Tinubu, Fashola planning to bribe Lagos monarchs –PDP

MARCH 25, 2015 :

Tinubu and Fashola

The Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday said it had discovered plans by the Lagos State Governor Raji Fashola and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, to financially induce all Lagos monarchs ahead of the general elections.

The Lagos chapter of the PDP said a meeting had been scheduled to hold on Wednesday (today) where Lagos monarchs would be given money.

The meeting, according to the PDP, is at the instance of Tinubu.

But, in a reaction, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Lagos, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said he was not aware of such a meeting.

Spokesman for the Lagos PDP, Mr. Taofeek Lawal, in a statement alleged that Tinubu and Fashola planned to move against any of the monarchs who refused to play along.

“In a carrot and stick style, any monarch who rejects the offer is to be victimised and may be deposed before Saturday,” Gani said.

The party said further that the Lagos governor had been meeting with various groups and institutions under the government control, including market leaders, transporters, investors and civil servants among others to either induce or coerce them vote for the ruling party in the state.

It said, “We have been reliably informed by our source that the state governor has scheduled to meet monarchs in the state to induce or coerce them to adopt APC. He has also deducted N6bn from local government and state government accounts to compromise about 5,000 corpers and INEC officers on the day of elections at outlined voting and collation centres.

“Some corpers have already collected the money, which the governor calls support allowance. Some honestcorpers have let us know this and that an offer of N200,000 per polling unit is planned for the Election Day by the governor who sent his lobbyists to them.”

The PDP spokesman also urged Fashola to avoid forcing the monarchs to do APC’s bidding in the March 28 and April 11 elections.

He said, “We caution governor Fashola not to victimise any monarch as he may just commit a sacrilege with spiritual consequence. On our part, we shall resist any unconventional way to defeat us in these elections. We shall resist any victimisation of our voters.

“We shall ensure that votes for PDP are cast and not compromised. We are indeed presently considering reporting Fashola to the National Human Rights Commission for violating the people’s rights to express and vote candidates of their choice.”

However, the APC said the claim was false.

“(It is) a joke, a fantasy, all noise and no substance; it is a moonlight story for the kindergarten. Please ignore Lagos PDP,” Igbokwe said.

Two killed in PDP, APC supporters’ clash

TWO persons were shot dead on Tuesday in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State in a clash between supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and those of the All Progressives Congress.

The incident, which took place in Omoku, was said to be a reprisal after an initial violent clash took place in Okwuzi community within the area.

One of the deceased, according to a source, was a relative of the Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine Nwokocha, whose house was touched in the violence.

Apart from Nwokocha’s house, some other buildings were also set ablaze as members of the PDP and APC tore at each other amidst sporadic shooting that began at about 8am.

The fight between the two parties in Okwuzi on Monday did not claim any life within the community, but two persons reportedly lost their lives in Omoku.

Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni is the local government area of the Rivers State Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Felix Obuah, while Nwokocha is the leader of the APC in the area.

An eyewitness said the incident had caused confusion in the area as residents, traders and passers-by took to their heels to avoid being hit by bullets.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, told newsmen that it was a clash between two political parties in the state.

Mohammad also confirmed that two persons were killed during the clash.

He said, “The skirmishes in the two communities in Onne local government area, and which started in Okwuzi yesterday (Monday), was as a result of a clash between supporters of two political parties in the state.

“I can confirm to you that two persons were killed during a reprisal, as a result of the spillover of the clash, in Omoku this morning (Tuesday) but there was no reported case of house burning.

Efforts made to reach the State Commissioner for Power, Mr. Augustine Nwokocha, to react to the incident at Omoku and how he was affected was futile as his mobile phone was switched off when our correspondent called.

S’Sudan extends term of president and parliament

South Sudan’s parliament has voted to extend its own term and that of President Salva Kiir by three years starting from July.

Last month, South Sudan called off the elections due in June and its cabinet asked the parliament to extend Kiir’s term.

The government had said it was necessary for stability amid an ongoing rebellion led by a former deputy president, Riek Machar.

The measure, passed by more than two-thirds of the MPs on Tuesday, also extends the tenure of the legislature, MP Thomas Kundu, who heads the parliament’s information committee, told the Associated Press.

“We believe these three years will give a chance for peace so that all of us prepare to conduct a census and after which we can conduct free and fair elections,” Kundu said.

However, the opposition condemned the measure, saying it was meant to keep Kiir firmly in power.

“It means the government wants to cling onto power,” said Onyoti Adigo, a member of the opposition in parliament who voted against the measure.

“The people were not consulted. That is why we are opposed to it.”

Thousands of people have been killed and more than a million have fled their homes since fighting between supporters of Kiir and Machar erupted in the world’s newest nation in December 2013.

Kiir, a member of the dominant Dinka ethnic group, tried to put down rebels led by Machar, who is of Nuer ethnicity.

Peace talks between Kiir and Machar have repeatedly failed. The fighting has often been along ethnic lines.

Casts Your Votes And Go Home,No Waiting At Polling Booths – IG tells Nigerians

In the past, after voting during elections, many Nigerians stay back at the polling booths,to witness the votes being counted. But the Inspector General of Police,Suleiman Abba has said no one should wait at the polling booths.

Two to three police officers will be attached to each polling unit, and we would provide more officers for the collation centres and for the managers of the elections.
“We will go on to protect the electorate. Every eligible voter should feel safe enough to cast his votes. We will be there to protect the votes and make sure no one disrupts the process.
“Cast your votes and go and cool down. If you remain there, there is a likelihood that you will commit an offence.’’

“Asking voters to wait and protect their votes implies taking the law into their own hands. It is unacceptable. “We have heard some people are threatening to declare election results; we hope it is not true. If you don’t accept the declared result by INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission), the best way is to proceed to the tribunal.

In advanced democracies, people don’t take the law into their own hands but resort to tribunals.

“The refusal to accept the result and resort to extrajudicial activities is a threat to the electoral process. But where they don’t heed the appeal, the police will act within the law to protect the electoral process.”

Father Mbaka Suspends Crusade Over Alleged Threat To Life

Posted by: acidity March 23, 2015

Reverend Fr. Ejike Mbaka of Adoration Ministries, Enugu, has suspended his weekly crusade, which usually see attendance in excess of 100,000, until after the general elections due to alleged threat to life.

The outspoken Catholic Priest, in a statement signed by his Media Officer, Ike Maximus Ugwoke reads in part: “It is with a deep sense of concern that we are constrained to make this statement on the continued threat to the life of Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka over his 2015 New Year message titled ‘From Good Luck to Bad Luck.’

“Last Wednesday, mean looking men in a black Hilux besieged his parish compound but they left disappointed when they could not see him.”

Commenting on the alleged threat to the life of the priest, Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amarizu said: “we do not have any report by Fr. Mbaka over threat to his life”. He dismissed the claim as baseless.

Defection: Amaechi Laments Deputy’s “Barefaced Lies” Against APC

 March 23, 2015

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state has reacted to his deputy, Tele Ikuru’s decision to defect “from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”, saying he has the right to pursue his political ambition.

In a release signed by Ibim Semenitari, the state commissioner of information and communications, the governor described Ikuru’s reasons for defecting as “shocking”, pointing out that his deputy had been accorded all the dues of his office.

“The Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has only this evening received the news of the resignation of his Deputy Governor Engr Tele Ikuru from the All Progressives Congress”, the statement read.

“Whilst the news remains unofficial at this time as the Deputy Governor is yet to notify His Excellency the Governor of this move, Governor Amaechi however wishes Engr Ikuru all the best in his future political endeavours.

“He however wishes to note that the reasons adduced by Engr Ikuru are shocking as Deputy Governor lkuru has consistently been the one driving political activities in his local government area of Andoni and has been the second in command driving politics and governance in Rivers state.

“On a personal note, Governor Amaechi has accorded Engr Ikuru all the privileges and respect due the office of the Deputy Governor and has treated him with love as a friend brother.

“Though the Governor had hoped that the numerous rumours of Engr Ikuru’s double-faced membership of the APC and open romance with the PDP were not true, he however appreciates the fact that every individual has a right to pursue his political dreams, as he deems most appropriate.

“It is however regrettable that Engr Ikuru has chosen the dishonourable path of barefaced lies and name-calling rather than the more honourable path of simply retracing his steps to where he has always been”.

Nigerian Army stops a fresh attempt by Boko Haram militants to recapture Bama

Report from the Defence Headquarter states that Nigerian troops on Saturday quashed a fresh attempt by Boko Haram militants to recapture Bama.

It can be recalled that Bama was retaken from Boko Haram last week.

Spokesperson for the military, Major General Chris Olukolade said that over a 20 militants died while others fled with wounds.

He said many more of the attacking terrorists also died as air patrol went after the fleeing ones.

He said the pursuit of the terrorists was still ongoing while calm had been restored and troops maintained firm control of Bama town. See Excerpts detailed:

“A Hilux vehicle as well as other equipment and some weapons were captured from the attackers,” Olukolade said.

“One soldier died while seven were wounded while repelling the attack.

“They have been evacuated from the combat area by air and are already receiving medical attention,” he said.

Olukolade said most of the towns slated to be cleared of terrorists were already covered.