Poll: 82 youth groups endorse Jonathan

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Read Time:1 Minute, 23 Second

A coalition of 82 youth groups in Sokoto State on Monday endorsed the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan during the Feb. 14 elections.

Reports have it that the youths endorsed Jonathan and his deputy, Namadi Sambo, at a PDP town hall meeting.

Newsmen also reported that the forum, which also flagged off the non-violence campaign, was organised by the Directorate of Youth Mobilisation of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation.

Speaking at the ceremony, the PDP National Youth Leader, Mr Abdullahi Maibasira, said the PDP abhors violence and other acts capable of causing disunity in the country.

” The PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan in particular believes in the sanctity of human life,” he added.

Maibasira further said that Jonathan would sustain his commendable youth-oriented programmes and policies if re-elected.

According to him, elections should be for peace and national development and not for any selfish interests.

” The youths should therefore shun all acts of violence, collect their PVCs and should come out en masse and vote Jonathan as well as other PDP candidates at all levels in February’s general elections.

” Nigerians generally should do this during the forthcoming polls to enable Jonathan to consolidate on the achievements of the Transformation Agenda,’’ he said.

The PDP Youth Leaders in Sokoto and Zamfara states, Alhaji Aliyu Gidan-Kanawa and Yusuf Alhassan respectively, urged Nigerians not to vote on religious or ethnic lines.

Alhaji Akibu Dalhatu, a chieftain of the party in the state and a former Special Adviser on Youths and Students Matters, warned youths against indulging in acts of violence which may mar the elections.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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The bad and Ugly side of Buhari and Jonathan

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Read Time:9 Minute, 51 Second

Opinion polls commissioned by ANAP Foundation and conducted by NOI Polls (using Gallup methodology) show that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) and his main challenger, Major-General Mohammadu Buhari (Buhari) are currently running neck-to-neck in the 2015 Presidential race. The difference between them in terms of potential votes nation wide is statistically insignificant because it is dwarfed considerably by the much larger percentage of voters who remain “Undecided” – and so the race is truly too close to call.

This election will therefore not be decided by the loyalists. It will be called by the large number of undecided voters (these are the swing voters) and they have one thing in common – they do not like GEJ, but then they do not like Buhari either (they want change but see Buhari as the type of change that is both alarming and worrisome).

In such circumstances, efforts by both candidates to sell themselves forcefully to their core constituencies may simultaneously alienate the swing voters. When Hausa/Fulani elders and/or retired Generals and Muslim leaders shout forcefully that Buhari must have it, the rest of the nation recoils in horror. The same thing happens when misguided elements from the South-South zone and Christian leaders insist that their zone (or a Christian) must have two full terms in Aso Rock. The truth is that the Presidency is not anyone’s birthright and so it is naive and downright foolish to go down that route. Indeed some of these bold declarations by core supporters are akin to a kiss of death with swing voters.

Buhari publicly declared in 2011 that he will not contest again. Jonathan is said to have privately declared in 2011 that he would only stay for a single term. Let us therefore assume that they have both broken their word by contesting in 2015 and so there is little to be gained with the swing voters by dwelling on this.

Swing voters are moved more by what they do not like about either candidate. At the end of the day therefore they will vote “against” the candidate that they dislike more and their collecive actions will determine who wins. That is why this article focuses on the ugly side of Buhari and GEJ and not on their strengths.

Many of the swing voters are upset. They feel that our two major political parties have “cheated” them by forcing them to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea.

During the course of the 2014 National Conference, where I was a delegate, I made a contribution to the effect that past military rulers, who toppled democratically elected governments, should still be tried for treason so as to serve as a permanent detterent to young and ambitious military officers who will then understand that the long arm of the law may get them even in their old age and even after they claim to have repented. Buhari dethroned a democratically elected government in order to become a military head of state at the end of 1983. Many of the swing voters are true democrats who abhor authoritarianism. Buhari was not a benevolent dictator either. He was a vicious and wicked one who used retroactive decrees to sentence youths to death and to jail journalists who dared to publish the whole truth. Can the leopard shed it’s spots overnight as some would have us believe?

Wickedness and callousness are not matters of style and/or fashion they are a reflection of a real personae. Buhari’s unguarded utterances about him supporting the institution of sharia nationwide and his “famous” statement that Muslims should only vote for Muslims and his threat that the baboon and the dog will be soaked in blood if elections were rigged are all consistent with his unelectable personae, hence his persistent search for devout Christians (with little or no political clout) as Vice Presidential candidates while he is on the capaign trail. Is he simply hanging on to political lightweights that he knows he can devour the day after he gets elected?

On the economy, Buhari was a disaster first time around. He was clearly an economic illiterate and thought he could run the complex Nigerian economy by controlling rations as was done in a military cantonment. He placed everything under import licence and empowered some individuals under him to prescribe what quantity of every good Nigeria needed and also sought to prescribe which individuals would import the item and in what quantity. Ignorance was on display all around and it was exploited through massive racketeering by persons in his government who called the shots. That he was deemed to be personally honest became irrelevant and so many of us cheered when ‎soldiers (not known for honesty) put him out of his misery by kicking him out of office in less than 18 months and before he could torture the nation any further.

GEJ is unliked by many because he is seen as being weak and unable to control the excesses of some of his close aides and party chieftains. ‎YES, he eventually stood up to ex-President Obasanjo (who tries to dictate to every serving President), but then who wouldn’t? All future Presidents (including those unborn) now know to avoid Obasanjo like a plague. What manner of ex-President will divulge details of his one-on-one meeting with a serving President to the general public ( in a book), without getting the latter’s prior consent?

NO, GEJ’s vulnerabilities are from the party chieftains and a few dodgy aides that he accommodates and/or tolerates. He also believed too much in assurances from our Security Agencies, Defence Ministers, Chiefs of Defence Staff, National Security Advisers etc. This entire group have lost credibility in the fight against Boko Haram. His most recent utterances suggest that he has realised now, how deadly Boko Haram are, but it is rather late in the day as the elections are a little more than a couple of weeks away. My own position on Boko Haram (BH) has remained consistent. The entire Nigerian elite continue to under-estimate BH at our peril. I would love to wish them away, but history and my head tell me that, like Colombia’s Farc Rebels, BH will still be around in some form or the other for decades.

Presidents who aspire to have a second term in Nigeria face this paradox; ‎if they stand up to all the party Chieftains, over-bearing Governors and Security Chiefs, they will not get re-elected because the Party will throw up a Challenger. If they succumb to this motley/unholy lot, they will slow down economic reform, secure their Party nomination but alienate swing voters nationwide.

The only reason for the swing voters to vote for GEJ therefore is if he can convince them that he will be able to free himself from this motley crowd next time around. Afterall, a second Presidential term is a final term and nobody (except Obasanjo) will ever dream about a third term. ‎In effect, GEJ must convince swing voters that, if they give him a second term, he will be man enough to bite many of the grubby hands that lurk around the higher echelons of his party.

Further complexities in the Presidential race arise because some of the ambitious and highly ‎educated politicians from the North East (in particular) do not want an ageing and not so capable Buhari to ascend a throne which they aspire to occupy in 2019. Buhari was rejected consistently by some of his newer supporters when he was younger and more capable. Ironically, the older and less capable he becomes, the more he appeals to them because they hope to usurp his authority. He has agreed to be dressed up in sheep’s clothing now, but they should beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. They might be shut out of Aso Rock if he wins.

Ironically, if these power brokers (who are not known for honesty) come out now to publicly affirm that they will have continuing relevance if Buhari wins, then again the swing voters get turned off because they see corrupt persons surrounding an old and infirm “honest” man who is driven by a blind ambition to re-occupy a seat from which he was booted out prematurely in 1985, even though he recognises that he is not clever enough to understand 21st Century economic and financial transactions through which some of his new and unscrupulous friends hope to loot and/or corner the national treasury under his lazy and ineffective watch.

GEJ has also gathered all sorts of renegades unto his campaign ship. The enemies of his enemy have all become his friends overnight. They are strange bedfellows. In his second term (if he wins) he will need to cut off many of these hangers-on. If he does that they will try to resist, but a second term President is hard to bully. GEJ needs to convince the electorate that he can continue with his bold agricultural sector reforms, his power sector roadmap, overhaul and reform of the transportation sector (beyond the celebration of token and/or paltry railway services) etc.

GEJ’s biggest failure on the economic front was his inability to introduce ‎earth-shaking reforms to trim our recurrent expenditure budget at the Federal level by instituting the massive lay-off of idle civil servants. He did not confront the National Assembly either on this thorny issue. Ironically many of those who accuse him of guilt in this area are guilty of the exact same allegation in their respective States and Local Government Areas.

I am sad that GEJ did not simply go all out to ‎transform our economy in his first term at the risk of being a single term President. Instead he slowed down on some economic reform because he was pandering to power brokers within his political party, who would have a say in helping him to secure a second term.

I am sad that an ageing and incapable Buhari refused to play the role of a King-maker by identifying a single well educated and well meaning younger person 2 or 3 years ago (even if he narrowed his search to his own North West zone) whom he could have groomed and backed to challenge GEJ.

If I vote for GEJ in this election it is because his ugly side is less ugly than Buhari’s known and well-documented uglier side and nothing more. If you disagree with me please note that there is no need for us to fight – our only weapon should be the ballot paper and how we decide to cast it. Those who think they can intimidate swing voters, by threatening mayhem if their candidate does not win a close election, do their candidate a massive disservice because their careless utterances send the swing voters in the opposite direction in a race that is currently too close to call.

Before anybody dismisses ANAP Foundation’s opinion polls again, let me add that similar polls commissioned concurrently by us (using the exact same methodology) show Nasir El-Rufai of the APC with a significant lead over the incumbent PDP Governor (Yero), while the PDP’s Nyesom Wike currently leads APC’s Dakuku Peterside in Rivers State, but there is a large “undecided” element in Rivers State.

ANAP Foundation will ‎release more information on all the Polls we commissioned (including Lagos Governorship) over the course of the next few days, using a multitude of media channels.
(Twitter @AtedoPeterside)

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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Hannity Asks Sarah Palin Whether Her Teleprompter Was Working In Iowa

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Read Time:1 Minute, 50 Second

"You got criticized for the speech by a lot of people, even some some of the people in the crowd that tend to be supporters of yours," Hannity said. "Did a TelePrompTer go down? Did you have trouble with the copy? Was there any moment in the speech where you had any difficulty?"

Palin said she didn't read about the reactions to her speech because she "knows how you guys, or the media in general, works."

"I'm used to TelePrompTers not working," she added, reminding Hannity that she ad-libbed her 2008 Republican vice presidential nomination acceptance speech when the machine broke.

Several media outlets reported at the time that the machine didn't actually experience any major problems. Instead, reporters posited that Palin was trumping up her own quick thinking.

The former Alaska governor then brushed off criticism of her rambling speech as a symptom of the media's "herd mentality."

"I received a standing ovation throughout and at the end of the speech," she told Hannity. "So I don't know, I think a lot of this herd mentality of some reporters would — that kind of exacerbates some of the criticism. But I don't know what anybody really would, when you talk about the meat, the content of the speech, would criticize."

The rest of Palin's appearance was just as incoherent as her Iowa address. She wheeled from taking shots at Fox News host Bill O'Reilly for not taking her and Donald Trump seriously as potential presidential candidates, to rattling off a laundry list of what her priorities as a potential candidate would be.

As for whether she's seriously considering a 2016 bid?

"It sounds cliché, you're gonna hear the answer from others I'm sure," Palin said. "But it really is too early."

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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Exonerated of rape, Brian Banks now realizing NFL dream – in different capacity

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Read Time:9 Minute, 22 Second

It's been nearly half a lifetime since Pete Carroll walked up to Brian Banks at Long Beach Poly High and said, "Hey, you can do something. You can be something."

Banks was 15 years old at the time, and to him, that message seemed clear: he had a future playing football..

But two years later, Banks became ensnared in an ordeal of injustice, anger and heartbreak that lasted a decade. On his way to possibly playing for Carroll at USC, Banks was wrongly accused of raping a girl at his high school. Rather than facing 41 years to life in prison if he fought the charges and lost, he pleaded guilty and was sent to prison for five years.

"I screamed and yelled and begged for people to help," Banks said Sunday by phone. "And even then no one listened."

Banks, now 29, was cleared and freed in May 2012 after serving five years of probation (in addition to the five years in prison) when his accuser recanted her story. He got a tryout from Carroll and the Seahawks, and then another from the Falcons. But it was too late for his original dream to come true.

It was not, however, too late for Carroll to be right in his prediction. This year, Banks has found a place where important people are listening: he is working for the NFL in New York City. And even though he just started his first real job, the league might need him even more than he ever needed the league.
– – – – – – – – –

The question Banks gets first and most often from everyone who wants to hear about his story is: "Have you forgiven her?" Isn't he still upset at Wanetta Gibson, who falsely accused him of raping her in a stairwell, then stood by as Banks was sent to prison, only to admit she fabricated the story after winning a $1.5 million lawsuit from the Long Beach school district?

"I often think about what I've been through," Banks said. "I've removed my emotion from what this girl did to me. It already happened. It's, 'What am I doing now? How am I dealing with it?'"

A lot of how he's dealing with it comes from the months he spent in juvenile hall, awaiting his legal fate in California. It was there that Banks met a man named Jerome Johnson, who became a mentor to him.

"He opened my eyes," Banks said. "He challenged my mind in a way that had never been challenged before. I had a good upbringing. But these were things that were foreign to me. All it took was that person to introduce me to thinking who 'the real you' is."

Banks had never really thought about his identity. He was a football player, and that was enough – just like it is for most star high school athletes. Then football was taken away, and he was sent to a place where he had no real control over his future or even his safety.

"Unless you're a killer yourself, it's frightening," he said. "It's not a place where everything is gonna be all right."

So the challenge became about separating himself from his plight, and finding power over it.

"One day I woke up and it dawned on me I had no control over what's going on in my life," Banks said. "I have control over how it affects me. I started to better myself as a person rather than let my situation be the end-all. I practiced it and I practiced it and it became a little easier."

At first, that was a process for survival. It would soon become a foundation for a career.
– – – – – – – – –

When he got out of prison, he craved juice. Orange juice. Apple juice. Any kind of fruit juice. Banks drank as much of it as he could find, using that and all the time lost as fuel to try to make his lost football dream come true. Carroll gave him a shot in Seattle. He went to some other camps when that didn't work out. Somewhere along the way, he got a call from New York. It was Roger Goodell.

"I am calling to wish you the best," the commissioner told him. "I really want you to make it."

They stayed in touch. And a short time before the 2014 NFL draft, Goodell texted him to ask a favor. He wanted Banks to speak at the rookie symposium.

Banks, who was already in demand as a motivational speaker, accepted. Over the phone on Sunday, he reprised what he said to the rookies over the summer – a group he imagined himself being a part of for so long:

"The biggest thing you must remember is the mindset you have – what were the initial things you said to yourself as a young kid? Everything you said, that's who you are. That's the foundation, the essence of football. Why did you want to play? How did it make you feel? When the hands start coming out, you have to remember what it is you came here to do, why you initially wanted to do it. You have it, take pride in it. There are millions of people who went for the same opportunity and you made it. It's a blessing. It's a gift. Don't ruin this by bad decision-making."

Banks got a strong response, not only from players, but from the commissioner. Only a few weeks after the speech, the NFL hired him.

Football Sundays over the last few months have been different for Banks than he ever expected. He watched games in a control room in New York, as a member of the NFL's department of operations. If Banks saw a potentially controversial play, he summoned head of officiating Dean Blandino and asked him to take a second or third look. If Blandino needed to reach out to the officials on site, he made the call. Banks served as the eyes and ears of the league's eyes and ears.

"It's awesome," he said. "I guess I would say it's new and something I've been doing. It's the game of football. It's the love of football. It's the knowledge and understanding of it. This is my first look at corporate America."

And it came during a very distinct and disturbing year. The league's domestic violence crisis escalated almost as soon as Banks entered the door. He is a 29-year-old man wrongfully accused and then cleared of sexual assault, working for a league that is struggling to deal with an epidemic of sexual assault.

"I know what it's like to walk that path," he said. "It's something I hope to begin talking to players about."

It's difficult for Banks to speak on the subject, both because of his personal odyssey and because of whom he works for. He stressed that his thoughts are his own, rather than on behalf of bosses who are paid to address the crisis every day.

"Personally how I feel is if the crime is a serious crime, that person should not be able to play. If somebody has been accused of something, it may be best for the person to sit down until the truth is discovered, so as not to draw any more attention."

More important to him, though, is his desire to help build a better infrastructure for players so they don't get into trouble in the first place. Banks thinks outreach should start at the Pop Warner level, with kids getting the kind of mentorship at age 8 that he began to get in his late teens.

"If the NFL is going to be responsible for what someone is doing in their personal life, there may need to be preventative work early against the incidents that are happening," Banks said. "Start from contact football. Part of these programs should be one day a week where a life coach will do group sessions. He can teach critical thinking to young kids about life. You're going to learn your fundamentals in school. But there is not a category in school called 'life preparation.' How do we make sure the kids who don't have as good of a household can still receive that message? Let's make sure they receive it while playing football."

This is part of Banks' mission now – to be an "ambassador" for the NFL. Because of his past, his words have weight for kids and adults. He truly understands what it is to be a victim, and what it is to be accused.

"What is the definition of manhood?" Banks asked. "How do you obtain it? What is womanhood? Define that as well. Let's talk about respect. What is the foundation of respect? That opens the door to discussions about harassment and assault."
– – – – – – – – –

Banks will not be at the Super Bowl this week. Because there's only one game, he won't be needed to help out Blandino. Instead he'll be home in New York working on his department's social media strategy. He'll also be preparing for his wedding. Banks is newly engaged to a woman named Emmy who he has been dating for two years. He calls the relationship "genuine and supportive."

"People ask, 'Do I have trust issues?'" Banks said. "I wouldn't say I have trust issues. I have trust concerns. It's valuable for me to trust a person in particular.

"I've only been free for two years. I'm still always reminded by the trust that was lost when I was younger. All of that is restored by what you do now."

The NFL can only hope it can restore the public's trust after a season full of missteps and inaction. But Banks knows this is more than public relations. Somewhere this week, a college coach is telling a star high school football player that he can do something, that he can be something. Banks' journey to that goal was diverted but not destroyed. He turned out to be something very valuable for the football community: a daily reminder that the NFL can teach more than just football.

A half-lifetime later, Banks continues to prove Carroll right.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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PRESS RELEASE: Nigerians in United Kingdom Endorse Buhari for President

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Read Time:6 Minute, 40 Second

An organization based in the United Kingdom, BUHARI SUPPORT ORGANISATION DIASPORA UK, an umbrella group of several Muhammadu Buhari supporters, has endorsed General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), for the presidency at next month’s election.

This was contained in the communique of at least five (5) groups who jointly hosted the representative of General Buhari, Hon Farouk Adamu Aliyu, to a well-attended and educative Interactive Evening in London on Monday 26th January 2015.

The groups who came together to establish a united Nigerian front for the General are: Buhari Diaspora Organisation, Buhari Friends Organisation Network, Progression Solidarity Forum, Buhari Vendors, General Muhammadu Buhari Grassroots Mobilisation and the Diaspora For Buhari Project.

With the Convener of the group, and Chairman of the event, Chief Wale Kalejaiye welcoming the guest, Hon Farouk Aliyu to London, as well as the audience, the session kicked off to a good start with the introduction of special guests, amongst who are the His Worshipful Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Adedamola Aminu;  Chief (Dr) Ibrahim Emokpaire (Chair APC-UK);  Hon Odaro Omorege; Alhaji Abdulkadir Maikudi;  Dr Dapo Oshun-Williams; Mrs Jana Shodiya (Ayaba); Mr Rasheed  Taiwo; Mr Charles Emuko-Whate; Chief (Mrs) Uche Mill; Air Vice Marshall (Rtd) Funsho Martin (Parton, Hope Movement) amongst others.

 

Hon Farouk Aliyu introduced himself and apologised on behalf of GMB, explaining that the schedule of the election campaign in Nigeria put a constraint on the travel plans of the General, who has now had to shelve plans to travel to the Vatican, the US and the UK before the election on 14 February. However, GMB sent his goodwill messages and warm wishes to his supporters in the UK and the Diaspora in general.  He assured Nigerians of the right CHANGE and that he and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo are committed to doing their utmost to ensure Nigeria is turned around. He especially reiterated that Prof Osinbajo has been of tremendous assistance to the cause – dedicated, loyal, focused, knowledgeable and a true and patriotic Nigerian

He assured the enthusiastic audience that the GMB/PYO group, as well as the party itself have identified the problems and the real issues affecting the people of Nigeria and are working towards readiness to tackle them once they get into power.

Hon Aliyu talked about issues and how GMB/PYO are planning to tackle them: corruption, education, insecurity of life and property from Boko Haram, failure of the PDP to turn the country around in 16 years of being in power, etc

He further said that they do not want any violence or bloodshed and that the GBM/PYO will concede and accept defeat if the elections are free and fair. They will only go to court if they know a lot of rigging has occurred to put the PDP government back in power.

He assure the audience that all the negative perceptions of Buhari – religious fanatic who is against Christians, Fulani hegemony who believes in “born-to-rule”, rigid, certificate, etc – has been debunked already in Nigeria and around the world and would not serve the PDP well to continue to dish out falsehood and slander.

Chief Wale Kalejaiye, in his response said there are more than 2 million Nigerians in the UK alone and about 14 million worldwide. He assured GMB/PYO of the Diaspora’s highest esteem, and promises to continue to work for them to win the election, as well as to provide support even after the election to ensure Nigeria changes for good. He said most Nigerians in the Diaspora believe that the GMB/PYO is a good combination and ideal candidates for Nigeria’s emancipation and redemption.

The Mayor of Lambeth also took this opportunity to endorse General Buhari, and emphasised that political manifestoes are just pieces of papers unless the contents are implemented, not only nationally, but down to the states and local government levels so that all the levels of governments are working at the same level of understanding and in tandem to develop the country. Only when this is done will a manifesto be considered effective and implemented. He also called on GMB/PYO never to forget Nigerians in Diaspora and their achievements in various areas of human endeavour all over the world. He pointed out the amount in billions of Dollars and Pounds Sterling that Nigerians repatriate home every year, which is more than the entire budget of several states in Nigeria. Nigerians abroad are assets to Nigeria and must be recognised and exploited by any responsible government that wishes to do well for its citizens. He urged Brain Gain instead of Brain Drain, and assured all that Nigerians abroad are always ready to contribute to and serve their country if sincerely given the chance and the enabling environment. He also called on the GMB/PYO to ensure that Nigerians in Diaspora are able to vote before the next election in 2019.

There then follows a very robust, educative and penetrating, well-informed interactive session of questions and answers from the mostly professional Nigerians ranging from diaspora voting, job creation, women inclusion and empowerment, care for the disabled, prevention of rigging, the contentious PVC, how will the new government source money for its proposed programmes on job creation, healthcare improvement, transportation and roads rehabilitation, improving communication, boosting agriculture, uplifting education, creating social welfare, and many  other issues of importance and concern to Nigerians.

Hon Aliyu was very much up to the task and responded to the highly penetrating and interrogative questions expertly and with great knowledge and sincerity, putting his reputation and that of GMB/PYO on the line, and even giving the audience his personal phone numbers and email addresses. And the answers left many in the audience satisfied and assured that Nigeria is on the way to greatness, if and when GMB/PYO assumes the peoples’ mandate, come 29 May 2015.

Later in the evening, Chief Kalejaiye, on behalf of all the groups presented some token sum of money, contributed by ordinary Nigerians in the UK to Hon Aliyu as a contribution to the campaign of GMB/PYO, as well as presented 2 laptop computers to aid the collation of results as well as other logistics. Chief Kalejaiye explained that apart from these 2 laptops, 5 laptops have already been delivered to the GMB/PYO campaign efforts in Nigeria and assured that more funding, laptops and other equipment are forthcoming before the elections.

The night ended with the launching of a “Phone A Relative for Buhari/Osinbajo” campaign. It was very colourful as Hon Farouk Adamu Aliyu flagged off the launch when he cut the ribbons and placed a live random call to a voter in Nigeria, urging him to vote for Buhari/Osinbajo in the next presidential election taking place in February 14. The receiver of the call responded in excitement that his entire family will be voting for Change on the Election Day but equally urged all Nigerians to do the same.

Photographs and hope filled the air with enthusiasm as Nigerians looking hopeful that our country will be great again once Buhari and Osinbajo are sworn in on 29th May 2015.

Akintokunbo A Adejumo                 Chief Wale Kalejaiye             Dr Garba Sani
Publicity Secretary                             Convener                                Coordinator
Telephone: +447903018087
Email: akinadejum@aol.com

Anthony Akabogu
Diaspora Campaigns Strategist

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About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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Lawyers demand trial of Buhari for alleged forgery

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Read Time:1 Minute, 25 Second

A group of lawyers under the aegis of Coalition of Concerned Lawyers of Nigeria has called on the Inspector General of Police to investigate a case of perjury and certificate forgery made against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

In a statement by the leader of the group, Dr. Amaechi Nwaiwu, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said having relied on the school certificate presented by Buhari in an affidavit sworn to at an Abuja High Court on the 24th of November last year, the APC presidential candidate was duty bound to personally present the certificate to INEC or face the consequences spelt out by the law for perjury.

While picking holes in the statement of the result published by the Government College, Katsina, last week, the legal practitioners said the content of the document did not support the enlistment of Buhari into the military.

The group said the APC candidate appeared to have concealed the fact that he failed Mathematics in view of the fact that it was a requirement for his commissioning into the Nigerian Army officers cadre.

According to the group, the fact that the documents allegedly presented contained some alterations raises more suspicion which must be probed by the police.

Amaechi said that Nigerians have a duty to demand that those who seek public offices abide by the provisions of the constitution.

He said, “The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a state based on the principles of democracy and social justice where sovereignty belongs to the people from whom government, through the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, derives all its power and authority.”

 

source:Punch

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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Lagos PDP flags off gov campaign

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Read Time:4 Minute, 2 Second

LAGOS—FORMER Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George; erstwhile Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr Jimi Agbaje yesterday flagged-off the party’s governorship campaign lambasting the current state government of running a government without human face.

They also said that if voted into office, the PDP will bring a change to governance in Lagos State.

The trio said this at the flag-off rally held at Skypower, near Archbishop Vinning Anglican Church in Ikeja.

Addressing party supporters yesterday, Chief George, who accused the All Progressives Congress-led government of mortgaging the state said; “In the last 16 years, they (APC) has taken us on a journey to no where.

“Lagos has been mortgaged, Alpha Beta has been taking N5 billion every month from our treasury, we cannot continue like this, there must be change.”

He urged Lagosians to cast their votes for President Goodluck Jonathan and Jimi Agbaje during next month’s general elections saying “PDP is a party to trust.”

The PDP chieftain also warned PDP supporters to eschew violence during the election urging them to, however, protect their votes.

“The APC is not ready to win but I want to appeal to you to ensure there is no violence during the elections but also know that, we will not allow them to steal our votes again. Jimi Agbaje is okay, please vote for him,” George said.

Reassuring party members that there was no division in the Lagos PDP, he said: “I want to say this to our teeming party members that in Lagos State, there are no dissenting voice in our party, we are one.”

In his remarks, former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Obanikoro took a swipe at the APC governorship candidate, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, saying that “Ambode does not have what it takes to govern Lagos.”

He noted that Agbaje remains the best candidate among the contestants.

Canvassing support for Agbaje, he said; “Our candidate is his own man and not an archaic civil servant that does not have what it takes to govern Lagos. We do not want an emperor in Lagos but a man with the fear of God.”

He faulted the taxation burden on Lagosians, saying “since 1999, we have been paying taxes in Lagos but Alpha Beta collects 10 per cent of our taxes.”

On his part, the PDP governorship candidate, Mr Agbaje berated the state government for not implementing people-oriented policies.

According to him; “The present government has no human face for anybody, they only think about themselves. We have gone round and we have answered so many questions. They (APC) say they want continuity, but we are saying that we want change. There is nothing like continuity. The election is for us to win but we must work for it. We’re going to show the people that we are on ground.”

Agbaje also expressed optimism that he would emerge victorious at the end of next month’s governorship election.

Also, former governorship aspirants, Messrs Deji Doherty, Tokunbo Kamson and Babatunde Gbadamosi, who contested against Agbaje at the primary, pledged to work for success of the party at the polls.

Notable party leaders present at the flag-off include former Minister for Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe; former Minister for Integration in Africa, Dr Abimbola Ogunkelu; former acting PDP secretary, Mr Remi Akitoye; Mrs Modupe Sasore, Dr Modupe Chukwueneke, Chief Bode Oyedele, Mr Hakeem Gbajabiamila, Alhaji Kola Balogun and Senator Semiu Kukoyi among others.

 

CPP endorses Agbaje

Meantime, the Conference of Political Parties in Lagos State, CPP, yesterday, endorsed Mr. Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as their consensus candidate for next month’s governorship election in the state.

Spokesperson of the group, Chief Adesumbo Onitiri, who appealed to Lagosians to cast their votes for Agbaje, said: “The PDP flag-bearer, Jimi Agbaje remains the best candidate needed at this moment to end the slavery, oppression and dominance of one man rule in Lagos State. Inspite of the 16 years of APC rule, the state is still rated as one of the dirtiest city in the world and the most unsafe to live in among world capital cities.

“APC government has failed to provide portable water, good education, affordable housing for the masses and good access to health. Go to Ipaja, Ojo, Ejigbo, Ikorodu, Agege, Ikotun, Isolo, Ikeja and see the bad state of roads, and you will feel sorry for Lagosians who go through hardship. Inspite of the huge internally generated revenue, most of which is siphoned into private pockets, the state is still largely underdeveloped,” he lamented.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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Yorubas will not vote for Buhari, we don’t trust Fulanis – Gani Adams

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Read Time:1 Minute, 26 Second

Factional leader of the Yoruba group, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Ganiyu Adams, has informed the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) not to expect getting a bloc vote from the South-west in the February 14 presidential election. He said a good number of his people are yet to get over their reservations with the Fulani.

Adams told Nigeria Today that he does not agree with projections made by some pundits that Buhari will make a clean sweep of South-west by virtue of the dominance of his party in the geo-political zone, saying, “South-west is a place that you cannot use the media to deceive. We are highly exposed and highly educated.”

His words, “For you to say we should go one way, it is impossible. I don’t think that the South-west will vote for Buhari en mass. Don’t forget the pain caused by the June 12 annulment, it is still fresh in the mind of our people many died in the cause of June 12 struggle, many lost a lot of properties. I don’t think our people will trust a Hausa/Fulani man from the north this time around.”

Adams’ stance aligns with that of the leader of another faction of OPC and founder of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Frederick Faseun, who has already thrown his weight behind Jonathan, with his party adopting the President as its candidate.Meanwhile, Adams was quick to point out that Jonathan alone should not be blamed for the nation’s failing. He insisted that governors and lawmakers should equally share in the blame.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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INEC Says electoral body has gone digital while politicians remain in analogue thinking

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Read Time:14 Minute, 56 Second

Mike Igini is the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State. He was redeployed from Cross Rivers State.
In this interview, he insists that the INEC is ready to conduct the forthcoming polls, adding that the introduction of card readers will eliminate fraud, just as he urges politicians plotting to rig the election to concentrate on how to convince the electorate as they will be disappointed. He asks supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan and those of Gen.Buhari to obey the peace plan which they signed both in words and in their actions.
Excerpts:

It seems you came to Edo with a magic wand as regards the distribution of PVCs to voters, what is the magic.

I did not come with any particular magic wand, except the power of information. My colleague and predecessor and the staff here did a good job. I am building on what he did through another strategy, mainly anchored on information dissemination and dissuading those who snatched PVCs to stop doing so because it would be useless and unhelpful. Such action, apart from being criminal under the laws, is also redundant given the fact that all PVCs will be useless without the presence of the owner of the card when used with the proposed card Readers.

I’m aware of the thinking of some members of the political class based on the misconception that the elections will be conducted in the old way of turf wars despite the changes since the 2011 elections under the current leadership of INEC. We have been deconstructing that perception and have made it very clear that the game has changed and the rules have also changed. If you play a new game with old rules, you will find yourself panting outside the field with your outdated ways as a burden to your aspiration. We have simply informed stakeholders that this election will empower the voter in a way that no election before in Nigeria has ever done, and that what they must concentrate on is the electorate from whom help and electoral victory cometh, hence they should do more than ever before to please them. Clearly, the message appears to be resonating so far. Good enough, a number of the stakeholders here have a fair idea about what we stand for when it comes to the issue of free, fair and credible election. They know that I mean it when I say that every vote will count and every vote counted would be taken into account, in order to sustain the confidence of the people and for our democracy to endure. I have only told the political stakeholders to go back to study the new rules of the game again and adapt to it, because the result of a failure of adaptation is biological and physical extinction. So those who want to remain relevant in the current political ecosystem must be adaptive to INEC’s new electoral ecology of “no-PVC-and-card-reader no-voting”.

Before your coming to Edo, hoodlums carted away thousands of PVCs and we learnt they called to inform you of plans to return them. What is the situation today?

That is true, but our daily and sustained public enlightenment that those snatched cards would not be usable, except by those for whom the PVCs were expressly produced, had turned the situation around on a good note, as you noted. Before l came, a total of 4,658 PVCs were snatched from various wards in 9 LGAs of Akoko Edo, Egor, Esan west, Etsako West, Oredo, Ovia North-east, Owan-east, Uhunmwode out of which Orhionwon alone recorded 2,052. However, I made it very clear to all that the permanent voter cards (PVCs) in their possession were like used recharge-cards. They are useless to them without the proper card-reader at the correct polling unit. In fact, PVC is only a sensitive or security material if it is in the possession of the true bearer, but useless in the absence of the owner whose biometrics each card bears. I’ve told stakeholders here to show the futility of being in possession of someone else’s PVC that I could even dump all the cards at Ramat Park or take them to the Ring  Road , the center of town, that except individuals go to pick their  own cards, they will all be useless to you. Since then, a few unknown people have contacted me by phone, expressing willingness to return these cards that I consider borrowed for admiration. I say they borrowed them to admire them because it is biometrically tailored to work for only the owner. Holding it is like carrying someone’s debit card which without the pin number is just a piece of plastic.

Mike Igini

Nigerians have been encountering problems collecting these PVCs due to what is widely believed as INEC’s failure. Why is it difficult for the INEC to distribute the cards to Nigerians as and when due?

Except for Edo and 11 other states that were in the third phase of both the PVC and CVR exercises, the distribution of PVCs started since May last year and still ongoing. The first three days were declared for collection at polling units and continues at INEC offices in the LGAs. I think what l consider failure is that of the political parties and candidates who organise rallies canvassing for votes but are yet to mobilize or  organise rallies at the states, LGAs and wards for the collection of PVCs by the electorate. No matter how many people you mobilize to campaign grounds, they will not be able to vote without PVCs. Here in Edo state, following the very impressive efforts of my predecessor and staff, 906,024 PVCs were already delivered when I came. Since then, we have moved down to the 192 wards and have currently hit a record total figure of one million, seventeen thousand, two hundred and seventy nine as the 20th of January and distribution is still on, but will continue at the LGAs. Whereas our goal is to achieve 100% distribution of PVCs to those who are entitled to them, it must be noted that although ideally we hope they will all come out to vote, it is rare to see all eligible voters voting in an election. In the last governorship election here in Edo with a total of 1,651,099 registered voters, the total number of valid votes used to make a return was 630,099 (i.e 39% of registered voters). We witnessed same in Ekiti and Osun states respectively. Therefore, our concern should be more on how to mobilize the over 1 million people who have collected the PVCs to come out on election day. A huge number of voters have collected PVCs and many more to collect in the days ahead. Let us make it work and not dwell too much on the pitfalls for now.

You have repeatedly told Nigerians that the card readers for the February elections would be a game changer. How would it do the magic of preventing rigging?
It would be the game changer in the 2015 elections because the system puts the electorate at the centre of the voting system using their biometrics. It is the new voting sheriff for the forthcoming elections. One card reader is configured for each of the 120,000 polling units nationwide. A card reader means that only the owner of the PVC can use the voter card, and he/she can only do so at the assigned polling unit for that voter, at or nearest to the place where he/she registered or transferred his/her registration. Also, by doing biometric-driven card reader  authentication, the process will leave a more reliable audit trail of who and how many people actually were accredited, rejected and voted, in digital format which is easier to store and reproduce. This makes the question of altering the results as they are from the polling units more problematic for the election results manipulation. This will be in addition to the customization of the ballot papers and result sheets to each polling unit, making ballot snatching or  the use of  result sheets or ballot papers from one polling unit impossible at any other polling unit. A number of people think that the card reader will not come, that is why they are still instigating people to go and snatch permanent voter cards, thinking that they will use the old ways to deal with the new approach that we have developed. So this is the card reader, the battery will last for about 14 hours. Once you come with your PVC, your face and everything about you will show on it, it will authenticate whether the face corresponds with the person that has the thump print. There is a speaker in it that will announce that everything about you is okay before you are given a ballot. As a matter of fact, at the end of the day, we can print a new register with this. So you can see that it is useless for anybody being in possession of the PVC of another person. But when we were in the old regime when INEC was using paper, it was possible without photo for politicians to pack all of them and go to thump print. We have moved beyond this era. So we are at the level of digital while the political class are at the analogue stage in their thinking. That is what must have informed some of the unwholesome practices. We have now told people that it is useless to go and snatch PVCs. We have a total of 120,000 polling units in Nigeria. As at today, we have received a total of 137,000 in excess of the 120,000 polling units. But we must have some redundancies incase anything goes wrong. So we actually placed order for 137,000 of the card readers. As I speak to you, in Edo, we have received almost 60 per cent of that by the end of week or next week, we are going to receive the last consignment, so we are ready to go. The real challenge now, of course, in Edo is for people to collect their PVCs.

From what we have seen so far, are you really sure that the INEC is prepared to conduct the forthcoming polls?
Yes the Commission is putting finishing touches to our overall preprations in line with the time table issued on the 24th of January 2014. We published on the 13th of January the register, in line with Section 20 of the Act requiring INEC to do so 30 days to the election. We have taken delivery of 1,861 card readers and the balance would be delivered next week. Non-sensitive materials like ballot boxes are being delivered to the states. So preparations are in top gear and work is in good progress, even though l know that there are always anxiety that people express because of the stakes involved, but we are no longer new to this process. We are preparing for those things we can rationally plan for and we will adapt adequately to emergent ones.

How has it been for you in Edo? What are your challenges so far? Are you under any pressure from politicians?
This is Benin-City, a town I know to some extent. The pressure should be on politicians not me. My remit is on the timeline, the uncertainty of contestants is more than my own, and, therefore, I have no pressure. My only focus is meeting the expectations of voters in terms of the professionalism of INEC, its integrity and impartiality. Politicians should be more concerned about the electorate, worry less about me and I will have less to worry about them. This election is not about those of us who will count the votes but about the electorate who would cast the votes that must be taken into account.

What I have observed over time is that the enthusiasm and anxiety of the followers of politicians are often worse than what you see from politicians themselves, so I have learnt to be more wary of the politicians’ aides and followers than the politicians themselves. But to answer your question more directly, no, I suppose as always my values are in the open and the politicians know where to draw the line with me, and I respect that. There are some basic principles which guide my conducts; values that I was raised to cherish from my family, my faith and all through my days in UNIBEN and UNILAG before certification in character and learning that  I hold very dear and have remained true to them.

There is this fear by the opposition APC that INEC is being controlled by the PDP. How true is that ?
It is preposterous and l do not think we should spend valuble time on such debate. I find it  laughable having regard to the kind of local government elections conducted by state electoral bodies under the control of these two parties, where all elections are won by the governments controlled by these parties. INEC is the only electoral body because of the independence that enjoys full autonomy, but the same is often denied the SIECs that conduct elections that reflect our multiparty democracy at the grassroots. We have some of the finest Nigerian administrators at the SIECs who could do even more than we are doing, but regrettably do not have the kind of freedom we experience in INEC. If the February elections are to be conducted by the government of these parties, you would have known who will win all the elections, but can anyone tell for certain who will win the forthcoming election to be conducted by INEC? That uncertainty underpins the integrity of the electoral process and helps to keep leaders accountable to voters. At any rate each group often worry that the other group has an “advantage” so that is not new, as long as you walk on the path of rectitude. When people make such claims I subject them to simple subjective test by asking them to compare the elections supervised by INEC and the local government elections, by judging the process and outcome of both. You can easily see by making such comparison that the Commission under Professor Jega has remarkably asserted the autonomy of INEC and restored great fidelity on the national electoral process. This is a historical landmark and must be commended.

From your experience Sir, how do you think we can conduct an election that Nigerians will truly agree that it is truly free, fair and credible?
That is pretty straight forward. All it requires is for us to put everything in place at the proper time, allow the voters to cast their votes, eliminate fraud and minimize malpractices as a result of administrative lapses and ensure that the results reflects the votes as the ballots were cast. It doesn’t sound like rocket science; to me it is simple, stay impartial and respect the voters.

Can the leadership of INEC guarantee impartial election in the face of the struggle for power between the two broad sections of North and South?
This current leadership of Prof.Jega has given Nigerians since 2011 and subsequent elections much of what is great and eternal if sustained to ensure that our democracy endures, and that should be acknowledged. Today, unlike in 2003 and 2007, we no longer talk of the criminal acts of some officials of the electoral management body colluding with politicians to engage in pre-writing of election results a day before elections, ballot boxes and paper snatching that were thumbprinted to make returns. Additionally, state gubernatorial elections are no longer annouced in far away Abuja, but where the elections were conducted. This chairman has revved the engine of integrity and should be acknowledged and encouraged. Impartiality is the core professional vocation of INEC. In any election which allows for the contest between Nigerians several contestants must come from a particular region or state of the country learning how to accommodate and contain such competition within the ambits of decorum, peace and progress should be one of the key lessons we must learn in the course of our nation building. The carryover of these regional mindsets will not persist if all elected leaders learn to make power beneficial to everyone rather than the region or place from where the elected person originates because it has never happened that any contender received zero votes from any section of the country. Therefore, wherever a leader comes from he should at least respect the votes he/she received from everywhere by responding to the needs of all. The contest of regionalism is created by that zero-sum game in the use of power that politicians must learn to deconstruct.

All the presidential candidates have signed a pact to ensure a violent free election. What do you think should be done for that pact to be successful?
They should abide by the pact in words and conduct. And more importantly they should restrain their followers from pre-emptive expectations. In every election, voters vote for both sides and no matter who wins, there will be people who will compete again at the next election, if you kill yourself or get killed, no one will be mourning you by the next election, so don’t let us get to that point where anyone believes that the way he or she feels about this election is sufficient to die or kill for.

– See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/recovering-stolen-pvcs-inec-chief-mike-igini/#sthash.HhSzdulm.dpuf

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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Attack on Jonathan in Bauchi: Yuguda, FCT minister at each other’s throat

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Read Time:3 Minute, 43 Second

ABUJA — STRONG indications emerged that the cold war between a political godfather and his son has reared its head again, following accusations and counter accusations between Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed. Their disagreement followed the governor’s claim that the minister hired thugs that stoned the president’s convoy in Bauchi last Thursday.

However, responding to the accusation yesterday, Senator Mohammed described Yuguda as , ‘’not only a fifth columnist but a mole in the Peoples Democratic Party, who claims to be a member of the party in the afternoon, but works for the opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC at night.’’
In a statement signed by Senator Mohammed’s Special Assistant, Media, Nosike Oguenyi, he said, “The attention of Senator Bala Mohammed has been drawn to an allegation by the Governor of Bauchi State, Mallam Isa Yuguda that he was the sponsor of the thugs that attacked the presidential campaign team of His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan in Bauchi on Thursday 22nd January, 2015.

“The question that the Governor must answer quickly without equivocation is: why did the thugs not stone him (Yuguda) whilst he was addressing the same rally, on the same podium and on the same day? Yugudu should also tell the world why he has suddenly turned into an APC spokesman, by exonerating the opposition party of culpability in the attack on the PDP presidential campaign team in Bauchi.
Governor Yuguda, however, insisted last night that Senator Mohammed was the one who imported the thugs as he said that the man hired by the minister to secure the services of the hoodlums and 70 of the thugs had been arrested. He said: “The Minister is a bigger APC mole, who should be disciplined by the President for trying to embarrass him and his office for selfish reasons.

“Contrary to his claim that the stoning was done by APC thugs, all the boys so far arrested by the police have turned to be Bala’s boys. So, who is an APC mole then?” the governor asked.
“Many Nigerians still remember recent media reports that Yuguda is the real godfather and sponsor of the APC gubernatorial candidate in Bauchi State and that he has not been campaigning for President Jonathan’s re-election in the state. Again, history is there to expose the Governor as an unabashed 5th columnist in the PDP.

“It would be recalled that the first attack Senator Bala Mohammed received for wholeheartedly supporting Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (then Vice President) was in 2010. The same Yuguda, in 2010, did everything humanly possible to recall and politically annihilate Bala Mohammed from the National Assembly as the Senator representing Bauchi South Senatorial District.

“Bala’s only sin was that he mobilized fellow lawmakers to invoke the famous ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ to confer powers on the then Vice President Jonathan to act as President while former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was away in Saudi Arabia receiving medical attention.

“The second attack of the FCT Minister by Yuguda came later again in 2010, when he deployed enormous energies into creating all manner of obstacles to block Senator Bala Mohammed’s return and re-registration as a member of the PDP in his native Alkaleri LGA of Bauchi State.

Again, that attempt was futile as it failed disastrously for Yuguda. Since then, Senator Bala Mohammed has become a force to reckon with at the highest echelon of the PDP.

“SenatorMohammed has consistently repeated that politics is not a do or die affair, hence he sacrificed his gubernatorial bid to allow peace to reign in Bauchi State. He is also sharply aware that this is the time for everyone to focus on issues that would promote rancour-free campaign and elections to ensure victory for the PDP. It is on these bases that it would be ridiculous to suggest that Senator Bala would hire thugs to attack the PDP and discredit the Governor in the state – more so, because he (the Minister) is not contesting any position with the Governor. In fact, anyone who believes his wild allegation would believe anything! By Yuguda’s latest embarrassing conduct, he has successfully exposed his chameleonic character as an APC mole in the PDP.’’

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

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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