APC holds Lagos mega rally, as Jonathan, others jog in Abuja

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The All Progressives Congress is today holding a one-million-man march.

Buhari

The march, which kicks off from the Maryland area of Lagos at 8am to Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere in the city.

The march is expected to be led by stalwarts of the APC like the national leader, Bola Tinubu and the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, in an attempt to psyche supporters ahead of the March 28 and April 11 presidential and governorship elections respectively.

The Coordinator of the APC Campaign Organisation in Lagos, Mr. James Faleke, had told journalists that the one-million-man march was to prepare the minds of supporters of the party for victory ahead of the polls.

He said, “In order to psychologically prepare the minds of our voters and give a psychological defeat to the opposition, we are planning a one-million-man march for Saturday (today) by 8a.m. It will commence at Maryland through Allen Avenue and will end behind Shoprite, Alausa.

“The walk will be inaugurated by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. It will be led by Governor Fashola, Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, the Lagos State APC governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, and our vice-presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN),” he said.

In the same vein, President Goodluck Jonathan will today lead government officials as well as sportsmen and women on an out-door physical training exercise in Abuja, the nation’s capital and seat of power.

The exercise, aimed at promoting sports and fitness in Nigeria, according to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, will also see Jonathan leading others to jog from the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock to the Eagle Square in the heart of the Federal Capital Territory where a rally for the Peoples Democratic Party will hold.

Abati, in a statement on Friday said the training exercise, which would commence at 7:00am, would see top government officials including presidential aides, political associates, leading sports personalities and enthusiasts partake in the exercise.

“The programme, which will also include jogging, physical stretches and light aerobics, will culminate in a solidarity rally for President Jonathan at the Eagle Square organised by the Nigerian sports community.

“Sports personalities expected to participate in the physical training exercise and solidarity rally include Mary Onyali, Austin Eguavoen,

“Kanu Nwankwo, Joseph Yobo and Chika Chukwumerije, amongst others. The event will be broadcast live on the Network Service of the Nigerian Television Authority,” Abati said in the statement.

Both the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the take-off point of the exercise and the Eagle Square where it will end are located in the Three Arms Zone of the Federal Capital Territory.

The square is flanked on both sides by the Federal Secretariat, while it faces the national Cenotaph, the National Assembly, and the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court itself is within the Presidential Villa.

As of the time of filing this report on Friday evening, our correspondent learnt that the President’s security team and top officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission were still busy mapping the route for the exercise.

It was, however, learnt that the President and the team may leave the Presidential Villa through Gate 1 and jog through the Supreme Court to the Federal Secretariat and then to the Eagle Square.

The Supreme Court is about 400 metres from Gate 1 while the distance between Eagle Square and the apex court will be about 300 metres.

Condemning the APC mega rally on Friday, Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, said in a statement released by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, that the planned march was a plot by the APC to cause chaos in Lagos and also a deliberate attempt to cover the lies they had told about the health status of Mohammadu Buhari, the party’s presidential candidate in this month’s election.

He said, “Walking the streets of Lagos by the APC won’t remove the fact that the party is a congregation of liars and deceitful people, who can never be trusted with the resources of Nigeria and its people.”

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APC holds Lagos mega rally, as Jonathan, others jog in Abuja

More political rallies likely to be bombed, police investigation reveals

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The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters has received intelligence reports that there are plots to bomb more political rallies ahead of the re-scheduled general elections.

Abba Suleiman, New Inspector General of Police

This is coming after the recent bomb blasts in Rivers and Gombe states.

On Tuesday, a policeman was killed and 50 other people were injured when bomb explosions and gunshots rocked the All Progressives Congress governorship campaign rally at Okrika National Secondary School in Rivers.

Three Improvised Explosive Devices were said to have been set off by yet-to-be identified persons during the rally.

Similarly, about three weeks ago in Gombe, two suicide bombers attacked an area close to where the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, had just held a campaign rally.

The two attackers died in the explosion, while 18 people were injured.

Last month, two offices of the APC in Okrika and Andoni Local Government Areas in Rivers were bombed.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, told SUNDAY PUNCH that police investigations showed that it had become easier for people to make bombs through the Internet.

Ojukwu told our correspondent that the ease with which people now have access to information on how to make violent attacks involving the use of explosives to disrupt political gatherings should be expected to increase.

“Police investigations on the Rivers incident are still on-going. As we are now witnessing, the level of violence has increased worldwide and its intensity too.

“We have the ISIS and al Qaeda who are taking on the world with their terrorist activities. Today, these groups have equipped interested people on how to make bombs through the Internet. So, we expect that more people will take advantage of that to wreak havoc at campaign rallies,” the police spokesman said.

He urged political parties, candidates and their supporters to be more vigilant when organising and attending any large political gathering.

“It is the collective responsibility of everyone to be security-conscious. Political parties and their supporters need to pay more attention when rallies are being organised. As the police, we have the duty to secure lives and property and we will continue to do our best to deal with this kind of situation,” Ojukwu said.

Also speaking on the recent bomb attacks at political campaigns, the Public Relations Officer of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, Mr. Gbolahan Moronfolu, stated that the police was well-equipped to handle any situation when called upon.

“The unit is adequately equipped. I can assure you of that as the Inspector-General of Police (Suleiman Abba) has always shown commitment to ensuring that public safety comes first. In my unit, we also embark on awareness campaigns to acquaint people on how they can be security conscious,” Moronfolu said.

Speaking on the development, a security expert, Simon Udie, warned that the use of explosive devices would continue to increase as long as the two major political parties, APC and PDP, keep making inflammatory remarks.

“They should focus more on what they have for the people. It’s curious that it’s the same people they want to rule or serve that they are attacking. The two major rival parties need to stop making comments that will increase violence.

“The free access to the Internet isn’t the only reason why we’re experiencing bomb attacks. These explosive devices are already in the country; you can understand this from the point of view of Boko Haram insurgents using explosives freely. You can also understand this trend considering how easy it was for the Niger Delta militants to blow up things,” Udie told SUNDAY PUNCH.

Another security expert, Segun Elijah, while warning that more bomb attacks should be expected, noted that more worrisome was the fact that nobody has been brought to book.

“All those things (bomb explosions and gun attacks) are expected. CLEEN Foundation and other security and election-monitoring organisations in their threat analysis of the 2015 elections, stated that 14 states will boil based on their predictions. As for the use of explosives, Nigeria has been long vulnerable to that threat because of porous borders, the poorly regulated mining industry (cement companies and quarries) where explosives are used on industrial scales.

“And the violence is going to escalate because the PDP-led government has harnessed all the security apparatuses that can deter, detect, deny, and delay the use and users of bombs. I’m talking about the Police, the Department of State Services that gathers intelligence, and the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, whose office controls the importation of explosives. In summary, desperation of politicians and partisanship of the security agencies will keep the cauldron of violence boiling till March 28-and even beyond,” Elijah said.

The Secretary, American Society of Industrial Security (Lagos chapter), Prof. Femi Adegbulu, advised politicians and other organisers of large gatherings to “sweep” the venue of the event a day before by bringing security experts who will employ various gadgets to search for any explosives and other dangerous objects.

He also added that few hours or minutes before the event holds, another check should be conducted around the arena.

Last week, SUNDAY PUNCH reported that some chieftains of the major opposition party had resorted to making private security arrangements. These arrangements included engaging private security guards (some of which allegedly carry arms) as well as beefing up security in and around their homes and offices.

Asked what the APC is doing to forestall further occurrence of bomb blast at rallies, its National Spokesperson, Mr. Lai Mohammed said, “Let’s call a spade a spade, you journalists should tell the PDP and the Federal Government to call their thugs of war to order. Their intolerance is getting too high. We can’t tell our members and supporters not to attend rallies or to come to a rally with a cross or rosary. Why should it be impossible to hold a rally in a local government in Rivers because the President’s wife comes from there?”

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, however, said his party had sought the help of security agencies in forestalling a re-occurrence of the ugly incidence.

He, however, called on all political parties to reign in their members and supporters against violence adding that if this is done, there would be an end to political violence in the land.

“We in the PDP are committed to having a free and peaceful election. But we call on other political parties to rein in their members. There will be no such thing as violence if this is done. We want people to know that the coming elections will be free and peaceful.”

Responding to the allegation from his APC counterpart, Metuh said, “The opposition in the last couple of years has been full of frivolous allegations. We are keeping it free. The people know who is violent and who is not.”

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More political rallies likely to be bombed, police investigation reveals

Peterside escapes death as gunmen disrupt Rivers APC rally

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The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, escaped death on Tuesday as unknown gunmen disrupted the party’s campaign rally in Okrika Local Government Area of the state.

Hon. Dakuku Peterside

Peterside was whisked away by security operatives in the midst of the deafening sound of sporadic gunshots few minutes after three explosives went off close to the campaign ground at the Okrika National Secondary School Field.

The initial bomb scare had caused a stampede as APC supporters took to their heels to avoid being hit by three separate explosions which were later confirmed to have been fireworks thrown into the scene by suspected mischief makers.

The party supporters that were dispersed by the three separate explosions immediately reconvened only to be sent out of the campaign venue by the sporadic gunshots.

Security agents went down on the ground after drawing their guns in a bid to spot out where the unknown gunmen were hiding to hit them back.

Details later. . .

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Peterside escapes death as gunmen disrupt Rivers APC rally

Jonathan’s rally: Soldiers occupy Rivers Amiesimaka stadium

Battle ready soldiers have reportedly taken over the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium, located in Igwuruta-Ali in Ikwerre Local Government Area, ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign rally in the stadium.

Jonathan is expected to be at the presidential rally of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers on January 28.

While the state government refused to approve the application from the state PDP for the use of the Adokie Amiesimaka Stadium for its presidential rally, soldiers reportedly took over the place on Friday night.

Tony Okocha, Chief of Staff to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, described the action of the PDP and the Presidency, who might have directed soldiers to forcefully enter the stadium, as criminal.

Okocha called for calm and promised that the matter would be reported to the international community.

Details later…

Jonathan’s rally: Soldiers occupy Rivers Amiesimaka stadium

We’ve reduced poverty by 50% – Jonathan

BENIN CITY – President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday in Benin said the country had reduced its poverty rate by 50 per cent.

Jonathan and Oba of Benin

Jonathan said this while speaking at the South South Peoples Democratic Party political rally in Benin, tagged ‘Unity Mega Rally.’

He said that the PDP, as a party, believed in stomach infrastructure because the party must ensure that there was food security and job creation in the country.

He noted that any leader who claimed not to believe in stomach infrastructure was not ready to lead, as “you cannot lead hungry people.”

He desrcibed the PDP as the only stable party since its formation that had never changed its name, logo or motto, adding that it is the only paty that gives its members the freedom to climb to the highest level.

He said that all the nation needed was unity, and gave the assurance that although all the roads could not be rehabilitated at once, his administration would continue to improve on all infrastracture in the country.

He also gave the reassurance that since the nation was able to conquer the Ebola Virus Disease, it would also conquer the Boko Haram insurgency.

The president however appealed to the party loyalists to be decent in their variuos electioneering competitions in order not to create enermies among themselves.

Earlier, Vice President Namadi Sambo said the presenet administration had completed seven power projects with a total of 2,000 mega watts for the South South under the Transformation Agenda.

Similarly, Senate President David Mark described Jonathan as “a good sell” hence his unianimous adoption by the party as its choice candidate for 2015.

The PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, described the president as a bridge builder and unifying factor.

He reassured that all defectors to the party would be reintegrated into the party without bias.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Tony Aneneih, said the zone had every reason to be proud of its contribution to national development.

He also said that the zone had made sacrifice to keep the country together as well as contributed to the economic growth.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that, the president had earlier inaugurated the Benin-Ofusu Dual carriage, where Gov Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, described the quallity of work as impressive.

Oshiomhole also congratulated the president on the massive road construction and rehabiliattion across states in the country.

NAN also reports that the rally was attended by who is who in the PDP both in the state and in the country, including serving and past governors, national assembly members, as well as aspirants.

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We’ve reduced poverty by 50% – Jonathan

Jonathan Turns Down South-East Govs’ Request To Declare re-election intention

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday turned down a unanimous request by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors in the south-east geopolitical zone to declare for the 2015 presidential election. He said that he would reply them later.

The governors had, during the “South-east Unity Rally” of the PDP yesterday in Enugu, urged President Jonathan to, as a matter of urgency, declare his intention to run for president come 2015.

But while responding to their request, President Jonathan said they were in Enugu for a unity rally for the south-east zone and that though they made the request, he would reply them later.

“Chairman of the Governors’ Forum spoke, other governors spoke and of course they have asked me a question, the answer of which will come later,” he said.

He thanked loyalists of the ruling party in the south-east for their commitment to and support for his administration, pointing out that from the number of people that attended the rally, he needed nobody to tell him that the south-east was PDP.

The No. 1 citizen of the country used the opportunity to state that they have been magnanimous, and that “from today onwards” the PDP would take over all the south-east.

Jonathan described the PDP as the only democratic party in the country that can take Nigerians to the rest of the democratic world, adding that it is only the PDP that can salvage Nigeria.

“From today onwards, PDP will take over all the south-east; we have been magnanimous; now total, total. PDP is the only democratic party. It is the only democratic party that can take Nigerians to the rest of the world,” he stated.

According to him, other political parties can never take Nigeria to the democratic world, urging Nigerians to embrace the ruling party even as he insisted that there is no rival party in Nigeria.

He commended the south-east geopolitical zone for what he described as the minimal security challenges in the zone, saying the development was occasioned by their resolve that Nigeria must move forward.

President Jonathan, his deputy Namadi Sambo, Senate president David Mark, deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu, deputy speaker Emeka Ihedioha, the governors of Enugu, Abia and  Ebonyi, members of the National Assembly, political officeholders were among those that attended the rally held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.

Jonathan Turns Down South-East Govs’ Request To Declare re-election intention