Jonathan, ex-leaders, govs resolve to end terrorism before Dec

Members of the Council of State rose from an emergency meeting on Thursday with a resolution to support President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the current spate of terrorism in parts of the country ends before December.

Jonathan, ex-leaders, govs resolve to end terrorism before Dec

They also resolved to put an end to all discriminatory practices in states including the registration and “deportation” of non-indigenes as well as different school fees for indigenes and non-indigenes in states-owned institutions among others.

The council presided over by Jonathan has the Vice President, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, all former Heads of State, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria and all state governors as members.

All former Heads of State, except former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) attended the emergency meeting. President of the Senate, David Mark, was also absent.

Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sullivan Chime (Enugu) and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.

Aliyu said it was the resolution of council members that all hands must be on the deck to end insurgency in parts of the country.

He said they would work hard to ensure that the predictions by some foreigners that Nigeria would cease to exist as a united body beyond 2015 remained a wishful thinking.

The governor added that the council observed that leaders, particularly politicians remained the only threats to the country and democracy.

He said a collective decision was taken to stop the inflammatory statements always attributed to politicians.

He said, “More fundamental of the issues is the bucks stopping with the leadership. In fact, it came to the fore that if there is any threat to either the state or democracy probably the threat is coming from politicians and from leaders of the country.

“We must understand the boundaries of leadership and also the responsibilities that are involved. Leadership is not about beauty contest.

“In leadership, you must take difficult decisions and really go about implementing them.

“So, all the things came to the fore at the meeting and subsequently, each of us made it a deliberate resolution to all be bi-partisan or non-partisan to support the President to make sure that we get rid of this insurgency and indeed suggesting that before December.”

The governor said there was nothing religious or Islamic about the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

He said the important thing was for adherents of religions to respect the rights of adherents of other religions aside from theirs.

Akpabio said the council frowned at the registration of Nigerians in parts of the country and directed that the exercise be stopped forthwith.

He disclosed further that the council set up a six-member committee saddled with the responsibility of further identifying other discriminatory practices across the country.

The committee which has two months to submit its report, according to him, has governors of Niger, Sokoto, Enugu, Gombe, Akwa Ibom and Ondo States as members.

He said with the submission of the report, the council would then decide if the National Assembly would be approached to ensure that changes are made.

He said the ex-leaders proffered solutions to the security challenges in the country while council members commended security agencies.

He said, “Council viewed the report seriously that some citizens were being deported; deportatiom should be from one country to the other but where you have a Nigerian who is being returned to his state of origin to other states, then you know there is a problem.

“We felt that that was capable of disrupting the unity of the country, making Nigerians to become apprehensive and unsafe. ‎

“Also, council frowned at the idea of even registering Nigerians in various parts of the country and felt this must be brought to an end immediately.

“And so we looked at all these issues and the role every leader should play from the local government level to the federal level. The role each one of us should play to ensure that we solidify the unity of this country.

“We also looked at these discriminatory practices across board from all parts of the country: North, South, West and the East and we felt all those issues must be brought to front burner, solutions proffer to ensure that Nigerians are united, live freely and do their businesses without hinderance.”

Chime on his part said he saw commitment to save the country by both past and present leaders who attended the meeting.

He said the willingness to remain one Nigeria will lead to the abolition of disclosure of states of origin.

Rather, he said people would only be asked to disclose where they reside.

He said those of them who were around knew that was how the civil war started.

He said, “Those of us who were around will remember very well that that was how the civil war started, we saw the danger, we said there is really need for every body to be sensitised on this. It looks very innocent now to say well, I have security concerns, I can register any body who is not from here.

“But you don’t think that you have some people on the other side, what will you feel if they have the same concerns and decide to register everybody who is not from there?

“That is not the way the framers of the constitution envisaged that the constitution should be operated.

“That is why this meeting was held and I am very happy that there was a lot of commitment, the governors who are the main operators, who are the leaders at that level are all committed that this issue is resolved. There a lot of commitment and support across party lines by those who attended.”

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Jonathan, ex-leaders, govs resolve to end terrorism before Dec

Are Muslims really hated or feared?

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

The believe that Muslims are marginalized or intimidated is always an overstatement to me as i see people making this assertion are nothing but liars and animus creators judging from what’s going on around the world presently and the innocent people dying in the hands of the few who referred to themselves as the true Muslims and killing everyone who does not believe in their doctrine.

NDONESIA, JAKARTA : The newly crowned the Muslimah World 2013 Obabiyi Aishah Ajibola (C) of Nigeria speaks to audience during the Muslimah World competition in Jakarta on September 18, 2013. The finale of a beauty pageant exclusively for Muslim women was set to take place in the Indonesian capital on September 18, in a riposte to the Miss World contest in Bali that has drawn fierce opposition from Islamic radicals. AFP PHOTO

On the 30th of July, i was travelling from Kandy to Colombo on a public transport in Sri Lanka, when the bus got to the Muslim dominated area, a certain man with a ridiculous bag entered the bus. No one usually sit close to me but on that day, this man decided to sit on the same seat with me, i was uncomfortable. He held his cheap bag like gold in a way that he was avoiding me, who was dying inside to peep at the content.

As he came into the bus, the phone i held on my hand suddenly died, i could hardly move as the thought of what was going to happen next filled my heart. To make matter worse, he brought out a very cheap phone, the type i have seen can easily be used to trigger explosives. He was murmuring with different body signs. Deep down my heart, he was saying God is Great in his Arabic language.

On the other side of the bus was another Muslim man who folded his two hands together indicating he was praying, this gave me a relief that the man murmuring may be doing the same. But his own was different as he was touching different parts of his body, my sweat was dropping like as if i was walking in the rain.

Suddenly, he got up from my seat and moved adjacent, i believe he realized i was not comfortable as i decided to sit on one buttock looking at him instead of both, his change of seat gave me another relief but all was still not well. He still held his bag tightly to himself and the only thing i think of was ”is there any exit in this bus?” Actually there was but i can’t make it to the door if it was to explode, so my heart kept pounding the Holy Spirit out of me.

Again, he moved from the seat to the last seat and i received another fresh air. This time, i was acting more like a mathematician, calculating how i would hide under the chair or behind it. I  realized the chairs were made of iron and foam, so the explosion could burn through it, then how will i look if i got roasted? Will my flesh scattered in different locations like the incident of Nyanya? Now that he is sitting at the back, should i ask the driver to stop and change bus? or should i raise an alarm of a suspicious bag? what if the alarm became false? Am i dying today?

Then another thought came to my mind about a friend in the United State who is a doctor and told me how the nurses and doctors on duty ran away at the mentioning of a Muslim’s man name who was involved in a ghastly motor accident. The man walked into the hospital dripping blood and the nurses ran towards him, gave him a wheel chair with numerous questions to understand the nature of the injury. Then one of the nurses asked his name and the moment he said Mohammed Yusuf, the nurses disappeared one after the other.

I also remembered that a young Sri Lankan Muslim has been disturbing me lately, begging me to give him Boko Haram number as he would like to talk to them and on his facebook wall, he rejoices whenever ISIS triumph in their attacks.

I recalled that the Buddhist monks had attacked the Muslims and Christians community recently leaving some Muslims dead and the water is still boiling over that.

I started thinking of all the crime i may have committed and things i have planned i haven’t achieved. I prefer public bus because you don’t have to worry yourself driving and you can sleep while travelling, did i make a wrong choice? should i have just taken the car? Will my son see me again?

The other Muslim man didn’t open his eyes after praying, i guess he upgraded the prayer to sleep, but that wasn’t my problem unless the thought that he may have been planted there to make sure the attack was successful. But another thought came to my mind that they usually use the children within a certain age and the man with the frightening bag should be within 50-52 years old.

He brought his phone out again, dialed a number, i could see him as my neck was like that of a bird trying to peep behind. You can be wowed on what you are capable of doing if you are in a position you do not expect, so i decided to monitor. If the man had stopped at any of the many villages we passed, it would have been better for me but he didn’t and never let off his bag.

To cut matter short, i arrived Colombo and i was the first to jump off the bus, then looked up with the realization that it was not my turn to die.

On the other hand, the Muslim man who kept changing seat must have realized i was not comfortable sitting with him, deep down in his heart he may have thought i hate islam forgetting that i am just fighting to stay alive. It’s true that all Muslims are not terrorists but it’s obvious that all terrorists are Muslims. I felt really bad for him but i hope he understood my position.

Therefore, it’s unfair to say that Muslims are marginalized despite the havoc many of them had caused and still causing till date. It is unfair to be scared to express how you feel about a certain religion who about 70% of its members believe in revenge and display signs of hatred towards other religions. Muslims are not hated but feared from the look of it all.

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Are Muslims really hated or feared?

PDP Dismisses Sara-Igbe’s Comment On Wike As Laughable

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, says the best thing to happen to the Party in the State is to have a man of unequalled political stature and unassuming personality as the leader of PDP in the State in the person of Chief (Barr) Nyesom Wike.

Wike

This is a statement of fact and can only be unacceptable to those who are envious of the Minister’s rising political profile within and outside the State.

The State chairman of the PDP, Bro Felix Obuah disclosed this while reacting to statements made by one Chief Sara-Igbe on a live programme on Nigerian Info radio, alleging that the party is angry with its State leader, Chief Wike, describing such comment as laughable.

According to the State PDP Chairman, Chief Sara-Igbe is not a member of the PDP and may be replicating same old propaganda, the All Progressives Congress, APC, is known for.

“We challenge Chief Sarah-Igbe to muster the courage to challenge Chief Wike if he has the muscle and stop hiding under the canopy of the APC to whip up sentiments devoid of any substance” Prince Obuah remarked.

The PDP chair has therefore enjoined all members and supporters of the PDP across the state to discountenance Sara-Igbe’s hollow statements and continue to support the Party, stressing that Chief (Barr) Nyesom Wike still and will continue to enjoy the admiration and confidence of the PDP both at the State and national level.

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PDP Dismisses Sara-Igbe’s Comment On Wike As Laughable

Police arrest woman for allegedly killing her 2 children

The Delta Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old woman in Abraka for allegedly killing two of her children.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, said this on Thursday in Asaba in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

She said the suspect had confessed to the police that she gave a liquid substance to the children to drink.

The suspect, she added, said the children were aged nine months and two years.

Kalu said the suspect claimed that the liquid substance was given to her by one Apostle Austin Eduviere of Triumphant World International Church, Abraka, and was for healing purposes.

The suspect, she added, told the police that the liquid substance was a mixture of water and salt and sold to worshipers for N1,850.

The cleric, Kalu said, had been arrested and was helping the police in their investigation. (NAN)

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Police arrest woman for allegedly killing her 2 children

Osun: Crushing The Jonathan Siege

By Abiodun KOMOLAFE

“Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision.” - Cassius Marcellus Clay.

 Individual interpretations notwithstanding, elections are generally regarded as contests. The United States of America’s quadrennial election of 1876, which eventually led to the Compromise of 1877, through Kenya’s “tribalism-marked” election of 2007, to Zimbabwe’s “deeply flawed” presidential contest of 2008, even, Venezuela’s “decisive” election of 2012, among numerous others, all point to the fact that, Nigeria as an indivisible part of the Global Village cannot be said to be indifferent to the dynamics of its global villageness.

If utmost care is not taken, President Goodluck Jonathan will kill Nigeria! As a matter of fact, anyone who has read the book, ‘Why Nations Fail’ by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson would readily admit that there’s clearly more to the gubernatorial election which returned Ayodele Fayose as Governor-Elect than meets the eye. Aside any other reasons already in circulation for the sad event of June 21, 2014, I have personally described the quintessential Governor Kayode Fayemi as the [Governor Babatunde] Fashola of Ekiti State. The question then is: if the Fashola in Fayemi did so well – and, he did very well – in Ekiti, why then did he lose the election by such a wide margin? In my considered opinion, the answer is simple: the Bola Tinubu of Ekiti politics was conspicuously absent; and the Lamidi Adedibu, the Azeez Arisekola Alao and the Olusola Saraki of Ekiti politics were either dead, incompetent, unrecognized, uncommitted; not empowered, or simply went into self-imposed exile, thereby leaving the stage for the pro-masses-yet-integrity-deficient Fayose with such a landslide. 

Some people tagged it “stomach infrastructure”; I’d rather refer to it as the “PDP abracadabra”: the more you look, the less you see!” Till date, I have continued to ponder what went so wrong and how things went so bad that none of Fayemi’s men of political “timber and caliber” was able to deliver his local government to the ruling party. Too bad! Fayose won the election the usual People’s Democratic Party, PDP-way and the Umbllera went gaga, thinking that all elections would go the way of Ekiti! Anyway, as one Nigerian privileged with witnessing the Ekiti saga, what happened as well as what did not happen during governorship election are issues for another day!

Goodbye Ekiti, the Fountain of Knowledge! Welcome Osun, the Land of Virtue! In less than two weeks, precisely, on August 9, 2014, residents of the state will go to the polls to elect the governor who’ll run the affairs of the state for the next four years. And, as a respected political leader once remarked, with the way this “mere geographical expression” is constitutionally structured, in any of the country’s 36 states, after God, the next person is the governor. Little wonder why every Tom, Dick and Harry wants to grab power at all costs! What more? With Jonathan, Nigeria’s sitting Khalifa, unwilling to let go of power; and, with the North scheming with unparalleled crudity to take back the power it “willingly conceded to the South”, the ruling party at the centre is indeed desperate in its bid to capture the Southwest in order to make up for any shortcomings that may come its way from the Northern part of the country during next year’s general elections.

 

“The journey is the reward”, said the Chinese Proverb. In other words, it is a settled case that Rauf Aregbesola, the sitting governor, has simplified the art of governance and has laid the foundation for modern welfare in the state. Apart from some of his achievements which have been comprehensively articulated by respected commentators, the governor has also surpassed the people’s expectations in other areas. For example, his First Term in office witnessed the establishment of the Quick Impact Intervention Programme (QIIP) - to deal with small-scale farmers on a cooperative basis; and Osun Debt Management Office - to centrally coordinating the management of the state’s debt. 185 Km Oyo Boundary (Asejire) to Osun-Ondo Boundary (Owena) was beautified; super highways to connect Osun to Lagos and Osun to Kwara States were built; and Freedom Park, the first of its kind in the history of the state, was constructed.

 Aregbesola’s administration also saw to the payment of salaries to old age people (referred to as Agba Osun). Not that alone, over 3,000 permanent teachers were employed into the state’s Education Sector while 339 university graduates were recruited into Osun State Civil Service. Even, as we speak, there are free rail services to all indigenes of the state living in Lagos State; and 61 township roads covering128km are being upgraded all over the state.

Albert Einstein describes politics as being more complicated than science. He was right! Politics is all about issues. It is about morality and credibility. It is about loyalty to the country, not to any particular individual, however strong, powerful or connected. Politics is about leadership; and leadership leads to good governance. It is all about the presence of the rule of law, not abuse of authority or the practice of nepotism. It is transparent, accountable, consensus-driven and predicated on the fundamentals of equity, efficiency, responsiveness and effectiveness.

 Intrigues of power-play! Physical demonstration of incompetence! Twists of tension and turns of pretension! In our very eyes, politics has gone beyond being the survival of the fittest to the exclusive preserve of the horrid and the bucolic. Added to this is a blend of “dumb horse-traders” and “perpetual complainants who do nothing about their complaints apart from moaning and moping.” In the midst of these, terrorists continue to torment us but, as far as our president is concerned, once political ‘Skelewu’ is on course, all other issues of statecraft can even go to blazes!

 Hmnnn! Though leadership is about a leader’s ability to match words with action, in Nigeria, it is a different ball-game entirely! Here, it is about men with no “proud history of radical measures” lording it over a hapless populace. For instance, once our president promised Nigerians that, by April 2014, Boko Haram menace would “be a thing of the past.” Now, not insurgents but innocent Nigerians are being sent to early graves. No thanks to Boko-bombs.

 Casual politicians and political casualty: strangely related! For instance, PDP had no better candidate as its flag-bearer for Ekiti governorship election than Fayose, the man on whose neck two murder cases in addition to a lawful impeachment were hanging. In Osun, Iyiola Omisore, the man suspected of masterminding the death of Bola Ige, then serving Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, is being offered for election. Granted that he’s been acquitted by the law court and that his impeachment as Deputy Governor of Osun State has survived the constitutionally-stipulated moratorium of ten years, yet,unanswered questions on Ige’s death, coupled with his election as senator in questionable circumstances no doubt speaks volume of how bad things have gone in the country. Sad that a Minister of Justice could not get justice, even in his country!

 In Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, another ‘I-have-learnt-my-lessons’ character seems favoured by the president while ‘go back and sin no more’ steps are already at an advanced stage to cleanse and present Muhammed Abacha as Kano State’s PDP governorship candidate. In Lagos State, an appointment by proxy has already been offered Bode George while Diepreye Alamieseigha, President Jonathan’s former boss, now, his god-(the)-father, has been pardoned of corruption charges and he is on his way to the senate.

 

                     

 

In the words of Bear Bryant, “It’s not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference” August 9, 2014 is no doubt a day of decision for Osun and its people. It is a day of choice between the principalities of darkness and the powers of light; between the twists of fury and the tears of joy. Even with the presidential threat of flooding the state with twice the number of security officers that were deployed to Ekiti, it remains the day when the foundation of falsehood shall become so badly thrashed that it’ll become permanently consigned to the dustbin of history. 

The story of David and Goliath taught us a lesson about “facing giant problems by seeing them from God’s point of view.” The Bible also taught us that the God who made it possible for “a seah of the finest flour to sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria” (2 Kings 7:1-7:17) was the God who sent “the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now” (Exodus 9:18). He it was who sent “a man from the land of Benjamin” not only to be anointed ruler over Israel, His people, but also to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines (1Samuel 9:16). 

 Yes! Osun is not Ekiti and Osun cannot go the way of Ekiti! Reason: in Aregbesola lie both the Fashola and the Tinubu of Osun politics. Oranmiyan, as he is fondly called, is an astute administrator and a political juggernaut who knows his onions. But it doesn’t end there. The electorate must be prepared not only to cast their ballot, they must also be prepared to jealously guard their votes, not forgetting in a hurry what the PDP is known for.

 And, because He lives, by this time on August 10, 2014, their Wall of Jericho will have fallen (Joshua 6; Hebrew 11:30); and their Goliath, strong as he may seem, sound or prove to be, will have had his head cut off by our small-but-mighty David (1 Samuel 17). There and then, shouts and songs of joy and victory will gladden our hearts (Psalm 118:15; 32:7; Deuteronomy 20:1-4); “for the Egyptians whom” we are seeing today, we “will never see them again forever” (Exodus 14:13-14).

 

May God save us from ourselves!

 

        *Komolafe writes in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

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Osun: Crushing The Jonathan Siege

I want to continue as Super Eagles coach - Keshi

Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has expressed his desire to extend his contract with Nigeria.

The AFCON-winning coach in a chat with africanFootball.com from his base in the United States said:”Yes, I met with Deji Tinubu in Lagos before heading out for America to see my family.

“It’s my country, I am ready to serve. I have started something I would love to finish.”

However, Keshi quickly added the working conditions for his new deal have to be better than what he had previously.

“But I cannot work the way I worked last time. It’s not possible! All my staff, no!no!!no!! We have to be professional, everybody has to do what they are supposed to do,” he stated.

“I cannot be paying another staff salary, when I am not the Nigeria Football Federation. We will see how it goes. If the conditions are met, we will be there, no wahala.”

In the meantime, the NFF has disclosed to africanFootball.com that it will forward a letter of intent for contract renewal this week to the former Super Eagles captain.

Tinubu, the Head of a three-man committee for Keshi’s contract renewal, said: “We have made tremendous progress.

“We will first send a letter of our intent for a renewal of his contract and expect a reply from him as quickly as possible.

“This would allow us to start working on the terms of contract. We would have our terms and we know he would have his terms. But we would be working in such a way that we would arrive at an agreeable term that would suit both parties and then hopefully he signs.

“We can’t put a time limit on this, but we hope we are done with it as quick as possible considering that we have a game in September,” Tinubu stated.

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I want to continue as Super Eagles coach - Keshi

Al-makura: Plot To Bribe Panelists With N400m Exposed

In a bid to sway the decision of the 7-man probe panel recently constituted by the Chief Judge of Nasarawa state, Justice Umaru Dikko, to investigate allegations of gross misconduct levelled against Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is allegedly set to bribe four of the members of the panel with N100m each to turn the decision of the panel in its favour.

Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura

The plot is said to be hatched at the national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja, with the aim of garnering more of the panel members on its side.

This desperate move is said to have been prompted by fears that the panelists could discharge their duty with open mind which could give rise to a clean bill for Al-makura.

Poised not to leave anything to chance, the PDP is making this last move to implicate Al-makura by all means to pave way for his impeachment.

Commenting on the allegation however, Senior Special Adviser to Governor Al-makura on Publicity, Abdulhamid Kwarra, a former Majority Leader in the state Assembly, denied knowledge of the plan.

He told our reporter on phone that it would however not be a surprise if the PDP should embark on such moves because of its level of desperation to return to power again after wasting 12 years in the saddle.

“It is not surprising that they are embarking on such moves. The PDP is so desperate to return to power by all means having wasted 12 years misruling the state” Kwarra stated.

The SSA noted that having frittered away the opportunity given to the PDP when it held sway in the state for 12 years, the people of the state have since 2011 decided to usher in a development-centred government.

Kwarra explained further that even if members of the PDP chose to go that far, he is of the view that members of the 7-man panel are persons of proven integrity who would carry out the task ahead with every sense of responsibility and in order to ensure that peace reigns in the state.

“The members of the panel are God fearing and will carry out their duty based on the strict adherence to the guiding principles. They are trustworthy and capable of carrying out their responsibility without fear or favour” he said.

Meanwhile, investigations by our reporter revealed that a brother to one of the lawmakers, Mohammed Agah Muluku (PDP, Nasarawa-Eggon West), was yesterday waylaid by irate youths in Lafia, resulting in the burning down of his car.

Supporters of the governor had earlier mobilized ahead of a purported move by the lawmakers to sneak in and reconvene at the Assembly complex allegedly to pass a resolution seeking to freeze the accounts of the state government.

SSA to the governor on Publicity equally denied the allegation but however said the lawmakers were free to conduct their business at the Assembly as there is adequate security at the complex to guarantee their safety.

“Their conscience must be pricking them for the lawmakers to become fearful of conducting their affairs at the Assembly. If they know they are doing the right thing, why are they afraid of openly appearing at the Assembly?” Kwarra queried.

Several attempts made to get reaction from the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, proved abortive as several calls and text messages sent to him could not go through.

But a member of the party’s leadership, who reacted on condition of anonymity because he had no official permission to do so, said the insinuation that the party has perfected plans to bribe the Nasarawa lawmakers was baseless and unfounded.

According to him “The party had said severally that it was not involved in whatever is going on in Nasarawa state. It is entirely an internal affairs of the legislature in that state. We have said it over and over that the PDP believes in separation of powers and would not, in whatever way, interfere in the internal affairs of the states.

“It is even ludicrous for anyone to say that a meeting held at the PDP National Headquarters to discuss how to bribe panel members. With whom was the meeting held?”he queried. “I think the APC should face their troubles and leave us alone.”

He continued “That was how the enemies of democracy were dragging the names of the party and that of President Goodluck Jonathan into the Adamawa state issue until the impeached state governor himself came out to exonerate the President. I think people should try and separate local issues happening in the states from the party’s national leadership.”

In a related development, PDP members of the Nasarawa Assembly met yesterday in Karu and resolved to reject the composition of the 7-man panel probing the allegations they made against the governor.

The panel, headed by Yusuf-Usman, was set up by the Nasarawa State Chief Judge, Suleiman Dikko, to investigate the 16-count impeachment charges levelled against the governor by the lawmakers.

Citing insecurity, 19 members of the Assembly, all members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state held their sitting at a building in Karu Local Government Area, behind the local government secretariat. The four lawmakers, who belong to the governor’s All Progressives Congress, APC, were absent at the sitting.

At the end of the sitting, the lawmakers rejected the seven-member panel, accusing Dikko of disobeying the constitution in setting up the panel.

Announcing the decision of the Assembly, Speaker Musa Mohammed ( PDP – Nasarawa Central ) said that the composition of the panel negates the provision of Section188 of the Constitution.

Mohammed also said the panel has no right to sit until a guideline is forwarded to them by the Assembly.

He alleged that the panel was not formed in compliance with Section 188-5 of the constitution that demands that people of integrity to be appointed into the panel.

The Assembly based its decision on a petition written by a group, Nasarawa Concerned Citizens, alleging irregularities in the composition of the panel.

The petition, which was read on the floor of the Assembly, alleged that two of the seven members of the panel are card carrying members of PDP while others are in the pay roll of the state government.

Danladi Jatau moved a motion urging the chief judge to dissolve the panel while Philip Gyunka supported the motion.

The Speaker then directed the clerk to communicate the resolution to the chief judge.

Reacting to the resolution of the Assembly, the Nasarawa State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Innocent Lagi, said that the action of the Assembly is the highest level of insanity. He urged residents of the state to disregard the resolution.

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Al-makura: Plot To Bribe Panelists With N400m Exposed

New e-passport takes effect from August 1

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday inaugurated Nigeria’s new 64-page e-passport with a call on Nigerians to protect the image of the country by shunning uncomplimentary statements and actions.

Jonathan launched the traveling document shortly before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He and Vice President Namadi Sambo later took turns to be captured in order to be issued with the new traveling document. The new passport takes effect from August 1.

Jonathan said Nigerians must be ready to work hard in order to improve the image of the country.

The President said, “The issue of the image of the country is what we will all work for, people in government, the media and the civil society.

“I always say that when people continue to paint their country with all kinds of colours, that is the way they will associate those colours with your green passport.

“I want a situation that whenever you travel to another country and you raise your green passport, people will appreciate you and not when you raise your green passport, people will begin to think that that green passport signified some suspicious character.

“We are not helping ourselves when we paint ourselves the colours that we are not supposed to bear.

“I wish to continue to appeal to all Nigerians that we must all collectively learn how we do our things, statements that we make, to paint brighter colours for our green passport.”

The President said the pages of the traveling document had to be increased from 32 to 64 to cater for frequent travellers who change their passport almost every other month because of limited pages for visa.

He urged officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service to protect the integrity of the passport by ensuring that it would be difficult for anybody to fake it.

Jonathan also asked officials who man the nation’s airports to ensure that they conduct themselves in a manner that would portray the country well before visitors.

He added, “I always sympathise with those who travel almost on a weekly basis, changing passport every month, at least we have moved a step forward. The key thing is for us to have a robust relationship with key countries so that some of these frequent travellers may not need visas and that will really help us more.

“One thing one must know today is that it is not the issue of 64-page passport that is key to Nigerians but the security. If our passport could be easily faked by criminals, then we will have problems.

“One thing again is that how can Nigerians get passport easily especially those living outside this country?”

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New e-passport takes effect from August 1

Landlady’s children cut tenant’s private parts

A 35-year-old man, Yinka Offehin, is battling for his life at a private hospital in Lagos State after his scrotum was cut by the children of his landlady.

Yinka

The Edo State indigene, who resides on Popoola Street, off Abaranje Road in the Ikotun area of Lagos, was said to have been attacked while sleeping in his room with his family members.

His wife, Bisi, who was with him when the incident happened, identified the assailants as Solomon and Damilola, the children of the landlady.

She said, “On Thursday morning, around 3am, while we were sleeping, we heard loud bangs on our door. We initially thought they were armed robbers because the house beside ours had recently been robbed.

“When they entered, we saw they were children of our landlady. They began destroying our electronics and other property.

“There were two of them. One held a knife in his hand. They took N800, 000. They descended on my husband and he also fought back. In that confusion, my husband shouted and we saw that one of the attackers had cut Yinka’s scrotum. I can’t say what they used to cut off my husband’s scrotum.”

She added that her husband, though in pain, was able to hold on to one of his attackers till dawn, while the other fled the scene.

Bisi said her husband could not be admitted at a general hospital because of the ongoing doctors’ strike, but was eventually taken to a private hospital in the area.

When our correspondent visited the victim at the hospital, he told PUNCH Metro the genesis of his problem was when he had a misunderstanding with his landlady and was asked to vacate his apartment.

“I was asked to leave the house immediately, but after the intervention of the traditional ruler of the community, I was asked to leave by the end of August.

“But that decision did not go down well with the children of my landlady and they continued to make trouble with me.

“I was already planning to leave their house and had even contacted an agent when they attacked me without any provocation. I want the government to fight for me,” he said.

A doctor in the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that his patient would need up to three months to recover.

He said, “We have stitched the area where the scrotum was torn. It may take up to three months before it will heal. He needs time to fully recover from the injury.”

A relative said the doctor told the family if the condition did not improve, a surgery may not be ruled out.

It was learnt that about N60, 000 had already been spent by the family.

The father of the suspects, a pastor, when contacted, declined comment.

He said, “I am sorry; I can’t speak with you on this matter. You know the matter is already with the police and those they accused of committing the offence are in the police cell. So, what do you want me to say? I was told they are taking the matter to court. Let’s leave everything to God.”

Our correspondent learnt that the case was reported at the Ikotun Police Division.

A source told our correspondent that a member of the suspects’ family had on the morning of the incident reported a case of armed attack on them by a tenant.

The wife of the victim, who met the relative at the station, reportedly expressed surprise, telling the officers the reverse was the case.

It was learnt that the relative was put behind the counter after the police saw the victim’s injuries.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident.

She said, “It was around 3am, while the victim was sleeping in his room, that one Solomon Olowogbemi and Damilola Olayeye, the children of his landlady, came in and started fighting with him.

“In the process, they inflicted injury on him with an unknown object. The skin of his scrotum was partly cut off, thereby exposing one of his testicles. The two suspects have been arrested and detained and the victim taken to a hospital.”

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Landlady’s children cut tenant’s private parts

Helper of late Liberian shows Ebola symptoms - Official

A top official at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, has said that one of the people who helped the 40-year-old Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, on the Monrovia-Lome and Lome-Lagos flight may have been infected with the virus.

Ebola

The reliable source, who is also on the team of experts monitoring the testing and surveillance of persons who have had contact with the late Liberian victim in Lagos, told our correspondent on Wednesday, that although they had yet to confirm, the person was showing feverish symptoms similar to that of Ebola virus.

He said, “We are still investigating and monitoring those who had first contact with Sawyer. One of the people who helped him off the plane is showing signs of fever, a symptom of Ebola. We have isolated them and we are carrying out various tests to establish if it is Ebola or not.”

However, when contacted the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, denied that none of the people that had been isolated at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, was sick.

Adeshina said, “No one is sick. We are doing a routine surveillance at the centre now and I can tell you that no one is sick or showing symptoms. We are just monitoring them because we are going by the World Health Organisation’s guidelines of prevention, treatment and management.”

The Lagos State Government had on Monday said 59 people in the state came in contact with the 40-year-old Liberian who died of Ebola virus in the state on July 25.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said this figure consisted of 44 healthcare workers   and 15 others at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

They include 44 hospital contacts (38 healthcare workers and six laboratory staff) and 15 airport contacts.

The 15 airport contacts comprise three ECOWAS staff-driver, Liaison, and Protocol Officer, Nigerian Ambassador to Monrovia, two nursing staff and five airport passenger handlers.

Sawyer, arrived in Lagos via Lome on Asky Airline Flight KP50.

He was said to be on his way to Calabar, the Cross River State capital for the 8th ECOWAS Retreat of Heads of Offices as a senior ECOWAS official in Liberia.

The deceased was also reported to have been very ill on arrival at the airport in Lagos and was assisted by some airport and ECOWAS protocol staff to a private hospital in Obalende .

It was said that when he showed the symptom of Ebola virus, the hospital notified the state Ministry of Health which also notified the Federal Ministry of Health.

The patient was said to have died at about 6.50am on July 25.

The state Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Centre for Disease Control of the Federal Ministry of Health, and WHO have established an isolation centre for persons believed to have had contact with Sawyer while entering the country.

The private health facility where Sawyer was admitted had been decontaminated to eliminate any possible infections, according to health officials.

Meanwhile, veterinary virologist, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, has warned Nigerians against unsupervised burial of persons who died of Ebola.

He said 40 per cent of cases in high risk countries were transmitted from victims` bodies, stressing that an Ebola corpse was deadlier than the patient.

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Helper of late Liberian shows Ebola symptoms - Official

Singer Tiwa Savage gave a spiritual warning to fans

By Vanessa Enofe, Naija Center News

The Eminado crooner, Tiwa Savage took to instagram to advice and awaken fans on the end and God Taking his time to give enough space for people to change because he doesn’t want anyone lost.

Here is what she posted this morning on her instagram page

Tiwa Savage

Tiwa Savage

Tiwa Savage

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Singer Tiwa Savage gave a spiritual warning to fans

Actor prince Eke flaunts his family on instagram

By Vanessa Enofe

Actor Prince Eke got married to singer Muma Gee,  and the couple were blessed with a set of twin babies (boy and girl) Their names are Ceaser and Cleopatra.

See how happy Prince Eke and wife Muma Gee are in the photos

Actor prince Eke flaunts his family

Actor prince Eke flaunts his family

 

Actor Prince Eke, his wife and twins

Eke, the proudly father

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Actor prince Eke flaunts his family on instagram