Nigeria glory will be restore by God says Prof Osinbajo's mum

Madam Olubisi Osinbajo, the mother of the Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said on Tuesday that God had revealed to her that Nigeria’s lost glory would be restored.
Mrs Osinbajo, 80, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that God also revealed to her that the successful and positive change of government would guarantee peace and tranquility in the country.
She said, “I give God all the glory for the success of the elections. It came to me that God said he will restore Nigeria and everybody in the world will rejoice with Nigeria.
“Today, when I was praying, I saw this, ‘do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’. That is what God said to Nigeria.
“So, I don’t want to say anything than to thank God for what is happening in Nigeria now, because it is just too marvelous.
“So, we have nothing to say than to thank God. We are proud to be Nigerians now.’’
Madam Osinbajo was born at Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on February 16, 1933, to Mr Thomas Aiyegbayo, from Osun State, while her mother hailed from from Ilaro, Ogun State.

Rivers Election: ‘I weep for Nigeria’

An ally of the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Andrew Uchendu, is weeping for Nigeria, especially for the massing rigging in Rivers during the general elections. He expressed shock that candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state, who did not allow elections to hold, could in-turn be declared winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with the backing of the police.
Uchendu, the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) candidate for Rivers East Senatorial District, who currently represents Emohua/Ikwerre constituency in the House of Representatives, stated these Tuesday in Port Harcourt, in an interactive session with reporters. Amaechi’s ally said: “During the elections (of April 11), neither my people nor I voted. The situation took place across my Senatorial District and indeed the entire Rivers State.
 “Since you did not vote and INEC has released the results of elections that never held, my advice to you (his teeming supporters) is to keep calm and be law abiding, because anything built on a faulty foundation will surely collapse. “You are not alone in this. Both national and international observers have independently condemned the elections in Rivers State, which according to them, even fell below the guidelines which INEC set for itself. “As a Rivers man, I wonder how those who fraudulently got themselves into power will claim to represent the people or run any legitimate government. Surely, the Rivers society will outlive this charade.” Uchendu also lauded Rivers people, especially those of the Rivers east senatorial district, who believed in him and were prepared to vote for him, but were prevented by the PDP’s thugs, INEC officials and policemen.

Chibok Girls: Buhari can rescue our girls by parent

One of the parents of the abducted Chibok girls Rev. Mark Enoch has declared complete faith in President-Elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his ability to rescue the remaining 219 Chibok girls in captivity. He said that things will now be better because Gen. Buhari has the ability to destroy the Boko Haram sect like he destroyed the Maitasine movement in 1984 and bring back the Chibok girls that were abducted a year ago. Rev. Enoch stated this Tuesday in Abuja, after the press conference held by members of the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA) and umbrella body of the Chibok community in Abuja, titled ‘one year commemoration of the abduction of #Chibokgirls: the unending agony of a community’. He said, “I know that as General Buhari is now the President elect, things will be better, he can rescue our daughters, he can bring our daughter back home. He can end all the atrocities of the Boko Haram sect like he addressed the Maitasine movement in 1984 and our girls will return, so we the Chibok girls’ parents are excited. “I will like to appreciate madam Oby ezekwesilli, members of the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy, they are the Mandela’s of our time.”

KADA in their press statement said that despite the gloomy picture of what is happening in their community before and after the abduction, they are still hopeful that the girls will come back home alive. They said, “After the abduction, Chibok area was attacked six times with resultant high causalities including eleven of the parents and guardians of the abducted girls. The people of Chibok are today haunted, displaced, traumatized and living in agony as refugees or internally displaced persons all over Nigeria and beyond. There is also looming famine in the Chibok (Kibaku) community and environs as a result of the terrorism that has virtually crippled farming activities. Wantom destruction of food stuff, granaries and livestock’s were perpetrated by the insurgency. There was also poisoning or destruction of water wells, the primary source of water for the community.

“Despite the gloomy picture of what is happening in the community, we are still hopeful that our girls will come back alive. We are hoping that Mr President will keep his word by brining the girls back alive before leaving office on 29th May 2015. Even if he fails to achieve it, we are hopeful that the President-Elect will Bring Back Our Girls alive. “In the abduction saga, it is true that the girls are the victims, the parents and guardians are suffering the agony, trauma and pains, but the embarrassment is that of the government and the people of Nigeria, while the military suffered humiliation. We urge all to come together and find a lasting solution to this saga so as to save our face as a country.”

Lagos kidnapping: The three Children Have been found, Thank you Nigerians

The  three children kidnapped in Surulere area of Lagos State have been found . They were dumped in a compound in Egbeda. They have been united with their parents as we speak.We thank God and all concern Nigerians for their supports. This is therefore a lesson and wake up call to parents to be very sensitive to the seasons and times and those you bring into your home.

Allison Madueke says six country didnot denies me asylum request

The minister of petroleum Allison Madueke have denied a story by saharareporters that she apply for asylum in six country and was subsequently denied by those countries.
 sahara reporters stressed that a blockbuster report they got from Business Council for Africa (BCA) claiming that Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been denied asylum by six countries where she had so far applied. The report claims she's looking for a country to run to before Gen. Buhari takes over as president because she's scared she might be probed or jailed.

But reacting this evening, Alison-Madueke, through the Group Public Affairs GM of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, said there's absolutely nothing of such happening. She said she has no intentions of either seeking asylum anywhere in the world or even relocating from Nigeria. Read the Sahara Reporters/BCA report after the cut...

No fewer than six countries have already refused to grant an asylum request by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Business Council for Africa (BCA) said in its just-released monthly report, noting that about US$ 1 trillion is the latest estimated figure of the looting of the Nigerian treasury between 1960 and 2005 alone.

The report, dated March 2015, focused extensively on Nigeria’s general elections.  It said the notorious Minister, whose impunity is known to have been closely-protected by President Goodluck Jonathan, will be coming under the microscope for the first time in her Ministerial career.

“Given her reputation, it comes as no surprise to learn that 6 countries have already refused to grant her asylum to live in their countries as she now wishes to leave Nigeria at the earliest possible opportunity,” it said.

BCA recalled President-elect Muhammadu Buhari lamenting that the rest of the world looks at Nigeria as the home of corruption, one where stealing is not corruption but a way of life, and that his administration will pursue all public offices and individuals who are believed to be guilty of corruption.

It observed that despite an earlier promise, it is now understood that Buhari’s anti-corruption fishing net will include Ministers currently serving under President Goodluck Jonathan.  Alison-Madueke’s departure from Nigeria is likely to be followed by several other PDP elders, party members and supporters as well as some former Government officials, as Buhari's anti-corruption drive will be far-reaching.

“It will be very interesting to learn in the coming months exactly how far back in Nigeria's history his administration will go in the pursuance of those who have robbed Nigeria of US$ 1 trillion, which is the latest estimated figure of theft from the Nigerian treasury between the period 1960-2005. Given that President Jonathan's administration is considered the most corrupt of any of its predecessors, that figure is going to be considerably magnified, but whether the new President will wish to pursue former Heads of State is a matter of interest and considerable debate to Nigerian observers. It is this subject that is primarily responsible for Buhari's success in winning the election as well as his campaign promises to eradicate Boko Haram, revive the economy and rebuild Nigeria to make its position as the number one country in Africa.

While BCA agreed that the March/April 2015 were “the most credible elections in Nigeria's history”, it said they could not be called the most incorruptible.

On the contrary, it referred to them as the worst because of the amount of money that the PDP so freely and openly spent on trying to secure the re-election of Mr. Jonathan.

“The stories and reports from throughout the 36 States of the amount of money distributed by the PDP to elders, rulers, church leaders, unions and youth leaders amongst others in an endeavour to favour the voters towards the PDP has backfired badly,” the report said. 

BCA said that if the 2011 elections were considered bad, the 2015 elections will undoubtedly go down as the most corrupt in Nigeria's history, certainly since 1999, as the amount of money being distributed as bribes primarily by the PDP so very openly would readily confirm.

Election in Rivers and Akwa ibom state is a sham says APC

As you are aware, the Governorship and House of Assembly elections were held across the country on Saturday.
While the elections went on smoothly in most parts of the country, the situation was different in some others, where all that took place was nothing but mock elections, a mere charade!
Two of the states that witnessed such caricature of elections are Rivers and Akwa Ibom, where elections were not conducted in accordance with INEC guidelines.
Because of this, we in the APC are left with no choice than to demand the immediate cancellation of the purported elections in the two states.
Let me now present more in-depth details of what transpired in Rivers and Akwa Ibom on Saturday, and why the elections in the two states cannot stand.

RIVERS

•It is clear that the script for the distortion of the Rivers elections was written by the Presidency and executed by the PDP, the police and militants
•As you would recollect, our party’s chapter in Rivers had written a petition complaining of the crass partisanship of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police in the Presidential and National Assembly Elections held on the 28th of March. Because of this petition, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba, posted three Commissioners of Police from the Force Headquarters to oversee the April 11th Governorship and House of Assembly Elections in Rivers State.
•As soon as the President learnt of this development, he directed the IGP to reverse the decision and instead requested that AIG Tunde Ogunsakin be posted to oversee the April 11th Elections in Rivers State
•As soon as electoral materials were distributed, the Divisional Police Officer for Akuku Toru Local Government Area simply handed over the election materials for this local government to the militants. Upon learning of this development, AIG Ogunsakin ordered that the materials should be recovered and handed over to the Electoral Officer for the Local Government within the next hour.
•Irked by AIG Ogunsakin’s directive, the Presidency ordered him to leave Rivers State within 6 hours and a pliant replacement was asked to take over from him.
•From then on, unimaginative terror was unleashed on the electorate, in particular on APC members and supporters. It was a straight fight between the police, the militants and the PDP on the one hand and the APC on the other hand.
•Contrary to the directive from INEC that Card Readers be used for the elections, the machines were discarded in Rivers. This is why the voter turnout for Rivers, as announced by INEC for Rivers, stood at more than 75 per cent, compared with the national average of between 25 and 35 per cent.
•Gentlemen, because of these and other anomalies, we hereby unequivocally demand for the cancellation of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Rivers State.

AKWA IBOM

•The APC fully supports the demand by its chapter in Akwa Ibom for the immediate cancellation of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom.
•Our position is based on the fact that elections in most parts of the state were not conducted according to INEC guidelines.
•Election materials were not supplied to most of the polling units in all the three senatorial districts.
- In former Governor Victor Attah’s ward in Ibesikpo Asutan, three contiguous polling units did not receive election materials.
- In the most of the polling units in Oruk Anam, which is the home local government area of Atuekong Etiebet and Chief Soni Udom, Director-General of the APC Governorship Campaign Organisation, most of the polling units did not receive election materials.
- Election materials were also not supplied to most polling units in Itu, Ibiono Ibom, Ikot Ekpene, Esisien Udim, Uyo, Eket, Abak, Nsit Ibom, Etinan, Esit Obolo, Ibeno, Nsit Attai, Ikono, Ini.
•In areas where polling materials were received, hordes of deadly armed thugs, escorted by men in Nigeria Police and Army uniforms, stormed the polling units and carted away the election materials midway into the accreditation process.
- For instance in Ndiya ward 3, unit 004 in Nsit Ubium, which happens to be the polling unit of our governorship candidate, election materials were supplied but thugs led by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, retired Capt. Iniobong Ekong, invaded the place and took away all the election materials. The thugs were later traced to the house of Capt. Ekong, where the election materials were recovered. An inventory of the recovered materials showed that the number of the ballot papers had reduced from 1,571 to 450. The polling officer could not account for the differential. Even so, the Divisional Police Officer of Nsit Ubium later stormed the place and took away the remaining materials.
•In a meeting with APC Governorship Candidate, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, the electoral officer of Nsit Ubium local government admitted that the election process in the area was marred by security failure, which allowed PDP thugs to hijack election materials and take them to private homes for thumb-printing.
•Similarly, invasion of polling units and snatching of ballot materials took place in other polling units in Uyo Senatorial District, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and Eket Senatorial District.
•In addition to the failure to supply election materials to polling units and the snatching of ballot boxes, the elections were marred by widespread violence, resulting in the deaths of many people.
Here are instances of such unbridled violence, as related by INEC staff, party agents and other citizens who saw most of what happened.
- PDP thugs killed two of our members in Ibiono Ibom when Bassey Albert invaded a RAC centre in the area with over 50 thugs to cart away ballot materials.
-  The PDP thugs also killed one of our members in Nsit Ubium.
- Three APC supporters were also killed Uyo.
- Yet another APC member was killed in Uruan.
- One more APC member was killed in Ini Local Government Area. This was acknowledged by the Assistant Inspect General of Police, Mr. Baba Adisa Bolanta, who was in charge of elections in the state.
We have included here some links to pictorial evidence showing the killings and other acts of violence that marred the elections in Akwa Ibom State.
•In view of the widespread failure by INEC to supply election materials to polling units in most parts of Akwa Ibom, the rampant snatching of ballot boxes and the bloodletting by PDP thugs that characterised the conduct of the elections on Saturday, we as a party hereby call for an outright cancellation of the elections.
We are vindicated that some local and international election observers have also been very critical of the elections in the two states, with some calling for an outright cancellation.
The leader of African Centre for Leadership Strategies and Development, Mr Humphrey Bekaren, said in Port Harcourt that the observers were shocked that INEC disregarded the widely reported violent irregularities to begin the process of declaring results in Rivers state.
He says: ‘’We request all lovers of democracy to join us in calling for the outright cancellation of the phony election.Unless this is done, we would have sown the seed that could eventually grow into providing a shade of fear and death over us.’’
Also, The Situation Room, which is a coalition of Civil Society Organisations working to ensure credible elections in Nigeria, called on INEC to ‘’urgently take steps to clinically scrutinise the final collated results from Rivers and Akwa Ibom, as well as Abia, against the polling unit results and make a reasoned judgment about them’’.
It said in its final statement issued a few minutes ago: ‘’In our view INEC should concern itself with possible negative public perceptions of the elections in the three States and ensure that it takes every necessary step to protect the integrity of the elections in the States, as a way of strengthening the trust of the electorate in the voting process.’’

We can’t cancel Rivers, Akwa Ibom results says INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it has no power to cancel the results of the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

It made this known to the public a few hours after the European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria on Monday called for a probe of   the “severe problems” that characterised the polls in the two states.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, said those calling on the commission to cancel   the results were misdirecting their request.

He   explained that once results had been announced by INEC , only election petition tribunals had the power to cancel and order fresh elections.

Idowu said, “The law does not allow us to cancel any result after it has been announced. Everyone knows this.

“It is only the election petition tribunals that can order that or even cancelled the elections. We would advice anyone who is aggrieved to go to the court. “

Also in Abuja on Monday, EU EOM said the elections in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states needed to be probed because of accusations of rigging, intimidation and violence by opponents of the winners.

Udom Emmanuel won the governorship in election in Akwa Ibom while a former Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, triumphed in Rivers.

The Chief Observer of the EU EOM,   Santiago Fisas, said at a news conference     that even though the   elections witnessed “more efficient polling, “there were “increased incidents of violence and interference.”

He added,   “On April 12, INEC referred to 66 reports of violent incidents targeting polling units, INEC officials, voters and election materials in 19 states in all geopolitical zones except for the North-East.

“Both the main parties made many accusations of rigging, intimidation and violence by opponents. Problems were most pronounced in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states where there are multiple credible reports of violence and interference, which warrant further investigation.”

Fisas however encouraged those with grievances to address them through official channels.

The Chief observer also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat before the last result was read.

Fisas, who described the election-related killings as regrettable, stressed that loss of lives was unacceptable in election conduct.

He said, “It is very regrettable that so many people lost their lives during the elections. Election must be violence-free; loss of lives is not acceptable. Citizens should be able to express their political will freely without fear for their lives.

“My full condolences go to families and friends of those who have been killed during this election process; also to the family of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano, who perished with his family in the tragic fire.”

Also on Monday, the United States which congratulated Nigerians and INEC on the successful conduct of the   general elections, said it had “seen the reports of violence and alleged irregularities, particularly in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.”

In a statement   by its Embassy in Nigeria, the US   callED on those dissatisfied to pursue their grievances peacefully through the judiciary.

The statement read in part, “The US Embassy in Nigeria congratulates the people of Nigeria and INEC for an electoral process on April 11, 2015 that generally went well across the country and built on the success of the March 28 polling process.

“We have seen the reports of violence and alleged irregularities, particularly in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, and call on those dissatisfied to pursue their grievances peacefully in the judicial arena. We regret any loss of life and destruction of property.”

It   lauded “the leadership of Nigeria’s political parties, notably President Goodluck Jonathan and President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, for urging their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the electoral process.”

Presidency, militants rigged elections in Rivers, A’Ibom –APC

But in Lagos, the national leadership of the APC   accused the Presidency and Niger Delta militants of rigging the   elections in two states.

The APC, at a news conference   by its Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, described the elections   in the   states as a mockery of democracy.

It therefore   called on INEC to cancel the elections.

The party said, “It is clear that the script for the distortion of the Rivers elections was written by the Presidency and executed by the PDP, the police and militants

“As you would recollect, our party’s chapter in Rivers had written a petition complaining of the crass partisanship of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police in the presidential and National Assembly elections held on March 28.

“Because of this petition, the Inspector-General of Police,   Suleiman Abba, posted three police commissioners from the Force Headquarters in Abuja to oversee the April 11 elections in Rivers State.

“As soon as the President learnt of this development, he directed the IG to reverse the decision and instead requested that AIG Tunde Ogunsakin be posted to oversee the April 11 elections in Rivers State.”

The APC spokesman said as soon as electoral materials were distributed, a senior police officer in Akukutoru Local Government Area simply handed over the election materials for this local government to the militants.

He said upon learning of this development,   Ogunshakin ordered that the materials should be recovered and handed over to the electoral officer for the LGA within the next hour.

Mohammed said, “Irked by A Ogunsakin’s directive, the Presidency ordered him to leave Rivers State within six hours and a pliant replacement was asked to take over from him.

“From then on, unimaginative terror was unleashed on the electorate, in particular on APC members and supporters. It was a straight fight between the police, the militants and the PDP on the one hand and the APC on the other hand.”

He said in former Governor Victor Attah’s ward in Ibesikpo Asutan, three contiguous polling units did not receive election materials.

Mohammed said that electoral officers even told the APC governorship candidate, Umana Umana, that the election process was marred by security failure, which allowed PDP thugs to hijack election materials and take them to private homes for thumb-printing.

The PDP however said it was wrong for the APC to call for the cancellation of the results because   there was no way it would not have won the polls in the two states.

APC is wrong, says PDP

The National Publicity Secretary of the party,   Olisa Metuh, told one our correspondents that the PDP might as well demand that the presidential election be canceled because of the irregularities it noticed.

He said, “There was no way we wouldn’t have won the elections in both Rivers and Akwa Ibom states because they are our stronghold.

“Maybe we should as well ask that the presidential election be canceled because of the irregularities we noticed during the conduct of the election.”

Metuh called on the APC to learn to accept the outcomes of elections

Meanwhile, THE   announcement of the governorship election results by INEC enetered a second day on Monday with the APC winning additional six   states and the PDP, three.

The states whose results were announced in APC’s favour are Zamfara, Jigawa, Adamawa, Niger, Nasarawa and Borno.   The PDP had Rivers, Delta and Cross River states.

As of Sunday midnight, INEC had formally declared the candidates of the APC in 13 states as winners. The states are Sokoto, Kebbi, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Yobe and Benue.

It also declared the PDP candidates in Gombe, Enugu, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom victorious.

When the results began to trickle in between 1pm   and 7pm on Monday, INEC announced more APC   candidates as winners.

In Nasarawa State,   Governor Tanko Al-Makura scored 309, 746 votes to beat his closest rival,Yusuf Agasi of the PDP, who had 178, 983 votes.

Abdulaziz Yari   scored 716,964 votes while Mamuda Shinkafi of the PDP in Zamfara State had 201,938 votes.

Also in Jigawa, Badaru Abubakar   defeated Aminu Ringim of the PDP by polling 648, 045 votes. Ringim had 479,447 votes.

INEC merely confirned unofficial reports of Jibrilla Bindow, Abubakar Bello and Kashim Shettima’s victories in Adamawa, Niger and Borno states.

Bindow defeated PDP’s Nuhu Ribadu by scoring 362,329 votes. Ribadu had 98,917 votes.

While Bello had 593,702 votes, Umar Nasco of the PDP in Niger State had 239,770 votes.

In Borno State, Shettima scored 649, 913 votes as against 34,005 votes by Gambo Lawan of the PDP.

The PDP candidates however floored their APC counterparts in Rivers, Delta and Cross River states.

In Rivers State, a former Minister of State for Education and PDP torch-bearer, Nyesom Wike, trounced APC’s Dakuku Peterside having polled 1,029,102 votes. Dakuku had 124,896 votes.

In Delta State PDP’s Ifeanyi Okowa became governor-elect after defeating APC’s O’tega Emerhor by garnering 724,680 votes. Emerhor had 67, 825 votes.

Benedict   Ayade of the PDP in Cross River also handed defeat to his APC closest rival Odey Ochicha. He polled 342,016 votes as against Ochicha’s 53,983.

INEC which also updated the results of the Benue State election, had   declared the   Imo, Abia and Taraba state governorship results inconclusive.

As of Sunday night when the Imo results were announced uncompleted, Governor Rochas Okorocha of the APC was leading his PDP counterpart and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.

APC’s candidate in Taraba State, Jummai Alhassan, was also leading other candidates in the state.