Ekiti 2014: APC crying wolf – Presidency

Mr. Jonathan’s spokesperson, Reuben Abati, in a statement on Thursday said the allegation by the APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, was inaccurate.

The Presidency on Friday said it was not true that the Goodluck Jonathan administration was repressing the opposition in the build-up to the Ekiti governorship election.

Mr. Jonathan’s spokesperson, Reuben Abati, in a statement on Thursday said the allegation by the APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, was like crying “wolf where there is none.”

“It is absolutely wrong to accuse this administration of repression,” Mr. Abati said. “If anything, this administration has been most tolerant of opposition and most respectful of everybody’s right of association. This accusation cannot stand at all.”

Mr. Oyegun and the APC had earlier accused the federal government of using security agencies to frustrate its activities including barring its governors from entering Ekiti to campaign for Governor Kayode Fayemi.

“We urge President Goodluck Jonathan to live up to his pledge, made several times over, that he would always ensure that elections held under his watch are free and fair, and that his ambition is not worth the life of any Nigerian,” Mr. Oyegun said. “The President should call his dogs of war to order before their precipitate a serious crisis in Ekiti,” he added.

Mr. Abati, however, said “the Jonathan administration remains committed to democracy and its principles.”

“Where elections are concerned, it is a matter of public record that President Jonathan is committed to free and fair elections and the integrity of elections. This is in fact one of the major areas of achievements of his administration.

“In Ekiti election and any other election at all, the government is committed to one man, one vote; one woman, one vote; and one youth, one vote which is President Jonathan’s concept.

“At the same time, the security agencies have an obligation to ensure that people who, with their choices, would rather compromise the integrity of the process are not allowed to do so.

“Rather than cry wolf where there is none, it is the APC and its leaders that should embark on soul searching,” he added.

Australia lists Boko Haram as terror group

Australia has formally listed Boko Haram as a terrorist organization.

The move makes it illegal to fund, train with, recruit for or become a member of the group which is keeping over 200 abducted schoolgirls for the third month running.

Australia has joined with the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Nigeria in their decision to list the group as a terror organization.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced plans to list Boko Haram last month, saying the world was transfixed and horrified by the group’s hostage taking.

They are also responsible for the deaths of another 300 people in recent bombings.

People found to be associated with the group could face up to 25 years in jail.

Brazil 2014: Okonjo-Iweala rallies support for Eagles

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has joined the teeming number of expectant football fans backing the Super Eagles to defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina in Saturday’s World Cup match in Brazil.

Okonjo-Iweala took to social media to register her support for the team who has come under intense criticism after drawing with Iran on Monday.

“Go, Nigeria! We can still do it. Bosnia, here we come!” she tweeted.

Nigeria is expected to defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday in order to boost its chances of qualifying for the next round of the World Cup.

The kickOffNigeria.com reports that the team has already arrived in Cuiaba, and resumed training on Friday at the pitch of the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso.

APC Lied To Nigerians About Kano Governor’s Air Travel

It has been revealed that the All Progressives Congress, APC, lied about federal officials preventing the plane carrying the Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, from landing in Akure.

After investigation by PREMIUM TIMES, it was discovered that at the time the APC was claiming Kwankwaso was being barred from getting to Ekiti, he was in Kano and was said to have no plans of travelling to Ekiti.

The APC, had in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, claimed Mr. Kwankwaso and two other APC governors, Adams Oshiomhole of Edo and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, were barred from getting to Ekiti to support Governor Kayode Fayemi’s re-election bid.

However, when the spokesperson of the governor was contacted he had said his boss was in Kano and had no plans to travel to Ekiti.

"The governor is in Kano here, he did not have plans of going to Akure, none that I know of," Mr. Dantiye said.

On realising that his party had released a statement to the contrary, Mr. Dantiye called back to say he was at an event with the governor and would not “want to confirm or deny” the APC’s claim.

It was gathered by PREMIUM TIMES that the event the Kano governor attended in Kano on Thursday was the graduation of 1120 mechanics and vulcanisers from the 44 local governments of the state and his supporters posted pictures of the event on Facebook.

Though the party lied about Kwankwaso, their claims about Gov. Amaechi being prevented from getting to Ekiti is true.

The spokesperson to Gov. Oshiomhole also revealed that, the governor's aircraft was barred from leaving Benin airport.

Meanwhile when the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Olajide Laleye was contacted on why they detained Amaechi, he denied the incident.

Reports surfaced online that Gov. Amaechi's plane had been impounded on his arrival in Akure and he was held hostage for over an hour by security operatives in Odudu, Ondo state, but he was later released.

Sources: Premium Times

Atiku Warns PDP-Led Federal Governemt Against Impunity

 
The former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar on Thursday, reacted to the grounding of the All Progressive Congress (APC), governors planes from taking off from their various federal government owned state airports.

The former vice president, who made this known in a statement issued in Abuja from his media office said, the decision was part of measures to stop the APC governors from attending the campaign rally for their Ekiti State counterpart, Kayode Fayemi. 

The Turaki Adamawa, who warned the federal government against impunity stated that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP led administration under President Goodluck Jonathan is turning the country into a police state following the restrictions placed on the way of the governors and party members. 

Atiku pointed out that the action of the PDP-led federal government in stopping the governors of Kano, Rivers and Edo from attending the APC governorship campaign rally in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, was in a Gestapo-like manner which is capable of turning Nigeria into a Banana Republic where fundamental rights of citizens are trampled upon with impunity.

He said it was very surprising to see the way the federal government has been dragging the military and police into politics.

"The government must stop instigating state security agents paid from tax payers money against helpless, and law abiding Nigerians" Atiku said. "Our gallant military men should remain focused on securing and protecting the territorial integrity of our great nation, especially in this time of terror attacks and insurgency across the country."

Atiku, who made a promise at the party's national convention that he would lead the movement to oust the present administration which he described as inept and incompetent.

The former vice president further asserted that the present administration has failed Nigerians, and reminded the populace that "a government that deprives its citizens from access to jobs and education as manifested by the on-going closure of some tertiary institutions, such as polytechnics, to be shut for nearly a year, has alienated itself from the masses and will definitely suffer the repercussion at the polls, use of force or not."

Atiku also reiterated that the APC remains the only viable alternative to the PDP-led government, saying: "is a prescription for socio-political peace, progress, equity, security, unity and national development."

Obanikoro Refutes APC's Allegations

 
Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, the Minister of State for Defence, on Thursday blasted the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the allegation made against him.

It would be recalled that the APC had earlier accused the minister of moving some ballot papers to Akure, Ondo State capital ahead Saturday's governorship election in Ekiti State.

Speaking in Abuja at the official commencement ceremony of the Barracks Health Committee, an Armed Forces Programme on AIDS Control (AFPAC), a partnership between the Ministry of Defence and the United State Department of Defence, Obanikoro stated that he doesn't owe the APC any explanation neither did he need to seek its permission to move around the country.

“I am the Minister of State for Defence, and not in charge of electoral matters for goodness sake. Sometimes I think we take our politics too far. For anybody to make such a reckless allegation against my person, I think it is politics carried too far" Obanikoro said.

“As you can see, I am here today performing my official responsibility. If I have anything to do outside Abuja, I don’t need the permission of the APC to move around the country. I am a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and my focus is how to deliver the president’s agenda and not to play politics with everything. I go to wherever, on Monday I will be in Kaduna, if there is an election in Kaduna, will APC tell me not to go there and perform my responsibility. I don’t owe anyone explanation for my presence in any part of the country.

“Leaders who are shortsighted play politics with everything, leaders like us, we are not in this for personal reasons, we are in this because we believe we can serve the people and our focus is more on the future than on today,” the minister stated" he added.

The minister, who went ahead to explain the even of the day said, the inauguration was a part of the programmes aimed at flushing out HIV/AIDS from the country, as well as to educate Nigerians on the need to take ownership of the programme. He said it was his love for grassroots methods of fixing issues that made him attend the event, noting that the military's efforts towards the programme has also helped in reducing HIV/AIDS infection.

“We are on the right track they just need to be encouraged, I have seen commitment on their part and all we can do at the leadership level is to ensure that the necessary support is given to ensure continuity” he said.

Col. Nurudeen Hussain, who gave the overview of the Barracks Health Committee Project, said it was aimed at stemming the tide of HIV epidemic and mitigate its impact on personnel. He said that the Ministry of Defence established the AFPAC in 1993 with the aim of developing and implementing sustainable prevention strategies with the military.

According to him, the prevalence of HIV in the military has reduced with 2.5 per cent compared to 4.1 per cent of national average as contained in the 2010 report of Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance (IBBS). He listed the 11 pilot barracks of the programme to include Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, Comilla Barracks, Kaduna, Abakpa Cantonment, Enugu, Joe Akahan Barracks, Makurdi, Eburutu Barracks, Calabar, among others.

Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), who was represented by the Director of Medicals, Rear Admiral Sam Epelle, said sound health of troops as well as their families was important for successful execution of military operations.

Badeh added that with the current security challenge in the country, it was very important for soldiers to be medically fit in order for them to be able protect the country. 

Rochas Okorocha Asks Goodluck Jonathan To Save Nyako From Impeachment

 
The top official has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan asking him to save Adamawa State governor Murtala Nyako from impeachment.

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors’ Forum and Imo governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha made the request following the yesterday's breaking news saying that Adamawa House of Assembly served the impeachment notices to Nyako and his deputy.

Okorocha urged the House of Assembly to drop the motion also asking the Presidency to intervene in the matter, The Paradigm reports.

The official explained that in the course of current security challenges Nigeria faces it was inappropriate for anybody to touch upon the impeachment issue. Forum Chairman stressed the fact that such a move could lead to even more tension in Adamawa and urged the state stakeholders to prevent such a situation for the sake of peace in the country.

Instead he advised the politicians and lawmakers to throw the effort currently spent on impeachment proceedings on the more important issue, which is the rescue of abducted Chibok girls.

Okorocha said it would be surprising for the world to know that amid the security problems Nigeria is discussing the impeachment.