I Will Not Support Any Interim Government - Obasanjo

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLymZpLdrw3BeU9tEnU8bX0DtzIY4JCHgaxJlFl-hx3S95Q10UKn5gZzJwmd67TgoOg69-x7s7g0CsBDvdIv617enFDxZP-xfZ2XT2LFj2Kd_3rNbIJoKiZwe_SQe119MsWviZGi36er4s/s1600/Obasanjo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLymZpLdrw3BeU9tEnU8bX0DtzIY4JCHgaxJlFl-hx3S95Q10UKn5gZzJwmd67TgoOg69-x7s7g0CsBDvdIv617enFDxZP-xfZ2XT2LFj2Kd_3rNbIJoKiZwe_SQe119MsWviZGi36er4s/s1600/Obasanjo3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has predicted that Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari will be elected on 28 March as Nigeria’s new president, to succeed incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> At the same time, he dismissed fears of any election annulment as it happened in 1993, under the Babangida administration, when the election of Moshood Kashimawo Abiola was annulled by the military junta. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Obasanjo spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun state today, when he met a group that styles itself, Concerned Citizens of Nigeria. According to the former Nigerian leader, there will never be a repeat of what happened in the country in 1993 after the Presidential election. Obasanjo declared that he has confidence in the All Progressives Congress, APC Presidential candidate, General Muhammed Buhari because he was a trained military officer. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The group called on the former President to intervene in the country’s looming political crisis before matters degenerate.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "We have come to express our deep concern over series of dangerous political miscalculations currently going on under Jonathan administration. We are afraid that crisis is seriously looming and it is like another June 12 crisis is on the way and it may be very tragic for the country. We want you to as a matter of urgency intervene into the matter before it is too late sir", the group opined. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In his response,the former President allayed their anxieties, saying that the 2015 election will never be like the June 1993 election.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "You need not to worry about anything. There can never be any June 12 annulment again. Buhari is not Abiola, he is a trained and highly intelligent soldier.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "Oyegun is not Anenih, Osinbajo is not Kingibe. Jega is not Nwosu, Jonathan is not IBB and this time around, Obasanjo will not support any interim government.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "Obasanjo will rather support a free, fair and credible election."</div>

I Will Not Support Any Interim Government - Obasanjo

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has predicted that Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari will be elected on 28 March as Nige...

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Presidency Hits Dead End As Anti-Jega Plot Crashes

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJd-pvJkBBYCMW3Xbxn1XyW3sHEInm8x6nOjBuxI4qfr2sYceq412qpYsXQ-4Ic3_bXY6aK1ZafVLJw6lC6CSm8Ecih62SlgPiz4Co-e3tLIfEPyB_uf6O_ZU1iBI3x42YY_FmWuRFRVM_/s1600/Jega2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJd-pvJkBBYCMW3Xbxn1XyW3sHEInm8x6nOjBuxI4qfr2sYceq412qpYsXQ-4Ic3_bXY6aK1ZafVLJw6lC6CSm8Ecih62SlgPiz4Co-e3tLIfEPyB_uf6O_ZU1iBI3x42YY_FmWuRFRVM_/s1600/Jega2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Legal experts have told the Presidency the bitter truth about Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega - he cannot be sent on terminal leave. </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> There are two reasons for the legal opinion. They are that:</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> •no law or regulation compels political appointees to proceed on terminal leave; and</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> •the timing is “inauspicious and not strategic”. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Faced with the legal obstacle, the Presidency may have dumped the option of asking Jega to go on leave. Besides, President Goodluck Jonathan has said although he has the power to remove Jega, the INEC chief has not done anything to warrant his removal. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A top government official Tuesday said Jega will not be removed or asked to go on leave. But the comment of the supervising Minister of Information, Mr. Edem Duke, has caused disquiet in the cabinet. Some ministers believe that Duke's "inexplicit response to questions on Jega's fate" last Friday has been heating up the polity. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Duke said although the President has no plan to sack Jega, "this is not to say that, if it is time for INEC chairman to naturally exit his office, then the natural course of public service rule will not take place when he has reached the age of retirement or exhausted his tenure."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to a source, the legal advice emphatically said "political appointees are not subject to terminal leave".</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The source added: "I think we have been having this apprehension on Jega's fate because of the politics which beclouded non-renewal of the tenure of ex-INEC Chairman Prof. Maurice Iwu. I think in managing Iwu's exit, those behind it did not look at the legality of the process in asking him to proceed on leave." </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The source also said the Presidency was advised against allowing Jega to go on terminal leave because the "timing of the agitation is inauspicious and non-strategic". </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A top government official said: "President Goodluck Jonathan will not remove or ask Jega to proceed on terminal leave. He has told the nation of his position and he will stand by his words." </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> At INEC, however, a woman National Commissioner is still feeling bad that she was linked to the plot against Jega. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "The National Commissioner has been psychologically disturbed that she is being associated with treachery. Were it not for pressure, she would have addressed the press with some commissioners on why they are standing by Jega", a source said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Duke's comment is said to have caused disquiet in the cabinet. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "Everyone is disturbed that Edem Duke was not circumspect enough because as a Minister of Information, he ought to know that the press will take note of what is said, intended or unsaid", a source said. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The source added: "No one is happy that the story about Jega has been bordering on alleged plot to remove or ask him to go on terminal leave by the President. We believe as cabinet members, we should also not heat up the polity or create an image crisis for this administration. If you have noticed, the debate on Jega's fate heightened after Duke’s briefing last Friday. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "Not all members of the cabinet approved of Duke's comments, which left a few things hanging." </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Jega has shelved today's meeting with the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs). Instead, the INEC chairman has deployed all National Commissioners and the 37 REC in 12 states for the mock election taking place on Saturday. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The states selected are: Ekiti and Lagos (South-West); Anambra and Ebonyi (South-East); Delta and Rivers (South-South); Kano and Kebbi (North-West); Bauchi and Taraba (North-East); and, Niger and Nasarawa (North-Central).</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The mock election will be used for "field testing of the functionality of the Smart Card Readers".</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A National Commissioner said: "All National Commissioners and RECs are going to take part in the mock election which we are using to measure our preparation for the general election. The session between INEC chairman and RECs will now hold next week to enable the commission to consider the report on the mock election." </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal said we cannot play the ostrich with the plot to scuttle the elections. "It is clear that some people are not interested in a free and fair election."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Tambuwal, who spoke when he received a delegation from the Situation Room Advocacy also condemned any move to install an interim government which he said will amount to a coup because it has no place in the constitution. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Also on Tuesday, the House of Representatives sounded a note of warning to President Goodluck Jonathan's administration on the danger of removing the INEC chairman before the general elections. To show its seriousness, they threatened to initiate court action within the country and at the International Criminal Court (ICC), over supposed plots to remove Jega and shift the March 28th and April 11th elections. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The resolution of the House followed the adoption of the prayers of a motion by Hon. Ali Ahmad, Chairman House Committee on Justice. The "Motion on threat to further tamper with the status quo arrangements for the 2015 general elections" was seconded by Hon. Goni Bukar. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The House urged "the political class, government of the federation and of states and security agencies to heed the warning of imminent and present danger associated with any interference with the existing schedules of the general elections".</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It said it will "hold personally accountable at domestic judicial forum or at the International Criminal Court any person or organisation that foists on INEC any decision or action whatsoever, including unconstitutional attempt to remove the current INEC chairman, that has the effect of making it impracticable for the elections to hold on 28th March and 11th April, 2015". </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Arguing the motion, Ahmad said the initial postponement of the general elections for six weeks due to security concerns related to the Boko Haram insurgency has further heightened the tempo for pre-election violence. He expressed concern on the possibility, threat and insinuation to precipitate actions that would cause further alteration to the status quo arrangement and regulation of the general elections.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Ahmad said: "That such threats to tamper with the status quo may take several forms including, but not limited to, illegal removal of the current INEC Chairman.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "That there is already documented evidence from several sources that any change in status quo arrangements, especially removal of the INEC chairman, presents a possibility of violence and would occasion the sowing of seeds of a major crisis," he said. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The lawmaker said civil society organisations and lawyers, including usually reticent Senior Advocates of Nigeria have sounded "a note of warning" and threatened a "showdown". </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to him, such removal will be unconstitutional, "given the decision of the Supreme Court that removal of the chairman or members of such an independent electoral body as INEC pursuant to S.157 (1) of the Constitution can only be achieved when two things happen, viz: (a) for his inability to discharge the functions of the office, or ( b) for misconduct, as determined by 2/3 majority of the Senate (Governor of Kwara State v. Ojiabor. 2007)."</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Ahmad said such deliberately induced violence "may snowball as it did in 2011 post-election period into widespread or systematic attack, persecution, arson, murder, thereby amounting to serious crimes of concern to the international community, as contained in Article 5 of the 1998 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which Nigeria is a signatory." </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> However, the Deputy Leader of the House, Leo Ogor, objected to the motion, saying that it was "totally speculative" at best and should not even be entertained, not to mention being passed. His objection was overruled by Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, who called for a voice vote. It was unanimously passed by members.</div>

Presidency Hits Dead End As Anti-Jega Plot Crashes

Legal experts have told the Presidency the bitter truth about Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru ...

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Tell Nigerians How Much You Paid Chatham House For Poll Shift, APC Challenges PDP, FG

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUuRw17RDBEz95_hgzxuaaQM9VuiTxonPyRLKthrNtlB-OQttUD_aBDuWXJC9uX8m7VH9MT9kFwGOnRFZZxYOn3cUetPB-N45b1dyU2SiL0IFDEN8gNQ0myaMRwagoGjkLaQIYS91XWxr/s1600/Dasuki-Sambo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUuRw17RDBEz95_hgzxuaaQM9VuiTxonPyRLKthrNtlB-OQttUD_aBDuWXJC9uX8m7VH9MT9kFwGOnRFZZxYOn3cUetPB-N45b1dyU2SiL0IFDEN8gNQ0myaMRwagoGjkLaQIYS91XWxr/s1600/Dasuki-Sambo1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>The All Progress Congress Presidential Campaign Organization has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party and the Federal Government to disclose how much was paid to Chatham House to give the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, the platform to call for the postponement of the general election earlier fixed for February 14 and 28.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Reacting to allegations by the PDP that the party spent ₦5 billion to enable its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari speak at Chatham House, the APCPCO said the government should tell the whole world how much it paid to Chatam House before it granted Dasuki audience.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> While speaking at the Chatam House, the NSA had said the elections were not feasible due to security concerns and the Service Chiefs later informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that they cannot guarantee security during the elections, leading to a six-week postponement of the exercise.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> However, after Buhari’s address at the Chatam House, the PDP said the opposition party spent ₦5 billion to enable the former head of state deliver his address at the prestigious British institute.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the organization lamented that Jonathan’s administration has taken propaganda to a ridiculous level of childishness, triviality and banality.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Shehu said any suggestion by the PDP that the APC bribed Chatham House to get its presidential candidate speak at the institute was a reflection of the general opinion that the ruling party has not only run out of ideas and popular goodwill.</div>

Tell Nigerians How Much You Paid Chatham House For Poll Shift, APC Challenges PDP, FG

The All Progress Congress Presidential Campaign Organization has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party and the Federal Government to ...

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Wow! 107-Year Old Man Ties The Knot With His 95-Year Old Lover

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJXpXYsqkGXQ_qv7ypBu3JHkJU_emm5RhW7mYqB-dv37dzqwAoMHdcFKpuGFvUEDLyqM6Mqdg7zpZ6U0t9fyACkKH0jaln9rfbeus_1x6dlOpZKH17Nkt8gXKro6izzG06bEikOo1ejUN/s1600/Old+Couple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJXpXYsqkGXQ_qv7ypBu3JHkJU_emm5RhW7mYqB-dv37dzqwAoMHdcFKpuGFvUEDLyqM6Mqdg7zpZ6U0t9fyACkKH0jaln9rfbeus_1x6dlOpZKH17Nkt8gXKro6izzG06bEikOo1ejUN/s1600/Old+Couple.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>For 70 years, Elder Dikam Garba Dabo’ok and Mrs. Ka’a Nafung had lived together as husband and wife. But the couple, now 107 and 95 years respectively, have found a new sparkle to rekindle their marital love in the church.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The church ceremony in Plateau State, has remained the talk of the town in the social diary of the state and may remain so for a long time. This is particularly so because the celebrants are the first couple in the history of the state to be administered marital vow at such unusual ages.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> At 95, the bride is well past her menopause. Her surviving first child is 65 years old. The groom, popularly known to many in his neighborhood as <i>Baba Dikam</i>, is 107 years old and may no longer be sexually active. But all that is not enough to discourage the couple from walking down the aisle arm-in-arm for a new marital oath.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The ceremony, which was held at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Chizu village in Bwai, Mangu Local Government Area of the state, was a delight to watch as it was packaged in the manner that young grooms and brides would walk down the aisle. The groom was dressed in black suite and a red neck tie to match, while the bride stepped out dressed in a pure white wedding gown with a neatly made hair to match. They drove to the church in separate vehicles, as if they never met before. The groom was accompanied by cutely dressed men and the bride by a long bridal train.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> They had a procession and matched into the church separately as if they never met before. They only came together after they were wedded by the officiating pastor. The officiating pastor of the church, Rev. Tongwe Sale, congratulated the couple and admonished them as if they were young couples. He said: “Marriage is ordained by God and it should be kept sacred.” He charged them to keep faith in God since they are still alive, noting that although they are old, they can still be important in the lives of their children and grand children.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Taking his message from Genesis 1:26-27, Rev. Elisha Pam spoke on the topic, “Marriage: Highly mysterious” and pointed out that when God created Adam, the woman was already in existence in the body of man, after which she was brought out in a mysterious way and Adam named her Eve. He noted that the grounds for a solid marriage are patience and obedience through Christ as he read Ephesians 5:21</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> They happily took the oath that they would love themselves until death do them apart. They also vowed not to allow a third party in their marital life. They signed the marriage certificate after the service and marched out of the church dancing to the admiration of their guests.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When they got outside the church auditorium, the newly wedded couple posed for photograph in various styles and angles. After the photograph session, they moved in a car and zoomed off to the reception ground accompanied by their guests, children, friends and family members.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When it was time to cut the wedding cake, the couple walked hand in hand to where the colourful cake was placed. The groom continuously gazed at his wedding ring in a manner that suggests that the occasion was a dream come true for him. Like marksmen, they held the knife firmly and on completion of the spelling of Jesus, they cut the cake and feebly smiled at the guests. They trilled their guests with the ceremonial culture of couple feeding one another with the cake and non-alcoholic wine. After feeding themselves, the newly wedded couple danced to the music blasting from the loud speakers in “old school” style to the admiration of their guests.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It was celebration galore at the reception for the family and friends of the couple. The couples told their excited guests at the reception their true life stories. They said it was the grace of God that allowed them to solemnise their marriage in the church.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The groom narrated his life story thus: “I had seven wives and 32 children during my younger days, but I did so because I did not know Christ. But that made me great among my contemporaries as only those who were wealthy could do that. But in spite of that, God remained faithful and merciful for me. I have a lot of testimonies to show that God was so faithful to me. I am now in a better position to advise my children and my well wishers to live the life of Christ. I don’t want any of my children to emulate my past life style, because you may fall out of the grace and mercies of God. But I’m so pleased because my children are committed to Christ; they lived the life of Christ, they were the ones that insisted I must come to Christ and take their mother to the altar.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Before now we lived our lives outside Christ, but from today, we are now confirmed children of Christ. It would have been worse for us if we had died without Christ. But God has protected our lives up till this moment to come to Him.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> One of the children of the couple, Barr. Zephaniah Garba was full of appreciation and praises to God when he spoke with our reporter. He said: “I am full of joy today because my father has come to profess Christ at his old age. I have been looking forward to this day and I thank God they were able to make it. I want to encourage those who did not conduct their marriage in Christian way to try and do so; it is never late. My father’s own should be an example to others, you can still do it”.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> There were goodwill messages from the Chairmen of PCC Kabwir, Rev. David Musa, and Langtang North LG Chairman elect, Hon. Daniel Dandul, while various dance groups added colour to the event as the couples cut their wedding cake.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Credit: <a href="http://thenationonlineng.net/new/drama-as-107-yr-old-man-takes-heartthrob-95-to-altar/">The Nation</a></b></div>

Wow! 107-Year Old Man Ties The Knot With His 95-Year Old Lover

For 70 years, Elder Dikam Garba Dabo’ok and Mrs. Ka’a Nafung had lived together as husband and wife. But the couple, now 107 and 95 yea...

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Default In Subsidy Payment, Cause Of Fuel Scarcity - APC

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfOpdR2UduwsUsJjwq81BG9sba0VCeDg7xLMyeTLKy-AuAdYJr0o8htPsoCn_cG2mAVmdEvHJIVs5oI24t23e3jiw57H88-aMh50ibeo9zOLlFaoAevRUiVK-yz1HQWFWOcdy6ehe93gI/s1600/Fuel+Scarcity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfOpdR2UduwsUsJjwq81BG9sba0VCeDg7xLMyeTLKy-AuAdYJr0o8htPsoCn_cG2mAVmdEvHJIVs5oI24t23e3jiw57H88-aMh50ibeo9zOLlFaoAevRUiVK-yz1HQWFWOcdy6ehe93gI/s1600/Fuel+Scarcity.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the real causes of the debilitating fuel scarcity across the country are President Goodluck Jonathan's administration's failure to pay fuel subsidy and the cost of interests on bank loans to oil marketers, thus making it impossible for them to begin another round of importation of refined petroleum products. </b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The party also said the crisis in the energy sector could be traced to an alleged looting of the $12 billion domestic gas fund under President Jonathan's watch.  In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the PDP and the Jonathan Administration decided to divert attention from those problems by accusing the opposition of being responsible for the scarcity - a most laughable and irresponsible statement by a sitting government that is always so eager to blame everyone but itself for the nation's woes. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> It recalled that the self-styled Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had, in February, promised to pay all subsidies owed to the marketers then in the sum of ₦264 billion, along with the accrued interest. APC said, however, that the failure to meet this obligation has made it impossible for the oil marketers, who are being owed heavily, to finance another round of products importation, <b><a href="http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/apc-links-fuel-scarcity-to-default-in-subsidy-payment/203217/">THISDAY</a></b> reports.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> ''The truth is that this profligate government has run Nigeria aground, and the oil sector, whether upstream or downstream, has particularly suffered hugely.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "The quantity of petroleum products that was imported has almost been fully consumed, without fresh products being brought in to augment supplies that have now fallen well below re-order level .</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> ''The implication is that in addition to worsening power supply, crumbling prices of oil at the international market, weakening Naira and unprecedented corruption, Nigerians - who routinely provide their own electricity to power their homes and business, now".</div>

Default In Subsidy Payment, Cause Of Fuel Scarcity - APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the real causes of the debilitating fuel scarcity across the country are President Goodluc...

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VIDEO: Al Jazeera Talks To Goodluck Jonathan

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVEzVFSfQVbley_pvV5smyvvkq9FUHcrLLapChrnR8Gg-HNXshy9QSKZcC3UIT4yHz1BCxy0x52EwaBNwG6DFngHJwhtLX305b5961AvaRSzMdkO4JPQH1dgXjbZLsLZM805fqac_NHH9/s1600/GEJ+AJ.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzVEzVFSfQVbley_pvV5smyvvkq9FUHcrLLapChrnR8Gg-HNXshy9QSKZcC3UIT4yHz1BCxy0x52EwaBNwG6DFngHJwhtLX305b5961AvaRSzMdkO4JPQH1dgXjbZLsLZM805fqac_NHH9/s1600/GEJ+AJ.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b><br /></b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to defeat Boko Haram, the armed group that has killed thousands of people in the country's northeast.</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Jonathan denied mishandling the Boko Haram crisis and allegations that a recent escalation in military operations against the group was politically motivated.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In the interview, the President reaffirmed that the he is not thinking of sacking INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega saying the position is a sensitive one no one would wake up and fire the helmsman.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He also expressed fears about violence during the upcoming presidential election which was postponed because of a lack of security.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> When asked if he would bow out gracefully if he loses, Jonathan was not emphatic in his response. Rather than a straight forward response, he boasted that he would not lose the election.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Al Jazeera</b>'s Yvonne Ndege spoke to Jonathan in Lagos.</div> <br /> <object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="400" id="flashObj" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=4088836693001&playerID=1513015402001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAmtVJIFk~,TVGOQ5ZTwJYzP5l-b5uZA0wXezQXHPxp&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=4088836693001&playerID=1513015402001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAmtVJIFk~,TVGOQ5ZTwJYzP5l-b5uZA0wXezQXHPxp&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="640" height="400" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Source: <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2015/03/al-jazeera-talks-goodluck-jonathan-150302191010773.html">Al Jazeera</a></b>

VIDEO: Al Jazeera Talks To Goodluck Jonathan

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to defeat Boko Haram, the armed group ...

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