OHANAEZE GIVES OBA OF LAGOS
48 HOURS TO WITHDRAW
THREAT TO IGBOS
By Rahman Olayinka On 7 April 2015 In News
The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the
youth wing of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural
organisation of
Ndigbo, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to
the Oba of
Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akiolu, to “retract and
unconditionally
apologise to Ndigbo” over his alleged death
threat to
Ndigbo living in Lagos should they fail to
vote for the All
Progressives Congress (APC) governorship
candidate,
Akinwumi Ambode, on April 11.
Apart from positing that democracy confers
on the
electorate, the freedom of choice, OYC said it
considered
the comments credited to Akiolu as “a
despicable insult on
the Igbo nation, home and abroad, least
expected of a royal
father in the rank of Oba of Lagos.”
The group called on security agencies to
invite the Oba for
questioning because of the grave dangers his
current
posture portends while lambasted the
monarch for
employing crude arm-twisting, obtaining by
tricks tactics.
The monarch had reportedly threatened to
make life
unbearable for the Igbos in Lagos if they
sabotage efforts
being made to ensure that Ambode emerges
as the next
governor of the state.
Akiolu was said to have summoned all the
Eze-Ndigbo in
Lagos State to his palace yesterday and told
them: “On
Saturday, if anyone of you goes against
Ambode, who I
picked, that is your end. If it does not happen
within seven
days, just know that I am a bastard and it is
not my father
who gave birth to me.
“By the grace of God, I am the owner of
Lagos for the time
being. On Saturday, if anyone of you, I swear
in the name of
God, goes against my wish that Ambode will
be the next
governor of Lagos State, the person is going
to die inside
this water.
“For the Igbo and others in Lagos, they
should go where the
Oba of Lagos heads to. When they were
coming to the
state, they did not come with all their houses.
But now,
they have properties in the state. So they
must do my
bidding. And that is the bidding of the
ancestors of Lagos
and God.
“I am not ready to beg you. Nobody knew
how I picked
Ambode. Jimi is my blood relation and I told
him that he
could never be governor in Lagos for now. I
am not begging
anybody, but what you people cannot do in
Onitsha, Aba or
anywhere you cannot do it here.”
Reacting to the monarch’s outburst, OYC, in a
statement
issued this afternoon in Umuahia and
endorsed by its
National President, Mazi Okechukwu
Isiguzoro, warned that
“Igbo youths will not take this insult lightly,
and unless he
apologises within 48 hours he should know
he is courting
our wrath.”
OYC further warned that should anything
happen to Ndigbo
or their business interests in Lagos in the
event of APC
losing the Lagos governorship race, the Oba
should be held
responsible.
“Inasmuch as we do not want to get involved
in Lagos
politics, we want to sound a note of warning
that no Igbo
should be vilified or persecuted for his or her
electoral
choice in Lagos or any part of Nigeria,” the
group said.
“Every Nigerian has the constitutional right to
reside in any
part of the country and participate in the
electoral process
based on one’s convictions, and electoral
choice is not a
crime,” it added.
Isiguzoro said “nobody no matter what he
thinks he is, has
the right to command Ndigbo anywhere on
who to vote for
in a democratic setting.”
He said that the unprintable comments
credited to the Oba
had only revealed his innate hatred for
Ndigbo.
The Oba, according to him, “should be
reminded that the
economy of Lagos will collapse should
Ndigbo decide to
pull their investments from the commercial
city.”
He said that “Ndigbo have remained the most
persecuted ,
hated and marginalised tribe in Nigeria , yet
the most
enterprising and highest contributors to the
growth of its
economy, peace and unity.”
OYC asserted that the Igbo race needs
commendation and
not hatred for their ingenuity, versatility and
presence in
every part of the country, adding that God has
destined
Ndigbo to prosper in any part of the world,
even in hostile
environments.
The group, therefore, encouraged Ndigbo in
Lagos and
elsewhere to vote according to their
conscience in the
forthcoming polls without fear of

Goodluck Jonathan'Wait patiently for election results,’ President urges Nigerians

President Jonathan made the call due to the current tension in the country following the early release of results from some states.

play Current Nigerian president and presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan
(userafricaonline)

Nigeria Elections 2015Buhari beats Jonathan in Obanikoro, Agbaje, Bode George’s wards

Buhari is ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan by a wide margin in the state and even defeated the incumbent in the wards of some Peoples Democratic Party stalwarts.

play President-Goodluck-Jonathan-Vs-Gen.-Muhammadu-Buhari
(Pulse)

Nigeria Elections 2015Results trickle in as Nigeria decides [PHOTOS]

Voting for the Presidential and National Assembly elections continues today, March 29, in areas which experienced difficulties.

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  Election officials counting votes by torchlight on a street in Abuja  BBC 

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First Lady mistakenly endorses Buhari

UNTHINKABLE!!!!!!

Nigeria's First Lady Patience Jonathan waves as she leaves a plane upon arrival to Abuja. ~ WOLE EMMANUEL

Akure - First lady Patience Jonathan has mistakenly endorsed her husband's main challenger in the March 28 presidential election, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), reports Naij.
Patience Jonathan during a rally on Tuesday said voting for Buhari, will only see Nigeria ‘move from bad to better’.
Also read: Patience Jonathan labels APC members "bus conductors"
The First Lady stated this during at a rally organized by the women wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akure, Ondo State.
The First Lady had lately during PDP campaigns stepped up her attack on Buhari and the APC.

How well do you know your country?

Most Read

Abuja -With the national elections taking place in a day, here are some facts about Nigeria that you might not have known.
ECONOMY: Nigeria overtook South Africa as Africa's largest economy in 2014, after a rebasing calculation almost doubled its GDP to more than $500 billion, and growth of around 6 percent has made it one of the world's fastest growing economies.
-- Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of foreign revenues and about three quarters of government revenues. The decline of crude prices in recent months has hurt the country's finances, causing the naira to fall about 20 percent since June, despite the central bank spending billions of dollars to prop it up.
The government has also had to repeatedly slash capital spending in the 2015 budget at a time when spending on the elections is surging.
-- Farming and manufacturing have been neglected in the 55 years since oil was found. Successive governments have done little to diversify the economy, though Jonathan's agricultural policies, including removing corrupt middle men from fertiliser handouts, are seen as a step in the right direction.
-- The banking sector is growing rapidly and capital markets are deepening, attracting foreign investment, although the currency falls linked to the elections and the declining oil revenues have led many foreign investors to sit it out for now.
-- Inflation is now in single digits, despite the country's dependence on imports, including everything from toothpicks to refined fuel, but the cost of doing business is exorbitant.
OIL: Nigeria produced just under 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2014, the U.S. Energy Information Administration says. Much of it used to be exported to the U.S. but, since that country's shale boom, the biggest buyers are in Asia and Europe.
-- Its sweet, light crude is sought-after because it is easy to refine into high-yield end products such as gasoline.
-- It has four refineries with a combined capacity of 385,000 bpd but they have never reached full production because of sabotage and poor maintenance, causing the country to rely on expensive imported fuel for 80 percent of its energy needs.
-- It also has the world's seventh largest gas reserves and has ambitious plans to increase supply to 13 billion cubic feet per day (cfd) by 2015, roughly double current levels. Despite being Africa's top gas producer, it only generates 3-4 hours of electricity a day.
SECURITY: Sunni jihadist group Boko Haram has killed thousands over the last six years and kidnapped hundreds in its attempt to create an Islamic emirate in the northeast, occupying territory around the size of Belgium by the start of this year.
-- An offensive against the militants in the last six weeks by the army - alongside troops from Chad, Cameroon and Niger - pushed the group out of most of the areas it had controlled.
-- Thousands have been killed in localised violence since the end of military rule in 1999, mostly in sectarian clashes in the central "Middle Belt" that often flare up around election time.
-- Violence by militants in the Niger Delta in the south, one of the world's largest wetlands and home to the continent's biggest energy industry, has eased since an amnesty in 2009.
POPULATION: With around 170 million people, Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation, home to more people than Russia. One in five sub-Saharan Africans are Nigerian.
-- It is one of the world's major oil and gas exporters but well over half of its people live on less than $2 a day. Life expectancy at birth is just 48.4 years, on a par with much poorer West African nations such as Sierra Leone and Chad.
RELIGION: Roughly divided into a Muslim north and Christian south, with sizeable minorities in both. The Muslim community, accounting for approximately half the population, is the largest in sub-Saharan Africa. Traditional beliefs are widespread and many combine them with Islam or Christianity.
-- Home to more than 250 ethnic groups, the three biggest being the Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo. English is the official language but in many rural areas only local languages - of which there are around 520 - are used.

- Reuters

Nigeria wraps up presidential election campaign

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan, and opposition candidate General Muhammadu Buhari, after signing a renewal of their pledge to hold peaceful "free, fair, and credible" elections. (Ben Curtis, AP)

Abuja - Campaigning wound to a close in the presidential elections on Thursday, with the two leading candidates delivering their final messages to supporters before the crunch vote.
Land and sea borders were shut at midnight on Wednesday (23:00 GMT) as part of stringent security measures that also include an eight-hour restriction on movement when polling stations are open.
Jonathan and Buhari signed a pledge of non-violence in January and on Thursday repeated their commitment to peaceful elections, with the campaign due to formally end at midnight.
"Now that the campaigns have come to an end, we meet to renew our pledge for peaceful elections," read a document signed by the two men at a hotel in Abuja and made available to reporters.
"We therefore call on all fellow citizens of our dear country and our party supporters to refrain from violence or any acts that may in any way jeopardise our collective vision of a free, fair and credible election."
Acceptance of the result is seen as key to preventing violence and the Independent National Electoral Commission said it had been working with the parties to tone down often violent rhetoric.
"All this will add up when the elections are through and the results are announced and we see that they conduct themselves in accordance with the pledges and promises that have been made," INEC spokesperson Kayode Idowu told AFP.
Final messages
Jonathan published a "thank you" message to Nigerians on the front page of many national newspapers, with a 40-page colour pull-out detailing his claimed achievements.
But the president recognised the challenge from Buhari and his All Progressives Congress (APC) which could see his ruling party defeated for the first time since the end of military rule in 1999.
"Right now there are only a few more hours to the election. I cannot recall an election more important than this in the history of our nation and I need your support," the 57-year-old wrote.
Also read: Police warn voters against electoral violence
"I need you to vote for me in this election, not just because of me, but so that we consolidate on the progress we have made."
Jonathan is campaigning for continuity and has vowed to complete the work he has started in his first four years in office.
Buhari, 72, who headed a military government in the 1980s and describes himself as a "converted democrat", has for his part pushed an agenda of "change".
He criticised "insecurity, broken infrastructure and growing inequality", vowing action against Boko Haram and corruption, which he said had made Nigeria "a laughing stock of the world".
"Rebuilding the army and other security agencies will... be a top priority of my government. I will ensure that never again will terrorists find a safe haven in Nigeria," he added.
He said he would also reunite the more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by the group in April last year with their families.
INEC on track
The electoral commission charged with organising the election meanwhile said it was on track for a smooth operation.
Some 68.8 million voters out of a total population of some 173 million are registered to vote in Nigeria, which is also Africa's leading economy and top oil producer.
Ballot papers and election materials, including for the first time handheld readers to scan biometric voter identity cards, had been sent to the country's 36 states and capital territory.
"Everything is in place," said INEC's Idowu.
INEC has come under scrutiny for its preparedness, even after the initial 14 February vote was postponed because of military operations against Boko Haram in the northeast.
Jonathan's PDP voiced concern about the distribution of voter cards and the card-reading technology.
But Idowu said the election "will be as flawless as humanly possible" and that results would be announced within 48 hours of polls closing on Saturday.

Fleeing Boko Haram, Nigeria’s Displaced People Start Side Businesses

By  

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A man who fled Boko Haram violence poses for a photograph beside the array of products he has for sale at an informal camp for internally displaced persons in Yola, Nigeria, March 5, 2015. Kathleen Caulderwood

YOLA, Nigeria -- Jacob Augustine has been a farmer for more than four decades. During the past two months, however, he’s switched to shoe repair.

“I used to work on a farm, but that was before Boko Haram,” he says, sitting cross-legged on a blanket covered with broken shoes, painting glue onto the sole of the leather sandal in his hand.

Augustine was forced to flee when the militant group attacked his hometown in northeastern Nigeria late last year. Along with about 200 others, he and what remains of his family now live in a building that was once an elementary school. Classified as internally displaced persons (IDPs), they bide their time in rooms with peeling alphabet posters on the wall as stacks of textbooks collect dust in every available corner.

But they aren’t waiting for handouts. Augustine and many like him have launched businesses, creating an impromptu economy among the more than a million people who have dispersed through northern Nigeria on the run from Boko Haram.

According to the Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency, roughly 85 percent of IDPs are staying with host families or in informal camps, rather than in official government camps, which are reputed to be not only disorganized but also unsafe.

Most of the more than 200,000 men, women and children who have settled here in Yola have chosen the informal route, which means they are hard to find for aid organizations. However, their approach provides a unique advantage. Unlike their counterparts in government-run facilities, where movement is restricted, these residents are able to pursue other activities beyond simply waiting for news and collecting food donations. That’s creating the right conditions for a kind of informal economy that’s helping feed the refugees.

For most of these refugees, who are frequently farmers, side businesses are ways to help make extra cash, while waiting for news of home.

Boko Haram now controls a vast swath of land stretching across Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, where most of the population lives below the poverty line. However, the area also is responsible for the vast majority of Nigeria’s agricultural output. Hundreds of thousands of farmers left their crops to spoil as they attempted to escape the violence, and aid groups such as the Famine Early Warning Systems Network warn that 3 million people could face food consumption gaps within the next few months. Estimates indicate 60 percent of Nigeria’s farmers left their crops because of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Here in a dusty yard once used for recess and sports, children gather around a chalkboard for lessons, as Augustine and a handful of other newly minted entrepreneurs display their wares.

Visitors are not faced with the white tents that signal a refugee camp all over the world. What they see instead is a line of merchants and stalls. One table features dozens of cigarette boxes bought wholesale in town, another is piled with sweet-smelling fried snacks, and still another holds a locked case packed with at least a hundred mobile phones, their charging lights blinking in the sun, under the watchful eye of a nearby attendant.

Augustine never knew much about shoes before, and never imagined himself doing this job, but a friend let him borrow some tools, and he managed to learn the trade by watching others. He would rather be doing something else, but his family needs the income.

“When you don’t have any money, you have to be creative,” he says with a shrug, setting the sandal down amid the others with a satisfied flourish.

Almost as soon as they are formed, most camps develop an informal economies, says Eric D. Werker, an associate professor in the business, government and international economy unit at the Harvard Business School who has studied the economics of IDP and other refugee camps. Even in the situations where authorities restrict movement and trade, displaced people usually find some way to make extra money. “Even when aid organizations offer food and shelter, they are unable to provide the full basket of goods and services that displaced people demand,” he explained.

“I enjoy the business now because I’m making money,” Damboy James, 23, says as he plugs and unplugs a couple of white Blackberry phones and rearranges them to make room for the bulky charger of a Nokia handset.

Originally from Lassa, 150 miles to the north, he has no immediate family here with him: They lost track of each other during a Boko Haram attack. But he’s keeping occupied. Business for James is swift, riding the rising wave of cell-phone use that’s swept Nigeria and the rest of sub-Saharan Africa in recent years.

Within 10 minutes, about five people come to him with their cell phones and pay the 30 Nigerian naira (15 cents) apiece required to access his chargers. James’ charging station is hooked up to a generator under a nearby tree that provides a constant, rumbling soundtrack to the informal soccer game going on in the dusty yard behind him.

James, who also formerly worked as a farmer, says he can bring in a few thousand naira per month this way. It’s not a lot, but it’s something. And he hopes to save some of it to eventually get back to his home and find his parents once the crisis is over.

Across the path, Isa Jouro, 50, sits at a wooden school desk arranging packages of cigarettes in a pile. He used to work as a custodian at the general hospital in Lassa before Boko Haram attacked. Now he helps a friend purchase cigarettes in bulk from town, and sell them by the stick inside the camp, for profits between 20 naira (10 cents) and 30 naira (15 cents) each, depending on the brand.

“It’s about producing money,” said Jouro, who has been living in the camp for five months with his wife and five children. “The little I came with, I decided to use it for business instead of just spending it.”

Court Removes Legal Hurdles against Buhari's Participation in Saturday's Polls

25 Mar 2015

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Court Hammer

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

A  Federal High Court in Abuja has finally cleared the hurdles for the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress APC, General Muhammadu Buhari to participate in the Saturday Presidential Polls.

The court has finally adjourned further hearing  in the suit seeking to disqualify Buhari till April 22 and 23.
This adjournment has finally laid to rest the speculation that  the court would be used to stop Buhari from taking part in the Saturday polls.

About four different plaintiffs have approached the court seeking to disqualify Buhari from participating in the presidential polls over alleged certificate forgery and perjury‎.

The trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola at the resumed hearing Tuesday refused the joinder application brought by one pro-democracy activist, Ebunoluwa Adegoruwa and another lawyer, Chukwuma Ochu seeking to be joined in the matter.

Ruling on their application, the court held that none of the parties seeking to be joined had  shown enough interest that could warrant their joinder.

The court  described them as interlopers and busy bodies.

It was on that note that the court refused their application.

The court later adjourned till April 22 and 23 for hearing of the matter against Buhari.
‎

One Chika Okafor had dragged Buhari to court seeking to disqualify him from participating the March 28 presidential election over alleged certificate forgery and perjury.

While the case was pending, APC applied to be joined and was consequently joined as a co-defendant.

Buhari through his counsel, Wole Olanipekun SAN had also challenged the mode of service of court papers on him and also the order to abridge time.

APC through its counsel, Lateef Fagbemi SAN had also filed a preliminary objection as to entertaining the suit by the court.
The court had earlier fixed Tuesday for the ruling on abridgement of time and mode of service of the process on Buhari.

But at the resumed hearing, Ebunoluwa Adegoruwa had brought an application for joinder.

He premised his application on the grounds that he was a pro-democracy activist and wants to ensure that all the candidates were granted equal right.

Leaving EU would be 'disastrous' for Britain - Standard Life chairman

By By Huw Jones | Reuters – 21 hours ago

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  View PhotoReuters/Reuters - The Union Flag flies next to the European Flag outside the European Commission building in central London May 25, 2014. REUTERS/Neil Hall

By Huw Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - Leaving the European Union would be disastrous for Britain and harm its economy, Standard Life Chairman Gerry Grimstone said on Tuesday.
"It would be disastrous for London and the UK if the UK were to leave the single market," Grimstone told a conference on how to maintain Britain's competitiveness as a financial centre. Standard Life is Britain's fourth-biggest insurance company.
Prime Minister David Cameron has promised a referendum on the Britain's EU membership if his Conservative Party wins national elections in May.
But Robert Oxley, campaign director of Business for Britain, a eurosceptic business group, said Grimstone was wrong to "join in the scaremongering that life outside of the EU would be disastrous for the UK."
"To attribute the City (of London's) success to EU membership as some do is deeply disingenuous and ignores the ongoing damage of EU financial regulation," Oxley said.
Grimstone, who also chairs TheCityUK, which promotes Britain as a financial centre, said the EU's desire to make the single market more effective by creating a "capital markets union" (CMU), would boost Britain.
The CMU aims to make it easier for companies to raise funds for growth on markets and ease the bloc's heavy reliance on banks for money.
Britain's financial services minister, Andrea Leadsom, said the government backed EU plans for CMU but that it would "not be shy" of standing up to any measures from Brussels it did not agree with.
Britain successfully challenged a policy from the European Central Bank which required clearing houses that handled large amounts of euro-denominated securities to be based in the single currency area. Unchallenged, it could have forced clearers in Britain, such as LCH.Clearnet, to shift operations to continental Europe.
"I am very happy to say the European Court of Justice has agreed with us. It's the sort of stand the government must continue to take to protect the single market," Leadsom said.
An increase in levies on bank balance sheets announced last week in the British government's budget sparked criticism that it could harm London's competitiveness and could even spur some banks to shift their headquarters elsewhere.
Douglas Flint, chairman of HSBC declined to address this point directly and gave a broader response.

He told the conference that if British government efforts to ensure London remains competitive are successful then that would make a "very, very significant contribution to attracting the world's largest financial services firms".

(Editing by Susan Fenton)

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  View PhotoSky News - Ronaldo Faces Goal Celebration Probe

Cristiano Ronaldo could face punishment for his goal celebration when he netted Real Madrid's equaliser in Sunday's La Liga "Clasico" at Barcelona.

Ronaldo, not for the first time when he has scored at the Nou Camp, appeared to be urging the Barca fans to calm down when he struck to make it 1-1 for Real in the 31st minute.
The Portugal captain, who is regularly the subject of abuse himself, has gained a reputation for winding up opposing fans.
He was widely criticised when he tore off his shirt to celebrate his successful penalty in last season's Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid.
"We have to be careful with provocative gestures by a player when he scores a goal or with any other provocation or conduct that could incite violence among spectators," said Liga de Fútbol Profesional president Javier Tebas.
"It must be sanctioned, from a fine up to a suspension," he added. "We will look into it."

Following the death of a Deportivo La Coruna fan in fighting before a La Liga match at Atletico Madrid in November, Spanish football authorities are seeking to crack down on any action by players or supporters that may be construed as provocative.

Cristiano Ronaldo could be fined for 'calm down' celebration

Cristiano Ronaldo could face punishment for his celebration after scoring for Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.

The ex-Manchester United forward appeared to urge Barcelona fans to calm down after making it 1-1.
Spanish league (LFP) president Javier Tebas says they will investigate as they are keen to clamp down on provocative actions.
The policy follows the death of a Deportivo La Coruna fan in fighting before a league match in November.
"We have to be careful with provocative gestures by a player or conduct that could incite violence among spectators," said Tebas.
"It must be sanctioned, from a fine up to a suspension. We will look into it."
Barcelona went on to win the match 2-1 with Luis Suarez scoring the winner.

Cristiano Ronaldo appears to tell Barcelona fans to "calm down" as team-mates celebrate

Cristiano Ronaldo looks towards the Barcelona fans following his "calm down" gesture

President Goodluck Jonathan has inaugurated the newly constructed Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport in Bauchi.

Jonathan commissioned the airport on Monday, March 23, along with a newly constructed Specialist Hospital.

The President Jonathan thanked Governor Isa Yuguda for completing the project which he said was in accordance with his transformation agenda.

Goodluck JonathanPresident commissions International Airport in Bauchi [PHOTOS]

Jonathan commissioned the airport on Monday, March 23, along with a newly constructed Specialist Hospital.

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  President Goodluck Jonathan visits Bauchi State   Twitter 
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  President Goodluck Jonathan visits Bauchi State   Twitter 
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  President Goodluck Jonathan visits Bauchi State   Twitter 

NFF issues Keshi ultimatum: Sign our contract or take a walk

0

By Our Reporter on March 19, 2015 Sports

BY MONICA IHEAKAM
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has is­sued an ulti­matum to embattled out of contract Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi to either take what is on offer or forget about the contract.
The NFF had offered Keshi a reviewed contract after the Super Eagles gaf­fer failed to qualify Nigeria for the AFCON 2015, which till date he is still studying .
Defending the Glass House budget at the House of Represntatives, NFF boss Amaju Pinnick declared that Keshi is at the liberty to accept the offer made to him or jettison the idea of returning as the senior na­tional team coach.
According to Pinnick, the NFF was disenchanted with the waiting game and was not ready to bend backwards in terms of tinkering with the clauses as contained in the contract.
“Keshi has to sign the contract the way it is or for­get about it because we are not going to remove any of the clauses there.
“We have given him the contract and it is left to him to sign but that is not to say we don’t have other options.
“If he doesn’t sign it, we will have to move on and seek other options because it is not limited to him and we can seek other options,” he said.

UN seeks to endorse military action against Boko Haram

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By Our Reporter on March 19, 2015 National

Chad has circu­lated a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council that would endorse military action by a five-nation African force against Ni­geria’s Islamic extremist group Boko Haram.
Chad’s U.N. Ambassa­dor Mahamat Zene Cherif said yesterday he hopes for a council vote this month on the proposed resolution, which would endorse the decision of Chad, Camer­oon, Niger, Nigeria and Be­nin to establish a force for a period of 12 months to take “all necessary measures” against Boko Haram.
The draft resolution ex­presses “deep concern” that Boko Haram recently pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. It de­clares that terrorist acts by Boko Haram and others constitute “one of the most serious threats to interna­tional peace and security.”
The proposed resolution asks U.N. Secretary-Gen­eral Ban Ki-moon to es­tablish a trust fund to help finance the military opera­tion. It says the fund should be managed by the five countries under the supervi­sion of the African Union.
The draft also calls on the international community to provide equipment and intelligence to the African force, which is headquar­tered in the Chadian capi­tal Ndjamena, and to assist with the deployment of troops in required.
It was drafted under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Char­ter, which can be military enforced.
Council diplomats said there are differences among members on whether the draft should be under Chap­ter 7 since it is not asking the U.N. to authorize the force, just to endorse it. There are also differences over who should manage the trust fund, the diplomats said, speaking on condi­tion of anonymity because consultations have been private. Boko Haram is al­ready subject to U.N. sanc­tions.
The draft resolution ex­presses the council’s readi­ness to consider imposing sanctions on additional in­dividuals, groups and enti­ties that are financing, arm­ing, planning, recruiting or using the Internet and social media to support the extremist group.
It “demands that Boko Haram immediately and unequivocally cease all hostilities and all abuses of human rights and vio­lations of international humanitarian law and disarm.” It also demands the release of all those abducted including the more than 200 school­girls seized nearly a year ago in northeastern Ni­geria.

Buhari’ll jail you if he wins – Mrs Jonathan

1

By Our Reporter on March 19, 2015 Politics

First Lady: Wike is next Rivers gov.
FROM: TONY JOHN AND ANIEFON DICK, PORT HARCOURT
The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, warned the people of Rivers State yesterday not to vote the presidential can­didate of the All Progressives Con­gress (APC), General Mohammadu Buhari, on March 28.
Dame Jonathan gave the warning at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) women rally held at the Liberation Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt. She said Buhari would jail his perceived political enemies, pointing out that, a dictator would always remain a dicta­tor.
According to her, Buhari can’t fight corruption. “Whenever he (Buhari) comes to you again, ask him what he did for Rivers State when he was Head of State”. The First Lady warned the women not to sell their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs), adding that they must vote out “this expired drug called APC”.
She listed out the achievements of the PDP-led government under Presi­dent Goodluck Jonathan, declaring that the party would install Chief Nyesom Wike as the next governor. “PDP will install Nyesom Wike as governor be­cause President Jonathan is a lion and he gave birth to a lion”.
On the political crisis in the state, Dame Jonathan said she would not descend low to join issues with them because “they are rascals and I will not respond to them. “Don’t let me open my mouth to talk about these rascals. The Rivers monorail will not be com­pleted until 100 years. It will remain like that until my great grand-children are born”.
She reiterated that PDP mandate in the state had remained former gover­nor, Sir Celestine Omehia, stressing that the party’s train was on the move, warning of the consequences of any hitch on its way.
“We, did not vote for these people. We, in Rivers State voted Celestine Omehia, but these people came and took our mandate away and, today, they are abusing us. They don’t have respect for elders. They are busy abus­ing me and my husband. I will not an­swer them. In Rivers State, we respect elders, but these rascals have no respect for their elders. We must vote them out in April”, she said.
“The train has moved down to Riv­ers State. And you know, when a train moves, until it reaches its destination, anyone that stands on its way, you know what would happen to the train and you know what would befall that person. You will know, but it is not Pa­tience that said so. The train will say so. You know what happens.
“So, the train is moving and it has branched to Rivers State. Come March 28 and April 11, the destination of the train would be completed. If you are on the way of the train, you know what will happen to you”, she warned.

I SEE

I don’t want to be polygamist as my dad–Oritsefemi

0

By Our Reporter on March 14, 2015 Entertainment

Self-styled “Musical Taliban”, Oritsefemi Majemite, is the latest Ajegunle revelation to rule the music industry. In this chat with TONY OGAGA ERHARIEFE, the Delta State indigene opens up on his career, challenges and his late dad.
Excerpts:
You released four albums before Double Wahala, which did not make much of an impact except in your hood, Ajegunle. And for a long while it seemed like Oritsefemi would never break out of the ghetto, but suddenly, you took the industry by storm. How did it happen?
I must confess, ever since I dropped that single, the response from my fans on social media has been so cool.  Before now, that was not the case because the response wasn’t so encouraging. So, I realised that I had to go back to my drawing board and come up with something really good, something my fans would accept.  And with the upsurge in Afrobeat, I said to myself, ‘why not try something new with Afrobeat? After all, people know me as a strong Fela fan.’ Consequently, I decided to do something for my people and that something turned out to be Double Wahala and here we are today.
What does Fela mean to you?
Fela is a teacher and role model to all Nigerian artistes because whether we like it or not, we are all singing Afrobeat. Fela was a diehard artiste. He was very principled in life. He taught me to be principled and outspoken.
You released four albums before you found your voice in the music industry. Was there any time you felt like quitting because of frustration?
Yes, honestly it wasn’t easy. I am from Ajegunle and people from Ajegunle believe they have to make it against the odds, no matter what the challenges are. In fact, our slogan in ‘AJ City’ is ‘I must make it’. Because of my upbrining I realised long ago that I couldn’t do fraudulent business, so I made up my mind that music must put food on my table; the music must work. I was determined to make it work though it was not bringing money. You should remember that back then I had a group called Junglist. My partner gave up and we had to part ways! He gave up because we released two albums as a group and we had nothing to show for our efforts. And my partner was Igbo so you already know the rest of the story. He quit but I kept on hustling and released my debut solo single, Ele Wan, which was all over the streets. It was an underground hit. Then I released an album entitled, Floor Politicians. I became more confident and I bought two cars at once (laughter). Me wey no get car before buy two cars at once. Ever since, I have been stepping from one level to the other until I hit my present form, and right now, I am fighting for international fame because I have become an international artiste. Take it or leave it, Oritsefemi has arrived!
Tell us about growing up in Ajegunle?
Ajegunle is Africa’s largest ghetto, and for me, growing up in Africa’s largest ghetto was very eventful because I learnt a lot of lessons like all street kids do. The streets give you a lot of confidence because there is a lot of poverty, lots of flooding when it rains and lots of suffering; so if you make it from there you would always thank God. We have had stars like Daddy Showkey, who made it from there, and today he is an icon in Ajegunle. There are also Baba Fryo and African China among a host of others. So, before I came, a lot of people from Ajegunle were like, ‘when is the next big star coming out of Ajegunle?’
Today, you are the rave of the moment, are you giving back to your hood?
Yes, I have a foundation, MSN Charity Foundation and MSN Music Academy. I will be bringing out so many things soon.
How are you handling your female fans?
I try as much as possible not to have problems with them because they are an integral part of the industry. You never can tell what they can do for you. I always do all I can to make them happy so that they can tell their fathers, husbands and boyfriends to buy my CDs and come to my shows. I respect my female fans and they always want to hang out with me.
What is the craziest thing a female fan has done to you?
I have not experienced any crazy thing really. I have a lot of female fans on social media. They call and encourage me. They send me kind messages on social media. They tell me what people are saying about me and how I can improve my sound. Thank God everything is working fine today.
Tell us about the woman in your life. Are you in a relationship?
I have been with my fiancée for three years now and we are planning to get married. She is my number one critic. She has been with me all this while and she is very down to earth. The wedding bells should ring any moment from now.
What was it like growing up in a polygamous home?
It was not easy. Even if your father has all the money in the world, polygamy is not the best. I can’t marry more than one woman like my dad.
Recently, you lost your dad; what kind of person was he?
My dad was a man with a large heart. He would not just agree with you because you are his son. He digested everything you told him before speaking, and when he spoke, he spoke a lot of wisdom. He taught me how to be introspective and to digest anything that comes to me and not to react spontaneously.
Did he support your music career?
Not really, he never wanted me to be a musician. My dad watched me for so many years doing music and money wasn’t coming, so he did not want me to stray because he was an engineer. He taught me a lot. I know how to couple engines and I still do but because of the talent in me, I had to face music. I am a good footballer and good swimmer but music took precedence. My dad was so bent on making me quit music that he got me arrested for going to shows. And whenever they released me he had policemen re-arrest me. At a point, my dad felt the police were not cooperating so he had his own guardroom at home. My dad was so harsh that while I got locked up policemen would take pity on me and feed me. But in retrospect I don’t blame him because music then was not paying. If it were now, I guess, he would have opted to be my manager (laughter).
What are your dreams?
My dream is to become a huge star. I want to make a mark before leaving this world. I want to be remembered like Michael Jackson, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, and Bob Marley.

omo betta: NIGERIA IS GREAT

omo betta: NIGERIA IS GREAT: Flying...

NIGERIA IS GREAT

Flying Eagles scale Ghana’s hurdle, cruise into final

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By Our Reporter on March 19, 2015 Sports

Six-time Af­rican U20 Champion­ship win­ners, the Flying Eagles yesterday confirmed their superiority over the Black Satellites of Ghana in the semi final tie at the ongoing Sene­gal 2015 African Youth Championship.
A handfull of Nigeri­an whistle blowing fans were trilled to football spectacle as the Flying Eagles cruised past the Ghanians at Stade LS Senghor, Dakar.
With only five min­utes into play, the sta­dium erupted with songs from the Nigerian fans asking the Flying Eagles to open scoring. Instead, it was the Gha­naians that were close to going ahead but Nige­ria’s goalkeeper, Joshua Enaholo was equal to the task. The MFM FC goalie parried over the bar Yaw Yeboah’s curl­ing free kick in the 11th minute.
The game became a ding dong affair there­after with both sides threatening each other.
Luck, however, smiled at the Manu Garba lads as Obinna Nwobodo got a surprise goal from a header to shoot Nigeria into the lead with the Nigerian fans chanting ceaselessly.
Nigeria again came close to increasing the tally with Sale combin­ing with Awoniyi up front but the ball came off the line to deny them another goal in the 25th minute.
Moments later, the Ghanians intelligence at taking free kicks al­most paid off but Flying Eagles had the upright to thank as it denied Ye­boah an equalizer in the 30th minute.
The first half ended with the Flying Eagles leading by a lone goal.
On resumption of play, the Ghanians took over and piled pressure in a bid to come back into the game.
On several occassions the Black Satellites were unlucky with their final kick failing them.
Sale was withdrawn for Ibrahim Abdullahi in the 55th minute to add some peeps to the Nige­rian attack.
The introduction paid off with the Ghanians hacking down Musa Mo­hammed in the 18-yard box as referee Redqusne Jiyed from Morocco wasted no time from awarding a penalty in the 69th minute. The Flying Eagle skipper, who is also a specialist in spot kick, stepped up to net the second goal on the night.
The Flying Eagles would be meeting the winner of Senegal, Mali in the final match on Sunday.

Oil firms to cut 2015 budget by $200bn

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By Our Reporter on March 18, 2015 Business

FROM ADEWALE  SANYAOLU, ABUJA
Worried by the continuous decline in oil prices, about 116 oil companies across the globe may have concluded plans to slash their 2015 budgets by about $200 billion, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maduke, has said.
The Minister stated this in her address at the 15th Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) conference titled, ‘‘State of the Industry: Achievements and Future Direction” in Abuja yesterday.
The Minister lamented that globally, oil prices have been sliding to levels last seen during the peak of the financial crisis in 2008, resulting from a weak global economy, and strong dollar as well as an over supplied oil market. The Minister who premised the $200 budget cut figure on Wood Mackenzie, said relative to 2014, a total of $120 billion (24 per cent) has been cut from the 2015 upstream budgets of some 116 companies, adding that this can go to as much as 40 per cent.
‘‘Most analysts agree that as oil producers, we should brace up for extended periods of lower prices and increased price volatility. The resultant effect is that companies are slashing capital spending in 2015 as a response to this dramatic collapse in oil prices,’’ she lamented.
On the state of the industry, she admitted that it was obvious that many oil producing countries, including Nigeria, are facing declining government revenues due to low oil prices posing challenges to funding of projects, adding that the state of the industry is one that is responding to the dramatic events.
Represented by the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Joseph Dahwa, the Minister said in the Nigeria upstream sector, there is a renewed impetus to managing cost, compressing contracting cycles, vigorously addressing the menace of pipeline vandalism and associated crude oil theft as well as the pursuit of the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
In the midstream, she explained that new gas pipelines are being constructed in furtherance of government’s gas development initiatives, adding that the oil product pipeline is being rehabilitated whereby critical segments that were once not in use are now operational.
Also in the downstream sector, she stated that products supply and availability has been sustained with NNPC’s retail network continuing to expand to improve product availability.
However, she said all of these accomplishments are now being challenged by the current low oil price environment, which is characterised by dramatic revenue declines, hinting that flexibility in capital expenditure and funding in general would be further constrained in 2015.
On the outlook, Alison-Madueke stated that the persistent depressed oil prices may limit industry scope to maneuver in growing long term production and reaching the target of 4.0 million barrels of oil per day.
‘‘Under a sustained low oil price, industry must challenge itself to raise funding for projects to meet these targets. This will call for radical/project management and innovative financing mechanism,’’ she advised.

Oil firms to cut 2015 budget by $200bn

0

By Our Reporter on March 18, 2015 Business

FROM ADEWALE  SANYAOLU, ABUJA
Worried by the continuous decline in oil prices, about 116 oil companies across the globe may have concluded plans to slash their 2015 budgets by about $200 billion, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Maduke, has said.
The Minister stated this in her address at the 15th Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) conference titled, ‘‘State of the Industry: Achievements and Future Direction” in Abuja yesterday.
The Minister lamented that globally, oil prices have been sliding to levels last seen during the peak of the financial crisis in 2008, resulting from a weak global economy, and strong dollar as well as an over supplied oil market. The Minister who premised the $200 budget cut figure on Wood Mackenzie, said relative to 2014, a total of $120 billion (24 per cent) has been cut from the 2015 upstream budgets of some 116 companies, adding that this can go to as much as 40 per cent.
‘‘Most analysts agree that as oil producers, we should brace up for extended periods of lower prices and increased price volatility. The resultant effect is that companies are slashing capital spending in 2015 as a response to this dramatic collapse in oil prices,’’ she lamented.
On the state of the industry, she admitted that it was obvious that many oil producing countries, including Nigeria, are facing declining government revenues due to low oil prices posing challenges to funding of projects, adding that the state of the industry is one that is responding to the dramatic events.
Represented by the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Joseph Dahwa, the Minister said in the Nigeria upstream sector, there is a renewed impetus to managing cost, compressing contracting cycles, vigorously addressing the menace of pipeline vandalism and associated crude oil theft as well as the pursuit of the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
In the midstream, she explained that new gas pipelines are being constructed in furtherance of government’s gas development initiatives, adding that the oil product pipeline is being rehabilitated whereby critical segments that were once not in use are now operational.
Also in the downstream sector, she stated that products supply and availability has been sustained with NNPC’s retail network continuing to expand to improve product availability.
However, she said all of these accomplishments are now being challenged by the current low oil price environment, which is characterised by dramatic revenue declines, hinting that flexibility in capital expenditure and funding in general would be further constrained in 2015.
On the outlook, Alison-Madueke stated that the persistent depressed oil prices may limit industry scope to maneuver in growing long term production and reaching the target of 4.0 million barrels of oil per day.
‘‘Under a sustained low oil price, industry must challenge itself to raise funding for projects to meet these targets. This will call for radical/project management and innovative financing mechanism,’’ she advised.

It is wrong for the President to be summoning Jega at will - APC

It is wrong for the President to be summoning Jega at will - APC

Press statement from the APC below...

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the President's decision to summon INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega to a meeting that was not attended by other political parties in Abuja on Tuesday is part of ongoing moves to compromise the integrity of the electoral commission, which is expected to be fair and neutral.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it is wrong for the President, who himself is a candidate in the forthcoming elections, to be summoning the electoral umpire at will, especially when such meetings are populated by his appointees.
''Without the representatives of other political parties attending such meetings, irrespective of whether or not it is aimed at briefing security chiefs on the preparations for the polls, the ruling PDP and its presidential candidate are seeking to gain undue advantage over others ahead of the elections.

"'It is like the referee in a football match meeting with key officials of one of the teams ahead of the match. This is against the spirit of transparency and fairness and must stop forthwith. ''Had the representatives of other political parties apart from the PDP (the President is the leader of the PDP) attended the meeting, the widespread speculations that Jega's life and job were threatened if he fails to drop the use of the card reader, as well as circulating reports that he will be removed before Saturday, would not have happened,'' it said. APC said whatever briefings must be given by the INEC chairman on the elections must have in attendance the representatives of all the political parties that will participate in the elections.

It also decried clandestine meetings between some key presidency and INEC officials with a view to rigging the elections, warning the presidency to steer clear of the electoral officials if indeed they are desirous of a free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. Meanwhile, the party has said the Presidency and the PDP cannot and must not be allowed to profit from their sponsorship of ethnic militias, including MASSOB and OPC, to create chaos and violence before, during and after the elections. It said the plot by the duo is to make the country so unsafe before the polls that members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who are supposed to serve as electoral officials, will simply say they can no longer participate in the elections because they fear for their lives.

"This will simply truncate the elections and trigger a constitutional crisis, the exact scenario being plotted by the Jonathan Administration and the PDP to allow them to either perpetuate themselves in office or install an interim government,'' APC said. It said another booby trap on the path of holding the elections as rescheduled are the pending court cases against the use of the card reader by INEC. ''Nigerians should note that nothing is yet guaranteed as far as the holding of the rescheduled elections is concerned.

The Jonathan Administration and the PDP are still shopping for a court judgement to declare the use of the card reader unconstitutional, just because they are now painfully aware that Nigerians have rejected them and their party.. ''We are therefore calling on all our compatriots to be more vigilant in the next few days to the elections. We are also alerting local and foreign observers, and the international community, to the ongoing shenanigans by the Jonathan Administration and the PDP to scuttle the polls,'' APC said

Alhaji Lai Mohammed National Publicity Secretary All Progressives Congress (APC) Abuja, March 18th 2015

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Ayanponle Ibrahim

February 3 ·

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Wow! Actress, Ebube Nwagbo Having Fun with Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas.
See Photos Here >> http://yabaleftonline.com/…/ebube-nwagbo-hangs-out-with-li…/

Base Ten

HBD 2ma Realest industry Blooder. @terrygzus9ja @TerrifikG ‪#‎LiveLongEjEmi‬ ‪#‎THATSHOWSWEROLL‬

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