TNN.ng

EFCC To Arrest Tinubu Any Moment From Now - APC

<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBj-yxhwbvxTPGJ2CQhJM_EOiOJTN1F11pYNAJ-4ENK1tF70ykXUkvpCa_JLCxkFv3IZgkWCCBT57ATi9w47X9KH5xakzitodJ1ZM62AjejelV4qf3AxCz588fdLd8jKPLlWT1oyy6jpoz/s1600/tinubu-and-jonathan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBj-yxhwbvxTPGJ2CQhJM_EOiOJTN1F11pYNAJ-4ENK1tF70ykXUkvpCa_JLCxkFv3IZgkWCCBT57ATi9w47X9KH5xakzitodJ1ZM62AjejelV4qf3AxCz588fdLd8jKPLlWT1oyy6jpoz/s1600/tinubu-and-jonathan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday raised the alarm that the Federal Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have sent a red alert to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest one of its national leaders, Bola Tinubu.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The party alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was bent on decimating the major opposition party in order to gain what it called an undue advantage in the March 28 and April 11 general elections.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Without mincing words, we are aware that a red alert has been sent to the EFCC to arrest the national leader of our party, the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on trumped-up charges anytime from now. In addition, anyone who is suspected of being a financier of the APC is to be arrested, all in efforts to decapitate the main opposition party which is undoubtedly cruising to victory in the forthcoming elections.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“And as part of the offensive against the APC in the days ahead, there is a plan to freeze the accounts of companies, individuals and organisations believed to be financing the party, with the ultimate objective of crippling the party so it won’t be able to sustain its activities, like paying its agents on Election Day and other logistics,” a statement issued on Saturday by the party said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lai Mohammed, who spoke in Lagos at a press conference on Saturday said that the planned arrest of Tinubu and other APC financiers was a fallout of Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido’s statement that all that needs to be done to break the opposition party is to “kidnap” two of its leaders.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mohammed said, “Definitely, the current move to arrest Asiwaju and anyone they suspect to be a financier of our party fits into the alarm we raised and the open threat by Gov. Lamido. How predictable can a government be? It is clear that the momentum has swung to the side of our party, with just a little over a week before the Presidential and National Assembly elections.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“It is clear that Nigerians have rejected the PDP and have embraced our party, the APC, as the agent of the change that they (Nigerians) so much desire. That explains the desperation being exhibited by the PDP-led Jonathan administration to arrest Asiwaju, whom they see as the arrowhead of the opposition, believing that this will cripple our party and stop the momentum we have gained.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In his reaction, the Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode said, “We have said it before and we shall say it again: the APC are not only delusional but they are suffering from chronic paranoia. Why should Tinubu be scared of arrest if he has done nothing wrong. Why should Buhari be scared of EFCC if he is clean? They should stop raising all these false alarms and they should just grow up.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our correspondent could not get the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, to comment on the allegation as the calls to his mobile telephone line did not connect.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He also did not respond to text message sent by <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-has-ordered-efcc-to-arrest-tinubu-apc/">SUNDAY PUNCH</a></b>.</div>

EFCC To Arrest Tinubu Any Moment From Now - APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday raised the alarm that the Federal Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have...

[VIDEO] APC Takes Fani-Kayode To The Cleaners In Video Ad

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_tnlh6jRf_nSRM4pbHyLA_t8FByirn_LNCBhiFfk2WDRbEdG4FaKi6Cp9Psva86p-sm6FrxMvkCIR_0Fh-NdjKV18T1gecLcs6mfzQ6y2iIPUUN5gEvT74bi8e_2VTMDI40Vx7qSM4bT/s1600/femi-fani-kayode2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_tnlh6jRf_nSRM4pbHyLA_t8FByirn_LNCBhiFfk2WDRbEdG4FaKi6Cp9Psva86p-sm6FrxMvkCIR_0Fh-NdjKV18T1gecLcs6mfzQ6y2iIPUUN5gEvT74bi8e_2VTMDI40Vx7qSM4bT/s1600/femi-fani-kayode2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Nigeria's main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a video advert took the Director of Media of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, to the cleaners.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The video has been around for a while but as the D-day draws closer, the video has resurfaced on the social media.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
See the video here:</div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IYjoreVoIq4" width="640"></iframe>

[VIDEO] APC Takes Fani-Kayode To The Cleaners In Video Ad

Nigeria's main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a video advert took the Director of Media of the PDP Presid...

My Hatred For Tinubu - By Opeyemi Bamidele

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazpjs9wX9km4hPspGq4XDVdBT48TzeA74BneupZijMtEq6knW6Uf_m44gIExpZXkebeoyl7FT_VZWCLR4iLy0SeOMbC2DSGAgTszxo7HDFYgEHAcusk_WilM83P-jz8Q225oOYX52Aa4z/s1600/Opeyemi-Bamidele+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazpjs9wX9km4hPspGq4XDVdBT48TzeA74BneupZijMtEq6knW6Uf_m44gIExpZXkebeoyl7FT_VZWCLR4iLy0SeOMbC2DSGAgTszxo7HDFYgEHAcusk_WilM83P-jz8Q225oOYX52Aa4z/s1600/Opeyemi-Bamidele+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>In Nigeria of today, the more you decide to keep quiet and just do your things, the more things happen that will make it cogent and compelling for you to speak as a man of conscience. This is more so when the issues involved are such that key stakeholders cannot pretend not to know the truth, except you are just choosing to be a passive onlooker who, in truth, must either be a coward or a collaborator.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When, sometime last week, some friends and associates called me to tune my television set to a certain channel to watch what one of them called a “chicanery”, I rushed to comply. And behold, it was a documentary that was running, with the title: "<b>Lion of Bourdillon</b>". It was supposedly on one of the foremost political players and leader of opposition in Nigeria today, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After watching it, I was so touched that I felt if I failed to react, I would be doing even myself a lot of disservice for it would be hypocritical and immoral for those of us who know better to choose to keep quiet until some of our leaders are grown up and gone and all we can do is to stand up at their funeral to render a dirge. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That documentary brought up so many things on my mind. Definitely, those behind the documentary really hate Asiwaju. I guess I hate him too. But for a different reason. I hate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu because he is a man of definite purpose, a visionary per excellence, a political leader extra ordinaire, whose doggedness and strong convictions will never allow him to be compromised in the collective struggle to rescue Nigeria from bad rulership and misplaced governance. I so much hate this man, Tinubu, because he is a child of promise and a child of destiny, whose entire political career is marked by consistent and unassailable conquests over anti-democratic forces, military dictators and their civilian apologists, retrogressive elements and the evil marauders in the corridor of power, who occasionally pretend as friends but could not hide their character as sworn enemies when the chips are down. I hate this man, who, among his contemporaries has been the most celebrated for his outstanding political achievements and the most applauded as a political icon with deep intellectual prowess, which also made him to have uniquely surrounded himself with men and women of great intellect, seasoned essayists, political activists and scholars of national and international pedigree because only the deep can call to the deep. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I dread his consummate political strategy, his intimidating political profile and highly expansive political network that has continued to give his opponents sleepless nights. This was the man that was nationally acclaimed as the ‘Last Man Standing’, being the only Southwest governor who survived the so-called electoral tsunami that swept away his colleagues during the 2003 general elections. I hate Tinubu because as a close associate and co-traveller of his for over two decades now, he has never ceased to amaze me by his constant penchant and quest for new ideas. His administrative acumen is matchless. As Governor of Lagos State for eight years, Tinubu practically laid the foundation for the rapid transformation of Lagos from a metropolitan state to a model mega city in Africa that it is today. His creative genius came handy as he grew the state’s monthly Internally Generated Revenue from the paltry sum of ₦600 million to ₦7 billion by the time he was leaving office in 2007. Today, the current monthly IGR of Lagos State is over ₦20 billion. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Amidst the odds and hurdles of legal and political dimensions that lasted for over two years, Tinubu’s administration dared the Federal Government and created 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in addition to the existing 20 local councils. He pioneered the take-off of the Annual Lagos Economic Summit as well as the repositioning of the Organised Private Sector (OPS) as the dynamo for rapid economic development in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. He revolutionised the state’s civil service and land administration system through the introduction of high technology-driven record and payment systems. He equally established the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos State Bus Assets (LAGBUS), Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Highway Managers and Drain Ducks as well as several other government and private sector-driven agencies to improve transportation, traffic and waste management in the city of Lagos. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before his assumption of office as governor, ugly heaps of refuse dumps on the streets and T-junctions were a common feature within the Lagos metropolis while there was regular and static traffic congestion, gully erosion resulting from the blockage of drainages and the headache relating to a ravenous surge of the ocean, which almost claimed about thirty per cent of the settlements and infrastructure along the coastal line. Tinubu created the Ministry of Waterfront & Infrastructure and pioneered the Atlantic City Project to reclaim Lagos landmass on the shoreline from the tyranny of the ocean, and today, more spaces have been provided for exploits on the island, spreading to the Lekki-Epe axis. My hatred for Tinubu flows from his uncompromising stance on the side of progress. His positions on matters pertaining to the rule of law and fundamental human rights are not only consistent but are non-negotiable. He is a man of the people and a man on the right side of history. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
During the protracted June 12 struggle and the march towards the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria, I make bold to say that apart from the late Chief MKO Abiola, there is no single Nigerian, dead or alive, home or abroad, that made a bigger financial commitment to the struggle than this same man, Tinubu. Persuaded by the need to protect and defend indigent litigants whose rights were violated by the government and the more privileged in the society, the Tinubu administration established the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) and the Citizens Mediation Centre (CMC) during which time Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate, was the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. I hate this man because his profound wisdom and foresight to jealously guard and deepen his laudable achievements in office made him to search out and discover an amiable and brilliant successor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fasola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who did not only consolidate on the progressive, life-transforming and ground-breaking legacies handed down to him but also went as far as carving a unique niche for himself as a role model in mega city transformation as well as a world-class technocrat in regional innovation and integration. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My hatred for Tinubu is partly informed by the fact that he did not limit the flowering of progress to Lagos State. He intensified the struggle and extended the frontiers of transformative governance to other states of the Southwest geo-political zone. Given his consummate political sagacity, doggedness, spartan discipline and confidence in the correctness of his ideological principles and practices, <i>Asiwaju</i> Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the <i>Jagarban</i> of Borgu Kingdom, the <i>Aare Ago</i> of Egbaland and the <i>Jagunmolu</i> of Ile Oluji, went back to the trenches and wrestled with political principality and power to rescue the rest of the Southwest from the PDP and today, by the special Grace of God, states like Oyo, Ogun, Osun and even Edo in the Southsouth have joined the train of progressive states where rapid socio-economic, agricultural and infrastructural development is holding sway. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My hatred for this man is borne out of the fact that he is never ever distracted from pursuing the laudable vision and selfless goal of nation building, helping on daily basis to chart a new course for our country with a view to liberating the masses from abject poverty, endemic insecurity and uncertainty that are products of several decades of bad governance, policy summersault and integrity deficit. Here is a man who is never perturbed or ruffled by the obtuse ranting and misguided vituperations of his detractors as he has always remained focused. I suspect this is, most likely, the secret of his outstanding and matchless accomplishments in virtually all areas of life: in politics, he is a quintessential leader and elderstatesman of national and international repute; in business, Asiwaju is a shining star and indeed a great success; as a community leader, the Jagarban is a rare breed. Here is an energetic and resourceful mobiliser for the common good, a man full of compassion, an epitome of kindness and generous spirit. To the chagrin of his sworn enemies and to the credit of his large-heartedness, Asiwaju’s network of political influence in Nigeria today has grown beyond what some agents of mischief can wake up one day and think of cutting to size. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
His determination and quest for a just, egalitarian, viable and prosperous society have left him with no other choice than to join hands with like-minded political juggernauts, elder statesmen, human rights and pro-democracy activists, highly respected legal luminaries, prolific journalists and labour unionists from across the nation and even beyond, to the extent that he is one of the most detribalised citizens of contemporary Nigeria. The success story of the APC, as the most formidable opposition party driving the change movement in Nigeria today, cannot be said to have been completed without a considerable mention of the invaluable sacrifice and hardwork of a man who puts everything he has into any cause or struggle once he is convinced about it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I hate Tinubu because he is a liberal man to a fault, who surrounds himself with independent-minded people and is never afraid of being contradicted or criticised by even his close associates and lieutenants. This was the more reason I felt comfortable to join him to work for the actualisation of the Buhari/Osinbajo project, having openly disagreed with him and the rest of the leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) some months back on the need to conduct party primaries in Ekiti State prior to the governorship election for the sake of internal party democracy. The transparent conduct of primaries across board and in all the states of the federation by the APC in preparation for the forthcoming general elections is an eloquent testimony to tolerance of divergent views as well as the charismatic selflessness and dynamism that is inherent in the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other prominent leaders of the party such as Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Alhaji Atiku Abubabakar, Chief Bisi Akande and so on. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The liberality of Asiwaju is not only evident in his politics as he continues to welcome his critics and opponents back to the party with warm embrace for them to work together again to save the ship of the Nigerian State from sinking, Asiwaju has also demonstrated that religious tolerance is not only possible but can be a reality even within the confines of our private homes. For instance, while he is a devout muslim and ardent financier of islamic activities, his heartthrob, Senator Oluremi Tinubu is an Assistant Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). As governor of Lagos State for eight years, Asiwaju surrounded himself with fervent Christians and Muslims, with all of them having access to equal opportunities and working together with a singleness of purpose, more so that every meeting of the State Executive Council during his administration always commenced and ended like a nucleus family meeting despite the rigorous debates and divergence of views on different issues that came up every week.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
His cabinet was more or less an epitome of the Nigerianity movement; it was an assemblage of representatives from different parts of the country. The roll-call of those Asiwaju appointed into his star-studded cabinet, in addition to prominent sons and daughters of Lagos State, included Pastor Ben Akabueze (Anambra), who served as Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning; Mr. Dele Alake (Ekiti) who served as Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN (Ogun), who served as Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. He is a Senior Pastor in the RCCG; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, an engineer, (Osun), who served as Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure; Mr. Wale Edun (Ogun), who served as Commissioner for Finance; Dr. Bayo Adewusi (Oyo), who equally served as Commissioner for Finance; Chief Ebenezer Akinbolade (Ondo), who served as Commissioner for Establishment & Training and so on. I (an Ekiti man) was equally opportuned to serve in that cabinet as Commissioner for Youth, Sports & Social Development before later serving as Commissioner for Information & Strategy in Governor Fashola’s cabinet. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To those who want to put Asiwaju in the dustbin of history for their own selfish political gain, they must realise that this is a tall dream in the realm of phantasm. It is a dream that can never come true. This is a man who has affected many lives across and beyond the shores of Nigeria in a most positive manner. By his active involvement in national re-engineering and restructuring, Asiwaju has further helped to define politics as a call to service and stewardship to humanity. To those who brand him negatively as someone who rose up from the gutter to the ladder, they should be reminded that Asiwaju was already a self-made success and an accomplished professional of global reckoning before he ventured into politics. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After a very brilliant academic exploit in the United States (U.S.), Asiwaju had worked meritoriously with multinational companies in the U.S., including Exxon Mobil Petroleum, before he was posted to Nigeria as a Senoir Audit Manager of this multinational petroleum company. For the records, Asiwaju could only take a leave of absence as Treasurer of Exxon Mobil to allow him contest for the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1991, following persistent persuasion from many admirers of his, including my humble self. Before then, he was a major player in the finance sector and a notable financier of various religious and development-driven activities in Lagos State and other states of the federation. While he was doing all these, we recognised his passion for progressive development but I doubt if he himself knew the magnitude of leadership skills, talents and intellectual power embedded in him until his eventual foray into active politics. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Actually, his extreme commitment to democracy, the rule of law and social justice and the diverse leadership roles he played during the protracted June 12 struggle, home and abroad, had further placed Asiwaju in the mainstream of popular democratic movement in Nigeria, and he has continued to occupy this placement in history till today, to the extent that no one can successfully re-write his history by a mere launching of a futile smear documentary campaign against this great man of destiny. Despite his unbeatable and enviable contribution to the Nigerian project, none of his biological children is a commissioner or member of the legislature today whereas many of his ardent critics, including some of his close allies, already had their children appointed as Commissioners and Special Advisers as well as elected members of National and State Assemblies. Of course, such children, as Nigerians, have a constitutional right to be so appointed or elected. However, when his wife got elected as Senator, his detractors grumbled and when one of his daughters emerged as a leader of market women in Lagos, Asiwaju’s enemies told him to bring his head to be hanged. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Surely, it was acceptable for the late sage, our own Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in his life-time to produce Oluwole Awolowo as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly for two consecutive legislative terms between 1979 and 1983 before the military later took over the reins of power. It was acceptable for the late Chief Olusola Saraki to produce a governor in Dr. Bukola Saraki. It was acceptable to the American people for President George Bush (Snr.) to leave office as President of the U.S. and have two of his sons simultaneously serving as governors in the States of Texas and Florida and, of course for one of them to take over from their father’s successor eight years later as U.S. President. Equally, it was acceptable for former President Bill Clinton’s wife, Hillary, to be elected as US Senator. Why must Bola Tinubu, another phenomenal leader of his time, be crucified for his political and economic fortunes if not for his consistency on the need for us to give birth to a new Nigeria? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Enough is enough, the shameless display of crude politics and intrigues must stop at once. We must move forward as a people and as a nation. For want of reasonable and convincing strategy to drive home their campaign, some filth columnists have consistently digressed from decent campaign and debate of issues and have wandered into the regrettable abyss of unprofitable calumny and deceit to score cheap political points. But it is high time they woke up from their miasma and come to the reality of the moment, The reality that the movement for change in Nigeria is a moving train that cannot be stopped. That no amount of mudslinging, phrase-mongering or smear propaganda against any of its leading lights can distract the mass of the Nigerian people from the collective resolve to liberate themselves from the forces of corruption, retrogression and stagnation. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Willy-nilly, Nigeria shall be great again! The late Rotimi Williams, a SAN of blessed memory had an opportunity to serve as Attorney-General in the Western Region, after which he ran a most successful and profitable legal practice that brought a lot of prosperity. Nobody said his wealth was stolen just because he had served in government. The late Chief Okotie-Eboh was a successful businessman after he had served in government as Minister of Finance. He was respected as a businessman. Gen Theophilus Danjuma left government to launch himself into business and today, he is one of the richest men in Africa. Our respected father, Chief Edwin Clark, was Minister of Information and later concentrated on his business. Today, he is not just a wealthy man, he, in fact owns a private university. No one would insinuate that his wealth came from his having served as a public servant. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All over the civilised world, former public office holders end up in the corporate boardroom of reputable companies as key players. But eight years after vacating office as governor, Tinubu’s detractors will always trace his business fortunes to the treasury of the Lagos State government. I feel so offended by this irresponsible manner of smear campaign. So much so that I feel I need to extend a caveat to President Goodluck Jonathan that the political mercenaries who are doing this to Asiwaju Tinubu today will, most likely, do worse things to him at some point in the near future. He may not necessarily need to be a candidate himself at that point, just like Asiwaju is not one today and they are bent on damaging him. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Many of them own prime landed properties in Lagos as a direct result of Tinubu’s generosity. I know it as a fact because I was opportuned to sign thousands of certificates of occupancy between 2004 and 2011 as a serving commissioner under Governors Tinubu and Fashola, both of whom graciously delegated such official authority to me in exercise of their constitutional rights to so delegate. Some of my former colleagues in Tinubu’s cabinet were mentioned in the documentary to have sold their official residential buildings. I could have bidded for my own official residence located at 31B Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, but I chose not to. If I had done so, as done by some of my colleagues, it would have been in order, more so when all of these were happening at a time the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government had come up with a monetisation policy that made it possible for ministers, permanent secretaries, civil servants and other categories of public servants, including legislators, judges and even military officers to buy their official residences under the monetisation policy. Many of the sponsors and promoters of the documentary against Tinubu were beneficiaries. But Tinubu deserves to be crucified for implementing the same policy because he is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The documentary also made a vicious attempt to portray Asiwaju Tinubu as having worked against the political interest of Yoruba people while others are accusing him of nursing an ambition to become a Yoruba leader. Interestingly, close as I have been to this man in the last two and a half decades, I have never heard him express a desire and neither have I ever witnessed him take any step (overtly or covertly) that could suggest an ambition to emerge as a Yoruba leader. I do not believe it is a position that anyone would have to contest for or struggle to attain. Yoruba people know who their leaders are regardless of what manner of manipulation that may be orchestrated. The late Chief Ladoke Akintola never had a chance to defend himself against allegations of having worked against the interest of the Yoruba race because he was gone with the crisis. The late Chief Akin Omoboriowo, before he was gone, did not have the resources and media clout to properly defend himself and reposition himself in history. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a Nigerian, as an unassuming Yoruba boy, as an Ekiti man and as a student of history, I am not convinced that these men deserved the attempt to totally condemn them to the dust bin of history as if they had no cause to disagree with the political establishment that would make it sound as if a disagreement with them was tantamount to working against the Yoruba race and interest. Well, the late Chief Akintola might not have been alive to offer a later day explanation while the late Chief Omoboriowo might not have had the wherewithal to decisively deal with the matter before he passed on. To the contrary, however, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is alive and has the human and material resources as well as the media strength (be it in print, in electronic or through the social media) to squarely address the issues after the elections. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most significantly, I call on Asiwaju to allow stakeholders within Nollywood adopt the title “THE LION OF BOURDILLON” to make a major movie that will document the man, Asiwaju; his rise from grass to grace; his role in the struggle for democratisation; his contributions to the growth of our polity and in helping to lay the foundations for good governance and democracy; his political wizardry; his unusual transformation from the corporate boardroom to becoming a statesman with unusual political savvy and eventually a rallying point for opposition and change movement in Nigeria; and, of course, the conspiracy and allegations against him, among other salient issues that need to be documented for history even in the simplest form through the entertainment industry. If the saying is true that nothing frightens the Lion in the jungle, then Asiwaju must not allow himself to be distracted from the present assignment that history has placed on his shoulders as he can always come back to comprehensively and decisively deal with this naughty matter. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Surely, if it is still the same Asiwaju I have always known, I am sure he would stay resolute and not get distracted. And that is part of my hatred for this Bourdillon-based but globally connected Lion, whose roaring, even when done silently, is most ravaging and fearful for a political order whose fear of the people has become so morbid. My hatred for him is that I cannot stop loving him. I hate this man because I celebrate him and because I know many Nigerians celebrate him as an unusual leader.</div>

My Hatred For Tinubu - By Opeyemi Bamidele

In Nigeria of today, the more you decide to keep quiet and just do your things, the more things happen that will make it cogent and com...

APC To Sue Fani-Kayode Over Allegation Buhari Receives Al-Qaeda Funds

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5C6KDsicQ3SEUAJ3mdwqUulF86rwy5Vh15Yt31qyhwOOyuhXDcliZMD4boj9JbYSZFefRfzwM34V7c-qlorO_xrfHep8nZjTHzpzVx55vdQEHQ6T52C9V8jWMemAd1TcstXZCSGjaojD/s1600/Femi-Fani-Kayode-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS5C6KDsicQ3SEUAJ3mdwqUulF86rwy5Vh15Yt31qyhwOOyuhXDcliZMD4boj9JbYSZFefRfzwM34V7c-qlorO_xrfHep8nZjTHzpzVx55vdQEHQ6T52C9V8jWMemAd1TcstXZCSGjaojD/s1600/Femi-Fani-Kayode-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has threatened to sue PDP-PCO spokesperson, Femi Fani-Kayode, for claiming that General Muhammadu Buhari is getting funding for his election campaign from terrorist groups, such as the outlawed Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda and ISIS.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a statement released in Abuja on Saturday, the APCPCO accused the Director of Media of the PDP’s presidential campaign of perpetuating the religious politics that his principal, President Goodluck Jonathan is well known for, giving him one week to retract his defamatory comments or face the law.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Never before in Nigeria’s history has the issue of religion been applied to such sinister purposes as we have seen during the years of President Jonathan’s government,” said Malam Garba Shehu, Director of Media and Publicity of the APCPCO. “When all fails, they whip out the religious card.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, Malam Shehu expressed relief that Nigerians were no more being fooled by what he called “this PDP game”. According to him, General Buhari has transcended all the religious smears and, together with his running mate, Yemi Osinbajo, who is a respected pastor, has been able to show the Nigerian people that Nigeria’s growth and development is not about religion, but about a genuine desire to change the lot of the country’s citizens and move the entire nation forward.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“A majority of the world’s Muslims, including Buhari, do not approve of the Al-Qaeda, and being Muslim does not translate into being pro-ISIS,” Malam Shehu added. “Again and again, Buhari has shown commitment to ridding our country of these vermin who claim to be killing in the name of Allah, but who, in actual fact, are messengers of Satan.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The statement gave advanced warning that when the APC takes the matter of Fani-Kayode’s baseless and libellous claims to the court next week, the Party will ask that the PDP spokesperson’s international passport be impounded by way of injunction.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“There are some campaigners who obviously intend to escape from Nigeria after the handover of government from Jonathan to Buhari on May 29. That must be the reason why they can boldly make many of the reckless, irresponsible and defamatory statements that they have been mouthing off so flippantly throughout this campaign season. Either that or these people do not believe in our country’s judicial system. They don’t believe that one day; it will catch up with them.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The APCCO further warned that it would not extend the seven-day deadline given to Fani-Kayode to retract his false allegations.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to Malam Shehu, “Let me assure the PDP federal government that, under Buhari’s government, the judiciary will work. These men will be made to pay for all the many libel and fines the courts would hopefully issue for the crimes that their big mouths have committed.”</div>

APC To Sue Fani-Kayode Over Allegation Buhari Receives Al-Qaeda Funds

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has threatened to sue PDP-PCO spokesperson, Femi Fani-Kayode,...

[VIDEO] 10 Things You Should Do On Election Days [Voter Awareness By INEC]

<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5ZVOBCs_0jvau0JB4JKoHJO_CqDId-hJSbiuK-e_AxhHuylWTVPd6A8j0T9_uwhfRYUtaJ0xfdqq5T_-7bPevEx1vDjyB_W_d5EmGfdeGSgLN7nzsYLw9xJvKxrgNFCTFpleCqsWhoMh/s1600/Voting+Unit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz5ZVOBCs_0jvau0JB4JKoHJO_CqDId-hJSbiuK-e_AxhHuylWTVPd6A8j0T9_uwhfRYUtaJ0xfdqq5T_-7bPevEx1vDjyB_W_d5EmGfdeGSgLN7nzsYLw9xJvKxrgNFCTFpleCqsWhoMh/s1600/Voting+Unit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The Inspector General of Police, Suleyman Abba, says voters should go home after casting their ballots. He says voters should not wait at the polling stations after casting their votes.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In his response, on Channels TV, INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, made the following assertions.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
1. That the electoral law does not state anywhere that voters cannot, or should not wait to watch, and ensure that their votes are counted.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
2. That INEC encourages, and is encouraging voters to wait behind, monitor the process, and watch their votes counted. He made it clear that the law expects such voters staying behind, to however conduct themselves in an orderly manner. He said this was done in 2011, and was successful.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
3. That what the electoral law says, is that anyone that has no business with the electoral process at the polling booths, but desires to monitor events, should stay at least 300 meters off the polling booths.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He however clarified that a voter has business with the process, and therefore cannot be classified along with those that don't have business there.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The IG has no constitutional right to rewrite the law.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a nutshell, you have every right under the electoral law (if you are a legitimate voter),to wait behind, ensure your votes are counted, as long a you conduct yourself in an orderly manner.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Below is an animated video by INEC which creates awareness to voters on the 10 important steps every voter MUST follow on election days.</div>
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cawTNZbHhw0" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Source: <a href="http://www.inecnigeria.org/?page_id=22">INEC</a></b>

[VIDEO] 10 Things You Should Do On Election Days [Voter Awareness By INEC]

The Inspector General of Police, Suleyman Abba, says voters should go home after casting their ballots. He says voters should not wait ...

Jonathan Commissions Kano Bridge, Names It After Ado Bayero

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTKaHQKY6i4PEo_Hu_wc1D1U34iAwG47rPVc53Chzh0n02I_hgDH33yXol4ERZU3jpo5xJkWiBpOut6j0lJX3Sf12Whn5bf0qv3QKXaPjlhQGzoQmZxHxfx52HqiSeIzoidUdIwBBzRb2/s1600/Jonathan-and-Sambo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWTKaHQKY6i4PEo_Hu_wc1D1U34iAwG47rPVc53Chzh0n02I_hgDH33yXol4ERZU3jpo5xJkWiBpOut6j0lJX3Sf12Whn5bf0qv3QKXaPjlhQGzoQmZxHxfx52HqiSeIzoidUdIwBBzRb2/s1600/Jonathan-and-Sambo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday inaugurated a multi-million Naira bridge in Kano and named it after the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
NAN reports that the bridge was constructed by the Federal Government at Kundila Roundabout on the ever busy Zaria Road to ensure smooth traffic flow.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Speaking at the ceremony, Jonathan said that the project was in line with the road resuscitation programme of his administration’s transformation agenda.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said that the new flyover would help to improve commercial activities in the ancient city, adding that the Federal Government was poised to restore the lost glory of Kano as a commercial nerve centre.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to him, the flyover will also ease traffic congestion and promote socio-economic activities between the state and other parts of the country.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“This is part of my administration’s commitment toward making life easy for the people in the country.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“I am today commissioning this important edifice with great jubilation and pride.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“I won’t conclude my remarks without paying a glowing tribute to our father, the late Emir Bayero whose immense contribution made Kano what it is today,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On the forthcoming general elections, the president said the time had come for every Nigerian to make a good choice.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said the PDP-led government had remarkable achievements, stressing that he had almost fulfilled his mission as contained in his seven- point agenda.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In his remarks, the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said that the completion of the bridge was a landmark achievement which would bring economic development to the state and the region.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
NAN reports that dignitaries, who graced the occasion, included the Ministers of Education and Foreign Affairs, Malam Ibrahim Shekarai and Alhaji Aminu Wali respectively.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Others were National Assembly members and other top government functionaries.</div>

Jonathan Commissions Kano Bridge, Names It After Ado Bayero

President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday inaugurated a multi-million Naira bridge in Kano and named it after the late Emir of Kano, Alha...

[VIDEO] We Knew Jonathan Would Lose So We Forced Jega To Postpone Polls - Fasehun

<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5I199-b3A3gtaFijWyPlvqBO2J4HGNKt1bSiXbhR5Ptp3CkbEEr0QtQIFVxKjEpEcZZ00DMnhG2KvrNs8WlLFlbx_sGULcXpfRc0KoM5Yvxk1h2YF1TPAATVlBHgCYpTmMm4HbTM9BBO1/s1600/Fasehun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5I199-b3A3gtaFijWyPlvqBO2J4HGNKt1bSiXbhR5Ptp3CkbEEr0QtQIFVxKjEpEcZZ00DMnhG2KvrNs8WlLFlbx_sGULcXpfRc0KoM5Yvxk1h2YF1TPAATVlBHgCYpTmMm4HbTM9BBO1/s1600/Fasehun.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>The leader of the Oodua People’s Congress, Fredrick Fasheun, has revealed why the 2015 general election earlier slated for February 14 was shifted.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He also named actors who compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Attahiru Jega, to postpone the polls.  </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to Mr. Fasheun, if the elections had gone ahead on the scheduled date, President Goodluck Jonathan would have lost. He revealed this while speaking at Post-National Conference event sponsored by the Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The video of the speech was published Saturday by news website, <b>SaharaReporters</b>.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Fasheun said he was approached by Mojisola Akinfenwa, a fourth republic Senator from Osun State, who told him that he doubted if Jonathan would win the election the way things were going.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Tpxm1rLExM" width="640"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The senator came to me and said, look, I think Jonathan is losing this battle and I responded to him, Baba, I will never experience any loss in battle. Today, we shall shift this election. And by the grace of God, when we had spoken to few people, Jega had no option but to shift the date of the election. If that election was not shifted, I bet you that Jonathan would have lost that election.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The rigging had been perfected. The war-torn region of the North-East; Yobe was having 80 per cent PVC (distribution) while Lagos only had 62 per cent and even the governor himself was still crying to be given his own PVC. So, the few PVC we have must be maximised. That is why I am appealing to everyone. Let us all go there and this time, cast our votes in favour of a friend. Jonathan can be a friend.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The OPC leader noted that he did not believe in the anti-corruption campaign of the opposition party.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“I am not carried away by the fact that somebody is not corrupt… People are turning history upside down. Who is not corrupt? Have we forgotten the $2.8bn lost? Have we forgotten the 52 suitcases filled with new currencies? Have we forgotten the chairmanship of PTF?” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added: “Have we forgotten that somebody recently said that if he doesn’t win the election or if the election does not go in his favour, the blood of baboon will mix with the blood of dogs? Whereas, Jonathan said my ambition to become President of this nation should not cost one drop of any Nigerian’s blood”.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Both the Gani Adams and Mr. Fasheun’s factions of the Oodua Peoples Congress have over the past weeks campaigned for the reelection of President Goodluck Jonathan.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Particularly, the Gani Adams’ faction has called for the removal of the INEC chair and held a protest to drive home their demand in Lagos.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to Mr. Adams, the call for the removal of Mr. Jega was due to poor distribution of PVCs in the south, registration of under age in the north and creation of additional 30,000 polling units in the north.</div>

[VIDEO] We Knew Jonathan Would Lose So We Forced Jega To Postpone Polls - Fasehun

The leader of the Oodua People’s Congress, Fredrick Fasheun, has revealed why the 2015 general election earlier slated for February 14 w...

Buhari Says PDP Is Nigerians' Worst Nightmare

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPV_B5GoFJN0nuls6t_fcBoIaIDeoe2fUzjJVGVftAc-lo5axg2XtBzoKcf7BYDonkLc1zI4PVQLAetr4lk08m_cVH27ABRJ9mavp4AX0tcy4jOvFeNJZWz49HzV5JIQS2PQMTtwSzTwjo/s1600/GMB+CNN.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPV_B5GoFJN0nuls6t_fcBoIaIDeoe2fUzjJVGVftAc-lo5axg2XtBzoKcf7BYDonkLc1zI4PVQLAetr4lk08m_cVH27ABRJ9mavp4AX0tcy4jOvFeNJZWz49HzV5JIQS2PQMTtwSzTwjo/s1600/GMB+CNN.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday said the Peoples Democratic Party was Nigerians’ worst nightmare in the last 16 years of democracy.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added that it would be the worst mistake Nigerians would do to re-elect the party in the forthcoming 2015 general elections.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Addressing supporters and party stalwarts at the North Central zonal rally held in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital, Mr. Buhari said Nigeria was characterized by corruption and ethnic sentiments in the last 16 years of the PDP administration.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Buhari said Nigerians must make a choice and the right choice that would guarantee the future of the next generation.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“PDP has destroyed Nigeria,” he said. “They have made it a tradition to create poverty and crisis in the country.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The APC presidential candidate said there was no reason why Nigeria should import petrol from the International market while its refineries are deliberately destroyed and kept idle.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Before, we use to have airline companies, shipping companies, railways, and four refineries namely Port Harcourt, Warri, Kaduna and Lagos where our petroleum products were refined for domestic use and 22 depots but PDP has destroyed them and the country now has to import fuel,” he said. “Don’t make a mistake and vote PDP again because they have made it a tradition to destroy the country’s potential and image for selfish reasons.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Buhari urged the electorate to vote APC in all elections. He also urged voters to ensure they wait behind and protect their votes after casting their ballot.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Nasarawa State governor, Tanko Al-Makura, said PDP had caused untold hardship to Nigeria and must be shown the way out in the forthcoming 2015 general elections.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr. Al-Makura who is the North Central coordinator of the APC said the zone fully endorsed Mr. Buhari’s candidature with Plateau state taking the lead followed by five other states including FCT.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Plateau, Benue, Kwara, Niger, Kogi, FCT and Nasarawa the birth right of the APC presidential candidate have resolved to vote for APC and to ensure that change is made in the general elections,” Mr. Al-Makura said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He explained that the potential of Mr. Buhari had risen by over 80 per cent compared to 2011 and that APC would sweep the entire zone from the house of assembly to the presidential elections.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“I am not surprised because the track record of Buhari speaks for itself; a role model, a detrablised Nigerian, and anyone who means good for this country will surely vote for Buhari for the country to move forward,” Mr. Al-Makura said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said the time had come for change and that a vote for Mr. Buhari would not be a waste but a value for the country.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Vote for Change between rule of law and impunity, between civility and brigandage, change between excellence and brutal governance, the time for change is now and the leader of that change is General Muhammadu Buhari,” Mr. Almakura said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><a href="http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/178892-pdp-nigerians-worst-nightmare-buhari.html">Premium Times</a></b></div>

Buhari Says PDP Is Nigerians' Worst Nightmare

The All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday said the Peoples Democratic Party was Nigerians’ wo...

Police Arrest Woman Who Stripped, Performed Sex Acts On BA Flight

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9m9eQtzme6bavTdZjcM_PLkDV2e9etqi13fe-002mJ0OEV6I_5dTcurWNlxmShXFb-SJEOl3lupEmJ72ymVoBM6YIJ4-v6k-Q_OQJEeIrpNw5M7cf41k0y6WtiKAIbLuouT0LMbU1F-Vv/s1600/British_Airways_So_2803633b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9m9eQtzme6bavTdZjcM_PLkDV2e9etqi13fe-002mJ0OEV6I_5dTcurWNlxmShXFb-SJEOl3lupEmJ72ymVoBM6YIJ4-v6k-Q_OQJEeIrpNw5M7cf41k0y6WtiKAIbLuouT0LMbU1F-Vv/s1600/British_Airways_So_2803633b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>You won’t be surprised to hear stripping off on a plane and then performing a ‘solo sex act’ will get you arrested.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A 46-year-old British woman probably knew this but was too drunk to care while on a flight to the UK from Kingston, Jamaica, on Thursday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Luckily the British Airways plane didn't have to turn back, which wasn't the case last week when someone did a smelly poo on board.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Officials didn't take kindly to her performance, which apparently included exposing herself, and she was detained once the plane landed in the UK.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It later emerged the unnamed woman was from south-west London and she received a caution for her drunkenness.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
BA weren't too keen to talk about the incident but confirmed police were asked to go to the plane when it arrived at Gatwick Airport.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><a href="http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/21/woman-strips-off-on-ba-plane-and-performs-sex-act-on-herself-gets-arrested-5114507/">Metro UK</a></b></div>

Police Arrest Woman Who Stripped, Performed Sex Acts On BA Flight

You won’t be surprised to hear stripping off on a plane and then performing a ‘solo sex act’ will get you arrested. A 46-year-old B...

Days To Elections, Another Foreign Poll Gives It To Buhari

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp9NqCHCLSXtX6g5GpYNy8mmSXhKok9rbUyzawZrbLnlWYpoIWjxqaL3e6vPJl1N4X0HI21a7KzLrlMBB_Kin52SVYsVADWE-8jX83PZdqN0LqkAJgfQb4Ttr_11xA2tKc1llci3230o-/s1600/Buhari+on+BBC.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMp9NqCHCLSXtX6g5GpYNy8mmSXhKok9rbUyzawZrbLnlWYpoIWjxqaL3e6vPJl1N4X0HI21a7KzLrlMBB_Kin52SVYsVADWE-8jX83PZdqN0LqkAJgfQb4Ttr_11xA2tKc1llci3230o-/s1600/Buhari+on+BBC.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>New York based political risk firm, Teneo Intelligence, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, is gaining momentum over  President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of next week’s election.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Teneo Intelligence,  in a  report yesterday,thought  Buhari  had  "an edge", but that “a last-minute upset by the incumbent president remained  a possibility.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It said: "President Goodluck Jonathan is banking on recent reports of the 'successful'  counterinsurgency offensive against Boko Haram to help turn the tide on his battered reputation... </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“However, the momentum of Jonathan’s rival Muhammadu Buhari of the main opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) continues to grow.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Despite the absence of reliable polling data in Nigeria, the most important signal that he could unseat the president is the change in the voting trend this time round.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Buhari’s support in the north (his home region) appears to be unwavering – he has consistently defeated his rivals there in the past three election cycles. This support is only likely to increase thanks to a growing anti-Jonathan sentiment in the region...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Buhari’s strong momentum represents a serious threat to many powerful business and political interests that have benefitted from the incumbent People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s 16-year political dominance. Consequently, entrenched interests will not easily concede a Buhari victory.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Teneo’s  prediction followed on the heels of the projection made last week by  the world’s  leading global political risk  research and consulting firm, Eurasia Group that Buhari  has a  60% chance of winning, depending on how a considerable tranche of uncommitted voters leans.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Eurasia’s Africa practice head and Analyst Philippe de Pontet wrote  that the electoral map is tilting to Buhari in swing regions in the Southwest and  the Middle Belt.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said that with Buhari in the saddles, investors could expect business-oriented policies.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He adds: "The election will still be difficult to call, but our expectation of a narrow Jonathan win was predicated on several factors that are losing some saliency late in the campaign.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Chief among them is the incumbency and financial advantages of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). While this still helps Jonathan, its impact is blunted by the intensity of support for Buhari, lackluster grassroots campaigning by the PDP, and new anti-rigging measures by the electoral commission.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/new/another-foreign-firm-tips-buhari-to-win-presidential-poll/">The Nation</a></b></div>

Days To Elections, Another Foreign Poll Gives It To Buhari

New York based political risk firm, Teneo Intelligence, says the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, General Muhamm...

How To Sell Presidential 'Lies' - By Ibraheem Dooba | Premium Times

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzKd4LaF-IrRzK_ydVKSQv1dBWO8e0lKXqRrYA9Lj8wHjQTusrokcobRI265JUHGf2Nebo78nivQiEu5xgD4c0v3elaYBfFuCMNzB2ltqa8nTttyQcWy1Iw6tC-UcZCcLlckKC2AbRVbS/s1600/Jonathan2-702x336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzzKd4LaF-IrRzK_ydVKSQv1dBWO8e0lKXqRrYA9Lj8wHjQTusrokcobRI265JUHGf2Nebo78nivQiEu5xgD4c0v3elaYBfFuCMNzB2ltqa8nTttyQcWy1Iw6tC-UcZCcLlckKC2AbRVbS/s1600/Jonathan2-702x336.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>“A well-wrapped statistic,” said Darrell Huff, six decades ago, “is better than Hitler’s “big lie”; it misleads, yet it cannot be pinned on you.” So, to save the ordinary citizen from the mischievous use of statistics, Huff deemed it fit to teach regular folks how to do wicked statistics, hence his book, <i>How to Lie with Statistics</i>.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Here’s how Huff defended his project: “This book is a sort of primer in ways to use statistics to deceive. It may seem altogether too much like a manual for swindlers. [But] the crooks already know these tricks; honest men must learn them in self-defence.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Unlike Huff, I wouldn’t (and can’t) cover all the angles people employ to deceive with statistics. Like him, however, it is a concern seeing how people abuse statistics and deploy them as a weapon to tell lies. So I propose to share three tips of how to spot a bad statistic.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>What is the baseline?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Seeing that it hasn’t fulfilled any shining promise, our government distributes and publishes statistics and makes nothing of the baselines. But you can use that to catch them. For example, if I present a report that says HIV kills six million people per year in Lagos, you can ask one question to quickly discover I couldn’t be telling the truth: what is the total number of people who die yearly from all causes (from accidents, cancer, of natural causes, etc.) in Lagos? If the answer is less than six million people per year, you’d know that statistic is a lie. It’s the baseline technique that Obasanjo’s Minister of Agriculture, Adamu Bello, used to expose the lies of Jonathan’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before then, the man and his ministry overwhelmed us with statistics, “We ended 40 years of fertiliser corruption in 90 days,” they informed us. Also, ‘the growth that the Jonathan administration has engendered in the agriculture sector is unprecedented’. It happened that this was a complete fabrication.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sharing data from the National Bureau of Statistics and the Central Bank of Nigeria, Adamu Bello argued that instead of growth, there has been a decline in the sector since Obasanjo left office. Statistics show that between 2003 and 2007, when Obasanjo left office, the growth in the agriculture sector averaged 6.85 percent per annum. The growth started declining immediately after he left office. And in 2013, under Jonathan, growth in the sector was 4.5 percent; the government failed its own target of 8.0 percent growth.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Also, the ministry of agriculture was simply being mischievous when it said that it eliminated ₦26 billion annual corruption in fertiliser distribution. Using the same baseline technique, we can ask what the total budget for fertiliser per year was in those years. That was what Adamu Bello did. The answer may surprise you: ₦3 billion!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
How can you steal 26 from 3? Bello said the total subsidy between 1999 and 2007 was under ₦25 billion. “This can be verified from the Budget Office of the Federal Ministry of Finance,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another baseline question, if ₦870 billion fertiliser subsidy was embezzled in 40 years, what was the total budget for agriculture for those years?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Adamu Bello doubted if the entire budget for the ministry of agriculture was up to that amount. “To claim that there was subsidy of ₦870 billion spent on fertilisers, since the use of fertilisers was initially encouraged by the government about 40 years ago, is most unfair, as I doubt if the entire agricultural budgets for the whole period was up to that sum,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dr. Adesina knew he could no longer win with statistics, so he changed tactics. He challenged Adamu Bello to tell the citizens his achievements in seven years as minister of agriculture.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Bello never told Nigerians the truth about his actual performance in office. Let him give details commodity-by-commodity, and let him state where and how this impact was felt,” Adesina said through his assistant on media, Oyeleye Olukayode.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Under a better president, Adesina could be a good agriculture minister. However, what we get from the ministry now is too much noise and a good deal of initiatives and acronyms: phone for farmers, e-wallet, Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria (FAFIN), NIRSAL, and so forth. As a result, we’re confused and overwhelmed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>What is the method?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Imagine <i>Daily Trust</i> has four columnists - Mohammed Haruna, Adamu Adamu, Mahmud Jega and Ibraheem Dooba. Respectively, they make ₦3 million, ₦2 million, ₦1 million and ₦5 million per month. What is their average monthly pay? If we add all the money together and divide by 4, we get ₦2.75 million. From here we can draw a conclusion that a <i>Daily Trust</i> columnist belongs to the middle class.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What if, however, Dangote starts writing for <i>Daily Trust</i>? Now, the paper has five columnists, but Dangote also brings his income of, say, ₦100 million per month. If we add all the five monthly pays together and divide by the five writers, we get ₦22.2 million per month. Now, we can say a <i>Daily Trust</i> columnist is a rich man. Is this conclusion valid? Yes. But the method that led to the conclusion is flawed. When we have numbers that are too high or low (outliers) in a data set, statisticians advise us to take the median not the mean.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now, if we do the calculation again using the median, we’ll get an entirely different result. To do that, we arrange the numbers in ascending order: ₦1m, ₦2m, ₦3m, ₦5m and ₦100m. Now we take the middle number, which is ₦3 million. Which is quite close to what we figured earlier before Dangote crashed the party - and a far cry from ₦22 million per month.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So when a politician gives you an average that sounds suspicious, you can ask which average he chose.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Bureau of Statistics demonstrated recently the importance of appropriate method selection in statistical analysis. Sokoto State was the poorest state in Nigeria, it said. Niger State was the least poor.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In response, the governor of Sokoto State, Magartarda Wamako, stepped forward, breathing fire: “An agency that failed to conduct a proper survey on what we have been doing as government to mop up the rate of unemployment in the state should not attempt to misinform Nigerians and the rest of the world that Sokoto is the poorest state in Nigeria with 81.2 per cent rate. Such a rating is unthinkable, utterly incorrect and misinforming,” the <i>Punch</i> newspaper reported him as saying on January 14.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It took NBS almost three weeks to deny the reports that it rated Sokoto State as the poorest state in Nigeria. On January 25, <i>ThisDay</i> published a statement from Dr. Yemi Kale, the Statistician-General, addressed to the chambers of Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN), the lawyer to the Sokoto State Government.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was confused further when last month, at a retreat organised by the gubernatorial campaign council of Niger State APC, officials from the Governors’ Forum told us during a presentation that Niger is one of the poorest states in the country. The conclusions of the bureau and that of the Governors’ Forum, while measuring the same thing, are at the opposite ends of the spectrum.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I asked the question, the Governors’ Forum said they are using a method completely different from the one the statistics bureau used. Instead of measuring income alone, they also measured other indicators of well-being such as health, education status, etc.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So if it sounds fishy, ask for the method.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Is it a lie?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When some conclusions are drawn from statistics, you immediately know that they are lies. A recent example of this is the recalculation of our GDP. President Jonathan and his mutual admiration society usually imply that the president grew our GDP to 500 billion dollars. No. He did not.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Recalculating is different from creating. Take for example, if the value of the products in my village’s weekly market had not been calculated for many years (even after its expansion) until now, and it’s found that the current value is far higher than what was calculated several years before, are we going to credit the incumbent chairman for this achievement even though there were many chairmen who contributed to the growth of the market before him?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Credit the incumbent, Jonathanians say: “Buhari’s shameful past is dwarfed by the achievements of Goodluck Jonathan. Under Jonathan, Nigeria has emerged as by far the largest economy in Africa with a GDP of $503 billion; nearly double the previous estimates,” Femi Aribisala wrote.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When Jideofor Adibe, a <i>Daily Trust</i> columnist, implied the same thing, I immediately threw away 70 percent of the respect I had for him; and I’m now sussing him out on the remaining 30 percent.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Actually, the <i>Economist</i> argued that the Nigerian economy is growing not because of Jonathan but in spite of him: “The single bright spot of his rule has been Nigeria’s economy, one of the world’s fastest-growing. Yet that is largely despite the government rather than because of it, and falling oil prices will temper the boom. The prosperity has not been broadly shared: under Mr Jonathan poverty has increased. Nigerians typically die eight years younger than their poorer neighbours in nearby Ghana.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So next time you feel you’re being conned with numbers, ask yourself the three foregoing questions.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Let’s end the way we started, with a wise counsel from Darrell Huff: “But without writers who use the words with honesty and understanding and readers who know what they mean, the result can only be semantic nonsense.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Ibraheem Dooba, Phd, is a data scientist</b></div>

How To Sell Presidential 'Lies' - By Ibraheem Dooba | Premium Times

“A well-wrapped statistic,” said Darrell Huff, six decades ago, “is better than Hitler’s “big lie”; it misleads, yet it cannot be pinne...

2015 Elections A Referendum On Jonathan's Performance - Omojuwa

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbI2rxmeqUgmwXadjQOLYg3IQ0DF1UAbjMtFlTRRciF7xgp53Nb7R5x1NX3PFXQtPeJiTvHhHAlwS_BCzF2gB-tGr3uCFuL-tyjZH90Md41RwvT8f2DiPifcH_nqNVjfnw5ITccsx5CEw/s1600/omojuwa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizbI2rxmeqUgmwXadjQOLYg3IQ0DF1UAbjMtFlTRRciF7xgp53Nb7R5x1NX3PFXQtPeJiTvHhHAlwS_BCzF2gB-tGr3uCFuL-tyjZH90Md41RwvT8f2DiPifcH_nqNVjfnw5ITccsx5CEw/s1600/omojuwa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Goodluck Jonathan or Muhammadu Buhari? Muhammadu Buhari or Goodluck Jonathan? Both have their strengths and weaknesses. A renowned Naij.com guest author Japheth Omojuwa compares the two most prominent candidates in the 2015 race to the presidential seat.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
General Buhari is running as a presidential candidate for the 4th time in a row. The only difference between his current effort and the three previous ones is the fact that this time, he goes to the polls as a clear favourite. Surely, there must be a reason why a man who, it looked like, never had a chance in the last 12 years is now solidly placed to win.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The reason? Two words: Goodluck Jonathan.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
President Jonathan said he deserved credit for the APC becoming what it is today. The president is right, but he missed the irony in his own assertion. He wants the world to believe the APC exists because his government created an enabling environment for the opposition to thrive when, in actual fact, the opposition rose on the hills of Jonathan’s incompetence.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
General Buhari has always been a phenomenon in the North – he still is – but the same could not have been said of the South until the run-up to the 2015 elections. Why is that? Because of the same old gee, Goodluck Jonathan. Nigeria’s current president has failed so many times many Nigerians are inclined to choose to vote for just about any form of matter over him.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Where exactly has Jonathan failed and why his failures should not be overlooked?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The president’s most telling failure is his inability to address the insurgency in the North. For many years, the president’s disposition to Boko Haram was: “they are killing themselves to make my government look bad”. This position was echoed by the president’s men and allies.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The belated response to the of 59 Buni Yadi boys in Yobe, the absurd delay in even believing the Chibok girls were truly abducted until some 18 days later, the Kano rally dance that came 24 hours after the Nyanya bomb blast, and several other shocking responses to Boko Haram’s activities sold the president out as being indifferent to the pains of Nigerians who live under the constant menace of terror.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meanwhile, General Buhari’s history as a no-nonsense leader proves he will not approach Boko Haram with kid gloves or underrate the terror group, to which President Jonathan has confessed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Corruption and government accountability are major issues in this election, and understandably so.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A November 2012 report says some ₦5 trillion was either misappropriated or outright stolen under the Jonathan administration. At least ₦1 trillion was stolen under the guise of fuel subsidies, if the House of Representatives’ report is correct. There is the $20 billion the then-Central Bank governor and now Emir of Kano HRH Muhammed Sanusi II said wasn’t remitted to the Federation Account. Two days ago, he was on CNN’s Amanpour insisting the government’s explanation for that was not satisfactory.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another former CBN governor, Prof Charles Soludo, insisted some ₦30 trillion has been lost due to the current administration’s mismanagement. As these words get written, the government has not issued a reasonable response to his charges. They offered a lot of emotional tantrums through President Jonathan’s campaign and the Ministry of Finance.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On this front, Buhari comes out on top again because of his reputation of never being the one about amassing wealth or using his privileged position to loot the country. He is generally perceived as upright. His choice of Pastor Yemi Osinbajo helped to cement that perception.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The third major deciding issue for this election is the economy. The Nigerian economy is walking on tightropes. The government likes to claim it has made Nigeria Africa’s No.1 economy. The economy was rebased in 2014. All the government did with the “rebasing” was to account for the inclusion of new sectors like the entertainment industry and telecoms into the calculation of the country’s GDP. This was accumulated over the previous 20 years or so, but the government has sold this as one of its achievements. Pictures of Cameroon (roads) were presented as completed road projects of this administration, and an image of a housing estate in Lekki was used as that of completed housing projects in the Northeast.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Four out of every five Nigerian graduates are out of jobs. Extreme poverty is unacceptably high, the Naira is seeing worst trading days ever. Perhaps, the greatest picture of that reality is Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, losing $7b in November 2014 alone; since then, he has lost enough money to make another person the 2nd richest on the continent. Nigeria’s foreign reserves continue to take a plunge. Its debts, local and foreign, continue to rise. It is all a mess out here.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is what the elections are about. <b>It is a direct Yes/No referendum on president Jonathan</b>. Not a few people voting for General Buhari will do so just to vote against President Jonathan.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Voting Buhari is the right thing if this really is about the future of Nigeria. Of the two available options, President Jonathan is a failed president. In a sane world, he would not even dream to be a candidate, let alone become one.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
General Buhari used to be a dictator. He has since learnt democratic tenets having, without resorting to violence, trusted the courts three times after losing previous elections. It is obvious he is in this because he firmly believes he can be the wise old man who sets Nigeria on the road to socio-political and economic recovery.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
General Buhari gets my vote. Easily. It is the most logical decision. In a country where money and materialism hold sway (including in the so-called religious houses), those who are able to share dollars will certainly turn many heads. What will matter in the end is how much Nigerians want “change”. Another four years with Goodluck Jonathan would be a disaster for Nigeria. It is time for Buhari.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><a href="http://www.naij.com/406399-omojuwa-on-chances-of-buhari-and-jonathan-in-2015-election.html?pk_campaign=ush">Naij.com</a></b></div>

2015 Elections A Referendum On Jonathan's Performance - Omojuwa

Goodluck Jonathan or Muhammadu Buhari? Muhammadu Buhari or Goodluck Jonathan? Both have their strengths and weaknesses. A renowned Naij...

Electing Buhari, Disaster For Africa - Former US Envoy

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXPBDZeetFfgl0eRN7gg-Ok7A4ab0QLlQ_k1JX1lrO9ngSRkDYDTSjwXvWlfNlM1LInUrEbh-uEEt7XiTevMX5sskOCxpr5ly21m7H-3xw8HYOtMg9_T2za7POI7CEyesH-WxQxke7uJ8/s1600/GMB+Media.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTXPBDZeetFfgl0eRN7gg-Ok7A4ab0QLlQ_k1JX1lrO9ngSRkDYDTSjwXvWlfNlM1LInUrEbh-uEEt7XiTevMX5sskOCxpr5ly21m7H-3xw8HYOtMg9_T2za7POI7CEyesH-WxQxke7uJ8/s1600/GMB+Media.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>A former spokesman for four United States Ambassadors to the United Nations, Richard Grenell, has said that if former military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, emerges as the next president of Nigeria in next Saturday’s elections, it would be a disaster for the entire African continent.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Grenell, who made the declaration in a piece titled: <i>Nigeria on the Brink</i>, and which was published in the Washington Times, a US based publication, of Thursday, March 19, 2015, described Buhari as working tirelessly to enthrone Sharia law across the country, which he said would further pose a major challenge to the fight against terrorism in Nigeria and the continent at large.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said, “Western foreign policy observers pre-occupied with the rise of ISIS in the Middle East should wake up to the reality unfolding in Nigeria. Opposition candidate General Buhari wants Sharia law throughout Nigeria. In fact, he wants it everywhere.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Is this an indication that Buhari supports violence because the end goal of the terrorist attacks throughout Nigeria and Africa is an Islamic state? It is a legitimate question that should be asked by leaders of the Obama administration.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Boko Haram has pledged its allegiance and support to ISIS. The Northern Nigerian based Islamic terrorist group wants Sharia law throughout the country and beyond. They are also actively terrorising Chad, Niger and Cameroon with their goal of an Islamic state.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Buhari has also spoken sympathetically about members of the terrorist group Boko Haram, has cautioned against a rush to judgement on its members and has personally been selected by the terrorist group to lead its negotiations with the Government of Nigeria.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Buhari’s election as Nigeria’s head of state would be a disaster for Africa. It would also signal trouble for the West’s fight against ISIS and terrorism throughout the Middle East.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to Grenell, incumbent president and Buhari’s main rival at next Saturday’s election, Goodluck Jonathan has made commendable inroads in strangling Boko Haram to submission in recent weeks and so deserves the support of the Barack Obama led United States administration and the rest of the world.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The Nigerian economy has been growing faster than South Africa’s. Imagine what Nigeria could do for Africa if it was also free of Boko Haram’s violence. The Obama Administration should be doing more to ensure Africa’s most populous country doesn’t slip away,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Speaking further, Grenell said that with the election in Israel over, the West must quickly turn its attention to Nigeria where the outcome of next Saturday’s presidential elections could have a profound impact on the future of Africa.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Islamic radicals have Africa on their target list and young Nigerians are reported to be interested in ISIS’ messages. Nigeria is at a tipping point. The West, and specifically the Obama Administration, needs to wake up to the growing problem,” he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In October 2014 during an interview with<i> TheCable</i>, an online news platform, Buhari had said that he was not a religious fundamentalist or extremist as his opponents had alleged and that all those trying to hang such malicious tag on him were merely attempting to demonise and tarnish his image, the <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/electing-buhari-as-president-disaster-for-africa-ex-us-envoy/">PUNCH</a></b> reports.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. In 2003, I chose Chuba Okadigbo as my running mate. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Edwin Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even a pastor, Pastor Tunde Bakare.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do? The era of short-changing people in the name of religion should stop,” he had said.</div>

Electing Buhari, Disaster For Africa - Former US Envoy

A former spokesman for four United States Ambassadors to the United Nations, Richard Grenell, has said that if former military Head of ...

Atiku Explains Absence At Buhari's Campaigns

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignB-zQyxcequJZrkghdpNToi-7-1noRAIv3hoNYyLNAWoyYS1w_jPkgkEI_jd7FBGxrlIjGGNtzBtyLgHY9ZtNcd3pOsfqe_-ZOXIuR5jH7RyZEARmMSPBKFpoA1McgbiUpy-SxWiMOuA/s1600/AtikuBuhari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignB-zQyxcequJZrkghdpNToi-7-1noRAIv3hoNYyLNAWoyYS1w_jPkgkEI_jd7FBGxrlIjGGNtzBtyLgHY9ZtNcd3pOsfqe_-ZOXIuR5jH7RyZEARmMSPBKFpoA1McgbiUpy-SxWiMOuA/s1600/AtikuBuhari.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has explained why he has not been attending the campaigns of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Atiku, in an interview with <b>BBC Hausa</b>, in the early hours of Friday, said he had not been invited to the APC presidential campaign rallies.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said he would not attend the campaign if not invited. The former vice president was an aspirant in the presidential primaries in which Buhari emerged the winner.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said: “There are minor irregularities in connection with the system being followed by the campaign team of General Buhari but we are trying to correct it. They need to check the strategy they are adopting.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Atiku said he had informed the Director-General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, about the issue. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“I told him that if he did not invite me, I will not go,” he added.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meanwhile, the former VP also denied reports that he was planning to return to the Peoples Democratic Party.</div>

Atiku Explains Absence At Buhari's Campaigns

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has explained why he has not been attending the campaigns of the All Progressives Congress preside...

Africa Magic Igbo Debuts April 2 On DStv Channel 159

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61uY7MsyUN-_SWnmYeUiajPPBQrQ2UWydUD5hdjJ1PNjaRAl8Gef6cYS0l7vrP-a_8EMni3TuKWht8R6YR9H2bRFqk9qmZSkHzY47tOxOzNq4_tTwwVYKzpq4qlBLguipsOf7VI-6b1Wg/s1600/Africa-Magic-Igbo-Channel-DSTV.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61uY7MsyUN-_SWnmYeUiajPPBQrQ2UWydUD5hdjJ1PNjaRAl8Gef6cYS0l7vrP-a_8EMni3TuKWht8R6YR9H2bRFqk9qmZSkHzY47tOxOzNq4_tTwwVYKzpq4qlBLguipsOf7VI-6b1Wg/s1600/Africa-Magic-Igbo-Channel-DSTV.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>In line with its ongoing development strategy, Africa Magic, the continent’s leading provider of African entertainment content, has announced the launch of a new channel, <i>Africa Magic Igbo</i>. Designed to showcase the rich Igbo culture of Nigeria, the 24 hour general entertainment channel follows the successes of the <i>Africa Magic Hausa</i> and <i>Africa Magic Yoruba</i> channels and will go on air at 19:00 CAT on the 2nd of April, 2015. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Africa Magic Igbo</i> will be available on DStv channel 159.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The launch of <i>Africa Magic Igbo</i>, which brings to eight, the total number of Africa Magic channels, follows the redefinition of the Africa Magic channels in 2014 and the recent refreshing of the Africa Magic Urban channel.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Speaking on the launch, the Director, M-Net (West Africa), Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, said: “We are thrilled to announce the launch of <i>Africa Magic Igbo</i>. Igbo language entertainment content has always played a prominent role in the Nigerian film and television industry and we are glad to offer a platform where this rich content can be showcased to the rest of Africa and the world.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Popular Igbo language content like <i>Living in Bondage</i>, <i>Nneka the Pretty Serpent</i> and many others set the trend for the modern Nigerian film and television industry, or Nollywood as it’s called; it is thus only fitting that such content should be given a platform where it is easily accessible by audiences around the continent. With the launch of <i>Africa Magic Igbo</i>, we have once again proven our commitment to providing content made for Africa by Africans.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The channel will appeal to audiences in and outside Nigeria, as the Igbo language is also spoken in a number of other African countries like Equatorial Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon. <i>Africa Magic Igbo</i> will also undoubtedly be popular with audiences across the continent as shown by the widespread success of the popular Igbo language movies of the 1990s, and our viewers can expect to see the best from renowned and exciting Igbo talent like Okey Bakassi, Chiwetalu Agu and Dede One Day amongst many others,” added Mba-Uzoukwu.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Africa Magic Igbo</i> launches on the 2nd of April 2015.</div>

Africa Magic Igbo Debuts April 2 On DStv Channel 159

In line with its ongoing development strategy, Africa Magic, the continent’s leading provider of African entertainment content, has ann...

Zamfara Emir Abducted From Palace By Unknown Gunmen

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAf3420-movPADXjs0t7qMT20DQDKhgTqgBwSvwacInuwl3dZmhnR0t2zB-LF-UUq6a7EVqfJBY3LTFkadl-yVMlnumLZzKzpV8KRu_6hdyNLEsOseIzXskkWPdOo5-65MCTgFW_-z5-Q/s1600/emir-of-bukkuyum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAf3420-movPADXjs0t7qMT20DQDKhgTqgBwSvwacInuwl3dZmhnR0t2zB-LF-UUq6a7EVqfJBY3LTFkadl-yVMlnumLZzKzpV8KRu_6hdyNLEsOseIzXskkWPdOo5-65MCTgFW_-z5-Q/s1600/emir-of-bukkuyum.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Gunmen on Friday picked up the Emir of Bukukuyum in Zamfara State from his palace. The emir was abducted after the gunmen fired many shots.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The whereabouts of the Emir Muahmmadu Usman remain unknown as of Saturday morning.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Commissioner for Information in the state, Ibrahim Magaji, confirmed the emir’s abduction.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Details coming up as they unfold.</div>

Zamfara Emir Abducted From Palace By Unknown Gunmen

Gunmen on Friday picked up the Emir of Bukukuyum in Zamfara State from his palace. The emir was abducted after the gunmen fired many sh...

Naira Gains Against Dollar; Stables Against Euro, Pound

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElQbLquh5tZmwF0IFBetqUQ3Ldd3fn874DIkdOgN7s0bnpKG9mJOaMG_zfuuOlAicNuqEfrb-ktqrK7CRDBdHdwtS_5tDQoLIBT1tssp7Y66935MH8tAf9AZdoynKV62UkrQ_Pn-jUJB-/s1600/naira_notes_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElQbLquh5tZmwF0IFBetqUQ3Ldd3fn874DIkdOgN7s0bnpKG9mJOaMG_zfuuOlAicNuqEfrb-ktqrK7CRDBdHdwtS_5tDQoLIBT1tssp7Y66935MH8tAf9AZdoynKV62UkrQ_Pn-jUJB-/s1600/naira_notes_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The Naira appreciated against the Dollar at the official and the parallel markets as at close of trading on Friday.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Naira exchanged at ₦225 for a Dollar as against ₦226 which it traded since March 16 at the Bureau De Change market.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
At the official market, the currency sold at ₦197 to the dollar, remaining stable at the same price since February.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Similarly, the Naira stood firm against the dollar at the black market as it gained 50 kobo to sell at ₦225.50 compared with ₦226 traded on March 17.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The currency remained stable against the pound sterling and euro at ₦294 and ₦212 respectively since March 17 at the BDCs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
However, at the official market, it was sold against the two currencies at ₦293 and ₦210, making it to shed ₦3 and ₦1 each respectively.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Naira, against the two currencies, was sold at ₦295 and ₦212 respectively at the black market.</div>

Naira Gains Against Dollar; Stables Against Euro, Pound

The Naira appreciated against the Dollar at the official and the parallel markets as at close of trading on Friday. The News Agency...

Mu'azu Says PDP Won't Have Landslide Victory But Will Win

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nkDr5u8Pj-u2xxuT7gYiDA3UmcnOF2YBGdiR22EKQvJYhYYbNBoqelLhKKcZiwVPdtmw03tPumMlLZr-0s9IRfFHv64u495R7m5wKT3lWekMviAwNJZoOz_NfG6HP6ZP6h1BQhihVft_/s1600/Muazu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nkDr5u8Pj-u2xxuT7gYiDA3UmcnOF2YBGdiR22EKQvJYhYYbNBoqelLhKKcZiwVPdtmw03tPumMlLZr-0s9IRfFHv64u495R7m5wKT3lWekMviAwNJZoOz_NfG6HP6ZP6h1BQhihVft_/s1600/Muazu.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, has said he is not expecting a landslide victory for the party in the general election, but he is convinced that the PDP will emerge victorious in the election.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to Muazu, “While I do not see a landslide victory coming, I am convinced that our party will perform creditably in the South-west and the North of Nigeria and elsewhere in all the elections this year because the evidence is clear that despite our travails at the beginning, we have done very well over the past 16 years of our nascent democracy since 1999 to record a victory. Those who disbelieve our resilience will be surprised for victory is ours.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Tony Amadi, on Thursday, Mu’azu also promised that President Goodluck Jonathan will declare a  marshall plan to rebuild the North-east geo-political zone affected by the war if he is reelected.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Our party has this programme on the top of our agenda in the next four years. That will be the right way to wipe away the scars of war among the people of that area,” Mu’azu stated.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to the national chairman, PDP would  win South-west and the North despite “our travails at the beginning.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He added that after three weeks of town hall meetings, PDP was inching its way to victory in the 2015 presidential election.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We shall continue this interactive engagement with Nigerians until  March 26 when campaigns officially end before the March 28 presidential elections, presenting our scorecard in government, our programmes in the next four years to 2019, using the town hall format and meeting our revered traditional rulers.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“The PDP has a special plan that will see them play more roles in government in the near future via the instrument of the constitution. We believe that the traditional institution is crucially important to the peace, harmony and progress of our father land,” Mu’azu added.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He blamed the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) for the media report that he had problems with President Jonathan.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“We are going around the country in search of undecided voters, who are the final battle ground where the election will be won or lost. The APC can continue to stir the rumour mills into believing that Mr. President and myself are in dispute, but we are very serious about winning a fourth presidential election and Insha Allah, we shall make it,” he said.</div>

Mu'azu Says PDP Won't Have Landslide Victory But Will Win

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, has said he is not expecting a landslide victory for ...