I support Jonathan because he believes in Nigeria’s unity — IBB

How Boko Haram can be defeated• Explains why he has not re-marriedIn this interview, former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, clarifies his position on his statement suggesting that he is in support of the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.   Babangida also speaks on the murder of Dele Giwa in 1986, the Interim National Government, ING, Sani Abacha’s coup and the loss of his long time companion and wife, Maryam.Aired last Wednesday on Channels TV, the interview was an episode in the current affairs programme, STWK (Straight Talk With Kadaria), anchored by Kadaria Ahmed.Excerpts:Do you support President Jonathan’s attempt at re-election?Firstly, I appreciate the fact that he came to visit me and, during our discussion, I found him to be a man who believes in the unity of this country and I did allude to that and I said I found him to be someone who has a very strong belief about the unity of this country.Those of us who fought the civil war – I still carry a bullet so I have a permanent reminder in me – anything that relates to Nigeria’s unity, we get impassioned about it.So what I said is that the President believes in the unity of this country and any other person who believes in the unity of this country should support the President to keep this country one.So, as far as the 2015 elections are concerned, President Jonathan has your blessingWell, as far as 2015 is concerned, all the presidential candidates – 14 of them – have my blessings.The only difference is (and I did mention it) that I have not been able to read what they have offered to this country and I am going to do that and whoever offers what I’m looking for, I am going to vote for.What exactly did you mean when you said that if what you read in the papers these days is anything to go by, then your administration was saintly?I am an avid reader of Nigerian newspapers, so when I read a statement like $16billion spent trying to provide power for this country or somebody kept under his bed N300m, if what I’m reading is true, then we were angels.Not because you did any spending or because your level of spending was less or because you didn’t touch public money?We did have a regulation.You can’t, for example, keep more than ‘X’ amount of money in your vault or in your safe.  We followed strictly the financial regulations and now it boggles my mind how somebody could put N300m under his bed.I once removed a governor for N300,000, because he overspent what we had given him as limit on security.But that didn’t mean that your government was squeaky clean because there was the Okigbo report about the over $12b oil windfall that was allegedly squandered by your administration.First of all, may his soul rest in peace (Sani Abacha).  The report was from 1986 to 1994, a period of eight years.  By the time the late Pius Okigbo submitted his report, he said between 1986 to 1994, $12.4b accrued to the Federal Government.  Nobody could deny that.  Out of that amount, he said $1.4 or thereabouts came in during the Gulf War.
More @ http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/support-jonathan-believes-nigerias-unity-ibb-2/

I support Jonathan because he believes in Nigeria’s unity — IBB

How Boko Haram can be defeated• Explains why he has not re-marriedIn this interview, former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, clarifies his position on his statement suggesting that he is in support of the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.   Babangida also speaks on the murder of Dele Giwa in 1986, the Interim National Government, ING, Sani Abacha’s coup and the loss of his long time companion and wife, Maryam.Aired last Wednesday on Channels TV, the interview was an episode in the current affairs programme, STWK (Straight Talk With Kadaria), anchored by Kadaria Ahmed.Excerpts:Do you support President Jonathan’s attempt at re-election?Firstly, I appreciate the fact that he came to visit me and, during our discussion, I found him to be a man who believes in the unity of this country and I did allude to that and I said I found him to be someone who has a very strong belief about the unity of this country.Those of us who fought the civil war – I still carry a bullet so I have a permanent reminder in me – anything that relates to Nigeria’s unity, we get impassioned about it.So what I said is that the President believes in the unity of this country and any other person who believes in the unity of this country should support the President to keep this country one.So, as far as the 2015 elections are concerned, President Jonathan has your blessingWell, as far as 2015 is concerned, all the presidential candidates – 14 of them – have my blessings.The only difference is (and I did mention it) that I have not been able to read what they have offered to this country and I am going to do that and whoever offers what I’m looking for, I am going to vote for.What exactly did you mean when you said that if what you read in the papers these days is anything to go by, then your administration was saintly?I am an avid reader of Nigerian newspapers, so when I read a statement like $16billion spent trying to provide power for this country or somebody kept under his bed N300m, if what I’m reading is true, then we were angels.Not because you did any spending or because your level of spending was less or because you didn’t touch public money?We did have a regulation.You can’t, for example, keep more than ‘X’ amount of money in your vault or in your safe.  We followed strictly the financial regulations and now it boggles my mind how somebody could put N300m under his bed.I once removed a governor for N300,000, because he overspent what we had given him as limit on security.But that didn’t mean that your government was squeaky clean because there was the Okigbo report about the over $12b oil windfall that was allegedly squandered by your administration.First of all, may his soul rest in peace (Sani Abacha).  The report was from 1986 to 1994, a period of eight years.  By the time the late Pius Okigbo submitted his report, he said between 1986 to 1994, $12.4b accrued to the Federal Government.  Nobody could deny that.  Out of that amount, he said $1.4 or thereabouts came in during the Gulf War.
More @ http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/02/support-jonathan-believes-nigerias-unity-ibb-2/

A mad man grabbed my bum in the public – Didi Ekanem

Didi Ekanem  is fast gaining popularity for her  bum than for her acting talent. And the actress who recentlystarred in Uduak Oguamanam’s Jump and Pass isn’t too pleased about that. She recently revealed this in an interview with Showtime Celebrity.Didi EkanemIn her words:” As much as I love it so much, I just wish people would focus more on my talent than my bum. All the concentration out there is on my bum not my talent. I would honestly wish people to see me as a talented actress nota sexy one. But my bum is not allowing people to see me deep down, to see theperson and the talent”.When asked by one of our reporters the craziest thing a fan  has ever done to her , she boldly replied:”Craziest thing? A mad man actually grabbed my bum in public while I was walking on the road. That’s like the craziest thing, what else can possibly be crazier than that? I was just passing, I wanted to get something and next thing, he just walked up to me and grabbed my bum from behind. When I turned, he was still holding it like a mad man and I screamed, I ran, left my shoes and everything. People just stood there and they were just laughing”

Jonathan’ll beat Buhari in the north – PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says its Presidential flagbearer, President Goodluck Jonathan will beat the APC candidate, retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari, fair and square in the north, come February 14, 2015.The party also said with President Jonathan’s soaring popularity among the voting population across the country, it would win more than two-third of the total votes cast as well as the required 25 percent in all thestates of the federation.PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement, Saturday, said President Jonathan will beat Buhari in the north, not only because the PDP controls 12 out of the 19 states of the region, but also because the citizens are pleased with the numerous development projects he executed in the region.The party said the various projects and appointments in the north have placed President Jonathan ahead of Buhari especially following the fact that the APC presidential candidate never executed any in the region when he was head of state and has so far failed to articulate an acceptable blue-print for development.“Indeed, Nigerians in the north are eager to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan come February 14, 2015.Voters in the region appreciate the direct positive impact of the numerous development projects executed by the Jonathan administration in all sectors of life.“They appreciate the fact that recognizing that agriculture is the mainstay of the northern economy, President Jonathan ensured that out of the 2.7 million direct farm jobs achieved by his administration, over 2 million are in the north.“They appreciate the fact that President Jonathan established the e-wallet system, which eliminated the corruption in the distribution of fertilizer and other farmputs, making the products directly accessible to millions of farmers in the region thereby boosting their productivity. They appreciate the fact that silos are brimming and food pyramids are returning in the north.“In education, President Jonathan’s imprint in the north remains indelible. Today, the once relegated Almajiri boys can now go to school following the establishment of the Almajiri System of Education, the first of its kind, with over 150 special schools already built, while others are nearing completion, a noble idea, General Buhari never thought of when he was head of state.“Also, out of the 14 new universities established by President Jonathan, 9 are located in the northern statesthereby ensuring that all states of the region have a federal university. This is in addition to the establishment of new secondary schools and training of teachers for quality education in the region.“Furthermore our citizens in the north are happy with President Jonathan for his efforts in tackling desertification in the region especially with the establish of more than 80 km of 15–row Green Belt in addition to the Presidential Initiative on Afforestation in Kano and 10 other Northern States”.The party also recalled the increased attention to the health need of the area especially the interventions towards polio eradication and treatment of VVF among others.Noting that President Jonathan has indeed repositioned the region for prosperity, the party pointed out that the north stands to benefit immensely from the revitalization of the railways, especially the rehabilitation of the Minna-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano narrow gauge, the Markurdi-Lafia-Kuru-Bauchi-Gombe-Ashaka-Maiduguri line and the branch line from Kafanchan to Kaduna, which are expected to increase productivity in the region.The party also noted that roads in the region have received serious attention under Jonathan citing the decades-long intractable Kano-Maiduguri highway, the longest stretch in the country, which is now being successfully tackled in addition to the Abuja-Lokoja road, which is now a delight for road travellers.Noting that there are hundreds of such gigantic road projects going on in the region, the PDP said that the dredging of the River Niger from Lokoja to Baro in Niger State have also contributed in placing the north ona sure path to economic prosperity.It also cited the acceleration of work on the Geregu power station, the 700MW Zungeru Hydro-Power, the ‎3,050MW Mambilla Hydro-Power among others in addition to various dam projects including the Kashimbila Multipurpose Dam, which is being built to contain flood from Lake Nyos in Cameroon.The PDP insisted that Nigerians in the north are mindful of the fact that their collective interest and aspiration are better protected under Jonathan hence the support and eagerness to re-elect him come February 14,

‘Barca have moved past Messi-Enrique row’

Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez says the widely reported row between team superstar Lionel Messi and coach Luis Enrique in early January has “zero importance” except to show how much everyone at the club cares about winning.The bust-up during a training game came just after the return from La Liga’s winter break, and quickly blew up into a media storm that Messi himself helped fuel by suggesting he did not know where he would be playing next season.Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu initially denied that anything had happened, although neither Luis Enrique nor Messi would confirm nor deny what had happened. Apparent confirmation did come however via teammate Jeremy Mathieu in comments on French radio after last Wednesday’s turbulent Copa del Rey game at Atletico Madrid.The first senior Barca figure to speak in public after Mathieu’s comments told a news conference that neither the incident, nor the public confirmation, would have any affect on Barca’s spirit of togetherness.“These are situations which happen over the season, and can happen in any group of people,” Xavi said.

ISIL beheading video likely authentic -Japan

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has released a video purportedly showing the killing of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto, a monitoring service has said.The video, released online by the armed group on Saturday, shows the journalist who was abducted while reporting on Syria’s civil war last year being beheaded with a knife by a black-clad masked fighter.Japan on Sunday said it was “highly probable” the video is authentic.When asked if the man in the video was 47-year-old Goto, government spokesman Yoshihide Suga replied: “We think so.”Addressing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the ISIL member in the video said: “Because of your reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war, this knife will not only slaughter Kenji, but will also carry on and cause carnage wherever your people are found. So let the nightmare for Japan begin.”Abe addressed the nation shortly after the release of the footage and appeared visibly shaken as he condemned the “horrendeous” and “despicable” killing.“Japan will not be defeated by terrorism,” he said, adding that the government had tried its best to save the hostage.US President Barack Obama also condemned “the heinous murder” of Goto and praised Japan.“We applaud Japan’s steadfast commitment to advancing peace and prosperity in the Middle East and globally, including its generous assistance for innocent people affected by the conflicts in the region,” Obama said in a statement on Saturday.ISIL continue to hold another hostage, Jordanian pilot First Leutenant Moaz al-Kasasbeh.In an interview with Al Jazeera on Saturday, Kasasbeh’s mother urged ISIL to release her son.“I call upon the Islamic State group, I appeal to our brothers among them, from one Muslim addressing another, from a distressed mother’s heart who is in sorrow for missing her beloved son,” said Om Jawad al-Kasasbeh“I appeal to you tell us about Moaz’s wellbeing and I ask you to be kind in how you treat him and to release him. I beg you, I ask you to show him mercy.”

Iran offers to help fight Boko Haram

Iran on Saturday announced plans to assist in the fight against Boko Haram, as part of its contribution for global peace.The country’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Amir Hossein Abdollohian made the announcement whileaddressing the press on Saturday on the sideline of the ongoing 24th Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa.Abdollohian said the activities of the Boko Haram militants and that of Al-Shabaab in the Somalia were similar to that of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State and other terrorist groups in the Middle East.“Boko Haram in Nigeria and Al-Shabaab in the Horn of Africa are similar with Al-Qaeda and ISISL in parts of the Middle East using similar methods of operations to cause havoc to the people of the two regions. Iran is therefore willing to use its experience in dealing with terror groups to assist in combatting these groups in Africa.”He said Iran was willing to share its experiences on terrorist activities it gathered over the years in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and other parts of the Middle East with Africa, particularly Nigeria and Somalia, as part of efforts to ensure global peace.According to him, Iran has opened consultation with the African Union to offer its contribution to the affected countries in the coming days.The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Iran is attending the AU Summit as an observer with interest inbilateral and multilateral cooperation with some of the AU member states.

Campaign: Attacks on Jonathan rattle PDP

The increasing spate of attacks on President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign train in some parts of the North is rattling the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.Investigations bySUNDAY PUNCHin Abuja, on Friday, showed that the grave situation were made worse by allegations that the attacks had been carried out by aggrieved members of the party.It was learnt that the situation had prompted the President’s security team to take extra measures to protect him as he prepared to visit Gombe, Yobe and Niger states this week.Our correspondents also gathered that the PDP had been further unsettled by the hot exchange of words between the Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Mohammed, over the stoning of the President’s convoy in Katsina State.The party and the Presidency were said to have been stunned by Yuguda’s claim that the attack on the President’s convey was arranged by the members of the ruling party, under the supervision of the minister.In response, the minister accused the governor of being an opposition mole within the ruling party. However, the party and the Presidency were said to have intervened and made the two men to sheathe their swords.The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, said the party had asked its members to be cautious of their comments on the issue.“It is curious and it is not a welcome development if we have our leaders bickering in the public. We have asked them to be wary of their comments,” Metuh said.A party leader from one of the northern states confided inSUNDAY PUNCHon the level of anxiety in the party.He said, “I will be lying if I say we are not disturbed. The truth is that some of our brothers in the North consider loyalty and support for General (Muhammadu) Buhari a religious obligation.“They have resorted to intimidation and threats, when you see things differently they come after you andyour family and burn your house. If you remember, in 2011 so many of us had our houses burnt and some barely escaped with their lives.“Some have not recovered from their loss and it may be difficult for some to take that kind of risks this time around.”The panic in the party, another source toldSUNDAY PUNCHinformed the decision of the party not to extend the suspension earlier slammed on its estranged national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. He said it was taken to forestall bickering and further loss of followership.The party on Thursday lifted the one-month suspension it placed on Tukur on December 4.Metuh rose in defence of the party’s decision to lift Tukur’s suspension.He said, “Tukur’s suspension was for 30 days. Since the suspension was not extended, we needed to lift it and that was what we did.”Also speaking on the issue, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Abdullahi Jalo, said what was happening was a smear campaign by the opposition.He said, “To the best of my knowledge; no member of the PDP was involved in stoning Mr. President. Northerners, especially our youths, respect elders. None of our members threw stones at our President.”

Attacks on Buhari wicked — Itsekiri leader

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and leader of Itsekiri nation in Delta State, Dr. Alex Ideh, hassaid the verbal and printed attacks on Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) by the Peoples Democratic Party and its supporters were wicked and misleading.Ideh, who was the Secretary to the APC Convention Committee that produced Buhari as the presidential candidate, said in a statement Friday that such attacks on the person of the party’s flag bearer might mislead younger generation of voters.He asked the PDP and its followers to abide by the Abuja Peace Accord by “refraining from such callousand disparaging verbal attacks.”“It is true he was a soldier and led Nigeria for 14 months. But, those who now seek to hold him out as anundemocratic monster must be guilty of an extraordinary amount of revisionism. We must uphold the truth and describe the circumstances as they are.“I am privileged to speak on our experience of democracy because I have been a participant and a ring-side operator for over 30 years. I can assert with some authority that most critics of Buhari were romancing the civilian regime he ousted. I was a part of that regime and can recall with some regret, that the (Shehu) Shagari administration which he removed was an epitome of maladministration,” the statement read in part.According to the APC chieftain, there was widespread rancour during the Shagari administration which witnessed witch-hunting and corruption.“In one iconic moment, Alhaji Shugaba, a full-fledged Nigerian, was thrown out of our borders on the contrived excuse that he was an alien. Such extra-judicial determination was part of a range of widespread abuses which disfigured the regime that Buhari was compelled to forcibly remove. Only few mourned the ouster of the corrupt Shagari regime.“When Buhari took over, apart from a rump of the elites in the NPN, his regime was received with great adulation countrywide. This reception was reinforced not just by his personal reputation for probity and single-mindedness, but also because the prevailing orthodoxy welcomed military intervention as an antidote to perverse governance. Some of the persons now crucifying Buhari were amongst those who rolled out the drums when General Buhari intervened,” Ideh added.He urged Nigerians not to fall for the misinformation being peddled by them, assuring them that Buhari’s reputation is guaranteed.

Insecurity, corruption, major problems — Buhari

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has identified insecurity, corruption and mismanagement of economy as the major developmental challenges of Nigeria.He also warned Nigerians not to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party government at all levels, saying the continuation of the PDP government would continue to ruin Nigeria as a country and the people.He spoke on Saturday at the Metropolitan Square Ilorin, the Kwara State capital during the continuationof the APC presidential campaign.The plane conveying Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, landed at the Ilorin InternationalAirport, about 10:45am. It took Buhari’s convoy about two hours to arrive at the Emir’s palace, a distance of less than five kilometres because of the crowd that surged to welcome him and his entourage.The APC national and state leaders at the presidential campaign rally included a national leader of APC,Bola Tinubu; a former APC national Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; the Director-General, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi who is also the Governor of Rivers State; Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola; a former Kogi State Governor, Abubakar Audu; a former Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki; the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed; a former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party and currently a chieftain of the APC, Kawu Baraje; the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Razak Atunwa and the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Justice, Dr. Ali Ahmad.The occasion was also used to present the party’s flag to Ahmed as the Kwara State APC governorship candidate.Buhari stated the PDP had mismanaged the resources of Nigeria, saying that the APC government would address the developmental challenges of the country if elected into power.He said the government would provide qualitative and quantitative education, address power challenge and insecurity; as well as fight corruption. He also promised that the government would tackle mass unemployment through emphasis on agriculture and small and medium enterprises development.Buhari said, “The major issues of the country are insecurity, issues with economy and corruption. What we save from corruption and leakages, we will invest heavily in education, infrastructure, equipment andteachers. The best we can do for our generation and future generation is to give them qualitative and quantitative education. An APC government through-out the country definitely will do that.”Osinbajo said February 14, 2015 was a day of destiny, adding that it was not surprising that some people would want to hamper the change.He said, “The reason our country is poor is because some people have chosen to steal the resources that we have. You can have posterity, good education, good health care, good hospitals, when some people are stealing the money. That is the reason why we are poor and why we are facing what we are facing.”Tinubu accused President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of being very wicked, saying, “The administration collected money from job seekers for form; again, they said the jobless people should buy jerseys and t-shirts we give you free of charge. Instead of the people get employed it was death thatstruck at many of the job seekers homestead.”

Nigerian military guilty of rights violations — HRW

The international rights group, Human Rights Watch, has alleged in its latest report released on Friday that the Nigerian military is guilty of rights abuses against people suspected to be Boko Haram members.The HRW also accused the Federal Government for failing to provide the military with needed motivation.The HRW, founded in 1978, was established to defend the rights of people worldwide.In the report entitled, ‘Tyranny’s false comfort: Why rights aren’t wrong in tough times’, the group’s Executive Director, Kenneth Roth, noted that human rights concerns were central to the conflict in Nigeria, where the militant Islamist group Boko Haram attacks civilians as well as the country’s securityforces.Roth said, “Oil-rich Nigeria should be able to field a professional, rights-respecting army capable of protecting Nigerians from this abusive group. However, the country’s leadership has left its military ill-equipped and poorly motivated to defend against Boko Haram attacks. When the army has acted, it has often done so in an abusive manner, rounding up hundreds of men and boys suspected of supporting Boko Haram, detaining them in inhuman conditions, and physically abusing or even killing them.“Many other community members have been forcibly disappeared, allegedly by security forces. When Boko Haram suspects escaped in March from a famously abusive detention centre, Giwa Barracks, Nigerian security forces reportedly recaptured and summarily executed hundreds of them.”The HRW boss further alleged that the persistent lack of accountability for these atrocities had made it difficult for Nigeria’s allies to provide security assistance for fear of themselves becoming complicit in abuses.“The failure of Nigeria’s leadership to rein in security forces has also alienated local communities that might otherwise have willingly provided intelligence to the authorities. Winning the ‘hearts and minds’ ofthe civilian population will require that the government transparently investigates alleged army abuses and punish offenders,” he said.

Oil marketers keep kerosene price high

Despite falling oil prices and the declining cost of Dual Purpose Kerosene in the global market, oil marketers in the country have reinforced their cartel with the motive to maintain the high price Nigerians pay for the product.With oil prices dropping by over 60 per cent from above $120 per barrel to less than $50 per barrel, oil marketers in Nigeria have refused to move with the trend even after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation announced it was sticking to N50 per litre of kerosene.Eleven filling stations, comprising members of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, visited by our correspondent in Ikeja, Lagos on Wednesday and Thursday still sold the product between N120 and N150 per litre.The Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Olawore, told our correspondent that the NNPC had been the sole importer of kerosene.According to him, major oil marketers did not import the product, and did not collect subsidy payment for DPK.The Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. George Osahon, had described the situation as disturbing, and warned marketers to desist from such an act, as the agency would sanction any retail outlet caught selling kerosene above the approved price.But amid these threats by the DPR, oil marketers have continued to sell DPK for above N100.The corporation said in a bid to get kerosene to consumers across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, at the regulated price of N50 per litre, it had initiated a scheme aimed at cutting off the several layers of middlemen who made it difficult for the end user to enjoy the subsidy on the product.Speaking on the objective of the ‘Kero Correct’ initiative, the Executive Director Commercial of the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, Mr. Frank Amego, explained that the scheme was aimed at getting kerosene to the Nigerian masses who use the product as their domestic cooking fuel at the correct price.

Jonathan’ll defeat Buhari, Fayose tells US envoy

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo FayoseThe Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has boasted that the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the February 14 presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan, will win the election convincingly.He also said the All Progressives Congress will not win any seat in the state and National Assembly elections in the state.Fayose, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, on Saturday spoke while receiving a team of American diplomats in his office.The Americans were led by the United States Consular General in Lagos, Mr Jeffrey Hawkins.Fayose, who stated that the state witnessed a peaceful poll last year during the governorship election, expressed confidence that the standard would not be lower.The governor said Jonathan would defeat his main challenger/the APC candidate-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) because Nigeria was safe with Jonathan.He told his guests the controversial advertorial he placed in two papers last month was not a death wish but meant “to appeal to sense of reasoning to prevent episode of 2010 when the National Assembly had to invoke Doctrine of Necessity.”He restated that he had no apology for sponsoring the advert, adding that it was his personal opinion and not that of the PDP.In his remarks, Hawkins said the unity of Nigeria should be paramount in the minds of politicians.He decried the tension in the polity, saying elections should not be seen as war.Hawkins added that the United States was interested in smooth transition and election in Nigeria.The Peoples Democratic Party has boasted that its presidential candidate in the February 14 poll, President Goodluck Jonathan, will defeat the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari in the North.The party also claimed that the President would win more than two-third of the total votes cast as well as the required 25 per cent in all the states of the federation.The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement issued on Saturday said President Jonathan would beat Buhari in the North not only because the party controls 12 out of the 19 states of the region but also because the citizens are pleased with the numerous development projects Jonathan executed in the region.

Uncertainty over FG’s one-million-metre campaign

The Federal Government’s intention to inject one million fresh electricity meters into the country, as promised by President Goodluck Jonathan, is currently beclouded by uncertainties as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has yet to understand how government hopes to realise the feat.On January 15 this year, the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, announced that the President had approved funds for the procurement of one million electricity metres, which would be given to Nigerians to cushion the effects of inadequate metering in the power sector.Some stakeholders in the country’s power sector, especially in the distribution segment, are, of the view that the announcement was a campaign gimmick by the current government to win the confidence of Nigerians and get elected for another four-year term in the February elections.A source at NERC, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said the commission had yet to receive a plan or programme from government targeted at realising the promise.The source told our correspondent that if government wanted to supply one million metres to Nigerians,it would not be done for free.The source said, “Government is still a stakeholder in the system, and can make promises. Our concern as the regulator of the sector is to ensure the cost for which these metres would be given is prudent enough. This is because consumers will be the ones to bear the burden.“Our concern is the cost power distribution companies will be charging Nigerian for the metres. It is our duty to ensure that no such exorbitant cost is transferred to Nigerians.”Nebo had said the private sector owners of the electricity distribution companies inherited a lot of customers who had no meters.“The private sector inherited a customer base in which 50 per cent do not have metres. Nigeria has the highest per capital electricity theft in the world. That is why we are now doing smart metres and we are moving to a place where the metres will be mounted on poles, because something has got to be done fast.“As a result of the burden on the Discos due to metre issues, the President has provided funding to give over one million meters to Nigerians to reduce the gap and then allow the Discos ensure that all customers are given metres,” he said.Asked to state when Nigerians would start receiving the metres, Nebo said, “The fact is that the funding has been approved by Mr. President and the funds will be released very soon. These metres are being procured and I do think that in the next couple of months, you will begin to see them because the mechanism still needs to be developed on how they will be shared to the distribution companies.“They (Discos) will distribute and install these metres and these are all being worked out. Some people may not be happy to give you metres, but we think we should continue to insist that every consumer must be given a metre because the only way to stop estimated billing is to provide these metres.”A Director at Sahara Group, owners of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Kola Adesina, in an interview on Friday, said the current metering model deployed in the sector had failed, hence the need for stakeholders to revisit the approach.He said the way forward for the country is the deployment of smart metres that will ensure proper energy management and accountability.

Threats: Ohanaeze, MASSOB, OPC back Niger Delta militants

Despite widespread condemnation of the war threat by some Niger Delta militants if President GoodluckJonathan loses the February 14 presidential election, some socio-political and cultural groups in the South-East and the South-West have backed the militants.The groups made their positions known in separate interviews withSUNDAY PUNCH.At a meeting with the Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, on January 24, which had a former Commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Victor-Ben Ebikabowei, aka Boyloaf; leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari; and Government Ekpudomenowei, aka Tompolo, the militants had threatened unrest if the President loses his second term bid.The Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo argued that what the militants meant was that if the election is not fair and credible and Jonathan loses, they will reject the result. This, the Igbo group said, “is a right position to take.”The National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Mr. Osita Oganah, quoted the All Progressives Congress as also saying if the election was rigged and its candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) lost, the party would form a parallel government.“There’s nothing wrong in that too,” he added.Oganah stated, “We, the Igbo, are in support of what the militants have said to the extent that they’re putting Independent National Electoral Commission under pressure. Their comments should move the INEC to do its best so that every would-be voter gets his or her Permanent Voter Card. Nobody must be disenfranchised.“These militants are Nigerians–they belong to this country and want the best for this country. What the militants have said is not out of place. I don’t see any reason why the Temporary Voter Card cannot be used.“If the electorate is unable to get PVCs, it’s INEC’s fault and not theirs; making that statement is to ensure that if the election is conducted well, Jonathan will win.”Similarly, the Oodu’a Peoples Congress said the recent attacks on Jonathan’s campaign train in the northern part of the country made the militants to rise in the President’s defence.The National Coordinator, OPC, Mr. Gani Adams, said, “They are entitled to their opinion. There are different ways of approaching the election. They spoke based on the attacks on Jonathan in Katsina and Bauchi. When some politicians wanted to frustrate (former President Olusegun) Obasanjo in 2002, we (OPC) rose up to confront them.”In the same vein, the Progressive Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, a breakaway faction of MASSOB, said the militants were right with their position.The Director of Information, Progressive MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said while the group was not political, it shared the general political interest of Igbo people.He said, “What they said was true. If Jonathan loses the election, there would be a greater height of militancy in the Niger Delta region; if Buhari loses, insurgency will increase. It is on both sides.”However, the Afenifere Renewal Group stated that the militants were not the electorate that would determine who would win or lose the election.The National Publicity Secretary, ARG, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, said the country practises democracy and there should not be dictatorship. He added that the electorate should not be coerced into voting for anybody.Also, Afenifere condemned the position of the militants.The spokesperson for the socio-political group, Mr. Yinka Odunmakin, said, “The drumbeats of war from the Niger Delta and the North are unacceptable. We, the Afenifere, condemn the call for war by the Niger Delta militants.A former Minister of Defence and ex-Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), had on Wednesday called for the arrest of the militants.He described their threats as “unguarded and reckless,” warning that “miscreants” must not be allowed to hold the country by the jugular.

Jonathan Kaduna rally: Police chase pro-Buhari crowd out of stadium

The police and other security operatives on Saturday chased out pro-Buhari supporters at the Kaduna rally for the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan.The main bowl of the 30,000-capacity Ahmadu Bello Stadium, the venue of the rally, was half-filled. It was the last in the series of North-West rallies scheduled for President Jonathan’s re-election bid.When the state Governor, Mukhtar Yero, mounted the podium to read his welcome address, as soon as he shouted ‘PDP,’ a large section of the crowd chorused ‘Sai (only) Buhari.’Also, when the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, shouted ‘Sai Nigeria,’ the crowd responded, ‘Sai Buhari.’All the personalities that spoke at the rally were greeted with the ‘Sai Buhari’ slogan.In reaction to the development, security operatives, including combat-ready policemen descended on the crowd in an attempt to chase them out.As the police kept chasing the pro-Buhari supporters out of the stadium, they kept chanting, ‘Sai Buhari’intermittently.They also tore several posters of President Jonathan and his deputy in the stadium.Not done, the youth outside the stadium reportedly threw pebbles on the convoy of the president after the president had left the stadium at about 3:00pm.A visibly angry Deputy Governor of the state, Nuhu Bajoga, was spotted by our correspondent at the rally, reprimanding members of the local organising committee at the main bowl of the stadium and asking the committee to “go and bring more people.”It was gathered that the money for the supporters were allegedly diverted by some officials of the local organising committee.Reacting to the development, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lai Mohammed said, “It shows the popularity of Gen. Buhari. It shows that he is unstoppable.“Chasing his supporters out of the stadium does not help the President or the PDP. It worsens their case.”The Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibril, however dismissed insinuations of the non-acceptability of President Jonathan in northern states.Jibril said it was the “quality of the crowd that matters and not hiring of miscreants.”In his speech, President Jonathan said Kaduna was one of the major beneficiaries of Federal Government policies.He urged the people of the state to re-elect him in the Febuary 14 election.He said the state was the focus of the central government in the next four years if elected.He also promised to revamp the collasped textile mills in the state to create jobs for the teeming youths in the state.Vice President Sambo had earlier in his speech said the people of the state were highly elated with the President for his choice as running mate in the February polls.He described Jonathan as patriotic and detribalised and therefore urged the people of the state to vote the party in all the elections.The Kaduna State Governor, Mukhtar Yero in his welcome address said the state was the stronghold of the party since 1999 and would remain as such.He thanked the President for transforming the state, especially, the establishment of fast rail service from Abuja to the state to ease transportation problems and the establishment of 30KWT power plant inthe state.

Poll postponement: APC, others seek UN, EU pressure on Jonathan

National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lai MohammedOpposition parties, including the All Progressives Congress, are presently perfecting strategies to resist any attempt by the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Federal Government to shift the February general electionsTop on the game plan of the parties is to reach out to the international community to mount pressure onthe President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration not to shift the elections.Another option the parties are exploring is to approach the courts to seek an injunction that will stop anyone from delaying the polls though INEC had said it was not contemplating a postponement of the elections slated for February 14 and 28.Already, the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, had at a meeting with the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and the APC last week, advised that the elections should hold as scheduled.Kerry’s position was coming after the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), had last week advised INEC to postpone the elections to allow more people to collect their Permanent Voter Cards.Speaking with one of our correspondents, the APC confirmed that it was discussing with Western nations on the growing calls for election postponement in Nigeria.The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lai Mohammed, said those pushing for the elections to be shifted were also seeking to instigate the National Youth Service Corps members who would serve as part of the ad-hoc staff for INEC during the polls to refuse to participate.APC however vowed to resist any attempt by the ruling party to postpone the general elections.Mohammed, who spoke in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, in Abuja on Friday saidthe party would leave nothing to chance.He said, “We are aware that they have plans that by next week, they will send people to start demonstrating, asking for the postponement of the February elections.“I can assure you that we also have our counter measures. Our major strategy is to appeal to the international community that this man (President Jonathan) must not postpone the elections.“All the arguments that the elections be postponed because of the PVC are not correct. It is not lack of collection and if the government is sincere, it should declare two or three days’ holiday for people to go and collect their PVCs.”Similarly, the Executive Director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, called on the United Nations, European Union, African Union and ECOWAS to put pressure on Jonathan for the sake of the country’s peace and stability.Noting that the world had become a global village, Mumuni said the idea of one man steering the internal affairs of a country was a philosophy of ancient times.He said, “The problem I see in the postponement of the elections is the chaos that will arise from it. Remember, one of every four Africans is a Nigerian. If there is any problem in Nigeria, no one African country can contain us. That is why I believe that foreign bodies should continue to put pressure on the Nigerian government and President for him to give the assurance that the elections will go on as scheduled.“They need to persuade him to come out and issue a public statement that these elections will not be postponed. There are various agencies under the United Nations that are concerned with these issues-democracy, civil and political rights. They should move through the UN to ensure the INEC timetable is maintained.“There are European countries who are also interested in democracy and the stability of the Nigerian state. There are even bodies in West Africa, bodies under ECOWAS, and under the African Union that have mandates similar to what is happening now. They should speak up now so that chaos is not created in Nigeria.”Also, the Chairman of the Social Democratic Party in Oyo State, Sunday Adelaja, has said that the postponement of the general election, as being rumoured in some quarters, will throw Nigeria backward.Adelaja, who spoke with our correspondent in Ibadan on Saturday, said “If we have to call on the international community to ensure the election goes ahead, I see nothing wrong in that. But it should notget to that level if we actually love this country. If we want Nigeria to progress, no one should think of postponing the election.”Similarly, the Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said his organisation is ready to petition world bodies.He said, “Anyone calling for the postponement of the election should be charged with treason.“We will not hesitate to call on the UN, United Kingdom and ECOWAS to prevail on INEC not to delay the poll.”Also, the Inter-Party Advisory Council, comprising all registered political parties, said the group would not take the postponement of the elections lightly.The IPAC Chairman, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, in an interview withSUNDAY PUNCH, said the council had not received any communication from INEC on the preparations for the elections.But the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Ahmed Alkali, in a swift reaction in Abuja debunked allegations that the Presidency and the PDP were involved in schemes to postpone the elections.

Certificate: Buhari must clear his name, PDP insists

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, on Saturday insisted that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), was taking Nigerians for granted by not clearing his name of allegations of forgery and lying on oath.The ruling party said the presidential flag-bearer of the APC should clear the controversy surrounding his certificates.National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Saturday.Metuh said, “Gen. Buhari must tell Nigerians in clear terms where his certificates are. He should stop taking Nigerians for a ride. We demand he clears the air on this before the day of the election.”He said the retired army general must come out openly and clear his name “because you cant give the people what you don’t have.”The APC presidential candidate had in a document submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission sworn that his credentials were with the military. But the military said the certificates were not in Buhari’s personal files. Government College Katsina, however, issued Buhari’s statement of result.Also, the principal of the school, Isyaku Bello, had in an interview withThe PUNCHon January 22, said the certificate he signed was genuine.The principal said, “If they are doubting the result, then they should come and see the authentic copy and not the photocopy sent to us by the Cambridge West Africa School.“We are here waiting for anybody doubting what we have sent out. We are not running away. Let them come and find out.”But Okupe dismissed the principal’s claim. He stated, “It is inconceivable that allegations as weighty as forgery and perjury will be made against the person of a retired General and a former Head of State without him deeming it necessary to conclusively debunk such allegations but would rather pass the buck to other persons or organisations.“We consider this as an unstatesmanlike assault on the intelligence of Nigerians and it represents the greatest challenge between Gen Buhari and the office he seeks to occupy.”He stated that the former head of state had a few weeks ago said secondary school certificate was in three different quarters: the Military Board, his former secondary school and now the Independent National Electoral Commission.Okupe noted that the West African Examinations Council recently “declared that it did not have any records of Buhari’s secondary school certificate just as the military authorities did.”He stated that the only two factors which Buhari’s “propagandists” had hinged his candidacy on were his incorruptibility and integrity.The presidential aide said, “While the report of the Haroun Adamu committee on the mismanagement ofa sum of N25bn at the PTF (Petroleum Trust Fund) has completely wiped off the vaunted incorruptibility, the General’s integrity credential is being threatened by this odious certificate issue.“It has therefore become imperative for him to quickly put an end to this unnecessary and inexplicable certificate controversies; otherwise the only remaining leg on which he is supposedly standing may be fatally destroyed.”Okupe said Buhari and the APC “who mouth corruption everywhere should clear the air on this matter or forever bury their heads in shame.”“For the avoidance of doubt, concerning the 2015 elections, Nigerians will not elect into its highest officea man who cannot satisfy the minutest test of honesty and integrity in his academic credential,” he added.In his response, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Lai Mohammed, said the presidency was merely flogging a dead issue.Mohammed, who insisted that Buhari’s certificates were with the military, said the PDP was behind theirdisappearance from his file with the military.He accused the PDP of leaving behind the real issues in which Nigerians were more interested.Mohammed said, “It is clear that the PDP wants to distract Nigerians. The issues that Nigerians are worried about are the following: Where are the about 200 Chibok girls? What has happened to our$20bn? Why do we have so much of unemployment in town? Why is that we do not have power at all? Why is that our health sector is in shambles? Why is infant mortality so high? Why is the dollar exchanging for N215? Those are the issues Nigerians want to hear today.“On the issue of certificate, we have proven beyond doubt, that the PDP is behind even the disappearance of the General’s certificate from the military file? However, we have been able to produceone from the school. What else do they want?”Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved. This material, and other digital

Why Afenifere endorsed Jonathan for second term — Adebanjo

A leader of the Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has said the group endorsed the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan based on its conviction that he would implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference if he wins.Adebanjo, told our correspondent on Friday, that the President had shown commitment to the call for the restructuring of the country by convening the conference.He said, “Some other parties did not believe in the exercise. We have talked about the many problems confronting Nigeria but the main one is to restructure. We need to restructure the country.’’The Afenifere leader added that all what Nigerians were clamouring for had been taken care of by the recommendations of the confab.‘’When we talk about corruption, good governance and the reduction in the salaries of members of the National Assembly, among others, they were addressed in the report. That is why we are insisting on its implementation. This is our demand and he has promised to implement it because he believes in it,” he noted.Spokesman for the group, Yinka Odumakin, told journalists on Tuesday in Akure, Ondo State after Jonathan visited a leader of the group, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, in his residence that Afenifere was endorsing Jonathan for a second term.“Afenifere supports the President’s reelection because he had the courage to convoke the national conference and we hope that he will implement the report.“The President expressed the commitment that he will adopt the report within 12 months of returning to office,” Odumakin said.

Parties pay supporters N2,000 each to attend rallies

AFPA percentage of the crowd that turn up at election campaign rallies held by political parties for the forthcoming general elections is rented; investigations bySUNDAY PUNCHhas shown.Each of those contracted for the rallies are paid between N500 and N5,000.It was learnt that the amount paid depends on the profile of the event, the distance of the venue and the calibre of people engaged.The ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the major opposition party, All Progressives Congress, as well as other parties has been making claims, especially on social media, that the huge crowd that turn up attheir campaigns was a proof of their popularity.SUNDAY PUNCH, however, learnt that women and youth groups, as well as ‘elders’ are hired in Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Abia,In Uyo, a member of the PDP, Mr. Eric Ekanem, who spoke to one of our correspondents, said, “If you observe, you will see that those who attend PDP rallies and campaigns are often mobilised at the end of the event, where they are given between N200 and N2000 each.“The amount each person receives depends on the groups they belong.”An Eket-based woman, Ms. Ikwo Edet, said she was paid N500 after the last political rally she attended in Uyo.In Umuahia, Abia State, a source, who begged not to be named, revealed that unemployed youths, students of both secondary and tertiary institutions, tricycle and motorcycle riders, as well as traders form the category of individuals easily rented.The source said the rent ranges from N500 to N3000, depending on the category of the individual and the importance of the political rally.Confirming this, a tricycle driver, who identified himself as ‘One Nigeria’, said he did not belong to any political party but was ready to be hired by any party that could pay his charges.Similalarly in Enugu State,SUNDAY PUNCHlearnt that students are a major population hired for political rallies.A student, who gave his name as Ebuka, told one of our correspondents that he had been part of a rented crowd in several rallies.He said, “We have link men who are close to the politicians. Whenever the need arises, they usually get in touch with us. We are mobilised through these contact persons.”It was a similar case in Bayelsa State, where parties reach out to youth and women groups in the local governments area for mobilisation.A regular participant in such rallies, Ms. Ebilami Victor, who hails from Ekeremor area of the state, said she usually took part in such activity because it was the only way to make money.“It depends on where the campaign is taking place. If it is within the local government area, each participant is usually paid between N1500 and N2000. But if it is Yenagoa, the state capital, we are paid N3000.“But when it is outside the state, each person is paid between N2000 and N5000,” she said.In Oyo State, there is a network through which crowds are gathered for political purposes. The ring is run by a women and men group, it was learnt.Youths in Ondo State are also having a swell time attending political rallies organised by parties and candidates ahead of the elections.A party member, who gave his name as Adedeji, who attended a Social Democratic Party rally in Akure, told one of our correspondents that each ‘supporter’ engaged by one of the candidates received N2, 500to attend the rally.Another supporter, an unemployed, who identified himself simply as Makinde, told our correspondent that he received N1000 to attend the rally.In Cross River State,SUNDAY PUNCHlearnt that political parties have resorted to contracting the job of hiring crowd to individuals or groups within the party.Depending on the venue of the rally, the task of mobilising at least 1000 persons spread across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state could cost between N800,000 and N1m.In the ruling PDP, one of such mobilisers, who preferred not to be named, said his last task of hiring 300persons to a rally at the central senatorial district cost N1m.In the case of Edo State, many of the supporters, who are predominantly youths, are sourced from both within the state and from neighbouring states.A source within the APC said, “You know that there is unemployment and hunger everywhere. They can get N1,500 or N2,000, for transportation or feeding. If you are politically active, you would understand that you don’t have to be a card-carrying member of a party to show your support,” he said.However, the APC insisted that in its case, crowds at its event venues were genuine Nigerians who were tired of the cluelessness of the PDP-led administration.The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Lai Mohammed, toldSUNDAY PUNCHin an interview inAbuja that it was impossible for the party to hire a crowd for any of its events.Similarly, the PDP said it did rent crowd or pay those who attend its rallies across the country.The National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Mr. Victor Kwon, who spoke with one of our correspondent in an interview in Abuja, described anyone making such insinuation as a political novice.

No, wait, users actually called 911 when Facebook went down?!

It was only for 52 minutes.
When Facebook and Instagram went down for about an
hour Monday night, a dispatcher in the East Bay, California,
area says she received about five 911 calls asking when the
sites would be back online, like that was an emergency worthy
of a SWAT team.
The dispatcher, who wanted to remain anonymous, said:
The authorities had to come out to say that Facebook outages
“[are] NOT an emergency,” which is something a lot of people
apparently needed to be told.
“I just want to know if you can put a note out to
Claycordians asking them to not call 911 when a
website doesn’t work? We have nothing to do with
Facebook and when Facebook isn’t working, it’s not
an emergency. Our lines our dedicated to handle life
and death calls, and even though Facebook is
important to a lot of people, it’s not a matter of life
and death when it stops working. One caller even
called back to tell me I was being rude because I told
her it wasn’t a life threatening emergency. Thank you
Claycord for all you do”.

Nicki Minaj Slays In Sexy New Photos.

Meet The 80-Yr-Old Grandma Who Donated Her Life savings To The Buhari Campaign

Malama Fatima Talle-Tara waited all day to meet General Buhari. “I was
excited, ” she says. Malama Fati Ibrahim Talle-Tara, 80, is a popular food
vendor in Koko, Koko/Besse Local Government Area of Kebbi State. She
famously offered her life savings to the All Progressives Congress (APC)
presidential candidate, retired General Muhammadu Buhari for his campaign
when he visited the state.
Weekly Trus t had a chat with her. Excerpts:
Weekly Trust: What motivated you to offer your life savings to General Buhari
for his campaign?
Fati Ibrahim Talle-Tara: The first time Buhari ventured into politics and
contested, he lost. The second and third time, too, he lost but he appealed to
us to be patient. This will be the fourth time Buhari will contest. It is his
patriotism, humility and honesty that make me support him. As I speak to you, I
have assigned one of my sons to Kano to produce 300,000 posters for Buhari’s
campaign. The posters are in Jega right now, ready for distribution.
WT: How much money have you spent campaigning on behalf of General
Buhari?
Talle-Tara: All my life savings during the times he has contested. There was a
time I spent N2 million. I spend my money campaigning for him because
everybody knows that he doesn’t have money to do so. I generate the money
mostly from savings from my food-selling business which I’ve been doing for
decades. It’s my life savings.
WT: How will you cope now that you’ve donated all your savings?
Talle-Tara: How much is the money? Compared to the good governance we will
get, it’s nothing, really.
WT: How did General Buhari receive you when you met him at the airport?
Talle-Tara: I waited the whole day at the airport. I met him physically that day
for the first time in my life and we greeted warmly. I felt fulfilled. He was also
excited when we met.
Interestingly, my fathers’ name is Buhari, too. So, I will do everything for him
like I would for my father. Moreover, General Buhari is sincere and patriotic.
When he landed at the airport, he said they should inform Sokoto State
Governor Magatakarda Wamakko to take care of my needs.
WT: Did Governor Wamakko do so, as requested?
Talle-Tara: Yes, I was in Sokoto with my people last Saturday and we were
lodged in one of the big hotels. He (Wamakko) asked me to make any request. I
said all I need is for him to continue his good work and support good
governance in Nigeria. He gave me N1million, one bale of wrappers and two Hajj
seats, one for me and one for my daughter Umma whose husband died and left
with seven children.
WT: How would you feel if the change you expect doesn’t come?
Talle-Tara: I will continue to use my money to campaign for good governance in
Nigeria and I will never regret doing that. We have trust in God that this time
around we will have that change that we are clamouring for. Even if we lose this
election, we will still consider ourselves winners because we know that we lost
not because we did not win.
WT: What contribution are you making towards credible, violence-free and
credible elections?
Talle-Tara: I have commissioned religious scholars within my available
resources to pray every day for Nigeria. We have faith in God, there won’t be
any crisis.
WT: What is your dream for Nigeria?
Talle-Tara: My dream is to see a day that Buhari will win the election and be
sworn into office. That day, I will slaughter a cow, cook plenty food and throw a
big party. I have told them that I will declare free food at my shop for everybody
including those in the town and villages to come and celebrate.
WT: Would you describe yourself as a politician?
Talle-Tara: My late son and I ventured into politics when Buhari did. I am into
politics just to support Buhari.
WT: Are you married?
Talle-Tara: I’m a widow. My husband died and left me with 15 children and 15
grandchildren, and most of them are the ones helping me right now in my
business place. I’m actually from Jega. It’s marriage that brought me to Koko.

Campaign: Attacks on Jonathan rattle PDP

The increasing spate of attacks on President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign
train in some parts of the North is rattling the leadership of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party.
Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja, on Friday, showed that the grave
situation were made worse by allegations that the attacks had been carried out
by aggrieved members of the party.
It was learnt that the situation had prompted the President’s security team to
take extra measures to protect him as he prepared to visit Gombe, Yobe and
Niger states this week.
Our correspondents also gathered that the PDP had been further unsettled by
the hot exchange of words between the Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda, and
the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Mohammed, over the
stoning of the President’s convoy in Katsina State.
The party and the Presidency were said to have been stunned by Yuguda’s
claim that the attack on the President’s convey was arranged by the members
of the ruling party, under the supervision of the minister.
In response, the minister accused the governor of being an opposition mole
within the ruling party. However, the party and the Presidency were said to
have intervened and made the two men to sheathe their swords.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, said the party
had asked its members to be cautious of their comments on the issue.
“It is curious and it is not a welcome development if we have our leaders
bickering in the public. We have asked them to be wary of their comments,”
Metuh said.
A party leader from one of the northern states confided in SUNDAY PUNCH on
the level of anxiety in the party.
He said, “I will be lying if I say we are not disturbed. The truth is that some of
our brothers in the North consider loyalty and support for General
(Muhammadu) Buhari a religious obligation.
“They have resorted to intimidation and threats, when you see things differently
they come after you and your family and burn your house. If you remember, in
2011 so many of us had our houses burnt and some barely escaped with their
lives.
“Some have not recovered from their loss and it may be difficult for some to
take that kind of risks this time around.”
The panic in the party, another source told SUNDAY PUNCH informed the
decision of the party not to extend the suspension earlier slammed on its
estranged national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. He said it was taken to
forestall bickering and further loss of followership.
The party on Thursday lifted the one-month suspension it placed on Tukur on
December 4.
Metuh rose in defence of the party’s decision to lift Tukur’s suspension.
He said, “Tukur’s suspension was for 30 days. Since the suspension was not
extended, we needed to lift it and that was what we did.”
Also speaking on the issue, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP,
Mr. Abdullahi Jalo, said what was happening was a smear campaign by the
opposition.
He said, “To the best of my knowledge; no member of the PDP was involved in
stoning Mr. President. Northerners, especially our youths, respect elders. None
of our members threw stones at our President.

Courtesy Sunday Punch...

Attacks on Buhari wicked — Itsekiri leader

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and leader of Itsekiri nation in Delta
State, Dr. Alex Ideh, has said the verbal and printed attacks on Maj. Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) by the Peoples Democratic Party and its supporters
were wicked and misleading.
Ideh, who was the Secretary to the APC Convention Committee that produced
Buhari as the presidential candidate, said in a statement Friday that such
attacks on the person of the party’s flag bearer might mislead younger
generation of voters.
He asked the PDP and its followers to abide by the Abuja Peace Accord by
“refraining from such callous and disparaging verbal attacks.”
“It is true he was a soldier and led Nigeria for 14 months. But, those who now
seek to hold him out as an undemocratic monster must be guilty of an
extraordinary amount of revisionism. We must uphold the truth and describe the
circumstances as they are.
“I am privileged to speak on our experience of democracy because I have been
a participant and a ring-side operator for over 30 years. I can assert with some
authority that most critics of Buhari were romancing the civilian regime he
ousted. I was a part of that regime and can recall with some regret, that the
(Shehu) Shagari administration which he removed was an epitome of
maladministration,” the statement read in part.
According to the APC chieftain, there was widespread rancour during the
Shagari administration which witnessed witch-hunting and corruption.
“In one iconic moment, Alhaji Shugaba, a full-fledged Nigerian, was thrown out
of our borders on the contrived excuse that he was an alien. Such extra-judicial
determination was part of a range of widespread abuses which disfigured the
regime that Buhari was compelled to forcibly remove. Only few mourned the
ouster of the corrupt Shagari regime.
“When Buhari took over, apart from a rump of the elites in the NPN, his regime
was received with great adulation countrywide. This reception was reinforced
not just by his personal reputation for probity and single-mindedness, but also
because the prevailing orthodoxy welcomed military intervention as an antidote
to perverse governance. Some of the persons now crucifying Buhari were
amongst those who rolled out the drums when General Buhari intervened,” Ideh
added.
He urged Nigerians not to fall for the misinformation being peddled by them,
assuring them that Buhari’s reputation is guaranteed.

...... Courtesy the Punch

Nigerian military guilty of rights violations — HRW

The international rights group, Human Rights Watch, has alleged in its latest
report released on Friday that the Nigerian military is guilty of rights abuses
against people suspected to be Boko Haram members.
The HRW also accused the Federal Government for failing to provide the military with needed motivation.
The HRW, founded in 1978, was established to defend the rights of people
worldwide. In the report entitled, ‘Tyranny’s false comfort: Why rights aren’t wrong in tough times’, the group’s Executive Director, Kenneth Roth, noted that human rights concerns were central to the conflict in Nigeria, where the militant
Islamist group Boko Haram attacks civilians as well as the country’s security
forces. Roth said, “Oil-rich Nigeria should be able to field a professional, rights-
respecting army capable of protecting Nigerians from this abusive group.
However, the country’s leadership has left its military ill-equipped and poorly
motivated to defend against Boko Haram attacks. When the army has acted, it
has often done so in an abusive manner, rounding up hundreds of men and boys suspected of supporting Boko Haram, detaining them in inhuman conditions, and physically abusing or even killing them.
“Many other community members have been forcibly disappeared, allegedly by
security forces. When Boko Haram suspects escaped in March from a famously
abusive detention centre, Giwa Barracks, Nigerian security forces reportedly
recaptured and summarily executed hundreds of them.”
The HRW boss further alleged that the persistent lack of accountability for these atrocities had made it difficult for Nigeria’s allies to provide security assistance for fear of themselves becoming complicit in abuses.
“The failure of Nigeria’s leadership to rein in security forces has also alienated
local communities that might otherwise have willingly provided intelligence to
the authorities. Winning the ‘hearts and minds’ of the civilian population will
require that the government transparently investigates alleged army abuses and punish offenders,” he said.

Insecurity, corruption, major problems — Buhari

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has identified
insecurity, corruption and mismanagement of economy as the major
developmental challenges of Nigeria.
He also warned Nigerians not to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan and the
Peoples Democratic Party government at all levels, saying the continuation of
the PDP government would continue to ruin Nigeria as a country and the
people.
He spoke on Saturday at the Metropolitan Square Ilorin, the Kwara State capital
during the continuation of the APC presidential campaign.
The plane conveying Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, landed
at the Ilorin International Airport, about 10:45am. It took Buhari’s convoy about
two hours to arrive at the Emir’s palace, a distance of less than five kilometres
because of the crowd that surged to welcome him and his entourage.
The APC national and state leaders at the presidential campaign rally included a
national leader of APC, Bola Tinubu; a former APC national Chairman, Chief Bisi
Akande; the Director-General, Buhari Campaign Organisation, Mr. Rotimi
Amaechi who is also the Governor of Rivers State; Governor of Osun State, Rauf
Aregbesola; a former Kogi State Governor, Abubakar Audu; a former Governor of
Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki; the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed;
a former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party and
currently a chieftain of the APC, Kawu Baraje; the Speaker, Kwara State House
of Assembly, Mr. Razak Atunwa and the Chairman, House of Representatives
Committee on Justice, Dr. Ali Ahmad.
The occasion was also used to present the party’s flag to Ahmed as the Kwara
State APC governorship candidate.
Buhari stated the PDP had mismanaged the resources of Nigeria, saying that
the APC government would address the developmental challenges of the country
if elected into power.
He said the government would provide qualitative and quantitative education,
address power challenge and insecurity; as well as fight corruption. He also
promised that the government would tackle mass unemployment through
emphasis on agriculture and small and medium enterprises development.
Buhari said, “The major issues of the country are insecurity, issues with
economy and corruption. What we save from corruption and leakages, we will
invest heavily in education, infrastructure, equipment and teachers. The best we
can do for our generation and future generation is to give them qualitative and
quantitative education. An APC government through-out the country definitely
will do that.”
Osinbajo said February 14, 2015 was a day of destiny, adding that it was not
surprising that some people would want to hamper the change.
He said, “The reason our country is poor is because some people have chosen
to steal the resources that we have. You can have posterity, good education,
good health care, good hospitals, when some people are stealing the money.
That is the reason why we are poor and why we are facing what we are facing.”
Tinubu accused President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of being very
wicked, saying, “The administration collected money from job seekers for form;
again, they said the jobless people should buy jerseys and t-shirts we give you
free of charge. Instead of the people get employed it was death that struck at
many of the job seekers homestead.”

Courtesy of the Punch.....

PDP warns Clark, Tompolo and Dokubo over war threat

Thenational leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday asked the former federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari- Dokubo, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo and other Niger Delta militants to be mindful of what they say at this period of the nation’s political history.The PDP also warned other support groups, organisations, professional bodies and associations rooting for President Goodluck Jonathan to be careful with their utterances to ensure decency in the polity.This was even as ex- MEND Commanders in the Niger Delta, gave General Theophilus Danjuma seven days ultimatum to apologize over his call for the arrest of Asari Dokubo,Tompolo for threatening that Nigeria would break up if President Jonathan lost the February Presidential election. The ex-militants said that war would follow in Nigeria if Jonathan lost the election. Chief Clark and the ex-militants blasted General Danjuma in their reaction, saying that his remarks were disappo-inting. At a meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital yesterday, the former militant commanders in the region condemned the call for the arrest of front line freedom fighters in the region, Alhaji Mujahideen Asari Dokubo and Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, saying that the call amounted to a declaration of war against the Niger Delta region.Former MEND Commander, Victor Ebikabowei Ben, alias General Boyloaf, also asked General Danjuma to apologise and hide his head in shame or face humiliation.However, speaking with newsmen in Abuja, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh noted that although the party appreciated the support of all Nigerians, it was disturbed over the provocative statements of some people which could provoke other parts of the country, warning that Jonathan was notan Ijaw President or that of the South South geo- political zone of the country alone but the president of allNigerians.Metuh said, “we want to stress and state publicly, that whilst we have noted the interest, zeal and enthusiasms of individuals, various groups, support groups and organisations, that are supporting the president with statements, adverts, documentaries and TV programmes; we appeal to them to be guided by the noble ideals and the visions of the founding fathers of our party.“We are not in agreement with their statements and we are cautioning them to mind what they say. No individuals own the party. The President could be more loved in Anambra than Ijaw area. He has support in Adamawa than in Bayelsa States…“Well, we have noted that whilst we are not responsible for the utterances, statements of some of our support individuals, groups and organizations; we are cautioning them to be mindful of what they say.“Ours is a national party. We cover all zones, all local governments. No individual owns our party, no group, no people, no zone owns our party. And being a national party, we caution some of our people, some of our supporters to be mindful of the zeal that they exhibit. Let the wrong impression not be given.“President Jonathan could even be more loved in Anambra than in the Ijaw area. He could even be more loved in Zamfara than in the Ijaw area. He could even have more support and more votes from Adamawa than in Ijaw. And to buttress this, yesterday in the campaign, Mr President informed all that the Adamawa people gave him twice the number of votes that he got from Bayelsa. So the president is not the president of Ijaw, he is not president of Bayelsa; he is not president of South South, he is the president of the entire Nigeria and he has the support of the entire country.” On PDP’s anticipated victory, Metuh said, “We are rounding up next week. So we have done over 70 percent of our campaign.Alhaji Asari- Dokubo had threatened that “ ex- militants would return to their old ways should President Jonathan lose the election,” at a meeting last week in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital,Reacting to the issue, the former Minister of Defence, General Theophilous Danjuma called for the arrest ofDokubo and other former Niger Delta Militants for threatening to rock the boat should President Jonathan lose the February 14 election.Danjuma who described the statements as reckless, had said, “those are very reckless statements made byirresponsible individuals and they should be condemned. In fact, they should be arrested.’’But responding to Danjuma, Chief Edwin Clark, Tompolo, Dokubo, others tongue lashed the former Minister, accusing him of sponsoring attacks on Jonathan and that the government should arrest him rather than the ex- militants. Clark who said he was disappointed at the call by Danjuma for the arrest of the Ex- Militants, stressed that he (Danjuma) ought to have condemned the attacks on Jonathan in several states in the North.Meanwhile, ex militant Commanders in the Niger Delta region have asked General Danjuma to apologise over his call for the arrest of front line freedom fighters in the region or face problems.‘General’ Reuben Wilson aka Pastor who handed the ultimatum on behalf of other commanders of Defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND in Port Harcourt said Danjuma had by his call for arrest of Niger delta crusaders called for war against the region. Wilson who is now president Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative said Danjuma was among northern leaders that had richly benefited from the oil resource in the region.“Our attention has been drawn to publications credited to T.Y.Danjuma, a former defence minister, calling for the arrest of former Niger Delta freedom fighters, including our frontline selfless leader and hero, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo.“As much as he has the right to free speech, Danjuma ought to know that the oil money he is enjoying today, through his ownership of oil blocs, came from our sacrifices and blood. We staked our life to fight for the development of our country. We fought for freedom for our land and it pains us that people like Danjuma who have reaped bountifully from the Niger Delta, can wake up to insult our sensibilities.“For Danjuma to call for the arrest of Asari Dokubo, then he has walked on the tail of the serpent. The much we know is that we the ex militants who decided to drop our guns to join forces with the federal government to develop the country, especially the Niger Delta have never said anything or taken any actionthat would warrant such explosives from Danjuma,’’ he said and reaffirmed the support of ex militant commanders for the second term bid of Jonathan. “All we have said overtime is that our brother, PresidentJonathan, is a true son of the Niger Delta, and deserves to enjoy the two terms in office provided for in the constitution. We stand by this right and we will do everything legal and legitimate to make sure that he is not denied that right, not by a thousand Danjumas.

PDP warns Clark, Tompolo and Dokubo over war threat

Thenational leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday asked the former federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari- Dokubo, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo and other Niger Delta militants to be mindful of what they say at this period of the nation’s political history.The PDP also warned other support groups, organisations, professional bodies and associations rooting for President Goodluck Jonathan to be careful with their utterances to ensure decency in the polity.This was even as ex- MEND Commanders in the Niger Delta, gave General Theophilus Danjuma seven days ultimatum to apologize over his call for the arrest of Asari Dokubo,Tompolo for threatening that Nigeria would break up if President Jonathan lost the February Presidential election. The ex-militants said that war would follow in Nigeria if Jonathan lost the election. Chief Clark and the ex-militants blasted General Danjuma in their reaction, saying that his remarks were disappo-inting. At a meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital yesterday, the former militant commanders in the region condemned the call for the arrest of front line freedom fighters in the region, Alhaji Mujahideen Asari Dokubo and Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, saying that the call amounted to a declaration of war against the Niger Delta region.Former MEND Commander, Victor Ebikabowei Ben, alias General Boyloaf, also asked General Danjuma to apologise and hide his head in shame or face humiliation.However, speaking with newsmen in Abuja, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh noted that although the party appreciated the support of all Nigerians, it was disturbed over the provocative statements of some people which could provoke other parts of the country, warning that Jonathan was notan Ijaw President or that of the South South geo- political zone of the country alone but the president of allNigerians.Metuh said, “we want to stress and state publicly, that whilst we have noted the interest, zeal and enthusiasms of individuals, various groups, support groups and organisations, that are supporting the president with statements, adverts, documentaries and TV programmes; we appeal to them to be guided by the noble ideals and the visions of the founding fathers of our party.“We are not in agreement with their statements and we are cautioning them to mind what they say. No individuals own the party. The President could be more loved in Anambra than Ijaw area. He has support in Adamawa than in Bayelsa States…“Well, we have noted that whilst we are not responsible for the utterances, statements of some of our support individuals, groups and organizations; we are cautioning them to be mindful of what they say.“Ours is a national party. We cover all zones, all local governments. No individual owns our party, no group, no people, no zone owns our party. And being a national party, we caution some of our people, some of our supporters to be mindful of the zeal that they exhibit. Let the wrong impression not be given.“President Jonathan could even be more loved in Anambra than in the Ijaw area. He could even be more loved in Zamfara than in the Ijaw area. He could even have more support and more votes from Adamawa than in Ijaw. And to buttress this, yesterday in the campaign, Mr President informed all that the Adamawa people gave him twice the number of votes that he got from Bayelsa. So the president is not the president of Ijaw, he is not president of Bayelsa; he is not president of South South, he is the president of the entire Nigeria and he has the support of the entire country.” On PDP’s anticipated victory, Metuh said, “We are rounding up next week. So we have done over 70 percent of our campaign.Alhaji Asari- Dokubo had threatened that “ ex- militants would return to their old ways should President Jonathan lose the election,” at a meeting last week in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital,Reacting to the issue, the former Minister of Defence, General Theophilous Danjuma called for the arrest ofDokubo and other former Niger Delta Militants for threatening to rock the boat should President Jonathan lose the February 14 election.Danjuma who described the statements as reckless, had said, “those are very reckless statements made byirresponsible individuals and they should be condemned. In fact, they should be arrested.’’But responding to Danjuma, Chief Edwin Clark, Tompolo, Dokubo, others tongue lashed the former Minister, accusing him of sponsoring attacks on Jonathan and that the government should arrest him rather than the ex- militants. Clark who said he was disappointed at the call by Danjuma for the arrest of the Ex- Militants, stressed that he (Danjuma) ought to have condemned the attacks on Jonathan in several states in the North.Meanwhile, ex militant Commanders in the Niger Delta region have asked General Danjuma to apologise over his call for the arrest of front line freedom fighters in the region or face problems.‘General’ Reuben Wilson aka Pastor who handed the ultimatum on behalf of other commanders of Defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND in Port Harcourt said Danjuma had by his call for arrest of Niger delta crusaders called for war against the region. Wilson who is now president Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative said Danjuma was among northern leaders that had richly benefited from the oil resource in the region.“Our attention has been drawn to publications credited to T.Y.Danjuma, a former defence minister, calling for the arrest of former Niger Delta freedom fighters, including our frontline selfless leader and hero, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo.“As much as he has the right to free speech, Danjuma ought to know that the oil money he is enjoying today, through his ownership of oil blocs, came from our sacrifices and blood. We staked our life to fight for the development of our country. We fought for freedom for our land and it pains us that people like Danjuma who have reaped bountifully from the Niger Delta, can wake up to insult our sensibilities.“For Danjuma to call for the arrest of Asari Dokubo, then he has walked on the tail of the serpent. The much we know is that we the ex militants who decided to drop our guns to join forces with the federal government to develop the country, especially the Niger Delta have never said anything or taken any actionthat would warrant such explosives from Danjuma,’’ he said and reaffirmed the support of ex militant commanders for the second term bid of Jonathan. “All we have said overtime is that our brother, PresidentJonathan, is a true son of the Niger Delta, and deserves to enjoy the two terms in office provided for in the constitution. We stand by this right and we will do everything legal and legitimate to make sure that he is not denied that right, not by a thousand Danjumas.

Elections: Catholic Church to deploy 4,889 observers in 23 states

TheCatholic Church said it would deploy no fewer than 4,889 observers in 23 states of the country, who would stay back to observe the forthcoming general elections till the end.The Executive Secretary of Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Bassey, who made this disclosure yesterday at a press briefing on the forthcoming general election, in Abuja, expressed fears of possible outbreak of violence, due to predetermined minds of some people, who are drumming war no matter how free and fair the poll is.According to him, “From our discussions with our partners in some parts of the country, the certain towns and cities are already so charged that potential lives and properties are not safe, depending on the outcome of the elections.“It does appear that a predetermined outcome for the elections is demanded by some groups that no matter how free and fair it is, if it does not suit them, they would resort to violence that could lead to loss oflives.”To this end, the Foundation suggested that “Church and Mosque leaders should intensify sensitization of their members to avoid violence whatever the outcome of the elections.”

Feb polls: Buhari is on rescue mission —Tinubu

As the February 14th Presidential election draws near, National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, said the party leadership begged the Presidential Candidate of the party, General Muhammadu Buhari to contest the 2015 election inoder to rescue the country from the present challenges.According to Tinubu while addressing the mammoth party supporters at the Mega presidential rally held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Tinubu, “the choice was meant to rescue the country from the crisis that has bedevilled its development.” He noted that the prayer of everyone before was that the country will get better and “We will not need a man like him to rule the nation. But today, we are in a great crisis. We are facing a lot of challenges.”Tinubu, explaining the strategies adopted by those great nations in the past, said “When South Africa was facing a serious challenge, they called on late Nelson Mandella, and he was 74 years old then. And he usedhis wisdom to save that country.“When America was in economic depression, they called on 73-year-old Ronald Reegan, to save their economy because he was prudent.“Also, when Britain had problem, they called on 73-years-old Winston Churchill to rescue them and he did.“We are calling on Buhari at this moment to rescue the nation from the crisis that has bedeviled its development.” Speaking on the merger of the three political parties that formed APC, the APC National leader stated that when “We started about three years ago, they taught that the merger of ACN, CPC and ANPP is impossible. I told them that there is a positive storm coming to change the nation.”