Chibok Girls Will Be Released On Monday – Boko Haram

Chibok Girls Will Be Released On Monday – Boko Haram


 

Mallam Danladi Ahmadu, alleged Secretary General of Boko Haram disclosed that the final meeting between the group and the Federal Government to finally seal the ceasefire agreement has been scheduled for Monday in Ndjamana, Chad and to be supervised by the Chadian leader, Idris Derby, thereafter the Chibok girls would be released on monday to the Chadian President, Idris Derby for onward presentation to the Nigerian government.

He added that an enlarged meeting of the group has been fixed for the weekend to prepare ground for the Monday meeting with the Federal government, affirming that the final ceasefire and the release of the Chibok girls are promises that will surely be fulfilled by the group.

The chibok girls numbering 276 were kidnapped in April 2014 in Borno State, Nigeria.

Source: NigerianBulletin

We lose 800,000 children from preventable diseases yearly – Prof. Folorunsho

Senate begins screening of six more Ministerial nominees.

Nominees to be screened are:
Isaac Folorunso, Bawa Bwari, Geoffrey Onyeama, Zainab Ahmed, Dan Ali and Usani Uguru.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Adewole Folorunsho on Tuesday said that Nigeria loses about 800,000 children to preventable diseases yearly.

Folorunsho, who is one of the ministerial nominees, made this known during his screening at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

The nominee, who described health indicators in Nigeria as worrisome, also said that more than 40,000 women died during pregnancy and delivery yearly.

He expressed worry that Nigeria was one of the countries with the largest number of newborns with HIV.

“A foremost reproductive health expert once asked why we treat our women and children as disposables,’’ he said.

He said if confirmed as a minister, he would be committed to preventing maternal and infant mortality as well as HIV/AIDS and cancer.

Folorunsho called for concerted effort by relevant stakeholders to improve the health status of women and children as well as that of men.

According to him, conscious effort must be made to tackle the multifarious problems in the health sector, particularly with regards to women and infant mortality in the country.

“We should also create platforms to educate women to say no to sex.

“About 40 to 50 per cent of abortions carried out are because of deformed pregnancies.

“The life of the Nigerian girl is very important; they need proper education on unregulated pregnancies,’’ he said.

Folorunsho also expressed his readiness to mobilise funds to the health sector as well as ensuring training and re-training of health personnel.

The ministerial nominee also noted that upgraded medical facilities would reduce the number of Nigerians rushing outside the country to seek medical help.

Speaking on the recent ranking of Nigerian universities, the Vice Chancellor said they were not as bad as portrayed.

Citing the University of Ibadan for instance, he said that it had witnessed massive transformation under his watch.

“I will always refer to the universities as our nation’s heritage and we have been able to raise the bar of excellence,” he said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/watch-ministerial-screening-live-2/

60% of illegal arms in S/East produced locally —Presidential C’ttee

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

Nnewi—Presidential  Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, PRESCOM, stakeholders’ sensitization forum, held at Enugu for South East zone, has revealed that about 60 per cent of the illegal arms in the zone are produced locally.

Professor Aloysius Okolie, who is the South East coordinator on House Survey, of PRESCOM,   made the revelation during a two-day stakeholders’ sensitization forum on the comprehensive national Small Arms and Light Weapons, SALW,  survey in Nigeria,at Villa Toscana Hotel, Enugu.

FILE: Arms

He said that  60 per cent are fabricated locally in Nigeria and “some communities are known for their natural fabrication of arms,” adding that politicians were part of  arms proliferation in the area and most of the political leaders helped in the importation and fabrication of arms.           The sensitization forum tagged, ‘All Hands on Deck,’ also revealed that “40 per cent of the arms are imported by the political leaders and the rest 60 per cent fabricated within the zone.”

According to him: “The essence of the survey is not for the government to embark on   disarmament,  but to find out those factors that motivate people into acquiring such arms and sources of the arms.”

Earlier, the PRESCOM coordinator, Mr. Dickson Orji, stated that the essence of the forum was to give room for information and interaction on how to curtail proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.

“It will create awareness on the socio-economic impact of illicit small arms and light weapons proliferation in Nigeria and sensitize the Nigerian populace on the proposed comprehensive SALW survey in Nigeria.

“The forum will galvanize support for the survey team and enumerators to ensure collaboration at the grass roots for the success of the project,” he stated.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/60-of-illegal-arms-in-seast-produced-locally-presidential-cttee/

Nigeria ranks 169 out of 189 in World Bank’s doing business report

The World Bank has ranked Nigeria 169 out of 189 countries in its latest report on the ease of doing business globally. This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Head of Communications, World Bank Nigeria, Mr Obadiah Tohomdet, on Tuesday in Abuja. According to the statement, the report takes into consideration the ease of obtaining construction permits, getting electricity, enforcing contracts, registering property and trading across borders among other parameters.

The report showed that Nigeria had improved in the ranking from 170 in 2014 to 169 in its 2015 report. It further showed that the Sub-Saharan African economies were among the world’s top improvers of business climate. “The region, however, ranks poorly in the areas of trading across borders and registering properties. “Mauritius ranks best in the region, with a global ranking of 32, performing particularly well in the areas of paying taxes and
enforcing contracts.

“In Mauritius, it takes only 152 hours for entrepreneurs to pay taxes, compared to 261 hours globally. “Rwanda has the next best ranking in the region, with a global ranking of 62. Ten years ago, an entrepreneur in Rwanda took 370 days to transfer property. Now, it takes 32 days which is less than in Germany, ” it stated.Also, Botswana ranked 72; South Africa 73; Seychelles 95; Kenya 108, and Uganda 122 this year.

According to the report, the Sub-Saharan African region stands out in implementing reforms under the Getting Credit indicator. It stated that this was a welcome development for small businesses in the region. “Despite great improvements, governments in Sub-Saharan Africa will need to continue working on closing the gap in many key areas that impact the ease of doing business, especially increasing access to reliable electricity.

“The region’s economies have room for improvement in the reliability of supply and transparency index of the getting electricity indicator and the quality of land administration index of the registering property indicator.”

Governor Ben Ayade's Budget of Deep Vision By Thomas Abi Jr

Governor Ben Ayade's Budget of Deep Vision

I listened to the budget presentation by Governor Ben Ayade with so much joy in my heart. Getting up to present his 2016 budget, i saw a man who had so much confidence and who was grounded in all areas of the budget. His presentation of the budget was scholarly, he was practically lecturing the members of the House of Assembly and the general public present for the function.

The word deep vision means a lot, he took time to christened his budget, and for some of us who have taken time to study the budget, it's the best in the history of Cross River State. The economy of Cross River State in no distant time is going to be one of the best in Nigeria. What thrilled me the most about Governor Ayade; was the fact that he presented his over 45 minutes speech on the budget without reading from any paper. He is erudite and scholarly. Ayade can best be likened with President Barack Obama for his intellectual prowess, and Martin Luther King Jr., for his bravery, confidence and oratory nature.

It takes only a man who is intelligent and brave to say he inherited a rich State even when the State is crying for help. It takes an Ayade to say he inherited a State with so much potentials. " I understood the financial challenges of the State, it therefore became imperative that i have to reconstruct and create a new horizon of hope, inorder to usher in prosperity, where we as Cross Riverians will live at peace with each other. It is to that extent that i conceived a budget, which i classified the budget of deep vision".

I have come to understand the man Ayade, he is not just an intelligent man, but he is a man destined to salvage his people and emancipate his people from hunger, thirst and poverty. The budget the deep vision is not just a budget, but it is a budget that has the backing of God, because Governor Ayade, out of his magmanity he decided to create 12 more ministries. He understands that in doing these, there is the challenge of funds, but he believe can never be shakened because he is a man who believes in God. He is a man who understands the principles of leadership and success and in anything he focuses his on, he succeeds. In one of Prof. Ayade's speeches, he said, " When i put my soul above any problem, my body will follow". It comes to show that he understand that God is the greatest and that only in God you can trust and your hope in.

In Governor Ayade's budget presentation, he knows that his projects require a lot of funding, time and energy. He said, " Great ambition, little resources, but what really matters therefore is not how much you have but how much ideas". Men like Prof. Ayade, are rare gift to mankind, they are God's gift to humanity. And with a man embedded with so much ideas, energy, vigor and youthful nature, i make bold to say with his speed and versatility, Cross River State is going to become the next Singapore of Africa. Many persons will doubt Governor Ayade just like they doubted the Super highway until they saw President Muhammadu Buhari in the ground breaking in flesh and blood. My Governor, Sir, please, i have want to tell you that you have brought so much to Thomas Abi Jr., you have restored the lost glory of our people and with a man like you i have nothing to fear as a young man. I know, God brought you to liberate our people. I am optimistic that with the new budget of deep vision, Cross River State shall succeed, we shall move from third world to first world and shall become the Singapore of Africa.

With the concept that Governor Ayade is bringing, we shall consolidate. He has created 12 new ministries and  i must say it is a good development. It may bring a lot of burden on the State but with the ideas on the table and how he intends to run them i do not see any reason why we should worry ourselves. All the ministries are backed with ideas and with the kind of ideas the Governor presented during his budget presentation, i make bold to say that he is going to succeed.

In Governor Ayade's budget he made mention that in the area of forestry and biodiversity, his government had succeeded in reducing the activities of poachers and illegal loggers; i think that it a huge achievement . As an environmentalist, he has worked round the clock to see that the State benefits from UN REED Carbon Crédit fund. And as we all know Cross River State has hydrocarbon deposit. So, with the funds coming in we are on the right path to protecting our biodiversity.

In Agriculture, he laid emphasis on rice, maize farming and yellow maize, which he said by the time the State gives priority to maize, CRS would become one of the major producers of cornflakes. He also spoke about cocoa and the poultry farm that is to commence soon, it will create revenue for government. Eggs and other protein intake would be gotten from CRS, because the protein intake in Nigeria is very low but with the poultry farm the State is going to have huge revenue. Looking at the lofty ideas of the Governor i know that the State is in safe hands.

Education is not a luxury but a necessity and for Cross River State to gain civil liberty, we must educate our people, we must continue to put in the needed structure in place to win the war against illiteracy. In the words of the Governor, he said State has the responsility of providing educational facility and scholarship to students studying profesional courses.

On Roads and Bridges

The present administration has taken it upon herself to construct a 260km super highway from Calabar to Katsina-Ala and the repairs and maintenance of roads in the State. I must say choice of Governor Ayade's super highway is a plus to his administration. It is now on record that on the 20th October, 2015, Cross River State was the first State to invite the President for a State visit outside Abuja. That is a huge achievement and i give the Governor credit for brigining President Buhari to Cross River State.

CRS is blessed with rich natural resources, the State is endowed with numerous solid mineral and gas deposit. The present administration is so passionate about exploring the mineral potentials and also keying into producing ceramic in the State.

The budget is timely an apt, and it has captured all sectors of the State, from Information to Health to Education, Security, Agriculture and Tourism. I must commend Governor Ayade for the erudite presentation and urge him to do everything within his powers to make the State great again.

Prince Thomas Abi Jr.

Is a Public Affairs Analyst/Social Commentator

US-led invasion of Iraq played role in rise of ISIS, That Gave Birth to Other Terrorist Group Like Boko Haram ex-British leader Tony Blair says.

LONDON –  Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was partly responsible for the emergence of the Islamic State militant group in the Middle East. But he insisted that toppling dictator Saddam Hussein had been the right thing to do.

Blair told CNN that "there are elements of truth" in the assertion that the war caused the rise of ISIS.

"Of course you can't say those of us who removed Saddam in 2003 bear no responsibility for the situation in 2015," he said in the interview to be broadcast Sunday. He added that the Arab Spring had also played a role in creating instability that allowed the Islamic fundamentalist militant group to flourish.

Blair's decision to take Britain into the Iraq war — based on what turned out to be false claims about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction — remains hugely divisive, and contributed to his Labour Party's loss of power in 2010.

Blair insisted that removing Saddam was the right thing to do, but apologized, as he has before, for failures in post-war planning.

"I apologize for the fact that the intelligence we received was wrong," he said in clips released before the broadcast.

"I also apologize for some of the mistakes in planning and, certainly, our mistake in our understanding of what would happen once you removed the regime."

Some 179 British personnel died in Iraq between 2003 and 2009. A public inquiry into decisions and mistakes in Britain's planning and execution of the war began in 2009 but has yet to issue its findings. The process has been held up while people criticized in the report are given a chance to respond.

Critics of the war hope the inquiry will conclude that Blair was determined to back President George W. Bush in his invasion plans, whether or not it was supported by the public, Parliament or legal opinion.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/10/25/former-british-leader-tony-blair-says-iraq-war-played-role-in-rise-islamic/?intcmp=latestnews

Obasanjo In Auto-Crash, Escapes Unhurt

Nigeria’s former President Olusegun Obasanjo has cheated death again as he narrowly escaped death from an accident involving his SUV along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

It was gathered that the former President just left a church programme organised for the 10th years remembrance of his late wife, Stella.

Obasanjo and was on his way to the airport before the incident happened.



Report has it that one of the rear tyres of his Luxus SUV burst along the road and created tension as to the safety of the former President but he stepped out unhurt.

It could not be ascertained weather the former President sustained injuries but he has since travelled out of the country.

https://www.today.ng/news/27991/nigerias-ex-president-obasanjo-escape-death

Nnamdi Kanu’s Detention Takes a Dangerous New Dimension (See President Buhari’s Plot)

Nnamdi Kanu’s Detention Takes a Dangerous New Dimension (See President Buhari’s Plot)

Following torrential calls made to us and concerns expressed by millions of Nigerians, the media and foreign nationals and bodies over the ongoing ordeal of detained Citizen Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Radio Biafra (RB) who was given a controversial judicial bail on19th October 2015 by the Abuja Municipal Magistrate Court, at Wuse (Zone 2); the leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) is sad and happy. This follows our latest findings and updates arising from our latest communications with the Counsel to Citizen Kanu (Barr Egechukwu Obetta) over the ordeal of the persecuted Biafran self determination activist.

We are sad because a new potentially dangerous dimension has been introduced into the ordeal of the detained Biafran self determination activist. His detention has now graduated from judicial detention to extra-judicial detention. That is to say that he is no longer being detained on the orders of the named Magistrate Court upon the Court’s harshly imposed bail conditions; rather he is now detained extra-judicially according to administrative and operational whims and caprices of the Department of the State Security Services (DSS). These administrative and operational whims and caprices lately deployed by the DSS are totally unknown to the principles of the rule of law, constitutional democracy, the 1999 Constitution and local and international human rights and humanitarian norms.

On the other hand, we are happy because, it is triumphantly necessary to inform the world that the harsh and draconian bail conditions so imposed have been met by Citizen Kanu‘s lawyers and associates as at Tuesday, 2oth October 2015 leading to filing of all necessary papers and completion of their processes in good time. The DSS ought to or was expected to have completed its verification process by Thursday, 22nd October 2015 and caused Citizen Nnamdi Kanu to be released in compliance with the order of the Abuja Municipal Magistrate Court, dated since 19th October 2015. This, the DSS failed woefully to do till date. We wish to further inform authoritatively that upon meeting all draconian bail conditions so attached leading to refusal by the DSS to release the detained Biafran self determination activist, the Presiding Magistrate made an express Production Order on Friday, 23rd October 2015 for the DSS to produce Citizen Nnamdi Kanu before his Court same date and explain why it failed to release the detained Biafran self determination activist upon meeting the imposed bail conditions.

The Production Order was communicated to the DSS by the Court’s ambassador (bailiffs) and the Magistrate’s orderly yesterday, 23rd October 2015. Disappointedly, they were sent back by the DSS and the order was fragrantly and rapaciously disobeyed. As it stands now, the struggle continues next week! Our heart is further gladdened because Citizen Nnamdi Kanu was allowed for hours to meet with his lawyer-Citizen (Barr) Egechukwu Obetta where upon their meeting lasted for hours. According to Citizen Kanu’s lawyer, he was met as at the evening of Friday, 23rd October 2015, in good health with access to food of fair health, hygienic and delicious standard as well as access to physician. We consider this as a departure from previous sad development where the detained Citizen’s access to his lawyer and physician was blatantly refused and denied. Other adjudicatory and non adjudicatory processes and arrangements have been put in place to continue the struggle by the coming week until he is freed.

Further, it is very important to state that our strategic roles and involvement in the campaigns to set Citizen Nnamdi Kanu free or be tried fairly before a court of superior records or competent jurisdiction under laws clearly written with expressly defined penalties tailored in international human rights and humanitarian norms; are totally beyond personal sympathy. Such noble roles of ours are strategically designed to save the country’s constitutional democracy from transforming into constitutional dictatorship, authoritarianism and totalitarianism or anarchy.

Various signs of triggers of constitutional dictatorship have continuously been on increase in Nigeria since 1st June 2015 with the most shocking being collective silence or leprous opinions of the hitherto mainstream civil society of the Southwest zone. Our several studies of the root causes of African dictatorship clearly indicate that dictatorship is often made possible by collective silence or misguided quietness and conformism of attentive public (i.e. professional bodies in natural and social science disciplines, labour leaders, academia, church leaders, media and rights based civil society organizations and their leaders) otherwise called the Civil Society. Recent experiences have also shown that the doctrine of checks and balances is no longer situated among the executive, the legislative and the judiciary arms of government, but strictly between these three arms of government on one part and the civil society on the other. The collective quietness of the civil society in constitutional democracy is a clear recipe for constitutional dictatorship.

In various African countries where constitutional dictatorship has been entrenched, it was the collective silence of the civil society that made it possible. That is to say that no constitutional dictatorship has been empirically found to be solely built and entrenched by a small clique of its operators alone but through collective conspiracy of silence or leprous concordance with the attentive public or civil society. In Cameroon today, the constitutional dictatorship of President Paul Biya has lasted for 33 years (since 1982) and all democratic pluralistic agents and agencies have been shut up and bottled. In Angola, same thing happens with President Edwardo Dos Santos being in power for 36 years (since 1979) with all modern democratic agents grounded in intractability.

This is also replicated in at least 25 other African countries. Constitutional dictatorship also goes beyond elongation of tenure of office to include rapacious turning of the State coercive institutions or establishments against the ordinary or common citizens and members of dissent community as well as entrenchment of executive lawlessness and impunity. We wish to sound an alarm and caution all Nigerians particularly the civil society or attentive public to rise up in defense of the country hard earned constitutional democracy.

If the excesses of President Muhammadu Buhari administration are condoned and shepherded by those destined to speak out on account of civil society-opposition (former) conspiratorial demographic theory and national cake, their safety and comfort of today will be that of the graveyard with capacity to turn around and bounce back on them when another set or section take charge at the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent particularly if the referenced set or section are the injured and wounded of today. Running a government of vendetta or vindictiveness clearly amounts to laying a foundation of intractable sectional discords and social fragmentation and intractable violence of tomorrow. Nobody stays in the corridors of power forever and there is even a limit to political harlotry or leprosy. Political wounds have never been healed by their direct or indirect perpetrators by running from pillar to pole using vicarious liability mantra placed upon the heads of their former terror bosses as blame game.

Finally, the courage and boldness of the Counsel to Citizen Nnamdi Kanu; Barr Egechukwu Obetta, despite sustained threats, frustrations and stresses is unreservedly commendable. The roles of the Nigerian and international media particularly the online media in the campaigns to free the detained Biafran self determination activist are also commendable; likewise the concerns shown by millions of Nigerians and selected members of the international community including foreign missions in Nigeria. Amnesty International, UK and the Human Rights Watch in USA are also singled out for commendation and appreciation over their interests and roles in the struggle so far.

We wish to remind all that it is Aluta Continua, Victoria Acerta (struggle continues until victory is achieved). The campaigns shall take new dimensions locally and internationally within the ambits of the law if by the coming week, Citizen Nnamdi Kanu is still held extra-judicially by the DSS acting under direct authorization of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Signed:

Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chairman

http://www.igberetvnews.com/?p=19794#more-19794

Oliseh charges Eagles to beat B/Faso

Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh has charged the home-based national team to go ahead and beat Burkina Faso to seal their ticket to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda next January.

The coach was flown to Belgium last Thursday for immediate medical attention, which leaves his assistants, Salisu and Loscuito to prosecute the match in Ouagadougou on Sunday.

Nigeria head into the second leg with a 2-0 advantage over the Etalons in the first leg of the tie played in Port Harcourt last Saturday.

“I have absolute confidence in the team even in my absence they will get the job done for Nigeria on Sunday.”

“ I’m with the team in spirit so keep me updated.”

The Eagles gaffer arrived in Belgium safely, and has commenced treatment while urging home stars to win the 2016 CHAN qualifier in B/Faso today.

SOURCE vanguardngr.com

FLASH BACK “I will lead a war against them like Ojukwu. Am not joking” – Wike If Nigeria Breaks Away, Do Not Blame FFK, Dokobo, Nnamdi Kanu. Rather Blame the Nation's Leaders

“I will lead a war against them like Ojukwu. Am not joking” – Wike Apr 08, 2015 Sayelba Timespolitics 1 Yesterday,  the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 11 governorship election in Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike declared war on those he considered to have betrayed outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan and the South-South.   Addressing his supporters in Port Harcourt via a media briefing monitored by Sayelba Times, he said Governor Chibuike Amaechi is Judas Iscariot. He further declared that nothing can stop his victory at the polls.   Barrister Wike also alleged a plot by the State Governor to sponsor thugs to disrupt the election in order to use that as a pretence to annul the results when President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari is sworn in. He however promise to lead Rivers people to an Ojukwu style war against the Federal government to resist such attempts.   Below is his full statement.   “Today, I want all South-South and South-East to remember this, that we’ve two Judas. Let me confess to you, we held a meeting before the elections on Saturday, and we said as people from this part of the country, we must standby our brother.   Some APC leaders bought into the idea. And that was why with all the money Amaechi throw around, we still gave our brother almost 1.5million votes.   Amaechi is the only betrayer that raised his ugly head to say we rigged elections. When he knows it’s obvious that you and I gave our best to our brother.   In Edo state,the governor only complained of Army that was deployed in his residence. He never said the elections should be cancelled.   IMO state the same thing. But it is only Amaechi that stood like Judah to tell Jega to cancel elections in rivers state.   We heard he has gone to Abuja, trying to persuade Jega to change the returning official here.   In fact, let him tell Jega to come down to conduct the election himself. Amechi, Jega,and Buhari will still fail. We have taken over the Senate and the state house,we are left with the governorship, and with you again,we will get 2million votes to silent Amechi for once.   We will treat him like a betrayer, and call him a stranger in his own house. He is coming to beg us, to let go. When he has succeeded in using Rivers Rtate money to fund his Fulani friends.   Amaechi, eyes will see hell the highest they can give to him is Secretary. And after 8 years, he will return home and become irrelevant. Trust the Hausa people,they will soon betray him just the way he betrayed the south south struggle.   I was told he is paying some thugs so that elections will be cancelled in Rivers State,in order for them to come back and conduct it after GMB is sworn in.   If they try it, they should just carve Rivers State out of Nigeria map. I will lead a war against them like Ojukwu. Am not joking, I know am on air,and I am warning them now.   Any attempt to rob us the way they rob our brother (GEJ) the battle will start from rivers state.   We will remain opposition state like Lagos. In fact we from the south south and south east we remain in PDP. We leave the south west and north to run APC.   That is how they tactically shared the country. And we will not allow them use our resources to develop their States..   I am urging you all to come out April 11th to do it again. We will be at the field to defend our votes,and revenge for our brother. THANK YOU.”

Read More at www.sayelbatimes.com/i-will-lead-a-war-against-them-like-ojukwu-am-not-joking-wike/ © Sayelba Times

BREAKING: Obasanjo In Auto-Crash, Condition Critical

 

An unconfirmed report suggests that former president Olusegun Obasanjo involved in an auto-crash along Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Our source revealed his condition critical and has been flown abroad for proper medical care

 http://www.igberetvnews.com/?p=19738

Rivers, Akwa-Ibom Tribunal Judgments Cannot Stand - PDP

Rivers, Akwa-Ibom Tribunal Judgments Cannot Stand - PDP

PDP has described as unacceptable and bizarre the election tribunal verdicts in both Rivers and Akwa Ibom state. The Akwa Ibom state election petition tribunal few days ago had nullified the state governorship election in 18 Local governments and ordered a rerun. PDP's reaction is contained in a statement released this afternoon by its National Publicity secretary Olisa Metuh. Read after the cut..

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) declares the verdict of the River state governorship election tribunal sitting in Abuja, which showed clear bias against Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP, as completely bizarre, unacceptable and part of the script by the APC to manipulate the will of the people.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Saturday said indications to this spurious judgment had months ago been hinted to the PDP, which in turn, alerted the nation and the international community of the heinous plot by the APC government, to use the judiciary and various security agencies to reverse the victory of the PDP in Rivers, Delta, Akwa-Ibom, Taraba and Abia states.

“We invite Nigerians and the international community to recall various reprehensible steps taken by the APC government that culminated in this ruling as well as the ridiculous Wednesday’sverdict of the Akwa-Ibom state governorship election tribunal, also sitting in Abuja.

1. The curious and controversial relocation of the elections tribunals from their states to Abuja without any justification.
2. The constant juggling of judicial officers and members of governorship elections tribunal in PDP states, especially, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states.
3. Constant harassment of judicial and electoral officers involved in the governorship election cases in these state, using agencies of government, particularly, the Directorate of State Services (DSS) under the direct command of a known APC member, Alhaji Lawal Daura.
4. Constant threats, intimidation and coercing of witnesses against the PDP in the tribunals.
5. The recent mass transfer of security operatives, especially the DSS and police personnel that actually participated in the conduct of the elections in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom, ostensibly to frustrate the course of genuine evidences in the process.

“The bias in the judgment against the PDP in Rivers as well as Akwa-Ibom is evidenced in the contradictions inherent in the trial process of the two cases and the verdicts therein, whereby the tribunals clearly disregarded standing legal norm that a petitioner must establish prove of claims.

“Also curious is the fact that after both the petitioner and respondent agreed before the tribunal that both card reader and manual accreditations were used for the election, the tribunal still went ahead to base its decision on issues of card reader.

While it is convenient to them to use legal technicalities to deny PDP victory in Imo, Lagos, Ogun and Yobe states, the same rules are misapplied to wickedly favour APC petitioners in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom states.

“It is therefore evinced that these contradictions are direct fall-out of compromises as well as boasts by the APC of being in direct and remote control of the tribunals. If not, how can one explain the fact that while governorship elections are being upturned in PDP states, in APC states, where similar claims and facts are in contention, elections are being upheld.

“Further proof of bias by the Rivers tribunal is the fact that less than 24 hours after various counsels submitted nine written addresses and documents, the tribunal rushed its notice of judgment, an action ostensibly aimed at ambushing the pending Supreme Court action on the issue of jurisdiction regarding the relocation of the tribunal outside River state, which was due to be delivered on Tuesday.

“This is not withstanding the fact that the tribunal has up to seven days after of receipt of addresses, to deliver its judgment, but chose instead, to rush to deliver this spurious verdict even on a Saturday, a development eliciting suspicion that the judgment may have since been predetermined and written even before the commencement of the case.

“The PDP calls on all Nigerians and the international community to note this growing manipulation of the judiciary by the APC government, a factor which portends great danger to our democracy and the stability of our country.

“Nigerians would want to recall that under the PDP-led government with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to the tenets of democracy as encapsulated in the safeguard of ‘one man one vote’ and the independence of the judiciary, the PDP conceded electoral defeat in Edo, Anambra, and Imo states without attempting to collect victory through executive manipulation of the judicial process.

“The PDP restates unequivocally that this judgments must not stand in view of the prevailing inherent contradictions, in addition to the huge threat they portend to our democracy and national stability.

“Finally, the PDP charges all lovers of democracy, particularly our members in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom state not to be daunted, as these judgments will not stand the test of the law and the will of the people. We therefore reassure that the PDP will do all within the ambit of the law to resist this criminal attempt by the APC to steal and thwart the will of the people.

Signed:

Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary

Attachments area

source http//:www.vanguardngr.com

Six Reasons Why and How Dakuku Peterside Of APC Will Win Rivers Guber Elections Rerun

The tensions surrounding the verdict of the Rivers election Tribunal has just eased ditto briefly after the tribunal presiding judge announced sonorously that the process of the elections was deeply flawed. He charged INEC to re conduct the elections within 90 days. Camp of the indefatigable APC leader and motivator in Rivers state, His Excellency the Right Honorable Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi was thrown into jubilation. No doubt the ministerial nominee must be feeling very happy right now as all his worries are dissipating one after the other. On the other hand, the governor of the state Wike must be wondering now how to wriggle out of this misfortune. From all indications, a rerun is imminent, whether Wike appeals or not. The question now is who will carry the day? Most people especially members of the opposition party the PDP are upbeat that Wike will carry the day but there are undeniable facts that exposes that optimism to be far fetched. Very clearly, Dakuku Peterside will not only win but will have a landslide victory. Lets look closely at these reasons.

1, PDP and Jonathan are no longer at the center. 
Many people are making the mistake of overlooking this all important fact. They fail to understand that Rivers politics is always in tune with the party at the helm of affairs at the federal level. There is no way Wike and his cohorts will expect any kind of support or even sympathy from the Police or Military or even INEC as all these institutions are going to be neutral now and will quickly deal with any deception from Wike and or PDP. Infact, it is safe to say that these federal organs will be at the beak and call of APC. Many will argue that Buhari will not allow the kind of brigandage under Jonathan to happen in Rivers but they fail to understand that Buhari is determined to have Rivers and Akwaibom in the kitty of APC. In a nut shell federal might is now with APC!

2, Doggedness of Amaechi. 
Many who do not know Amaechi personally make the mistake of overlooking his doggedness but it is on record that Amaechi has never lost any political battle! History favors him and he will once again deploy his magic wand that swept Jonathan out of power in Rivers state. For confirmation check out the list of his current political battles.
a, In spite of the substitution of his name in 2007 he won in court and went ahead to reclaim his mandate.
b, He won the governors forum election inspite of jonathan and even when Jonathan succeeded in polarizing the forum, eventually at the end of Jonathan tenure even former governor Godswill Akpabio admitted he won
c, He clearly sent Jonathan packing from Aso Rock
d, Inspite of Wikes machinations, he was given a hero's reception and screened by the senate.
e, Through his doggedness the election of Wike has just been annulled.
Love him or hate him, Amaechi is a political legend.

3, The Upland/Riverine dichotomy.
In Rivers state, there is a gentlemanly agreement between these two political blocks. Unfortunately,for Wike , he is coming to replace another man from the Upland, Amaechi. Fortnately for APC, Peterside is from the Riverine area and by this agreement Peterside has the upperhand.Some people will argue that this is not a strong point as it did not improve Petersides chances before but they forget that PDP was still in power then and Wikes thuggery was deployed with federal might to diminish this important issue. Now that Wike cannot count on the federal support,Amaechi and Peterside will play this sentiment up to their advantage.

4, Wike cannot count on Patience Jonathan support. 
There is no doubt that the former first lady threw her weight behind Wike with all its appurtenances and what a weight! Then she could order generals around and even the IG of police was scared of her but today none of those things obtains anymore. She is more concerned about protecting her alleged ill gotten wealth than coming out openly to support Wike. 

5, Alleged plan by EFCC to arrest Wike.
It was the APC in Rivers state that started the rumor, when they claimed that he will run away immediately he hands over power to the speaker of the house in preparation for the rerun. He will immediately loose his immunity and reliable sources say a dossier about his stewardship when he held sway as minister of education and also supervised the ministry at a time is with the EFCC. All the EfCC is waiting for is for him to step down and they will swoop in on him. If this happens, it will completely destroy his already battered image and kill his chances of being elected.

6, Rivers people love Dakuku
It is not doubtful at all! Most Rivers people especially those in the riverine areas totally adore Dakuku. Wike was totally aware of this fact and that was why he had to deploy thugs and security agents to compromise the elections. Now that APC controls the center, watch as Rivers people will show him love at the polls.


And finally, Amaechi, APC and Peterside has the psychological advantage. They have been winning so far and it is expected that they go on winning!

SOURCE:http://www.davidchuks.blogspot.com.ng/2015/10/six-reasons-why-dakuku-peterside-of-apc.html