dispensation has witnessed a deeper politicization of the military and of course, the police. Both institutions have been distracted from their constitutional and professional responsibilities into carrying out tasks that seem to be geared towards regime security, rather than national security. </div>
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Though there was an attempt to re-professionalize the military beginning in 2003 using a framework designed to transform the Nigerian Army over a ten-year period, there appears to be a derailment, though not in the form of direct involvement of the military in governance, rather it had to do with the deployments of the military to perform tasks that are outside their constitutional responsibilities. Almost all the states in Nigeria have maintained Task Forces, a combined military and police outfits, funded by the State Governors and deployed to conduct routine policing duties, a situation that is detrimental to the constitutional functions of the military in particular. </div>
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By and large, if the initial phase of the transformation project designed to end in 2013 had succeeded the army would have improved on its professionalism, culture and values; curbed waste and corruption for greater efficiency; meet both local and international obligations at less cost; repositioned to effectively deal with its traditional roles based on new fighting concepts and broad range of threats; and developed lighter, lethal, sustainable, and rapidly deployable and responsive force (see Framework for the Transformation of the Nigerian Army in the Next Decade, Volume 1). Today the performance of the military against the Boko Haram insurgency has been below expectation, a situation that has been tied to both tangible and intangible factors such as discipline; inadequate or inappropriate equipment; poor leadership; and quality of personnel and troops morale. The professional conduct of our armed forces and police is being questioned by the international community following the accusations of human rights abuses; and our sincerity in dealing with terrorism is being doubted for various reasons. </div>
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The situation is gradually reversing the position the Nigerian military held in the immediate past as one of the best in the world as a result of the leadership role we played in the Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Chad, Somalia, Sudan, and a host of other countries under regional and UN peacekeeping missions. It was not long ago in 2009 that the UN Peacekeeping Department honored the Nigerian Military with the accreditation of pre-deployment training package at the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Center, the first in Africa to be so accredited, with the capacity to train two battalions simultaneously. With that accreditation we were in position to train UN peacekeepers from anywhere in the world, but I am not sure if that would be the case now. It is instructive to note that the military is one of the major instruments of national power, and no country can afford losing it. The insurgency in the northeast has exposed our weak capacity and lack of clear political will to deal with the situation. Would the 2015 elections lead us to an era in which this instrument of national power could be strengthened and made robust?</div>
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Now to the 2015 elections themselves which are not only central to this dialogue, but also significant in making Nigeria the winner. Of course elections are very important in democracy, especially in emerging democracies, like ours. It was the former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Anan, who said that “when citizens go to the polls and cast their votes, they aspire not only to elect their leaders, but to choose a direction for their nation” and according to him, only elections with integrity can bolster democracy, while flawed elections undermine it. I agree with Kofi Anan’s assertion, but how do we ensure that the 2015 elections in Nigeria would turn out to be of integrity in order to avoid undermining our nascent democracy? How do we conduct elections with integrity using the so-called “stomach infrastructure” by attracting votes with 5kg bags of rice? How do we ensure elections with integrity in a situation in which almost all the outgoing Governors, regardless of party affiliation, anoint their chosen successors prior to elections, thereby disregarding people’s choices? And those who still have the opportunity to seek re-election for another term are given automatic ticket, regardless of their performance, thereby not only blocking other contenders from exercising their rights to participate, but also denying people the right to choose their leaders?</div>
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Closely linked to the success of the 2015 elections is the role of INEC in the conduct of free, fair and credible elections. There are quite a number of challenges the INEC is now facing, thus: if we have to count on our past experiences, there is some level of certainty that attempts would be made at various levels to rig elections, and the INEC would have to contend with how best to prevent it; likewise, previous elections were accompanied by logistics inadequacies, and it is hoped that INEC has done a lot of work in this regard so as to avoid delays in the movements of elections materials in particular; already there are problems with the Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) and the registration of voters, and with the way things are going, there is likelihood that a large number of Nigerians (including me) would be disenfranchised; funding is another area of challenge, and INEC has made this known to the public several times that the government has not be able to provide it with adequate funds; and the fourth challenge has to do with the current insecurity in the country, particularly the northeast. How can Nigeria be the winner if these challenges are not addressed?</div>
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I want to emphasize the significance of security during elections, but in particular the 2015 elections. The INEC would conduct the 2015 elections in an environment that is confronting serious security challenges that are unprecedented, due to the insurgency in the northeast where a significant number of Local Government Areas could still be under the control of the Boko Haram as at the period of elections; where a sizeable number of Nigerians have been displaced from the homes and scattered in various make-shift camps and other places. In other places such as Taraba, Plateau, Kaduna, Benue, Zamfara, Nasarawa, and Katsina, there are people displaced as a result of either ethno-religious crisis or clashes between herders and farmers, also resulting in the displacement of significant population in the affected areas. </div>
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According to a joint report by the Internal Displaced Monitoring Center and the Norwegian Refugee Council providing 2014 Global Overview, approximately 3.3 million Nigerian are displaced due to all kinds of violent crises (the figure must have increased by now). We must note also that there is equally a significant number of Nigerians who are refugees in the neighboring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon. Furthermore, the fact that a good number of these displaced persons and refugees are eligible voters, how can Nigeria be the winner of the 2015 elections without these people being able to exercise their rights to vote? How about the over 200 Chibok girls and other abductees who are still missing, and what is their fate? Can Nigeria still be the winner while these girls remain captives in the hands of the Boko Haram terrorists?</div>
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Examining the current challenges, particularly the challenges of insecurity in Nigeria as a whole, and the insurgency in the northeast in particular, there are people who think that the elections should be postponed. If this should be the case, then this dialogue we are holding today becomes irrelevant. Therefore, we should also attempt to look at the alternative scenario in terms of the impact postponing the elections would have in the polity. If the elections were not to hold, what would be next line of action in terms of ensuring peace and stability? Would the suggestion of postponing elections not introduce another set of problems? Although some people have suggested an interim government or government of national unity, who would such a government and what would be the nature of its composition? </div>
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While I do not expect Nigeria to be an instant winner with just the 2015 elections, the elections would certainly lay a strong foundation for ultimate victory if they are violent-free, and perceived to be free, fair and credible. This goal can be achieved through the combination of efforts by INEC, Security Agencies, Political Parties, the Media, and Voters themselves: First, INEC must not only be neutral, but must be seen to be neutral and truly independent, by ensuring that no contestant is shortchanged; that there is a level playing field for all parties, so that no party is disadvantaged; that the electoral laws are fully adhered to and enforced, while violators are sanctioned accordingly; that adequate logistics arrangements are made to ensure that election materials are delivered accordingly, in addition to strict adherence to timings and programs; and any attempt by any participant either as individuals or parties to rig the elections should be rejected. </div>
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A situation in which the people believe that elections are not free and fair, governance becomes difficult, if not impossible, due to the fact that political leadership would fail to be recognized by those who feel betrayed, as such would continue to struggle for legitimacy until next elections. This is even more serious when complaints are not addressed and resolved either politically or legally. Second, security agencies have a tremendous role to play in support of INEC by ensuring that they not only provide adequate security during the elections, but that they also remain neutral. Not only that security agencies must as a matter of necessity stick to their constitutional role to ensure that law and order are maintained, but they must also not allow themselves to be used to intimidate voters. Third, the role of political parties in driving the campaign in orderly and peaceful manner is very significant in the success of elections process. </div>
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Where national interests are threatened, for example, parties must put aside their differences to work together towards protecting such interests against violation. Parties must stick to the rules of the game and avoid mud-slinging or casting aspersions against political opponents. It is equally important for the political parties to maintain focus and avoid statements that would overheat the polity. Fourth, the media (both electronic and print) is a very critical and vital institution in this project. As a public agenda setter; a gate keeper on public issues; a watchdog of political transparency and fight against corruption; and a fourth estate which provides the needed checks and balances in relation to the three branches of government; the media has a crucial role to play in national development. </div>
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However, to succeed in their role, the media must be professional and objective, therefore must avoid bias, sensationalism, propaganda and distortions, particularly in a society like ours with many fault lines. For the 2015 elections, the media must lead the civil society in ensuring that the elections are free, fair and credible in the overall interest of the nation. Fifth, Nigeria will win if the voters themselves vote freely to elect credible people not on the basis of religion, ethnicity or monetary inducements. Voters must not engage in any acts of violence and brigandage that could lead to the destruction of lives and properties. Matchets, knives and daggers are not the weapons of voters, but rather the most potent weapon for the voter is his or her vote which he or she must use wisely to vote for the candidate of his or her choice.</div>
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Post-2015 elections Nigeria cannot be the winner if the current insecurity environment is sustained, particularly the threats posed by terrorism and insurgency of Boko Haram in the north. Every day we live with the hope that the insurgency in the northeast would end using multi-dimensional approach so that the future would not experience such threats that have had devastating effects on our lives. How can Nigeria be the winner when the vast majority of people live in perpetual fear? Freedom from fear is not only a fundamental right in human security, but it also compliments the freedom from want. Unfortunately both freedoms are under serious threats. Educational institutions, markets, worship centers (such as mosques and churches), and motor parks, that are the major areas in which the bulk of daily activities of Nigerians are concentrated have become the main targets of terrorist attacks. Such attacks cripple the educational system; immobilize the movement of people; deny people the means of sustaining their lives; deny them their fundamental right to practice their faith; and above all, deny people the right to decent living (the insurgency has taken away their food, housing, education, and healthcare). </div>
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In the southeast and south-south, people cannot move freely due to the fear of kidnappers and violent cultists. In the south west, ritual killers are lurking around for unsuspecting victims, especially women and children. How can Nigeria be the winner if the people residing in her territory are experiencing such hurtful disruptions of their daily lives? According to the first UN Human Development Report (1994), human security involves a “process of widening the range of people’s choices” in which “people can exercise these choices safely and freely, and that they can relatively be confident that the opportunities they have today are not lost tomorrow.” How can Nigeria be the winner if the choices of the people residing in her territory are narrowing instead of widening?</div>
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Beginning 1999, it is now 15 years of democracy in Nigeria, but we are yet to consolidate it. We have already discussed the first step towards consolidating democracy, that is, free, fair and credible elections. Next, is the issue of good governance manifested in clear observance of democratic tenets, imbedded in adherence to the rule of law; respect for human rights; accountability; transparency; inclusiveness; and popular participation. </div>
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Next, is strengthening of democratic institutions, and ensuring that there are adequate arrangements for checks and balances among the executive, legislature and the judiciary. Although there have been major challenges in the last 15 years, the Fourth Republic has been the longest so far in Nigeria’s democratic experiment. Is there any possibility that the 2015 elections could usher in the path for democratic consolidation in Nigeria? Yes, there is. But this is only possible when the right people are elected: people who are competent and of high integrity; people who are focused and selfless; people who are courageous and loyal; people who respect human rights and appreciate the rule of law; people who would be transparent and are ready to be held accountable; people who understand the essence of human security; people who are ready to once more make Nigeria the giant of Africa; people who appreciate that without peace and security there will be no development; and above all, people who believe in Nigeria as a united, indivisible nation. These are the kind of people that would guarantee Nigeria’s economic, political and social stability to put her on the path of sustained growth and development.</div>
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I have attempted to suggest a path to follow in order to make Nigeria the winner come 2015 elections. While this may not be the only path, I believe following what I have provided for this dialogue will go a long way in ensuring that we at least achieve very reasonable level of peace and stability. I do hope that my points would encourage or provoke enough discussions in this dialogue. </div>
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Thank you.</div>
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<b>ABDULRAHMAN B. DAMBAZAU CFR PhD Lieutenant General (Rtd)</b></div>

2015 Elections: How To Make Nigeria The Winner - By Abdulrahman Dambazau

The theme: 2015 Elections: How to make Nigeria the Winner appears simple, but I found it very complex and thought-provoking. Certain assumptions could be made with regard to our theme today: first, t…

19 Feb 2015

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