With Jonathan, Nigeria’ll go bankrupt in four years —Ambode

Akinwunmi Ambode

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has said Nigeria will go bankrupt in four years if President Goodluck Jonathan is allowed to return for another term.

He said since the rulling Peoples Democratic Party had ruined the nation’s economy, the option left for Nigerians was to vote en masse for the APC, pointing out that victory for the party would ensure freedom.

The candidate spoke on Thursday at the campaign rally of the party in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.

He said, “Victory for the PDP in Saturday’s election will lead to further bankruptcy of the nation’s economy. Vote en masse for the APC. The victory for the party will ensure freedom and liberate the country.

“If we fail to vote and PDP is still in government, Nigeria will go bankrupt in the next four years. This election is election of freedom to liberate Nigerians from the shackles of poverty and misrule.”

Ambode said the present generation should start thinking of, not only themselves, but also of their children and generations to come.

According to him, if Nigerians fail to vote out the present administration at the federal level, they have ruined the future of their children.

Polls: Jonathan, Buhari sign fresh peace pact

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); and a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, during the political parties signing of a renewal election peace accord, in Abuja … on Thursday.
| credits: Olatunji Obasa

President Goodluck Jonathan and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday signed a fresh peace pact ahead of tomorrow’s election.

The agreement, which is a follow-up to the January 14, 2015 Abuja accord,   is a commitment by the two candidates to keep their supporters in check before, during and after the elections.

The fresh agreement was signed in Abuja shortly after they met behind closed-doors with the leadership of the National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Elections led by a former Head of State,   Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar.

Jonathan and Buhari were accompanied to the event by the national, chairmen of their parties, Adamu Mu’azu (Peoples Democratic Party) and   John Odigie-Oyegun (APC).

Shortly before signing the document, Abubakar said his committee had been working round the clock to assist the political parties and Nigerians to ensure that there is peace   before, during and after the elections.

He recalled that Jonathan met with the committee members on Wednesday while Buhari did the same in the early hours of Thursday.

Abubakar   explained that   the separate meetings were   held to brief them on the current situation in the country and what the committee expected of them as stakeholders and as presidential candidates.

He said, “I want to thank both the President and Gen. Buhari for finding time to meet with the committee. And I want to thank both party chairmen for the support received in trying to send this message of peace.

“I am happy that both parties, the contestants are committed to free and fair elections, free of violence.’’

Under Abubakar’s supervision, the two candidates then signed three copies each of the document. The former military leader  countersigned.

Don’t vote those without certificate, says Sambo

Vice-President Namadi Sambo

Vice President Namadi Sambo, who is also the presidential running mate to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, has asked Nigerians not to vote for any candidate in the March 28 election who cannot provide his school certificate.

Sambo said this on Thursday during a meeting with the Arewa community in Lagos at the old parliament building in Tafawa Balewa Square.

“Don’t listen to those who cannot prove or provide their school certificate. If you go back, it’s change. Do you want to go back? Today, some people will tell you their certificate is in Toronto. Tomorrow, they will tell you their certificate is in Toronto. Do we want people like that?” he said.

According to the vice president, the PDP is certain to sweep the poll on March 28.

“We need to ensure that the Peoples Democratic Party wins at every polling booth. Our rating is very high in Lagos and other South-West states. We need to mobilise and vote in PDP in the presidential election,” he added.

He told his audience that if PDP was voted in the presidential poll, the April 11 governorship election would be a “walk-over” for Mr. Jimi Agbaje, the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos.

Responding to the VP’s speech, Agbaje said Lagos State would be delivered to PDP. While commending the oratorical skill of Sambo, the PDP Lagos governorship candidate took a swipe at the All Progressives Congress’ presidential and governorship candidates.

He said, “Lagos will be delivered this Saturday. Just imagine how brilliantly our VP spoke without reading from any prepared paper. But their own candidates in the opposition cannot speak or say anything without reading from a prepared note.

“Do you know why? It is because they are always told what to say. I can also tell you that after these elections, they will change the name of their party again. After April 11, APC will change its name.”

Buhari, a gamble not worth taking —Jonathan

Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

Ahead of the Saturday’s presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan has described his main contender, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) of the All Progressives Congress as a gamble that is not worth taking by Nigerians.

He said he did not think that Nigerians would make the mistake of electing Buhari, who he said was not the right option for the country at this time.

Jonathan said this in an interview he granted an online news medium, TheCable. The interview was published on Thursday.

The President said while he could not claim to be perfect, majority of Nigerians would still prefer him to Buhari.

He said, “I don’t think Nigerians will make the mistake of voting for Buhari.

“Gen. Buhari, with due respect, is not the right option for Nigeria at this time. It is a gamble that is not worth taking.

“I may not be perfect as nobody is perfect. But I believe that come Saturday, the majority of Nigerian voters will choose me as the best candidate to lead the nation forward.”

APC drags Jonathan, Obanikoro, Fayose others to ICC

Musiliu Obanikoro

The All Progressives Congress has asked the International Criminal Court in The Hague, to investigate President Goodluck Jonathan and eight others as regards an audio file which allegedly captured some Peoples Democratic Party’s leaders giving orders to a military officer on how to rig the June 21, 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State in their favour.

Apart from Jonathan, others named as accused persons in the petition are Minister of State for Foreign Affairs II, Musiliu Obanikoro; Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose; former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Iyiola Omisore; and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh,

Others are Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Army’s 32nd Artillery Brigade Commander, Akure, Ondo State, Brig. Gen. Aliyu Momoh; a member of the Federal House of Representatives, Abdulkareem; and the Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Jelili Adesiyan.

A copy of the petition dated March 25, 2015, read in part, “Essentially, the recording provides evidence of a clearly articulated strategy to militarise Ekiti and emasculate the opposition parties and their supporters as an approach to rigging the elections in favour of the PDP.

“The meeting was attended by top Federal Government officials including two ministers responsible for the Armed Forces and Police. Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who was then Minister of State for Defence, and Mr. Jelili Adesiyan, the serving Minister for Police Affairs, were senior government officials, who actively participated in the discussions.”

Fear grips Kaduna residents over tomorrow’s elections

KADUNA — Amid fear of violence and possible imposition of curfew over Kaduna State, residents are now stock- piling food stuff at home, as well as making huge cash withdrawals from banks ahead of Saturday’s poll.

However, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, who is the state’s governorship candidate of the All Progressives, Congress, APC, said at a news conference in Kaduna that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led government in the state planned to instigate violence on election day, so that curfew could be imposed, to make manipulation of results in favour of the PDP possible.

Investigations by Vanguard showed that more residents were buying food stuff and meat that could last for several days in anticipation of election violence in the state.

This was even as some youths believed to be APC supporters had been pulling down or vandalising PDP bill boards in the metropolis.

Mallam Aminu Danmanir, Chairman, Meat Sellers Association, at the Kaduna Central Market, who spoke on the issue, said his members have recorded huge increase in sales over the past few days.

Danmanir said:  “It came to us as surprise when people started buying meat in large quantities. It was later that we knew that it was not because of the forthcoming Easter celebrations. Because  even Muslims were buying.

“Before now, I used to sell about 60 kilogrammes of meat in a day. But it the past four days, I have been selling between 90 and 110 kilogrammes daily. We have not increased the price of meat. A kilogramme  of beef is still N900. But, if we keep getting this pressure, the price may go up.”

At Sabo Main Market, Mrs. Agnes Sati, told Vanguard that she had noticed some increase in the sale of her grains.

She said: “There are times in this market that I can hardly sell 10 measures of rice and beans or garri. But, now when people come to buy, they buy in large quantities.

“There was a day I sold three bags of rice, one bag of beans and almost three bags of Ijebu garri. It is the same for palm oil and vegetable oil. People are afraid of  tomorrow.”

Tinubu-Ojo shuts Lagos markets for Ambode

Ambode; Will he succeed Fashola?

LAGOS—Under the leadership of the President General, Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, market traders kept Lagos markets shut yesterday to hold a rally at the Onikan statdium in support of Akinwunmi Ambode, the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the state, ahead of the elections.

Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo declared that all members of the Lagos state chapter of the Association of Commodity Market Women and Men of Nigeria, have pledged their support for Ambode in a bid to sustain the growth and development that has been witnessed all over the state under the APC.

“We market women and men make up a majority among voters. I can assure you that we have our voters cards, and with this support and our continued prayers, victory is definitely assured for Ambode and all APC candidates in this general elections”, Tinubu-Ojo said.

Ambode, who was joined at the event by his wife, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, thanked the leadership and members of the market women and men for their overwhelming support, and promised to keep Lagos working for them and all its citizens. Also present at the event was the Babaloja of Lagos, Alhaji Wasiu Atanda Balogun, and Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, Senator representing Lagos Central.

No plot to rig for APC – INEC

Lagos—THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, dismissed as baseless reports that it had hatched plots to the rig tomorrow’s Presidential and National Assembly polls for the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the polls will be free, fair and credible.

Buhari, Jega and Jonatrhan

Indeed, to ensure that voting begins early tomorrow, the electoral commission, yesterday, moved sensitive election materials like ballot papers to the local councils, which in turn would be moved to the wards today. Tomorrow, the materials will be moved to the polling units and voting points.

At the INEC Lagos office, yesterday, electoral officers were at hand to collect the materials amid tight security. Hordes of Mobile police men were at hand and two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) were strategically parked in front the commission.

Inside story on the shooting of Amaechi’s convoy in Rivers

PORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State was trapped, yesterday in Rumuolumeni area of Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area of the state, as suspected political thugs fired live bullets at his convoy. This came as tension heightened in Edo State, over alleged deployment of soldiers to the country home of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, in Iyamoh, Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area.

In Rivers State, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Dave Iyofor, who confirmed the attack on Amaechi’s convoy, said that the thugs from an opposition party first pelted the governor’s convoy with stones and other objects before they started firing gunshots at him. Iyofor said gunshots were fired at the governor, adding that two members of the APC sustained injuries.

“Gunshots were fired at Governor Amaechi this evening (yesterday) at Rumuolumeni in Obio Akpor council by suspected Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, thugs. Obio Akpor is the council of PDP Rivers governorship candidate, Mr Nyesom Wike. The thugs attacked the governor and his entourage with bottles, stones and various dangerous objects.

Court restrains Chief of Army Staff from arresting Tinubu

A federal High Court sitting in Lagos yesterday restrained the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, from arresting, detaining, harassing or intimidating the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Justice  J.T. Tsoho granted the order after hearing a motion ex parte application dated and filed on March 24, 2015, by the applicant, Asiwaju Tinubu, through his lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), and reading of the affidavit of urgency in support of the motion ex parte sworn to by a journalist,  Sunday Dare.
The court also restrained Chief of Army Staff, his privies, agents and servants from  preventing Asiwaju Tinubu from participating in the general elections.
The Chief of Army Staff,  his privies, agents and servants were further  restrained from laying siege to Tinubu’s home situated at number 26, Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi,  pending the determination of a motion on notice filed against the defendant.

The applicant had approached the court on March 25, 2015, through his counsel,  Falana, seeking the  enforcement of his fundamental human rights.
In his application, the applicant had prayed for three orders of the court, including leave to serve the Originating Motion on Notice on the respondent at the Ministry of Defence, Area 10, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.
The court granted the three prayers of the applicant.
Justice Tsoho adjourned hearing of the motion on notice in the matter to March 31, 2015.

AD candidate backs Buhari

Presidential candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD) Rafiu Salau yesterday dumped his ambition, saying he was stepping down for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

Salau told a news conference in Abuja that he was stepping down from the race and giving his support to Buhari to save the country’s democracy from one party system, which he said encourages dictatorship.

According to him, “the PDP had been in power for 16 years, and it has tried its best. No matter how good the performance of PDP, you need to vote for another party before you can know that you always get a better performance when you create a competition among the parties.

“One party system takes away democracy from the owners and denies them the right to use their democratic system to determine the level of the national development. No matter how good the performance of one party system, it cannot perform 10 per cent of a democratic system with at least two strong parties that make the people to have the opportunity to control their democracy.

THE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concern over what it described as the frightening and increasing trend of electoral violence by major political actors.

The Chairman, NHRC, Chidi Odinkalu, who spoke at a news conference in Abuja yesterday, expressed fears about the commission’s findings during its recent visit to Lagos, Kaduna and Rivers states,  identified as the states with high electoral violent potentials.

Odinkalu said the outcome of the NHRC’s visitation team to states captured in its February 13 pre-election violence report and advisory, revealed a frightening trend.

He noted that since the commission’s February 13 report, which revealed that 58 pre-election killings were recorded, more of such deaths have been recorded.

But, many political actors have argued that the NHRC was conservative in its death figure.

Odinkalu said the number of pre-election violence incident reports and complaints, submitted to the commission, has increased from 10 to 30.

He added that there were evidence of major political actors’ preference for self-help as against depending on the security agencies and state-owned dispute resolution mechanisms.

“Visits to the states confirmed the assessments in the report and advisory. Certain patterns were very evident from these locations, which predispose them to a potential for significant election-related violence,” he said.

The NHRC boss named some of the identified patterns as including the deliberate arming and empowerment of militias and gangs by leading political parties, increase importation and utilisation of small arms and light weapons; increased substance abuse and psychotropic substances, among others

Jonathan versus Buhari: How states, FCT will vote

Nigerians will file out in their millions tomorrow to vote in presidential elections that could transform the political landscape for decades. In this final installment of our comprehensive reports tracking developments in the race, SUNDAY EDITOR FESTUS  ERIYE,  MANAGING EDITOR YUSUF ALLI, ASSOCIATE EDITOR SAM EGBURONU, ASSISTANT EDITOR DARE ODUFOWOKAN, ASSISTANT EDITOR REMI ADELOWO AND SUNDAY OGUNTOLA highlight the latest realities and project likely outcomes in the 36 states and the FCT.

Less than 60 million of Nigeria’s estimated 170 million population will tomorrow choose the nation’s next president. One week to the day the first ballots would be cast, the Indepenedent National Electoral Commission (INEC) put the total number of registered voters at 68,833,476. Out of this only 56,431,255 permanent voter cards (PVCs) had been collected. This represents 82% of total cards and is a relatively high figure when compared with previous elections.

Before the February 7 postponement the momentum was clearly on the side of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and a loyalist of President Goodluck Jonathan has confessed that that was a key factor behind the six-week shift pushed through by the Presidency.

The extension was supposed to enable Jonathan and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regain the initiative. In that period the president, governors and campaign team virtually relocated to the South West – courting traditional rulers and others with a shower of dollars. The Gani Adams-led OPC took to Lagos streets brandishing guns and vandalizing All Progessives Congress (APC) billboards. First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan barnstormed throughout the country rallying women for her husband. Critically, the armed forces in collaboration with the multinational force from Cameroon, Chad and Niger chased Boko Haram insurgents out of most towns they had occupied in the North-East.

But not even the successful military campaign has altered the dynamics of the race in the North and across the country. The fundamentals remain largely the same for Jonathan and his challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari.

•We’re not involved, says EFCC

All the bank accounts of Enugu Catholic Priest of Adoration Ministry, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, have been frozen.

Sources traced the action to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

They claimed that the EFCC operatives who carried out the operation were detailed from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Mbaka was also said to have been asked to report at their Port Harcourt office on an unspecified date.

Mbaka’s media aide, Maximus Ugwuoke said: “All the cheques issued to the banks today (yesterday) were returned. We don’t know why they decided to use EFCC operatives from Port Harcourt while the zonal headquarters is here in Enugu. ”

Otuoke eager to receive Jonathan

FROM LEFT: NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF PDP, SEN. ADAMU MUAZU; PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND VICE PRESIDENT NAMADI SAMBO, AT THE PDP PRESIDENTIAL RALLY IN ABAKALIKI ON FRIDAY

Indigenes of Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayela State are eagerly awaiting the arrival of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The president is expected to arrive in his home town today ahead of tomorrow’s general elections.

But there were no soldiers or riot policemen on the streets – unlike many others in the other parts of the country which have been swarmed by troops.

Residents are confident that their “brother” and “son” will be victorious at the polls.

Around the town, posters and banners of President Jonathan and his running mate, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, are at various locations.

Hoodlums shoot Amaechi’s convoy in Port Harcourt

•Soldiers lay siege to Oshiomhole’s  country home
Barely 24 hours after the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, raised the alarm that a plot to assassinate him was on, his convoy was yesterday attacked in Port Harcourt.
Thugs, who are suspected to be working for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  fired gunshots at his convoy.
Amaechi met at the Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday morning with the caretaker chairmen of the 23 local government areas and other stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers Governor, David Iyofor, said in a text message at 7:33 p.m. yesterday: “Gunshots fired at Governor Amaechi. This (yesterday) evening, gunshots were fired at the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, in Rumuolumeni (Port Harcourt), Obio/Akpor LGA (of Rivers State) by PDP thugs. Obio/Akpor LGA is the home of PDP Rivers governorship candidate, Nyesom Wike (an indigene of Rumueprikom).

Buhari: I’m not in the race for money and power

•APC candidate worried about misuse of military

All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is worried about what he calls the government’s penchant for misusing the military.

Speaking yesterday at a news conference in Abuja, Gen. Buhari urged his supporters to shun violence during tomorrow’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

Gen. Buhari also said that he was not contesting the election because of power and money, but because of the belief by Nigerians that he is in a position to lead them out of despair.

He thanked Nigerians for their support throughout his campaign and urged  them to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the elections.

They must resist “any act of deliberate provocation to derail the fast moving train of change”.

He said the democracy being practised in the country is not what Nigerians bargained for when they celebrated the end of military rule in 1999, pointing out that the basic challenges facing Nigerians today are: the economy, insecurity, unemployment and corruption. These challenges demand competence and political will to handle, he added.

Gen. Buhari said: “I specifically called this press conference to thank millions of Nigerians for their support and their enthusiastic commitment to the imperative of change. I am particularly overwhelmed that, despite the sustained smear campaigns against me by the ruling PDP, the support Nigerians have for me has remained intact. The enthusiasm of Nigerians for change is understandable.

Card Reader’s supplier held

Lai Mohammed

•How PDP plans to rig, by APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday alleged plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the general elections, warning that  it could be catastrophic.

The party also decried the incessant harassment and intimidation of its members across the country by PDP officials and candidates, using security agencies, which are supposed to be non-partisan and professional in the discharge of their duties.

APC National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed told reporters in Lagos that PDP chieftains were plotting to manipulate the exercise out of desperation.

He said the rigging strategies include the plan to manipulate the card readers, use of fake security agents and recruitment of thugs to disrupt voting.

5 REASONS WHY YOU DON'T NEED TO DIE FOR ANY POLITICIAN BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER ELECTIONS

:
1. In 2011, Governor Shekarau of Kano State contested for the Presidency on the platform of ANPP against President Jonathan of PDP. So did Nuhu Ribadu of ACN. Today, Gov. Shekarau is a Minister in President Jonathan's cabinet & a member of the President's party & Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is the PDP's candidate for governorship of Adamawa State. How many were killed because of them in 2011?
2. President Obasanjo and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu were thought to be sworn enemies. When President Obasanjo took over SW Nigeria in 2003, Gov. Tinubu became "last man standing" against him in ACN/Lagos. Today, Obasanjo is Tinubu's "Navigator" & Tinubu is treasured guest at Obasanjo's birthday. How many died believing they were enemies?
3. Fmr Govs, Engr. Segun Oni and Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti used to be political foes and now they belong to the same party. Both are alive as friends & some folks had died fighting for them.
4. Fmr. Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola never saw eye to eye with Governor Aregbesola. Now, they belong to the same party, some people died for both, but were they not always friends? Imaging Gov Rotimi Amaechi being the campaign director of Buhari, who could have thought so. What of Gov Rochas Okorocha?
5. President Obasanjo was prepared to throw VP, Atiku Abubakar out of Aso Rock. Who would have thought that Atiku would visit Obasanjo in Otta farm after all the brouhaha; politicians belong to one big family. They have their interest at stake, do not die for them especially when you have nothing at stake. Vote, that is your obligation. You do not owe anyone a duty to die. Value your life, if you are still alive you can be better than them. Say no to violence, say no to blood letting. Make a choice with your PVC & let Nigeria be the winner! Spread the word
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# Election No Be War
# Vote Not Fight