Can We Save the Missing Chibok School Girls After 365 Days?

This midnight in Chibok will be exactly one year since the Boko Haram terrorists attacked and kidnapped more than 276 female school girls at the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State in north east of Nigeria. 57 of the girls have escaped, but 219 are still missing and there is no confirmation of their whereabouts.

Some of the kidnapped Chibok school girls in a Boko Haram video.

The failure of military intelligence caused the failure of military defence of the north eastern states of Nigeria, because many members of the Boko Haram terrorists have been identified by villagers as their neighbours! Moreover, the terrorists often use the banks and filling stations in town.

The Nigerian military was warned of the attack when the terrorists were advancing towards Chibok, but they failed to protect the school and failed to rescue the kidnapped girls when the terrorists forced them into trucks and drove away. Military helicopters would have been able to trail them and locate wherever they were taken to. But the Nigerian government of President Goodluck Jonathan ignored them until it was too late to trace their whereabouts within days of the incident. In fact, the First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan denied the incident. The Nigerian military also failed to use detectives and spies to search for them. And they also failed to use the information from those who escaped to find the missing 219 girls. Eleven of the parents of the missing school girls have died since April 14, 2014 to date.

First Lady of United States of America, Mrs. Michelle Obama.

It is unfortunate that such a tragedy happened to Nigerian school girls, because of an irresponsible government with an incompetent cabinet. The Nigerian government even ignored the worldwide campaign by leading personalities, including First Lady of the United States of America, Mrs. Michelle Obama, Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, Holly Gordon of Girl Rising, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, British Prime Minister David Cameron and 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai who visited the President of Nigeria and celebrated her 17th birthday in 2014 with some of the parents and five of the 57 school girls who escaped from the Boko Haram. The Nigerian government even hounded Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili for championing the viral #BringBackOurGirls campaign in Nigeria. 

The President-elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari who defeated the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in the March 28 presidential election has promised to use all his powers to search, find and rescue the missing Chibok school girls. And we hope it is not too late to save them after 365 days.

Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili leading the #BringBackOurGirls campaign in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, in May 2014. Getty Images.

UNICEF reported that more than 800,000 children have been displaced by the Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria and announced the beginning of a new humanitarian emergency campaign using the hashtag #BringBackOurChildhood. 


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report Online and Founder of Girls United Together for Success (GUTS).

Malala's letter to Nigeria's abducted schoolgirls: 'solidarity, love, and hope'

To my brave sisters, the kidnapped schoolgirls of Chibok, On this first anniversary of your captivity, I write to you with a message of solidarity, love and hope. My name is Malala. I am a Pakistani girl your age. I am one of the millions of people around the world who keep you and your families foremost in our thoughts and prayers. We cannot imagine the full extent of the horrors you have endured. But please know this: We will never forget you. We will always stand with you. Today and every day, we call on the Nigerian authorities and the international community to do more to bring you home.

We will not rest until you have been reunited with your families. Like you, I was a target of militants who did not want girls to go to school. Gunmen shot me and two of my friends on a school bus. All three of us survived and are back in school. Now we speak out on behalf of all girls about the right to get a proper education. Our campaign will continue until you and all girls and boys around the world are able to access a free, safe and quality secondary education. Last July, I spent my 17th birthday in Nigeria with some of your parents and five of your classmates who escaped the kidnapping.

Your parents are grief-stricken. They love you, and they miss you. My father and I wept and prayed with your parents -- and they touched our hearts. The escapee schoolgirls my father and I met impressed us with their resolve to overcome their challenges and to complete their high school education. My father and I promised your parents and the girls who had escaped that we would do all we could to help them.

I met Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and urged him to work harder for your freedom. I also asked President Jonathan to meet your parents and the girls who escaped the kidnapping, which he did a few days later. Still, in my opinion, Nigerian leaders and the international community have not done enough to help you. They must do much more to help secure your release.

I am among many people pressuring them to make sure you are freed. There are reasons for hope and optimism. Nigerian forces are re-gaining territory and protecting more schools. Nigeria's newly-elected president, Muhammadu Buhari, has vowed to make securing your freedom a top priority and promised his government will not tolerate violence against women and girls. "You will have the opportunity to receive the education you want and deserve.

The Malala Fund and other organizations offered all your classmates who escaped the kidnapping full scholarships to complete their secondary education. Most of the escapee girls accepted this scholarship and are now continuing their studies at a safe boarding school and with the support they need. We hope to someday extend that same scholarship to all 219 of you, when you return home. Remember that one day your tragic ordeal will end, you will be reunited with your families and friends, and you will have the chance to finish the education you courageously sought. I look forward to the day I can hug each one of you, pray with you, and celebrate your freedom with your families. Until then, stay strong, and never lose hope. You are my heroes.

Your sister,

Malala

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/13/world/malala-nigeria-schoolgirls-abducted-boko-haram/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_world+%28RSS%3A+CNN+-+World%29

Tweet

Nigerian Politics is Still Too Primitive for Civilized Politicians

Nigerian Politics is Still Too Primitive for Civilized Politicians

Since the independence of Nigeria on October 1, 1960 to date, no Nigerian election has been factually free and fair, because of rampant cases of various forms of rigging, including vote buying, mass thumb-printing of ballots, snatching of ballot boxes, forging of voters cards and terrorizing of voters and political candidates followed by political assassinations and riots which precipitated Nigeria into the catastrophic internecine civil war from 1967-1970 that claimed more than 1 million lives. But Nigerian politicians have failed to learn lessons from the terrible mistakes of the past as the news reports on the 2015 general elections are reading like headlines from the past. More than 100 people have been murdered in political violence during the elections on March 28 and April 11.
These horrifying and terrifying incidents have only rubbished and tarnished the global image of Nigeria.

The two major political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Party (APC) have committed most of the hellish atrocities of political violence by their extremely desperate and greedy politicians using political thugs and hired killers in their bloody political campaigns. It is unfortunate that there is no Nigerian politician in public office without shedding innocent blood to get there.

In the 2011 elections, many National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members working with the Independent National Electoral Commission Ad-Hoc Staff in the north were murdered by rampaging irate mobs. And no amount of compensation will bring them back to their families and friends. But have they learned any lesson from the horror of 2011? No. Because, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Austin Okojie reported during the Saturday April 11 elections that security operatives arrested a former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Maj. Gen. Edet Akpan (retd.) and 10 NYSC members for alleged electoral offences. If they were mobbed and lynched, the ignorant public will blame any of the political parties and not the desperate and greedy NYSC members who have violated the fundamental raisons d'être of the NYSC scheme: "created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil war. The unfortunate antecedents in our national history gave impetus to the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps by decree No.24 of 22nd May 1973 which stated that the NYSC is being established "with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity". But NYSC members have become agents of partisan politics and rigging of elections that will worsen the political crises plaguing the nation.

When the youths who are the future leaders of the nation are now accomplices of the desperate and greedy corrupt politicians, then we cannot expect any improvement in the development of democracy and good governance in Nigeria. This is the tragedy of Nigerian politics. And no civilized politician will want to join such a primitive congregation of political barbarians in their devilish struggle for political power.


See reports of violent incidents during the April 11 elections in Nigeria on Nairaland. 


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report Online and author of In the House of Dogs and other books. 

  Tweet

Dear Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, What Nigerians Need Most is A Visionary Leader

What Nigerians Need Most is A Visionary Leader

In a country in search of heroes and nation builders, what Nigerians need most is a visionary leader for transformational leadership. But can the President-elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) become the visionary leader of the Nigerian Dream?

Majority of our past leaders have been more of title chasers than nation builders, except for Chief Ọbáfẹ́mi Jeremiah Awólọ́wọ̀ (6 March 1909 – 9 May 1987), whom the great Lion of Biafra, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (4 November 1933[– 26 November 2011) called “the best president Nigeria never had” when Awó died in 1987.

Awó was indeed the first visiionary leader of modern Nigeria and no historian has disputed his examplary transformational leadership as the first Premier of the Western Region and national leader of the opposition in the First Republic and Second Republic. He used intellectual and poltical education for the socioeconomic transformation of his Yorùbá people from the leadership of the Egbé Ọmọ Odùduwà formed in 1945 to the establishment of the Action Group (AG) in 1951 and Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) from 1978-1983. And his visionary leadership is fully defined in the philosophy of Awoism by his followers and numerous scholars.
Awólọ́wọ̀ would have been Nigeria’s  Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) of South Africa or Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015) the great first Prime Minister of Singapore from 1959 to 1990, celebrated as the  founding father of independent Singapore and transformed  his country from the "third world to the first world in a single generation" under his visionary leadership. Another notable visionary leader was the great 32nd President of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945), aka “FDR” who won a record four elections as President of America from March 1933 to his death in April 1945. He led America through World War 2 (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945), the worst human conflict in history that claimed  more than 61 million lives and  FDR also saw America through the Great Depression.

Africa has produced visionary national leaders such as Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein (15 January 1918 – 28 September 1970), the second President of Egypt  who is still eulogized today for his achievements in social justice, Arab unity, modernization policies, and anti-imperialism; Julius Kambarage Nyerere (13 April 1922 – 14 October 1999) of Tanzania, fondly called “Baba wa Taifa” (Father of the Nation) and the great António Agostinho Neto (September 17, 1922 – September 10, 1979), first President of Angola from 1975–1979. He was a revolutionary national leader who led the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in the war for independence (1961–1974) and his birthday  is celebrated as National Heroes Day, a public holiday in Angola. Neto was adored by the great African writer Chinua Achebe (16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013) who composed the following poem in his honour.

Agostinho Neto

Agostinho, were you no more
Than the middle one favored by fortune
In children's riddle; Kwame
Striding ahead to accost
Demons; behind you a laggard third
As yet unnamed, of twisted fingers?
No! Your secure strides
Were hard earned. Your feet
Learned their fierce balance
In violent slopes of humiliation;
Your delicate hands, patiently
Groomed for finest incisions,
Were commandeered brusquely to kill,
Your gentle voice to battle-cry.
Perhaps your family and friends
Knew a merry flash cracking the gloom
We see in pictures but I prefer
And will keep that sorrowful legend.
For I have seen how
Half a millennium of alien rape
And murder can stamp a smile
On the vacant face of the fool,
The sinister grin of Africa's idiot-kings
Who oversee in obscene palaces of gold
The butchery of their own people.
Neto, I sing your passing, I,
Timid requisitioner of your vast
Armory's most congenial supply.
What shall I sing? A dirge answering
The gloom? No, I will sing tearful songs
Of joy; I will celebrate
The man who rode a trinity
Of awesome fates to the cause
Of our trampled race!
Thou Healer, Soldier and Poet!

The great Mallam Aminu Kano (1920—April 17, 1983) would have become a visionary national leader if he had succeeded in presidential elections since his leadership of Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) in the First Republic to his People's Redemption Party (PRP) in the Second Republic.

Contemporary visionary leaders in Africa include three winners of the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. Joaquim Alberto Chissano, second President of Mozambique from 1986 to 2005; applauded for transforming the war-torn country of Mozambique into one of the most successful African democracies and Pedro Verona Rodrigues Pires, former Prime Minister from 1975 to 1991.and President of Cape Verde from March 2001 to September 2011.

Can Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) learn from these great visionary leaders in and overcome the challenges and trials of being haunted by ghosts of his past imperfections as a military dictator and become a true catalyst of national reformation and transformation for the nation building of a New Nigeria in the leadership of Africa in the 21st century?
Can he become the bridge builder and address the problems of religious intolerance and tribal bigotry of the lingering North-South Dichotomy caused by the divide and rule political policy of the British colonial government in Nigeria?

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme created in a bid to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil war has failed to foster national pride and unity among the youths who are the future leaders of Nigeria, because of lack of a framework for their political education which the National Orientation Agency (NOA) can develop and implement from the grassroots and not by mere lip service and eye service slogans, jingles and posters. National orientation must begin from the formative years of Nigerian children when the Islamic radicalization of Muslim children begins when they become Qur’anic pupils in the mosque and that is when their sociopolitical orientation should begin with cultural and political education on religious tolerance and freedom of speech for peace and unity. A stitch in time saves nine, so from the nursery school class; we can identify and prevent the fringe elements of religious bias and tribal bigotry before they metamorphose into bloodthirsty demons of terrorism.

Visionary Leadership is not by mere “feel good” manifestos and speeches, but by being an accountable and exemplary role model for the citizens of the nation. 
As an anti-corruption crusader, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) must be honest and transparent from his closet to his cabinet. And not going straight while members of his cabinet are crooked. An incorruptible head of state with a corrupt cabinet cannot claim to be innocent of the crimes committed by the rest. Therefore, he cannot be a good leader with bad followers. There is no way a good director with a bad crew can make a great movie even if the director has a perfect script and fantastic actors.

The citizens of Nigeria have seen the worst of these interesting times, and they cannot be taken for a ride anymore, so they know what is best for them and they will not settle for less. Therefore, they want a national leader who will not disappoint them and later ask them for a second chance to do better. Four years is more than enough to prove and show the best abilities of visionary leadership in a country greatly blessed with awesome natural resources to make Nigeria the true giant of Africa without apologies or regrets.


 ~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, from the new book "The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream: My Testimony on the 2015 Presidential Election".


Tweet

Wike is Afraid of Defeat in April 11 Governorship Polls

 Chief Nyesome Wike.

GUBER POLL: WIKE LOSES HOPE, SEEKS SOFT LANDING •ASKS RIVERS STATE PEOPLE TO VOTE OUT PDP AS HE TRADES OFF PDP NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CANDIDATES 
•Rivers APC lists benefits of voting for Peterside 
*Postpones and Turns the 10,000 PDP defectors rally slated for 10th April, 2015 to Victory Celebration

With defeat staring him in the face, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the April 11 governorship polls in Rivers State, Chief Nyesome Wike, has made overtures to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), seeking to negotiate his future after the expected victory of the APC candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside. Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, revealed in Port Harcourt on Thursday that Chief Wike had reached out to him through his running mate, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Banigo, making the following requests:

1. That APC should not go to the Election Tribunal over the National Assembly election of 28th March awarded to PDP candidates.

2. That Governor Chibuike Amaechi should prevail on the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, not to probe his activities as junior Minister of Education and that Dr. Peterside, upon assumption of office as governor, should not probe his office when he served as the Chief of Staff to Governor Amaechi.

3. That he be allowed to nominate three members of his Grassroot Democratic Initiative (GDI) as Commissioners in the cabinet of Dr. Peterside.

To show the seriousness of Chief Nyesome Wike on this, he has asked the people of Rivers State to vote out all PDP candidates in the April 11 polls. The attached audio tape says it all.

Dr. Ikanya said in a statement that he was non-committal after being contacted by Dr. Banigo but rather advised that Chief Wike should bring up these issues after the election of April 11th as it is already too late to go into negotiation with regard to the polls.

Ikanya in the statement maintained that all the stolen National Assembly seats by PDP would be retrieved through the Election Tribunal as APC cannot allow illegal occupants to represent Rivers State in the National Assembly.

The Rivers APC Chairman advised the electorate to troop out on Saturday and vote for Dakuku Peterside. He said that apart from saving Rivers State from PDP-induced violence, occultism and worship of the devil, an APC victory in the governorship election would mean aligning the Rivers State Government and the entire State with the incoming APC-led Federal Government and to attract the following benefits to the State:

1. Urgent re-modeling and completion of the Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa.
2. Reimbursement of over N100 Billion owed Rivers State by the Federal Government.

3. Further investments into and commencement of Train 7 of the NLNG project Bonny to create more employment opportunities for Rivers State indigenes.

4. Construction of the Bodo-Bomu-Bonny Road, completion of the East-West Road and the rehabilitation of Rivers State section of the Port Harcourt-Aba Road.
5. Return of the Soku oil wells and other oil wells to Rivers State.

Dr. Ikanya commended and congratulated former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Rufus Ada George, for advising people of the State to vote APC in order to align the State with the incoming APC Federal Government for the rapid development of the State.

“We pray and hope that the good people of Rivers State will adhere to this wise counsel and ensure that we don’t have a government in Rivers State that will antagonist against the APC Government at the centre. With PDP members joining APC in droves in order to salvage our nation, it is unthinkable that any right-thinking Rivers person should be contemplating wasting his vote on the doomed PDP and its candidates in the April 11 elections,” Ikanya stated.

For some strategic reasons, the rally slated to hold on 10th April, 2015 to accept the 10,000 PDP defectors will no longer hold. This is to avoid running fowl of the electoral laws that says that campaigns or rallies should not hold 24hours to the date of an election. The event will now take place after the election of April 11th at a date that will be used to celebrate the APC's victory as expected.
Long Live APC!

Long Live Rivers State!!

Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze,

SSA Media and Public Affairs to the State Chairman, APC Rivers State.

09 - 04 – 15

Top Reports

Posted at 20:28 WAT Security Council Press Statement on Boko Haram Attacks against Civilians in North-East Nigeria and Chad

A history of Zaria Central Prison 1903-1967: This study is on the history of Zaria Central Prison from 1903 when it was established to 1967.

The author, Mal.Muhammadu Buhari, was a student of History at Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria. He obtained his B.A and M.A History from the above mentioned university. He is a member Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN).

  Tweet

Oba Akiolu of Lagos Never Said Igbos Will Perish in the Lagoon

Oba Akiolu of Lagos said a different thing from the misinterpretation by ignorant mischievous trouble makers who don't understand English.
GEJIDIOTS deliberately misreporting it to anger and provoke Igbos and others in Lagos not to vote for Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Well, Igbos are too intelligent to be fooled and misinformed.

The palace of the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has issued a statement, clarifying the Oba’s statement when Igbo leaders in Lagos visited him on Sunday.
Read full statement below.

 THE PALACE MAKES FURTHER CLARIFICATION ON THE STATEMENT BY THE OBA OF LAGOS.

‎My attention has been drawn to a publication in a national newspaper where HRM Oba Riliwanu Akinolu was alleged to have threatened Igbos in Lagos to make them vote for Ambode.

Last Sunday, all honorary Eze Ndigbos in Lagos paid a courtesy call to HRM Oba Akinolu. At the meeting the visitors praised the Oba for his fatherly support for and cooperation with Igbos in. Lagos. They assured him of their continued good neighborliness with other tribes in Lagos and support everything that’ll further strengthen that harmony.

Oba Akiolu on his part acknowledged the enviable performance of Governor Fashola and his contribution to the growth of investments in Lagos. He gave the assurance that he is not disturbed or angry with South-East and South- South votes for President Jonathan as perceived by the Eze Ndigbos. The Obas thereafter called on the Igbos chiefs to show appreciation to Lagos State by supporting his candidate Mr. Ambode for continuity of excellence as they have earlier promised.
He assured them of his continued support‎ and assistance where needed and the meeting ended with the traditional breaking of kolas, alligator pepper, and bitter kola and pouring of libation on the ground. It was within this context that that the tradition of Lagos with regard to the lagoon came up. It was noted that whoever works against the throne and the interest and peaceful co-existence of Lagos would end up in the lagoon as per tradition.

2.Oba Akiolu stated further that the Igbo people have not betrayed the throne. Lagos has also not betrayed the Igbo people. Lagos has done so much to make the Igbos comfortable and to prosper. For this, we expect reciprocal respect and understanding. The Oba of Lagos prays that the Lagoon and the throne will continue to bless and protect all those who reside and visit Lagos.

3. Oba Akiolu is the father of all irrespective of tribe, religion or political persuasion. In Lagos, we have an old traditional proverb that relates to the Lagoon. The Lagoon is unique to Lagos. The proverb stresses the need for unity and understanding when you do business in an environment and in this case when you live and do business in Lagos.
Oba Akiolu prays for peace for the land of Lagos and prosperity for all its inhabitants.
Signed: Chief Lateef Aderibigbe Ajose, Opeluwa of Lagos
April 6, 2015


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/180665-alleged-anti-igbo-comment-what-oba-akiolu-really-said-palace.html

Tweet

Revealing Text Messages I Received on the 2015 Presidential Election

These are very revealing text messages I received on the 2015 presidential election from March 28 –April1,, 2015.
They are from friends and associates in different states of Nigeria, including those who are close associates of President-Elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and outgoing incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They are from my coming book "The Victory of Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigerian Dream:
My Testimony on the 2015 Presidential Election" to be released on May 29, 2015.

Chief Eze:
Congrats my broad fr bn part of history. Regs.
BD:
Sweet victory Chima. It is God’s work. He alone made Jona to concede defeat.
IE:
Okay. Cool. Still waiting for the final announcement.
BD:
God is amazing!
Chief Eze:
Thanks and congrats also.
ECE:
Places like Abia, Rivers, were rigged by PDP, d delay is for security to tightened in those areas.
APC won Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, the one of Kebbi & Niger not out yet.
BD:
Not yet announced, but Edo may go to PDP
****
I know he will win, but in politics, it is not over until it is over.
****
Looks like it.
RA:
Results announced so far 19 states, APC has won 10, PDP, 9 states. APC winning with over 2 million votes. Please, tell Mr. Hope
Chief Eze:
U are right.
Bekee:
Again, to God be all the glory.
Chief Eze:
Total Results in d 16 collated states by INEC- APC-7,926, 632 VOTES. PDP- 4, 426, 106. Diff-3, 500, 526 – APC LEADING WITH D DIFF-3,500, 526… (2)…, Pls, don’t take this result near Aso Rock until we send Dr. Sampson Parker to ensure that nobody suffers heart attack. I am just begging. Regs and thanks fr bn a true soldier of democracy.
God bless u fr me. Chf. Eze. C.
Bekee:
Sure! God is alive! To Him be all the glory!
BD:
Looks like it.
3.4 million
BD:
No wahala. I DEY.
RA:
Kaduna was won by APC, but Kebbi and Niger have not been announced and APC is leading by 4 million votes.
IE:
I think you should watch it. I’m going to sleep soon.
I have no idea. Kebbi has not been announced.
BD:
Not yet.
IE:
APC won Kaduna. Niger has not been announced.
BD:
Kaduna, APC. Niger not announced yet.
True. Tension dey Abuja.
BD:
Not official, sir.
BD:
I hope so o.
BD:
They stopped at 9 states and Abuja. To continue tonight.
IE:
Alright. Well, I’m watching NTA.
IE:
Seriously? You’re funny.
IE:
Are you watching it?
IE:
Results are being announced. Even, I am nervous for Nigeria.
BD:
So who go win?
BD:
Desperation.
IE:
I’m happy to hear they are alright. I’m sure the issues in Rivers will be sorted out.
IE:
Good morning. Have you been in tough with your family? Are they alright? I hear there is tension is some places. I hope you area is not affected?
FA:
My room mate, she is in PH now.
RN:
Hello Mike, I am not sure yet. We spoke yesterday, and he said they were still waiting. By tomorrow, we will all know the result.
IE:
Okay. Stay safe.
EE:
D question is how can brodas be killing oda pple to get power. D boys fighting are fools.
EE:
I am a GOODLUCK supporter. I don’t have a party yet, but if I will belong to one, it must be a Christian party. How are u doing my broad? PH is always like dat. Very stubborn pple.
BD:
Barbaric!
IFE:
Do you have proof? The side I live is safe and very safe. We voted and went home. Olaka is APC. I will call him and ask. I doubt sha.
BD:
Na wah o. In Imo and Rivers.
Who dey win o? Dem floor ur man for Villa. Fani Kayode English don change.
BD:
We dey monitor elections.
Chief Eze:
Links to d much publicized report of RS APC rejection of d INEC Polls in RS.- http://thenationonlineng.net/new/scores-of-apc-members-shot-arrested-in-rivers/
Chief Eze:
Read my release again.
IFE:
Or maybe he is lying.
Sandra Appiah:
Hi Michael. So sorry to hear what is going on. Is your family okay?
IFE:
Which ward?
BD:
I hope it won’t lead to something else.
IE:
Your family will be fine.
IE:
Be careful with these people.
BD:
Na wah!
Chief Eze:
Pls assist me. Check ur box for our reaction to the sham and charade of an election held in RS today and act accordingly. The release is titled, ‘BREAKING NEWS-SCORES OF APC MEMBERS SHOT DEAD IN RIVERS, 100 MEMBERS ARRESTED*Party cries out over intimidation and disenfranchisement. *Rejects the outcome of the elections”., Regs. Chf. Eze. C.
Chief Eze:
Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has just returned from his polling unit in Ubima (ward 8, unit 14) without being accredited. INEC officials there claimed that they did not have the result sheet for the unit.
The Governor said he could not subject himself to accreditation when the required election materials meant for his unit cannot be accounted for by INEC officials.
Chief Eze:
HE SIR, OLAKA NWOGU CAME TO MY WARD WT LOADS OF SOLDIERS TO FORCE US TO START ACCREDITATION & VOTING WITHOUT RESULT SHEET AND OTHER MATERIALS. AS MY PEOPLE RESISTED, OLAKA ORDERED THE ARMY TO SHOOT AT US. ONE OF OUR YOUNG BOY MR. CHRIS, WAS KILLED EXECUTION STYLE. THE DPO ELEME WAS INFORMED. HE CAME AND VIEWD THE BODY & LEFT WITHOUT A WORD. WE HAVE STOPPED ALL
THEIR INTENED FRAUD HERE. BUT THEY COULD BE WRITING THEIR FAKE RESULT NOW. PLS. HELP US.L.
16:56:59.
28-03-2015.
IE:
Okay. Stay safe.
IE:
How’s it going over there?
 


Tweet

Foreign Minister Steinmeier on the Elections in Nigeria

BERLIN, 01 April 2015 / PRN Africa / -- Foreign Minister Steinmeier issued the following statement today (1 April) on the elections in Nigeria:
Zusatzinformationen

Since last night, it has been clear that General Muhammadu Buhari is the winner of the presidential election in Nigeria. In this poll, Nigerians have sent a signal that could have an impact on the region and on Africa as a whole. For the first time in Nigeria's history, the electorate has voted against the incumbent president and brought about a change of government democratically.

I congratulate Muhammadu Buhari on his election. The Nigerian electorate has given him a clear mandate, which must now be fulfilled. Buhari and Jonathan have already urged their followers to follow due process in disputes over the election results. I support this call. In view of the great challenges faced by Nigeria, all those involved must now focus on ensuring there is an orderly transition of power. By conceding defeat at an early stage, Jonathan has taken an important step in safeguarding the handover of power.

SOURCE Federal Foreign Office, Federal Republic of Germany


  Tweet

In Phone Call, UN Chief Congratulates Nigeria's President-elect Buhari

NEW YORK, 01 April 2015 / PRN Africa / -- Taking note of the results of the Nigerian presidential and parliamentary elections announced yesterday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called President-elect Muhammadu Buhari to congratulate him, and called on all Nigerians to accept the outcome of the elections.


“The Secretary-General talked to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Major General (Rtd) Muhammadu Buhari. He congratulated President-elect Buhari and commended President Jonathan for his leadership throughout the electoral process and his statesmanship in upholding the democratic process,” said a note released by Mr. Ban's spokesman's office in New York.


“The Secretary-General believes the successful conduct of these polls is a testament to the maturity of Nigeria's democracy,” the statement added.


Mr. Ban also thanked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for organizing and carrying out the elections in a professional manner under challenging circumstances. He also appealed to the Nigerian people to address any complaints they may have through existing legal and constitutional channels.
The UN chief also said that he hoped the same democratic spirit will prevail in the conduct of the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections on 11 April.


“We must also reflect on some of the possible root causes of this insurgency,” continued Mr. Zeid, strongly encouraging a concerted effort to redress the imbalances so evident in Nigeria's eastern region, with particular efforts in the territory that has fortunately been recovered from Boko Haram's grasp.
“In this regard, I welcome Nigeria's recent Presidential Initiative for the Northeast, which aims to address longstanding social and economic issues, and to create the context necessary for sustainable recovery and economic development,” he said.


SOURCE UN News Centre


  Tweet

The Greatest Achievement of President Goodluck Jonathan - Free Speech

The Greatest Achievement of President Goodluck Jonathan - Freedom of Speech

Many people may not agree, but the real greatest achievement of out-going President Goodluck Jonathan is the freedom of speech given to Nigerians to express themselves openly online and offline without government censorship and restriction.

Nigerians have never been so free to express their opinions and thoughts as they have been under the watch of President Jonathan. But his minister of information did not even know this fact, because of intellectual ignorance of the huge impact free speech can make on the collective psyche of the people and how to use it effectively for mass communication and mass literacy of majority of Nigerians for national orientation and national development. Majority of the ministers and advisers of the President have been more interested in using their offices for selfish gratifications and enriching themselves and their cronies instead of being honest and transparent, because they deliberately did not want the people to know the immense benefits of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act signed into law on May 28, 2011; an Act that gives every Nigerian a legal right of access to information, records, and documents held by government bodies and private bodies carrying out public functions. (http://foicoalition.org/foi_bill/)
Majority of Nigerians are clueless about the FOI.

Freedom of Speech is fundamental to the survival and welfare of human civilization, because it breaks all barriers to public enlightenment which is pivotal to the advancement of humankind, as defined in Articles 18 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 10, 1948 at the Palais de Chaillot, Paris, France.

Article 18.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.


Article 19.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/#atop

Nigerians unleashed their thoughts on the most popular social network sites all over the internet, using the social media to address every matter affecting them and to express the issues in public information. 

The freedom of speech has been the greatest weapon of the Change mantra of the opposition which ignited the conscience of the populace in the 2015 general elections and boosted the public knowledge of almost everything positive and negative about President Jonathan which the presidential campaign of his main opposer Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), the presidential flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) used effectively to sway public opinion to their advantage and succeeded in taking the wind out of sails of the incumbent President and his campaigners got drowned in the deluge of free speech on the internet. And by the time he realized it, his presidential campaign ship was already sinking.

The president elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) must not stop the liberties of the freedom of speech. But also use the media of free speech to communicate and connect with the citizens who now know that the government can no longer fool them. They demand popular democracy in honesty and transparency without censorship of public opinion. It is freedom of speech that won him the mandate of the electorate and he must promote this fundamental human right of Nigerians and thanks to President Goodluck Jonathan for making it all possible.

  Tweet

Change is Here for Nigeria - Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign office Lagos

Change is Here for Nigeria - Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign office Lagos

LAGOS, Nigeria, April 2, 2015/ -- The spontaneous outpouring of emotions and celebrations that characterized the pronouncement of Muhammedu Buhari as the President-elect of Nigeria in major cities and towns across the country was clear evidence that the people wanted change.
The campaign theme of the Buhari-Osinbajo ticket resonated clearly amongst a nation that successfully transitioned from the erstwhile Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which had ruled Nigeria since 1999 to the All Progressives Party (APC) by a clear majority of almost 3 Million Votes.

More importantly, it also marked the first time that the world’s most populous black country would unseat an incumbent president. Furthermore, it is the first time the so called progressives in the country will take control of the federal government.

While the euphoria is clearly palpable within the citizens, the prognosis for the country is actually dim. Insecurity had become rife – the kidnapping of 276 girls by the terrorist group Boko Haram has entered its 10th Month, and the economy is in doldrums, characterized by the freefall of the Naira in the past months. News of Buhari’s election put the Naira in a rebound and the stocks gained almost 6.5% to wipe out months of decline.

So what exactly is Buhari promising? As a former ruler, he was known for his intransigent stand on Corruption – a bane in Nigerian society; and that was a banner issue for him during the campaign. As Buhari said, “If we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill us”; many expect the new government to thus put a halt to the culture of graft and public funds looting that has created a gulf between the super wealthy and the very poor.

Despite Nigeria’s Oil riches, the country still suffers from abject poverty – Nigeria is home to about 110 million poor - which makes the country home to the largest number of poor people in Africa!. Buhari has pledged to tackle poverty by creating jobs and setting up social welfare schemes that cater to the poorest Nigerians.

One of these schemes is a Conditional Cash Transfer that pays between N5000 – N7500 monthly to 25 Million of the poorest Nigerians as long as they send their children to school and get them immunized. This program will be phased over the four year the sure of the administration.

Another program is to provide a free meal a day to children in all public primary schools in the country. This program is expected to:

- Reduce the number of out of school children in Nigeria ( the highest in the world) which currently stands at about 10.3 million.

- Improve the academic performances of the students as the will now be guaranteed at least one balanced diet a day.

- Stimulate the agricultural industry due to the massive demand this program will have on the sector.

They also intend to institute a National Health Insurance Scheme that will make basic health care services available to the people. To partake in the scheme NIGERIANS will be expected to pay between $3-$5 as yearly contribution.

Buhari’s running mate and Vice President-elect Yemi Osinbajo is a Professor of Law who has served as Attorney General in Nigeria’s commercial capital – Lagos State. Many are thus encouraged that the Rule of Law will take centre stage in a country where the rich can flout it with impunity. His antecedents suggests that this tandem are equipped with the capacity and political will to begin to right the ship that is Nigeria and effect the necessary stimulus that will bring Nigerian reality closer to the potential she doubtless promises.

If that happens, there’ll be more dancing in the streets. Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of the Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign office Lagos.  


Media Contact:
(Mr) Obafela Bank-Olemoh
Media aid for Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign office Lagos
bank_olemoh@yahoo.com

 SOURCE Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign office Lagos


  Tweet