I quit politics because of my mother –Julius Agwu

Popular humour merchant, Julius Agwu, was one of the entertainers that joined the politics train. The comedian had the ambition to become the next governor of his state but he opted out of the race without a reason.
However during a Valentine dinner hosted in honour of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate and running mate, Muhammadu Buhari and Yemi Osibanjo, the funny man was the anchor of the event and he did not disappoint his fans by making them laugh hysterically.
He also revealed why he backed out from the race. Agwu said that immediately his mother got wind of his political ambition, she called him and begged him to opt out of the race.
He said, “My mum called me to confirm and I said it was true. She cried on the phone and told me to drop my ambition and leave it for the politicians before they kidnap her and demand for ransom. I had to oblige my mother’s request,” he said.

PUNCH

PDP’s victory will free Lagosians from oppression – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday in Lagos that victory for the Peoples Democratic Party in the upcoming general elections would free Lagos residents from oppression.

He stated this when the leaders of market women groups, known asIyalojas, in Lagos and environs, paid him a solidarity visit at the State House, Marina, Lagos.

Jonathan, who was reacting to the complaint of high-handedness and witch-hunting made by the market women against the All Progressives Congress-led Lagos State Government.

He told the market women, and indeed, all traders in the country that the PDP administration would provide the enabling environment for them to ply their trades.

“Our victory at the polls will free all Lagos traders from oppression. You need to be free; we will remove Lagos from bondage,’’ he said.

He commended the women for supporting his re-election bid and urged them not to be intimidated by their opponents.

The President added, “I have listened to you; you have been carrying the PDP flag; you have been humiliated but you still marched on.

“Thank you for working hard for PDP; this is the final struggle and time for us to use all our strength to achieve victory.
“If we struggle and win Lagos State, everybody will do his business without being harassed or intimidated.”

Earlier, the leader of the market women, Hajia Aminat Hussein, had told the president that they had stood behind PDP since its inception but regretted that the members suffered harassment under in Lagos State.

She said in spite of the attempts by APC “to buy over many of the market women”, the women would mobilise themselves in the state and in other states to ensure victory for the president.
“We are promising you that you will not lose in Lagos; this coming election is for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and God is with you,’’ she added.

A former Minister of State for Defence and current ministerial-nominee, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who led the led the group, told the President that the group was working to tell the world that the ruling party in Lagos “are not untouchables.”

Obanikoro added, “These women are more concerned about the reality than news in the social media. APC will be shocked on election day; we believe in our President.

“I do not know of any president that is as humble as Jonathan. If you have such a man as President, your interest will be protected,’’ he said.

PUNCH

SAYELBA TIMES UPGRADED

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This is to inform all our readers, Subscribers and fans that your beloved Sayelba Times Has now been upgraded to its own brand new and slick website @ http://www.sayelbatimes.com .

Going forward, you can get all our future updates from the main site and not from this blog.

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lexis, Ozil & the run-in – Why no-one should write off Arsenal just yet

By Liam Twomey

The only thing more remarkable than Harry Kane adorning a fairytale season with two decisive goals against Arsenal on Saturday was Arsene Wenger’s post-match admission that his side had been “dominated” in midfield by Tottenham.

In truth, to argue anything else would have been delusion. Spurs enjoyed 56 per cent possession over the 90 minutes and unleashed 23 shots at their bitter rivals who, perhaps too enamoured by the discipline that yielded a stunning away win over Manchester City earlier this month, simply sat back and waited for the fightback to arrive after Mesut Ozil’s classy first-half opener.

Three deserved points saw Tottenham leapfrog Arsenal in the race for fourth with 14 Premier League matches to go, but Wenger would not allow candour on his team’s performance to be mistaken for defeatism in the race for Champions League qualification. “It’s time to recover from that disappointment and prepare for the next game now,” the Frenchman insisted. “It will be a battle until the end. It has been every year with Spurs.”

It is also a battle that, despite the evidence of Saturday at White Hart Lane, Wenger will be confident of winning. He has never finished outside the Premier League’s top four and never finished below Tottenham in 18 seasons with the Gunners, even if recent tussles between the clubs have been closer than most.

Twice in the past three campaigns Arsenal have trailed Spurs with 24 Premier League games played, and on each occasion Wenger’s men have clicked through the gears in the home stretch to break their rivals’ hearts.

In 2011-12 they rattled off seven wins from eight matches between late February and mid-April to seize third and leave Harry Redknapp’s faltering men vulnerable to Chelsea’s miraculous Champions League triumph in Munich, while the following season they followed defeat at White Hart Lane with eight wins and two draws from their final 10 matches to overturn a four-point deficit and edge fourth on the final day.

On both occasions Tottenham were complicit in their own demise, and there is plenty of cause to suggest that Mauricio Pochettino’s current crop are made of sterner stuff. No team has won more points from losing positions (15) or points with goals in the final five minutes (12) this season. Christian Eriksen is maturing into one of the Premier League’s most consistent match-winners and Kane is operating at a level few other strikers in the world can currently match.

Yet Arsenal remain within striking distance despite weathering a trademark winter injury crisis that slowly appears to be easing. Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott are once again fit and firing in attack, Francis Coquelin is showing tentative signs of being a viable solution to Wenger’s long-standing problem at the base of midfield and January signing Gabriel Paulista is a long-overdue quality alternative to the settled defensive partnership of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny.

Most importantly of all, Wenger will imminently be able to field Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in the same team. The German’s injury problems have ensured Arsenal’s two most expensive ever signings have played over an hour together just four times since the livewire Chilean arrived from Barcelona in the summer – a sample size too small to reliably tell us how both of these supreme talents will be incorporated into the Gunners’ frighteningly creative attack.

Ozil has hit the ground running since his return, scoring in three successive matches for the first time in his career, while Alexis has wasted no time in establishing himself as a firm fan favourite with his tireless work rate and keen eye for goal. On paper the skill sets of the two men appear to complement each other perfectly.

On the pitch they should have ample opportunity to improve their chemistry. Eight of Arsenal’s final 14 matches are at home and while Chelsea and Liverpool still have to come to the Emirates Stadium, Newcastle and Manchester United are the only obviously daunting away trips left.

Tottenham, in contrast, play eight of their final 14 games on the road, facing top-four rivals Liverpool, United and Southampton as well as negotiating tricky assignments against Newcastle and Everton. Title-chasing City also visit White Hart Lane, a stadium where they have run out 5-1 winners in two of the past three seasons. It is a fixture list that will demand every drop of newfound resilience from a squad that has already battled through 40 games in all competitions.

The wider landscape of the top-four race is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. Just six points separate surprise package Southampton in third from a steadily resurgent Liverpool in seventh, while immediately above the two north London giants are a United who, despite a hugely talented squad assembled at historic expense, remain a disjointed mess.

Three more months and 14 more matches will no doubt see fortunes ebb and flow in all directions. But while Tottenham won a significant skirmish at White Hart Lane on Saturday, Arsenal are still well placed to win the battle.

GOAL

Dickson vs. Patience Jonathan: Group calls for governor’s sack

A political pressure group, Network for Bayelsa People’s Agenda, NBPA, has called for the removal of Governor Seriake Dickson.

The group also commended some Bayelsa residents, who, during the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential rally in Yenagoa, booed the governor.

The group said the booing of the Governor at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex is a clear evidence that the people have lost confidence in the leadership style of the governor who has been having a running battle with Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Jonathan.

In a statement made available to journalists in Yenagoa and signed by its chairman, Ibipa Oweiza, the group noted that all attempts to prevent the people from ventilating their views by government officials failed.

The group accused Mr. Dickson of handling state matters as if it were a private estate, saying the action of the people has reinforced they were not satisfied with the governor’s style of leadership.

Mr. Dickson was also alleged to have empowered only his kinsmen and in-laws in the award of contracts while telling other residents that there was no money in the state due to drop in federal allocation.

The group thus called on President Goodluck Jonathan to look into their demands. It alleged that the high handedness and lack of human feeling of the governor could no longer be tolerated.

“We are the people who are feeling the pains of Dickson’s leadership are the in a better position to say so, and we urge President Jonathan to listen to the voice of the people,” the group stated.

In a reaction to the protest, the governor’s spokesperson, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, maintained that Mr. Dickson’s supporters were in the majority and accused members of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, and Women for Change Initiative as those behind the booing.

The allegation by Mr. Dickson against Women for Change Initiative, a non-governmental organisation promoted by Mrs. Jonathan, and TAN which is controlled in Bayelsa by Mrs. Jonathan’s loyalists, may yet be a signal that the First Lady may have stood her grounds on replacing Mr. Dickson.

“Attempts by members of TAN and Women for Change and Development Initiative to boo and stone the Governor were drowned by the singing and drumming of pro-Dickson supporters, who were at the venue of the rally in their numbers,” Mr. Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary said.

Mr. Dickson, sworn in as governor of President Goodluck Jonathan’s home state on February 12, 2012, is expected to remain in office until 2016, unless he resigns, dies, or is impeached. His predecessor, Timipre Sylva, also had a running battle with Mr. Jonathan which led to his exit from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Mr. Sylva, who is being prosecuted for corruption, is now a leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.

Premium Times

Ebimobowei opens Ahly goals account

Nigerian striker Peter Ebimobowei has opened his goals’ account with Al Ahly in the Egyptian league as he scored in a 3-1 win at El Shorta.
Al Ahly are third on the league table with 36 points from 19 games.

The former Bayelsa United striker opened scoring in the 40th minute to end the first stanza 1-0 in favour of the Egyptian giants.

He lasted for 70 minutes when he was replaced with Emad Meteb.
Nana Bako equalised for the host in the 60th minute, but two goals from Waleed Soliman in the last 10 minutes (80th and 89th minutes) of the game sealed Al Ahly’s victory.

Jonathan’s support for Dickson causes confusion in First Lady’s camp

Confusion has hit the camp of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, in Bayelsa State following the public endorsement Governor Seriake Dickson by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan, at the presidential rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yenagoa at the weekend, snubbed his wife’s camp and identified with Dickson, declaring total support for his administration.

Dickson and the First Lady have been at daggers’ drawn over the latter’s alleged plot to undermine the former and unseat him using the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) as a platform.
But the President said: “Those who don’t like the governor (Dickson) don’t like me because I am working with the governor. I have read stories. Some people are coming to spoil your minds.

“If you don’t like the leadership that we put in place then you don’t like me. So, don’t allow people to spoil your minds. I have noticed that you young people 0.4 per cent of you who are here have been instigated by people who don’t like us.
“But I am telling you that you must work with the governor of this state for you to benefit from us.
“We are together, we work together to bring dividends of democracy to this state.”

He added: “Don’t allow anybody to deceive you. I am telling you as your brother.
“I am telling you as your uncle. You must work with the government to make sure that we develop this state. You have to work with us.”
Jonathan’s remarks were said to have jolted anti-Dickson’s elements who had earlier thought that the President would join a section of the alleged sponsored crowd to humiliate the governor.
It was gathered that the state leadership of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), which allegedly hired the booing crowd was disappointed after Jonathan gave a clean bill of health to Dickson.

A member of the camp, who pleaded anonymity, described the President’s statement as a big disappointment.
He said: “We recall that Jonathan told Dickson that we would join to stone him when Bayelsans decide to stone him for non-performance.
“We know the speech was a political speech because the First Lady didn’t mention Dickson while delivering his lengthy speech. But we know he made the statement because he wanted his votes intact.”

It was gathered that following the body language of the President, some members of TAN were pushing to have private audience with the governor to pledge their loyalty.
Investigations revealed that residents in Yenagoa are of the opinion that the President has endorsed Dickson for a second term and there is nothing anybody can do about it.

It was also gathered that a delegation of Bayelsa elders is planning a visit to thank the President for backing the governor and saving the state from “needless anarchy and chaos”.

The Nation

North rejects election postponement

Prominent northern groups and individuals on Friday opposed calls for the postponement of the forthcoming general elections while they also vowed to resist any attempt by the Federal Government to sack Professor Attahiru Jega as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
In separate interviews withSUNDAY PUNCH, those who spoke lambasted the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly led by Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, for seeking the postponement of the polls.
They also condemned the Assembly’s call for the sacking and arrest of Jega for allegedly conniving with northern leaders to rig President Goodluck Jonathan out of office.
The SNPA, at a press conference on Thursday, threatened that elections would not hold in the southern part of the country should the commission decide to go ahead with the exercise as scheduled.
However, the apex northern socio-political group, Arewa Consultative Forum, said it might be forced to push for a boycott of the elections in the North if it was shifted.
A National Executive Council member of the ACF, Mohammed Abdulrahman, said, “Any attempt by the Federal Government, colluding with the PDP, to postpone the elections or sack Prof. Attahiru Jega and replace him with a pliant alternative will only increase the challenges this current administration under President Jonathan is facing.
“The North may boycott the election if it is shifted. Jega has said it several times that INEC is ready to conduct the elections.”
Corroborating Abdulrahman, the past National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Mr. Anthony Sani, warned Nigerians not to rule out the possibility of the removal of Jega, just as the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (now the Emir of Kano), Lamido Sanusi, was removed from office.
Sani said, “When they say Prof. Jega should be sacked because there have been allegations that there is connivance between INEC and northerners to rig President Jonathan out of office, I begin to wonder how northerners, who bring up the rear in almost everything under the sun, would be able to outsmart the South in that regard.”
Similarly, the NEF on Friday said it was surprised that the Presidency had become jittery over the elections.
The Deputy Chairman of the Maitama Sule-led forum, Dr. Paul Unongo, said the INEC Chairman supervised the 2011 election and declared Jonathan the winner and Buhari the loser despite that Jega is of northern origin like the latter.
He also queried why the PDP and the Presidency had not called for the postponement of the elections since INEC made the time-table public over one year ago.
Similarly, the National Coordinator, Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, described as “insidious and self-serving” the southern leaders’ call for Jega’s resignation.
He stated that Jega could not be forcefully removed, as the Electoral Law was clear on his appointment.
“Even the National Assembly cannot remove him without two-thirds majority. The President has no power to remove him and he cannot try what he tried with (former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor) Lamido Sanusi by saying they are suspending him. He has no right to even suspend him,” Mohammed stated.
In the same vein, the National President, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Mr. Yerima Shettima, said calls for poll postponement were strange.
He said, “If INEC says it is prepared, then the Federal Government should allow the commission to go ahead with the elections. Let us remember that whoever triggers any tension does so at the expense of the entire nation.
Similarly, the Tanko Yakassai-led Northern Elders Counci said no one could sack Jega apart from the National Assembly.
Yakassai said, “They had better read the constitution; Jega can only resign on his own. The provision in the constitution for the removal of the chairman of the commission is clear. The Senate can begin the process, but they cannot tell him to resign.
Meanwhile, the British High Commission toldSUNDAY PUNCHon Friday that it was in support of credible elections in Nigeria. The High Commission’s press officer, Edward Dunn, said it was willing to work with the Federal Government to achieve this.
He said, “We welcome the recent signing of the Abuja Accord and other similar commitments around the country. We call on all political parties, security forces and other actors to do everything possible to ensure Nigerians are able to exercise their democratic rights, free from the threat of violence.”

PUNCH

Tompolo Replies Danjuma, Accuses Him of Ignoring APC’s Tirades

Tompolo

Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Former militant and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo, on Thursday replied former defence minister, Gen. T.Y Danjuma, for calling for his arrest over inflammatory statements at a time Nigeria needs peace.

He asked where Danjuma was when Mallam Ciroma Adamu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, and the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, made inciting statements about making Nigeria ungovernable.

The ex-Niger Delta militant queried why President Jonathan’s convoy was stoned in Katsina and Bauchi States while Gen. Buhari had a peaceful outing when he campaigned in the Niger-Delta states.

‎Tompolo then reiterated his recent declaration that  President Goodluck Jonathan must win next month’s election for Nigeria to continue to stay together.

Danjuma had in Kano condemned those making reckless and provocative statements, adding that time had come for the federal government to arrest some former Niger Delta militants, including Tompolo, and leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, among others.

Cholera outbreak in Bayelsa: Death toll hits 30

No less that 30 deaths have been recorded in Bayelsa following the outbreak of Cholera in the state, a health official in the state has told PREMIUM TIMES.
Investigations indicate that the lack of potable water, one of the major causes of the disease, is acute even in Public Health Institutions.
At the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa, water vendors – mai-ruwa – remains the dominant source of water supply.
The cholera outbreak was reported two weeks ago in Sagbama and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas but it was gathered that the situation escalated following the poor handling of the epidemic.
Out of the 30, dead, eight victims were from Osiama and Ekede in Sagbama, the local government of Governor Seriake Dickson, while twelve others hailed from Southern Ijaw, the local council of the Bayelsa House of Assembly Speaker, Kombowei Benson.
The Commissioner for Health, Ayiabatonye Owei, confirmed the outbreak, but declined to give figures; a development that casts doubts on the sincerity of the government to deal with the epidemic.
Sources in the affected communities in Sagbama and Southern Ijaw council areas said that victims who stooled and vomited before death were hurriedly buried by their families to forestall further infection.
They urged the government and other relevant agencies to urgently provide potable water to the affected communities.

Premium Times