Buhari Did Not Jail Ajasin - Family

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXIaMu-RdFE66O8iUnLF3BCSRdtSIQj0bmoxbEoZOkTEqAfXPb81CfLFJXZADYMfK-IoGTJl7p-X_9hXQYhV77VEmdhyy5b3EG4pwRBc9gdCBAq9Q2Azd02eJy2CSYz0f6pjfz5NfdFqe/s1600/Ajasin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUXIaMu-RdFE66O8iUnLF3BCSRdtSIQj0bmoxbEoZOkTEqAfXPb81CfLFJXZADYMfK-IoGTJl7p-X_9hXQYhV77VEmdhyy5b3EG4pwRBc9gdCBAq9Q2Azd02eJy2CSYz0f6pjfz5NfdFqe/s1600/Ajasin.JPG" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Contrary to the insinuation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, jailed the first civilian Governor of Ondo State, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, his family has said Buhari’s military government only detained the late Afenifere leader and was later released after interrogation.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The family cautioned the PDP to stop using their father’s name to campaign against the APC.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Ajasin family also said they had forgiven Buhari over the arrest of the former governor in 1984.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The family spokesman, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, who spoke to journalists in Akure on Thursday, maintained that his father had forgiven the former Head of State long before his death.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He cautioned politicians, particularly those seeking elective positions to base their campaigns strictly on issues rather than irrelevances.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said, "It will be totally wrong for anybody to say that Gen. Buhari's government jailed my father. No, that is not correct. It was true that my father was detained under Buhari's military regime along with other former governors in Nigeria and two panels of inquiry were consequently set-up to look into the allegations against my father and others. But the panels found my father innocent and exonerated him as well.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "What Buhari did then was part of military policies and tradition. Though, many Nigerians were not happy with that, but my father had since forgiven Buhari before his demise.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "As far as the issue is concerned, the family of Ajasin had forgiven Buhari as well. Because as Christians we should exhibit the spirit of forgiveness always. The bible says Father forgive us as we forgive those who offend us."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The former governor’s son said he met Buhari at a function sometime ago where the duo happily embraced each other, indicating that the disagreement was over.</div>

Buhari Did Not Jail Ajasin - Family

Contrary to the insinuation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen ...

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Amaechi Is Right. I've Failed Rivers - Jonathan

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_TrrLcKhoZ0kGvwbewrpL9CuBcv-t54F21nlv5H11sdYOWqgZycC1tFuiM5VvSbamIQgNM59RtygdknBrTGxYF9MnyhilQ3k2847f5rVWczobH2s7AXStkfwcYIQXBwgmfV2ku04JrEw/s1600/GEJ+PHC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_TrrLcKhoZ0kGvwbewrpL9CuBcv-t54F21nlv5H11sdYOWqgZycC1tFuiM5VvSbamIQgNM59RtygdknBrTGxYF9MnyhilQ3k2847f5rVWczobH2s7AXStkfwcYIQXBwgmfV2ku04JrEw/s1600/GEJ+PHC.jpg" /></a></div> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>President Goodluck Jonathan has admitted the criticism by Governor Rotimi Amaechi that his government has not done anything for the people of Rivers State.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This, he said, was because he did not want to be seen as an ethnic leader. Hence, his resolve to ensure the equitable distribution of resources across the country.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Jonathan’s wife is from Rivers State.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> President Jonathan, who spoke during the presidential rally of the Peoples Democratic Party at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Igwuruta-Ali, Ikwerre Local Government of Rivers State, however, promised to develop the South-South region if elected for a second term in office.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The President was reacting to the criticism by Amaechi, who is also the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation, that he (Jonathan) had not done anything for Rivers and Bayelsa states.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Describing Amaechi’s statement as a challenge, Jonathan admitted that though he had not allocated more development to his people, the situation was an indication that he (Jonathan) meant well for the country.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He pointed out that he accepted Amaechi’s challenge, but would do "something" for the South-South states when he is re-elected,</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The President said, "What I want to tell you and the rest of the country is that the Director-General of the APC presidential campaign organisation, when he was in Yenagoa and when he was in Port Harcourt, mentioned clearly that the President had done nothing for the two states.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "Don't worry. It is good news because people are saying that I concentrated development in the South-South. Bayelsa State was part of Rivers State. Then, if I don’t concentrate development in this state, that means there has not been development in Rivers and Bayelsa states.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "The DG (Amaechi) is telling Nigerians that I have not done this. That means that I am a transparent person. I did not allocate positions to my people. The DG would have been the very first person to expose me to the rest of the world; not just Nigeria. He would have taken me to America, to South Africa, to France, to UK, but that shows clearly that we mean well for this country.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "In our development, every part of Nigeria must be carried along. You will agree with me that when we looked at the university education, and we insisted that look, the Federal Government must make sure that all Nigerian youths must have opportunity for university education.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "We did not divide North or South; we made sure that all the states that had no federal university got a federal university. I am not going to comment on development in Rivers State and Bayelsa state. I can reassure you that just work with us; vote for us on February 14, for me and Sambo and on February 28, for Wike and Ipalibo. Since we have been challenged that we have not done anything, we will do something."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Earlier, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, had expressed confidence that the party would win the February 2015 presidential and governorship elections.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Calling on the people of the state to vote for the PDP, Wike, who was formally presented with his party’s flag, criticised Amaechi for his (Amaechi) refusal to approve the application by the state PDP for the usage of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In her remarked, the President’s wife, Patience, boasted that the PDP would get over 2.4 million votes in Rivers State, adding that such a feat would be an improvement on the 2 million votes won by the party in 2011.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Mrs. Jonathan said that only the PDP had done a lot in the area of women empowerment, maintaining that the women had been able to manage the economy of the country.</div>

Amaechi Is Right. I've Failed Rivers - Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has admitted the criticism by Governor Rotimi Amaechi that his government has not done anything for the peo...

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Ogun Vigilante Fires At Gov. Amosun's Convoy

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwybSRnhOrFa4CVWL84WGWypLVdsoaK4WiSz7L5MsEbrnQNJdMBKnuXKj3KOGAtLwBplC2llGAZLmw1XExmGbjzD6RQbv-DoCQr4O3tZ6gTW1xNXtLkQPtotZnOYq7M0qKCROk7KWhHua/s1600/Amosun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwybSRnhOrFa4CVWL84WGWypLVdsoaK4WiSz7L5MsEbrnQNJdMBKnuXKj3KOGAtLwBplC2llGAZLmw1XExmGbjzD6RQbv-DoCQr4O3tZ6gTW1xNXtLkQPtotZnOYq7M0qKCROk7KWhHua/s1600/Amosun.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>A member of Ogun State vigilante group on Wednesday night fired gun shots at the convoy of the governor, Ibikunle Amosun, at Agbado in the Ifo Local Government Area of the state.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Amosun, his aides and some members of the Ogun State executive council as well as supporters of the All Progressives Congress were on campaign tour of the council area when the shooting occurred at about 10.00pm.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/vigilante-fires-at-amosuns-convoy/">PUNCH</a></b> correspondent learnt that the local security outfit to which the vigilante belong was part of the security on ground for the visiting governor and his team.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The bullet from the vigilante’s gun reportedly hit a white Toyota Coaster bus, marked <b>Ogun 12 OGGH</b>, conveying commissioners and the governor’s senior special assistants.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The bus was said to be few metres away from the governor’s vehicle.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> However, none of the government officials, said to have been shaken by the incident, was injured but the bullet made a hole on the side of the bus.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Commissioner for Forestry, Adebayo Faari, was said to have sat directly at the side where the bullet penetrated the bus.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The security men on the entourage immediately rushed to the scene and dispossessed all the vigilantes of their rifles.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Vigilante Service, Soji Ganzalo, confirmed the incident but said the incident occurred when a security officer from the convoy alighted from his vehicle and was trying to take away the rifles belonging to members of the OSVS.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Police spokesman in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, said he was not aware of the incident.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "We have not been informed about the incident," he told our correspondent.</div>

Ogun Vigilante Fires At Gov. Amosun's Convoy

A member of Ogun State vigilante group on Wednesday night fired gun shots at the convoy of the governor, Ibikunle Amosun, at Agbado in ...

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French Police Question 8-Year Old Over Terror Remarks

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRhuXbnOl2sqm8kivIgnX654EQCmVHiGRQ-7u3w3dno_I0FQmsun6q_v24OFPAwNpAV5ki7CA0MY0FJquq6AUY4bE738ZNvnTdsLlk_wUAn0R1F38mdPbH2c6GDtqwmEOE-3SFMwQ1jJi/s1600/Child.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBRhuXbnOl2sqm8kivIgnX654EQCmVHiGRQ-7u3w3dno_I0FQmsun6q_v24OFPAwNpAV5ki7CA0MY0FJquq6AUY4bE738ZNvnTdsLlk_wUAn0R1F38mdPbH2c6GDtqwmEOE-3SFMwQ1jJi/s1600/Child.JPG" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Reports that French police questioned an 8-year-old after he allegedly made comments in school in praise of terrorists have highlighted fears that the authorities may be going too far in their crackdown on hate speech.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Police in the southern city of Nice said they questioned the child and his father on Wednesday following a report by the school’s headmaster.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The child raised concern when he refused to take part in a minute’s silence for the victims of a January 7 attack in which Islamist gunmen shot dead 12 people at the Paris offices of satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, according to Marcel Authier, in charge of the region’s public security.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The <b><a href="http://www.punchng.com/news/french-police-question-8-year-old-over-terror-comment/">Punch</a></b> reports that the boy’s teacher said the child also expressed "solidarity" with the gunmen, who claimed their gruesome attacks were justified by Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Islam’s holiest figure.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "In the current context, the school principal decided to report to police what had happened", said Authier, who stressed no complaint had been filed against the boy.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "We summoned the child and his father to try to understand how an eight-year-old boy could hold such radical ideas," he added. "Obviously, the child doesn't understand what he's saying."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The boy's lawyer Sefen Guez Guez was not immediately available for comment but on his Twitter feed he wrote that the child admitted having said the words: "I am with the terrorists".</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to the tweet, when police asked the child what the word "terrorism" meant, he replied: "I don’t know."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Soon after, the Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), a leading anti-racism watchdog, released a statement denouncing "the collective hysteria that has engulfed France since early January".</div>

French Police Question 8-Year Old Over Terror Remarks

Reports that French police questioned an 8-year-old after he allegedly made comments in school in praise of terrorists have highlighted...

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All 68.8 Million PVCs Ready For Collection - INEC

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYt4UW8wssBBly9Q7o5gH2a_EmWTrCkG3iK0PJ39J_nc6TwdFz0XFHdXHLnpQq_sHN7i2-FefxNRmzGwV43iduDcYy-O25ZUoRTbaxJ-o2qFTGjtWtbPiz1E8WDDAogvjO3rQTLVLILQ-/s1600/inec-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSYt4UW8wssBBly9Q7o5gH2a_EmWTrCkG3iK0PJ39J_nc6TwdFz0XFHdXHLnpQq_sHN7i2-FefxNRmzGwV43iduDcYy-O25ZUoRTbaxJ-o2qFTGjtWtbPiz1E8WDDAogvjO3rQTLVLILQ-/s1600/inec-logo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, enjoined those who fear that non-availability of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) will hurt next month’s general elections to have a rethink. Reason: All the cards have been printed and are ready for collection.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, <i>Afenifere</i>, on Wednesday after a four-hour meeting in Akure, country home of its chairman, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, lamented that more than 15 million voters had not collected their cards and 14 million voters cards were yet to arrive the country.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It said non-distribution of 30 million PVCs, about half of the over 60 million registered voters will not lead to a credible election.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Indeed, the polity has been awash with hiccups trailing the collection of the PVCs, which prompted calls for postponement of the polls from some quarters.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Speaking on the issues, yesterday, Mr Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to INEC National Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, said it was not true that 14 million PVCs were yet to be printed.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> His words: "All the PVCs have been printed. Altogether, 68.8 PVCs were printed. We have received 65 million PVCs which are out for distribution. The remaining 3.8 million PVCs will be out there between tomorrow (today) and Friday."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> To ensure hitch-free polls, INEC urged would-be-voters who are yet to collect their PVCs to do so, warning those without the cards not to come to the polling booths during the polls.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Speaking at a stakeholders consultative meeting towards a successful and violence-free 2015 election, hosted by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Akin Orebiyi, threatened to arrest those found around polling units on election day without voters cards.</div>

All 68.8 Million PVCs Ready For Collection - INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, enjoined those who fear that non-availability of Permanent Voters Card...

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Soludo, Fayemi And Fani-Kayode: My Takeaway - By Iyabo Obasanjo

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjmDyBQrpPLEAFxQfrAMOdqoH_wjZ56Oa_TeVUCopSv-lNVeZ2QjPzreYAWGbjd8wTDhcurW8eeXXb-nEJbFaRFxpavoGmtid4V8k-60pBXxTkhlIwmfrVqnq5rXPCyQWtEVYWhsoRT2-/s1600/Iyabo_Obasanjo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjmDyBQrpPLEAFxQfrAMOdqoH_wjZ56Oa_TeVUCopSv-lNVeZ2QjPzreYAWGbjd8wTDhcurW8eeXXb-nEJbFaRFxpavoGmtid4V8k-60pBXxTkhlIwmfrVqnq5rXPCyQWtEVYWhsoRT2-/s1600/Iyabo_Obasanjo1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>ProfesSor Soludo's article on the elections in Nigeria is the best writing I have read recently on the real situation politically and economically in Nigeria.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The well-articulated response from Dr. Fayemi compared to the abuse infused response from Femi Fani-Kayode on the PDP side is a great example of the contrast of the status-quo compared to the alternative.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Whatever the case and I don't expect miracles form APC but right now they have more thinking people than the PDP. As a Yoruba person, Dr. Fayemi's response is how we expect our educated elite to take up issues and not the mad rantings of Fani-Kayode.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> I agree with most of his premise but I do not think they (APC) can take up a massive public works program in a period of "famine" i.e. low oil prices.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> During the great depression when Roosevelt used public works to help provide jobs, it was the stock market that failed i.e. Government revenue was affected from tax income but income from exportation which was then mainly agricultural goods was not affected.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The government could use money from its coffers to create jobs and provide skills and training, which people could then use in the private sector.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The best part of Dr. Fayemi's response is that it is not elite focused. Nigerian governance as I saw it was not a democracy but an elitocracy - govt of the elite by the elite for the elite and even if you grew up in near death poverty once you left those circumstances you forgot where you came from and concentrated on your immediate family and matters affecting the well-being of the elite.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Changing this perspective to make the elite understand that their well-being was in fact dependent on the well-being of the masses will be APC's challenge.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> They are sourcing from the same pool of elite talent that every Nigerian government has to source from and it is this pool that essentially has to be different or we will find ourselves again at precipice as usual.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Iyabo Obasanjo DVM, Ph.D, a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wrote from the United States of America.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Source: <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/soludo-fayemi-fani-kayode-takeaway/">Vanguard</a></b></div>

Soludo, Fayemi And Fani-Kayode: My Takeaway - By Iyabo Obasanjo

ProfesSor Soludo's article on the elections in Nigeria is the best writing I have read recently on the real situation politically a...

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