DSP Alamieyeseigha Told Me He Wouldn’t Understand Why President Jonathan Could Not Rein In His Wife- Gov. Amaechi

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has dismissed the call by former Bayelsa State Governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha for Amaechi to retrace his steps, beg Jonathan and return to PDP.

Alamieyeseigha

The former Governor who was convicted but later granted pardon by President Goodluck Jonathan had made the call in an interview with New Telegraph newspaper at the weekend. Amongst others, Alamieyeseigha had stated that:

“I think there is no problem between Governor Amaechi and President Goodluck Jonathan. I think Amaechi should be humble enough to go to the President and say, ‘I am sorry’, because he has no place to go. A child that is not respectful will also not deserve respect from anyone. I have spoken to both of them. Jonathan has no issues. President of Nigeria is very powerful. I even told Amaechi: the first entity you cannot fight is Almighty God and the second entity is the government(President Jonathan). No matter how you interpret it, nobody can fight government(Jonathan) successfully…Rivers State will never be surrendered to APC.”

In a sharp response, Governor Amaechi in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary David Iyofor dismissed the call by Alamieyeseigha. He said the former Governor was trying to stand logic on its head and was not bold enough to tell the world what he(Alamieyeseigha) told Amaechi when he came to discuss the President with him.

“Yes, its true that Governor Amaechi does not have any personal issues with the President. And yes, when Chief Alamieyeseigha came to the governor to discuss this issue, he said that there is not much problem between the President and Governor Amaechi but he wasn’t bold and courageous enough to say in that interview what he told the governor the problem is. He told Governor Amaechi that he cannot understand why Mr. President cannot rein in, control or manage his wife. But for him to now go to the press to say something else is indeed most cowardly and timid of him.”

“How do one comprehend Chief Alamieyeseigha’s logic or reasons for saying Governor Amaechi should go and beg President Jonathan and retrace his steps? Please, to where should the governor retrace his steps to? Back to PDP? The same PDP that Governor Amaechi led Rivers people to give total support and give Mr. President over two million votes at the 2011 elections with nothing to show for it after almost four years! Instead territories and oil wells belonging to the State are been given to other States”

“Is he saying that the Governor cannot hold a contrary view, opinion from Mr. President on issues, based on principles and the interests of Rivers State, because Mr. President is all powerful?”

“Chief Alamieyeseigha’s understanding of respect, disrespect and desecration of the office of the President is warped and indeed befuddling. For Chief Alamieyeseigha, what amounts to disrespect and desecration of the office of the President is Governor Amaechi’s decision to stay with his people, fight for what is theirs and dogged stubbornness and refusal to cede any part of Rivers State including its oil wells to Mr. President’s home state of Bayelsa! For him, the Governor’s fight for the interest of Rivers State and its people, what is due the State is given to the state by the federal government is tantamount to disrespecting and desecrating the office of the President! How preposterous!”

“Chief Alamieyeseigha says APC will never take Rivers State! We feel sorry and pity for him. It’s so apparent that he belongs to and lives in the past and has blindly refused to see and face the reality of the present. APC has since taken over Rivers State. APC is in control in Rivers State and Rivers people are fully with their Governor in APC. If deluding himself to think otherwise, would make Chief Alamieyeseigha sleep well at night, then he can continue to live in dreamland.”

“While we do not begrudge Chief Alamieyeseigha’s political affiliation or his decision to truckle, grovel and genuflect before whoever he so pleases, we also expect and demand that he respects the right of Governor Amaechi to choose his political party and associates; and to disagree with anyone, on principles and issues that are not in the interest of Rivers state and Rivers people.”

“Finally, We want to state categorically that Chief Alamieyeseigha’s comments against Governor Amaechi in that interview with New Telegraph on Saturday is an undisguised and disgraceful sycophantic voyage that a man of his standing should never have ventured into”, Iyofor concluded.

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DSP Alamieyeseigha Told Me He Wouldn’t Understand Why President Jonathan Could Not Rein In His Wife- Gov. Amaechi

Australian Negotiator Insists Modu Sheriff, Ihejirika Sponsor Boko Haram

• says Azazi was corrupt

By Sahara Reporters

Stephen Davis, an Australian hostage negotiator who spent some time in Nigeria trying to secure the release of more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram militants in Chibok, Borno State, told SaharaReporters that he stands by his widely reported allegations that former Governor Modu Sherriff of Borno State and a former Chief of Army staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika (ret.), were among the top sponsors of the Islamist insurgents who have massacred thousands of Nigerians and foreigners and made the northeast part of Nigeria a highly militarized zone.

Ali Sheriff

In an extensive telephone interview with SaharaReporters yesterday, Dr. Davis also accused an unnamed senior official of the Central Bank of Nigeria as well as a man based in Cairo, Egypt whom he claimed operates as Boko Haram’s bagman. He said both men, in addition to Mr. Sheriff and former General Ihejirika, were major players in the funding and continued existence of the deadly Islamist sect.

Dr. Davis told SaharaReporters that he did not want to name the CBN official as this may prejudice investigation by Nigeria’s security services. Both accused men have reacted furiously to Mr. Davis’ allegation, with the former Borno governor threatening to travel to Australia to sue his accuser while Mr. Ihejirika accused former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El Rufai, of being a “commander” of Boko Haram. Three days ago, Mr. El Rufai had posted transcripts and video of Mr. Davis’ accusations of the former governor and ex-Army chief on social media.

Asked whether Mr. El Rufai and former military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari, had a hand in funding or sponsoring Boko Haram, Dr. Davis said their names have not been mentioned to him by any Boko Haram connections.

Also, asked to explain why Mr. Ihejirika, a non-Muslim who hails from the predominantly Christian southeastern part of Nigeria, became a Boko Haram “sponsor,” Mr. Davis said, “Boko Haram commanders and some connected with them told me on several occasions Ihejirika was one of their sponsors.”

He also disclosed that Mr. Sheriff always had the best military protection in Nigeria’s violence-plagued northeast, a protection he claimed the ex-governor enjoyed after he left office.

Dr. Davis reiterated that his allegations were informed by discussions he had with several Boko Haram field commanders over a long period of time. Asked if President Goodluck Jonathan was aware of the insurgents’ sponsors and their specific roles, Dr. Davis said he was unsure of the extent of information currently before President Jonathan. He added that Mr. Jonathan had been weakened by lack of military loyalty and a history of security negligence. He gave the example of repeated attempts to bring the growth of Al Qa’eda associated cells to the attention of NSA’s since 2006 only to have them dismiss such reports as baseless. “By the time Goodluck Jonathan became president Boko Haram had become a potent weapon with a command structure embedded in 16 northern states fanned by support from corrupt politicians.”

He further gave the example of Nigeria’s Minister of Defense, Aliyu Gusau, whom he accused of basically leaving Mr. Jonathan to carry his can without taking any responsibility for his work.

The Australian negotiator also revealed that his years working with Nigerian presidents on matters of terrorism had shown that, even when some prominent individuals are known to be involved in criminality, the presidents are simply too afraid to take them on. He cited the example of the Niger Delta region. He told SaharaReporters that he and former President Olusegun Obasanjo found out that Abiye Sekibo, who was then Mr. Obasanjo’s Transport Minister, had contracted the assassins who killed a prominent politician, Harry Marshall. He said he tried to persuade Mr. Obasanjo to prosecute Mr. Sekibo, but the then president declined, stating that such a trial could bring down his government.

Dr. Davis touched on several aspects of Boko Haram activities, showing that he was quite knowledgeable about the sect’s actions. He told SaharaReporters that Boko Haram runs about six major camps in the northeast and neighboring countries, adding that 700 fighters inhabited each camp. In addition there are a range of smaller camps within Borno State, which are often temporary and to which kidnapped girls are taken to be used by the insurgents.

The Australian revealed that earlier this year Boko Haram was a loose coalition of three Islamist militant groups that worked with one another, claiming that, since four months ago, the sects had merged into one single entity, become more cohesive, strategically effective and powerful. “They are now linking with other terrorist group in the region and will soon be very difficult to dismantle. If these political sponsors think they can turn these groups off after the 2015 elections they are going to be surprised to find it is out of their control.”

On why he had chosen to speak out publicly at this time, Dr. Davis stated that, from experience, any terrorist group that has lasted more than eight years after its formation would likely exist for another 20 or more years before it can be dismantled. It thus becomes embedded for a generation and the likelihood of dismantling it was very low. “If we don’t do our utmost now to dismantle Boko Haram then we may not be able to do so for another generation. That is a very gloomy scenario for Nigeria.”

He touched on former National Security Adviser, Owoye Andrew Azazi, whom he described as utterly corrupt. He said Mr. Azazi, who was a retired Army general, was planning to buy into the Hilton hotel chain in London to the tune of $100 million before he died in a helicopter crash on December 15, 2012.

Dr. Davis painted a portrait of Nigeria’s various intelligence units as operating in silos that refuse to share information that could tame terrorist groups. To illustrate his point, the Australian cited the example of the State Security Services. According to him, months after the SSS won the extradition from the Sudan of Aminu Ogwuche, a suspected terror mastermind who reportedly planned the deadly bombing of an Abuja bus station, the intelligence agency had yet to interrogate Mr. Ogwuche about his links with the three young men he reportedly contracted to carry out the bombing.

Dr. Davis said the young men were three in number and that they lived in the home of a CBN official who also carried out banking transactions for Boko Haram through the CBN. He said two other young collaborators in the Nyanya Motor Park bombing remain on the run.

The Australian hostage negotiator vowed to make more revelations about Boko Haram’s sponsors, adding that he believed the sect could only be dismantled if their sponsors were exposed and prosecuted. In particular, he said he could not see why the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had not already moved on Sheriff for his extensive looting of public funds when he was the Borno State governor, and for leaving the roads in Borno State in a terrible shape that has enabled Boko Haram to ambush Nigeria troops and massacre them mercilessly. He also added that the former governor should face the ultimate trial for financing the recruitment of young men to the Islamist sect.

Dr. Davis dismissed Mr. Sheriff’s threat to travel to Australia to sue him for his statements as grandstanding and seeking to divert attention from the real issue of Mr. Sheriff’s involvement with Boko Haram. He added that he would be pleased to meet the former governor at the airport whenever he developed the courage to come to Australia.

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Australian Negotiator Insists Modu Sheriff, Ihejirika Sponsor Boko Haram

Refer Boko Haram sponsors to International Criminal Court - Falana tells Jonathan

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), and a former member of House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that alleged sponsors of the fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, were prosecuted.

Falana

A Federal Government-appointed international negotiator, Rev. Stephen Davies, revealed the identities of the possible sponsors of the sect over the weekend.

The Federal Government had engaged Davies to enter into dialogue with the Boko Haram sect for the release of the abducted 275 Chibok school girls.

Falana said in a statement on Sunday that to avoid possible manipulation of the investigation of the suspects as revealed by Davies, President Jonathan must refer the suspects to the Special Prosecutor of the international Criminal Court.

He said, “In view of the gravity of the allegations of crimes against humanity committed by the sponsors of the Boko Haram sect, President Jonathan should refer the suspects to the Special Prosecutor of the international Criminal Court.

“Any local investigation conducted by the Federal Governnent in the circumstance may be manipulated by vested political interests.”

Falana said the disclosure by the Australian negotiator in a well publicised televised interview in London last week, “was backed with some detailed accounts which confirmed some information in the domain of the security forces in the country.”

He said, “The international negotiator disclosed that a former governor of Borno state, a former chief of army staff and a former top official of the Central Bank of Nigeria have provided funds and other logistics to the body for the terrorist attacks which had claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people in the country.”

He added, “It would be recalled that the Ambassador Usman Galtimari Committeee on insurgency in the north east zone set up in 2011 by President Jonathan had recommended the prosecution of some politicians who sponsored, funded and used the militia groups that later metamorphosed into Boko Haram.

“In a White Paper issued on the report of the Committee, the Federal Government accepted the recommendation and directed the National Security Adviser to coordinate the investigation of the kingpins and sponsors to unravel the individuals and groups that are involved.

“Although the White Paper was published in May 2012, the directive of the Federal Government has not been carried out up till now because the individuals involved are said to be connected to the Presidency. However, the special envoy of the Federal Government has just named one of the ‘kingpins and sponsors’ of the terrorist sect.”

Meanwhile Melaye, on Sunday described the defence of the alleged sponsors, by a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, as “hasty and indecent.”

He said what was expected of the President Jonathan’s administration was to order an independent investigation of the allegations instead of playing politics with it.

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Refer Boko Haram sponsors to International Criminal Court - Falana tells Jonathan

Boko Haram Planning Attack To Seize Maiduguri

A senior military official in Abuja has told SaharaReporters that militants belonging to the Islamist group, Boko Haram, were planning a major assault to attempt the takeover of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.

Boko Haram

The source assured that the Nigerian military was closely gathering intelligence on the attack, and would be prepared to repel any attack on the important northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri.

The military source disclosed that the Islamist insurgents had been moving arms and some of their most experienced fighters to locations near Maiduguri in order to facilitate the attack.

“We have identified that one of their major operational bases is 10 miles from a major [Nigerian] army barracks, known as Giwa barracks,” said the officer.

He added that army officials in Abuja became aware of the plan to attack Maiduguri after Boko Haram operatives stormed and took over the town of Dikwa in Borno State shortly after the Nigerian military withdrew most of the soldiers previously stationed in the area to Bama in preparation for a major attack on Gwoza.

Our military source said the militants were also stockpiling weapons in Uye, Dafarda and Yamtake. “We are aware that Boko Haram is using their Camp 4 in Gwoza to train a special unit for the attempt to take over Maiduguri,” he said. The insurgents recently seized Gwoza in a massive offensive that also enabled them to overrun and capture a police mobile training college located near Gwoza.

The army officer disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents have devised a plan to use Sojiri, a town about an hour’s drive from Maiduguri, as a staging ground for their planned major attack on Maiduguri.

“I can assure you that the Nigerian Army is ready to defend Maiduguri,” the officer said, adding that the residents of Maiduguri have no reason to panic. According to him, the army is gradually improving its intelligence gathering on the activities of Boko Haram. He said the military would use ground troops as well as aerial bombardment to scuttle the insurgents’ plots.

Meanwhile, wives of soldiers and families have begun moving out of Giwa and Maimalari barracks to escape the impending attack.

The wife of a soldier told SaharaReporters today that a signal has been secretly circulated to soldiers in Maiduguri secretly be on red alert. She said several soldiers were moved to Bama leaving Maiduguri vulnerable to attack.

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Boko Haram Planning Attack To Seize Maiduguri

Acting Gov. Fintiri snubs PDP, continues with Adamawa election campaign

Less than 24 hours after his disqualification by the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP], Adamawa State Acting Governor Umaru Fintiri has dismissed the party’s decision, insisting he remains in the race for the state’s October governorship bye-election.

Acting governor of Adamawa State, Umar Fintiri

“I am still in the race,’’ Mr. Fintiri announced Sunday, and assured he will continue to mobilize for the election.

The acting governor said the issues that led to his disqualification by the PDP screening committee have been resolved.

He said the Ibrahim Mantu-led screening committee did not disqualify him as it lacked any legal or constitutional grounds to take such a decision.

“The Acting Governor is confident about his eligibility to contest because the decision not to clear him has no political or legal precedence,” Mr. Fintiri said in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Solomon Kumanga.

The PDP announced Mr. Fintiri’s disqualification Saturday, citing “moral grounds”.

The party explained that Mr. Fintiri’s aspiration would be a violation of Section 191 (2) of the Nigerian Constitution.

Mr. Fintiri, a former Speaker, became the acting governor after spearheading the impeachment of former Governor Murtala Nyako and Deputy, Bala Ngillari, the State House of Assembly.

The chairman of the PDP screening committee, Mr. Mantu, said Mr. Fintiri’s role as acting governor is to ensure a smooth transition and a free and fair poll.

“Fintiri is not qualified because he is not like a deputy governor, but a child of circumstances. He is like a midwife and not seen as the one carrying the baby. His role should be somebody who should ensure a free and fair election. But he can appeal,” Mr. Mantu told reporters Saturday.

In his statement Sunday, Mr. Fintiri faulted the committee and said the decision will not stand considering that the party had granted waivers to other aspirants who joined the party to contest the poll.

“Where is the fairness to the man who reclaimed the party’s mandate and wiped shame from the faces of all the Adamawa Party bigwigs, who failed to do so in the first place?” he asked.

Separately, the Fintiri Campaign Organization, comprising members from the 21 local Government Areas of the state has rejected Mr. Fintiri’s disqualification by the PDP saying the decision will be challenged.

“It is also to be noted that the committee that did the screening did not find any legal, technical or any misgiving on the part of our candidate whether in the PDP constitution or in the national constitution and therefore the grounds of the decision is untenable,” the chairman of the organization, Silas Zwingina, said.

Mr. Zwingina said as a loyal party man, Mr. Fintiri has challenged the decision of the screening committee adding that the issue will soon be resolved.

“The issues raised by Mantu committee has been successfully dispelled and resolved and it is a matter for the appeal and it is a matter for the appeal committee to lay all of that to rest. We want to assure the PDP throughout the state that Fintiri campaign organization is ready for the delegate election by going into the race not only to participate but to win the race,” Zwingina said.

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Acting Gov. Fintiri snubs PDP, continues with Adamawa election campaign

2015: President Jonathan to declare intention soon - Pius Anyim

President Goodluck Jonathan will soon declare his intention to run in the 2015 presidential election, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, has said.

President Jonathan

Anyim made this known on Saturday at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the South-South rally for the President.

The rally was organised by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria.

As early as 7am on Saturday, Port Harcourt and neighbouring local governments in the state experienced unusual traffic jam. Policemen and other security forces were seen on major roads in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The East West Road, the major gateway to other parts of the country was so busy as supporters of the President were seen in buses and security vehicles.

At the Liberation Stadium venue in Elekahia, Port Harcourt, the leader of TAN, Kenneth Kobani, presented 4.15 million signatures to President Jonathan.

He urged the President to contest the 2015 presidential election, saying he deserved a second term because of his unprecedented achievements in the country.

Continuing, Anyim said, “The South South has broken the record of the other five regions that have so far asked President Jonathan to run for a second term of four years.

“Your region has collected 4,150,000 signatures. The signatures can be verified. You can see the names of those who signed; their telephone numbers and local governments. This process is real.

“Before I make any further comment I want to dance to the President Goodluck Jonathan music: Goodluck for me; Goodluck for everybody. These figures are fantastic: Rivers State, 1,100,000; Akwa Ibom, 800,000; Bayelsa State, 500,000; Cross Rivers State, 520,000; Edo State, 420,000 and Delta State, 750,000.

“We are truly grateful. For me, something significant has happened in the South South. You have shown that you are solidly, solidly and solidly behind President Jonathan. The South South has beaten our record in the South East, but I can assure you that if I go back to collect more signatures, the number will increase.”

The SSG assured the zone that Jonathan would soon declare his ambition.

Anyim said the President appreciated all they had done by collecting those signatures, adding that the President is a listening one.

“He truly understands your feelings and very soon you will hear from him,” he said.

Also, the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwaela, stated that President Jonathan had shepherded Nigeria into becoming the largest economy in Africa.

She said Jonathan had created three million jobs, managed Nigeria into becoming the fastest growing economy in Africa and as such deserved commendation and the support of Nigerians to inspire him to do more.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has begun a nationwide recruitment and screening of campaign groups, including non-governmental organisations and civil societies, rooting for President Goodluck Jonathan to contest for the 2015 presidential election.

At least 600 campaign teams in the North-East have signified their interest to work for President Jonathan after being screened and evaluated.

About two weeks ago, President Jonathan, through his Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Alkali, announced that there would be a five-day “screening and evaluation of support groups and NGOs”.

In the announcement placed in some newspapers, Alkali said, “This is to inform all leaders and members of all non-governmental organisations and all the support groups rooting for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for 2015, that there shall be a screening and evaluation exercise for the groups in the six geo-political zones.

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2015: President Jonathan to declare intention soon - Pius Anyim

We are not supporting any candidate in 2015 - US tells APC

The United States has said it was not supporting any candidate in the forthcoming polls, including the presidential election slated for February 2015.

It has also asked the various Nigerian security agencies to be neutral during the forthcoming 2015 general elections.

The US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, said these while he led a delegation of some members of the embassy staff, to the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja, over the weekend.

The advice by the US ambassador came on the heel of recent alarm by especially the APC of worsening partisan roles played by the various security agencies in the recently held governorship elections in Ekiti State on June 26 in Ekiti State and in Osun State on August 9.

The APC had repeatedly alleged that the various security agencies openly took side with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party by intimidating leaders and supporters of APC in during the elections in the two states.

The ambassador, who said he was on a mission of advising political parties, politicians and Nigerians in general on the need to eschew violence in the February 2015 polls, said elections were key to democratic governance.

He said Nigerians must be conscious of their right to vote, while security agencies must ensure they were neutral during the forthcoming elections.

He said, “I have always told Nigerians to be careful about their right to vote because it is the most precious thing in the world.

“The other thing is the role that the security agencies have to play. They have a very huge responsibility in any country to maintain security and peaceful atmosphere during elections. That is their job and we support them in that. But they have to maintain absolute neutrality so that they are not seen as favoring either sides.”

He said of late he had been inundated with questions of who his country would be supporting in the forthcoming election.

Entwistle, who said he was previously US Ambassador to Democratic Republic of Congo in Kinshasha, said his response to the inquiries had always been that the support of the US was for the Nigerian people.

He said, “I have been frequently asked who the United States is supporting for the February 2015 elections and my answer has always been that the United States supports the Nigerian people in their quest for a credible, transparent election that they want and deserve.

“So, we are not here to support anybody or any candidate, but to support a credible process in which the Nigerian people can freely express their wishes. That is why we provide support to INEC and civil societies as we get ready for this election.

“Let me be clear and say that what I am saying t you now, I say to the PDP and all others who are involved in the democratic process in Nigeria.”

.

Earlier, APC national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, who welcomed the US delegation to the party’s secretariat and thanked the US government for its support for the development of democracy in the country, said opposition parties were disadvantaged by the new trend of heavy militarisation of elections in the country.

During an interview with journalists after the meeting, Odigie-Oyegun said the fact that there was no violence on the election day did not necessarily mean a transparent election had been conducted.

He pointed out that “about 70,000 troupes were put in Osun with the obvious intent of intimidating voters.”

He said, “The truth is that we are often blamed for being bad losers, not just the APC, but Nigerians. But losers find it difficult to accept because there is no demonstrable level playing field.

“The kind of thing we are having is that weeks to elections, the might, militarisation and the rest of it and monetary inducement are deployed in such a way that it places the opposition clearly at a disadvantage.

“In a situation like that, quite frankly, it become very difficult to say that there was a free and fair election just because there was no violence on the day of the election itself.

“The so-called famous observers will tell you that nobody snatched a box or nobody got killed. The run off to elections are as important as the days of the election itself. We want you as a good friend of this nation to talk to those that you normally talk to nature that this nation.”

The US ambassador also lamented the fate of many Nigerians in the North East region of the country, who had fled their homes because of the devastating insurgent activities of the Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram.

In an interview with journalists after meeting the ambassador said it was not enough to conduct elections in the troubled region, but there must be a way of ensuring the people were not disenfranchised.

He said, “So far, the plan I see is to conduct the election throughout the country. That is something we have to work for with the full understanding that in certain parts of the country right now, the security situation is very delicate.

“But I think we have to work towards that. It is not just whether you can conduct election in the North East, but what happens to all the voters who have been displaced b the violence?

“On Election Day,if they are not at the polling units or at home, will they be able to vote? It seems to me that there must be a way for them to be able to vote. Otherwise, you have a significant number of people who have fled from violence and are effectively disenfranchised. I think we all have to work together to find a solution to that.”

He also gave assurance of the continued support of the US government towards ensuring that the girls abducted from their schools in Chibok, Borno State, more than 100 days ago were rescued from their captors, Boko Haram.

He said, “We stand with your government in their effort to rescue these girls; we stand with your government in their effort against Boko Haram.

“We provide different kind of assistance and my country stand with your country in its counter-terrorism efforts. That has always been the case and that will always be the case.”

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We are not supporting any candidate in 2015 - US tells APC

Dog meat kills five in Calabar

OGOJA – FIVE persons, a man and two of his children and two others were confirmed dead on Friday in the village of Uchenyim , Wanikade, North Ukelle in northern Cross River State after eating the meat of a dog.

The dog that was abused

Reports from the area said the dog was fond of eating the eggs laid by native chicken in the Odareko-Uchenyim village and one of the villagers allegedly laced the eggs laid by his chicken with gamalin 20 insecticide and as expected, “the dog ate the eggs and fell ill and when it was about to die the owner quickly killed and prepared it into a delicacy which he, his family consumed and some neigbours consumed ” Ugbem Onawo, a villager narrated to Vanguard.

The man and his two children and the two others who died, according to the report also ate the intestines of the dog where incidentally the poison from the gamalin 20 is lodged leading to their taking ill and dying . “After the man shared the intestines among his children and the two neighbours and they ate death came calling and they all died though at different times ”. Our source said

Onawo said they were rushed to the local health centre for medical attention but were confirmed dead on arrival at the health centre. “A feeling of grieve has descended on the entire village and people are deeply saddened by what took place as such a tragedy has not befallen them before”

Hon Frank Ugbem, the councilor representing Wanikade Ward at the Yala Local Government Area legislature said the tragedy is painful and that he has sent a delegation to console the bereaved families.

He said all the dead have been buried in accordance within the tradition of the Ukelle people

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Dog meat kills five in Calabar

Three patients now in Ebola treatment centre – Rivers

Rivers State Government has said three Ebola patients have been moved to the state’s quarantine centre at Oduoha in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.

Ebola

The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Samson Parker, made this known at a news conference in Port Harcourt on Sunday.

Parker said those taken to the treatment centre were a pharmacist at Sam Steel Hospital, doctor working with late Dr. Iyke Sam Enemuo and a nurse at Good Heart Hospital, where Enemuo allegedly died.

Sam Steel Hospital is owned by late Enemuo while he died at Good Heart Hospital.

However, he said the patients had not been confirmed, stressing that the government was awaiting the result of their tests by Sunday.

As for the wife of deceased doctor, the commissioner said Mrs. Enemuo, who tested positive for the virus was still stable in Lagos.

The commissioner said, “I have been telling you before now that almost 200 persons have been line-traced. Out of this number, we are still to be in touch with about 60 of them.

“But 50 high risk contacts have been identified. Because of stigma and the rest of them, these persons are not coming up, we are still on them.

“We have three patients at the treatment centre now. The pharmacist at Sam Steel Hospital, the doctor that was working with him and also a lady at Good Heart Hospital while Dr. Enemuo was there.”

It is not clear when the three patients were taken to the quarantine centre.

When our correspondent visited the centre on Saturday, he noticed that the centre was not ready.

He observed that reconstruction was going on at former Emohua Primary Health Centre which had been renamed as Ebola quarantine centre.

As of 11am on Saturday when our correspondent was leaving the quarantine centre, no single patient had been brought to the centre.

But the commissioner insisted the patients were taken to the centre after our correspondent had left.

Parker said, “I am briefing you now. Operations are by the minute. They are three now. They won’t let you in now. That place is restricted. Probably when you went there, there were none, but I am telling you now that I was there when they were brought in.”

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Three patients now in Ebola treatment centre – Rivers

Chibok girls: Powerful Nigerians don’t want girls rescued — Negotiator

Some powerful Nigerians are sabotaging the efforts of the Federal Government and other concerned citizens to ensure that the over 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram are set free.

Chibok girls

This was disclosed by the President, Civil Rights Congress, Mr. Shehu Sani, in an exclusive interview with SUNDAY PUNCHlast week.

Sani, who has been involved in efforts to get government and Boko Haram to discuss the fate of the girls in the past, said some powerful individuals, whom he refused to name, ensured that the talks derailed.

Sani’s disclosure came even as SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that government had begun fresh talks with the group to secure the release of the girls.

Reports have claimed that the girls who were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, have been sighted in camps inside Sambisa Forest, in some border towns near Cameroon and in the Central African Republic.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Sani; and a United Arab Emirates-based Nigerian freelance journalist, Ahmad Salkida, who had communication channels with Boko Haram, had offered to mediate between the government and the sect. But none of these efforts have yielded fruits.

There have been speculations that recently President Goodluck Jonathan and Obasanjo held a meeting to discuss how to negotiate the release of the girls.

Sani, who is one of the negotiators facilitating the current talks, confirmed that government and the sect had started another round of talks for the release of the girls. However, he expressed fears that the powerful Nigerians who sabotaged earlier talks might derail the ongoing talks if care was not taken.

“What I want to tell you is that something is being done about it but I’m not disposed to making it public. Most times, publicising these issues always lead to sabotage by those who do not want the girls freed. I will not mention the names of these Nigerians.

“However, I can tell you that real and genuine moves are going on, which I am a part of. The claim that the girls have been abandoned is not true. There are genuine efforts by government and some individuals, who are discreetly making efforts toward getting their (pupils’) safe return home.”

The human rights activist noted that the girls could only be freed either forcefully or through dialogue and negotiation.

He added that the foreign intervention sought by some Nigerians had not produced results.

The United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Israel had offered to assist Nigeria in rescuing the school girls.

Both the US and the UK had sent security experts and technology to locate the abductees and secure their release. While the US claimed to have located the girls, France had specifically opposed negotiations with the sect.

Speaking on efforts made by these countries so far, Sani said, “I am not aware of any serious efforts made by any foreign country. I am not aware of what is happening on the side of the US forces. From the side of dialogue or negotiation, I have not seen any serious intervention or involvement of these countries.”

Similarly, the Convener, Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said some powerful forces had been frustrating efforts to free the girls

The Second Republic lawmaker said, “Powerful forces have proceeded to stall the negotiation over certain political gains.”

Confirming the negotiation plan, the President, Kibaku Youth Association of Nigeria (a community in Chibok Local Government Area), Mr. Moses Zakwa, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the Federal Government engaged the services of an Australian negotiator.

He, however, said he was not aware if any Nigerian was engaged by the government for talks with the sect.

Zakwa said, “Some weeks ago, we understood that the Federal Government hired a private negotiator who has been working in regards to the release of the Chibok girls. Every person in Chibok and Borno State knows too well that a former governor of the state is the founder of Boko Haram. Everybody sees him like a semi-god that cannot be touched by any authority.”

Zakwa also revealed that the Chibok community had resolved to protect itself against further attacks from Boko Haram. He also dropped hints that the community might take the fight to the Islamic sect.

He said, “What I want to assure you is that the community and its indigenes are ready. We want to take the bull by the horn. Whatever it will cost us, we are fully ready to face members of Boko Haram. I want to assure you that an earthquake will soon happen and Nigerians will be happy with what we plan to do.”

However, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Pan Chibok Youths Association, Dr. Allen Manasseh, told our correspondent that he was not aware of any ongoing talks between the government and the sect.

He said, “I am not aware of any negotiation because I am not privy to that information yet. As I am speaking to you, I am in Chibok and I don’t know when negotiation started or how far they have gone with the negotiation. But if they have started negotiation with Boko Haram, then it is okay by us.”

Manasseh, however, expressed doubts about the Federal Government’s resolve to rescue the girls. While describing the ongoing efforts as belated, the Chibok youth leader said the government had had enough time to rescue the girls.

He said, “That is where my scepticism will come in because the girls in captivity are over a hundred and if the Federal Government is willing to negotiate with whoever is holding them captive, then it has taken too long for them to do that.”

The Northern Elders Forum had on August 11, 2014, given President Jonathan up to October to produce the schoolgirls or forget his 2015 presidential re-election bid.

An ex-Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Solomon Dalung, at a press briefing on behalf of the forum said the failure of the President to produce the Chibok girls and tackle other security challenges in the land, amounted to the forfeiture of his rights to ask for another mandate to lead Nigeria beyond 2015.

“In the light of our firm conviction that the insurgency and related security challenges pose threats to the 2015 elections and the survival of our nation, we strongly advise President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to bring an end to the insurgency in all its manifestations and produce the Chibok girls before the end of October 2014,” Dalung stated.

But Jonathan had reacted through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, saying he was already working on how to rescue the abducted girls.

“President Jonathan does not require any threat or ultimatum from any group of persons to be alive to his responsibilities to the Nigerian people,” Okupe had said.

Efforts to get the Presidency to confirm the said negotiation on Friday proved abortive.

Several calls made to the telephones of both the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, were not picked. Also, they did not respond to a text message sent to them.

Last Monday, a United States-based journal, Foreign Policy, listed the girls’ rescue as one of the missions that had been “forgotten” by the US government.

According to the magazine, the rescue of the girls is one of ‘The Pentagon’s top five “forgotten missions.”’

In a report titled ‘Forgotten Mission,’ which was published on Monday, the journal said there was no end in sight for the US mission in Nigeria to free the schoolgirls.

The abduction had called global attention, especially through a social media campaign with the hash tag, #BringBackOurGirls.

Foreign Policy recalled that President Barack Obama’s administration had deployed manned and unmanned aircraft to find the girls.

“It also dispatched advisors from the State and Defence departments, as well as the FBI. In late May, 80 troops (were) deployed in Chad to support and maintain unarmed Predator drones providing the mission with surveillance,” Foreign Policy added.

The journal further said, “Approximately 60 girls have escaped but the rest remain missing. Other missions said to have been forgotten by the US government included the hunting down of Joseph Kony of the LRA in Central Africa; destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons; NATO air policing; and the US operations in Afghanistan.

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Chibok girls: Powerful Nigerians don’t want girls rescued — Negotiator

Hold Jonathan responsible if Ebola cases worsen - APC tells Nigerians

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Nigerians must hold President Goodluck Jonathan personally responsible if the Ebola Virus Disease spreads more than it has done in the country, after he failed to stop a rally in his support in Port Harcourt on Saturday, despite warning from individuals and groups.

Lai Mohammed, APC

In a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said never before has a President of a country sabotaged his own Administration’s policy and endangered the lives of his compatriots as President Jonathan has done over the issue of Ebola.

It said the same President who declared a national emergency on Ebola and advised against large gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus was the first to flout his own advice by his failure to stop the rally by the so-called Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) in Port Harcourt, a few days after the virus was detected in the city and at a time that contact tracing was going on to find all those who may have had contact with the medical doctor victim of the disease.

”On the altar of political desperation, President Jonathan put the lives of Nigerians in danger. In order to realize his ambition for re-election, President Jonathan has shown he is ready to sacrifice as many lives of Nigerians as possible. There goes the President’s statement that his political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. This President simply says what he doesn’t mean.

”As we said in our statement of Aug. 28th 2014 calling on President Jonathan to halt the TAN rallies, especially the one in Port Harcourt, could anyone guarantee that none of those who have had contact with the medical doctor who died of the disease will attend the rally? That is why we are calling on Nigerians to hold the President responsible if Ebola spreads more than it has in the country,” APC said.

The party said shortly after it made the call for a halt to the TAN rallies, others, including the NBA and Prof. Itse Sagay, in a clearly patriotic duty, issued similar calls.

”In fact, the APC in Rivers described such a rally most appropriately as a ‘firing squad against the people’. But because he will rather be re-elected than give a damn over the safety of the same people who voted him into office, because he will rather transmogrify than transform, President Jonathan ignored all the calls and allowed the rally to hold. This is an unprecedented act of political desperation,” it said.

APC said for those who might try to spin the issue by saying the President has no control over the organizers of the rally, they should be asked who the rallies will benefit, whose top officials, including Secretary to the Government Anyim Pius Anyim, have been attending the rallies and what is the source of the funding of the gatherings.

”The TAN rallies are government-sanctioned. The TAN rallies are the Jonathan Administration’s cunning way of beating the INEC ban on campaigns for next year’s general elections. The TAN rallies highlight the impunity of the Jonathan Administration. President Jonathan is the sole beneficiary. He can stop the rallies today, if only he wants to put the nation’s interest above his own personal interest,” the party said.

Hold Jonathan responsible if Ebola cases worsen - APC tells Nigerians

Adamawa Governorship: PDP disqualifies acting governor

The Governorship Screening Panel of the Peoples Democratic Party has disqualified the Acting Governor of Adamawa State, Umar Fintiri, from taking part in the forthcoming governorship primary in the state.

Acting governor of Adamawa State, Umar Fintiri

The primary holds in Yola on September 6.

The decision to ban Fintiri was taken when the committee interviewed all the 11 aspirants and screened their qualification papers, which included party membership card, tax clearance certificates and educational certificates, among other things in Abuja on Saturday night.

The Chairman of the screening panel, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, announced the result of his committee which met for about nine hours at the party national secretariat.

Mantu, in company with other members of the committee, said Fintiri was disqualified because of Section 191 (2), which he claimed did not allow an acting governor to transmit from that position to become a substantive governor.

He said, “Thirteen aspirants were cleared while one was disqualified. He was found to have fallen short of the guideline set by the party.

“Fintiri was not cleared because of Section 191(2) which does not allow him to transmit from acting capacity to the position of the governor.”

Section 191 (1) of the constitution reads, “The deputy governor of a state shall hold the office of governor of the state, if the office of Governor becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or removal of the governor from office for any other reason in accordance with section 188 or 189 of this constitution.

“(2) Where any vacancy occurs in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (1) of this section during a period when the office of deputy governor of the state is also vacant, the speaker of the House of Assembly of the state shall hold the office of governor of the state for a period of not more than three months, during which there shall be an election of a new governor of the state who shall hold office for the unexpired term of office of the last holder of the office.

“(3) Where the office of the deputy governor becomes vacant -

(a) by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or removal in accordance with section 188 or 189 of this Constitution;”

Mantu said it would be wrong for the governor, who he described as the midwife, to also be seen as a pregnant mother.

Sources close to the acting governor on Saturday night however said he would appeal the verdict.

“He will appeal the verdict. The panel misinterpreted the constitution,” one of his aides, whose identity was not known, said after Mantu spoke.

Signs that all was not well with Fintiri started manifesting after he came out of the room where he was screened.

The acting governor who was jovial with reporters while going in however refused to greet them when he came out.

Even when he was accosted by journalists, he refused to speak as he started walking to the gate.

His aides however brought him back as it appeared that he had forgotten that he had walked past where his official vehicle was packed.

Mantu listed those who were cleared by his committee as a three-time gubernatorial aspirant, Dr. Umar Ardo; former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu; Senator Abubakar Girei; former Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Ahmed Gulak; a former Military Administrator of Lagos and Borno states, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.); and a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Aliyu Idi- Hong.

Before Mantu announced the result of the panel, all the 14 aspirants expressed confidence that they were capable of winning the primary.

Speaking with journalists after his screening, Ribadu expressed satisfaction with the screening process and noted his confidence that the party leadership would ensure transparent primaries.

He said, “I pray to God that for the good of the country; for the good people of Adamawa, what is going on today is probably a turning point and a change that is coming in Adamawa State and Nigeria.”

Moddibo, on his part, described the screening process as excellent and straightforward, adding that the rest was left for the committee to decide.

He, however, ruled out any intention of stepping down for any other aspirant, saying “that question does not arise”

Ardo, on his part, expressed reservations against the waiver granted Ribadu, Marwa and Gundiri to face the screening ahead of the primaries.

He said “I am not satisfied because it did not follow due process. In any case, I will abide by the decision of the party.”

Another aspirant, and the eldest of the lot, Sawa, said questions were straightforward and excellent.

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Adamawa Governorship: PDP disqualifies acting governor

Oyakhilomes divorce splits Christ Embassy members

Members of the Christ Embassy are divided over a divorce suit filed against the Senior Pastor of the church, Chris Oyakhilome, by wife, Anita, in a London court.

Pastor Oyakhilome and Anita, Pastor of Christ Embassy

Oyakhilome is the President of the Believers’ Love World Incorporated, the registered name of the Christian ministry, while his wife is the Vice President.

Some members of the church on a Facebook page, ‘Where is Rev. Anita Oyakhilome,’ which is believed to have been opened by Anita’s fans, expressed differing opinions on the matter.

On Saturday, one of the church members, Ijeoma Olive Ehirim said, “I am a Christ Embassy member. I hate one thing there: How can a pastor be working together with a lady hand in hand, attending meetings and lodging in a hotel for days. My girlfriend travels with our branch pastor annually for PPCF which holds in Lagos. Only God knows.”

Sharing a similar view, Samantha Iwowo, described adultery as one of the grounds for divorce.

Iwowo said, “Pastor Chris Oyakhilome must have been discovered compromising his marital bed business. It is what it is. God says judgement will start from His house. ‘Touch not my anointed’ is God’s instruction regarding all His children, not an individual nicking, scheming, threatening monies off people’s purses and telling them that salvation is tied to tithes and that seed sowing is only money donation to the church/pastor’s coffers. One down, more to roll. Christ be praised.”

In her post, Chinyere Okechukwu-George, claimed to have left the church when she observed some irregularities.

“I and my family left Christ Embassy for our own good after worshiping there for three years plus and seeing all the things going on under the disguise of church. And I can comfortably say that for over a year now, we have had so much peace in our Christian lives. I don’t care how you view my comment but truth must be told.”

Joseph Osagiede, however, responded saying the Oyakhilomes were still together.

He said, “I have been in Christ Embassy for 12 years. All is totally well with thier marriage. All those wishing them to split and also those going about saying nasty things about the church, be careful.”

Faith Ebunoluwa Adetayo also said, “I have been in Christ Embassy since 1990s and I can authoritatively say some things: I have seen the power of God work, demonstrated in healings and many other things. I have seen how that Pastor Chris is less concerned about mistakes we make.

“He believes that these sins of the flesh will disappear, only if we listen to the word of God. Rather than condemning us, he speaks words of encouragement. And for your information, Pastor Anita is still very much in the ministry and she’s with her darling husband.”

Meanwhile, the Christ Embassy has kept mum on the divorce case.

A woman, who picked SUNDAY PUNCH’s call to the Nigerian office of the church on Saturday, said she had no information to give on the matter.

When asked to confirm if the divorce suit was true or not, she simply said, “I have no information to give on the matter.”

When another call was made to the church thorough another number, the respondent, who identified herself as Pastor Christabel, said the church had no information about the case.

“No, we have no information on the matter,” she said.

An online newspaper, The Cable, had reported on Friday that the divorce case, with Suit No FD14D01650, was filed on April 9, 2014 at the Divorce Section A, Central Family Court, First Avenue House, High Holborn, London, the United Kingdom, on Anita’s behalf by Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors.

Anita reportedly filed for dissolution of the marriage between her and her pastor husband, which produced two teenage daughters – Sharon and Charlyn – on the grounds of “unreasonable behaviour” and “adultery.

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Oyakhilomes divorce splits Christ Embassy members

Cameron considers ban on UK jihadists returning home

By BBC

The government is considering temporary bans on British-born jihadists in Iraq and Syria from returning to the UK.

The BBC understands UK nationals suspected of being involved in terrorist acts would be allowed to keep their British citizenship.

But they would be prevented from re-entering the UK for a period of time.

David Cameron will set out the government’s plans to counter the threat posed by Islamic State militants in a statement to MPs on Monday.

The prime minister is expected to make it easier to seize the passports of would-be terrorists travelling abroad.

A government source told BBC News: “The government is considering a range of measures to keep the country safe in the face of an increased threat level from Islamist extremism.

“The areas include making it harder for potential foreign fighters to travel abroad by making it easier to remove their passports through additional temporary seizure powers at the border.

“We are also looking at stopping British citizens from re-entering the country if they are suspected of terrorist activity abroad.

“Previously, our range of powers to prevent return to the UK applied only to foreign nationals, dual nationals or naturalised citizens.”

The government source confirmed that “details of the package are being finalised” and would be announced by the prime minister in a Commons statement on Monday.

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Cameron considers ban on UK jihadists returning home

2015: Wike apologises, urges Amaechi to contest presidency

 •Okocha marches through Nyesom Wike’s stronghold

It was a touching moment when Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, did not only have his stewardship publicly appreciated but was also begged to act fast to rescue Nigeria from the dungeon by contesting the 2015 presidential election as the only panacea to the present sad state of affairs in the country. The plea was made by the cousin of Chief Nyesom Wike and a leading light of the Rumueprikom community, Barr. Tasie Wike, during Amaechi’s resumed Meet-the-People Tour of Obio Akpor Local Government Area.

Rotimi Amaechi

This request, according to Barr. Wike, is borne out of the fact that Governor Amaechi has contributed immensely to the economic development of the State and the country in general and in view of his administration’s landmark achievements which speak for themselves. Presenting his community’s address, Barr. Wike said: “We are convinced that despite the huge effort put in place by our detractors to run you down, history and providence will speak volumes of your track records of infrastructural development which are unprecedented in the annals of Rivers State and indeed Nigeria. We must sincerely commend and congratulate you for putting Rumueprikom clan on the threshold of history of Rivers State – indeed Nigeria – in the elevation of our traditional stool and influencing the appointment of one of our sons as a Minister of State of Education in the person of Chief Nyesom Wike, as well as Chief Promise Onuoha and Chief Cyprian Chukwu as members of Rivers State Local Government Service Commission, not minding that none of these are members of APC and are now constituting themselves as nuisance and stumbling block to further developments of our community.

“Your other areas of intervention in our community include construction of the Ada-George Road, Epirikom/Rumuolumeni Road, Rumuepirikom Health Centre, Rumuepirikom Community Secondary School, Elioparanwo Primary School, among other great feats. All these notwithstanding, we wish to express our huge disappointment over our son, Chief Nyesom Wike, for failing to fix internal roads in our community while he was given hundred percent on the contracts by the Amaechi-led administration to execute these road projects. It is worthy to recall that Rumuepirikom internal road network was awarded to Chief Nyesom Wike. Your Excellency, after we visited D/Line area of Port Harcourt and saw the internal road network constructed there and compared them with what was done in our community by our own son we wept. Our Governor, there is need to revisit the slipshod construction done on our internal roads by Nyesom Wike and imagine what a man has unleashed on his own community. What a dastardly act.”

Responding, Governor Amaechi thanked the people for their support and assured them of more developmental projects, including the construction of Rumuagholu Road in Ward 7 and completion of Rumuomoi Road in Ward 12 as well construction of Eiohani/Eneka Road in Ward 1. The Governor said: “I thank all of you for the opportunity to address you. It’s basically for the interest of Rivers State that we are here. There is no village in Rivers State you will go to that you won’t see either a primary or a model health centre that I built. It is our responsibility, not about politics. And if you like, you can vote APC or you can vote PDP or any other political party but to meet your needs is my responsibility. I am paid salary for it and it is the reason for which I drive a free car, use free fuel, eat free food and enjoy free sleep.”

The communities visited by the Governor and his team in the course of the week included Rumueprikom, Eliparanwo, Rukpokwu, Eneka, Rukpakwolusi, Eligbolo, Awalama, Rumuuagholu, Elieke, Ekinigbo, Orosi, Rumuadaolu, Rumuola, Rumuokwuta, Oroigwe, Rumunduru, Eliozu, and Elimgbu, among others. All these communities are in Wards 9, 1, 12, 7 and 13.

In Amaechi’s team during the tour were other great political warriors like Chief Hon. Dakuku Peterside; Hon. Ogbo Nwuke; members of the Federal House of Reps from the State; Chief Chidi Llyod, the Majority Leader in the State House Assembly; Chief Tony Okocha, the Chief of Staff to the Governor; Dr. Davies Ikanya, the Rivers State APC Chairman; Hon. Emmanuel Chinda, the Commissioner of Agriculture; Hons. Ike Chinwo and Igo Aguma, former members of the House of Representatives; Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree; Barr Lawrence Chukwu; Chief Ambrose Nwuzi; Hon. Weli, the Commissioner for Environment, Evangelist Carol Nagbo, the APC State Women Leader, Princess Urey Ejims, the Commissioner for Women Affairs; Mrs. Kate Ngbor; and Elder Chidi Wihoka, among others.

Chief of Staff, Chief Tony Okocha, in a symbolic gesture led the team to walk the one kilometre route to the venue of the event from Chief Nyesom Wike’s family compound. He described the successful outing in Chief Nyesom Wike’s community as the fall of the wall of Jerico and collapse of whatever maybe the myth or political power base of the junior minister.

It would be recalled that Governor Amaechi had suspended the tour on 13^th August, 2014 in honour of the erstwhile Mayor of Port Harcourt, Hon. Charles Paul Ejekwu, who died that day but whose memory was desecrated by PDP, which hired thugs to cause havoc at Rumueprikom in order to sabotage and disrupt the tour, destroying the canopies and chairs arranged at strategic locations in Obio/Akpor, shooting sporadically into the air, breaking bottles on the roads, destructing property and injuring innocent persons.

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2015: Wike apologises, urges Amaechi to contest presidency

Muazu, Anenih woo Tom Ikimi back to PDP

NATIONAL Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, has led some leaders of the party to former National Chairman, National Republican Convention, NRC, and immediate past Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Tom Ikimi, begging him to rejoin the party.

Tom Ikimi

Muazu, who made the visit, Friday night, to the Abuja Maitama residence of Ikimi with the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih, and PDP deputy National Chairman, Prince Uche Uches Secondus, stressed that the visit was among others designed to finalize arrangements for his formal return, adding that the PDP was happy that Ikimi had decided to return to its fold.

The PDP boss described Ikimi as a highly organized and patriotic Nigerian who has the interest of the nation at heart, saying such attribute made it hard for him to be in a party like the APC. He said that PDP will immensely benefit from Ikimi’s “wealth of experience, strong political structure and massive followership across the country”.

Also speaking, Anenih commended Ikimi for his decision to dump the APC and return to PDP, stressing that it was in the overall interest of the nation.

Responding, Ikimi told his visitors that he had concluded plans to return to PDP and promised to bring value to the party by serving at any level.

He vowed to use his position and political structures especially in the South-south to ensure that the PDP emerged victorious in the 2015 general elections. “I look forward to bringing value to the PDP. I believe that my contributions will again be noteworthy. By my joining PDP, we are assured of victory not only in Edo State but in the entire South-south geo-political zone”, Ikimi said, noting that he was ready to serve the party in any capacity deemed appropriate by the leaders. Also at the meeting were Secretary of the PDP BoT, Senator Wali Jibril; a former FCT Minister, Dr. Aliyu Modibbo, as well as other political stakeholders from the South-south.

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Muazu, Anenih woo Tom Ikimi back to PDP

Boko Haram sponsors: CBN officials assist Boko Haram"s funding - Dr. Davis

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

Another group of sponsors of the dreaded islamic sect, Boko Haram has been revealed by Dr. Stephen Davis who as at 28 of August, told Arise Tv during an interview session that  Ihejirika and the former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff were co-sponsors of the sect.

Boko haram in Borno

During the interview with Arise Tv, Dr. Davis mentioned Nyanya mastermind, Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche who was arrested in Sudan and flown back to Nigeria for his alleged involvement in the bombing of the park few months back.

He, without going into details wondered why Nigerian securities have refused to question the arrested suspect, adding that three of the arrested boko haram members link with the bombing have their uncle’s backings.

He also made it clearer that the three boys live with the said uncle and urge Nigerian securities to arrest him immediately.

During an interview with thecable, a Nigerian online newspaper yesterday, Dr. Davis gave a clearer picture of the uncle he earlier mentioned. According to him, a senior official of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was involved in the sponsoring of the sect.

He revealed that Western countries found it difficult to trace the source of funds because it was going through legal channel which make it very easy to cover up.

He added that one of the biggest suppliers of Boko Haram arms and military uniforms reside in Cairo, Egypt. He receives the money sent by Boko Haram political sponsors from Nigeria and the funds go through CBN’s system as a legal transaction.

Dr. Davis who seems to be ready to go deeper on his allegation revealed further that the funding is handled in the CBN by the uncle of the three boys arrested in connection with the bombing that took place in Nyanya few months back. He said the boys lived with him before they were arrested by the DSS.

The Australian negotiator also accused a senior CBN official who recently left the bank as an accomplice in the system. He added that Sadiq Aminu Ogwuche’s wife used to visit the official in the headquarter before the Nyanya bombing, adding that they were very close.

Giving reasons why he decided to blow the whistle, he said the Nigerian authorities were not acting fast to rescue the more than 200 Chibok school girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in April. He said ” “I have three daughters. I just cannot stand the thought of what those girls are passing through. I have spoken to an escapee who described how she was being raped for 40 days by militants. I can’t stand it. It is heart-breaking. Nigerian authorities must act decisively now,”.

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Boko Haram sponsors: CBN officials assist Boko Haram"s funding - Dr. Davis

Ebola Outbreak: 39 immigrants from DR Congo, Sierra Leone arrested in Lagos

At least 39 foreign nationals were ,yesterday, arrested by Police and Immigration officers in two hotels on Lagos Island.

It was gathered that they were arrested following a tip-off by some residents of the area over fears of the spread of Ebola virus disease.

Upon receiving the report, the Area Commander, Imohimi Edgal, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Area A Command, Lion Building, contacted Immigration and Health officials who stormed Benin Hotel and an unamed guest house, situated on Atere street and effected the arrest of the foreigners, 35 of whom are citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the rest are Sierra Leoneian nationals.

A police source said the Immigration officials will determine if the suspects are legally residing in the country while the Health officials will determine their health status. He also added that all the hotels in the area have been placed under surveillance.

It will be recalled that six (6) people have died from the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country. The total number of reported cases is fifteen(15) after the Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer flew into the country with the virus on July 20th and was admitted into a Lagos hospital.

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Ebola Outbreak: 39 immigrants from DR Congo, Sierra Leone arrested in Lagos

Aide in court for defrauding Danjuma of N2bn

A special assistant to former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. T. Y. Danjuma (retd), Manasseh Zorto, was on Friday brought before a Federal High Court in Lagos State for allegedly defrauding his boss of N2bn.

The suspect, who was said to be on the run, could not be arraigned before Justice Okon Abang on Friday.

When the matter was called, the counsel to the Special Fraud Unite, Chief Godwin Obla, said the police were having challenges in bringing the accused to court.

He said the police would apply for bench warrant for the arrest of the suspect.

Obla said: “My lord, we are in court today so as not to allow the matter to be unattended to. We humbly pray the court to grant us more time to bring the accused to court for arraignment.

“For now, we don’t want to apply for bench warrant but we will make more efforts to arrest the accused.”

Justice Abang consequently fixed October 2 for the arraignment.

According to the charge sheet, Zorto was said to have fraudulently used his position as an employee of Tita-Kuru Petrochemicals Limited, T.Y Holdings Limited and Central Realities Limited, all companies linked to Danjuma, to steal about N2bn from the companies.

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Aide in court for defrauding Danjuma of N2bn

2015: PDP considers automatic ticket for Jonathan

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party is contemplating fielding President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole candidate for the 2015 presidential primaries, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

President Jonathan

The thinking within the top echelon of the party is that the party would emulate the United States democracy where the right of first refusal is usually given to the President.

Already, some members of the National Working Committee of the party were said to have favoured the arrangement, which would see Jonathan emerge as the sole candidate of the party.

According to the timetable for 2015 elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, conduct of parties’ primaries will commence on October 2, 2014 and end on December 11, 2014.

The Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, had at a dinner for the party members in Abuja in May 2013 advocated automatic ticket for the President and governors, who had performed.

He had said, “I do not see anything wrong, if the PDP considers automatic tickets for the President and its governors who have performed well and are seeking for a second term.

“It is my view that with the outstanding performance of President Jonathan in the areas of power, rail and water transportation, road construction, aviation reforms, education, agriculture, job creation, etc., the party should not find it difficult in granting him the opportunity to serve a second term, if he so desires.”

A PDP chieftain, who asked not to be named, told Saturday PUNCH during the week that the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mua’zu, had been holding secret meetings with some stakeholders to ensure that Jonathan emerges as the consensus candidate of the party.

A PDP chieftain said, “Mua’zu will soon put a committee in place to prevail on presidential aspirants on the party’s platform from the North to wait till 2019, when Jonathan’s planned second term tenure would have ended.

“Mua’zu wants Jonathan to emerge as the party’s consensus candidate so that a Northerner can be elected President in 2019 to spend two terms.

“Though the President has not declared his intention to seek re-election, his body language is indicating that he will soon seek Nigerians’ mandate for second term in office.

“Even with the way some groups have been mobilising support for him, one is convinced that Jonathan will soon emerge as the PDP consensus candidate.”

However, some of the NWC members were said to have argued that there was nothing wrong in allowing other aspirants to pick forms, which, they said would give a resemblance of transparency in the process.

Apart from this, it was also gathered that the NWC members said throwing the process open would bring money into the purse of the party.

When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, told one of our correspondents that the party had not decided on the matter.

He also said it would be wrong to assume what the party would do until it calls for nomination.

He said, “How do we know if the President will be the sole candidate when we have not called for nomination?

“We will call for nomination and anyone who picks the form will be free to contest. For now, we cannot say who will be the aspirants.”

Efforts to seek reactions of the President’s Senior Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Alkali, did not succeed as calls to his mobile telephone did not go through.

But the Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation Committee, South-West of the PDP, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, said the party would not impose any consensus presidential candidate on the people.

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2015: PDP considers automatic ticket for Jonathan

Mark hails Jonathan for reinstating sacked residents doctors

Senate President, David  Mark, has expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for reinstating the 16,000 resident doctors  sacked during their  two months industrial action.

David Mark

He therefore enjoined the doctors to reciprocate the gesture by rendering  excellent services they have been known for especially under the current health care challenges orchestrated by the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease.

Mark, stated this in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, in Abuja on Saturday.

He said,  “Strike should be avoided at all cost especially in critical sectors like health. Dialogue remain the option to any dispute no matter the circumstances.

“I believe that some useful lessons have been learnt to prevent reoccurrence in future.”

Mark, according to the statement,  had waded into the strike  following the disagreement between the federal government and the doctors  over unpaid arrears arising from hazard and relativity allowances among others.

The statement also recalled that the federal government, while the strike lasted, unilaterally sacked all resident doctors and suspended the residency training programme across the country.

The health officers  under the aegis  of the Nigeria Medical Association then vowed not to return to work until government reverses the decision sacking them.

Mark, the statement added, had pleaded with them to go back to work and give him the benefit of doubt to  meet the executive arm of government to think otherwise about the sack.

It was on upon his (Mark’s) intervention, according to the statement,  that the doctors agreed to suspend their action and went back to work.

It added that on  hearing that the federal government has through the Health minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, reinstated the doctors, Mark commended Jonathan for the gesture.

The statement further noted that Mark had  also appreciated the NMA for calling off the strike and had directed  its members to return to their duty posts forthwith .

He canvassed for patriotism from all citizens “because we need the support and cooperation of all to make progress and make our country a better place.”

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Mark hails Jonathan for reinstating sacked residents doctors

2015: APGA offers Jonathan, Umeh automatic tickets

Ahead of the 2015 general elections, the All Progressives Grand Alliance has offered automatic tickets to President Goodluck Jonathan and Chief Victor Umeh.

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State disclosed this on Saturday in Awka where a mega-rally was to urge Jonathan to seek re-election as President.

Obiano however said the party’s candidates for all other elective positions will be determined through primaries.

While Jonathan has the party’s presidential ticket, Umeh, APGA’s national chairman, will fly the party’s banner in the Anambra Central Senatorial election.

Umeh said APGA has gone into an accord with the Peoples Democratic Party to support Jonathan for the presidential election.

Former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, was absent at the rally. But Obiano said Obi got permission to travel to the United States to attend the World Igbo Congress.

Former Senate President Ken Nnamani and former PDP national women’s leader, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, presented solidarity messages at the rally.

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2015: APGA offers Jonathan, Umeh automatic tickets

2015 Presidential election: Lamido declares intention to challenge Jonathan

SUBTLE trouble is brewing at the Presidency over the last-minute decision of Jigawa State Governor, Dr. Sule Lamido, to challenge President Goodluck Jonathan in next year’s presidential election.

Governor Sule Lamido

The two-term governor’s decision is said to have rattled President Jonathan and the party, which had long concluded that the race would be a straight fight between the president and others from the opposition parties.

In fact, given its internal permutations, the PDP believes that Jonathan would have a smooth sail to the election, as no other candidate would be able to challenge him and get victory at its planned national convention, which some see as a mere formality for the incumbent to be crowned.

However, Saturday Vanguard gathered from very reliable Presidential sources that there is apprehension in the Presidency following the confirmation of Lamido’s plans.

One of the sources said that the Presidency and the PDP had initially dismissed the rumoured ambition of the governor with the hope that it was mere speculation that would fizzle out with time.

A reliable source said that based on the information that Lamido had concluded plans to run for the presidency, Jonathan immediately summoned him to the Presidential Villa to clear the air on the issue.

One of the sources said that Jonathan was shell shocked when Lamido stormed the Villa recently and told the President openly that he was keen on running in the next polls.

“At that point, the President was shocked to hear from Lamido that his presidential ambition should not be seen as mere rumour, as he had made up his mind to run against him,” a presidential source said.

“The way Lamido spoke with the President showed that he was not ready to back down from the race and the way he spoke about the matter was a bit unsettling to Mr. President, who had all along regarded him as one of the governors, who could not move against him,” the source explained.

Lamido was said to have told the President that he had made up his mind to contest against him in the next polls despite a deliberate attempt by forces opposed to his ambition to frame him and his children up.

The governor, it was learnt, told the President that he was upset by the frequent embarrassment of his children by some agencies of government over allegations that one of them passed through an airport without declaring $40,000 in his possession.

He is said to have also drawn the president’s attention to the fact that there was a deliberate attempt by government agencies to tarnish his family’s image all in a bid to make him drop his presidential ambition but that he was not ready to back out of the race.

The action of the governor is said to have angered the Presidency, which promptly reported him to the National leadership of the PDP and asked it to call him to order.

It was learnt that Lamido was emboldened to go for the top job by some of his governor friends and prominent Nigerian leaders, who are uncomfortable with the way things are going in the land.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is a friend and father figure to Lamido.

Almost at the same time early in the month, documents began to fly about that Lamido received gratification of N1.3 billion from two contractors, who had completed two projects valued at N13 billion.

Although an EFCC agent admitted last night that the agency had been investigating the Lamido family for a long time, he denied that the information on the N1.3 billion bribe allegation was instigated by the Presidency.

“Let me tell you that since we arrested Lamido’s son at the airport over non-declaration of $40,000, our operatives have been investigating the family’s account and it is not at the instance of the Presidency as some people are alleging,” the EFCC official said.

But confronted yesterday to confirm or deny his rumoured ambition, Lamido declined to make a categorical statement on the matter.

The governor however foreclosed the possibility of going to the Senate as is the practice of most of his outgoing colleagues.

According to him, the atmosphere for him to become president is not yet there, adding that it is better for him to seek a higher office than to go the legislature to make laws after implementing laws passed by others for eight years.

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2015 Presidential election: Lamido declares intention to challenge Jonathan