PDP BOT adopts Jonathan as 2015 presidential candidate

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples democratic Party (PDP) early Thursday morning unanimously adopted President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole candidate of the party for the 2015 presidential poll party
The decision of the BOT, according to the former Minister of Information and member of the Board, Professor Jerry Gana was an affirmation of the position of the PDP governors who had earlier taken such position and presented same to BOT of the party.

The BoT also approved the timetable and guidelines for the party’s primaries and national convention for the 2015 polls.
Prof Jerry Gana who was flanked by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and PDP BoT Secretary, Walid Jibril said the endorsement of the president as PDP’s sole candidate for the 2015 presidential race was unanimously done by BoT members with a standing ovation after chairman of the PDP governor’s forum and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio briefed them that PDP governors had unanimously endorsed Jonathan as the party’s sole candidate for 2015.
Professor Gana quoted the Akwa Ibom governor as saying that the PDP governors agreed that none of them will present themselves for the position of president in the PDP primaries, which means no PDP governor would be interested to contest the office of president with Jonathan.

” Having received that news, the BoT also unanimously resolved that because of the excellent work which Mr. President has done, because of the mature way he has been leading Nigeria, because of the humble and dedicated and pathetic way he has been handling very sensitive issues, the Board of Trustees is delighted, the Board of Trustees is convinced, the Board of Trustees is overwhelmed by the fact that we have a very impressive candidate.

“And therefore, the BoT also unanimoulsy resolved that president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan be the sole candidate of the party in the forth coming election. That was unanimously resolved with a standing ovation and the BoT is very very excited. I will like to take this opportunity to also say the BoT thanked the governors for their wisdom, for their maturity, for their love of the party and I want to emphasise, we asked the governors and they said all the PDP governors signed the document which is going to be presented to the president in another session” an elated Gana said.
Professor Gana said the BoT asked Governor Akpkabio who confirmed to it that Lamido “phoned him during the meeting and directed the deputy governor of Jigawa who attended the meeting to sign the document.

“In other words, he authorised the deputy governor to sign on his behalf, and therefore the answer to your question is that he too endorsed that decision. We asked the same question and that is the answer we got”, Gana added.

On the new guidelines and timetable for the party’s primaries, Professor Gana said the document will be presented to the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) at its meeting for final endorsement today (Thursday).

The deputy President of the senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu defended the position of the BOT saying that internal democracy has not been compromised.
“The name of our party is the Peoples Democratic Party. So, Democracy is part of us and we are very concious of the need to have internal democracy in our party. But you must remember that concensus building is also part of democracy. For us in the PDP, we believe that the BoT is the conscience of the party.

“So, if the BoT has agreed to endorse Mr. President as the candidate of the party, what we are simply saying is that we are persuading every member of the party to accept that position. So, we are not going to force any person, but we are making a strong statement, we are persuading our people strongly to accept this position for the reasons earlier mentioned. It is also important for us to know that we need to reward hard work, we need to reward commitment, we need to reward achievement, we need to reward performance.

“We are borrowing from other democracy, including the United States of America where a sitting president who have done so well is expected to be rewarded by his party wit a ticket. So, we are building a tradition which we hope that those who will come after us will be able to imbibe. This is also within the tenet of democracy, not only in Nigeria but in other parts of the world”. Culled from: vanguard newspaper

2015: TAN challenges Lai Mohammed to public debate

THE Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), one the support groups campaigning for the re- election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015, on Wednesday, challenged the spokesman of the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, to a public debate over the continued misconceptions and attacks on its activities.

TAN said in a statement signed by its Director of Communications and Strategy, Dr Udenta . O. Udenta, that the challenge “has become necessary to lay to rest the opposition party’s belly aching over the ongoing nationwide rallies of TAN.”

According to the statement, “the debate is to enable the two bodies, APC and TAN present to the public their various positions on raging political issues for their discernment.”

TAN said that as an advocacy group, it would not shy away from its responsibilities “just because some political nihilists are bent on sowing chaos and disorder in the polity.”

Udenta pointed out that the feedback from TAN monitoring system showed that majority of Nigerians were happy with our activities going by the turn out and enthusiasm that greeted four out of the group’s scheduled six zonal rallies.

Meanwhile, TAN has said that its zonal rally, scheduled for the North-East this Saturday will take a unique form, one different from the previous ones, so as to reflect the prevailing situation in the troubled zone.

The Saturday rally, the statement continued, would be more of a prayer session for peace to return to the zone and, indeed, Nigeria.

It stated that top clerics from the two main religions in the country, Christianity and Islam, from within and outside the zone, would be mobilised to Gombe for supplications to God for an end to the hostilities, prayer for members of the nation’s armed forces, who were putting their lives on the line of fire to keep the nation safe and ensure distribution of relief materials to victims of terrorism and other internally displaced persons.

SMUGGLED $9.3M CASH: FG’s position is a cock-and-bull story, we’re not fools –Keyamo

I have just read, with some amusement, the position of the Federal Government regarding the cash totaling $9.3million that was seized by the South African authorities as an attempt was made to smuggle it into that country. From my little understanding, the Federal Government’s position can be summarised as follows:

1. That it is aware of the movement of such large sum of money by cash out of the country.
2. That the cash is meant for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency.

3. That the transaction was done by cash to ensure the speed of the transaction.

4. That it resorted to buy from South Africa because of procedural bottlenecks in the purchase of such items from western countries.

The above position of the Federal Government is not only ludicrous, it is laughable, untenable and a story only fit to be told to the marines. The following rhetoric posers are germane to
this issue:

1. Is it really faster and safer to do an international transaction of such magnitude by ferrying cash across the continent or by a simple wire transfer that can go through in a matter of few minutes or few hours?

2. If, indeed, the matter involves security issues like the purchase of arms by a foreign government like Nigeria, why was the South African Government not brought into the picture beforehand? How could the South African Government be sure that the arms were purchased legitimately by the Nigerian government and not by insurgents if they were not officially informed beforehand?

3. If indeed the manufacturer(s) of such equipment was/were expecting such large amount by cash, why did they not make adequate arrangements with the authorities in South Africa to declare and clear the cash on arrival?

4. Why was money belonging to the Federal Government and meant for purchase of equipment for the Federal Government moved by a private jet and by private individuals and why were they not accompanied by the officials of the Department of State Services or the office of the National Security Adviser in official capacities?

5. Why would a government that is at the peak of promoting the cashless policy in our economy be the chief breaker of that policy by moving such a large amount by cash?

6. If, indeed, it was a legitimate transaction of the Federal Government, why were the officials of our embassy in South Africa not on hand to make the entry easier and smoother?

7. Since the South African Government has said the amount is above the limit of cash allowed into that country, why would a whole government like Nigeria not know the simple immigration laws of a sister and friendly country before allowing that type of amount of cash to be taken to that country?

8. Why would the Nigerian government seek to smuggle cash into a country without disclosure if it was, indeed, for a legitimate transaction?

9. From where did the Federal Government source that amount in Nigeria? Was it from the Central Bank of Nigeria or from the black market? Nigerians demand answers to this with proof.

10. Is it just a wicked coincidence that it is the aircraft belonging to a personal friend and unapologetic ally of the President in the person of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (my big brother in Warri), that was used to smuggle the cash?

11. If, contrary to the above posers, the transaction was contracted out to a private company in Nigeria, does it not amount to the offence of Money Laundering under our laws for the Federal
Government to have allowed that company to attempt to pay for the equipment by cash to the tune of that amount without passing through a financial institution?

The truth is, any transaction the world over that is done by cash, in a huge volume like this and in this manner can only point to one thing: It is an illegal transaction or a transaction for an illegal purpose that is meant to be untraceable. This was a covert, illegal operation that went horribly wrong. The position of the Federal Government is a cock-and-bull story meant to be shoved down the throat of Nigerians, but some of us are not fools.

The hard fact we must all accept now is that billions of our hard-earned monies are being smuggled out of the country on a regular basis under the guise of security matters and with the
active connivance of security agencies. Little wonder, then, that the insurgency, rather than waning, is gathering momentum because certain persons, somewhere, are feeding fat on the situation whilst innocent lives and limbs are being wasted.

May God help us all.

Thank you.

FESTUS
KEYAMO, ESQ.

Lagos, Rivers, Enugu Generated the Most IGR in 2013: Bayelsa records N10.5 in 2013

Lagos State increased its lead among the 36 states of the federation in the area of internally generated revenue (IGR) in 2013, generating about N384.2 billion compared to N219.2 billion in the previous year.

This was followed by Rivers State which also witnessed increased revenue generation from about N66.2 billion in 2012 to about N87.9 billion the following year.

In third position was Enugu State with about N20.2 billion in 2013, up from about N12.2 billion in 2012.
According to selected states’ IGR figures for 2013 which was released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday, Edo State’s IGR increased by about N19.2 million to N18.89 billion in 2013 compared to an estimated N18.88 billion in 2012.

However, while Zamfara State also witnessed an increase in IGR from about N2.5 billion in 2012 to about N3 billion in 2013, Taraba State’s IGR dropped marginally to about N3.3 billion in 2013, compared to about N3.4 billion in 2012.
IGR has become a critical fiscal enhancement tool for states in recent times amid dwindling oil revenue from the Federation Account.

Anambra State’s IGR increased to about N8.7 billion in 2013 compared to about N7.6 billion the previous year, while Akwa Ibom also had positive yields for the period recording about N15.3 billion from about N13.5 billion in 2012.

IGR for Kwara State improved from about N11.3 billion in 2012 to about N13.8 billion in 2013, while that of Kogi State also went up from about N3.1 billion in 2012 to about N5 billion in the period under review.
Bayelsa State’s IGR stood at about N10.5 billion in 2013 from about N3.6 billion in 2012.

However, IGRs for Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, the three North-east states that have witnessed the highest levels of insecurity, as well as Kano, were not provided for in 2013.

Also left out of the update were Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Jigawa, Imo, Gombe, Ekiti and Ebonyi States.
Others whose IGR were omitted for the period under review were Delta, Cross River, Benue, Bauchi and Abia States.

Insurgency: 15 killed, 34 injured in Kano College of education attack

An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, thrown into a lecture hall at the Federal College of Education,  Kano, yesterday, claimed the lives of 15 students while 34 others sustained injuries.

According to an eyewitness, lecture was going on when two terrorists walked in and threw two objects that exploded  within seconds. The blast was accompanied by sporadic gun shots as some of the gunmen, who were stationed outside the lecture hall,opened fire on some of the students who tried to escape from the scene.
The incident that occurred around 2.00pm at the school’s new site located at Gadon Kaya  triggered pandemonium as students,  lecturers and visitors to the school scampered for safety.

Also in the neighbourhood, residents locked up their houses, while shop owners in the vicinity hurriedly closed businesses as confusion reigned.

The prompt response of security agents at the nearest check point however saved the day as they engaged the gunmen and shot two of them to death.

Addressing newsmen at the scene of the incident,  the Kano Commissioner of Police, Adenrele Shinaba confirmed that “15 died, while 34 were injured”.
Shinaba disclosed that two among the dead were the attackers gunned down by his men in an exchange of fire, explaining that those injured have been taken to a government hospital in the city.

The police boss said: “We have recovered two AK-47 assault rifles from the assailants”,  pointing out that the command has launched a massive manhunt to track down other fleeing suspects.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has assured the people of Kano State and all Nigerians that the Federal Government was doing everything possible to increase the capacity of the nation’s security services to prevent attacks on innocent citizens by terrorists.

Jonathan condoles with victims’ families

In a statement on the attack on students, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati quoted the president as commiserating with the families of those who lost their lives while praying for the quick recovery of those who sustained injuries.

The statement read in part: “President Jonathan commiserates with citizens and residents of Kano State on the loss of lives during the attack by terrorists on the Federal College of Education, Kano.

“President Jonathan’s sympathies and best wishes for a speedy recovery are also with all those who suffered injuries in the dastardly attack.

“The President commends the officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force who took prompt action to confront the attackers and minimize resultant casualties.

“He urges them to be even more alert and proactive in the future to stop terrorist attacks in Kano and other parts of the country.

“President Jonathan reassures the people of Kano and all Nigerians that the Federal Government continues to do all within its powers to further enhance the ability of the Police, Armed Forces and other security agencies to prosecute the war against terrorism to a successful conclusion and provide greater security of lives and property across the country”.

Culled: Vanguard

Bayelsa state government shuts Agip facilities over spills

The Bayelsa State government yesterday ordered the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to shut down its facilities in Ayarabele and Kalaba communities in the Orkordia Clan of Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state, over rising cases of oil spills in the area.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr.Inuro Wills, who gave the order in a statement, said the decision was based on the need to allow a special investigative team to tackle spill related cases in the state.

He frowned at the ‘’intolerable frequency of oil and gas spillages in the state, and the grave consequences it portends for the people and communities’’.

The statement reads in part: “Following the recent gas spill, which occurred on the 4th of September,2014,at a facility operated by the NAOC in the two communities, the ministry has asked the company to temporarily shut down operations in the facilities”
Meanwhile, the state government said a meeting between the leadership of the impacted communities, the officials of the state government and NAOC has been fixed.

The meeting is to discuss the incidence of spillages and work out a programme of rapid and sustained environmental protection and enforcement.

Bayelsa Records 18 Polio Cases

The Disease Surveillance and Notification Unit (DSN) of  Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has recorded 18 polio related cases in the council within the past eight months.
Mr. Oyaba Diemebonso, an officer attached to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Unit(DSN) of the council, who disclosed this  yesterday, said Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) were reported within the 15 wards of the area.

 He said the disease which leads to polio is a condition mostly found in children. He added that nine suspected measles cases and three neonatal tetanus cases were also reported.
Diemebonso described the outbreak of the disease as a“threat” to the society and maintained that DSN was committed to checkmating it and promoting quality health in the local government.
He commended the efforts of World Health Orga-nisation (WHO) on health development in the council, saying the establishment of 16 AFP surveillance sites in the area was a step in the right direction.
“Yenagoa council has 15 wards and 16 functional WHO AFP surveillance facial sites.

The surveillance sites are both in public and private hospitals, clinics, and health centres in the communities. In those communities, we visit and we gather infor-mation and capture data on disease weekly and monthly, especially the epidemic prone diseases like cholera, Lassa fever, measles among others”, he said.

He urged clinicians and other health workers to support DSN officers as well as embrace the use of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) and other immediate notifiable diseases.

Culled from: Dailytrust

2015: No vacancy in Aso Rock, says Governor Aliyu of Niger state

Governor of Niger state, Mu’ázu Babangida Aliyu, has advised all those championing his 2015 presidential ticket to stop doing so in order to avoid overheating the polity because, saying: “There is no vacancy in Aso rock Villa.

Aliyu made the declaration when he played host to a group under the aegis of ‘Babangida Aliyu Youth for Peace Initiative’, led by Inienimi Ballantyne Agiri, to ask him (Aliyu) to declare for the 2015 presidential race.

The governor told the group that he would not want to cause any breach of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s arrangement concerning the presidency, a position he said can only be decided by the party and binding on all members of the party.

“I have said it over and over as regarding what I will be or where I will be after handing over in May, 2015 and I have always replied what I will be is in the hand of God. And for me contesting the presidency, there is no vacancy yet in Aso Rock”, Aliyu said.

Without mincing words regarding his stand as far as 2015 is concerned, the governor, who was careful in choosing his words, categorical told the group that he is at the moment occupied with completing his second term mandate.

Aliyu challenged the group and Nigerians in general to continue to pray for positive things to happen in Nigeria ahead of the 2015 polls, saying: “Let me respond to the question by the big people with big question.

“All I will say is to thank you for considering me fit for the topmost job in the country. As a loyal PDP member, we will watch as things unfold in the party”, Aliyu said, adding, however, that the PDP has an incumbent President that may likely get the party’s nod to re-contest.

According to him, “We have an incumbent in place. Usually the incumbent, no matter the performance, you will not want to remove him. I believe the PDP will want to offer him that position and that is why I said, for 2015, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock”.

Credit: Daily independent

Ebola: FG approves N200m for Rivers

Following a report carried by The PUNCH Newspaper on Monday, President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the release of N200m for the Rivers State government as assistance in the fight against Ebola Virus Disease.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, confirmed this in a statement issued on Wednesday night by his Special Assistant (Media and Communications), Mr. Dan Nwomeh, while giving an update on EVD. He said, “Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has approved the release of N200m to the Rivers State Government as direct financial support to the state towards the containment of EVD outbreak.
“For one week now, there has not been a single case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. The total number of confirmed EVD cases recorded in Nigeria remains 19, with 12 survivors and seven deaths.

“The South African woman who was taken from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and quarantined on suspicion of EVD tested negative for EVD and other viral haemorrhagic fevers and has since been discharged from quarantine and has left the country. Also, a suspected case reported by NLNG tested negative for EVD.

“A number of contacts are still under surveillance in Nigeria, 4 in Lagos State and 344 in Rivers State. So far, 347 contacts have been discharged from surveillance in Lagos State while 182 contacts have been discharged from surveillance in Rivers State.”

Also, the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said on Wednesday that there had been no new case of the Ebola Virus Disease in the country in the last one week. Chukwu, who spoke with state house correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting, said there were currently 363 persons under surveillance.

Culled from: Punch