Abuja
PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN’S OFFICIAL STATEMENT AFTER LOOSING THE 2015 ELECTION TO GENERAL BUHARI
Fellow Nigerians,
I thank you all for turning out en-masse for the March 28 General Elections.
I promised the country free and fair elections. I have kept my word. I have also expanded the space for Nigerians to participate in the democratic process. That is one legacy I will like to see endure.
Although some people have expressed mixed feelings about the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I urge those who may feel aggrieved to follow due process based on our constitution and our electoral laws, in seeking redress.
As I have always affirmed, nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian. The unity, stability and progress of our dear country is more important than anything else.
I congratulate all Nigerians for successfully going through the process of the March 28th General Elections with the commendable enthusiasm and commitment that was demonstrated nationwide.
I also commend the Security Services for their role in ensuring that the elections were mostly peaceful and violence-free.
To my colleagues in the PDP, I thank you for your support. Today, the PDP should be celebrating rather than mourning. We have established a legacy of democratic freedom, transparency, economic growth and free and fair elections.
For the past 16 years, we have steered the country away from ethnic and regional politics. We created a Pan-Nigerian political party and brought home to our people the realities of economic development and social transformation.
Through patriotism and diligence, we have built the biggest and most patriotic party in Nigerian history. We must stand together as a party and look to the future with renewed optimism.
I thank all Nigerians once again for the great opportunity I was given to lead this country and assure you that I will continue to do my best at the helm of national affairs until the end of my tenure.
I have conveyed my personal best wishes to General Muhammadu Buhari.
May God Almighty continue to bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
I thank you all.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR
President,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
March 31, 2015
Terrorism: Conspiracies & My Thoughts! with Dr. Charles Awuzie
When we explore the political and financial connections of terrorists, we find that these are not merely wayward fanatics operating in isolation, but that their channels penetrate to the upper reaches of power, in the governments of developed and developing countries, and outward into the nether regions of the occult and criminal underworlds.
The terrorist organisations across the world are shadows created by a ‘mega conspiracy’ operating from the criminal/occultic underworld to whom governments and governors are mere puppets. This is the conspiracy of the millennium.
Just for the sake of people who are new to the theories of conspiracy…The world has witnessed about 33 popular theories of conspiracy which turned out to be true ranging from:
*The Mafia: A secret crime society which was virtually unknown until the 1960s, when member Joe Valachi first revealed the society’s secrets to law enforcement officials. What was known was that organised crime existed, but not that the extent of their control included working with the CIA, politicians and the biggest businesses in the world.
Then there was Operation Mockingbird: Also in the 1950s to ’70s, a conspiracy theory that the CIA paid a number of well-known domestic and foreign journalists (from big-name media outlets like Time, The Washington Post, The New York Times, CBS and others) to publish CIA propaganda. The CIA also reportedly funded at least one movie, the animated “Animal Farm,” by George Orwell. The Church Committee finally exposed their activities in 1975.
Nigeria’s President has confirmed that the Nigerian chapter of the terrorist network has penetrated his cabinet. (There’s more to that statement than our minds could understand).
This millennium is witnessing an ‘unexposed’, ‘undisclosed’ and ‘unexpected’ conspiracy…as a result, the target of the conspirators lies vague while the entire world weeps helplessly at the cruel execution of their anti-mankind conspiracy.
This note would have achieved nothing if it fails to challenge you to ask more questions about terrorism…query the recent orchestration of terrorist attacks in the nations which go ‘uninvestigated’…Let our minds dig deeper far beyond our eyes can see and our minds could perceive…
The war on terrorism has lasted for decades yet it seems like the terrorists are on the winning side. World War 1 lasted only for 4 years, 1914-1918. In 1917, America joined the Allies and the next year, the war ended. In this war against terrorism, America is in the forefront yet the end of this war seem very far, why? Is it that America’s military in 1917 is stronger than their military in 2014 or just that this war against terrorism is a global mirage? Is there something the mainstream media is not telling us?
Dr. Charles Awuzie is a dynamic bible expositor, a conference speaker and blogger. He writes from Johannesburg, South Africa. Follow him on twitter @pastorcharlesc.
BUHARI, BOKO HARAM AND 2015. FFK’s VIEW.
One of Nigeria’s political intellectuals, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode got his facebook followers re-considering the credibility of General Muhammadu Buhari who emerged as the APC flagbearer earlier today. On his facebook wall this afternoon, Femi Fani-Kayode, FFK wrote as reproduced below:
“Major General Mohammadu Buhari has emerged as the APC flagbearer and President Goodluck Jonathan has emerged for the PDP. Now the battle for the soul and future of our nation begins. The forces of light shall surely prevail over the forces of darkness and God’s counsel alone shall stand over Nigeria. I stand with Jonathan. Let’s get it on.
”Jihadi groups killed more than 5,000 people last month, with Iraq topping the league table of deaths, followed by Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria.
In 664 incidents recorded in November by the BBC World Service and researched jointly with King’s College London, the overall death toll was 5,042, or an average of 168 deaths per day and nearly twice the number of people who were killed in the 11 September 2001 attacks on America.
After Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Syria, Yemen was fifth in the deadly league table, tying with Somalia, with 37 incidents each”- DORO ADEBENTLEY 11 December, Facebook.
All this and some people still say they want Buhari as President? A man who said, only last year, that ”an attack on Boko Haram is an attack on the north”? A man who said, in 2001, that he wants to ”spread sharia throughout the federation”? A man who said, in 2001, that muslims should only vote for muslims”? A man who said, in 2001, that ”why should christians be concerned when muslims cut off their limbs under sharia”?. A man who said, in 2001, that ”after all the limbs that are being cut off are muslim ones and not christian so why should the christians bother about it”?
This is the man that some Nigerians are clamouring for to be their President? May God open their eyes and protect them from themselves. May He grant them wisdom and discernment.”
Also, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-rufai reportedly said that General Buhari was ‘unelectable’ as age was no longer on his side.
VIDEO: NIGERIA’S OPPOSITION PARTY LAWMAKERS JUMPING FENCE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
Nigeria’s APC lawmakers were caught on camera jumping fence to gain access into the Nigerian National Assemble after members of the State Security Service (SSS) took over the National Assembly ahead of the today’s House of Reps meeting aimed at discussing emergency rule extension in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states.
TRENDING: REV. PAUL EMEKA OF ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH ARRESTED…CHIDI OKOROAFOR INDICTED.
The suspended General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, Rev. Paul Emeka, has been arrested and detained by the Nigerian Police Force for alleged certificate forgery and parading himself as a professor of Theology.
Punch Reported that “Rev. Emeka who was interrogated by the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, on Wednesday, may be arraigned in court on Friday. If convicted, he may be jailed for between 10 and 21 years”.
The cleric was recently sacked as the leader of the AGC in what has been described as a conspiracy of the past leadership to cover up their dirty tracks and install their anointed son Rev. Chidi Okoroafor in place of Paul Emeka.
Following the installation of Rev. Chidi Okoroafor as the General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, a dissatisfied member of the church who lives in America hinted our reporters that “Chidi Okoroafor is not a better replacement for Paul Emeka”. She further exposed how Rev. Chidi Okoroafor made sexual advances at her when he travelled to preach in the United States claiming that she has evidence to that effect.
Africa Thisday has made efforts to reach Rev. Chidi Okoroafor to hear his side of the story but our efforts proved abortive.
However, Punch reported that “Rev. Emeka confessed to Police interrogators that he purchased the professorship certificate from one Prof. Okoro, who was deported from the United States to Nigeria”.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, confirmed the detention of the cleric to Punch and his planned arraignment in court for certificate forgery.
He said, “I am aware that Rev. Emeka is with us and he was interrogated on Wednesday by detectives for parading himself as a professor. He may be arraigned in court on Friday.”
PICTURES: ABUJA FRESH BOMB EXPLOSION.
A fresh explosion has occurred at a major shopping mall, Emab plaza, in Wuse 2, Abuja.
A witness said the explosion occurred at about 4pm.
Emaba Plaza is a busy shopping mall in the highbrow area of Nigeria’s capital city, on Aminu kano crescent.
The explosion apparently occurred at the gate of the busy plaza. Many cars are still ablaze. Emergency workers are still arriving
the scene.
The explosion occurred on a day Nigeria is playing Argentina in the FIFA world cup going on in Brazil.
More than 20 people have been reported dead and many human parts littered at the place of the explosion.
PRESIDENT JONATHAN’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES AND WHY HE MUST NOT FULFIL THEM. |AFRICA THISDAY
“…..To revive the rail system in the country 2- To complete Lagos to Jebba rail project 3-To intervene and revitalize the moribund Nigeria Machine Tools and other infrastructure owned by the federal government. 4-Government has budgeted N50b for job development and infrastructure *To modernize the ports *To complete the second River Niger bridge before the expiration of the tenure *To make the Minister of Works to im
mediately start repairs of the road leading to Murtala Mohammed International Airport 5-To transform all major routes in Damaturu to federal roads *To assist in resuscitating all the collapsed industries in Kano state”…. “To address the issues of unemployment through diversification of the nation’s economy to that of sustainable agricultural development across the 36 states of federation 21-To reduce production cost by inviting manufacturers of high demand commodities in the country to set up production factories in the country 22-To get industries in Lagos up and running, also bring industries to the Niger Delta…” and many more.
Jonathan is responsible for not fulfilling his promises. Nigerians are equally responsible. The real power of a state does not rest with the government, but with the people. If you voted for a legislator for money, you are responsible. If you are a legislator and you paid for vote, you are responsible. If you are a member of the press and you fail to inform the people or campaign for a more free press, you are responsible. If you do not vote, you are responsible. If you are a member of the executive and you are not transparent, you are corrupt. If you are a law enforcement agent and you receive corrupt payments, you are responsible. If you vote for people with no checkable employment history or known business, you are responsible.
I believe that responsibility for failure should be borne at the top. Accordingly, a nation is ever built or rebuilt from the bottom and therefore change can only come from the bottom and not from the top. Jonathan’s perception of the problem at hand was illusive and I believe he ought to have known that to achieve those objectives would require first, creating conditions that would enable the implementation of those policies. This can only be done through creating avenues of informing and empowering the people. This is where Nigerian press have failed.
The fight against corruption can only be won by the people, with the press as champions of accountability and with tough legislations billed from the house. This therefore, de-emphasises the power of the executive. Jonathan I am sure is a good man with the right ambitions. But, if we are to confront the challenges ever faced by Nigeria, we must begin from our communities, and unify against our community challenges; then encourage others and other communities to do the same. In this way, we would have begun to build a nation of our ideals; with the power to make changes and influence government decisions. But we need leadership from the bottom, at community levels. Unfortunately, our intentions at community levels are usually distracted and undermined through selfish power struggles that care less about the greater good and more about self interest in the short term. This is the very culture that sustains the degree of corruption in our country today. I contend that many Nigerian leaders’ understanding of corruption problems is misconceived. They understand it as just a crime. But it is not just a crime, it is a culture. It is only if and when corruption is recognized as a culture can we approach the problem with any reasonable prospect of success. From criminological perspective, crimes sustained by culture including terrorism require a situational approach of inducing public condemnation and shame along side severe punishment to those that commit such deadly crimes. Any approach must be accompanied by political and economic intervention aimed at job creation, dignity of labour (better conditions of work) and reasonable living wage to all public workers. If Nigeria were to begin these processes today, it can take up to 10years to realise. As far as I can see, Nigeria has yet to begin.
I have read reports of Nigerian government paying millions of dollars to foreign security consultants who promise the country that they would deal with Boko Haram in 12 months. As far as I can see there is yet to be a strategy for dealing with terrorism and other organized crimes, like kidnapping in Nigeria. The fight against these crimes cannot be fought in isolation with corruption. Terrorism and kidnapping are dangerously entangled with corruption in the Nigerian security context. I can confidently predict that Nigeria’s sugar coated approach to terrorism in isolation with the underlying corruption, economic and political problems could finally bankrupt the nation within 10 years.
To deal with our security problems, Nigerian police and policing must be restructured and reorganized to meet the security challenges of this century. I know many reorganizations of the police force have taken place in recent times; but moves lack strategic thinking.
Without a doubt, Nigeria has been thrown off balance by the new wave of crime and terrorism. Plural policing and expansion of the Nigerian private security industry has never been more urgent. To this end, Nigeria must relax company formation rules and encourage entrepreneurship in order to stimulate the growth of more indigenous corporations able to compete nationally and internationally with foreign counterparts. In this way it is possible to develop the Nigerian private sector and decrease over-dependence on foreign contractors or consultants who may not commit to any long-term strategic security plan. This will then ensure the stability of a strategic security plan to deal with the security challenges faced by Nigeria and Nigerians and facilitate intelligence gathering through job creation for young people.
Terrorists are faceless. Regardless of what their motivations could be, it is important to deal with the obvious problem – terrorism by dealing with the injustices of our time – poverty. Participatory democracy that recognizes the role of a free media, engaged with the business of informing the people and holding the government to account on behalf of the citizens. Nigeria will then become a nation with intellectually stimulated citizens. In reality, this will result in opposition of or support for the government; and both are necessary.
At present Nigeria has no structure. In this century and age of globalization and free market economy, country with poor political, economic, social and security structure will benefit less from all that globalization have to offer. In this present world, it is easier for the most powerful nations to filter the ills that come with globalization or displace them to unprepared nations to deal with. The ill of this new way of life in this century is corruption and countries that have no mechanism for dealing with or managing the problem will die. So far, in my opinion, Pakistan and Nigeria are in the same league and these two nations top corruption league as well, in the world today.
The world is neither more secure nor less secure today compared to the past years. The end of world war II was followed by cold war. The UK, America, Russia and some other G-8 Nations faced a different threat during the cold war – the threat of subversion and overthrow of government by other enemy states and state sponsorship of terrorism. This threat changed following 9/11 attack and the world united against a common enemy, the non-state terrorists we know today. This is what they mean when they say that the US and the UK are saferand the world is safer today. As these nations have better resources and are better prepared, terrorism has been displaced to countries that are considered easier targets as the terrorists continue to redefine and modify their interpretation of who their enemies are. Their original enemies were the US and the West. Now their new enemies are anybody or anything associated with the America and the West (justified through wrongful interpretation of the takfir doctrine in the Sharia as Haram) as it became increasingly unlikely that they would successfully carryout another atrocity in American or UK soil.
The reason for this brief narrative is to educate Nigerians on the sort of enemy Nigeria as a nation is up against and that there exists no quick-fix. It is therefore in the interest of all Nigerians to help solve this problem through democratic involvement. Goodluck Jonathan is just one man. But as a leader, he is responsible for uniting us all against these problems and creating the conditions that encourage participatory democracy through transparency and governance.
Finally, it is important to clarify that the level of corruption as used in this article is beyond that of a student bribing a teacher or police collecting ‘egunje’ or public servants collecting private fees to do what they are already paid by the state for. The corruption at the back of my mind is at the high level and includes international payments from foreign private organizations to Nigerian public officials to facilitate transactions or negotiations and the power or influence of non-state actors on the government or government agencies for personal political, economic or social gain; minority of law enforcement agents helping criminals or terrorists for personal gains. Foreign governments employing private organizations to negotiate deals with the Nigerian government. This problem is bigger than one man; especially one that enjoys life and cares less about the future of the country. But whenever solved, Nigeria could be in a position to compete with any other world power, given our population, diversity, landmass and natural resources. And Nigerians will become what they are created to be – free and independent.
God Bless Nigeria.
Chike Onyeari writes from London.
BREAKING: Police foils bomb attack in Kubwa, Abuja.
Police in Kubwa, one of the most populated satellite towns in Abuja this afternoon reportedly foiled a bomb attack by suspected Boko Haram sects. The bomb which was said to have been loaded in some cooking gas cylinders and being conveyed by a pickup van was intercepted around Channel 8 junction, near a mosque. The mosque is located around the Kubwa village market.
Meanwhile, a police source who spoke with our correspondent said though, a letter was received few days ago in Kubwa market of an impending attack, today’s alleged foiled attack was a false alarm raised by residents who live around the Kubwa village market. The source said residents raised the alarm as the stationed pickup van, with no particular plate number was abandoned by the owner who was somewhere around the mosque. He said the Pickup van was loaded with gas cylinder, but during the police search, nothing was found in the van.
Another resident who spoke with our correspondent said ” we raised the alarm because we suspected that the vehicle owner was on a mission, having abandoned his vehicle loaded with gas cylinder for hours. We were so worried since the vehicle had no particular registration number.
Source: Daily Post.
BREAKING NEWS: ROYAL AIR FORCE SPY JET BREAKS DOWN ON ARRIVAL.
A ROYAL Air Force, RAF, spy plane sent to join the international hunt for schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram militants has broken down on the way. The Sentinel R1 was forced to divert to Senegal with a “technical issue” and will be grounded until repairs have been completed.
Sentinel aircraft from Royal Air Force, Waddington in Lonconshire being prepared for operation in Nigeria, yesterday
Sentinel aircraft from Royal Air Force, Waddington in Lonconshire being prepared for operation in Nigeria, yesterday
The unexpected delay is a repeat of last year’s embarrassment for the UK Ministry of Defence when a C-17 transporter sent to help French troops in Mali was also temporarily grounded by technical trouble. David Cameron offered the Sentinel to the Nigerian government to use its advanced ground scanning radar to hunt for more than 200 school girls abducted from a school hostel last month.
The modified executive business jet left RAF Waddington on Sunday bound for its new base in Accra in Ghana, where it will be stationed while flying across northern Nigeria. However, the crew reported technical problems midway through the flight. An RAF source said: “We had a choice of turning around and coming home, or landing en route.” It was unclear last night when the jet would be able to resume its flight and travel the remaining 1,300 miles to Accra.
Source: Vanguard.
A social media commentator said this about the development: “Now this is the kind of help ex-colonial masters love to give their ex-slaves. Who is fooling who? What sort of help is Britain offering Nigeria? Think Nigeria Think!”
BOKO HARAM: U.S DRONES DISCOVER BOKO HARAM SECRET CAMPS.
CHIBOK-Revealing photographs of Boko Haram fighters have been taken by United States manned and unmanned aircraft as American military and intelligence specialists intensified the hunt for Nigeria’s missing schoolgirls.
However, US officials have expressed frustration with the country’s inability to act on these and other fresh intelligence about the Boko Haram extremists who took more than 200 school girls captive and threatened to sell them into slavery, The Los Angeles Times has reported.
“Images from US surveillance drones and satellites over the last week has shown suspected bands of Boko Haram militants setting up temporary camps and moving through isolated villages and along dirt tracks in northeastern Nigeria,” the report quoted US officials as saying.
It said the Obama administration has shared the images with President Goodluck Jonathan’s government in Abuja. “But Nigeria’s security forces are hampered by poor equipment and training and have failed to respond quickly,” said a US official familiar with the growing search operation.
US Defence officials, according to the report, believe the insurgents split the girls into several groups after the April 14 abduction from school in Chibok village. The leader of the militants, Abubakar Shekau, said this week that he would release some of the girls in exchange for imprisoned members of his group.
Bolstered by international help, the Nigerian-led search has now expanded to include an ungoverned area of desert and that crosses the porous borders into neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon, US officials say. The girls’ locations are still unknown, however, the report said.
Meanwhile, mounting US frustration with the case spilled into the open on Thursday at a US Senate hearing where US officials complained of lack of decisive actions on what had been harvested so far.
“It is impossible to fathom that we might have actionable intelligence and we would not have the wherewithal — whether by the Nigerians themselves or by other entities helping the Nigerians — to be able to conduct a rescue mission,” said Senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“In general, Nigeria has failed to mount an effective campaign against Boko Haram,” Alice Friend, the Pentagon’s principal director for Africa, told committee members. “In the face of a new and more sophisticated threat than it has faced before, its security forces have been slow to adapt with new strategies, new doctrines and new tactics.”
The United States, however, said it will continue to deepen its efforts, Defence Secretary, Chuck Hagel, said while traveling to Saudi Arabia.
“However, I have seen no intelligence come back that I am aware of that shows that we’ve located those girls,” he said.
For now, the United States is not sharing raw intelligence from its surveillance aircraft with Nigeria’s armed forces because the countries have still not established the intelligence-sharing protocols and safeguards needed for an intelligence-sharing agreement, Pentagon spokesman, Colonel Steve Warren, said.
That said, the intelligence gathered through the surveillance flights is being fed to an interdisciplinary team on the ground, and that team is analysing it and providing advice to the Nigerian government, he said.
Warren added that the manned and unmanned aircraft being used are unarmed.
AFRICA THISDAY 