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Man Caught With PVCs On March 28th Has Been Given Certificate Of Return (Photos)

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<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1yGw6p7" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style='font-family: inherit;'><img border="0" height="243" src="http://ift.tt/1yGw6p7" width="320"/> </span> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><span style='background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5454540252686px;'><span style='font-family: inherit;'><br/> </span> </span> <span style='background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 16.5454540252686px;'><span style='font-family: inherit;'>Dr Chukwuemeka Ujam pictured here was a PDP House of Representative aspirant in the just concluded 2015 elections. The former Commissioner for Land in Enugu State contested for the Nkanu East/West seat. He was allegedly caught with 4000 PVCs in Enugu on the 28th of March by the military, who paraded him. <a href="http://ift.tt/1NyjkfI">See Earlier Report Here</a> </span> </span><br/><br /><br/><br /><span style='font-family: inherit;'><br/> </span><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1yGw8gI" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style='font-family: inherit;'><img border="0" height="231" src="http://ift.tt/1yGw8gI" width="320"/> </span> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><span style='font-family: inherit;'>INEC has now issued him a certificate of Return.</span><br/><br /><br/><br /><span style='font-family: inherit;'><br/> </span> <span style='font-family: inherit;'>See Picture Below.</span><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1D0Jy3p" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style='font-family: inherit;'><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ift.tt/1D0Jy3p" width="277"/> </span> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><span style='font-family: inherit;'><br/> </span> <span style='font-family: inherit;'><br/> </span> <span style='font-family: inherit;'><br/> </span><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Man Caught With PVCs On March 28th Has Been Given Certificate Of Return (Photos)

Man Caught With PVCs On March 28th Has Been Given Certificate Of Return (Photos)

Dr Chukwuemeka Ujam pictured here was a PDP House of Representative aspirant in the just concluded 2015 elections. The former Commissi...

Patience Jonathan doesn’t need your advice, PDP tells Buhari’s wife

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<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1FPuaLq" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://ift.tt/1FPuaLq" width="400"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign organisation has spurned the assurance given the First Lady, Patience Jonathan by Hadjia Aisha Buhari, wife of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Mrs. Buhari had offered a word of assurance to Mrs. Jonathan that neither she nor her husband, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan will go to jail if Buhari wins the presidential election.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Mrs. Buhari’s advice followed the First Lady’s repeated statements expressing fears that Buhari might jail the first couple, apparently for corruption if the APC candidate becomes president.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />But in a statement yesterday, the PDP campaign organisation asked Mrs. Buhari to keep her assurances to herself, saying Mrs. Jonathan did not need the assurance.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode said, “the entire PDP presidential campaign did not appreciate her counsel because the First Lady has not committed any offence.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“We take note of what Hajia Aisha Buhari has said. But we don’t appreciate her counsel and neither do we need any advice from her because the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has not done anything wrong.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In a separate statement also yesterday, Fani-Kayode said the APC should state whether or not its presidential candidate, could guarantee that not one dollar of Al-Qeda, ISIS or ISIL (terrorist groups) money had been used to support his presidential campaign.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Fani-Kayode, in a swift response to the threat of court action by the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Malam Garba Shehu, on the question, said it was a pity that supposed educated persons could not make a distinction between a question and an assertion.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“If they are waiting for a retraction to our questions, they will wait forever. Hell will freeze over<br/><br /><br/><br />before we retract any question that we have put. We will not retract any question rather we will continue to put more uncomfortable questions to them until they provide answers by saying yes or no.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Patience Jonathan doesn’t need your advice, PDP tells Buhari’s wife

Patience Jonathan doesn’t need your advice, PDP tells Buhari’s wife

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign organisation has spurned the assurance given the First Lady, Patience Jonathan by...

APC Urges Supporters to Call their friends to Vote.

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<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'>Sponsored Post.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1DJvgJL" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://ift.tt/1DJvgJL" width="320"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />A Message from the APC...<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />As you are well aware, the campaign of the APC is centred around you. The ruling party, PDP has deep pockets full of ill-gotten funds and government resources and have used these to buy up the media.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />We have YOU.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />As General Buhari said at the APC Convention - "I can’t give you a fistful of Dollars or Naira to purchase your support. Even if I could, I would not do so, the fate of this nation is not up for sale."<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />We urge you to Take Action and help the GMB-PYO Team to victory, by the grace of God, on Saturday March 28, 2015.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />We encourage you to make just one phone call to at least 10 people between now and March 28, urging them to vote Buhari/Osinbajo. On Election Day, we also urge you to bring 5 people to your polling unit.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />We have tagged this drive " CALL 10, BRING 5".<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />We must Act Now, the Future of our country depends on every single one of us.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><span style='color: red;'>You can also donate a tweet or a Facebook Post to the Buhari Campaign <a href="http://ift.tt/1BkPpin">HERE</a> </span><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Thank you.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>Vote GMB Vote APC</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

APC Urges Supporters to Call their friends to Vote.

APC Urges Supporters to Call their friends to Vote.

Sponsored Post. A Message from the APC... As you are well aware, the campaign of the APC is centred around you. The ruling party, PDP has ...

'Enough is enough, never vote PDP again' - Buhari tells Nigerians

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<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1BkOHBz" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://ift.tt/1BkOHBz" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>The presidential candidate of the All progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Saturday told Nigerians not to make the mistake of voting the Peoples Democratic Party in the forth coming general elections.</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He stated this in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital, during the North-Central zonal grand finale rally of the APC, adding that the 16 years of PDP rule in the country was a waste.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Buhari said, “Our Nigerian Airways, shipping line, railways, refineries, all collapsed under 16 years of PDP rule in the country. Nigeria goes to import fuel for consumption abroad, trucks are killing our people on our roads on daily basis.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The presidential candidate also called on the thousands of supporters at the event to vote APC right from the presidential to the state House of Assembly level for a change to good life in the country.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The retired general said if he was elected as president of the country, he would not cheat people of the country, as refineries, roads, agriculture, roads, and other infrastructure would be revamped for the improvement of lives of the citizenry.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><table align='center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' class='tr-caption-container' style='margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;'><br /><tbody><br /><tr><br /><td style='text-align: center;'><img height="542" src="http://ift.tt/1BkPpig" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640"/> </td><br /></tr><br /><tr><br /><td class='tr-caption' style='text-align: center;'><span style='font-size: small;'>Buhari, Fashola and Ambode give PDP red card</span> </td><br /></tr><br /></tbody><br /></table><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He tasked all the supporters of the party in the country with ensuring that they obtained their Permanent Voter Cards before the elections.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Meanwhile, Governor of Yobe State, Ibrahim Gaidam, on Saturday said Buhari was excused from having a political campaign in his state due to the spate of insecurity in the area.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Speaking at a rally of the APC in Damaturu, Gaidam said contrary to reports that he did not see eye-to-eye with the presidential candidate of his party, the insecurity of the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway was the reason Buhari was excused.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The governor said he was amused by the fabrication of the opposition aimed at getting cheap political point.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Gaidam said the APC presidential candidate remained the candidate with proven integrity.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He described Buhari as a straight forward person that Nigerians would benefit under his leadership.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

'Enough is enough, never vote PDP again' - Buhari tells Nigerians

'Enough is enough, never vote PDP again' - Buhari tells Nigerians

The presidential candidate of the All progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Saturday told Nigerians not to make th...

INEC moves card readers to secure, secret locations

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<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1CKv9gU" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="http://ift.tt/1CKv9gU" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><b><br/> </b> <b>The Independent National Electoral Commission is not leaving anything to chance as it has beefed up security around the smart card readers to be used during the March 28 and April 11 elections. The adoption of the card readers for the general election has attracted a lot of controversies.</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />On March 14, there was a fire incident at the warehouse of the electoral body in Abuja which lasted for two hours. Non-sensitive materials such as envelopes, voter education materials and bags for conveying electoral materials to registration areas were completely burnt.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />This has raised fears in many quarters about the safety of the card readers with six days left to the March 28 presidential election.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, told newsmen that measures had been put in place to secure the card readers.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “They are very secure from arson, stealing, vandalism or any other effort to disrupt the elections.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“It is not only card readers we are using for these elections. We are using a lot of other materials. We are also using ballot boxes, cubicles, etc. Those are all election materials and they are secured and are well protected. Where they are now, they are safe.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“INEC deploys these materials along the lines of the structures. We deploy from the national headquarters to the state offices. The state offices deploy to the council offices. The council offices deploy to the registration area centres, which in turn deploy to the polling units. They cannot be intercepted on the way; they are not sent by post.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Checks by our correspondents around the 36 states and Abuja showed that the card readers had already been deployed to the states.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />However, the actual location of these cards is only known to the Resident Electoral Commissioners and a few trusted staff of the commission under whose watch the cards are.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />This development, according to some of the RECs, is born out of anticipated threats such as theft and arson against the safety of the card readers.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The Ondo State REC, Olusegun Agbaje, told one of our correspondents that only he, the administrative secretary, who is his deputy, and the head of Information and Communications Technology knew where the card readers were being kept.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “It is not necessary for everybody to know where the card readers are kept. The important thing is that they are safe and secure. I know that you are concerned about the safety of the card readers, but we are even more concerned and have taken measures to ensure that they are safe. Armed security men are watching over them.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In confirmation of the secrecy surrounding the location of the card readers, the REC in Delta State, Mr. Anidi Ikowak, refused to disclose to our correspondent where they were kept in his domain.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Ikowak said the card readers were safe. He said, “I can’t tell you where the card readers are but I want to say that they are safe. The card readers for the elections cannot function until the March 28. There are so many features that make it to function only on the 28th. And after 28, it will not function again until you reconfigure it for another election, April 11.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The Kogi State REC, Mr. Hussain Pai, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, also said the location of the card readers were not known to the public.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Pai said, “The card readers are kept in a secret and special place such that the public are not aware of the place.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Pai, who spoke through the state INEC spokesperson, Mr. Matthew Ameh, stated that the commission had made adequate security arrangements to ensure the safety of the card readers and other materials.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He added, “We have been meeting with all heads of security agencies through the platform of Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security. So far, security is not one of our challenges. We have a committee made of the Army, Navy, Police, Immigration, Civil Defence and others. We have really gone far with them and everything is okay. We have appropriate measure against fire disasters; if there is any disaster, the inferno will be put off.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />His Kwara State counterpart, Dr. Emmanuel Onucheyo, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents through the spokesperson of the commission in the state, Mr. Jacob Ayanda, said the location of the card readers was confidential.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Onucheyo said, “Only the head of the store section and the Head of ICT have access to the place where the card readers are kept. The card readers are kept in a special place. The place where they are kept is not known to the public. We have doubled the security coverage of these materials and the security is adequate,” he added.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Similarly, the REC in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Austin Okojie, said the card readers were kept in air conditioned buildings spread all over the 31 local governments could only be accessed by the staff of the ICT unit.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The REC in Ekiti State, Mr. Sam Olumekun, also guaranteed the safety of the card readers, saying they were being kept in a secured environment.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He also said the card readers had been configured for each voting point to avoid manipulation or electoral fraud.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The Delta State REC, Mr. Anidi Ikowak, would not say where the cards are being kept for safety and security. He simply acknowledged that the cards had been received and configured for their respective polling units.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The Benue State REC, Prof. Istifanus Dafwang, said the 5,000 card readers he took delivery of were kept in a safe building and that the place is guarded by the police, Department of State Security, the civil defence as well as INEC’s internal security.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In Bayelsa State , the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Timidi Wariowei, said on Friday that, “They are very secured. When we begin to move them to local governments, we are going with security agents to protect lives and materials.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The Administrative Secretary, INEC, Ogun State, Mr. Dickson Atiba, confirmed to one of our correspondents that adequate security had been provided to prevent the card readers from being stolen or burnt.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “We have provided adequate security for the card readers. They are being specially kept in a safe place to prevent them from being stolen or form any act of arson. Even if anyone tries to steal it, the person might not be able to use it, because each one has its (special) code.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In Abia, the state REC, Professor Selina Oko, said water-tight security arrangement had been put in place to safeguard the card.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Oko, who was not specific on the number of the card readers, admitted that the state took delivery of a sizable quantity of the device.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />She also did not disclose where the card readers were kept but she affirmed that enough security measures had been taken to ensure their safety.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />In Plateau, the Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Osaretin imahieyereobo, said the card readers were safe.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Imahieyereobo said, “Everything is going on course. We don’t anticipate any hitch and if there is any, adequate measures have been put in place to meet such problems. The cards are safe where they are from theft or fire and they are being well guarded.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

INEC moves card readers to secure, secret locations

INEC moves card readers to secure, secret locations

The Independent National Electoral Commission is not leaving anything to chance as it has beefed up security around the smart card reade...

PICTURES: Buhari, Fashola, Ambode and Tinubu give PDP Red Card

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<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1CKv6Sh" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="http://ift.tt/1CKv6Sh" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1BkOE94" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="542" src="http://ift.tt/1BkOE94" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1CKv90A" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="524" src="http://ift.tt/1CKv90A" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1BkOE96" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="http://ift.tt/1BkOE96" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1CKv90C" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="http://ift.tt/1CKv90C" width="640"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

PICTURES: Buhari, Fashola, Ambode and Tinubu give PDP Red Card

PICTURES: Buhari, Fashola, Ambode and Tinubu give PDP Red Card

via nigerianeye

Goodluck Jonathan’s 8th Presidential Media Chat – The President speaks about major national Issues

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<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'><div xmlns='http://ift.tt/lH0Osb'><br /><div class='separator' style='clear: both; text-align: center;'><a href="http://ift.tt/1ChTuau" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ift.tt/1ChTuau" width="400"/> </a> </div><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>President Goodluck Jonathan spoke in an intimate setting with four members of the press. President Jonathan’s media chat did not mention any major policy changes or announcements, and served to reinforce his position on issues of security and the general elections.</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan cleared the air on alleged plans to prolong his tenure, saying if the result of the March 28 presidential election does not favour him, he will hand over to whoever that wins.<br/><br /><br/><br /><a id="more" name="more"> </a><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan, in a live media chat apparently organised to douse the tension generated by the postponement of the general elections, spoke among others, the alleged plot to sack the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, insurgency and corruption.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Before and after the polls were shifted from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11, there were rumours that the President and the Peoples Democratic Party were nursing a sinister plot not to hand over power.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The rumours were further fuelled by statements credited to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in far away Nairobi, Kenya.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Obasanjo was quoted as saying, “I sincerely hope that the President is not going for broke and saying ‘look dammit, it’s either I have it or nobody has it.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />But Jonathan told a panel of interviewers that he was not desperate to remain in power. He said such “insinuations and wrong information” were meant to discredit him by his political opponents.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “Let me assure Nigerians that a new government will be formed on May 29.They should not be perturbed about rumours that we are planning to send Jega on a terminal leave and other rubbish that is being circulated.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“In 2011, I said I will conduct a free and fair election and that if I lose, I will happily move on and that it should be recorded.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“Then I just concluded the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s tenure. I said I will be happy to go if I lose. I said this nation is more important than anybody. Anyone who wants to hold the office of President and feels he is more important than the nation is not right.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“So if as of 2011, I made a commitment that if I lose I will go, it should tell you more about my stand on free and fair elections.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“But now, Nigerians have given me the opportunity to be here for four good years and so if the elections are conducted and I lose, of course, we will inaugurate a new government.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The rumour that I will not hand over or that I am scheming to prolong my tenure are insinuations; they are not true. Those are insinuations; it is quite unfortunate that so much wrong information is floating in the system.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan faulted the claim by Jega that INEC was ready for the elections. He said the information given to him by security chiefs was that poor distribution of Permanent Voter Cards could have caused a security challenge in the country.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He, however, said he would not sack Jega.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan said, “During the Council of State meeting, the issue of security was emphasised and there is no way security chiefs would have disclosed all the details to everybody but they disclosed some things to me which they did not mention to others.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“There are two aspects to the issue of insecurity. The first is Boko Haram and the second is the threat factor in the country.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“When INEC picked the dates for elections, the threat level was not high until we started the campaign. So, it was important for the security chiefs to review the security architecture otherwise the country would have gone up in flames.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“In election, a lot of problems are involved. When the issue of PVC was being branded as a problem, INEC, from what Jega mentioned that day, clearly was not ready for the elections. They said they were ready but they were not.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The day we held that meeting that led to this adjustment of dates, in Lagos for example, only about 38 per cent of registered voters had their PVCs. That means if we conduct elections in Lagos, 62 per cent of voters not would not have been able to vote.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“Don’t you think there are security implications in that?<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“Some other states had slightly above 30 per cent collection while some had 50 per cent and there were some states that had 60 to 70 per cent. The security agencies highlighted the security implications of this but ordinary people might not see it that way.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><b><br/> </b> <b>Boko Haram</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />On the insurgency in the North-East, Jonathan said he was confident that within the six weeks, the international forces would have been able to regain the 14 local government areas occupied by insurgents.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He however noted that Boko Haram could not be completely crushed within six weeks but maintained that the security situation would be such that elections would hold in the troubled areas without problems.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said, “In 2011, when the elections were conducted, we had Boko Haram. Boko Haram started before 2007 but became a major problem when their leader was killed in 2009. Nobody is saying we must wipe out Boko Haram completely before conducting elections.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“We said that security wise, there are certain things that they need so that they can consolidate on the security architecture; so that we can conduct elections but in the next six weeks, security advancements will be made but we cannot say we will wipe out Boko Haram. At best we can only regain territories.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“When they started, they were not taking over territories; they were going to markets and using suicide bombers. Elections will hold and I don’t see why we should continue to doubt the inauguration of next President in May.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>Chibok girls</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan also berated those criticising him for failing to rescue the Chibok girls who were abducted by terrorists in April last year.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said he was confident that most of the girls would be rescued soon.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The President said, “I believe now that we are working with Chad and Cameroon, in the next few weeks, the story of the Chibok girls will change. It’s going to get better.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“I believe we should be able to rescue some of them. But I don’t want to be quoted, I don’t want you to say the President said so, that in two weeks time or in four weeks time, I cannot say that because the diapperance of those girls has taken quite some time.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“But we have mapped out strategies, we are working with our neighbours and we will comb all the areas. So, just give us sometime.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The President denied that he went partying when the girls were kidnapped, saying people only tried to play politics with the matter.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The President said, “People are playing politics with Chibok girls and it is very unfortunate. That is one of the problems that we have in Nigeria. In other countries, when there is an issue of terror, political boundaries collapse and people work together.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“The interest of the country is paramount but in this case when we have terror, then Nigerians believe it is better to go to the United States or the United Kingdom or France and appear on television to celebrate themselves. Is that how we will bring back those girls?<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />“Let us face facts. When there was 9/11 in the US, how many Americans went round the world criticising their government? Is it by carrying flags and singing around the world that we will bring those girls back? I expected that those with international connections would help the country and not the other way round.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The President debunked the report that the Federal Government was swindled when Boko Haram sect announced a ceasefire last year.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan admitted that there was no ongoing talks with the sect as of now because its leaders had remained faceless.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>Corruption/stealing</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />The President corrected the statement credited to him that stealing is not corruption.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said he only quoted a statement by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapha, during a meeting he held with stakeholders on how to fight corruption.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan insisted that many social vices were being wrongly referred to as corruption.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He cited an example that people could be easily isolated or lynched if they were called thieves rather than being referred to as being corrupt.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>Attacks on his convoy</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan decried the various attacks on his convoy during his campaigns in the northern part of the country.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He said it was a treasonable offence to attack a sitting President in that manner.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Jonathan said he saw those who attacked his convoy and that they were mainly young people who were probably instigated.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><b>Campaign funding</b><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />Asked if he was bothered by the large amount of money spent during campaigns as against the stipulations of the electoral law, the President said pressures from the supporters of party candidates had risen beyond control.<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />He, however, said funds being raised by the PDP were meant for the building of the PDP secretariat, adding that the N21bn raised for his campaign was “mere pledges, some of which have not been redeemed.”<br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br /><br/><br />via nigerianeye</div><br /></div>

Goodluck Jonathan’s 8th Presidential Media Chat – The President speaks about major national Issues

Goodluck Jonathan’s 8th Presidential Media Chat – The President speaks about major national Issues

President Goodluck Jonathan spoke in an intimate setting with four members of the press. President Jonathan’s media chat did not mention a...

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