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Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State
By Peter Duru
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his directive to security agents to shoot anyone illegally bearing AK47 rifle in the country.
The Governor who gave the commendation Thursday in Makurdi said the President’s order would reduce the level of criminality, banditry and militia herders’ attacks on Benue communities as well as in other parts of the country.
According to him, “the order would also make the communities safer for displaced farmers to return to their ancestral homes.
“I wish to commend Mr. President for his recent order against those bearing AK47 rifles. This I am sure will reduce the high rate of criminality, banditary and militia herdsmen attacks on our farming communities,” the Governor said.
He noted that President Buhari had done the right thing by listening to the calls he and other concerned Nigerians made on the need for the Federal Government to act faster and decisively to save the country from degenerating to a state of anarchy.
“I don’t only criticise, I also commend where necessary. And I want to say shame on those sycophants who were bashing me for writing to Mr. President because he has finally heeded my advice,” he added.
Governor Ortom said Nigeria belonged to all its citizens and only justice and equity anchored on the rule of law could guarantee the unity and stability of the country.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/ortom-commends-buhari-on-shoot-at-sight-order-on-ak47-bearing-criminals/amp/ | 332 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999947 |
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We accept various payment methods, including major credit cards, PayPal, and wire transfers. Our payment processing system ensures a secure and hassle-free transaction experience. | http://www.newshelm.com/2016/08/photos-president-buhari-femi-adesina.htmlcc | 424 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999956 |
BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE
ABUJA–It was a shocking revelation, yesterday, at the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee probing alleged illegal land allocations and racketeering in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja as the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission, ICPC, Mr Ekpo Nta testified that his agency had seized a total of 61 houses, 45 plots of land at different locations within the FCT and a duplex from an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in the course of on-going investigations into land scams in FCT.
Nta also revealed that several bank accounts which the official used for the illegal land deals had been traced and frozen by the agency.
The ICPC boss, however, disclosed that the 61 houses seized from the Civil Defence Corps topshot was made up of 40 three-bedroom flats, 20 two-bedroom flats and a duplex.
He said official letters had been written to the appropriate government land authorities on the status of the seized property and publication made in national dailies for the public to know so as not to fall victims of illegal deals again.
According to him, the agency swung into action following a tip-off from the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Dr Ade Abolurin who personally visited him on May 15.
He said that Abolurin raised alarm that some officials of the corps were believed to be involved in illegal land deals using the agency as back-up. He also said they operated under a non-existent housing estate scheme in Abuja and Nasarawa State.
Nta further said: ”Impressed by the action of the Commandant-General of the Corps by reporting his own officials for alleged wrong-doings and demanding an independent investigation while other heads of agencies or organisations will be covering it up if it were to be in their organisations.
I commenced an immediate investigation by directing the Special Squad I set up on land matters to swing into action and the team even started with some officers who came with the C-G.
“We made findings, we also made efforts to get additional information from other government agencies and banks which assisted us immensely in the course of our investigations. In the course of the investigation, we established that six different companies were used in the scam, and the bank accounts of certain officers and the companies used were frozen while we seized several property including 61 houses, 45 plots of land and a duplex traced to some of the officers.
Interestingly, the 61 houses are made up of 40 units of three bedroom flats, 20 units of two bedroom flats and a duplex were seized from a single officer”.
He further stated that the company through which the NSCDC officials carried out the illegal deals were not among the six other companies that were investigated, even as he promised to commence another round of investigation on it.
While stating that all the interrogated officers had been released on administrative bail except an official who was on the run, Nta said that investigation had revealed that the affected officers used the NSCDC’s Co-operative Society to swindle members of the public who thought it was a genuine transaction especially when it involved the name of the organization, the transactions taking place within the premises of the FCT Command of the Corps located at Gudu district and the officers wearing NSCDC uniforms during such illegal transactions.
Asked if there would be any compensation for the 186 victims of the scam since the property of the perpetrators had been seized, Nta said: “That is beyond our power, the final decision rests on the court. Ours is to arrest, investigate and prosecute, but as we speak, we have established abuse of office against some of the officers investigated, it is the court that will now decide their fate, but the law recognizes the interest of procurer”.
Elated by the testimony, the Committee chaired by Hon Bimbo Daramola expressed gratitude to the ICPC boss, saying the revelation will help put an end to land scams in the capital city.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/icpc-recovers-61-houses-nscdc-officer/ | 875 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999979 |
Eyitayo Jegede and Jimoh Ibrahim
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA – The Supreme Court, Tuesday, gave the Justice Ibrahim Saulawa-led panel of the Court of Appeal in Abuja the nod to deliver judgment on dispute over who should be the flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the Ondo governorship election billed for November 26.
The apex court, in a unanimous ruling by a five-man panel of Justices led by the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, declined to disband the the three-man Special Panel constituted by President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, to resolve the dispute.
Aside dismissing motions to stay proceedings of the appellate court, filed by six chieftains of the PDP in the South West led by Chairman of the party in Ondo State, Prince Biyi Poroye, the Supreme Court, awarded a cost of N1million each to the three Justices of the appellate court.
Poroye and his group had joined the three appellate court Justices, Salauwa, Igwe Aguba and George Mbaba, as 5th to 7th Respondents in the appeal before the apex court.
The Acting CJN, Justice Onnoghen who delivered the lead ruling, ordered that counsel to the appellants, Chief Beluolisa Nwufor, SAN, should personally pay the cost from his pocket.
The apex court further ordered the appellants to pay N500, 000 cost to the four other Respondents in the matter among whom included a contender for the PDP governorship ticket, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, SAN.
Justice Onnoghen held that it was wrong for Poroye and his group to drag the appellate court Justices into the matter knowing that they were only carrying out a judicial duty that was duly assigned to them.
“The 6th to 7th Respondents who are Justices of the Court of Appeal were constituted by appropriate authority to hear and determine the case were not parties before the lower court and whatever they did was in their official capacity as judicial officers”, Justice Onnoghen noted.
He stressed that joining them as Respondents in the matter “was not only an attempt to intimidate and scandalise the judiciary, but to put it in a mild way, an action in bad faith”.
Justice Onnoghen also noted that the appellants (Poroye and his group), had also petitioned a previous panel of Justices of the appellate court that handled the case.
“If the applicants are allowed to continue with this prank, there will be no end in sight and it will not augur well. In the circumstance, there is no merit in this appeal and it is hereby dismissed”.
While concurring with the lead ruling, another member of the apex court panel, Justice Kumai Akaahs, held that action of the appellants was “capable of bringing anarchy”.
However, the apex court panel fixed Thursday to hear the substantive appeal challenging leave that was granted to Jegede to appeal the June 29 judgement of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja which recognised Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim as flag-bearer of the PDP for the November 26 governorship poll in Ondo State.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/11/ondo-s-court-awards-n3m-court-justices-okays-verdict-jegedes-appeal/ | 729 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999983 |
Mrs. Helen Mark, wife of Senator David Mark, presents gifts to members of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Agatu to celebrate the 68th birthday of the former Senate President.
…… as life gradually returns to war ravaged communities
Former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark yesterday marked his 68th birthday with the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Agatu local government area of Benue State rendered homeless aftermath of the massacre that left hundreds of people dead. He was at one of the Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs) camp in Aila community of Agatu local government area where he distributed relief materials , food stuff, clothes and toiletries to them.
Senator Mark who distributed the relief materials through his wife, Mrs. Helen Mark said:” I identify with you . I share in your pains and frustrations. But don’t lose hope. Help will come your way.” He said spending time with the IDPs gave him a sense of fulfilment ” because I have devoted the rest of my life to serve God and the less privileged in the society. “Nothing can be more fulfilling for me on my birthday than bringing joy and relief to the IDPs in Agatu. I will do whatever I can to improve their condition. The situation is not palatable. But we must give them hope.”
Senator Mark also urged Corporate Institutions as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to come around to assist the IDPs. He specifically pleaded with Benue State government to collaborate with the Federal government in order to initiate an action plan towards rebuilding and resettling the survivors of the Agatu massacre.
Mrs. Helen donated several items including thousands of water purifier to arrest rising cases of cholera and other waterborne diseases in the IDP camps. Other items include, but not limited to, Palm oil, bags of rice, assorted drinks, food items, beverages, toiletries, wrappers, among others.
Receiving the relief materials on behalf of the people, District Head of Aila community, Chief Michael Magaji expressed appreciation to Senator Mark for the gesture . Chief Magaji however requested the authorities to increase security presence in the war ravaged communities to enable the survivors return to their ancestral homes . The call he said has become imperative now to enable people go into the farming season.
Meanwhile, life has started returning to the some communities in Agatu local government. A handful of people were seen in make-shift structures trying to pick their pieces as soldiers parades the communities to guarantee security.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/mark-celebrates-birthday-agatu-idps/ | 545 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999916 |
INEC boss, Prof Mahmood Yakubu
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman to resign his appointment for attending a clandestine meeting and plotting to compromise the forthcoming presidential election in favour of Buhari through the appointment of Buhari’s neice to oversee the collation of presidential votes even before the first ballot was cast.
Frank who gave a graphic detail of how President Muhammadu Buhari’s neice, Amina Zakari was appointed as the Chairperson of INEC’s Advisory Committee and Election Collation Centre Committee, said in a statement on Friday in Abuja that the meeting took place at the Glass House inside the Aso Rock Villa in the early hours of Thursday prior to the announcement of that selection was made by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu – chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He stated that he is in possession of reliable information about how the INEC chair and Zakari were smuggled into the villa at about 12.30am on Thursday after which Buhari, accompanied by few of his trusted aides, joined them inside the Glass House for the meeting.
He disclosed that Yakubu arrived for the meeting in a Black Peugeot 508, wearing a blue caftan while Zakari came in a black Prado Jeep, wearing a jalabiya.
He said the meeting lasted for 45 minutes.
He noted that Amina Zakari was the Commission’s head of electoral operations and logistics before she was redeployed to the department of health and welfare in October 12, 2018, following misgivings about her clear partisan posture in various elections conducted when she held sway as head of operations and logistics at INEC.
He added that her relationship with Buhari became suspect as many believed she was working for the re-election of her uncle – Buhari – and the success of the APC, which became obvious in the Edo, Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and other rerun elections that she supervised during the period.
He said that the appointment of Zakari to such a sensitive assignment was a culmination of the pressure the Presidency had brought to bare on Prof. Yakubu to return Zakari to the Operations department since October.
Frank called on the Chairman of INEC to resign his appointment for attending such a clandestine meeting and plotting to compromise the forthcoming presidential election in favour of Buhari through the appointment of Buhari’s neice to oversee the collation of presidential votes even before the first ballot was cast.
He added that Nigerians have lost confidence in him to conduct a free, fair and credible 2019 elections.
“A man who can succumb to pressure and brazenly compromise to further the desire of a candidate in an election cannot be trusted to be impartial during a general election with high stakes. I think he needs to undergo a test for codeine and tramadol abuse to think that Nigerians can be fooled that Zakari’s recent appointment is not a back door move to make her relevant in caring for Buhari’s interests during the Presidential elections,” Frank stated.
He observed that even though Buhari benefitted from a free, fair and credible elections in 2015, he is not ready to advance the nation’s democracy by sticking to free and fair elections this time.
Frank said: “This is largely why he has refused to signed the amended Electoral Act 2010 and has now shopped for his Neice to oversee the hatchet job of rigging him back to power.
“Buhari is running away from a free and fair election. He is depending on INEC and the security forces to allocate votes to him. That is why he refused to sign the amended Electoral Act.
“As a perpetual law breaker, he has again broken the law by refusing to allow the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to go on retirement after spending his ‘overly doctored 35 mandatory years’ in the service of the country as a Police Officer.”
He insisted that Nigerians are hopeful that Buhari’s desperation will not set Nigeria ablaze post elections but lamented that “the way he (Buhari) is going, crisis will definitely engulf the country because the opposition is determined not to accept any rigging or compromised electoral process during the next election.
“If Buhari has any iota of integrity, let him demonstrate it now by allowing for a free, fair and credible elections in February and March. We know he has no integrity and the opposition is ready to meet any of his shenanigans with equal and greater shenanigans.”
The Bayelsa-born political activist called on all patriotic Nigerians including the NLC, TUC, ASUU, NASU, ASUP, NBA, NMA, traditional and religious leaders to speak up in order to avert Buhari’s rigging plot capable of plunging the country into a bitter and violent crisis.
He also called on the United Nations and Nigeria’s allies in the advanced democracies – as members of the international community -working to sustain peace across the world to come to the aid of Nigeria at its most trying times.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/timi-frank-calls-for-inec-chairmans-resignation/ | 1,119 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999954 |
By JIMITOTA ONOYUME
The Archbishop of the Niger Delta North Diocese of the Anglican Church, Most Reverence Ignatius Kattey, kidnapped by some gunmen, was released Saturday night, according to the police.
Public Relations Officer of Rivers State Police Command, DSP Angela Agabe, in a telephone chat, said the cleric had been freed.
It could not be confirmed if any ransom was paid. Sunday Vanguard gathered that the archbishop was released at Eleme. Kattey was taken hostage about a week ago, minutes after he drove out of his residence at Eleme. The story on page 7 had gone to press before his release.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/kidnapped-anglican-archbishop-freed/ | 155 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999941 |
By Albert Akpor & Evelyn Usman
LAGOS — SEYI Olayiwola Ahmed, the man who attempted to blow up the Superscreen TV on December 22, 2009, yesterday, on his sick bed at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, said his intention was not to hurt anybody, not even staff of the Superscreen TV, but to draw the attention of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of the Believers’ Loveworld Church better known as the Christ Embassy.
The 30 year-old Oyo State-born film producer and father of one, said he manufactured the explosives himself having learnt it on the internet. He claimed that he had been working for the church for some time now adding that the last job he did was not paid for and that his intention was to actually get the attention of the pastor for financial assistance.
Ahmed said: “I am somebody who learnt things by intuition, and so I was always browsing the net and because I have special interest in explosive I learnt how to make them.
I actually made three explosives, it was the smallest one that exploded at Logemo House and got me injured. Like I said, I was in a financial mess after the lady in one of the branches terminated my contract with them. The church did not even pay me for the one we did earlier for them let alone the latest.
So I was frustrated and wanted something to do to feed my family. My mission at the Superscreen was to ask how much they pay for the shooting of soap operas and other things and not to hurt anybody.
But it happened that the man I met said the person who was in a position to give me some of the information was at the seventh floor. It was when I was going up that the explosive went off..â€
Regretting his action, the failed bomber who spoke flawless English Language quoted some scriptures like “touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm.â€
The incident which prompted yesterday’s confession, began, December 22, 2009, following an explosion on the fourth floor of the a nine-storey building at Onipanu along Ikorodu express road, where the bomb carrier was affected.
The explosives which was neatly wrapped as Christmas gift, was taken to Superscreen Television, on the ninth floor of the building when it exploded mid way, rocking the entire area.
At first, no one could give detailed account of the exact cause of the explosion, as there were varying accounts as to how the explosive got to the building.
But the following day, the Lagos Police Command boss, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, told anxious journalists that the victim of the blast was actually the messenger, adding that two additional explosives detonated by policemen from the Bomb Disposal Unit, were also discovered at the scene of the blast.
Although Akpoyibo was silent on other salient issues concerning the explosion, he, however, promised to do so at the appropriate time, noting that when the suspect’s abode, which he failed to disclose for what he described as security reasons, was searched, more items that aided the command’s investigation were discovered.
Vanguard, however, learnt that the suspect lived at the Fola Agoro area of Shomolu, where he occupied a room apartment on the ground floor of the two-storey building. He wife also was said to have hurriedly left the house, holding two polythene bags and a sac, with a baby strapped to her back two days before the incident.
After the incident, security measures such as rigorous search of visitors into any of the companies in Logemo house was carried out. Vanguard gathered that the incident prompted the rejection of wrapped Christmas gifts from unknown persons, particularly by Supercreen Television staff.
Meanwhile at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital where the 30-year-old Olayinwola Ahmed was initially admitted at the intensive care unit, security was tightened as only designated doctors were allowed to attend to him.
Some police nurses were also detailed to take care of him and also kept an eye on any visitor that requested to see him. Unfortunately there was reportedly none, until last weekend when two visitors who came visiting bolted away before nurses could alert plain clothes policemen.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/01/07/my-target-was-chris-oyakhilome-%e2%80%94lagos-bomber/ | 919 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.99995 |
With the year coming to an end, all teams are fighting to earn good points before the January transfer window.
Here are some favourite soccer predictions against the weekend fixtures in various football Leagues.
Manchester City v Everton Over HT(0.5)
Torino v Juventus No-Goal 15min
Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano 1
Hannover 96 v Bayern Munich 2
Borussia Dortmund v Werder Bremen No-Goal 10min
Brighton & Hove v Chelsea 2
Watford v Cardiff City 12
Liverpool v Manchester United 12
Booking Number: Z6HTX5Z3 (Bet9ja)
Note: Predictions can be reviewed before placing your bet. | https://www.thenewsguru.com/sports/football/article/soccer-bet-prediction-for-weekend-fixtures/ | 149 | Sports | 1 | en | 0.996705 |
I HAVE watched carefully, with high expectation, but also with a tinge of regret, certain national developments since you were sworn-in as the democratically elected President of Nigeria on May 29, 2015. People have accused your government of lethargy.
Critics have pointed to a streak of favouritism, if not nepotism, in the precious few appointments you have so far managed. Some, even of your own political party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) – have openly expressed doubts as to whether the change promised to dawn with the inception of your administration is in any way remotely resembled to what is so far self-evident. None of these is of immediate concern to me here.
My interest, Mr. President, is more fundamental since it touches on the very soul of Nigerian democracy, which you solemnly promised to nurture and enhance.
It was former US President Harry S. Truman who often admonished that, “If you can’t stand the heat,get out of the kitchen.” His context was political, an arena in which blackmail, disinformation, excoriation and scaremongering aggregate as the common fare of partisanship.In that regard, any politician worth the name takes the cue and delivers as much as he receives, if not much more.
In my view, however, ournation’s fight against the cankerworm of corruption should, first and foremost, be a patriotic national service, not a schedule for partisan dogfights. Unfortunately, the indiscriminate and groundless invectives currently being spewed by your political apostles are in dissonance with the democratic ethos you promised Nigeria.They boil down to hysteria. And they are guaranteed to be counter-productive because they promote the fallacy that to be of service to one’s fatherland is mutually exclusive with malfeasance.
Please permit me, Mr. President, to quote a famous mantra of yours: “If Nigeria does not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.” The fight against corruption is many-pronged. But it does not include the demonisation of the innocent.
Unfortunately, some of your teammates have been on the rampage, leveling unwarranted and unsubstantiated charges against top functionaries of the administration you succeeded. For instance, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has been vitriolic in his attacks against a Minister in the Jonathan administration whose offence, so far, appears to be her agreement to serve her country of birth.
Does Oshiomhole not appreciate the possibility of the truly guilty escaping justice via the highway of distraction he is busily generating by his wild apportionment of guilt with neither concrete evidence nor rudimentary trial in a court of competent jurisdiction?
I raise for your consideration,and reversal, the interminable pillorying of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the immediate past Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance by, not the wayward social media, but GovernorOshiomhole and a few others associated with him. Nearly thirty years ago, the inappropriateness of lumping guilt and innocence in a single category of censure and penalty was roundly denounced in circumstances that can only remain vivid in your memory, dear Mr. President.
Thefollowing is apart of President Ibrahim Babangida’s inauguration speech of August 27, 1985, the day he toppled your military junta: “While this government recognises the bitterness created by the irresponsible excesses of the politicians, we consider it unfortunate that methods of such nature as to cause more bitterness were applied to deal with past misdeeds. We must never allow ourselves to lose our sense of natural justice.
The innocent cannot suffer the crimes of the guilty.”
How can we, in all sincerity, find ourselves again at the point of reminding Your Excellency that “We must never allow ourselves to lose our sense of natural justice”? Really, how can we, especially bearing in mind your solemn declaration at your inauguration on May 29, 2015, to wit: “Having just a few minutes ago sworn on the Holy Book, I intend to keep my oath and serve as President to all Nigerians. I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.”
I crave your indulgence to briefly examine a religious aspect of the dreadful thing that is going on because, it is not at all certain that GovernorOshiomholeand his coterie have looked at all sides of everything. I am not a Muslim. I am a Christian (Catholic). But Islam is a religion I hold in high esteem. I understand that the basic principle of Sharia is that one’s testimony must be based on knowledge, clarity and trust.
The Noble Quran [43:86] says ”…But only those who testify to the truth [can benefit], and they know.” The Ninth Commandment of the Christian faith is a compelling injunction: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbour!”
Governor Oshiomhole’s smear campaign against the government of former President Jonathan may be down to personal grudge against some functionaries of that administration. His tenancy of the Edo State Government House expires in a year. When he vacates office, would the Comrade-Governor rather prefer a kind of treatment whereby, instead of examining his legacy with a sense of duty and balance, a band of critics would rise and drown out every other sound with incessant and mordant attacks on his name and person? The way things are going, it seems safe to suppose that the profession of faith is rampant among politicians who, nonetheless, consider the upholding of their religious tenets as the tiniest of concerns.
The penchant to heap every imaginable sin in the world on Dr. Okonjo-Iweala does not wash. Many Nigerians see this as unwarranted persecution. In so far as definitions go, Coordinating Minister does not mean Supervisory Minister. Ministers in the Jonathan administration did not report to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala. Why, then, is she being asked to account for all the Ministries in the last dispensation when all others who held down ministerial portfolios are alive and available? Anti-corruption fights often fail because people distract themselves chasing shadows. Mr. President, you should please prevent yourself from falling into this trap. The focus should be on priorities. Thank you, Mr. President, and may your administration represent a spell of God’s abundant blessings on Nigeria.
An educated and respectable lady, who claimed some presence around today’s corridors of power, averred that you recently said that yourpresidential tenure would be a loadstar and a legacy for the rest of African leaders to emulate. This moved me greatly, to the point that I offered an instant prayer for God to strengthen and direct your hand to the objective of meaningful and purposeful leadership. Now, Mr. President, you will not inhabit Aso Rock forever, even if you served multiple terms. The day will eventually come when you will become former President Muhammadu Buhari. How would it feel, if after you have done your bit and passed the baton, a rabble rises and scripts the lyrics of a scathing swansong for you that is antithetical to your presidential pedigree?
We pray, Mr. President, that commentators will not, in the ultimate, have cause to pronounce anathema on your administration. I am one of those persuaded that you mean well for Nigeria. For this, I recall again that the central platform of your campaign for the presidency is the fight against corruption.
Is this fight now being prosecuted by the virulent attacks on the personality and integrity of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, by Oshiomhole and company? Oshiomhole has, among many other indiscriminate charges, accused Dr. Okonjo-Iweala of spending $2.1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) without authorization! How can it be said that there was expenditure without authorization, when the evidence is there that authorization is undeniable?
How are we sure that the attacks on this woman is not down to the fact that she published details of the Excess Crude monies paid to the Governors most of whom cannot now pay salaries of their civil servants, or show to what useful purpose they put the funds they readily collected? Isn’t it obvious that there are high costs to pay for shadow chasing – like when wild allegations are concentrated on the innocent, while an expressway is paved for the escape of those who may have some explaining to do?
In your inaugural address, you paid tribute to President Jonathan for his statesmanship in “graciously accepting defeat” at the presidential ballot. With the most profound respect, I urge you to keep to that path of rectitude.I put it to you, Mr. President, that the fight against corruption, which you are leading, can do with one imperative, namely, the putting of an immediate end to unwarranted and unsubstantiated accusations that can only divert attention from the real culprits of corruption, if any?
Mr. Chuks Iloegbunam, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/open-letter-to-president-buhari/ | 1,913 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999966 |
ABUJA—PPRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan’s run for the 2011 presidency took another major leap, yesterday, with Igbo leaders in the 19 northern states endorsing his candidature for Saturday’s presidential election.
At a courtesy call on the President in State House, the delegation of over forty leaders of Igbo community associations in the 19 northern states commended President Jonathan for stabilizing the nation at a critical juncture of its history, noting that his administrative dexterity and egalitarian posture had endeared him to the hearts of not only the Igbo people but all Nigerians nationwide.
Mr. Oge Ogechukwu of the FCT chapter who spoke on behalf of others said the President’s detribalized stance has opened a vista of equal opportunities for all Nigerians.
While assuring that Igbos in the northern states and nationwide will vote en masse for the President come Saturday, Ogechukwu said: “We will go to the hinterland to mobilise all our people that Mr. President must be made to stay in Aso Rock.”
The group urged the President to take more stringent measures to ensure security of lives and property of all Nigerians.
President Jonathan thanked the delegation for endorsing him and said his administration in a fresh four year mandate will engender a nation where all Nigerians will pursue their aspirations without fear of molestation or discrimination.
The President promised to pursue the unity and development of the country at all times, noting that “development and poverty do not speak ethnic languages.”
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/04/igbo-leaders-in-north-back-jonathan/ | 338 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999905 |
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BREAKING: FG declares Tuesday, Wednesday public holidays
By Blessing Olaifa, Abuja
The Federal Government has declared Tuesday, July 20 and Wednesday July 21, 2021 as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government.
He congratulated all Muslim faithful and Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on the celebration.
“I call on Muslims to continue to imbibe the spirit of love, peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and to also use the period to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country, considering the challenges of insecurity we face at the moment. These mainly are bandits in the North West and North Central, insurgents in the North East, kidnappers, armed robbers, ethnic agitators and sundry criminals in other parts of the country,” Aregbesola said.
The Minister, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, assured the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is “committed to the security of lives and property of every Nigerian, and empowering the citizens for successful living, the provisions of social investments programmes and adequate security in the schools, especially with the spate of innocent school children being targets of kidnapping” .
Aregbesola, while wishing Muslim faithfuls a happy Eid-el Kabir celebration, advised all Nigerians to take responsibility by reporting any suspicious individuals and criminal activities to law enforcement agencies, especially during this festival.
He also called on all Nigerians to observe all Covid-19 protocols, particularly the non-pharmaceutical measures – wearing facemasks, hand washing and social distancing – designed to keep transmission of the disease at bay. “We must all take responsibility for containment of the pandemic during this year’s festival,” he said. | https://thenationonlineng.net/breaking-fg-declares-tuesday-wednesday-public-holidays/ | 422 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999859 |
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth (L) and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, standing onboard the Spirit of Chartwell during the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames in London. Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s 90-year-old husband, was hospitalised June 4, 2012 with a bladder infection and will miss the rest of her diamond jubilee celebrations, Buckingham Palace said. AFP PHOTO
LONDON (AFP) – Britain is planning to force visitors from India, Pakistan, Nigeria and other countries whose nationals are deemed to pose a “high risk” of immigration abuse to provide a cash bond before they can enter the country, a report said Sunday.
The Sunday Times newspaper said that from November, a pilot scheme would target visitors from those three countries plus Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana.
Visitors aged 18 and over would be forced to hand over £3,000 ($4,600, 3,500 euros) from November for a six-month visit visa.
They will forfeit the money if they overstay in Britain after their visa has expired.
Initially the scheme will target hundreds of visitors, but the plan is to extend it to several thousand, according to the broadsheet’s front-page report.
The weekly paper said the move by Home Secretary Theresa May is designed to show that Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservative Party is serious about cutting immigration and abuses of the system.
The populist United Kingdom Independence Party has been encroaching on the Conservatives’ traditional core vote in recent months.
Cameron wants annual net migration down below 100,000 by 2015.
“This is the next step in making sure our immigration system is more selective, bringing down net migration from the hundreds of thousands to the tens of thousands while still welcoming the brightest and the best to Britain,” May was quoted as saying.
“In the long run we’re interested in a system of bonds that deters overstaying and recovers costs if a foreign national has used our public services.”
A Home Office official said the six countries highlighted were those with “the most significant risk of abuse”.
Last year 296,000 people granted six-month visas were from India, 101,000 from Nigeria, 53,000 from Pakistan and 14,000 each were from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/nigerians-to-pay-3000-to-enter-britain/ | 500 | Travel | 2 | en | 0.999968 |
BY DANIEL IDONOR
ANKARA, TURKEY — President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, said he has no ambition to stay in office beyond 2015, assuring Nigerians in Diaspora that while he will not contest the 2015 election, he will ensure that this year’s election is free and fair.
The President promised that if voted in for the next four years, he would ensure significant improvement in key sectors of the economy — security, power, education, road, health amongst others.
“Without security, there is no government. So it is not debatable, it is something we have to addressed and we are working towards that with vigour. But if I’m voted into power within the next four years, the issue of power will become a thing of the past. Four years is enough for anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for the next four years.”
Jonathan said this while interacting with Nigerians mainly diplomats working in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, UNECA, and the African Union, AU, in Addis-Ababa.
While fielding questions from those present at the interactive session on whether Nigerians abroad will vote, Jonathan said: “I would have loved that the Nigerians in Diaspora vote this year but to be frank with you, that is going to be difficult now. Presently, the law does not allow the voting outside Nigeria and so this year Nigerians in Diaspora will not vote but I will work towards it by 2015 even though I will not be running for election.”
On the issue of security, Jonathan said the government was doing everything possible to arrest the situation. He disclosed that all those involved in the October 1 bombing had been arrested and were being prosecuted. He, however, said he ordered the release of the car dealers because they were just businessmen who could not have known that the vehicles were to be used for such heinous crime.
On education, the President said, the nine new approved universities were to be specialised and to be headed by at least three Nigerians experts in Diaspora.
On the concerns raised of having a database of Nigerian experts in Diaspora, President Jonathan assured that he was working on creating a forum for interaction between them and government and also develop a database, where experts needed to address the various challenges of the economy will be drawn. He hinted that this was why the Diaspora Commission was being set up as the bill was already before the National Assembly.
The President also disclosed that the government is looking towards reviewing the country’s foreign policy to ensure that Nigeria gets maximum benefit from its roles and contributions to international organizations like the AU, UN and ECOWAS.
He lamented that right now Nigeria’s contributions were not being recognized adding that “there is need for Nigeria to have something in return for our investments. We are investing so much but it is not being noticed and there is need to reverse that trend.
On the concerns about road network and transportation in the country, President Jonathan assured that the railway system will be revamp because presently heavy duty vehicles were destroying the roads. “Why we cannot have continuous road maintenance for now because no contractor wants to go into it because of the continuous pressure on the road by heavy duty vehicles. That is why we are working to ensure that we revamp the rail”.
The President also assured that Nigerians working in international organization and institutions would be issued diplomatic passports. He directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Odein Ajumogobia to submit the list of those qualified within the shortest possible time to him.
On the 35 per cent affirmative action implementation and the domestication of protocols signed, he assured that he will present before the National Assembly within the shortest possible time
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/02/i-ll-not-contest-2015-election-jonathan/#sthash.TaENhMD8.dpufThat | 817 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999989 |
What becomes of Jonathan’s women?
In the past few years, the administration of outgoing President Goodluck has given women more voice in government. While some of the women were humble with power, others became burdens to the government. In this piece, YUSUF ALLI, MANAGING EDITOR, NORTHERN OPERATION looks at what next for Jonathan’s women.
Disputably, the outgoing government of President Goodluck Jonathan prided itself as having increased women’s participation in government from 10% to above 30 %. In a foreword to a book, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Champion for Women, the controversial Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, said: “This is indeed, not just historic, but something special in the history of Nigeria! Half the world’s population is female but the international average of women in elected office is only around 20%. Look at the top office-holders, and the figure is lower still; in Nigeria, however, one in three members of the Federal Executive Cabinet is a woman. It is a fact of which all Nigerians, male and female, can be justly proud.”
Some of the key appointments bestowed on women in the last four years were the Chief Justice of the Federation, ministerial appointments, Directors-General / Executive Secretaries of key parastatals, the first female Rear Admiral, and the enrolment of female regular combatant into the Nigeria Defence Academy among others.
But the most contentious had to do with the appointment of female ministers. It was a motley crowd with mixed grill results. From the self-styled mother of the nation, First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan, whose grammatical blunders were theatrical, to the untouchable ex-Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah.
The women in Jonathan’s team regaled the nation with different scenarios. Miffed by the absurdity of some of the women in government, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo at a point said there were five presidents in Nigeria, referring to President Jonathan, the First Lady, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; ex-Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah; and the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr.(Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Their unexpected disengagement from power leaves a question: what becomes of them? The list includes the first female Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alison-Madueke; the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala; the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe; Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson; Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina; Minister of State for Education, Prof. Viola Onwuliri; and Minister of State for Agriculture, Hajia Asabe Asmau Ahmed.
Others are Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi; Minister of Environment, Mrs. Lawrencia Laraba-Mallam; Minister of Information, Sen. Patricia Akwashiki; Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Mrs. Hauwa’u Lawan Bappa; ex-Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah; ex-Minister of Environment, Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia; ex-Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Lady Amal Pepple; ex-Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai; ex-Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi; ex-Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada.
The 61-year old, Minister of Finance since 2011 had occupied the same office between 2003 and 2006. For a brief period, she was also Minister of Foreign Affairs. Her second missionary journey into the Federal Executive Council has been lack luster, riddled with controversies and largely a disaster. Right from the onset, she assumed the unconstitutional status of the Coordinating Minister for the Economy to the consternation of her colleagues in the cabinet. In spite of the constitutional aberration of the office as conferred on her with fiat by the President, she pretended all was well while usurping the position of Vice President Namadi Sambo, who is naturally in charge of the coordination of the economy. Besides most Ministers go cap in hand to her for budgetary allocation, the implementation of the nation’s budget had hardly reached 60 per cent implementation in the last four years. To her credit, the economy grew to become the largest in Africa, following a rebasing exercise, with little impact on the standard of living of Nigerians. Although Okonjo-Iweala serves on the Advisory Board of Global Financial Integrity, it was amazing that under her nose there was fuel subsidy scam and about $20b oil cash could not be accounted for. All manner of consultants were imported to manage the economy in one form or the other. There can be no better verdict on the state of the economy than the 10-page treatise of a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, who said: “Our public finance is hemorrhaging to the point that estimated over N30tn is missing, or stolen or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged.” Certainly, this her second coming has affected her rating as a development economist. She is likely to return to her NGO, NOI Global Consulting after a troubled tenure. But no one will listen to her shriek voice anymore. Above all, she has a job to clear her name of the financial sleaze in President Jonathan’s government.
Born in December 1960, the Queen of the oil sector has set a record of being the most powerful minister Nigeria has ever produced. Her words were law in the Federal Executive Council and no Minister could oppose her memo. Doing so will incur the wrath of the powers that be.
Ministers dote on her because that is the surest way to win the hearts of forces at the Presidential Villa. Once at a session of the Federal Executive council (FEC), she banged the phone to the consternation of all. Yet, there was no reprimand because she towers above all. In his bid to get reappointment after cabinet dissolution, a former Minister allegedly once prostrated for Alison-Madueke in her home.
A mermaid with her unique beauty, the minister who grew up in Mubi had been a trail blazer with many firsts including the first Nigerian woman to be on the board of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Nigeria; the first female Minister of Petroleum Resources; the first female Petroleum Minister to work with five Group Managing Directors of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); and the first female OPEC President. The fuel subsidy scam under her care led to a nationwide shut down in January 2012 and the protest almost brought the Jonathan administration to its knees. Apart from the local content development initiative, it is difficult to point out any spectacular achievement of her in office. The failures were like anthills: over $20b oil funds unaccounted for; disinvestment in the oil sector by International Oil Companies (IOCs); fall in the sale of crude oil; non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB); increase in oil theft; award of N4b pipeline protection contract to ex-militants and militia leaders. Although she still has an assignment in OPEC, it is likely she might step aside as the cartel’s President because the slot is usually for a country and not an individual. What next is being a player in the oil sector. But before she becomes an oil baroness, she may appear before many panels to defend her tenure. She will have rough days ahead but she has the gut to survive the odds.
The Minister of Communication Technology was born on June 28, 1963 to the family of the late High Chief Bayo Akinnola, who was the Lisa of Ondo Kingdom. Born into a family noted for its integrity and hard work, she was the Country Director of Accenture (a Management Consultancy Group) before she emerged as a Minister. Though on the quiet side, she has been able to achieve an increase in ratio of mobile subscriptions from 68.49% in 2011 to about 85% in 2015. Also, the mobile phone coverage which stood at 40% in 2012 might increased to about 55 to 60 per cent before the end of the year. Her greatest weakness is the inability of her ministry to address epileptic GSM service by telecoms firms. Though the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) imposed over N1.17billion on some telecoms firms, the sanctions were like mere slap on the wrist. Mrs. Johnson might return to the private sector after leaving office.
SARAH RENG OCHEKPE
A quiet and highly religious Minister, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe was born in October 1961. A trained journalist and holder of Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Jos. During her tenure, Nigeria has been able to achieve about 69-70 per cent access to potable water; constructed or rehabilitated 33 dams and 28 earth dams nationwide; and executed 15 irrigation projects which could create two million jobs when fully utilized. The ministry also secured a N2.4billion grant from Japan for water supply to five states. She was also able to address annual flooding in the country by developing Flood Control and Early Warning System (FEWS). For the first time in the history of the Ministry of Water Resources, she ran a trouble or scandal free tenure. Soft spoken and brilliant, Mrs. Ochekpe ran into political storm when she coordinated the controversial campaign dinner for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan where about N21billion was raised beyond the N1billion campaign limit in the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). Before she could be consumed by the campaign fund crisis, former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana came to her aid by claiming that the funds were meant for the completion of PDP National Secretariat. After May 29, Mrs. Ochekpe will remain a key grassroots player in Plateau State from where she was catapulted into national limelight. She used to be a member of Afri Foundation seeking to tackle poverty in Africa. Definitely, she will return to local politics because she is rated as “loyal”.
A product of Harvard Law School, the 56-year old Oloye Jumoke Akinjide is often judged in the shadow of her father, Chief Richard Osuolale Akinjide (SAN) who was known for the controversial 12 2/3 politics at the Presidential Election Tribunal in 1979 which led to the upholding of the election of ex-President Shehu Shagari. Oloye Akinjide’s vision was for the FCT to be “among the top 20 capital cities in the world.” But she is leaving a decrepit city whose master plan has been abused by Abuja land grabbers. All the six Area Councils she superintends are gradually turning into slums where nothing works. She has spent the last two years preoccupied with politics in Oyo State because of her deferred governorship aspiration. She is likely to return to her Newman Legal Office after her tenure has elapsed. But take a bet, she will not stop playing politics in Oyo State because she thinks she is a force to reckon with.
A Professor of Biochemistry, she was a shadow minister under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan in the last four years.
Her devastating moment in office was when she lost her amiable husband, Prof. Celestine Onwuliri in the DANA Air crash of June 3, 2012. A mother of five and grandmother of three, she was born in June 1956.
While as a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, she was in charge of bilateral agreements and the coordination of Bi-National Commission with the United States. She burnt her political fingers recently when she was involved in a protest march with some widows in Owerri, Imo State. With the way she was panting after a raw deal in Owerri, she does not have a strong heart for politics. She has the choice to return to the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of Jos or engage in NGO and church activities which have earned her more than 200 recognitions.
One of the oldest in the cabinet, Hajiya Maina was born in 1948. A caterer par excellence, she has spent a greater part of her life as an advocate for women. Apart from being a former National President of the National Council for Women Societies of Nigeria, the climax of her career was in 1994 when she was appointed as the Executive Secretary of the Adamawa State Women Commission. During her administration, she has been able to prevail on 23 states to pass the Child Rights Act; she launched the National Database for Vulnerable Children; promoted Affirmative Action which led to more positions for women beyond the 20% target set by the UN and establishment of skill acquisition schemes in 20 VVF Rehabilitation centres nationwide. She is going back to the grassroots for more women advocacy after May 29.
Despite the fact that she is no longer in President Jonathan’s cabinet, Princess Stella Oduah is one of the five mighty hands behind the wheels in the presidency. In and out of office, she remains an unseen hand. While in office, she embarked on the remodeling of Lagos New General Aviation Terminal, and airports in Kano, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Ilorin, Katsina, and Akure. She also renovated Hajj terminals in Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and Sokoto. Hardworking but rated as power drunk, the 53-year old ex-Minister was one of the “untouchables” in Jonathan’s cabinet until she was indicted for the purchase of two bulletproof (armoured cars) at a cost of N255million for use as a Minister. The scam led to her unceremonious exit from the cabinet.
President Jonathan’s foot-dragging on Oduah’s fate almost created a moral problem for his administration. After sullen period, the princess has regained her track. She is now a Senator-elect from Anambra State.
After May 29, she has a date with history because she is still being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Until she was suddenly sacked by President Goodluck Jonathan, she was one of the most experienced female ministers Nigeria has ever produced. Armed with a First Class Bachelor’s Honours from University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), she was a Clerk to the Senate, ex-Permanent Secretary in seven Federal Ministries. As a Minister, she developed National Housing Policy and National Urban Development Policy. Her early exit from the cabinet was due to her audacity in telling the President to settle his political differences with Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Not minding her age, she knelt down for President Jonathan in order to avert the inevitability of losing his re-election bid. She was booted out of the cabinet. But today, she can walk tall because she has been vindicated by the defeat of Jonathan. She is a good chorister in church. She might bounce back to power soon.
Born on November 2, 1953, Patricia Naomi Akwashiki, once representing Nasarawa North as a Senator. Though she is presently the Minister of Information, she was yet to settle down when her boss was defeated during the Presidential Election. As a Senator, she sponsored a bill to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau Act. As a politician, she had defected from the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). She may likely return to politics which has entered her blood.
ASABE ASMAU AHMED
Before her appointment, she has had a brilliant career in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and what a source described as a “rewarding experience” in the private sector. A reputable town planner, Asabe is also respected for her frankness, honesty and devotion to duty. She will surely go back to the private sector.
A former Commissioner for Industry, Commerce and Tourism in Akwa IbomState, she is a nominee of Governor Godswill Akpabio. With the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development proving a hard nut to crack since she came on board, she is likely going back to her state for local politicking.
LAWRENCIA LARABA MALLAM
Prior to her nomination, she was the National President of Catholic Women Organization (CWO). Her appointment was borne out of political exigency and calculation for the just-concluded Presidential Election.
As a grassroots mobilizer, she could however not save Jonathan from defeat in Kaduna. She may return to church activism. | http://thenationonlineng.net/new/what-becomes-of-jonathans-women/ | 3,551 | Politics | 2 | en | 0.999969 |
By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
ABUJA — As preparations for the next Presidential election gather momentum, the North has said it will not allow former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to impose any candidate on the region and its people.
The North is still reeling under the pains of the ‘imposition’ of the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on them in 2007 and the current President on Nigerians by the former Nigerian leader.
The Convener of the Coalition of Northern Leaders, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, told Vanguard in an exclusive interview, yesterday, that the North had learnt it bitter lessons and would not allow Obasanjo to dictate to them any longer.
According to Mohammed, the people of the North do not believe that Obasanjo still has the necessary influence and power to champion their cause and will, therefore, not allow him to dabble into their political future.
The Second Republic lawmaker said those in the North, who believe that Obasanjo has what it takes to make them President, were merely deceiving themselves, as the former President’s era had since lapsed.
Reminded that Obasanjo still wields enormous influence and authority in the land given the number of men and women he put in commanding heights, Mohammed shrugged off such influence, saying the man could hardly win a ward election in hisOgunState.
He said: “We will not allow what happened in the election of Yar’Adua and Jonathan to happen again in 2015. We must rise as a people and carry our destiny in our hands.
“We will never allow somebody who does not have the interest of the people of the North to dabble into its politics in 2015.
“In any case, if Obasanjo cannot win a ward in his local government area ofOgunState, is it inKanoor Sokoto that his candidate can win?”
Obasanjo is a political liability to the North
The political commentator made it clear that those who were being bandied as Obasanjo’s candidates in the North should work hard and win the confidence of the people if they wanted to be elected rather than go to sleep with the erroneous impression that the former leader could guarantee them easy access to the Presidential Villa.
He said: “It appears to me that Obasanjo is more of a political liability to the North and anyone who puts his hope in him in 2015 is doing so at his/her own peril.
“The irony is that some uninformed persons still believe that Obasanjo has what it takes to put them in certain political offices inNigeria. That is not possible particularly in the North.”
The medical doctor-turned politician said the North would devise a more democratic means than zoning to elect its leaders in 2015 to heal the wounds of the past political mistakes and move the people of the region andNigeriaforward.
Igbo Presidency not feasible in 2015
Mohammed said Igbo Presidency would not be feasible in 2015 given the penchant of the people of the region to pull down their own rather than speak with one voice to achieve their set goal.
He maintained thatNigerianeeded a leader who could pull it out of the present predicament and take the people to a new level of socio-economic and political prosperity.
There have been reports that Obasanjo is in support of two northern governors to run as President in 2015.
Of the two, Governor Sule Lamido of JigawaStaterecently told Vanguard that he was flattered by the link of his name with the 2015 job. He did not deny nor confirm the claim.
The man he was touted to be running with, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi ofRiversState, has however openly denied having any presidential ambition. “I’m not running with Sule Lamido,” the governor was quoted as saying in the heat of the controversy.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/igbo-presidency-not-feasible-in-2015-junaid/ | 865 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999987 |
By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke
ABUJA—The Cross River State ministerial nominee, Mr. Usani Uguru, drew the ire of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senators yesterday after he said ‘God forbid’ to claims that he had once belonged to the party.
His confirmation was further put in jeopardy after furious PDP senators pointed out gaffes in his documentation, including his tax clearance papers and the lack of an asset declaration certificate.
Uguru was one of six nominees screened yesterday at the Senate with the remaining five scheduled to be screened today.
One of the nominees, Zainab Ahmed, a foster sister of Governor Nasir el-Rufai, representing Kaduna State, missed one of the lines of the National Pledge when she was asked to recite it, yesterday.
Ahead of the conclusion of the screening, PDP senators and their All Progressives Congress, APC, counterparts were last night perfecting their strategies to push forward the two most contentious nominees, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Uguru, who fell into harm’s way by his utterances.
The other nominees screened by the Senate yesterday were Adewole Folorunsho, Osun; Bawa Bwari, Niger; Geoffrey Onyema, Enugu, and Mansur Mohammed Ali, Zamfara.
Uguru had in his introductory remark noted how he had traversed the country building relationships.
Asked if he had done that on the platform of PDP, to which he was alleged to have been a member, he responded “God forbid,” causing uproar among senators of both parties.
While APC senators started laughing, PDP senators were furious.
Noticing the agitation among PDP senators, Uguru quickly offered his apologies, but it did not soothe the anger in the PDP benches.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/ministerial-nominees-gaffe-puts-him-in-trouble/ | 408 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.998516 |
APC built Train stations in villages of PDP chieftains – Amaechi
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, on Sunday said that in the course of executing the Warri-Itakpe Rail line, stations were built in the villages of Peoples’ Democratic Party(PDP)’s chieftains.
Amaechi disclosed this at the `Next Level Presentation’ at Presidential Villa Banquet Hall to signal the commencement of the campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2019 general elections.
The minister who made a presentation titled `What We are Building ’ said that President Muhammadu Buhari, upon assumption of office, directed that old and abandoned projects be completed.
“The truth is that the country is compelled to make a choice between good and bad. When I was appointed the Minister for Transportation, the president warned–do not start new contracts, go and complete old ones.
“We met Itakpe –Warri Rail line which had been in existence for 34 years uncompleted; it would have been the first Standard Guage line in Africa if it was completed.
“Based on the president’s instruction, I did a memo; I thought we will borrow money from China; but the president refused. He said we should use our internal funds to execute the project.
“People saw me on social media on Train service from Warri to Itakpe. I got to Warri 8pm because I was going from one station to the other—almost all the villages and most prominent members of PDP made sure that train stations were in their villages.
“So, I am compelled to do those stations in villages of members of PDP; it is okay; it is the instruction of the president that you must go and finish the old work.’’
He said that the tradition in the past was that once one was elected, one left the old things for the old people and awarded new contracts.
According to Amaechi, the ministry will start commercial service from Itakpe to Warri.
On PDP’s argument that it started the projects, Amaechi said that Buhari made it clear on commissioning the Abuja –Kaduna rail project that the project was started by the former government of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We completed it but two things are remarkable—we borrowed 500 million dollars to start that project at the time oil was selling at 114 dollars per barrel.
“ We should not have borrowed; you mean this country could not have afforded 500 million dollars?
“I will show that we can; when I wrote a memo to the president and to the cabinet requesting that he should allow me borrow 500 million dollars from China to buy locomotives and coaches for Lagos-Ibadan, the cabinet under the directive of the president refused.
“He(the president) said 500 million dollars; we can get from here and we are funding it from here; so we did and completed Kaduna to Abuja quickly.
“We spend N56million per month and we get N16 million; so we are augmenting for both rich and poor—N40 million per month under the directive of the president because he fears that the poor might not be able to afford it. So, everybody is using it.’’
According to him, Lagos to Ibadan railway is almost complete—a distance of 156kms.
The minister said that application had also been made to construct Kano to Kaduna railway as approval for funds is being awaited.
“We are about to award the central line from Abuja to Niger to Baru from Baru to Itakpe to Warri; the president had approved a new seaport in Warri. We are negotiating with a Chinese company which will build it.
“Do not forget that N2.7 billion dollars is N1 trillion. So, we are looking for money to commence already awarded work on the coastal rail.
“The coastal rail starts from Lagos, from Lagos; it passes through Ogun State, Ondo, Benin, Asaba, and Onitsha. From Benin again, it passes through Warri, Sapele, Ughelli, to Bayelsa, in fact, it goes to Utuoke. From Otuoke, it goes to Port Harcourt.
“ Then from Port Harcourt, it goes to Aba, Uyo, and ends up in Cross River State.
“We are almost ready to award Port Harcourt to Maidugiri. The difference between us and the last award is that the last award was 1500km but under the directive of Mr President, it was extended to 2000 km.
“ The last award was Port Harcourt straight to Maidugiri but in order to satisfy everybody at the directive of the President, we must get to every state capital,’’ he said.
On his part, Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, said that it would require a long journey into Nigeria’s history to recall when last it had massive investment in infrastructure.
“It is no coincidence that we look to the 1970s and the 1980s when we built new airports, new seaports, new refineries, new highways and bridges.
“The closest you will have to that era is the 1990s when petrol-money was also being applied to upgrade infrastructure under the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF)incidentally chaired by Buhari.
“We lost an enormous opportunity when recently oil money rose to $114 dollar per barrel and stayed there for almost a decade and we have no new airport, refinery, bridges, petrochemical plants, no new seaports to show accountability to how all the money went,’’ he said.
The event also witnessed the unveiling of Buhari-Osinbajo 2019—A Basic Guide-The Campaign Manual in Brief. | http://thenationonlineng.net/apc-built-train-stations-villages-pdp-chieftains-amaechi-2/ | 1,271 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.99996 |
Nigeria deploys 700 soldiers to Liberia
No fewer than 700 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army are set for deployment for peace keeping operation in Liberia, just as the Army authority has warned the troops to prevent Ebola through hygienic living
The troops were warned to avoid any act capable of dragging the image of Nigeria and Nigerian Army to the mud, as the army will not accept a situation where its soldiers are seen as soft targets.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Kenneth Osuji gave the warning while addressing the troops at the graduation ceremony marking the end of their pre-deployment training in Jaji, Kaduna State on Friday.
General Osuji who is the GOC of the 1 Brigade, which is made up of the Nigerian Battalion (NIBATT)36 in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) said, they must work with the rules of engagement of the mission and respect the cultural and religious sensitivity of Liberia people.
According to him, “Be reminded that the Nigerian Army will not accept any situation where its troops are seen as soft targets or conducting themselves in unprofessional manner such as trafficking in illicit substances of any kind including alcohol and drugs.
“Additionally, you must respect the cultural and religious sensitivity of the people of Liberia. You must exhibit the highest sense of personal/environmental hygiene as Liberia is just emerging from an EBOLA epidemic,” the GOC stressed. | http://thenationonlineng.net/new/nigeria-deploys-700-soldiers-to-liberia/ | 305 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999826 |
Nigerian Shiite Muslims has issued a statement indicting Nigerian troops of killing 12 of their members and injuring 40 others in a clash between the group and soldiers in Zaria.
From reports gathered from eyewitnesses, it was said that the incident happened following the resistance of Shi’ite members to allow a military patrol van to pass through their procession.
According to the group, three of the leader of the group, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky’s sons,Mahmud, Ahmad, Hameed, as well as a woman with a baby strapped to her back were among those gunned down were.
Ibrahim Musa, the editor of Al-Mizan, the weekly newspaper published by the group, said in a statement, “Reports reaching our news desk now indicated that some soldiers of the Nigerian army have opened fire on the tail end of the Quds procession held after Jumaat prayers in Zaria, Kaduna State.
“The procession, which took off from Sabon Gari Jumaat Mosque, reached Kofar Doka peacefully with no incident. However some soldiers attacked the procession at PZ junction in Zaria.
“They shot Mahmud Ibraheem Zakzaky, but [his body] was taken away by the Muslim brothers. But several [other] Muslim brothers were shot by the security agents.
“As at the time of writing this report, there is no confirmation on the number of Muslim brothers shot or killed by the soldiers, but our [sources] say five people were killed. The Quds procession was held today peacefully in more than 10 Nigerian cities. Why the attack on the Zaria procession?
“the latest report on the attack by soldiers on Quds peaceful procession is that ten Muslim brothers were gunned down by the soldiers, among them Mahmud Ibraheem Zakzaky, son of Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, and a Muslim sister with her child on her back.
There are over 40 Muslim brothers’ casualties with different degrees of gunshots by the soldiers. The story is still unfolding, with reinforcement of soldiers coming from Kaduna, according to our news sources.”
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/sheikh-zakzakys-son-10-others-died-nigerian-troops-shiite-muslims-clash/amp/ | 469 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999945 |
By Tony Eluemunor
One terrible aspect of the Asaba massacre is not only that it actually occurred, but that 53 years after that grim and despicable flaunting of the worst of the human spirit anywhere, Nigeria does not recognise it as a national tragedy.
Thus, every 7th of October, only the people of Asaba commemorate that gruesome mass murder, which meets all definitions of GENOCIDE. The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines genocide as “the deliberate and systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion, or race. The term, derived from the Greek genos (“race,” “tribe,” or “nation”) and the Latin cide (“killing”), was coined by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish-born jurist who served as an adviser to the U.S. Department of War during World War II.
The term was coined in 1943 by the Jewish-Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin who combined the Greek word “genos” (race or tribe) with the Latin word “cide” (to kill).
That such an unprovoked gruesome mass murder of hundreds of people took place at Asaba, is not in question anymore. What really happened that October 1967? As Emmanuel Andrew Chukwuedo Nwanze, BSc. MSc. Ph.D. DIS, Professor of Neurobiochemistry and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Benin said in a lecture: “Asaba people came out from their homes and places of other engagements in response to a call to come out and welcome and receive the conquering Federal troops. When the troops requested them to separate into groups of males and females, they naively complied, never having ever witnessed such an event before. The men were marched away to the more secluded axis of Ogbe Osowe- Ilo-Umuaji-Ogbe Ilo. When the guns started blazing it was too late to escape. The staccato over, only the groans of those on the throes of death could be heard with blood flowing freely: indeed ‘blood on the Niger’. The few alive or not completely dead who had been clobbered to the ground by the falling dead could be heard calling on the soldiers to come on and finish the job. Hence the weak cries of “See me, I never die o”
Mr. Chiedu “Cassy” Juwah was about ten years old then. He recalled that “People were dancing in a welcome party at OgbeIlo field. Then soldiers stopped the music and a grim business began. That was how Asaba became a town of landladies. My cousin who had survived the pogrom at Kano, his dad and two elder brothers, were shot. I hid and returned home. The following day, 7th, we were rounded up and shepherded to Oma, opposite today’s Grand Hotel, That’s where we were separated. At Ogbe Osowe, the men were separated from the boys and the women, and I, a boy, joined the women in going to the Convent, now St. John Bosco’s Church at Nnebisi Rd, and Ogbe Osowe became a killing field. My brother, Augustine Juwah, who passed out of St. Anthony’s College in 1964, pretended to be dead and hid among dead bodies there as a machine gun belched fire and death. By 8.pm he made his way home and we started our flight; first to Achala, and from there to Ubulu-Uku. Some people returned home days later and were still killed in the house-to-house combing by the military.”
The Federal troops thundered into Asaba on the 5th. The Biafrans had melted away as the immediate commander, the late Col. Joe Achizia (a son of Asaba), opted to retreat to Onitsha as a lorry load of cutlass was all he was given to defend Asaba with. He blew up the Niger Bridge. Then, the indiscriminate killing started. It turned horrendous on the 6th and became hellish on the 7th.
About 1, 000 persons died in Asaba in those gruesome three days. Yet, more died later as the town’s folks fled into the bush, trying to escape to the nearby towns and villages. Many were caught outside the town while escaping and were decimated, others died from hunger and unhealed wounds inside the bush.
In fact, the killing spilled into Ogwashi-Uku, and several other towns in the Anioma Delta North Senatorial District. In Ishiagwu, a coastal village to which Biafrans would travel to from around Oguta to buy food stuff, having crossed the lordly River Niger by canoe, the Federal troops visited one night and simply killed 400 people who failed to escape and burnt down the village – even as a General Cyril Iweze, a son of Ishiagwu, was fighting on the Federal side. Ibusa suffered genocide and the entire surviving population fled into the bush.
READ ALSO: Boko Haram sacks two communities in Borno
As late into the war as 1969, the killings were still on. A Benin-City based medical Doctor, Patrick Anyafulu said: In 1969, a company of Federal troops was ambushed and decimated by Biafran troops on the road leading to Asaba from Oko. That incident brought the horrors of war to my sleepy, rustic village. The whole village was razed to the ground. We escaped death through Providence…a heavy rainstorm the previous night delayed their advance from Asaba, and fishermen who had gone to check their nets saw them and alerted the whole village. Shells were already landing in the village and the air was filled with the whine of bullets. We escaped into the forest and lived there until 1970!”
So, why has the Federal Government, which has recently acknowledged the evil inherent in denying the late MKO Abiola his June 1993 electoral victory, refused to even recognise the atrocity committed against Asaba and other Anioma towns? As hard as that insult upon injury is difficult to swallow, it is pertinent to remember that for years the Asaba massacre was a totally hushed up topic.
A London Times correspondent, Bill Norris, who passed through Asaba in mid-October 1967, sent back photos of hellish destruction there and noted that the town appeared to be largely abandoned. But he said nothing about the genocide. He explained in a 2012 interview that he did not know about the massacre. The first mention of mass killing in Asaba appeared in the London Observer, almost four months later, when Africa correspondent Colin Legum conûrmed that Federal troops took part in the killing. However, his (second-hand) account claimed that a group of ‘implacably hostile’ Igbo attacked troops by surprise as they watched the welcome dance, leading to retaliation.
Even both pro-Biafra and pro-Nigeria writers of book on the Civil War left the Asaba massacre well alone. The Nigerian Army made no attempt during or after the Civil War, to investigate the Asaba Massacre. Yet, The London Observer commented on it on 21 January 1968, Le Monde, the French evening newspaper, wrote about it on April 5, 1968, LOOK, the British magazine, did same and even a Canadian Member of Parliament, who served as the UN Observer, Stephen Lewis, was mentioned in the London Observer on October 11, 1968. Yet, the then Nigerian High Commissioner to Britain, Brig. B. O. Ogundipe called the reports “wild rumours”. The Times of London reported in 1968 that Biafran propaganda had instilled fear of federal soldiers in Igbo people, but these fears were unfounded. A year later, the Times reported that an international observer team had “been unable to ûnd one single trace of mass killings of Ibos”.
An Asaba indigene, Sylvester Okocha, then senior civil servant in Benin, wrote to the International Committee of the Red Cross describing what had just happened. His letter was intercepted by the military, he was arrested, tortured and incarcerated in Lagos.
Now, the truth is out…and it is horrendous. There are only two choices left for Nigeria: to keep ignoring this sordid fact and allow the sore to fester and become food for agents of national disunity or address it so that healing can begin. Yet, the silence has really ended, what continues is national self-deception. An Asaba indigene, and journalist, Emma Okocha published the book Blood on the Niger in 1994 (his father was a victim of that massacre). It lifted the lid off that story and has remained a condemnation on the government’s official silence on the Asaba massacre – that terrible blot on Nigeria’s history.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/10/asaba-massacre-terrible-blot-on-nigerias-history/ | 1,905 | Politics | 3 | en | 0.999903 |
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA—The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court will, today, determine whether or not the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio is qualified to be appointed as the Minority Leader of the 8th Senate.
The suit, which was lodged before the court by two members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Rivers and Imo states, Alaye Pedro and Dr. Okechukwu Ibeh, respectively, has 18 Senators from the South-South geo-political zone as defendants.
The plaintiffs are praying the court to restrain the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and members of PDP caucus from the South-South in the Senate from appointing the Senate Minority Leader outside the provision of Order 3(2) of Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended).
The aforementioned rule of the Senate prohibits the appointment of a first time Senator as a principal officer.
The plaintiffs maintained that whereas PDP is the leading minority party in the Senate and is entitled to produce the Minority Leader, they contended that in line with Order 3(2) of Senate Standing Orders 2015, ranking must be the basis for appointment of such principal officer.
They averred before the court that “ranking ensures that principal officers posses adequate experience and avoids promoting junior over senior,” adding that in zoning the position of the Minority Leader to South-South, PDP take into consideration the ranking of PDP senators from the zone.
The plaintiffs, however, decried that “a clique within the larger PDP caucus in the 8th National Assembly has concluded plans to subvert the mandatory provision of Order 3(20) of the Senate Standing Orders by selecting or appointing the Minority Leader by a procedure in breach of Order 3(2) of the Senate Standing Orders 2015.”
Consequently, they urged the court to intervene by ensuring that the proper procedure was adhered to by the leadership of the Senate with regards to the appointment of Minority Leader.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/senate-minority-leader-court-rules-on-suit-challenging-akpabios-eligibility-today/ | 435 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999861 |
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has in an unusual fashion invited President Muhammadu Buhari to commission two newly constructed cell blocks at the Makurdi medium correctional centre in the wake of jailbreaks across the country.
Ortom disclosed this at a meeting with the people of Ugondo, the host community for the correctional service, warning them against encroaching on land ceded to the service and any other federal agency contributing to the growth and security of the people of Benue.
READ ALSO: Wike Invites Buhari, Oshiomhole, Obi To Inaugurate Rivers Projects
The invitation is coming amid his disagreement with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar which seems irredeemable.
Ortom is also a prominent member of the PDP G5 led by his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike. The group wants Benue-born Iyorchia Ayu to resign as a precondition to support Atiku’s 2023 presidential ambition. | https://www.channelstv.com/2022/12/07/ortom-invites-buhari-to-commission-benue-project/ | 215 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.9997 |
By DANIEL ETEGHE
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Thursday arrested a student and four other suspected drug traffickers with 10.255 kilogrammes of narcotics at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Lagos.
Speaking on the arrest, NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr. Ahmadu Garba said that the suspects were apprehended for their involvement in smuggling drug hidden in garri adding that two of the drug suspects were coming from Brazil with cocaine while three others were going to South Africa, Dubai and Pakistan when they were arrested.
Mr. Garba further gave the names of those apprehended as “26 year old student Okonkwo Daniel Anagor, was caught with 2.810kgs of Tramadol on his way to Dubai, Lawal Monsuru Ademola, 33 year old trader was arrested with 3.310kgs of methamphetamine on his way to South Africa while Ogbonna Donatus Chigozie was caught attempting to smuggle 610 grammes of cocaine to Pakistan. Two other suspects, Okoro Chibueze Augustine and Okpue Ernest Ifeanyi were caught with 2.575kgs and 950 grammes of cocaine from Brazil”.
Meanwhile Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade while reacting to the recent arrests called on Nigerians to shun drug trafficking and promote peaceful coexistence.
“Some of the lessons of Eid el Kabir are obedience and love. Let us love one another and obey the laws of the land by avoiding drug trafficking and abuse. This way we can promote safety and peaceful coexistence”.
The NDLEA boss also advised the suspects to turn a new leaf and contribute to nation building stressing further that all the five suspects would soon be charged to court.
Narrating his ordeal, one of the suspects, Mr. Okonkwo David Anagor who was to board Rwand Air flight to Dubai told anti-graft investigators that he wanted to spend some time after his secondary school and further his education in Dubai.
According to him, “I was travelling to Dubai to spend holiday and further my studies but they called me from Dubai that somebody will give me garri in Lagos.
When I got to Lagos, the person called me and gave me the bag of garri. This is my first time of travelling outside the country. At the airport, the garri was searched and 445 sachets of Tramadol were found inside the bag. That was how I was arrested”.
Also, Mr. Lawal Monsuru Ademola, a trader selling clothes at Marina Lagos who holds a Diploma in Computer Installations and Repairs at the Lagos State Polytechnic was caught on his way to South Africa with 3.310kgs of crystalline substance which tested positive for methamphetamine that was neatly packed in 26 parcels in a false bottom of his luggage.
Similarly, Ogbonna Donatus Chigozie was nabbed with 610 grammes of cocaine while attempting to board an Emirate flight to Pakistan.
Okoro Chibueze Augustine who was expecting N2.5 million described his arrest as a bad luck.
In his words, “I have lived in Brazil for a year and six months. I have suffered trying to make ends meet in Brazil. I got involved in drug trafficking so as to start a legitimate business. I expected to have made N2.5 million from the deal.
Unfortunately, my partner who would have collected the drug in Dubai failed to show up so I had to come to Nigeria with the drug. That was not the original plan. This is a bad luck and I feel so sad”. He is single and hails from Imo State.
Okpue Ernest Ifeanyi who had lived in Brazil for a year said that he came to Nigeria for his traditional marriage ceremony. “I work in a restaurant in Brazil. I am 39 years old and I sincerely want to get married and have a family. In the process of trying to make more money, I was given 59 wraps of cocaine to take to Nigeria for N400,000 naira. Now I realized I have made a big mistake. I pray my woman will find a place in her heart to forgive me. I feel I am under a spell” he stated. He hails from Enugu.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/student-caught-at-lagos-airport-with-10-255kg-of-drugs-hidden-in-garri/ | 932 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999789 |
MOSCOW — Russia’s first smartphone – a quirky, dual-screen device with a traditional LCD-color display on one side and an electronic-paper display similar to the Amazon Kindle on the other – began selling in Russia and several other European countries on Wednesday.
The Yotaphone, developed by a Russian tech start-up, Yota Devices, will be sold for about $675 in Europe and for $600 in Russia, slightly cheaper than top competitors like the Apple iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4.
The Russian phone, which uses an Android operating system, is an attempt by a European company to jump into the handset market, largely dominated by American and Asian manufacturers. Nokia, the largest cellphone maker in Europe, is in the final stages of selling that business to Microsoft for $7.2 billion. Jolla, a smaller Finnish start-up founded by former Nokia engineers, has only recently started selling its own handset aimed at a global audience.
At a kick-off event at the popular Garage Center for Contemporary Culture in downtown Moscow, the chief executive of Yota Devices, Vladislav Martynov, said the introduction of dual screens was “a revolution in telephone architecture” and would conserve battery life.
Mr. Martynov said that the electronic-ink display on the back of the Yotaphone would show information, including feeds from Facebook and Twitter, even when the phone is not in use. “Before Yotaphone, this space was useless,” he said.
While Russian Internet companies like the Yandex search engine are popular in Russia and software companies like Kaspersky Lab, an antivirus developer, have found international success, there have been no breakout leaders among Russian consumer technology producers, a sector where the country has traditionally lagged. | http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/05/business/international/russias-first-smartphone-goes-on-sale.html?src=recgRussia | 372 | Phones | 1 | en | 0.999866 |
Buhari departs abuja for sochi, participates in Russia-Nigeria Summit
By Agency Reporter
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday departed Abuja for Sochi, Russia to attend a three-day Russia-Africa Summit holding from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before leaving the presidential villa for onward journey to Sochi, Buhari carried out some official engagements where he was briefed by some cabinet ministers.
NAN reports that the presidential aircraft conveying the president and some members of his entourage took off from the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA) at about 2.15 p.m.
The presidential aircraft is expected to arrive Sochi International Airport at about 22.30 p.m. (Local Time) with the temperature out at 22 degrees centigrade.
An earlier statement by the President’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday said the summit would focus on exploring and expanding opportunities in security, trade and investment, science and technology, and gas production.
During the summit, according to the statement, Buhari will meet with President Vladimir Putin of Russia to further strengthen relations between Nigeria and Russia.
Shehu said that the two leaders would hold bilateral talks on security, trade and investment, and building partnership that would enhance Nigeria’s huge gas potential following Russia’s remarkable success in gas exportation.
“The summit, which will be attended by African Heads of State will bring fresh perspectives on some global issues and challenges like nuclear technology, energy development, digital transformation, environment, technical security, mining and steel, education, agriculture, infrastructure and development strategies.
“An African Business Forum, which will bring together African and Russian business leaders will be held during the event to enhance Russian investments in Africa and promote African business interest in the host country,’’ he said.
Those on the president’s entourage included governors Muhammad Yahaya of Gombe, Bello Matawalle of Zamfara and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state.
Others also on the trip are ministers of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite and Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva. | https://thenationonlineng.net/buhari-departs-abuja-for-sochi-participates-in-russia-nigeria-summit/ | 505 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999657 |
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Wednesday in Abuja said the task ahead of the incoming All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government was enormous. This is contained in its congratulatory message to the APC on the emergence of its presidential candidate, Muhammad Buhari, as winner of the March 28, presidential election. The statement, signed by Mr Asishana Okauru, the forum`s Director-General, prayed that God would use the APC and Buhari to bring the desired change to the country.
“We congratulate the APC for the emergence of Gen. Buhari at the March 28 presidential election as President-elect, and Prof. Yemi Osibajo, as Vice President-elect. “We pray that God uses Buhari as President working with other stakeholders, to lead the country across party, religious, ethnic and sectoral lines. “This is the level of cohesion needed to meet the yearning and expectations of all Nigerians and move our country forward,’’ it said.
It also congratulated the APC, the PDP and other political parties for the success of their various candidates in the National Assembly elections. The statement said the emergence of Buhari at this point in Nigeria`s political history was nothing but the will of the people and the voice of God. This, it said, was so considering the fact that Buhari had previously contested the seat three times.
It, however, thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for his concession of victory, saying that this was the mark of true sportsmanship. It, therefore, called on all other political party leaders to follow suit. The statement further added that the forum was looking forward to a successful conduct of the forthcoming Governorship and State Assembly elections slated for April 11.
Earlier, Mr Myani Bukar of Act Now Nigeria, an NGO, described the emergence of Buhari as Nigeria`s next president, as the most eloquent resolve of Nigerians for a change in every facet of life. “It is the triumph of democracy and it signifies the beginning of a new era of active citizenship in Nigeria. “This is truly the people`s revolution; it is time for nation building to commence,’’ Bukar said
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/governors-forum-congratulates-buhari-says-task-ahead-is-enormous/ | 487 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999987 |
Senate President, Sen. David Mark
BY Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief
Senate President David Mark’s quest for a vast land where he is said to be planning a university in his native Otukpo, Benue State, has pitted him against peasant farmers in Asa III, who claim that the retired military officer-turned- politician wants to deprive them of their farm land, their only means of livelihood.
The move was said to have started in the first quarter of the year when a delegation of the nation’s number three citizen, led by one Chief Obogo Alapa, met some Asa III elders to inform them of the proposed university which, it stressed, would bring development to the area.
It was learnt that the villagers told the delegation that they welcomed the development, but that they needed to know the exact size of land and in which area of the village before they could give their terms.
Consequently, it was agreed that the delegation should take representatives of the villagers to the area and show them the location and size.
This was later undertaken, with a bulldozer setting out what represented the area of interest for the proposed institution. The said land, according Mr. Sam Obochi, measures about “4 x 4” km, covering the farmlands of many families. The area demarcated alegedly extended from Asa III to their boundary with Akpegede village on the one hand, and their boundary with Otobi on the other.
However, trouble started when the villagers discovered that bulldozers were sent in to clear the vast farmland without any further discussions with them. “The Alapa delegation that went to show the villagers the area to be taken by the university project did not return to give the villagers any feedback”, the villagers claimed.
Some of the villagers went to their farms and asked the bulldozer operators to stop work on the grounds that the said land belonged to their families and that at no time did they hand over the land to anybody for any project.
As learnt, the workers ignored the villagers which led to protests during which the villagers blocked the main road that passes through Asa III in their efforts to attract public attention to their plight.
If the villagers expected any form of sympathy, what they allegedly got was a rude shock as, rather than coming for negotiations, those taking their land were said to have mobilized persons from Igbanomaje, Otukpo, to attack them. The assailants were said to have invaded Asa III and shot six of the villagers, burnt down houses of those considered as the arrowheads of the alleged land-grab opposition, and looted every store in sight.
The villagers ran into the bush and kept away from their homes for four days. Those who ventured into the village were said to have been arrested by gun- wielding vigilante and policemen brought in from Otukpo. 18 persons were allegedly arrested including three minors. 15 were detained in Makurdi Police Station while the minors were detained in the Juvenile Detention Center, Gboko.
As learnt, six men were shot by the attackers and had to be rushed to the General Hospital Otukpo. But even at the hospital, the police went after them and attempted to arrest them. It took the resistance of the hospital staff to stop further action against the villagers who then sneaked out of the hospital that night to secret locations outside Otukpo to seek medical help.
Two weeks after the attack, leaders of the village, it was learnt, sent an emissary to Alapa, the alleged leader of Mark’s representatives, to express their disappointment over the attack on Asa III.
A peace meeting was reportedly held with the Alapa group on June 21. The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Council, Dr. Innocent Onuh, was one of the leaders that attended the meeting. That meeting was held at the palace of the Ad’ Alekwu of Asa III, Mr. Inalegwu Onche, where the villagers claimed to have told Mark’s representatives that due process should be followed if the Senate President wanted to acquire land for his university project.
The following day, the villagers said policemen from Otukpo Divisional Police Headquarters invaded the village at about 5.30 am to arrest some youths.
Those who noticed the arrival of the policemen were said to have alerted others by phone. Those who could not get the information on time were arrested while those who escaped arrest had their Okadas (motorcycles) taken away. The villagers then mobilized and insisted that every villager must be taken to the police station. Overwhelmed, Sunday Vanguard was told, the police started firing into the air to disperse the crowd. In the process, one of the police constables was shot due to accidental discharge by a fellow police man.
This was said to have infuriated the policemen the more as they insisted on arresting as many of the villagers as they could. But the policeman behind the shooting allegedly reported himself to the police authorities in Otukpo. He was said to have declared that he could not bring himself to accuse the villagers of a crime they did not commit.
The policeman was arrested and detained, then transferred to the Benue State Police Command headquarters in Makurdi where he was detained, pending his orderly room trial. In spite of truth about who shot the deceased policeman, the team that left the village only reinforced with more officers, soldiers and armed vigilante, and stormed the village later that day. The raid was unprecedented, according to the villagers, as they could not resist the large armed team that stormed their little village. Several villagers were arrested with others running into the forests. At the end of the day, many houses were allegedly burnt down and shops looted, creating a scenario of a village at war.
After the raid, Mr. Obochi, a senior civil servant in Makurdi, but whose family land is part of the parcel in dispute, decided to meet the Senate President’s representatives in Otukpo. He was arrested and detained for one week, in Makurdi, along with those earlier arrested.
Obochi told Sunday Vanguard, in an interview in Makurdi, that what was happening in Asa III since the beginning of the year was a clear case of intimidation of the peasant farmers.
He said he was arrested in the process of trying to resolve the issue between the Mark group and his brothers and sisters in his village. According to him, “my offence was that I bailed those who were arrested by a combined team of policemen, soldiers and vigilante”.
Narrating the situation, Obochi said, “The Mark group claims that the villagers are strangers and as such will not receive any compensation for the land and their crops. Rather, they said that compensation will be paid to Otukpo indigenous people. Their informants misled them. They told them that those farming on the land in question are ‘Aalala’”.
Those referred to as ‘Aalala’ are those from south of Idomaland, especially Ogbadibo and Okpokwu Local Government Areas.
Obochi insisted that those who own the land and even currently own farms on the land in question are aboriginal Otukpo people.
He added that most of the houses destroyed and the looted shops belonged to indigenes of Asa III and not strangers which made it difficult for any reasonable member of the society to comprehend.
Obochi said the villagers had no intention of fighting Mark but that they won’t allow anyone to forcefully take away the land which they inherited from their ancestors.
Effort to see Mark
Asked if the aggrieved villagers made any effort to meet the Senate President in person, he said, “I met Adakole Elijah ( an aide of the Senate President) and requested to see Sen. Mark. He promised to facilitate my meeting him. That was before the arrest and that was the last time I saw the man. I also had a chance meeting with one Onyilokwu Ekwo (said to be very close to the Senate President) and I told him that we don’t want bloodshed in our village and that he should arrange a meeting for us to meet Mark. There was no response and I cannot just walk to Senator David Mark’s house”.
According to Obochi, the demand of the owners of the farm land is, “the Senate President should follow due process by coming to the owners of the land. If a dirty man has something which you need, the person cannot look dirty to you.
“He should come to us and make a request, then we will decide whether to give him the land or not; or give him part of the land; but certainly not the whole land as demarcated. We don’t have any personal problem with Mark He chose the wrong process. Those he is working with are not representatives of the farmers who own the land. He should stop further work on the land in question until the issue is resolved”.
Neither the Senate President’s media team nor his family members responded to inquiries by Sunday Vanguard, in spite of repeated calls and text messages.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/07/blood-tears-in-oturkpo-as-david-marks-men-villagers-go-to-war/ | 1,920 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999971 |
By Bunmi Sofola
WHAT sort of buzz, drives a man to one-night-stand, relationships? Lola had accompanied her friend to her ex-husband’s birthday party, hoping to have the good time she promised. “He has birthday bashes annually”, said Lola, “and my friend has stayed friends with her ex because he was a good provider even when their marriage wasn’t really working.
“He is a real clown, more a Jack-the-dad than the successful man he’s turned out to be. The party, apart from its not being a landmark one, was elaborate —good food, good booze and a good crowd.
The music was a jazzy mix. Later in the evening, I stood outside the busy toilet when he said I could use the one in his bedroom. I wasn’t there one minute, when he burst in and was all over me.
I was shocked. He mumbled that he’d been watching me all evening; that he’d found me attractive for ages, and all those mushy things men say when they are in heat. I was shocked and terribly embarrassed. I had never given him the impression I fancied him.
“I tried to beat him off but he was too strong. Unfortunately, my knickers were already round my ankles and he raped me there and then. He was out of the toilet before I knew what had happened! I felt so used and humiliated and when I got back to the party, I thought every-one would know what had happened to me. But they all just carried on enjoying themselves.
My rapist didn’t as much as look my way and when we left, he even saw us off telling my friend what a beautiful lady I was. I felt so humiliated, I wanted to blurt out what happened but who would believe me?” Kayode prided himself on being a good one-night-stand man. “I simply love the challenge of bedding a girl the first time I met her, if I find her attractive, that is”, he bragged.
“The moment I clamp my eyes on a victim, the possibilities start running through my mind. Will we be sexually compatible? Will I come too quickly or won’t I be able to come at all?” One night stands have a habit of cropping up, if not often, then once in a while, especially nights when there is too much flirting and drinking at parties, giving you too much build-up opportunity. Then you kid yourself that the chemistry between you and your victim is right and then, wham!
“Of course, I’ve burnt my fingers from time to time. I’ve discovered, for instance, that my prowess between the sheets— if you call it that— has become topic for conversation at some female get together during the course of their now frequent drinking chin-wags. Women, like men, now freely discuss their sexual escapades and I’ve listened to a few deride the techniques of some really influential men. Makes your flesh crawl at times!
‘They are certainly more brazen than men especially when they’ve had a few drinks. So, it’s not only men that are the predators. Some women offer you sex on the platter when it is the furtherest thing from your mind!”
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/drawing-the-line-between-rape-and-a-one-night-stand/ | 735 | Romance | 1 | en | 0.999987 |
Nnamdi-Kanu in court
Magistrate of the Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, Shuaibu Usman, on Wednesday discharged the Director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on all counts of criminal conspiracy and ownership of an unlawful society brought against him by the federal government.
After holding that the government had dropped the charges against Kanu, the judge ruled: “The accused person is hereby discharged and the case struck out.”
The government through its agent, the Department of State Services (DSS), had elected to withdraw the case at the lower court for a higher court, which has jurisdiction to entertain charges bordering on terrorism, to take over.
Usman was scheduled to deliver judgment on the application of the DSS on December 1, but he put it off until December 16, reports TheCable.
The DSS has held Kanu for at least 90 days despite an order of the magistrate court granting him bail in October.
After the lower court granted him bail, the DSS got an order of the federal high court, Abuja, to keep the leader of IPOB in detention.
However, his lawyer, Vincent Obetta, filed a counter application, seeking bail for the accused person.
Meanwhile, Justice of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Adeniyi Ademola, is expected to rule on the bail application on Thursday.
Since, the arrest and detention of Kanu by Nigeria’s secret Police, in Lagos, on Saturday, October 17, wave of protests, engineered by IPOB, as well as members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) had swept through the South-East and parts of the South-South, demanding an immediate and unconditional release of Kanu.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/breaking-dss-drops-charges-against-nnamdi-kanu-in-magistrate-court/ | 412 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999868 |
Oyibo Tired As Politicians Beg & Sell Themselves Too Cheap
There is an adage that no matter how valuable you are, you get what you negotiate, not what you deserve. You may have heard those stories of Europeans and Americans shaming fellow African passengers on the planes on their way back home: how stupid many African leaders are. They are so stupid, they sell themselves short, too cheap and beg out of what is rightly theirs.
The first story was some years ago about an American traveling out of Kenya. Then, there was another one out of Ghana. Later, others stories along the same line have come from Nigeria, Senegal and other African countries. The closest way to relate African politicians’ foolishness is how some school boys conspired with bursars to defraud their own poor hardworking fathers.
Another was personal. One of our “small” uncle visited a “big” uncle. Small uncle was served with drinks and a full pack of cigarettes. As the big uncle stepped into another room for a moment, our small uncle stole half of the cigarettes in the pack. When he finished his drinks, he stood up to go. Before he stepped outside, big uncle reminded him that he had forgotten his cigarettes: yepaa, I had been stealing from myself!
The embarrassment these oyibo subjected their fellow African passengers to paralyzed most. They did not know whether to laugh or cry at the “jokes”. Some Africans pretended to fall asleep with the hope that these oyibo people would stop since other people were listening. There is nothing these expatriates were bragging about that were not known or discussed in the African communities.
It is the glee with which foreign investors expressed the fact that they made a killing in their deals that is both embarrassing and annoying. You cannot fight them on the plane or counter what you know is true. One of them actually summarized African leaders’ negotiation skills to be stupidly selfish and dirt cheap: natural resources, land, royalties, tax-free zones, exorbitant finished imported products eagerly brought in with incredible concessions at tax-free zones and allowed to do whatever they want in Africa.
What do these African leaders get back? Peanuts! Gold for mirrors like past century. Everything they get back is usually less than five percent of what is given away. Actually, they know African leaders are so greedily stupid, they usually keep back about one percent because they know Africans would come back to beg for less than one percent more, of the bargain. Once they are thrown the bones like dogs, they would dance and worship their foreign portfolio investors.
Please note that Congo is rightly renegotiating cobalt price with foreign investors. The fact is, most leaders have no idea or do not care about the value of what they are negotiating away. They go to their people and brag about how much foreign investments they bring into the country since nobody asks them how much is flying out of the country. When African experts lecture or write about business and economics, it is never from the perspectives of Africans.
All their authorities and quotes are from International Monetary Fund, World Bank and of course foreign universities. Any contrary opinion and authority inside or outside Africa like OXFAM that points out the one sided deals they negotiated for their countries is dangerous to their ability to get kickbacks in foreign currencies in their self-interests.
African and foreign businesses that generate sales outside each African country, are surprisingly the biggest looters of foreign reserves. If these companies are selling products like chocolates, coffee, beer, automobiles and cement outside their country, they should be a good source of foreign or hard currencies for their own government. No! They dip into limited foreign reserve locally, fighting for it like every Momoh, Emeka and Tunde or small businesses.
What they promise is that by the year - when we are all dead and gone - they will be generating foreign cash for their home countries. Think about it. Those selling sugar and water in the name of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Fanta etc. claim they need our limited foreign reserve to import sugar from our sugarcane and Pierre water that cannot be readily made available at home. So they have to obtain them with our foreign reserve, haba!
Though ignoramus when they are negotiating with multinational corporations, when buying their finished products, they know these manufacturers make more money from after sales from maintenance and of course from training their own staff, not African staff on technical details. This was the bone of contention between the British and Americans in the early century when British accused Americans of stealing their innovations. Now it is the turn of American claiming Japan and China are stealing American innovations.
When are Africans going to steal British, American, Japanese and Chinese technologies? If these leaders were not so book-educated like a robot, we would think they would play the same game after their Independence in the late fifties and sixties. Sometimes one has to wonder which is more painful, African telling our leaders daily that they are selfishly stupid or Asians, Europeans, Americans, Lebanese and Arabs telling us our leaders are a special case of morons.
Someone said Africans are good at diagnosing their problems when writing or out of power. Once they are put in the position of authority, they all mess up big time. This may be true in many cases. But please, give some credit to those that worked tooth and nail to make their countries better than we met it; against all odds. There are hard workers in every African country that will never be given the opportunity to rule, even if they contest.
We all know the hard workers, five different types of professors, the sincere and patriotic Africans in each country. It is unfair to claim that people you know and refused to elevate to the position of power are just rogues like the rest of them. You shun them and prefer to celebrate rogues and vagabonds that give you “stomach infrastructure” and foreign motors/bikes while stealing you blind. Do not lump everyone together. Respect the dignity of labor. Even as gutter cleaners and farmers, we all have a role to play in life. Everyone cannot be a politician.
When Prof. Soludo said the Paris Club odious loan could have been negotiated better by anyone, it was not out of spite but out of indignation. We had two Obasanjo and two Audu Ogbe we know very well. On their first outing, they worked diligently for the country but left office almost bankrupt and were humiliated by people for going back home broke up to today. The subsequent opportunity they got, they learned their lessons and looted us dry! | https://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/266906/oyibo-tired-as-politicians-beg-sell-themselves-too-cheap.html# | 1,364 | Politics | 2 | en | 0.999987 |
Former Navy Commodore, Kunle Olawunmi on Wednesday hinted that the Nigerian government knows those behind the decade-long Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
He made the comment during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“They [government] know. Of course, it is in the news,” Commodore Olawunmi said.
“In April this year, the government said they had arrested 400 Bureau De Change (BDCs)-related people that were sponsoring Boko Haram. They told us.”
The presidency had earlier said it would publish names of those behind the Boko Haram war with the development generating heated controversy across the country.
But months down the line, the long-waited list is yet to be made public, a situation the ex-military officer says does not bode well for the government which he accused of shielding criminals.
“Try them, we know them. Why can’t this government, if not that they are partisan, bring those people out for trial?” he asked, corroborating calls from several quarters for the Federal Government to make good its promise.
He claimed that the government has developed cold feet in fighting the insurgency because some of those backing Boko Haram are now top-ranking government officials.
“I can’t come on air and start mentioning names of people that are presently in government that the boys we arrested mentioned,” he said, referencing his time as a member of the military intelligence team in 2017.
“Some of them are governors now. Some of them are in the Senate. Some of them are in Aso Rock.”
RELATED: Bandits Attack NDA, Kill Two Officers, Abduct One
‘We Can’t Use Same Strategy’
Olawunmi’s remark is the latest in the continued debates about how Nigeria can end the Boko Haram war which has led to thousands of deaths and displaced millions especially in the northeast and some neighbouring countries.
While the military says the ongoing onslaught against the terrorists has yielded results and the criminals surrendering in ‘droves’, calls for granting amnesty to some of the “repentant” members of the sect have also divided opinions among stakeholders.
Advocates, citing the amnesty programme of the ex-President Musa Yar’Adua to ex-Niger Delta militants, say it will bring peace to the troubled North-East.
But Olawunmi has faulted the move.
“The challenge we have in this country cannot be solved the same way we solved the problem of the Niger Delta. I told them we can’t use the same strategy for Boko Haram,” he argued, citing when he served a security and intelligence brief at the Defence Headquarters between 2016 and 2017.
According to him, fishing out the sponsors is a major way of ending the war.
“The centre of gravity of Boko Haram and insurgency in Nigeria are the sponsors of that programme,” the professor of Intelligence and Global Security Studies, added. | https://www.channelstv.com/2021/08/25/insecurity-the-govt-knows-sponsors-of-boko-haram-says-olawumi/ | 638 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999985 |
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has announced that all sport in the country is banned until September 1.
As a consequence, this would mean the immediate suspension of the football season, among other events.
The Netherlands, as such, is the first country to decree such a drastic measure at a governmental level.
The country’s stadiums will remain closed until September 1, so the 2019/20 season can be considered to be closed.
“It’s tough, but we will have to make that sacrifice,” Rutte said.
As it is a government ruling, we must now wait for the reaction of the Dutch Football Federation (KNVB), who in principle could give the Eredivisie title to Ajax, the current leader and reigning champions.
However, there are a series of other matters that will still need to be resolved, such as the teams that go to the Champions League, those that would be relegated, or even finishing the season in September, although this seems improbable.
Read Also: UEFA urges leagues to complete suspended football seasons
It is worth noting that the main TV operator in the Netherlands, Fox Sports, announced a few days ago that they would pay the TV rights for this season, regardless of whether the games were completed or not. As such, clubs will receive the money they were due.
This decision extends to other sports within the Netherlands, as well as musical and cultural events. | https://sportinglife.ng/dutch-government-shut-down-football-until-september/ | 294 | Sports | 1 | en | 0.999983 |
By Femi Adeniyi
Governor Ibrahim Dakwambo of Gombe State is among those who have been tipped to pick the presidential ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2019 general elections. A man of excellent performance and integrity, analysts say Dakwambo could readily appeal to the electorate in the 2019 presidential election.
Prior to the loss of the 2015 election by former President Goodluck Jonathan, allegations of fraud and manipulation hung on the neck of the PDP like the sword of Damocles.This was the more reason Nigerians elected to seek an alternative in the All Progressives Congress, APC. Now that the ruling party has demonstrated its inability to offer better governance, many people believe the PDP cannot afford to seek the trust of Nigerians with a candidate who is seen as not to be above board in the poll.
It is evident that the long suffering Nigerians have had enough of gerontocracy while majority of them are prepared to do away with this unworkable idea in 2019. What the nation needs at this time of untold economic hardship and insecurity is a young President who is fresh with new ideas and innovative concepts. This appears the only path to tread if the country is to experience true progress beyond 2019. PDP being the major opposition party could not have hoped for a better opportunity and time to return to power than now. Dakwambo, a man of proven record of achievements and who has never had an appointment with any of the anti-corruption agencies, can get the votes of Nigerians in any presidential poll.
The great, 55, would have only turned 57 by 2019. Our youths who dominate the nation’s population must resolve never to submit the leadership of this country to any man whose age is above 70 years. The youths need to wake up from their slumber and rescue this nation from retrogression with their votes in the forthcoming election. The ruling class comprising mostly of the elders has held the nation down for too long and there cannot be a better time to rescue her from their firm grip than now. The elders have been given all the chances but they simply cannot give what they do not have. Their lack of modern ideas and innovative concepts has sadly manifested in their archaic policy plans that have consigned the nation’s developmental vehicle to a permanent reverse gear.
Aside the fact that Dakwambo is a relatively young man, he is also roundly experienced, exposed and educated. He is educated to the level of PhD and passed through the qualifying examinations of seven professional bodies. He was awarded the membership of the professional institutions after attaining success in their examinations. He is BSc holder from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he graduated with second class upper division in accounting. The result was the best obtained by any individual in then Bauchi State at the time the governor graduated from the institution. He is also a holder of master’s degree in economics from University of Lagos and a post graduate diploma in computer science from Delta State University Abraka. He obtained his PhD from Igbinedion University, Okada.
The career achievements of Dakwambo in the private and public sectors is another major attribute that cut him out as the ideal presidential candidate of the PDP. He began his glowing career at the Coopers and Lybrand International, now PriceWaterHouseCoopers, as a chartered accountant from 1985 to 1988. It is on record that he became a chartered accountant at a record time of one year after his graduation from the university. He later joined the Central Bank of Nigeria in 1988 and worked with the apex bank until 1999 when then Governor Abubakar Habu Hashidu appointed him as the Accountant General of Gombe State . From there, former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as the Accountant General of the Federation in 2005. Before this, Dankwambo had served in various committees on the Federation Account where his resourcefulness became evident.
It was during Dakwambo’s tenure as Accountant General of the Federation the he introduced the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System (IPPIS). Central payment of salaries of staff in all the ministries, departments and agencies using an automated system was also introduced. He was part of the revolution in the public sector that brought e-payment system.The use of cheques has since been eliminated in the government transactions at the federal level. Courtesy of this innovation, contractors, staff and service providers now get their accounts credited automatically through e-payment. He also ensured that the financial statements of the federal government which were in arrears were brought up to date, prepared, audited and published before he left office.
Dakwambo equally completed the Treasury House. The Treasury House stands out today in Abuja as one of the most magnificent edifices.
It was against the backdrop of these achievements that he contested the governorship of Gombe in 2011 and the story of the state changed dramatically on his assumption of office. He was recently adjudged the best performing governor in the northern part of the country. In his first four years in office, he revolutionized agriculture in Gombe. He procured 225 tractors and constructed several markets to encourage cotton farming in the state. Dakwambo has practically turned around the fortune of education in Gombe. He constructed over 502 classrooms and recruited well over 1,000 degree and NCE graduates to teach students among other achievements in education.
The solid credentials Dakwambo has earned in the public and private sectors will obviously speak for him in the contest for the PDP presidential ticket and it will amount to a disservice to Nigerians who are yearning for effective leadership, after the APC administration has failed them, if the party allows this opportunity to slip away. PDP needs not look beyond Dakwambo if it expects Nigerians to submit their collective destiny to it in 2019.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/12/pdp-dakwambo-2019/ | 1,226 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.99995 |
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We accept various payment methods, including major credit cards, PayPal, and wire transfers. Our payment processing system ensures a secure and hassle-free transaction experience. | http://anstalk.com/flogging-game-suitor-dies-katsina-marriage/Lalasticlala | 378 | Family | 1 | en | 0.999928 |
By magnus Onyibe
Projecting into the mindset of a potential president of Nigeria that would be the new occupant of Aso Rock Villa in 2023 is what l have set out to do by writing this essay.
And l would like to state upfront that I am not by any means engaging in clairvoyance.
That is why all l want to do is leverage trend analysis as a tool, and look back into the past and also project into the future to figure out who out of the motley crowd of presidential candidates would end up calling the shots in Aso Rock Villa in 2023 and is savvy in economic and financial matters.
Although ,there are at least fifteen (15) presidential candidates that have met independent National Electoral Commission, INEC eligibility conditions and deadline , l have narrowed the number down to mainly two, and to a much lesser degree , a third in the unlikely event that the much hyped youth revolution occurs and only one political party benefits from it.
As the saying goes,by their fruits we shall know them.
So ,for the purpose of this discourse, fruits can be substituted for antecedents.
And relying on their antecedents,l can wager a bet that the three presidential candidates,of which one of them would willy nilly be propelled into Aso Rock Villa seat of presidential power next year, are in the persons of Asiwaju,Bola Tinubu,the flag bearer of the ruling party at the center, APC and Turaki Atiku Abubakar,the standard bearer for the main opposition party, PDP, and mr Peter Obi, LP candidate, in the unlikely event that a miracle happens.
At the risk of appearing to be presumptuous, nothing much has changed in Nigerian political space except the current wave of youth activism in the political space triggered by the reformed electoral Act 2022 which has conferred fidelity on our electoral system currently igniting unprecedented political consciousness in our youths.
It is amazing and heartening at the same time that 60% of potential voters in Nigeria which the youth demography represents,and who had hitherto been neglected or dormant ,are now the highly charged and motivated members of society anxious to exercise their civic duty of voting with the sole aim of seizing power from those they have branded as old generation politicians that must be shoved aside in 2023,and replaced with their purportedly newly found idol-Peter Obi and his running mate ,Datti Baba-Ahmed,when president Mohammadu Buhari and Yemi Osinbajo exit Aso Rock Villa next year.
As l have asserted in previous interventions,such a radical prospect of ousting the old politicians with alacrity by our youths,bothers on,at best,idealism, and perhaps youthful exuberance,if one were to be less charitable.
And for the reasons above,my sincere admonishment to our youths,as l had done in my previous media interventions is for them to decode the coded message in the conventional wisdom and idiomatic expression: ‘if wishes were horses ,beggars would ride’ and ‘old horses never die, they just find new horses to win’
To be clear,my point is simply that the 360 degrees change that the youths are seeking would not materialize as fast they would expect. But it would happen if they remain tenacious.
So, although the youth generation would make significant impact in 2023 elections ,as l had enunciated in my media intervention widely published on 21 June, 2022 titled:Converting Youth Bulge To Positive Force For Politics in Nigeria,my prognosis then is that either Turaki Atiku Abubakar or Asiwaju Bola Tinubu would prevail in the upcoming presidential contest. And that position has undergone further adjustment.
In any case, one of the three of them would be the one to receive the hand over notes from president Buhari on 29th May 2023.
And l can fortell what the policies and programs of the duo, perhaps a trio, would look like when one of them takes over the reins of governance.
Basically,most of what is known about them and which l will rely on in my analysis are derived from their period of stewardship or time in public office .
With respect to Tinubu,he has served for two terms as governor of lagos state from 1999 to 2007 and left footprints with respect to spreading his political tentacles nationally after he co-founded the now defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and he has made significant efforts at providing infrastructure that has steered lagos state towards becoming a mega city, which remains unsurpassed.
Regarding Abubakar that was Vice President to former president Olusegun Obasanjo, who also served from 1999 to 2007, he has giant imprints in both the terrains of politics and economy nationwide.
Leveraging the network of People Democratic Movement,PDM,inherited from his mentor,late Shehu Musa Yar’adua, he is easily one of the most widely known political actors in Nigeria. Apart from serving as Vice President, 1999-2007, he has contested for the presidency of Nigeria a whooping five (5) times with significant impart nationwide.
For that reason, the PDP candidate is believed to already have in his kitty about 13 million voters which he earned during his last contest for the office of president in 1999 with incumbent president,Mohammadu Buhari who received a couple of millions more votes than him.
I will not dwell much on Peter Obi because everything about his service in public office,including documents that are supposed to be classified,plus the ones concocted by the denizens swirling around in his orbit or netizens that have colonized the cyberspace on behalf of Obi are already over exposed in the public domain.
So,without further ado,it is pertinent that we get down to the brass tacks by shining the light on the private sector background of the likely candidates that would become president of Nigeria next year.
In any case,with the economy and security likely to occupy the left and center of the political debate when Independent National Election Commission,INEC, officially opens the space for campaigning on 28th September,Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar who are thankfully not economic illiterates would be going head-to-head.
Remarkably ,the terrific and encouraging thing about the candidates is that both of the APC and PDP candidates, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar respectively, plus the LP candidate Peter Obi can read the balance sheet because they are all business savvy, having been private sector practitioners.
While Tinubu is an accountant, with interest in tax collection,Atiku is an astute entrepreneur with investments in oil/gas as well as education, while Obi is a commodity trader.
For lack of space and time , we will not going into granular details about their businesses.
Now,Tinubu’s supporters would aver that it is his blue print for the development of Lagos state that has remained the play book that has been subsequently been relied upon by three governors-Babatunde Fashola, Akinkunmi Ambode and Jide Sanwo-Olu-for the advancement of the state.
By the same token,the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar shares in the credit for the giant developmental strides taken in our country under the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo for eight (8) years . It was during that period that Nigeria’s debilitating debt burden of about $30 billion(which has reportedly sadly tanked up to an estimated $90 billion under the present regime) was substantially written off ($12billion) by the Paris Club of creditors. It was also a time that Nigeria witnessed economic reforms including privatization of public utilities such as the telecommunications sector that ushered in the current mobile telephone revolution.
And there are credible reasons to believe that if president Obasanjo had succeeded in serving a third term (as pundits aver that he was desirous of doing) the petroleum sector would also have been privatized.
That means that Nigerians would not have been going through the agony of paying for the commodity literally through their nose, and basically going through hell and back to even find the commodity to purchase, an ordeal they are currently grappling with.
So inevitably ,the candidates that would likely emerge as president are pro-private sector and therefore likely to be able to pull Nigerian economy out of the abyss where it is currently mired due particularly to the monumental and unprecedented levels of insecurity in the country and poor economic policy decisions ,especially petroleum subsidy which is expected to gulp about four (4) trillion naira in budget 2022 , broken down as approximately N600 billion naira monthly expenditure,and still counting.
Before dwelling further on the likely economic policies of the potential Aso Rock Villa occupant after president Buhari exits next year, it is appropriate that we underline the qualities that Nigerians expect in their next president.
During the launch of my new book: Becoming President Of Nigeria.A Citizen’s Guide, the keynote speaker, professor Mike Ikhariale, a Harvard University trained constitutional lawyer, outlined some qualities that an ideal president of Nigeria is supposed to posses in addition to the requirements in the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.
The expert in constitutionalism laid it bare by leveraging the work of an authority in constitutionalism, James Barber.
Here is how he put it:
“According to James Barber in his studies generally referred to as “Barber’s Research”, he laid out about 10 essential qualities which a President must possess in order to be successful. They include:
a. A strong vision for the country’s future supported by a plan of action.
b. He must have the ability to put his own reign in historical perspective.
c. A president must be a communicator who knows the importance of the so-called ‘Bullying Pulpit’.
d. He must be prepared to make unpopular decisions, someone who is able to move beyond the orthodoxy and purposefully innovative.
e. Must have crisis management skills, not passing the puck but accepting realities.
f. Must be a person of remarkable character and integrity.
g. Even though he has the constitutional power to hire and fire, he must make his key appointments wisely in such a way that he can use his employment prerogative to bolster his own political reach. This in modern times would mean gender balance and in the particular case of Nigeria, the requirements of Federal Character principle. He must avoid cronyism and nepotism.
h. Must have the ability to relate with the Legislators,
i. Needless to say, that charisma and a welcoming aura are great assets for a President.”
Having arrayed the qualities of an ideal president, the question now is: does the antecedents of the two candidates of the ruling party APC – Bola Tinubu and main opposition party, PDP -Atiku Abubakar and the distant third candidate, Peter Obi of LP , who are the front runners in the race to Aso Rock Villa, indicate that they posses most or all of the qualities enunciated in ‘Barber’s Research’ earlier cited by professor Ikhariale?
If readers would indulge me, l would like to respond to the forgoing poser against the backdrop of the public office records of the candidates that l earlier highlighted.
As l pointed out ab initio, it is Tinubu of APC that successfully steered lagos state into becoming a functional mega city and of which a coterie of his protégé has continued to hold sway.
On the other hand , it is Abubakar of PDP that set the agenda for leap frogging the economic growth of Nigeria when during their first tenure in Aso Rock Villa ,then president Olusegun Obasanjo, entrusted him with the management of the economy during which the privatization of the telecommunications sector,(held up as a global model for privatization) led to the introduction of GSM telephony amongst other positive phenomenons that occurred in the Obasanjo/Abubakar era.
It is also worthy of note that both Tinubu and Abubakar have the knack for identifying talents, by spotting and reaching out to them, even if they are in the private sector. Hence the duo often achieved commendable levels of success in leadership in their assignments in public office .
As for Peter Obi, he attracted a brewery to the Anambra state and took a stake in it as well as saved N75 billion naira which he left behind for his hand picked successor, Willie Obiano in banks, one of which is fidelity bank,where he is a major share holder, and Obiano was once an executive director before Obi made him governor of Anambra state in 2014.
While being cognizant of the blithe on the characters of both Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar based on recent scathing reports by Financial Times of London and Bloomberg news that alleged that they have been indicted for corruption in the USA; it is noteworthy that the frontline presidential candidates were never convicted of the crimes that they were alleged to have committed.
Nonetheless, there have been a lot of buzz locally about their character flaws which frankly, can not be discountenanced.
But at the same time, we must recognize that no man is perfect.
Personally, if l am faced with the option of choosing between an economic illiterate who would do nothing to grow the economy because he is not trained to do so,and rather dissipates a lot of energy in chasing perceived corrupt people to no avail ; or save up the income of government in bank accounts instead of investing it in employment and tax generating ventures that would boost the GDP and living standard of Nigerians: l would choose the alternative which is an enterprising personality that would seek out all possible legitimate ways to improve the economy and also make our country a better place, prosperity wise and socioculturally for harmonious co-existence of the multiple ethnic and religion groups.
The mindset expressed above is underscored by the parable of the three talents in the holy Bible? Those familiar with the parable would recall that the story is about three servants who were entrusted with talents (funds) by their master prior to embarking on a long trip. And the two who invested their talents wisely, were commended by their master upon his return.
But the one who dug up the ground to hide his own talent,so that he would return same to his master was chided and the talent was taken off him and given to those who invested the funds left in their care.
In the light of the above,if a personality with the ability and capacity to robustly grow the beleaguered economy of our beloved country and has engaged in the risky venture of trying to stimulate growth via transactions,and have in the process been accused of graft in the past,both here in Nigeria and abroad without conviction,so be it; because regardless of their past, so long as such candidates are not ex-convicts who the Nigerian constitution excludes from running for public office,l would chose the latter than the former.
As we all may be aware,by and large,risk is an integral part of business or transactions and graft is always in the mix. Accordingly, the most efficacious panacea to graft is to set up robust institutions to prevent it.
Certainly, not of the hue of EFCC and ICPC, thank you very much.
Incorporating measures to eliminate corruption is akin to organizations , (particularly banking institutions) building firewalls around their data bases to fend off cyber criminals that are constantly seeking ways to breach the security of corporations in order to gain access and steal vital data of targeted organizations.
So it behoves of the legislature and judiciary to enact and enforce laws that would prevent corruption.That is what is obtainable in advanced democracies.
And l make bold to state that the position that l have espoused above would not be far from the mindset of private sector practitioners most of whom are already echoing such sentiment because it is in tandem with their belief that the economy should be unshackled especially by ending petrol subsidy.
We need not be rocket scientists to figure out that the reason for seeking a president that has business attitude is that the better part of seven years of this administration invested in anti corruption misadventure has pulled, not only the economy of our country into a black hole, but the fabric of unity of our country has also been shredded to the extent that it would take a very long time to mend.
And that is not a good thing ,no matter how spin doctors working for government try to white wash the dire atmosphere in our country which is basically comparable to the experience of a patient in an Intensive Care Unit,ICU of a hospital where life is so precarious that it is only a tiny thread separating life and death.
So,despite the false claim that our country is better off than what it was seven years ago,majority of Nigerians recognize such revisionism as sheer farce and deceit of the electorate , as such they are resolved to effect change, if the current activism by our youths engaged in Permanent Voters Card,PVC registration and collection, is anything to go by.
Although,somehow unorthodox,my non nihilistic or liberal assessment of both Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar as well as Peter Obi ,is guided by the truism and conventional wisdom , ‘ there is no paean without pain’.
That broadly implies that sacrifices must be made in order to achieve success.
Buoyed by that reality,l am convinced that Nigerians are willing to vote for the candidate who would move the nation forward into the orbit of progress and prosperity,than those that would lead them into a blind alley and quagmire where the ship of state is currently anchored and waiting to ,at the slightest stress test, tip over or remain moored in a cul de sac where it is currently located ,rudderless .
In that regard, and for sure ,Tinubu, Abubakar and Obi will receive caustic criticisms when emotions start running high as the campaigns begin from 28 September which is basically a couple of months from today.
But one thing we must recognize is that things are never as bad as they first seem or as good as they first seem.
So,after the anticipated hurly burly, one of them would end up in Aso Rock Villa on 29 May 2023 and that person will be adept in reading and understanding profit and loss account a skill that is critically needed for the robust management of our country especially at a point like this when it is on the verge of bankruptcy.
And l would like to urge skeptics who hold contrary view to the assertion above,to recall the gale of criticisms that was visited on then candidate,Mohammadu Buhari when he was a presidential candidate in 2015. Yet,he won the presidency, simply because there was a pervasive sanctimonious attitude of ‘anyone but Goodluck Jonathan’ prevailing in Nigeria at that point in time.
It is trite to state that a similar sentiment is currently prevailing in Nigeria’s political space, as Nigerians are craving a rebirth or reset in 2023.
Apart from the candidates of APC and PDP that are besmeared, Peter Obi, candidate of Labor Party, LP, who is a two term governor of Anambra state also had corruption toga tied to his persona .That is if the huge cash running into hundreds of millions of naira (about N250m )allegedly found in a vehicle in the governors mansion Awka during his tenure is taking into account. And it is in addiction to the alleged malfeasance arising from his patronage of an offshore tax heaven that reportedly helped him hide some of his wealth that he failed to disclose, to avoid tax in Nigeria.
Similarly ,the presidential candidate of the newly minted party, New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,who is a two term governor of Kano state, ex defense minister and senator of the federal republic of Nigeria has also at one time or the other been tarred with the black brush of malfeasance which was brought to the fore in the course of his duel with his predecessors and successors as governor of Kano state, lbrahim Shekarau and Abdulahi Ganduje.
But most of the candidates have gone to the law courts shorn themselves of such moral liabilities.
My point is that unlike in 2015,anti corruption will not be the center piece of any candidate’s campaign,since it has been demystified as a campaign rhetoric that would resonate with voters. In any case must of the candidates have shed the negative toga of corruption by discharging themselves of the allegations in courts of law.
In short ,right now ,there is fatigue on the fight against corruption because those who are supposed to be fighting it in the current dispensation have become more corrupt than those they are supposed to prevent from dipping their hands into our common treasury.
That is reflected by the allegations against lbrahim Magu ,the anti graft tzar who was recently sacked as the EFCC chairman and the immediate past Accountant General of The Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris who got dismissed on account of bilking Nigeria of N80 billion naira diverted illegally from the treasury that he is supposed to be the custodian.
Also in the mix is Abdulrasheed Maina, the jailed chairman of Pension Reform Task Team , PRTT with responsibility for the reforming the corruption ridden pension funds system and he ended up re-looting the multi billion naira funds that he was assigned to recover.
Be it Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of Africa Action Congress, AAC, Dumebi Kachikwu , candidate for the presidency on the platform of Africa Democratic Congress, ADC or Young Progressive Party, YPP presidential candidate, Malik Ado-lbrahim , all of whom are running on the platforms of fringe political parties,not one presidential candidates is a saint by any stretch of imagination as they all also have scandals,not particularly of fraud or corruption dimensions,hugging them.
And from 28 September, all of them would probably be literally stripped naked simply because muck raking goes with the territory of politics.
As salvaging the economy and reining in insecurity are obviously the most pressing needs of Nigerians in these present times , projecting into the development mindset of the next occupant of Aso Rock Villa seat of power as president in 2023, l am pretty convinced that if there were to be a three point agenda as a fulcrum or policy plank of the incoming government;one of them would be pulling our country out of economic doldrums which has seen government borrowing money from local banks to pay public servants salaries and utilizing about 98% of it’s income for debt servicing,and which by some accounts is in excess of ninety (90) billion dollars borrowed from local and international lenders.
Also , restoring security of lives and properties by government thus freeing the masses from the rule of bandits such as religious insurgents, herdsmen militias and unknown gun men currently be-spoiling Nigeria from the north, all the way down to the eastern corners of Nigeria ,as precious lives are being decimated with reckless abandon on a daily basis,would be the second in the agenda.
The third in the agenda would be to drastically cut down corruption which has become so entrenched in our political space and business environment that it is looking like it is embedded in our DNA and therefore part of our culture. Of course that is a false narrative that must be erased from the psyche of Nigerians.
Now, PDP presidential candidate,Atiku Abubakar had picked his running mate shortly after the primaries.
Although his choice of delta state governor, lfeanyi Okowa has been tempestuous, largely because the preferred candidate of PDP leadership and follower-ship appears to be governor of Rivers state,Nyesom Wike, who although is the presidential aspirant that garnered the next highest vote after the winner; and a veritable pillar of support for the PDP in the past seven years;got passed over for appointment as Abubakar’s running mate. That anomaly has precipitated the rumble that has culminated into the ongoing resistance by southern governors and key stakeholders in the main opposition party which still persists till date .
And that glitch could slow down the otherwise fast moving train that had gathered the momentum for PDP to return to Aso Rock Villa after its unceremonious exit in 2015.
PDP’s case is not as bad as that of the ruling party, APC where it’s candidate has taken more or less one month (8th June to 10th July) to pick a running mate.
Tinubu took long in choosing his running mate, Kashim Shetima, former Borno State governor and a fellow Muslim owing to the dilemma of being a southern Muslim who must nominate a running mate from the north, where incidentally, Muslims are in the majority.
With a Muslim-Muslim ticket ,Tinubu and the ruling party have a monumental and Herculean task of convincing southern and northern Christians to vote for him as president in 2023. That standpoint is simply derived from the fact that Christians have long been feeling marginalized under president Buhari’s watch,which although had a Christian Vice President in the person of Yemi Osinbajo, yet suffered exclusion from governance. How much more worse would it get ,if no Christian would be at the table inside Aso Rock Villa seat of presidential power from 2023,they may wonder. Tinubu seemed to have been left with no better option. The devil or deep blue sea.
And it is the type of choice dilemma that Bukola Saraki could have been faced with, if was to have won the presidential primaries in PDP.
Of all the major political parties,only the LP and it’s presidential candidate seem to have gotten the ethnic and religious balancing equation right.
That is simply because Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the party, a Christian from Anambra state has picked Datti Baba-Ahmed a Muslim from Kaduna state. It is such a perfect combination in the ethno-religious calculus reminiscent of the Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekwueme combination in 1979 that it looking like a de-ja-vu.
Much as the pairing of President and vice Presidential candidates of labor party is an ideal combination,it is not really a critical factor, but it matters.
That is why a Muslim-Muslim ticket that Bola Tinubu has settled for is rubbing off roughly on members of the other faiths.
Applying the analogy of a game of gulf, the APC Presidential candidate, Tinubu’s dilemma can be likened to a player who has hit the ball and it has fallen into a stream in the golf course which is a major bogey ; while Abubakar’s situation is like that of a player whose ball was struck with the club but it has landed in a bunker or bogey; just as LP’s candidate, Obi looks like a player that has made a powerful hit of the ball and it has landed out of the range of the hole, such that it is highly unlikely to be successfully potted into the hole in the number of times required by the rules of the game.
In conclusion,my take is that the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar has a better chance of potting the ball out of the bunker into the hole, if he is able to calm the brewing Wike storm swiftly and dexterously. PDP situation is still better than the circumstances in which APC candidate,Bola Tinubu find’s himself. He is highly handicapped as his ball has landed in a stream and he will likely not be able to retrieve it.
That simply means that his presidential quest may be in jeopardy of being dead on arrival after choosing his running mate, since a Muslim-Muslim ticket which worked in 1993 when Moshood Abiola,a Muslim philanthropist from the south west,like him, paired up with Babagana Kingibe,also a Muslim from Borno state to win the presidential contest in 1993 that is acclaimed to be the fairest and freest in the annals of Nigeria’s electioneering process.
Today, in light of the polarization of the country along ethnic and religious divides in the past decade or so, such a prospect now looks like an anathema in Nigeria where a stanza in the old national anthem “ … though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand … appear to be so quaint and such an anathema due to the elevated level of politics of religiosity and ethnicity that have engulfed the political space and obfuscated the brotherhood spirit of yore.
For the reasons above ,APC and it’s Presidential torch bearer, Bola Tinubu have a perfect storm in their hands and Atiku Abubakar and PDP baring any more goofs or gaffes may be on the verge of singing joyfully into Aso Rock Villa.
Magnus onyibe, an entrepreneur, public policy analyst ,author, development strategist, alumnus of Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA and a former commissioner in Delta state government, sent this piece from lagos.
To continue with this conversation, pls visit www.magnum.ng
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/06/i-was-afraid-nigeria-might-be-like-somalia-says-buhari/Thankfully | 6,178 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999992 |
The Kwara State House of Assembly on Tuesday passed an amendment bill halting payment of pension to former governors, deputy governors and other officers holding political offices after their tenure in office.
The passage of the bill followed the consideration of the report of the House Committee on Establishment and Public Service at the Committee of the Whole House sitting in Ilorin.
The motion for the passage of the bill was moved by the Deputy House Leader, Segilola Abdulkadir and was unanimously adopted by members.
The Deputy Speaker, Matthew Okedare, who presided over the plenary, directed the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Mohammed Katsina, to prepare clean copy of the bill for governor’s assent.
The bill, which was forwarded to the House by Gov. AbdulFatah Ahmed, sought to review the existing law where payment of pension for former governors and deputy governors after their tenures would be suspended. (NAN)
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/02/kwara-assembly-passes-bill-stopping-payment-pension-ex-govs-deputies/ | 209 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999805 |
Two policemen were, in the early hours of Sunday, killed during an encounter with a six-man robbery gang that attacked a second generation bank’s Automated Teller Machine, ATM, at Ipaja area of Lagos State.
Vanguard gathered that the two officers met their untimely death when a team of policemen responded to a distress call from the bank.
The robbers attempted to break open the ATM, when the policemen from Ayobo Police Division arrived on the scene and the robbers opened fire on them, killing the team leader, Longus Amuzie, an Assistant Superintendent of Police and one other.
The other policemen were said to have called for backup.
The officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Abba Kyari, swiftly deployed a team of operatives to the area and four members of the gang were arrested.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, while confirming the report, said the robbery was foiled, adding that no money was stolen from the ATM.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/atm-robbers-kill-2-policemen-lagos/ | 227 | Business | 1 | en | 0.999973 |
By Chinedu Adonu, Enugu
There was tension in Enugu as gunmen, yesterday, attacked an Army checkpoint at Obeagu-Amodu Road in Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State.
It was gathered that the hoodlums stormed the checkpoint in two Lexus SUVs and one Toyota Sienna around 7:25 a.m., and reportedly opened fire on the combined team of Police and military.
A source confirmed that there was heavy shooting, while two deaths were recorded in the shoot-out.
Confirming the incident, spokesman of the state Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, said: “There was an attack on a Joint Operation Team checkpoint at Amodu in Nkanu West LGA, in the morning hours of today (yesterday).
“However, I await full briefing on the incident due to ongoing intense manhunt of the masked assailants, most of whom escaped the scene of the incident with fatal gunshot injuries, after the gun duel with the team. Further development will be communicated.”
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/09/tension-in-enugu-as-gunmen-attack-army-checkpoint-kill-2-officers/ | 237 | Politics | 0 | en | 0.999956 |
Workers excited as Buhari accepts N30,000 proposal
Workers were excited yesterday over the coming N30,000 minimum wage.
“I am fully committed to having a new national Minimum Wage Act in the very near future,” President Muhammadu Buhari said.
He was receiving the report of the committee set up to resolve the wage problem.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba led the way in hailing the presentation of the N30,000 minimum wage recomendation report to Buhari.
He said payment of the new wage might be difficult at the beginning of implementation, but “if there is the will, we are certain that there will be a way out.”
He told reporters at the Villa after the Tripartite Commttee submitted its report to the President: “When the N18,000 was actually implemented in 2011, most of the states emptied their treasury. They had difficulty.”
Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Director-General Muda Yusuf said although the private sector was paying above the current minimum wage, “there may be different challenges for the SMEs as they may adopt different models for engagement. Rather than keep all the staff, they may rationalise them by inviting only those that they need at a particular time. The big corporations have nothing to worry about as they are already paying the minimum wage.”
He praised the government for working successfully with the private sector and labour to arrive at an acceptable figure and averting a strike.
Workers were jubilating over the new wage. In Kano, Ibadan and Abakaliki, they were delighted at the approval of the new pay.
A cross section of the workers who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan said the successful meeting of the tripartite committee was appreciated.
Mr Peter Ojelakin, of the National Population Commission (NPC) said a good welfare package was the wish of every civil servant, adding that a dedicated worker would not have interest in embarking on a strike.
“So, the suspension of the strike that supposed to begin today is a good development,” he said.
Mr Rasheed Abdulwahab was happy over the agreement labour reached with the government but noted that increase in wages, might lead to inflation, a development he said called for an improved economy.
He, however, called on workers to justify the salary increase by putting in their best to ensure the desired improvement in the social and economic development of the country.
Mr Lekan Dojutelegan, a surveyor at the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, hailed the government for shifting ground on its earlier proposed N24, 000.
Dojutelegan urged civil servants to be more diligent and committed to their duties, saying that optimum performance would enable the government to pay the new minimum wage with ease.
Kano State NLC Chairman Kabiru Ado Minjibir, praised the national leaderships of NLC, TUC and ULC, “for standing firm on the decision of the Central Working Committee and their resilience to protect the interest of Nigerian workers, especially at this trying period.” | http://thenationonlineng.net/workers-excited-as-buhari-accepts-n30000-proposal/ | 680 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999889 |
Orji: In the valley of decision
By Austin Ogwuda
SOUTH – EAST caucus of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Wednesday, met at the residence of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in Enugu and resolved to remain in opposition in the emerging new political dispensation to be piloted by the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), effective May 29, 2015.
The party’s leadership in the zone made it clear that it had no regret voting en masse for their party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“As a zone, the South East delivered all their votes to the PDP and we are proud to do so,’’ the party said.
In attendance at the meeting were Governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji, Minister of State for Defence, Col. Augustine Akobundu (retd); Senator Hope Uzodinma, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Gil Nnaji, the host, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, among others.
They, therefore, used the opportunity to thank all members of the PDP, including the governors, stakeholders and the people of the zone, for working tirelessly and voting massively for the party during the last elections and urged them to remain loyal and do the same on Saturday.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the closed door-meeting, the group’s spokesman who is also the National Vice Chairman of PDP South East, Col. Augustine Akobundu (retd), said they were resolute in remaining in the party and not contemplating defecting to other political parties.
His words: “Everything that we need to do to deliver the goodies that our people deserve in the zone, we can bring through a very solid platform of negotiation.
‘’We voted for a party that integrated us into the mainstream of Nigerian politics, elected/appointed our people into strategic offices, and addressed some of our major infrastructural challenges. So, we took a principled position and accept full responsibility for our political choices.”
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/s-east-pdp-caucus-resolves-to-remain-in-opposition/ | 459 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999975 |
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By Peter Duru
MAKURDI — In a bid to seek cure for his HIV status, a 36-year-old man, Cletus Agwu has been allegedly misled by a witch doctor in Makurdi to rape a three-year-old girl (names withheld) who has also been infected with the virus.
The bizarre incident which took place, weekend, at 8 Yogbo Street in the North Bank area of Makurdi, only came to the fore when the cry of agony of the three-year-old victim attracted inquisitive neighbours who saw her hold firmly to her vagina as she dripped blood.
Upon intense prompting, she informed neighbours of what the alleged rapist did to her and the threat that she must not disclose what transpired or she would be killed.
At this juncture residents of Yogbo Street and other concerned passersby went after the suspected rapist, but the quick intervention of the police saved him from being lynched by the angry mob.
Vanguard gathered that upon interrogation by the Police, Cletus who claimed he lived in the same compound with the victim’s parents, told the Police that he was HIV positive but acted on the advise of a witch doctor where he was seeking cure for his ailment, who urged him to have sex with a girl of not more than three years in order to get permanent cure for his disease.
He further confessed that it was his desperation for cure and his ‘doctor’s’ insistence that led him into committing the dastardly act with the little daughter of his co-tenant.
Meanwhile, medical test carried out on the raped girl at the North Bank General Hospital in Makurdi has also confirmed that the girl has been infected with HIV.
The Benue State Commissioner of Police Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed, who paraded the suspect before newsmen, confirmed the development.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/12/36-yr-old-hivaids-patient-rapes-3-yr-old-infects-her/ | 413 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999979 |
By Nwafor Sunday
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has advised the United States President, Donald Trump to reconsider his travel ban on Nigerians and target those in government that have failed in their duties.
He said the failure of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to share information and to address issues of terrorism led to the banning of the entire country.
The ex-vice president reminisced on Nigeria-UK partnerships, asking Trump not to forget Nigeria’s assistance to United States.
His words, “I received with sadness the policy of the government of the United States of America to place Nigeria on its travel ban list.
While I understand the reasons given by the Trump administration (the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration to share information and to address issues of terrorism), the ban does not take into account the pro-American sentiments of the Nigerian public and the solidarity previous Nigerian administrations have had with the United States.
I urge the government of President Donald Trump to consider the history of US-Nigerian relationships. Nigeria was one of the few African nations that joined the US-led coalition during Operation Desert Storm between 1990-1991 when the United States championed the liberation of Kuwait.
The Trump administration may also consider the pivotal role Nigeria, in partnership with the US, played in bringing peace to Liberia, an American sphere of influence, that now enjoys democracy because Nigerian blood and money paved the way for peace in that nation.
Nigeria has also consistently voted in support of the United States and her allies at the United Nations and other multilateral world bodies. This is even as we are perhaps the biggest trading partner that the United States has in Africa, even where we had alternatives.
Nigerians love the United States and have been a major force for the positive development of that great nation: 77% of all Black doctors in the United States are Nigerians. Nigerians are also the most educated immigrant community in America bar none. Surely, the US stands to benefit if it allows open borders with a country like Nigeria that is able to provide skilled, hardworking and dedicated personnel in a two-way traffic.
The current Nigerian administration may have its deficiencies and deep faults, but the Nigeria people ought not to be punished for their inefficiencies.
Once again, I call on President Trump to consider adopting measures that individually target those in government who have failed in their duties, rather than target the entire Nigerian population.”
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/02/atiku-to-trump-leave-poor-nigerians-alone-target-those-in-power/ | 539 | Politics | 2 | en | 0.999784 |
Amaju Pinnick, NFF boss
A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, restrained the Minister of Youth and Sports, Sunday Dare, and President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick from conducting the NFF executive election scheduled for Sept. 30 in Edo.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling on an ex-parte motion moved by counsel for the claimants, Celsus Ukpong, ordered the the minister, Mr Pinnik or any person, acting on their instruction, to maintain a status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
“Counsel for the claimants informed the court that the defendants are taking action that will adversely affect the subject matter of this case.
“Parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante pending final order of this court,” he ruled.
Justice Ekwo then reverted the matter to Oct. 31 for hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, in the motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1376/2021, Harrison Jalla, Chief Victor Rumson Baribote, Austin Popo and National Association of Nigerian Footballers (NANF) are 1st to 4th claimants respectively.
In the application dated and filed on Sept. 2, NFF, Pinnick and the minister are 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
In the motion, the claimants’ sought an interim order restraining the defendants, his agent, employees, staff, officials or electoral committee from organising or conducting any election into any executive office of the NFF pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
In the affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Fayenengigha Jacob, a lawyer in the chamber of Ukpong, he said the defendants had been served with processes in the case and that NFF and Pinnick had entered appearance in the matter, while the minister, though served with court papers, he had not entered appearance.
Jacob averred that one of the complaints in the matter was the undemocratic manner in which the NFF was being constituted resulting in depriving the majority of the stakeholders and members of the NFF from having a say or contributing to the development of football in Nigeria.
According to him, the glory of Nigeria football has nosedived as a result of its undemocratic manner of the leadership of the said body.
He said the complainants were deliberately excluded from the last congress held in Lagos for no just reason.
“That the claimant had legitimately call on the leadership of the said body to set machinery in motion to amend the 2010 NFF statute that was manipulated to deprive the majority of the NFF members such as the Professional Football Association, the league, the coaches body and the players from participating in any election let alone of winning same.
“That the said leadership of the NFF, the 2nd defendant (Pinnick), his agents, privies refused or neglected to allow the due process to take place in amending the said 2010 NFF statute,” he said
Jacob said while this matter is still pending in court the defendants are going ahead to announce and purportedly try to organise and conduct an election of the said body in September, 2022.
He said the defendants had been served with the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction to restrain them from conducting any election into the executive offices of NFF until after the hearing and determination of the substance matter,
According to him, while the motion on notice for interlocutory order restraining the defendants from disturbing the res in the matter, the defendants have drawn out a time table and set up an electoral committee to conduct an election to the offices in question on Friday 30th September, 2022 in Benin City Edo State.
He said the substance of the matter would be defeated should the said election slated for September goes ahead and without hearing of the pending motions and substantive matter.(NAN)
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/09/court-stops-sports-minister-pinnick-from-conducting-nff-executive-election/ | 852 | Sports | 1 | en | 0.999994 |
Governor Yahaya Bello
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
At least 600 women groups, drawn from different parts of the country have concluded plans to converge on Abuja next week Tuesday, in a solidarity walk for Governor Yahaya Bello of the Kogi State presidential quest.
The solidarity walk is tagged, “One Million Women March for GYB”.
Operating under the auspices of Women United For Yahaya Bello (WUYABEL), the women groups, including Non-Governmental Organisations, civil society organisations, religious, professional bodies, women in media, politics, market women as well as top women entrepreneurs, among others, will storm Abuja to drum support for the Governor, ahead of 2023 presidential election.
According to the organisers, the women groups, having come to the obvious conclusion that the nation requires one with pedigree, youthfulness and capacity to succeed incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, have taken it upon themselves to collectively canvas support for Bello, who they said had demonstrated the ability to resolve the myriads of challenges confronting Nigeria.
The Global Coordinator of WUYABEL, Dr Hanatu Adeeko who announced this in Abuja, explained that the gathering will be the first of its kind “especially now that the political stage is almost set”.
According to the women of a substance across key sectors of the Nigerian economy, “Bello, as governor, has redefined governance in Kogi State with sterling and verifiable performance, especially in the areas of women and youth empowerment, poverty alleviation programs, massive infrastructure development, and health care delivery among others,”
Dr Adeeko, a Physician, said, “He (Governor Bello) has empowered and supported women to grow. No state in Nigeria has given more positions to women than Kogi. And sincerely, the state is getting it right in critical areas. We want to encourage other Governors to walk the talk by standing with that one Governor that has made us proud. Governor Yahaya Bello must know that once he has women on his side, he can go to sleep. We believe in his capacity and will make it happen.
“This will be the first in a long while that women on their own will come together in their numbers to speak with one voice.
“We are coming to Abuja to demand that the status quo must be changed. This is the time for us to yield power to younger people, especially those who have given a good account of themselves in other places they’ve rendered service.
“We have observed closely the people that are showing interest in the presidency and if we continue to keep quiet, the change we desire may not manifest. This is the reason different women groups are coming to Abuja to say it loud and clear that it is Yahaya Bello or nobody,” he stated.
The organisers further expressed optimism that Bello’s presidency would usher in a breath of fresh air while asking Nigerians from all walks of life to support the project as it would be “a clear departure from the old order.”
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/01/2023-600-women-groups-to-stage-one-million-women-march-for-yahaya-bello/ | 669 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999874 |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday arrested the duo of Moghalu Maduakonam and Esho Femi David at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja for attempting to smuggle $240,000 out of the country.
While Maduakonam was travelling to Dubai, United Arab Emirates with $200,000.00 which he failed to declare; Turkey- bound David declared only $5,000 out of $40,050 in his possession.
The arrest of the suspects coincided with identification of another property of the former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, by the operatives of the anti-graft agency.
The said house, which is situated at No 5, Alpha Beach Road , Lekki, Lagos , is suspected to be one of the proceeds of money laundering for which the ex-governor was convicted in the United Kingdom.
The commission describes the property as a mansion with a mini reception at the ground floor and a detached Boys Quarters, adding that two occupants of the house, Moses Abu and Kaycee Kassim, had made useful statements about the house.
Meanwhile, the cash courier are to be charged to court as soon as invetigat ion is concluded.
Only three days ago, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Adamu Bello convicted one Mallam Abulrasheed Ibrahim for money laundering.
He was arrested on Wednesday, November 7, 2013 by operatives of the commission as he prepared to board a Dubai-bound Ethiopian airline, at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport when he declared the sum of $45,000 instead of $143,858 on him.
Justice Adamu Bello ruled that 25% of the total sum, which is $188,858 be forfeited and paid into the Federal Government Treasury by the court accountant and the remaining money returned to the convict through his counsel.
Last year alone, EFCC arrested suspects with over $9 million as they made effort to ferry out the money.
Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof. | http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/efcc-nabs-2-with-240000-locates-another-ibori-house/ | 444 | Politics | 1 | en | 0.999735 |
Naijaweb Dataset 🇳🇬
Naijaweb is a dataset that contains over 270,000+ documents, totaling approximately 230 million GPT-2 tokens. The data was web scraped from web pages popular among Nigerians, providing a rich resource for modeling Nigerian linguistic and cultural contexts.
Dataset Summary
Features | Data Types |
---|---|
text | string |
link | string |
token_count | int64 |
section | string |
int_score | int64 |
language | string |
language_probability | float64 |
Data Collection
The dataset was collected from Nairaland.com, extracting about 30 million unique posts from 19 different sections of the site. Additionally, 1,289,195 outbound links were extracted from these posts. The content of these web pages was extracted using Trafilatura, a popular library for web scraping and content extraction. The full data collection can be found in this repo, kindly give a star⭐
Data Cleaning
The cleaning process was conducted using Datatrove, the same library employed in cleaning the FineWeb dataset, which is known for its high quality. The data cleaning process involved multiple stages of deduplication, filtering, and normalization to ensure the dataset's quality matches that of other high-performing datasets.
Data Cleaning Procedure:
- URL Filtering
- Repitition and quality filtering:
- Personal Identifiable Information (PII) Removal
Example Entry
Each data point contains the following fields:
text
: the main body of the post or web pagelink
: the original URL of the source contenttoken_count
: the number of GPT2 tokens in thetext
fieldsection
: the Nairaland section where the post was foundint_score
: an integer representation of the 'educational quality' of the data based on fineweb's webpage educational classifierlanguage
: detected language of the text (e.g.,en
,yo
,ha
,ig
)language_probability
: the confidence score of the language detection algorithm
An example looks as follows:
{
'text': 'Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State\nBy Peter Duru\nGovernor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his directive to security agents to shoot anyone illegally bearing AK47 rifle in the country.\nThe Governor who gave the commendation Thursday in Makurdi said the President’s order would reduce the level of criminality, banditry and militia herders’ attacks on Benue communities as well as in other parts of the country.\nAccording to him, “the order would also make the communities safer for displaced farmers to return to their ancestral homes.\n“I wish to commend Mr. President for his recent order against those bearing AK47 rifles. This I am sure will reduce the high rate of criminality, banditary and militia herdsmen attacks on our farming communities,” the Governor said.\nHe noted that President Buhari had done the right thing by listening to the calls he and other concerned Nigerians made on the need for the Federal Government to act faster and decisively to save the country from degenerating to a state of anarchy.\n“I don’t only criticise, I also commend where necessary. And I want to say shame on those sycophants who were bashing me for writing to Mr. President because he has finally heeded my advice,” he added.\nGovernor Ortom said Nigeria belonged to all its citizens and only justice and equity anchored on the rule of law could guarantee the unity and stability of the country.\nComments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.',
'link': 'https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/ortom-commends-buhari-on-shoot-at-sight-order-on-ak47-bearing-criminals/amp/',
'token_count': 332,
'section': 'Politics',
'int_score': 1,
'language': 'en',
'language_probability': 0.9999465942382812
}
Data Splits
- Training Split: 270,137 examples (620MB in size)
How to Load the Dataset
To load the dataset using Hugging Face's datasets
library:
from datasets import load_dataset
dataset = load_dataset("saheedniyi/naijaweb")
Social Impact
Naijaweb was created to make Nigerian web data more accessible, providing researchers and developers with a dataset rich in Nigerian contexts across various domains such as Politics, Education, Business, and Health.
Bias and Ethical Considerations
Since the data is collected from publicly available web pages, inherent biases present in the sources may be reflected in the dataset. These biases can manifest in areas such as language, ideology, or topic representation. Users should be mindful of these potential biases when developing models, especially for sensitive areas like legal or medical information.
Sections of the Dataset
The dataset comprises content from 19 different sections of Nairaland.com, covering topics such as Politics, Education, Business, and Health.
Citation If you use the Naijaweb dataset in your research, please cite it as follows:
@dataset{naijaweb_2024,
author = {Saheed Azeez},
title = {Naijaweb: A Web Scraped Nigerian Context Dataset},
year = {2024},
publisher = {Hugging Face Datasets},
version = {1.0.0},
url = {https://huggingface.co/datasets/saheedniyi/naijaweb},
}
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