PDP moves to stop Jonathan’s removal

November 24, 2014 by John Ameh 

 

 

National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu'azu

The Peoples Democratic Party may have started offering ‘re-election tickets’ to its members in the National Assembly as a means of dissuading them from supporting the reported   drive by the All Progressives Congress lawmakers to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan.

In the House of Representatives in particular, the bait was said to have “toned down” the anger of some PDP members, who ordinarily would have backed the bid to remove Jonathan.

An influential National Assembly source said on Sunday that “many of these lawmakers have long fallen apart with their state governors.

“They have been told before now that they should forget any ambition to return in 2015.

“Attempts they made to use the Presidency to intervene in their case also did not turn out in their favour.

“But, with the impeachment move against Jonathan, the party is now assuring some of the members to keep supporting the President as the tickets can still be theirs.”

About 113 lawmakers, largely of the APC fold, began collecting signatures   to impeach Jonathan after the police and Department of State Service operatives locked the gates of the National Assembly on Thursday.

Many of them,   including the Speaker,   Aminu Tambuwal, were held out for hours as a result of the security action.

The development led to commotion as angry members resorted to scaling the gates to enter the National Assembly premises.

Amidst a rain of tear-gas, the enraged lawmakers also forcibly took Tambuwal into the chambers to preside over the day’s proceedings.

The security action was said to be connected with the October 28 defection of Tambuwal from the PDP to the APC.

However, the police claimed that they acted on a security report indicating that some persons planned to invade the National Assembly.

Investigations showed on Sunday that the PDP immediately started reaching out to its members after it turned out that the collection of signatures was real.

The party was said to be mobilising the PDP caucus against joining their APC colleagues in any bid to impeach Jonathan.

A senior PDP member, Mr. Bethel Amadi, confirmed to The PUNCH that the caucus would be mobilised to stop any impeachment move against Jonathan.

Amadi said, “Jonathan has not committed any offence to the best of our knowledge. There is no reason to drag Mr. President into any crisis happening at the National Assembly.

“In any case, we (PDP) are in the majority, both in the Senate and the House. So, any talk of impeachment can only make one laugh.”

But, The PUNCH gathered that the PDP was wooing Senators and House members with the return tickets to keep them in check.

Another source said, “You know that to impeach the President there must be a joint effort of the Senate and the House.

“While one arm can initiate the process, it cannot get far without two-thirds support of both chambers.

“That is why, getting senators and House members to stay out of the APC’s plot is vital.”

Findings also showed that the ‘return tickets bait’ was the reason some PDP legislators were still not showing strong interest in the impeachment move.

It was learnt that by the first week of December when the picture would have become clear on whether they would get   return tickets or not, the PDP lawmakers “will begin to come out in their true colours.”

A third source, who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja said, “After the primaries, you will see surprises. Many PDP members in the House are as angry as their APC colleagues.

“They have only two weeks to decide on many issues.

“By December, those saying that there will be no two-thirds will be surprised.”

When contacted, the APC caucus told our correspondent that its members were not retreating on the issue.

One of the front-liners in the collection of signatures, Mr. Ahmad Ali, claimed that more members had signed up since the first set of 113 began on Thursday.

Ali, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Justice, said,”In the House, the collection of signatures is gaining traction.

“I cannot tell you the exact number now.” House Minority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, also said that the “impeachment is on course.”

“PDP people have plans, we have plans. We are all planning,” he said.

Jonathan’s Government Is The Most Corrupt Since 1960 – New York Times

Jonathan’s Government Is The Most Corrupt Since 1960 – New York Times

“The Nigerian Status Quo” was written by Adewale Maja-Pearce for the New York Times on November 16th.

The current Nigerian government is widely seen as the most corrupt since independence from Britain in 1960. Ordinarily, this would be a huge problem for President Goodluck Jonathan and his People’s Democratic Party, which has been continuously in power since the end of military rule in 1999. But things are unlikely to change. To many Nigerians, it sometimes seems as if we merely swapped military dictatorship for a one-party state.Mr. Jonathan’s name will be on the ballot this February, when Nigerians, many of them fed up with government corruption and incompetence, go to the polls. Yet events percolating across the country that could come to a boil within the next three months might actually work to the president’s advantage. Two grave problems — the Boko Haram insurgency and tensions in the oil-rich Niger Delta — hang over the land. A third, West Africa’s Ebola crisis, seems to have been contained so far, and though this has little to do with Mr. Jonathan’s leadership, the people responsible for it are unlikely to gain any political capital at his expense.
The incompetence of Mr. Jonathan’s government is most clearly seen in its inability to rescue the 276 schoolgirls, most of them believed to be Christians, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in the largely Islamic north last April. Even at the time, the president, himself a Christian from the largely Christian south, didn’t seem much concerned about their fate. It took him almost three weeks to officially acknowledge what had happened, whereupon he belatedly invited their relatives to lunch at the presidential villa in Abuja, an event which one journalist likened to “a wedding reception,” complete with bunting and a band.
What Mr. Jonathan didn’t count upon was the international furor over the kidnappings or the powerful worldwide publicity, negative in his case, of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. Seven months later, most of the girls are still missing (though dozens have managed to escape). A report by Human Rights Watch catalogued the “physical and psychological abuse they were subjected to: forced labor, forced participation in military operations, including carrying ammunition or luring men into ambush; forced marriage to their captors; and sexual abuse, including rape.”
Meanwhile, sporadic violence continues. Last week, a suicide bomber killed at least 48 students at a boys’ high school in the northeast. Rescuing the girls — or putting an end to the insurgency altogether — would certainly help Mr. Jonathan’s ambitions, but his government’s ability to do so seems most unlikely. Corruption and low morale have hobbled the military. Even so, the government announced last month that the extremists had agreed to a cease-fire, though Boko Haram has denied it.
Although the extremists have been widely condemned by leading Muslim clerics and politicians, the insurgency contributes to Christian suspicions of their Muslim compatriots, and this may well play into Mr. Jonathan’s hands come election time.
But in an effort to bridge sectarian divisions and garner votes across the religious divide, the country’s leading opposition parties, one from the largely Muslim northeast, the other from the mostly Christian southwest, have joined forces with other groups to form the All Progressives Congress. In theory, this gives the opposition a fighting chance of wresting control of the Senate and House of Representatives from the People’s Democratic Party.
Unfortunately, efforts to make common cause in Nigeria are invariably sacrificed upon the altars of religion and ethnicity. The alliance’s likely presidential candidate is a Muslim northerner, Muhammadu Buhari. He also happens to be a former dictator, who ruled Nigeria for 20 months in the mid-1980s. His administration came to an abrupt end in August 1985, when members of his cabinet, alienated by his efforts to root out corruption, forced him out. Though widely unpopular, many Nigerians feel he has the credentials to tackle corruption. Moreover, one potential running mate is Babatunde Raji Fashola, the two-term governor of Lagos State who has distinguished himself by successfully tackling the incipient Ebola crisis with the same energy and efficiency that he brought to modernizing the infrastructure of Lagos, the biggest port in West Africa. But there are also doubts about his commitment to clean government, fueled by the fact that he is a protègé of Ahmed Bola Tinubu, a former governor of the same state and a founding member of the All Progressives Congress whose reputation has been tarnished by corruption scandals, even though he has never been convicted of corruption.
Though Mr. Fashola is a Muslim with a Catholic wife, few Christians (or for that matter even the generally more-liberally minded Muslims of the south) would be inclined to vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Religious differences are a key factor in voting, but perhaps patronage plays a greater role, a lesson Mr. Jonathan learned in the Niger Delta, where he taught school and gained political prominence. Like any savvy politician, he knows that patronage is a two-way street, and he has been careful to keep the money flowing in a region plagued by resentment over oil rights, piracy and periodic unrest.
Oil is Nigeria’s greatest source of wealth, providing about 90 percent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings, but many people among the delta’s diverse ethnic groups feel that the central government has seized control of their oil without adequate compensation. The government says it loses about $3 billion a year due to piracy, widely seen as aided and abetted by the military. Local gangs also take what they can by tapping pipelines. In the past, anger over corruption and the unfair redistribution of wealth has fueled a dangerous political militancy. Everyone knows that if the militants want to, they can easily stop oil production, which would bankrupt the country.
Thus Mr. Jonathan takes care to ensure that the region is well looked after, and this contributes to his enormous popularity there. Indeed, he is widely seen as crucial to keeping the lid on potential unrest. In the words of Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, a former leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force who is now a key supporter, if Mr. Jonathan is not re-elected next year, there will be “blood in the streets.”

Read more http://newswirengr.com/2014/11/24/jonathans-government-is-the-most-corrupt-since-1960-new-york-times/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Jonathan supervises a corrupt govt, says Amaechi

by Olusola Fabiyi

Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has said President Goodluck Jonathan “is supervising a highly corrupt government.”

He also claimed that “there is no democracy yet in Nigeria.”

The governor, who spoke in Abuja on Saturday, insisted that he had no personal quarrel with President Jonathan, adding that if governance could be separated from the President, he (Jonathan) “remains a good man.”

He, however, regretted that the President “is supervising a highly corrupt government.”

He described the form of government being practised in Nigeria today as diarchy.

While reacting to the invasion of the National Assembly by the police on Thursday, Amaechi described the action as uncivilised.

He said the actions of the police in recent times had shown that they had been pocketed by the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

He said, “We don’t have democracy in Nigeria yet. What we have is diarchy. We don’t have a democracy. Diarchy is dictatorship. The Federal Government has appropriated the police as its personal property. The FG has taken over the police. See the way the police took over the National Assembly. By law, the police have no power to invade the National Assembly and they have no power to stop the Speaker from going in or out of the National Assembly complex. But they don’t obey law.”

He insisted that his party, the All Progressives Congress, would not go to court if the PDP decided to rig the 2015 presidential elections.

Instead of going to court, he said the APC would form a parallel government.

He said, “What is the essence of going to court when the Federal Government don’t obey the law. That’s why the APC say we won’t go to the court any longer. If you rig us out, we would rig ourselves in; which means if you think you can rig us out in 2015, we will form our own government. We have met on that and we have agreed on that. We will instal our own government and there would be two governments.

“The only way to avoid a parallel government is to have a free and fair election. You can’t continue to use the police as if it is a private agency or company of the government.”

While saying that the Police in South Africa is currently investigating President Jacob Zuma, he wondered if the police in Nigeria would be allowed to play such a role in the country.

“Are you aware that the President of the South Africa is being probed by the police? Can that happen here? In this country, they slap judges. Seven members of a state (Ekiti) House of Assembly claimed they have sacked a Speaker,” he added.

On Boko Haram, the governor said it would be difficult to convince Nigerians that the Federal Government was not deliberately allowing the crisis to continue in order for it to decimate the votes that would come from the North-East in 2015.

The zone is considered to be a stronghold of the APC.

Amaechi said Nigerians knew the capability of their soldiers, who he said went to Liberia and liberated the country from the hands of the rebels only for them to be having problems dislodging a rag-tag army of insurgents in the country.

He said, “The Federal Government deliberately allowed the Boko Haram to overrun many villages in the North-East. If it is not a political agenda, why would the military not be able to chase away the rag-tag army of Boko Haram?

“They don’t want elections to hold in the zone so that there wouldn’t be election in the zone. If there is no election in the North-East, they believe that the APC would lose.

“If they are not afraid of the APC, let them restore law and order. The zone is in the hands of the APC. Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Yobe states are all APC states. The only state where it could be 50:50 is maybe Taraba State. Apart from this, other states in the zone have always voted for Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, one of our presidential hopefuls.”

Taraba Assembly Speaker resigns

The Speaker of Taraba House of Assembly, Mr Josiah Kente has resigned his position.

Kente told journalists on Monday in Jalingo he had forwarded his resignation letter to the Clerk of the assembly.
The speaker said he took the decision in the interest of peace in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that Kente was elected speaker in November 2013, following the death of his predecessor, late Mr Haruna Tsokwa.
He thanked the people of the state and members of the seventh assembly for their cooperation during his one year tenure as speaker.

Jonathan Responds To Obasanjo: I am The Best Leader Nigeria Has Ever Produced

President Goodluck Jonathan has described himself as the best leader to be produced by Nigeria. The President said no leader since the country gained independence in 1960 had done better than himself for the country. He, therefore, said the comment made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which the ex-President described Jonathan’s performance as below average, was untrue.

---

by OLUSOLA FABIYI

President Goodluck Jonathan has described himself as the best leader to be produced by Nigeria.

The President said no leader since the country gained independence in 1960 had done better than himself for the country.
He, therefore, said the comment made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in which the ex-President described Jonathan’s performance as below average, was untrue.
Jonathan said this in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, in Abuja on Sunday. President Goodluck Jonathan
Okupe’s statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to comments made by a former President of this country, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, regarding the performance of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Obasanjo had at an event over the weekend declared that he rated the President Goodluck Jonathan administration ‘below average’.
“We aver that Obasanjo’s comments are untrue, misleading and clearly do not tally with the facts on the ground.
“We therefore wish to assert without equivocation that in terms of performance and achievements, no administration since 1960 when Nigeria gained independence from Britain, has done as much as that of President Jonathan.”
He said that every discerning and unbiased Nigerian would definitely attest to this “as the evidence stare all of us in the face.”
Okupe, who had also worked with the former President while in office, added that contrary to Obasanjo’s position, the Federal Government under Jonathan had performed excellently given the prevailing circumstances and resources available to it.
He said while it was true that Nigeria had been faced with incidents of insurgency and terrorism, especially in the last few years, the Jonathan administration had successfully contained the initial widespread activities of the insurgents, which he said were prevalent in 12 states of the North, including the Federal Capital Territory.
He added, “While it is true that the present activities of the terrorists in the three north-eastern states have become more deadly in mindless killings, kidnappings and supposed territorial seizures, government has made giant diplomatic strides with our neighbouring countries in order to checkmate the crisscrossing of the insurgents.
“The military and other security agents, which have engaged the insurgents since inception, have done a great job in spite of recent challenges.
“The truth of the matter which we must know and accept is that we have an internal enemy supported by internal and external resources waging a major warfare against our nation.”

Nigerian airports among the worst in Africa, FAAN differs

Agency says country’s aviation facilities highly rated
THREE Nigerian airports have been rated among the worst in Africa. While Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, is voted the 10th worst in Africa, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Port Harcourt International Airport, Port Harcourt were ranked the seventh and the sixth worst airports on the continent.
  Other airports with dismal performance in 2014 are Khartoum International Airport, Sudan (first); Kinshasa N’djili International Airport, Democratic Republic of the Congo (second); Tripoli International Airport, Libya (third); Dar es Salaam Julius Nyerere International Airport, Tanzania (fourth); Luanda Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport, Angola (fifth); N’Djamena International Airport, Chad (eighth) and Accra Kotoka International Airport, Ghana (ninth).
  This was contained in a survey conducted by The Guide To Sleeping in Airports, the website that documents information on airports and the people who sleep in them.
  In a statement by the website, voters submitted stories as they relate to unfortunate airport experiences across the continent.
  “From dirty floors and bathrooms to the regular request for bribes, travellers were unimpressed with the airports that made it onto this year’s worst airports in Africa list.
  “Other complaints revolved around a lack of air conditioning in sweltering climates, general navigational chaos, limited yet expensive restaurant options and questionably effective security processes.
   “While travelling through these airports, most people prefer to skip the airport sleeping experience altogether and splurge on a nearby airport hotel instead. These airports task patience of travellers,” the report stated.
   However, five airports made the list of the best in Africa. The list includes Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport, South Africa, which is ranked the primus inter pares in Africa.
  This is followed by Cape Town International Airport, South Africa (second); Durban King Shaka International Airport, South Africa (third), Algiers Houari Boumediene International Airport, Algeria (fourth); and Addis Ababa-Bole International Airport, Ethiopia (fifth).
  In Europe, Charles de Gaulle airport, France was voted the worst, followed by Sheremetyevo in Moscow, which one traveller called “hell on earth.”
   FAAN spokesperson, Mr. Yakubu Datti, has, however, dismissed the result of the survey, saying that it could not be accurate.  In a telephone interview with The Guardian, Datti said other organisations had positively rated Nigeria airports. “I am just arriving from an event where improvement of Nigerian airports has been applauded,” he said.
   He promised to provide data that would counter the result of the survey, but he did not do so until press time.
    Several attempts made in the recent past by FAAN to improve the state of the airports through private-public partnership have been enmeshed in controversy. FAAN had at several times disagreed with indigenous concessionaires over contract terms. The recent examples are Maevis Ltd., an integrated automated service provider, and Bi-Courtney Limited, the concessionaire of the MMA2.
   FAAN said the agreements were skewed in favour of the concessionaires and to the detriment of the Federal Government.
  These disagreements have exposed many international passengers to hardship at both the Lagos and Abuja airports. Experience of such passengers may have contributed to the rating that Nigerian got in the survey, said a passenger, Mr. Asekun Thomas.
  Stakeholders said the contention around concessioning agreements may   prevent investors from showing interest in building aviation infrastructure in the future.
Courtesy:Guardian News.

Who would you prefer to marry – a rich cheating partner or a poor faithful one?

November 15, 2014 by Jesusegun Alagbe

Who would you prefer

Finding the right partner to spend the rest of one’s life with is not always easy. It comes with so many challenges as there are factors to consider before settling down with one. While many people would prefer settling for a partner with good character, some others would certainly see the financial capability of the partner as a plus. Though experts have said that money should not be the primary determinant in the choice of a life partner, how many people would marry somebody who is not comfortable financially? Saturday PUNCH asked some people who they would prefer out of a poor but faithful spouse or a rich but cheating one.

I can’t have good life with a rich cheating man

Kenny Damilare

As enticing as it can be, I cannot marry a rich but cheating dude. There are many sexually transmitted diseases out there and it is sure that one day, he will contract one of them, transfer it to me and then, I will start treating the disease with the money. That is not a good life. Apart from that, since he may think it is his wealth that attracted me to him, he may not respect me and may not have much time for me. There are many ladies out there for him, you know. With a poor but faithful guy, we can get rich together if we work hard. After all, poverty is a status that can be changed with determination.

I don’t mind marrying a poor man who is ambitious

Abimbola Kajotoni

If a man is poor now but ambitious, I would not mind. It is only a man that is poor and useless at the same time that a woman should avoid by all means. He will frustrate you. Since poverty is a disease that can be cured, I will rather go for a man who is poor now but who is hard working and has the mentality of success than go for a rich cheating man who will keep hurting my feelings and make me feel inferior. Success built together lasts longer than the one which is not worked for.

Riches don’t guarantee a happy home

Omalasoye Adeola

I cannot be attracted to a man because he is rich, even if he is not the cheating type. I will go where my heart leads me. If God gives me the go-ahead to marry the poor guy, I will go for him. I know that poverty is not permanent. Meanwhile, we do not need to have so much money before we live comfortably. In fact, riches do not guarantee a comfortable life at times. I will rather marry a man who is faithful but has little money than marry a lousy rich man whose wealth can even diminish at any time.

He can cheat, but he must be rich

Anita Chi

Who needs a man’s faithfulness these days? It is unfortunate that his faithfulness will not put food on the table if he is poor. He can cheat for all I care, but he must be rich. And what even guarantees that the poor faithful guy will not end up cheating also if he becomes rich? There is no marriage that is 100 per cent perfect; compromises will have to be reached in many cases and that does not portray the woman as desperate. My husband’s riches will cover up for his cheating behaviour. I don’t care.

It’ll be very difficult to decide

Badaru Tosin

A woman cannot know a man’s real attitude when he is poor. If a man is poor but faithful, who knows whether he will change his attitude when he becomes rich? Because the actions of human beings cannot be predicted, I will only depend on God to make a decision. However, I will definitely not settle for a rich cheating dude. He is not a better alternative. If a man is rich but has natural weaknesses, that is better, but not going around town and sleeping with other women.

A poor but faithful woman is a treasure

Oremule Ayobami

I will go for a poor and faithful woman anytime, any day. With her, my mind is settled. There will be no need to have high blood pressure. There is no need to monitor her steps. I will have peace and respect from her. I will also go to any length for such a woman to make her happy. I will be motivated to work hard and make more money to take care of such a woman. She will be a treasure that deserves to be well taken care of.

If she fears God and is rich, I’ll be happier

Adewuyi Seun

Marrying a rich cheating woman would only give one unsettled mind and can even lead to one’s untimely death while living with a poor but faithful woman can at least give one peace of mind. As for me, what matters most is that the woman should have the fear of God, no matter her financial status. A rich woman with the fear of God is okay because being poor does not give the assurance that the woman will not cheat. If she fears God and she’s rich, I will be happier. If she is poor and fears God, we can still build our lives together.

I prefer poor, but encouraging partner

Teniola Ayodeji

A man who is poor but visionary will not be attracted to a rich woman in the first place. He will work hard and stay on course until he also becomes successful. With this hope constantly burning in him, he will not mind his present condition. He knows that one day, things will be better. If he eventually marries a rich woman, he will count it as a plus to his life, not as an opportunity. In short, I will not go for a rich, cheating partner. A poor, faithful and encouraging type is better by far.

Marrying a rich woman can make a man lose focus

Akande Emmanuel

The truth is: money has wings and it can fly anytime. In other words, I cannot marry a woman because she is rich not to talk of combining cheating with her status. It is definitely a no-go area. A hard working man like me will put in his best to ensure he succeeds in life against all odds. In fact, marrying a rich woman can be a temptation that may make a man to lose focus in life. However, if a rich lady has good attitude and we love each other, of course, we can marry.

I prefer a poor but hard-working lady

Aina Oluwakoya

Riches do not make marriage rosy. It is only faithfulness and respect for each other that count. I will not sacrifice my self-worth because of a woman’s wealth. There are so many rich couples out there who are frustrated – some of them have no settled homes because they ignore the foundation of a successful marriage. They are rich but lonely. I prefer a poor, faithful, hard working and positive woman to a rich, desperate and cheating one. With the former, we can turn around our fortune together and we will live happily thereafter even when things seem not to be smooth initially.

Another military helicopter crashes, kills three

November 15, 2014 by Fidelis Soriwei

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun
| credits: http://thecitizenng.com

An Air Force fighter helicopter that was deployed for military action against the Boko Haram crashed in Adamawa State.

The Defence Headquarters confirmed the death of three crew members in the military helicopter which crashed on Thursday night.

News of the latest crash came about two months after a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet was reported missing during routine operations in Adamawa State on September 12.

The Defence authorities said in a statement posted on its official blog, http://defenceinfo.mil.ng/, that the crash occurred by 10pm on Thursday around the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State.

It was stated that rescue workers worked throughout the night to preserve the wreckage of the aircraft and the crash scene.

The statement read, “At about 2200 hours yesterday 13 November 2014, a ground attack helicopter on an armed patrol crashed around the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State.

“The crew of three was lost in the ill-fated accident.

“Rescue party worked throughout the night to preserve the wreckage of the aircraft and scene of the accident for proper investigation to be carried out. Further details would be made known later.”

However, a source, who confided in our correspondent, said that the aircraft, an M-1 35 helicopter, crashed at Sangere in Girei Local Government Area of the state while on a mission to prevent insurgents from advancing to Yola.

The source said that the aircraft was deployed to halt the insurgents’ advance to Yola after they were dislodged by the military from Mubi on Thursday night.

It was stated that the aircraft crashed about 10 Kilometres from the Adamawa State capital.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun, had said during a recent forum at the University of Ibadan that the Air Force had made over 6, 000 successful missions in the operations area.

The missions involve airlift of troops and equipment, rotation of forces, evacuation of casualty, attack missions and surveillance operations and reconnaissance missions.

My suicide attempt wasn’t because of a man – Abubakar

By 'N. Ben-Nwankwo and A. Olonilua

Halima Abubakar

Earlier in the week, popular actress, Halima Abubakar, on her instagram account, hinted that she almost committed suicide last year. She posted a picture on the social media page with the caption, “I remember this time last year I wanted to kill myself, I am glad I did not because I know it is straight to hell. But I was suicidal, I am happy to be in a better place. God I adore you.”

Sources have alleged that the Kogi-born actress actually wanted to take her own life due to ‘man palaver.’

However, when Saturday Beats contacted the actress concerning the allegation, she denied it. She said she wanted to commit suicide simply because she was “depressed.”

She however, refused to give details concerning what led to her depression.

“Sorry I don’t want to share the experience, I have been talking about depression for a long time. I don’t want to have an interview,” she said.

Probably bitter that none of her close friends commented on her post, she referred to them as “fake friends.”

She later posted. “Thank you all for your support, I truly appreciate it. None of the people that I know personally has commented. It shows how fake their friendship is. Thank God I made this post, God bless you all.”

Boko Haram militants capture Chibok again

By Fidelis Soriwei and Adelani Adepegba with agency report

Boko Haram

Members of the outlawed Boko Haram sect have, again, seized Chibok, the home of over 200 schoolgirls abducted by the insurgents in April.

The insurgents attacked and seized the town on Thursday evening, residents said.

The attackers have repeatedly targeted villages around Chibok over recent months.

A senator from Borno State, Ali Ndume, told the BBC Hausa service that security forces deployed in the town ran away when the insurgents attacked.

Residents said the insurgents headed to the centre of Chibok and declared that they were taking it over as part of their caliphate.

The insurgents have changed tactics in recent months by holding on to territories rather than using hit-and-run attacks that have left thousands dead.

It was, however, learnt that the attackers were those dislodged from Mubi by soldiers on Thursday.

A security source said troops engaged the insurgents in a lengthy gun battle at the headquarters of the Chibok Local Government Area.

Our correspondent could not ascertain the casualty figure as of the time of filing this report.

The source said, “The Boko Haram fighters attacked Chibok again on Thursday night but the soldiers gave them a good fight.

“From what we heard, the insurgents were those dislodged from Mubi following attempt by soldiers and the vigilante members.

“You know that vigilante members were drawn from all the local government areas of Adamawa. Some also came from Gombe and Kano states.”

But another security source said the insurgents only attacked Chibok and left without occupying the place.

Our correspondent could not get the Defence Spokesman, Maj. Gen Chris Olukolade, to comment on the attack as the calls to his mobile telephone line indicated that it was either switched off or in an area outside of network coverage.

Chairman, Chibok Community in Abuja, Chief Tsambido Abana, who confirmed the Chibok attack on Friday, explained that the situation in the town was dicey and the condition of residents uncertain.

Abana said, “I have been getting information that Boko Haram has attacked Chibok town again. Those that were able to escape to a place where there are mobile networks phoned me that the militants were shooting at people and for now, we don’t know the number of those that have been killed.

“I also learnt that the Army and the vigilante group have responded to the attack and they are engaging the terrorists, but for now, the situation is not clear. I believe within a day or two, we would get a clear picture of the situation.”

Mercedes renames vehicles to avoid customer confusion

Mercedes Benz logo
| credits: en.wikipedia.org

Mercedes-Benz is changing the way it identifies its cars and light trucks as it prepares to launch 30 models, including 11 all-new vehicles, by 2020.

In addition to new models, Mercedes said it would also introduce new body variants and drive systems, Autonews reports.

“This results in an increasingly complex situation when it comes to naming the models,” a statement by the company said.

Mercedes joins Infiniti and Cadillac among luxury brands changing the way they name their vehicles.

The new nameplates will begin appearing next year when Mercedes will launch redesigned or freshened versions of all of its crossovers and SUVs.

Some dealers have said the proliferation of models has posed marketing challenges and caused confusion among consumers, especially when companies have adopted alphanumeric names.

Head of Mercedes Brand Marketing Communication, Jens Thiemer, in a statement said, “After more than 20 years of continuity involving some of the most recognised and successful product names in the world, we are now making our system of vehicle nomenclature even more understandable.

“The new nomenclature is a simpler, more transparent and more logical system for the designations of our model series, with the aim of providing clear orientation for our customers.

“Mercedes will have five core models: A, B, C, E and S. All crossovers will have a GL in their name in a tribute to the legendary G-Class and the letter that follows will indicate the vehicle’s size, similar to the way the company has differentiated its sedans through the years.”

According to the statement, the renamed crossover lineup is given as follows: the compact GLA keeps its name and is short for the GL A class, the compact GLK is renamed GLC for the GL C class, the midsize M class becomes the GLE for the GL E class and the all-new midsize coupe based on the current ML becomes the GLE coupe. While the G remains the same, the full-size GL becomes the GLS for the GL S class.

According to the report, the company’s four-door passenger cars with coupe-like styling would all have CL as the first two letters in their names and the third letter would refer to the size related to the core models. The cars include the compact CLA and the larger CLS sedans.

Beginning in 2016, Mercedes said the SL designation would be used on two-door roadsters and the third letter would indicate the size. The SLK would be renamed SLC while the SL name won’t change “in recognition of its iconic status,” the company said.

Furthermore, engines, other than gasoline-powered, also would get new designations with a single lower-case letter on the trunk lid: c for compressed natural gas, currently called Natural Gas Drive, d for diesel, replacing BlueTEC and CDI, e for electric and replacing Plug-in Hybrid BlueTEC Plug-in Hybrid and Electric Drive. Others are f for fuel cell, currently F-Cell and h for hybrid, currently Hybrid and BlueTEC Hybrid.

2015: Jonathan schemes for S’West votes

 By Niyi Odebode, John Alechenu and Olusola Fabiyi

President Goodluck Jonathan
| credits: nigerianbulletin.com

President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party are eyeing votes from the South-West to ensure the victory of the party at the first ballot during the 2015 presidential poll, investigations have revealed.

Saturday PUNCH reliably gathered that the President and his party feared that winning the North-West and the North-East might be impossible during the presidential election.

It was learnt that they had become jittery because of the realisation that losing the South-West might cost them the presidential election.

The party has, therefore, mandated members of the party from the zone holding public offices to ensure the victory of the President.

Saturday PUNCH also learnt that members from the North-West and the North-East in public offices had also been told to ensure that the President scored at least 25 per cent in the zones.

It was gathered that the performance Jonathan got from a constituency or a state would be one of the criteria for reappointing those currently holding public offices at the national level.

Investigations revealed that the party reasoned that if the President defeated the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate in the South-West and scored 25 per cent in the North-West and North-East, the second election would not be avoided.

According to Section 134 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, “A candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected, where, there being only two candidates for the election -

(a) He has the majority of votes cast at the election; and

(b) He has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

(2) A candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election-

(a) He has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and

(b) He has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

(3) In a default of a candidate duly elected in accordance with subsection (2) of this section their shall be a second election in accordance with subsection (4) of this section at which the only candidate shall be – (a) the candidate who scored the highest number of votes at any election held in accordance with the said subsection (2) of this section; and (b) One among the remaining candidates who has a majority of votes in the highest number of States, so however that where there are more than one candidate with majority of votes in the highest number of States, the candidate among them with the highest total of votes cast at the election shall be the second candidate for the election.

(4) In default of a candidate duly elected under the foregoing subsections, the Independent National Electoral Commission shall within seven days of the result of the election held under the said subsections, arrange for an election between the two candidates and a candidate at such election shall be deemed elected to the office of President if (a) He has a majority of votes cast at the election; and (b) He has not less than one-quarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

(5) In default of a candidate duly elected under subsection (4) of this section, the Independent National Electoral Commission shall, within seven days of the result of the election held under the aforesaid subsection (4), arrange for another election between the two candidates to which the subsection relates and a candidate at such election shall be deemed to have been duly elected to the office of President, if he has a majority of the votes cast at the election.”

Saturday PUNCH gathered that the President and his party were jittery on realising that failure to win South-West would be costly for Jonathan.

It was learnt that chieftains of the party in the zone, including the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and his Ekiti State counterpart, Mr. Ayo Fayose, have been given the assignment of ensuring Jonathan’s landside victory in the South-West.

A chieftain of the party, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said, “In the next few weeks, the party will mobilise resources in the South-West. We want the President to not only win the South-West, but to prevent the APC from getting 25 per cent in the zone.

“We will mobilise resources; call it stomach infrastructure or anything you like. The President will trounce the APC in the South-West.”

Also a Presidency source and a governor from the party, who spoke with one of our correspondents in separate interviews in Abuja on Thursday, gave an insight into the feelings of the President and the PDP on Northern votes.

The Presidency source said, “The situation is dicey for the President and the party in North-West. You remember that even in 2011 when the situation was not as bad as it is today, the President did not really win in the zone.

“Now that almost all the states in the area are in the hands of the opposition, we may not make it there, but we will rely on the government appointees from the area to work out how we are going to win.”

But one of the party’s governors from the South-East said that the Presidency and the governors believed that the party would still win in some states in both the North-East and North-West.

He listed states where the party could spring surprise to include Adamawa, Kebbi, Zamfara, Bauchi, Gombe and Jigawa.

“So, it won’t be a total loss. What we are working against is a situation whereby the President would be seen after winning election, as the president elected by just a section of the country,” the governor said.

But the Presidency has said that Jonathan is not losing sleep over South-West, North-West and North-East votes.

The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Prof. Rufai Alkali, in an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH, explained that Jonathan and the PDP valued Nigerian citizens.

He noted that the opposition would have wished that the crowd which took part in the President’s declaration did not show up.

According to him, the whole world saw Nigerians who, irrespective of their religious or political affiliation, trooped to Eagle Square to honour the President.

Alkali, however, described as false, attempts to “misinform” Nigerians about the popularity rating of the President.

He explained that all through Nigeria’s political history, voters especially in the North, had exhibited a diverse voting pattern and have always cast their lot where they felt their collective interests would be better served.

The Presidential aide said “President Jonathan’s appeal transcends ethno-religious sentiments.

“Nigerians will vote for him based on his record of performance. Can his opponents say the roads that have been built under this administration were not built? Can they say the airports are not there? Let our campaigns be issue-based.

“It will be unfair for anyone to say that the President is not doing anything about the sad situation in the North-East. The people know he cares and he is doing his best and by the grace of God, that situation will soon be contained.

“Let me ask you, between the President and his opponents in the other party, who was the first to go public with their declarations.”

In response, National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said, “The truth of the matter is that the PDP is scared stiff of the APC.

“Even today, without a candidate the APC is ahead in credible opinion polls, President Goodluck Jonathan’s popularity has suffered a reversal of fortune since after the President’s declaration.

“They underestimated the backlash from the insensitivity of the timing of Jonathan’s declaration less than 24 hours after the massacre of about seventy children in Potiskum.”

Experts have also said that the President might become more troubled if the Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, joins the presidential race.

Already, there are indications that the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other leaders of the party might have concluded the deal to field the Speaker as a “neutral candidate” following the inability of the North to reach a consensus on the party’s presidential aspirant.

A former President, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and a Leadership Newspaper Publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah are competing for the APC presidential ticket.

Tambuwal, who is rumoured to preparing to join the presidential race on the platform of the opposition party, has recently dumped the ruling PDP.

The APC had said that the hope for the emergence of a Northern consensus presidential candidate for the APC had dimmed following failure by leaders of the party from the region to broker a deal on Tuesday night.

With the current APC presidential aspirants failing to step down for a consensus candidate, sources said Tambuwal might be brought in as a compromise candidate and this is expected to send jitters down the spine of the President.

2015: Atiku, Tinubu hold closed-door meetings with Obasanjo

L-R: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar; and Senator Muhammed Ohiare, during Atiku’s visit to Obasanjo’s residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State... on Friday
| credits: Atiku Campaign Organisation

A former vice-president, and a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and a national leader of APC, former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu, held separate meetings with a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Friday.

The meetings held at Obasanjo’s Hilltop presidential residence in Abeokuta.

The meetings which lasted less than one hour, were said to be connected with the 2015 elections.

Tinubu had paid such a visit early last month to Obasanjo, where he said he had come to discuss the state of the nation and seek the former president’s advice on the choice of a presidential candidate for the party.

However, on this visit, Tinubu did not grant any press interview as his convoy drove out of Obasanjo’s residence around 12.30pm.

Two hours after his departure, Atiku, who had earlier paid a visit to the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, arrived in a convoy, and drove into the former president’s compound.

He moved into the inner chamber of the building briskly as soon as he arrived. After a closed-door meeting which lasted for about 45 minutes, he emerged from the chamber with his host, and went to another wing of the building where they had lunch.

He later emerged after 20 minutes and told journalists that he had come to pay respect to his former boss and also discuss the developments in the country with him.

He said, “I came to pay my respect to my former boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo and we discussed the state of the nation generally.”

He would, however, not reveal the details of their discussion.

He said contrary to rumours making the rounds, he enjoyed an extremely cordial relationship with Obasanjo.

Atiku while reacting to the moves that the Speaker Aminu Tambuwal had also joined the APC presidential race, said “the more the merrier, APC is a democratic party.”

The former vice-president said it was regrettable that the crisis in the Ogun State APC had deepened with Chief Olusegun Osoba said to have defected to the Social Democratic Party.

Atiku, who is the chairman of the South -West reconciliation committee of the party, however, expressed optimism that the case was not totally irreconcilable.

He said, “It is regrettable and unfortunate, but I believe it is a situation that is still reconcilable. This is a situation that has been going on for some time and we have not given up.”

Atiku lashed out at the ruling Peoples Democratic Party as a party whose transformation agenda has taken the nation backward.

He said, “They call themselves transformers while we call ourselves progressives, because transformation goes with progressiveness.

“But their own transformation goes with backwardness. I have said it over and over again because I have visited APC and PDP states, if you go to Sokoto, Lagos, Rivers, Zamfara, Kano, you’ll really see, feel and touch, not what they have told you on the television,” he said.

He commended the state governor for the massive infrastructural development he had achieved in the state in three and half years.

America replies Nigeria, releases details of aid to Nigerian military in war against Boko Haram

America replies Nigeria, releases details of aid to Nigerian military in war against Boko Haram

The United States has faulted the claim by the Nigerian government that it is standing in the way of the Nigerian military’s quest to procure weapons to strengthen its war against the extremist Boko Haram sect.
Answering questions during a press briefing, the U.S. Department of State spokesperson, Jen Paski, said Wednesday the American government has been supporting the Nigerian military in the area of intelligence sharing, training of soldiers and other measures in combating the insurgency.
On Monday, the Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S., Ade Adefuye, had accused the U.S. of letting Nigeria down in its hour of need by refusing to help the country procure weapon to combat Boko Haram.
“We find it difficult to understand how and why in spite of the U.S. presence in Nigeria with their sophisticated military technology, Boko Haram should be expanding and becoming more deadly,” he said.
He said the U.S. was standing in the way of the Nigerian military procuring lethal equipment that would have helped the country end the deadly insurgency mounted against Nigeria by Boko Haram.
Dismissing the claims that the Nigerian military were involved in human rights violations, Mr. Adefuye also flayed the U.S. government for the manner it’s sharing intelligence with the Nigerian military, arguing that despite the claim by the Americans that things have improved in that aspect, “it is still there”.
However, during Wednesday’s briefing in Washington, the Department of State spokesperson said the U.S. has actually increased its support for the Nigerian military, especially in the last six months.
She said her government has improved intelligence sharing with the Nigerian military and has actually approved and sold some military equipment to the Nigerian military.
“Let me just lay out the facts of our assistance. Over the past six months, the United States has started sharing intelligence with Nigeria, began training a new army battalion and held numerous high-level discussions with Nigerian authorities on additional measures to best address the Boko Haram threat.
“We have also provided and approved sales of military equipment to its armed forces. These decisions are made, of course, after careful scrutiny to ensure they conform with United States law,” she said in response to a question about Ambassador Adefuye’s claims.
She explained that the U.S. refused to sell some Cobra attack helicopters to the Nigerian armed forces early this year because it was concerned the military had no capacity to operate and maintain it.
Ms Paski said there were also concerns over the protection of civilians during military operations.
“We shared those concerns with Nigeria before this decision and subsequent to it,” she said.
She said that the Nigerian military has however purchased helicopters from other sources and that the U.S. government did not prevent such purchases.
“Nigeria has purchased helicopters that originated in countries other than the United States, and nothing in our decision prevents Nigeria from obtaining weapons and equipment from other sources.
“We’ll continue to look for ways to deepen our cooperation with Nigeria to help it acquire the systems and skills needed to restore peace and security. But obviously, we’ve provided a great deal of assistance over the past several months.”
Ms Paski said the U.S. would continue to urge the Nigerian military to investigate allegation of abuses by soldiers and to do more in the area of training the country’s security forces to improve its effectiveness.
“We wouldn’t be raising that concern if we didn’t feel and others didn’t feel that they were warranted,” she said.

Chris Brown's New Devilish Tattoo

Manuel Ndimele,

 Chris Brown is in the mood again.

The Loyal singer is a crowd pleaser but he is also a known as a controversial entertainer who loves having his name in the news.
The Virginia born RnB singer has unleashed to the world his new neck tattoo which is undoubtedly beastly looking.

Since the age 18, Chris has been adding up on his tattoo collection on his body.

The New Neck Tattoo

The singer is now touring with Trey Songz as he tries to promote his album, The X album.
Chris Album has sold only over 400 thousand copies so far, which is 800 thousand less than what Taylor Swift 1989 album sold in its first week.

Tallest Man Meet Shortest For Guinness World Record Day

Clement Ejiofor,

The world’s tallest and shortest men in the world met for the first time today to commemorate Guinness World Record Day in London, UK.

Mr Dangi and Mr Kosen meet in London today

Today is The Guinness Book of Records’ 60th anniversary. In 2004 the annual publication became the world’s best-selling copyright book. Guinness World Record Day was set up to commemorate the date.

Mr Kosen’s hand on the head of Mr Dangi

Today hundreds of men including Sultan Kösen, who holds the Guinness World Record for tallest living male at 2.51 m, and Chandra Dangi, the shortest man in history measuring only 0.546 m, met to celebrate the occasion.
The tallest man in the world
Mr Kösen from Ankara, Turkey, became the world’s tallest living man in 2009, when he took the title from 63-year-old Xi Shun, from China, who measured 2.361 m in 2005.

They met to commemorate the 10th annual Guinness World Records Day

His growth resulted from a tumor affecting his pituitary gland. His stature is such that he must use crutches in order to walk. Kösen lives with his parents, three brothers and sister, who are all of normal height.

He was unable to complete his education because of his height and his job as a part-time farmer. Despite his height he claims to enjoy a normal lifestyle. He describes the advantages of being tall as seeing a great distance and being able to help his family with domestic tasks such as changing light bulbs and hanging curtains.
The shortest man in history
Mr Dangi is a primordial dwarf. Chandra came to news highlights of local media when a wood contractor saw him in his village. All of his family members are of usual size. He was awarded the title of shortest adult human ever recorded after his height was measured in 24 hours. He was subsequently enrolled in the Guinness World Record book.

Genevieve, others to lead campaign against Ebola

Genevieve and Omotola

The Future Awards Africa has announced its plan to deploy over 1 million young Africans in a campaign against the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

The #StopEbola campaign will be led by the TFAA Young Person of the Year 2013, Ashish Thakkar, and Africa’s leading creative icons – Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Paris-based Asa Elemide.

Speaking on the event, Genevieve Nnaji said, “Ebola has been defeated in Nigeria. This shows that with the will and resources it can be defeated anywhere else. We need to get involved beyond talk and beyond sympathy. As long as it remains anywhere in Africa, we are all at risk, and we can come together to stop this from happening. Join me, and join all of us now on www.stopebola.com.”

“This goes to the core of what is important to me, and what should be important to all of us who are very concerned about our continent,” said Jalade-Ekeinde, who has been spokesperson for Amnesty International and the United Nations. “Just when the world has begun to pay attention to Africa as a destination for rapid growth and investment, we cannot allow Ebola define the narrative. We need to put a stop to this immediately, and young people need to take the lead.”

Other celebrities expected to participate in the campaign include TuFace Idibia, Van Vicker, Joselyn Dumas, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi, Dayo Israel, Denrele, Dakore Akande, Juliet Ibrahim, and Funke Akindele, to mention a few.

Courtesy: Punch Newspaper.

From Kelani, dazzling message to people with sickle-cell anaemia

Tunde Kelani

Tunde Kelani’s much-awaited film, ‘Dazzling Mirage’, finally hit the screen a few days ago in Lagos. It was opened to the public for viewing in an event attended by celebrities and some of the stakeholders of the Nigerian entertainment industry at the Agip Recital Hall of the prestigious MUSON Centre, Onikan.

Adapted from a book of the same title written by Olayinka Egbokhare, ‘Dazzling Mirage’ examines the plight of people afflicted with sickle-cell anaemia in Nigeria. At the same time, it attempts to explode the myth surrounding this health condition.

The film tells the moving story of a young, talented and upwardly mobile woman suffering from the health disorder, who suddenly finds herself in a grim struggle to overcome a stinging social stigma and other prejudices, as well as to preserve her self-esteem from crumbling.

In spite of her obvious handicap, the heroine (Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju) strives even harder to succeed in her chosen career, as well as to get married and relish the joys of motherhood.

An excited Kelani, whose reputation for producing didactic films of high aesthetic quality is well known, could not help but describe ‘Dazzling Mirage’ as “a film for the people and by the people” before the audience at the MUSON Centre.

The celebrated filmmaker wants movie fans to see the film as his contribution to the campaign to enlighten the general public about issues revolving around the sickle cell anaemia.

“Some people say we make films for money and fame. But the truth is that I have always used my films to educate the public on social and health-related issues. In the case of ‘Dazzling Mirage’, my concern is the societal attitude towards sickle-cell anaemia and those that are afflicted with the health disorder,” he says, in an interview with our correspondent.

Kelani is treading a familiar path, having done the same thing with ‘Ayo ni Mofe’ some years ago. In that film, he dealt with the problems associated with the management of mentally challenged people, just as he focused on the challenges of single parentage in ‘Maami’.

To achieve the kind of results that he had always visualised with the new movie, Kelani found himself doing a balancing act of a sort. He had to ensure that the film was entertaining and educative enough to gain the attention of movie fans across the country.

One other thing he did was make sure the love story, which defines the character of the film, was able to stand alone and on its merit.

“We had a fantastic cast comprising tested actors and actresses who were already stars in their own rights,” he says.

The film parades some of the best in the industry. Apart from Akindoju, the others include Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Kunle Afolayan, Seun Akindele, Bimbo Manuel, Khabirat Kafidipe and Yomi Fash-Lanso.

Kelani also notes that though the strength of ‘Dazzling Mirage’ lies in the successful treatment of its main theme, the film is all about providing good entertainment to movie fans.

But the production of the film seemed to be riddled all the way with challenges. Before shooting began, the director and producer had to undertake a study of the Psychiatrist Hospital in the Yaba area of Lagos.

Inadequate funding also posed a serious challenge to the filmmaker. Production was stalled on three different occasions for want of money to meet certain basic needs. What kept the film going afterwards, Kelani notes, was the kind gestures of the enthusiastic members of the cast who offered to help.

“I called them up three times, when we ran into financial difficulty, and suggested we should suspend production. But they kicked against it and said we should continue,” he says.

Courtesy: Punch Newspaper

Jonathan’s wife’s visit causes traffic in Yenagoa

Mrs. Patience Jonathan

The visit of wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Thursday, paralysed social and commercial activities on the Yenagoa Mbiama Road for many hours.

It was learnt that the traffic congestion was caused by overzealous security operatives, who cordoned off some places with their vans because the President’s wife was in town to distribute empowerment items to some groups in the state.

Commuters and motorists who were trapped in the gridlock created by the visit were seen struggling to make detours.

Those who were frustrated by the long traffic jam disembarked from their vehicles, confused as to what to do next.

A teacher in a school at the Erekpa area of the town, Mr. Preye Goodluck, said the roads had been blocked as early as 10am in anticipation of Patience’s visit.

He said, “As early as 10am, security personnel blocked some roads in the Yenagoa metropolis, particularly the Ovom and Etegwe areas of the capital city.

“Scores of persons who went to the outskirts of the metropolis, such as Igbogene, Agudama and other places, were also affected because they found it extremely difficult to wade through the snarls.

“Many of us who wished to get to other parts of the metropolis had to pass through Isaac Boro Expressway. Even the traffic on the expressway was beginning to build up around 3pm.”

A motorist, Mrs. Stella Honesty, introduced political undertone to the whole scenario, wondering what the President’s wife was coming to give as empowerment items to the people.

She said, “Is it because general elections are around the corner? In fact, if I were some people, I will reject any empowerment. Where was she all this while? Some of us have refused to be deceived by this entire political gimmick.

“Look at the kind of suffering one is going through because she is coming. Must she create tension each time she visits anywhere? I have been trapped in this logjam for a long time for a journey that would not have been more than 30 minutes.”

Meanwhile, at the Samson Shania Stadium at Ovom, Yenagoa venue of the programme, Mrs. Jonathan gave away various gifts and cheques to different groups.

She urged the women to vote en masse for her husband, Jonathan, who recently declared for re-election.

She said the Peoples Democratic Party provided the best platform for women in the country.

She reminded the women that her husband had promised 35 per cent positions for womenfolk in his government if he won the 2015 presidential elections.

Governor Seriake Dickson was not present at the event, though his deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd.), attended.

Courtesy: Punch Newspaper

Netanyahu to attend crisis meeting in Amman

Israel’s prime minister has confirmed he will attend talks in Amman with Jordan’s King Abdullah and the US secretary of state aimed at calming a wave of violence grippling Israel and the occupied territories.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement on Thursday came just hours after John Kerry met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan, who will be excluded from the trilateral talks.
“According to the royal court, we understand that this meeting is going to happen shortly and that in this meeting the three leaders will discuss ways to return calm in Jerusalem,” Al Jazeera’s Nisreen El-Shamayleh reported from Amman.
“They will also talk about the possibility of relaunching negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.”
She said it was highly significant that the US was mediating the talks, because it showed how tense the relations between Jordan and Israel had become in recent months.
The two countries have a peace treaty and, until now, their leaders were meeting regularly without the need for outside involvement.
Simmering unrest in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem has in recent days spread to the occupied West Bank and Arab communities across Israel, raising fears of a new Palestinian uprising.
Courtesy: Punch Newspaper.

Britain to seize Jihadists’ passports

British Prime Minister David Cameron has outlined plans to seize passports from British jihadists and stop them returning from fighting overseas.

Cameron has also proposed landing bans on airlines that fail to comply with London’s no-fly lists.

“We will shortly be introducing our own new Counter-Terrorism Bill in the UK,” Cameron said in a speech to Australia’s parliament before travelling to the G20 leaders’ summit in Brisbane, adding that there was “no opt-out from dealing with this”.

“New powers for police at ports to seize passports, to stop suspects travelling and to stop British nationals returning to the UK unless they do so on our terms.

“New rules to prevent airlines that don’t comply with our no-fly lists or security screening measures from landing in the UK.”

Some 500 radicalised Britons are estimated to be fighting in Iraq and Syria, both of which are facing a major offensive from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

British media reports said the legislation, to be introduced in parliament this month, would block individuals from returning from Syria and Iraq to Britain for at least two years unless they comply with strict measures.

These could include being escorted back to Britain and then facing prosecution, bail-style reporting conditions and deradicalisation courses.

Border guards and airport police would also be given new powers to seize passports from those they suspect of planning to travel abroad for terrorism, the reports said.

Australia is facing a similar scenario to Britain with at least 73 of its nationals having their passports cancelled to prevent them travelling to Iraq and Syria, as concerns mount that they could return home and commit violence.

At least 71 Australians are currently fighting in the two nations, the government says. At least 15 have been killed – two of them as suicide bombers – and authorities have passed a law criminalising travel to terror hotspots without good reason.

Britain raised its terror threat risk level to “severe” in September – meaning an attack is thought “highly likely” – due to fears over the situation in Iraq and Syria.

Courtesy: Punch Newspaper.

FIFA accused of cover-up by investigator

Hours after a FIFA judge cleared Russia and Qatar of corruption in their winning World Cup bids, the American who led the investigation said he would appeal the decision to close the case because it was based on “materially incomplete and erroneous” information.

In what appears to be an open act of conflict within FIFA, prosecutor Michael Garcia, who wanted his report to be made public, criticised ethics judge Joachim Eckert’s 42-page report clearing the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts.

Eckert’s findings, which were released Thursday morning, were based on Garcia’s investigation. Despite finding wrongdoing among the 11 bidding nations, Eckert said the integrity of the December 2010 votes was not affected.

“Today’s decision by (Eckert) contains numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of the facts and conclusions detailed in the Investigatory Chamber’s report,” Garcia said in a statement released by his law firm.

“I intend to appeal this decision to the FIFA Appeal Committee.”

Earlier, Eckert formally ended a probe into the bidding contests, almost four years after the vote by the governing body’s scandal-tainted executive committee. No proof was found of bribes or voting pacts.

“The evaluation of the 2018/2022 FIFA World Cups bidding process is closed for the FIFA Ethics Committee,” the German judge wrote in a statement released by FIFA.

“In particular, the effects of these occurrences on the bidding process as a whole were far from reaching any threshold that would require returning to the bidding process, let alone reopening it,” he summarised.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter had earlier said that the criticism against Qatar was racist while the 2022 organising committee maintained they had followed the ‘highest ethical standards’ during the process.

The report did criticise England’s bid for the 2018 tournament for “inappropriate requests” from former CONCACAF President Jack Warner, a FIFA powerbroker at the time, in what it said was “an apparent violation of bidding rules”.

Meanwhile, a report published by Amnesty International said on Wednesday that 2022 World Cup host nation is lagging behind on addressing concerns about the abuse of migrant workers six months after it laid out plans for labour reforms.

“The legacy of the FIFA 2022 World Cup would be the hundreds of thousands of workers who were exploited to make it happen,” the group said in the 12-page report.

In May, Qatari officials announced plans for new legislation that could eventually end the controversial sponsorship system in its current form.

Courtesy: Punch Newspaper.