Media mogul Oprah Winfrey apparently ended her brief flirtation with a run for the U.S. presidency in 2020, telling InStyle magazine in an interview published on Thursday that she was not interested.
But the leader of a political action committee supporting Winfrey said it would still to try to persuade her to run and continue seeking to recruit 1 million supporters.
Winfrey, 63, stole the show at the Golden Globes awards ceremony earlier this month with a speech against sexual harassment and assault. It sparked an online campaign to lure her into running against Republican U.S. President Donald Trump in the next election cycle.
“It’s not something that interests me,” Winfrey told InStyle. .”.. I met with someone the other day who said that they would help me with a campaign. That’s not for me.”
Winfrey, long associated with Democratic Party causes and fundraising, could not be reached for immediate comment.
Winfrey’s friends had backed the idea with her longtime partner in business and life, Stedman Graham, telling the Los Angeles Times “she would absolutely do it” if there was sufficient public support. Confidante Gayle King said on “CBS This Morning” that Winfrey was “intrigued” by the idea.
After the Golden Globes, Democratic political consultant Cormac Flynn said he began receiving calls from associates who immediately persuaded him to support a Winfrey run, and he formed the National Committee to Draft Oprah Winfrey for President of the United States 2020.
The committee would continue despite the InStyle interview, Flynn said, noting that other politicians have decided to run after initially declining.
“The purpose of our committee is to convince Oprah to reconsider,” said Flynn, whose independent expenditure committee, or Super PAC, consists of two unpaid staff and two consulting firms that are donating their time.
“She’s an exceptional leader and would be a tremendous president,” Flynn said.
Known by millions on first-name basis, Winfrey first rose to fame as the host of a television talk show, using it to build a media empire that spans magazine publishing, movie and television production, cable TV and satellite radio. Born into poverty, she is now one of the world’s wealthiest women and been nominated for two Academy Awards.
Trump relished the idea of a celebrity-versus-celebrity campaign, telling reporters earlier this month he did not think Winfrey would run but believed he would win that matchup.
“I’ll beat Oprah,” Trump said. “Oprah would be a lot of fun.”
(Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Andrew Hay)
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
WASHINGTON, Jan 25 (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department’s internal watchdog said Thursday it recovered five months of missing text messages between two Federal Bureau of Investigation officials whom Republicans have accused of bias against President Donald Trump.
In a letter to several key Republican lawmakers, Inspector General Michael Horowitz said he would not object if the Justice Department shares with congressional committees the messages between FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI lawyer Lisa Page that were recovered using forensic tools.
In texts that were previously released to Congress, Strzok and Page referred to Trump as an “idiot” and a “loathsome human.” After news reports about the messages, lawmakers demanded to see them amid Republican concerns that agency officials were biased against Trump.
Strzok and Page both worked on the FBI’s investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, and they also each briefly worked on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing probe into whether the 2016 Trump campaign colluded with Russia.
Their cellphones are just two of “thousands” whose texts were not backed up and stored on the FBI’s systems between Dec. 14, 2016 and May 17, 2017, according to a Justice Department official.
The FBI has blamed the snafu on “misconfiguration issues” that occurred while the bureau was rolling out new software updates for Samsung 5 devices.
But Republicans have claimed the timing is suspect, especially because May 17 marks the date that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel.
Strzok and Pages’ text messages have become a focal point of congressional Republicans’ investigation into whether the FBI is biased against Trump and gave Clinton more favorable treatment in its investigation of her private email use.
Horowitz, whose office is conducting its own review into the FBI’s handling of the Clinton matter, discovered the texts over the summer and informed Mueller. Strzok was then reassigned. Page, meanwhile, left the team in July after her 45-day detail ended.
While Republicans have accused the two of bias against Trump, some of the texts suggest he was just one of many people targeted in their routine political banter.
At times, for instance, they were also critical of Clinton.
In addition, another Strzok text also appears to contradict the notion that the FBI is out to get Trump, after he told Page he was hesitant to join Mueller’s team because of his “gut sense and concern there’s no big there there.”
Mom says daughter called her before dying in school rampage
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Two more women have come forward to accuse Nelly of sexual assault, according to court documents in a pending rape lawsuit against the rapper. Earlier this week, his first accuser, Monique Greene, filed an injunction requesting that a judge legally force Nelly to stop sexually assaulting women.
In her filing, Greene cites accusations from two other unidentified women to demonstrate an alleged pattern of abuse. According to “Jane Doe 1,” Nelly invited her to a VIP room after one of his concerts in England in June 2016, where he allegedly grabbed her leg and groped her under her skirt. “Jane Doe 2” says that in December 2017, also after a Nelly concert in England, she was invited onto Nelly’s tour bus with her friends. There, she says Nelly took her to a separate room and allegedly masturbated in front of her, forcibly placed her hand on his penis, and proceeded to make her perform oral sex on him.
In October 2017, Nelly was arrested on suspicion of raping Greene, who had claimed he sexually assaulted her on his tour bus in Ridgefield, Washington. Greene later dropped the criminal charges, saying she did not “feel safe enough” to testify in court and instead sued Nelly for defamation and sexual assault. In her amended lawsuit, Greene claims that Nelly “threatened” and “intimidated” her after she pressed charges. Nelly has denied the rape accusation and said he will take legal action against her. Greene’s lawyer tells the Daily Beast that police in England have been in contact with her team about the new allegations, and that “more than two” other women have come forward to Greene with more allegations against Nelly but do not have “permission” to go public with their stories.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Niger Delta Amnesty Vendors’ Forum in collaboration with Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-agitators/Justice for the Abandoned Youths of Nigeria, today marched through major streets in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the National Security Adviser, Gen. Mongonu to stop interfering with the day to day administration of the Presidential Amnesty Office in the interest of peace in the Niger Delta region.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the massive rally which started from the beginning of Ada-George road to terminate at Agip round about by Ikwerri road, President of the Niger Delta Amnesty Vendors’ Forum, Tari Okosi and Coordinator of the Coalition for Niger Delta Ex-agitators/Justice for the Abandoned Youths of Nigeria, Comrade Okpakariari Eferebo lamented how the National Security Adviser has shut down the Amnesty Office, warning that the interference of the NSA could trigger fresh simultaneous violent protests across the region.
They called on the President to use his good offices to intervene before the issue gets out of hands. Meanwhile, the groups have expressed fears that the National Security Adviser may be playing out a prepared script from politicians who are bent on derailing the President’s new vision for the Niger Delta region.
In a swift reaction to the unfolding developments at the Presidential Amnesty Office, Coordinator of the Patriotic Niger Deltans for Good Governance, Comrade Adonba Amgbare, pointed out that the ongoing undue interference from the National Security Adviser to the President has come to the people of the Niger Delta region not as a surprise, judging from the recent provocative statements from some persons in the north.
According to him, the current reported actions of the National Security Adviser against the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme may invalidate all the milestones of the present administration in achieving sustainable peace in the Niger Delta region, saying that the people of the area are satisfied with what the Presidential Amnesty Office under Gen. Paul Boroh (Rtd) is doing in the region.
Signed By
Tari Okosi and Comrade Okpakariari Eferebo for President of the Niger Delta Amnesty Vendors’ Forum and Coalition for Niger Delta Ex-agitators/Justice for the Abandoned Youths of Nigeria
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
In today’s Nigerian (and most African) society with everything going on, from politics to terrorism to religious and ethnic intolerance and corruption of epidemic proportions, it is very helpful if we as a people learn to start respecting other people’s opinions, views, position, outlook, and rights, etc.
Oftentimes disagreements and heated debates start between people because they have differences of opinions toward a certain subject. In my years in this world, and with my upbringing, education, and life’s experience, I have learnt that just because someone has a different opinion from your own does not mean that their opinion is wrong. An opinion is not a fact, therefore there is no right or wrong view – it is just that, an opinion. It is the same thing with a view; just because someone does not view something the way you should not degenerate into an argument or debate with them about why you are right, and they are wrong. Because they think you are wrong and they’re right.
Respecting other people’s opinions, views, rights, and dispositions also show that one is well mannered and that one shows respect for that person as well. If someone has a different opinion than yours and you reply with “I understand and respect your opinion” rather than replying with your opinion and why it is right and why they are wrong, the person who has a different opinion than you will respect you in return.
I have for most of my short life believed in respecting people. And by that, I am saying that one should treat other people as one would like to be treated. One should expect them to be as good as oneself, as smart as oneself, as caring and so forth. And one should respect their right to have an opinion.
But I think that opinions should not be free from criticism. And they should only command what respect they have earned. In other words, if one respects another person and that other person does not return the respect, then, they do not deserve the respect that has been shown to them, and the respect should be withdrawn.
In our Nigerian society, one of the reasons why we find ourselves in the dire situation and environment that we are is that acute absence of respect for everything we do. It is plain DISRESPECT! I am not talking about the Respect we often mouth in our culture, e.g. respect for elders. Look at it the following way:
We do not respect each other, and that is why people appointed or elected into positions of trust and authority decide to take us for granted and steal public funds meant for the development and betterment of the population at large.
Our rulers (I really hate calling them leaders, because, in the real sense, they are not leading anybody) do not give us respect. Yet, we respect them a lot, in fact, we treat them like gods. If they respected us, they will not be treating their people like they have been doing for over 50 years. They will not be stealing our money; they will not be cheating and riffing or gunning their way to power; they will be providing us with good governance because we trusted and respected them; and to crown it all, if these people respected us, they will not be tempting us to vote for them by distributing rice, garri, bread, palm oil and vegetable oil and a few Naira to us. It is people you do not respect that you induce with such mundane things (maybe not to some people), but you see, they know what they are doing. They have made sure we are in perpetual poverty of stomach and mind and that’s where they left us, so come election times, they will meet us in the same position and we will be susceptible to their bribes. It never fails to work. We will even maim and kill for them to get to power.
We do not respect human life, even our own life, and examples are replete on our streets and roads – governments and officials with responsibility refuse to fix the roads; careless driving; ignoring safety rules while carrying our normal daily chores, selling fake drugs and fake or substandard equipment just to gain an advantage and make money; your mechanic cheating you and putting the same part he told you is faulty back in your car despite collecting money for a new one. All these show lack of respect for you and your life.
We do not respect authority – we flout the laws of the land (criminal, traffic, etc) every day; politicians and leaders flout the Constitution to which they have sworn to uphold every day; even those expected to uphold and enforce the laws flout the law because they do not care, hence the chaos and anarchy we have in our society.
We do not have any respect for human and civil rights. Again, this is exemplified in our every day trudges as we struggle to escape poverty and oppression. Our police and other law enforcement and security agencies are more of instruments of terror and oppression of the masses by the rulers than providers of safety and security and services to the people they proclaim to serve.
All tiers of government – executive, legislative, judiciary and civil service – have turned themselves into demi-gods, whose words and deeds are rarely challenged, and if challenged, because there is no respect in the land, the challenger will be the victim of the most vicious campaign of calumny and personal attacks one has ever seen. Even in the most elitist of societies, the West, there is still a lot of respect from the upper class for the lower class, such that everything is provided for the less fortunate in the society, and thus have no cause to complain of marginalisation or oppression. These so-called elite (if indeed, we can call them that) plough enough back into the society to reach everybody. This is because they respect human life; respect the right to life and to good decent living for everybody irrespective of social status; respect the right of the individual and the collective; respect the environment, etc
We do not have respect for our environment, the very environment that is the very source and sustenance of our existence as human, and that is why you see piles and mountains of litter and refuse all over the place. We dispose of our garbage anyhow we want it; we do our body functions anywhere we see to do it; we do not give any thought to the effect of the noise from our generators (a result of lack of provision of electricity by our leaders) either to ourselves or to our neighbours.
When you have a section of the society behaving with impunity and reckless disregard for our sworn Constitution, no matter how imperfect it is; law and order; rule of law; governing, legislative, judicial, and electoral systems, it is marked disrespect for the people they are supposed to be governing. That means your rulers take you for granted; they are insensitive to your plight and condition of living. You die of poverty, you die, what concerns them?
After you have blown your sirens to force people to give way to you, what happens when you have left office? After all, power and positions are transient. The people you disregarded and disrespected on your way up are the same you’re going to meet on your way down.
Another proof of the elite/government disrespect for the common man by whose grace they are in power id the preponderance of uniformed authority. I went to a function hosted by a uniformed agency just las week and I was awed by number of “uniformed authorities” that were present – the Police, Traffic Wardens, the DSS, the SSS, the Armed Forces, the Road Safety, Customs, Immigration, Prisons, NDLEA, VIO, Peace Corps, Rescue, Fire Brigade, Civil Defence, Man O’War, Vigilantes, NURTW, ACOMORAN, the States’ owned traffic and environmental services, etc. If you are not intimidated by these numbers of uniforms on the roads and in the community, one must be a hardened criminal. And some of these agencies even have different uniforms within the same agency, e.g. the Nigerian Police – regular, MOPOL, SARS, Rapid Response, Anti-Terrorist, Anti-Kidnapping, etc. It is crazy and oppressive and disrespectful to the common people, who are bullied, ravaged, brutalised and taken advantage of daily, by several of these agencies. And we say we are a democracy!!!
That syndrome called, “African Time” is another sign of our disrespect for time, punctuality and especially to the people waiting for you, at a meeting, function, event or anywhere. African leaders are particularly fond of disrespecting the people who put them in power by deliberately arriving late to functions they are invited to or that they themselves have called for. To them, it is a sign of weakness to arrive on time for a function. They take it for granted that the people waiting for them must not leave and must not start the function unless they arrive. It is arrogance and disrespect personified and taken to the highest level. But there we have it!
On the societal side, lateness for work (another form of African Time); indolence; shoddy execution of assignments, contracts, and jobs; cheating at examinations; demanding for bribes to perform services which are normally free; embezzlement of funds; all these constitute disrespect for societal and moral values. Such then beget petty corruption which then escalates gradually to the bigger and more fatal forms of corruption that is now pervasive and endemic in our society.
Disrespect is Disregard is Contempt is Disdain is Insolence is Scorn is Impudence is Impertinence is Impunity is Neglect!!
Please let us look around at the way we live our everyday lives in Africa, and you see and experience and suffer all the above and following daily: abuse of power; abuse of authority; abuse of position; abuse of office; abuse of privileges; abuse of opportunities; abuse of the public and the society; abuse of the environment; abuse of human and civil rights; abuse of property, abuse of justice; abuse of court processes; abuse of the Constitutional requirements and laid down procedures; abuse of political and electoral processes; abuse of education; abuse of freedom; etc. All these lead to lack of good governance and poor, visionless, and focus-less leadership.
On a more personal and individually human level, besides learning about oblique aspects of our psyche and background, here are other reasons why we should be open to understanding the differences in others:
You’ll learn new things and make better decisions – for our leaders/rulers. That’s all the people ask for – make decisions that will better their lives.
You’ll make more exciting friends – for our neighbours and people we interact with.
You’ll be a more broadminded and progressive person – for our politicians, who are insensitive charlatans hungry for power but do not know how to use the power they acquired by hook or crook.
You’ll feel better, more secure and satisfied – for the individual in the society, and for the leaders who will be able to walk freely amongst their own people, with no excessive security surrounding them to protect them from the wrath of the people.
You’ll make the world a better place and will be remembered for your legacy – for our rulers, civil servants, and other public officials. Power is transient; make your tenure felt for good by the people, “the evil that men do, lives after them”.
Don’t these also apply to how we govern ourselves?
There is nothing to gain from disrespect and abuses to others, the society and the environment. We are the losers.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Again, the Rivers State governor, Barr. Nyesom Wike has presented a budget of N510 billion to the Rivers State House of Assembly Thursday with the usual fanfare. Expectedly, so he did for 2016 and 2017. However, presentation of the budget proposals remains the last Rivers citizens see of their actual budgets thereafter. All attempts to compel the governor to make public the final appropriation laws (budgets) have met the brick wall. This is at variance with what obtains in all other states of Nigeria and the federal government where budgets are easily placed in the public domain for everyone to access at will.
The Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, will not accept a repeat of what happened in the past two years where the governor vehemently refused to make public the state’s budgets. We are pleased to know that a coalition of civil society groups is already in court to compel the Rivers State governor to make public the previous state’s budgets. As a party, we will not refrain from lending a strong voice to the clamour to give the public access to the state’s budgets.
At the risk of sounding pessimistic, early signs already indicate that Rivers people should not expect any cheery news from the present budget proposal presented by Gov. Nyesom Wike last Thursday.
In his budget proposal presentation speech, nothing suggested that the budget will be placed in public space this time around as the governor made no comments on the clamour by the people to be given access to their budgets. His refusal to react to that clamour clearly suggests that he will continue ignoring the people and keep holding the state budgets hostage.
As a political party, the APC team of budget experts is carefully studying the appropriation bill presented to the Rivers State House of Assembly. However, we note that the actual kernel of a budget which the team will be evaluating is whether all the processes the House should put the bill through are conformed with because that is largely what will legitimise the final outcome or invalidate it . Another is whether this time around the final budget will be placed in public space just as all other
states in Nigeria including the federal government do.
Meanwhile we will continue to ask why the present government has refused to follow in the footsteps of all previous administrations in Rivers State especially that of the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (in which the present governor served as Chief of Staff) by placing the state budgets in public space so that Rivers people and other critical stakeholders can access them. Gov. Nyesom Wike needs to provide an answer except if there is none and that will confirm our worst fears.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) said the party has read the disgusting tissue of lies contained in Governor Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike recent unguided outburst that President Muhammadu Buhari told him during his recent visit to Aso Rock that he (Buhari) was under intense pressure from Rivers APC leaders to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, said she wish to unequivocally state that President Muhammadu Buhari never complained to Wike of any pressure to declare State of Emergency in Rivers State.
Rivers State APC in a press statement circulated on Monday by Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze the Media Consultant to the Rivers State APC Chairman, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya further expressed shock that Governor Wike could bring the exalted office of the Governor to odium in such a reckless manner to ascribe to President Buhari something he never said.
The party stated that, “to the best of our knowledge the three issues that Wike discussed with Mr. President were the issues of the Ogoni Clean Up, the Nkpogu Junction incident with Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi where attempt was made on the life of the Minister. The other
issue discussed was the detention of Wike’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) for one week”.
The party therefore urged Governor Wike not only to call himself to order but formally apologise to President Buhari for ascribing words he never uttered to him to score cheap publicity always associated with him.
The party pointed out that Governor Wike’s hatred for both President Buhari and Amaechi is legendary since the two masterminded the ouster from office his ATM machine, (Dr Goodluck Jonathan) under whose watch our common patrimony was looted with impunity. Because of this, Wike is ever ready to use any forum to castigate, insult and malign the persons and personalities of these two great leaders not minding the dire consequences.
The party stated that Wike exhibited his trade mark when he granted audience to the outgoing Anglican Bishop of Niger Delta Province last Friday where he falsely ascribed to Mr. President words he never uttered and further abused and incited Nigerians against the President stating that he Buhari considers the lives of cows more precious to that of the lives of Nigerians.
Wike’s words as captured by Simeon Nwakaudu his Special Assistant on
Electronic Media, “in other climes if ten persons are killed, the President visits to personally assess the situation but here in Nigeria our country has become a security nightmare with 73 persons killed in Benue and mass burial organised for them, with the Presidency acting as if nothing happened. Human lives are not respected. In fact, the lives of cows and chicken appear to be more important than human lives. This has nothing to do with politics. Let us not trivialize the catastrophy that has befallen Nigeria.”
With these inciting words, one can easily state that it is Wike that is courting for state of emergency in Rivers State. This notwithstanding, let us reiterate that nobody is interested to declare state of emergency in Rivers State not minding the abysmal failure of Wike to ensure protection of the lives and properties of Rivers State people.
The party reassures Nigerians particularly the good people of Rivers State that not minding the abysmal failure of Wike in governance in Rivers State that, “we will ensure that he Wike no longer constitute himself as a security challenge to Rivers State and her people as we have no other State to call our own than Rivers State.”
The party observed that Wike in his last Saturday’s outing with Rhythm 93.7 FM told the bewildered world that he was briefed by someone very close to him in his office that he can talk to Don Wanny and his boys to keep calm just after the killings in Omoku but he said NO that their time was up. If this is not vindication of our stand that Wike’s administration has been hobnobbing and romancing with this deadly gang, let him tell the world who this fellow very close to him that he suggested that he should discuss with Don Wanny is.
Apart from the above, the party stated that, nobody is fueling insecurity in Rivers State but the Governor himself that, if not let Wike tell the world where he kept all the Arms the Rivers State Government claimed to have collected from cultists and militants and explain if these arms are not part of the arms kept to arm his yet to be formed Neighborhood Watch gang which he intends to use to cause more damaging mayhem in Rivers State to boast his chances during the 2019 gubernatorial election knowing very well that he stands no chance in any election without violence.
The party concluded by stating that, “Wike need to be watched if our nascent democracy is not to be truncated by his wicked ambition to once again impose himself on Rivers State to the detriment of the growth and industrialization of Rivers State as envisioned by the APC regime if elected.”
ENDS
Source: Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze
SSA Media and Public Affairs Consultant to the State Chairman, APC Rivers State
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation minister, on Thursday reacted to statement credited to Professor Umar Labdo Muhammad of the Faculty of Humanities, Northwest University, Kano that Benue State belongs to the Fulanis by right of conquest.
Fani-Kayode, who berated the University Don, noted that every land Fulani herdsmen took from the Indigenous people in the past will be “reclaimed and retaken.”
In a tweet via his Twitter handle, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chieftain warned that “those the gods wish to destroy they drive mad.”
He wrote, “Benue state belongs to the Fulani by right of conquest -Umar Muhammed.
“Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first drive mad.Every inch of land that was taken by the Fulani invaders from the indigenous people Nigeria over the last 200 years shall be reclaimed and retaken.”
The University Don had predicated his claim on the fact that half of Benue State is part of the Bauchi Emirate and also half of the Adamawa Emirate.
In a post on his Facebook, Muhammad stressed that by extension, Benue is “part and parcel of Sokoto Caliphate” as such nobody has the right to expel Fulani from the state.
Muhammad also stated that Fulani are the largest single nation in the African continent and they have “remained unbeatable throughout their history.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has told Serikin Fulani in the state, Muhammed Abashe, that he will be held responsible for any further attack in the state.
The governor, who was furious about the recent killing of a Tiv woman in Orin Ekiti by people suspected to be Fulani herders, said Abashe had failed in providing leadership by not stopping his kinsmen from destroying farms and attacking residents under slightest provocation.
Fayose said this on Saturday at a peace meeting with Fulani herdsmen under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, farmers, local hunters, security agencies and representatives of the Tiv community in Ado Ekiti.
He said, “If you (Fulani herders) still want to stay among us, you must accept the responsibility to ensure that none of our peoples’ farms is destroyed by herdsmen any longer. None of our people must be killed by your men, either they are strangers or those herdsmen living among us.
“If any killing or destruction of farms of our people occurs again in that area, I will ensure that I use the law to fight you their leader on it. This is the last warning I am giving you” he said.
The governor said the activities of the Fulani herders had continued to stain the names of President Muhammadu Buhari and other notable fulani leaders in the country.
He said, “This killing is giving Fulani people a bad name. If there are no good people among them, how would General Buhari rise to be president? There are doctors, lawyers, engineers and other notable professionals among you. This is denting their names. The greatest of men are the peace makers.
“Even though President Buhari does not send people to kill, it is spoiling his name. We are to make sure the killing stops.”
The governor said he would not compromise in his efforts to shield the state from the menace of the herders.
He promised to enter into partnership to increase surveillance in the state.
“We won’t be intimidated by the terror of the few. The moment you are caught, you will face the law. The killing by fulani is worse than Boko Haram. We want one Nigeria because we have gone far. Anyone harbouring criminals will not know peace. Enough is enough! Life is sacred and must be treated as such.”
“I’m calling on the federal government to be firm, when actions are taken against this mindless individuals, this killing will stop. It is because they are taking it like a family affairs; this is not in the interest of Nigeria. Ordinary Nigerians can’t carry AK47 or pump action.
“I want you to go back home believing in one Nigeria. These are activities of criminals notwithstanding their ethnic background.”
Fayose mandated the herders to register in their location within the next three months for identity and to who to hold responsible for any issue that comes up at any location.
“Many of the Fulani herdsmen who settled down here did so without permission from anyone. No one can be living with us and we – their host – would not know who they are.
“They said some are strangers who only come briefly but we don’t want that. Now, they would register with government for a token of N5,000.
“It is not their money that we need but their identity and locality. The sum of N5,000 would be renewable after a year.
“We are sending a bill to the state assembly which would be that anyone caught and found guilty of harbouring dangerous Fulani herdsmen would be jailed for five years without an option of fine.
“So, I urge every residents in Ekiti to report anyone or stranger who is suspected to be a killer Fulani herdsman.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali has described ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as one of Nigeria’s poorest former leaders.
Ighali speaking with journalists in Abuja over the weekend revealed that Jonathan was still struggling to pay borrowed money for 2015 election.
Igali further described Jonathan as an insolvent person living on his pension.
He said: “Am glad that some of you Journalists are privileged to know where he (Jonathan) lives and where he has his private offices in this country. I do not think President Jonathan can be considered a very rich man.
“You must realize that none of those corruption allegations has been personally linked to him. Jonathan is not a rich man, take it from me. He may be comfortable but not rich. But l know that his pension as a former president is enough to take care of him.
“Indeed Jonathan is still struggling to pay some election liabilities from 2015 until today.
“Despite all the stories of flying billions, Jonathan borrowed money to prosecute some aspects of his election and he is struggling in different ways to meet up.
“There’s a lot of untruths that is being said about him, but l believe history will be very fair to him. He is a very simple man. His background and lifestyle are very simple,He is not jingoistic.
“Thank God some of you guys know where he has an office and where he lives in Maitama, Which former president of Nigeria lives in that kind of place?
“President Jonathan’s parlour in his Maitama house cannot accommodate more than 10 persons. Look at his dining table, it is like any other house in Maitama. The only way you will know that a former president of this country is living there is the presence of security men and which he is entitled to as a former president.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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