Sunday 19 July 2015
Emir of Kano weeps as he talks about Nigeria
breaking news: Rebel shelling kills at least 45 in Yemen, medical officials say
SANAA, Yemen – Medical officials
say Shiite rebels and their allies randomly have bombed an area north of
the southern city of Aden, killing at least 45 people.
The rebels are fighting to thwart an offensive by Saudi-backed troops and local fighters.
On Sunday, the officials said hundreds of residents fled Dar Saad, north of Aden, amid intense shelling from the rebels. They said at least 45 people, believed to be civilians, were killed. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to brief journalists.
The Saudi-backed fighters, backed by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes, pushed the rebels out of Aden's airport and two major neighborhoods last week. The rebels vowed to retaliate.
Aden has been the scene of some of the war's most intense ground fighting since March.
The rebels are fighting to thwart an offensive by Saudi-backed troops and local fighters.
On Sunday, the officials said hundreds of residents fled Dar Saad, north of Aden, amid intense shelling from the rebels. They said at least 45 people, believed to be civilians, were killed. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to brief journalists.
The Saudi-backed fighters, backed by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes, pushed the rebels out of Aden's airport and two major neighborhoods last week. The rebels vowed to retaliate.
Aden has been the scene of some of the war's most intense ground fighting since March.
I was stunned before receiving the award – Yemi Alade
I was stunned before receiving the award – Yemi Alade
Johnny
sensation has come home with the coveted award of the Best Female Act
at the MAMA but the beautiful songstress has confessed being hit by
emotional thunderbolt many artistes have faced in the past when their
names are called to receive awards they never believed could be theirs.Yemi Alade said it took the intervention of her manager Taiye Aliyu and the Psquare brothers to realise It was actually her name that was being called to receive the Best Female Act award. Yemi poured out her mind on Insagram after the award
Femi Adesina Says Buhari Will Probe Jonathan
The special adviser to President Buhari on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, has revealed some of the plans of the presidency.
The presidential spokesman who is a staunch believer in the
president’s cause in a new interview with Vanguard has made some points
cleared. He talked about the many questions that need answers by
Nigerians about Buhari’s administration. Read excerpts from the
interview below:
It has been more than 30 days since the new administration was inaugurated. How do you assess it?
Well, I think that is a little bit unfair because you know how I will assess the administration since I work with the President. But then to be fair and impartial, I will say, yes, the President is on the right course, maybe because there are also some facts that are previously unknown, but I just know that the President is laying a foundation for a new Nigeria. If he can continue on the wind of change that he rode on to office and continue building on the same foundation, definitely change will come. But he is laying a completely new foundation and, when that foundation is fully laid and the country continues, you will see that change is truly here.
When you were announced to be the Special Adviser, how did you feel? Did you see it coming or you never expected it?
I was announced May 31, but if you remember, on May 20, ThisDay had speculated the story. The moment ThisDay speculated it, anything could happen. So, it was just a question of, will it happen or not? Since ThisDay speculated it, we knew anything could happen, but, before then, no. It could have gone either way anyway.
How does it feel settling down to work with President Muhammadu Buhari in this capacity?
It is a rare opportunity. Out of 170 million people you have been called to work for your country, it is a rare opportunity, and I will say it feels good. I have left positions that are eminent. I have been the Editor-in-Chief of a national newspaper, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors. I was satisfied in those positions, but then, coming to serve your country can’t be compared with anything. So that is why I left those positions to come and serve because I believe in the President. If it was another administration led by someone that I don’t believe in, I wouldn’t come, but I came because I had always believed in President Buhari.
Were you prepared for this assignment irrespective of the fact that you have occupied other positions?
If you had spent 29 years in journalism like I have done, then you are prepared for a lot of things including this assignment. If that is the question, yes, I have a background that prepared me for this assignment. But if your question means did I think it was going to come, I will say no, I didn’t think it was going to come. My mind didn’t go to it and I have always supported President Buhari since he was a military Head of State. I had admired him. In fact, the day he was overthrown was one of the worst days of my life. I felt very sad for Nigeria; very sad for him and his family, very sad about everything. I didn’t think that government should have been toppled. If that government had lasted, Nigeria wouldn’t have been where it is today. So, when he attempted to come through the ballot box since 2003, I had always supported him and, even when it seemed like he stood no chance, I still believed he was the best candidate. In 2011, I had always said we needed a correlation in order to get PDP out. So when that correlation came through the emergence of All Progressives Congress, APC, I felt there was a good chance in 2015 and it has happened. But to think that I was going to work for him, no, it didn’t cross my mind.
What are the attributes that really drew you to the President?
The first one is his simplicity. I just love his simplicity. He is a very simple man. Then I like the fact that he is very straight forward. I like people who know where they stand with anybody. It is either yes or no. When he says yes, it is yes; when he says no, it is no. Then, of course, integrity, to me, counts a lot. The fact that every man can testify that he is a man of integrity gets me because I love integrity and then transparency and accountability. A country like Nigeria where anything goes and then you see a man that has chosen to be transparent and accountable. Look at all the positions he has held in this country, yet he remains a simple man. I love that kind of person. Why can’t I support him? Why can’t I point Nigeria to that kind of person? He is good for our county? So that is why I did it.
But many Nigerians don’t really share these ideas. Some will be quick to dismiss all these, saying that beyond the facade, you may discover many others things when you dig deep.
Well, if they say that, they have a right to their own opinion but then we want to see the evidence to justify that. You don’t need to look far. Just look at the positions the President has held: governor of North-Eastern State, which is now six states: Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba. Then he went on to become the Minister of Petroleum Resources and held that position for three and a half years. Can you hold such position and not have oil blocks? If anybody thinks President Buhari has an oil block, let him show it to us? After that, he became Head of State and he was there for 20 months; after that, he was Chairman, Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, and we know all the achievements he made in that position and then today President. Not many Nigerians have this kind of pedigree and who are not going to be stinkingly rich. I am not saying President Buhari is a poor man, but then I don’t think he is stinkingly rich when he held all those positions. He should be stinkingly rich and it is only a very rare Nigerian that will not be stinkingly rich after holding those positions.
You said when he was toppled you were truly sad. Now he has another opportunity! What do you crave for? Or do you say he has changed from who he used to be and perhaps may not realize those things that he would have truly accomplished if his government then had continued?
Whether he has changed, yes, I would say he has changed in some areas and, in some areas, he remains the same. You know that age tempers a man. Age has tempered him but for good. Remember, after he was inaugurated, some officials of the former administration were about travelling out and the security officials and agencies were stopping them and, you will recall that a statement was issued that they shouldn’t be stopped. That shows you that the man is really temperate now rather the old Buhari. The military man would have packed all of them immediately he was inaugurated and they would be heading for jail and then you would be sifting the weeds from the shaft there after. So, that already shows that he is a different man, a more mature person, a more reflective person, a more contemplative person and that can only come with age. Again, you would see what played out in the National Assembly. You know he is a man who wants to respect the Constitution. That shows he is already different from the soldier that ruled this country.
If he was a person that didn’t want to respect the Constitution, he would have interfered in the selection or the election of the leadership of the two chambers, but he left them and said anybody that emerged, he will work with. What he didn’t know is that not everybody was going to respect the rules and we saw what played out. In terms of whether he is a changed man, yes, he is a changed man. He is a true democrat now. There are so many things that have come up in just six weeks of the administration that show you that this is a man that respects the Constitution and will continue to respect it. So, he is a changed man in those areas, but then there are some areas like accountability, transparency, integrity; of course you know that he will never change in those areas and that is the reason he was elected. Imagine a man who was a military leader 30 years earlier getting elected just on the basis of integrity, transparency and accountability; you know that kind of man will never change that.
Some persons argue that if this man doesn’t exercise his authority, things might still go wrong because a leader is a leader. Being the President of Nigeria, he is the leader of the party in all ramifications. There is a proverb in my place that an elder doesn’t sit idly while the goat dies in tethers. He can’t be sitting while things are going wrong.
If you also permit me to quote another proverb or a saying that a tiger doesn’t proclaim its tigress. A tiger doesn’t need to come out and say ‘I am a tiger’. When he does that, go and check properly, he can be a cat, but when you see a tiger, you know it is a tiger. So, he doesn’t need to ride over everybody before they know that he is a leader and indeed he is a leader. He has the traits, the characteristics and all the potentials. He has everything it takes to be a leader. He doesn’t need to throw his weight around before everyone knows he is a leader.
Let me take you back a little to the issue of allowing the last government officials to travel. Does that mean that he has hands on probity, assuming there was something to probe?
He has said it that money in billions of dollars will be recovered. But you know the world is too small a place for anybody to hide if you are running from justice. The world is too small a place to hide. You will be fished out. So, there is no need that you say they should not be heading for jail if eventually the law goes after them. Very few countries can they hide in and how long will they hide? So, it doesn’t mean that anybody that has ill gotten wealth will not regurgitate it. They will. Remember when he went to Germany for the G7 summit, he met with President Obama and Obama told him to just give us information on where the loot is hidden and we will help you recover it and the government has been working on that. So, that shows that looters will never go free.
Is he going backwards? I mean where is he going to start to probe?
He can’t afford to go too deep into the past or else it will be destructive for his administration. There are some things you can’t close your eyes to while you don’t want to shine the torchlight into the dark recesses of our past; immediate past where things are evident. The Yoruba have a saying that the corpse we buried, the leg is sticking out and, if you bury a corpse and the leg is sticking out, you can’t pretend. When there are trails all over of the monies in billions and trillions, then a responsible government can’t close its eyes to that.
Let’s look at insecurity. In the last two weeks, the bombings have increased. People have expressed fear that the government’s efforts in the past one month and two weeks haven’t really paid off because I know that the President, immediately he was sworn-in, travelled to places and there was this assurance. But then it does appear much hasn’t been done in that direction?
Let me draw an analogy. One day, the world woke up to hear that Osama bin Laden had been killed by the US Navy Seals. But did you know how long it took to plan that operation? It took 24 months of painstaking planning. Drills, simulations, all that happened until they got him. I am not saying it is going to take 24 months before this government breaks the back of Boko Haram. I am just telling you that planning needs to be carefully done and that is what is being done. In his very first week in office, he went to Niger, Chad and why did he go? Because of this Boko Haram thing and one major reason he went to G7 is because of the Boko Haram issue because the leaders of G7 said ‘come and let us know what we can do to help’. After that, the leaders of Chad, Niger, Benin Republic, Defence Minister of Cameroon also came here under the Lake Chad Basin Commission. They are planning. Before the end of this month, after he comes back from America, he is going to Cameroon and why is he going there? Still on Boko Haram and you know there is a multinational task force they are contributing to and Nigeria has released 21 million dollars for the joint task force. That is money Nigeria can use in other areas but it has invested 21 million dollars in that joint task force. That shows seriousness and I think July 21 has been picked as a date for that force to swing into action. Nobody can fairly accuse this government of not doing anything about Boko Haram. It is doing a lot and, eventually, we will see the end of insurgency.
Let’s also look at the appointments so far made by the Buhari government. The government has been accused of lopsiding the appointments. It has been people from the North. That’s the impression out there.
Those people from the North, are they Nigerians? So, if they are Nigerians, they have the right to be appointed and then I am sure there could be up to 500 appointments still ahead. Federal Boards that just got dissolved alone had 601 appointments. They are going to be filled. The cabinet is going to be constituted. Other persons and aides are going to be appointed. As at the time they began to talk, only nine appointments had been made and they said eight northerners and one southerner. They forget that some of those appointments are statutory, the next in rank. They just have to be the ones that will take those positions and some of those again are security chiefs. Security is an area where you take the very best. It is not something you subject to emotional considerations or other primordial sentiments. Take the very best who can deliver particularly at a critical time like this. So those who have started counting, I think it is premature. There about 500 appointments left to be made and, when those appointments are made, that is when they can begin to analysis. Doing it after nine appointments, I think that is hasty and fault-line in our country. Nigerians are too suspicious of leadership, other ethnic groups, too suspicious of many things. If we are less suspicious, then this wouldn’t have come up yet.
There are still these feelings from the members of the public that President Buhari and his political allies in the South-West, people like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have fallen apart; that, in fact, the President has disappointed the South-West that massively voted for him at the polls. How do you address this sentiment?
I am glad that you used the word “these feelings” which is different from reality. Just a couple of days ago, Bola Tinubu himself came out to say there was no rift between him and the President. I think things that are unfolding are part of our political experience, political development. You will see that in the next dispensation, most of the things that happened now will not happen because the actors would have learnt. If the President in the next dispensation wants to leave the leadership of the chambers of National Assembly to elect their own leaders as President Buhari has done, the party will need to play its own part. Everybody involved will play his or her own part so that what has happened now will not happen again. It is part of the learning curve, but for anybody to say the West is disappointed, it is not true. A lot of people who voted for President Buhari in the West have been loyal to him. Even those who didn’t vote for him are beginning to see that he is a leader worthy of their support and they are giving their support.
Do you really believe in the Presidency of Mr. Buhari to radically move this country away from what it used to be, judging from the fact that he is an old man now? Won’t his age really affect him?
You have heard the saying that old wines are tastier. Buhari is like a wine that gets better with age. I said this earlier and, I repeat again, he gets better with age; sound, sober, contemplative, not rash. You see what is happening now, Boards have been dissolved. There are terminations and new appointments. You know he could have done that in the very first week and then he could have made mistakes, but this is the sixth week and he is doing all those things and I think, at the end of it, all Nigerians will be glad that they elected him. I don’t foresee failure; no, it will not happen, but it will demand that Nigerians will give him support and work with him but I believe in the change that was promised to this country.
Just before current appointments, you were a practising journalist and, ordinarily, you would have been worried that this government, after six weeks, hasn’t appointed even the Chief of Staff. We are talking about the time it has taken, yet no Chief of Staff, let alone Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and then Ministers. But I remember, before now, they repeatedly said they will hit the ground running after inauguration. What has happened?
One thing is clear, it is constitutional to have a cabinet because the Constitution says there must be a Federal Executive Council and Ministers must be appointed from at least one state each. I said earlier that the President respects the Constitution. So, that shows you that he is going to constitute a cabinet. Now, you can’t compare one administration with another.
Obasanjo appointed his Ministers in July. Yar’Adua also in July, but that is not a reason for any other government not to appoint earlier than July or even later than July. Each government responds to the situation and circumstances in which it finds itself. What this administration met on ground is an Augean stable and it needs to be cleaned up. I can tell you that Nigeria was left in a mess by the last administration and it needs some clean up and, without a clean up, you continue to build on a wobbly foundation and, one day, that structure will come down. So, why don’t you then take your time to lay a fresh foundation and build up on that foundation that is what President Buhari is doing.
The cabinet has not come but it will come and, when it comes, it will be building on a freshly laid foundation. You see that in the past few weeks, he has been taking briefings from Permanent Secretaries in different ministries. When the Permanent Secretaries conclude their own, chief executives of parastatals and agencies will also come to brief, so that we have a complete picture of what is happening in government and then, after that, anything can happen. When the Ministers themselves come, they will be glad that they are coming into a system that is cleaned up for them. If they had come immediately, this house cleaning won’t have been done because they would have occupied space and continued in the old fashion. So, let Nigerians, who trusted this President and gave him their mandate, continue to trust him that he is working for them and he is doing the best for them.
Some people in the South-East aren’t happy at the appointments of Service Chiefs because they feel that none of their sons was there. If we are talking of engaging the best hands, couldn’t you have found some of the best hands in the South-East?
Mark the word of Mr. President, all the Service Chiefs he appointed he never met anyone of them except the Chief of Army Staff that he met casually in Chad. He was the Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force. So, all of them got appointed based on their service records. Now, are we going to say that we will subject efficiency to ethnic and regional balances? I am not saying that it is not constitutional. There is federal character in our Constitution, but there are some areas where you can’t sacrifice efficiency for ethnic or regional balancing. Get the very best that can do the job particularly at a time of crisis like we have in security. So, I don’t think it would have been proper shopping for people to fill positions as critical as Service Chiefs if they aren’t the very best we can get.
The President is going to the U.S. Let me say it is the mother of all visits. What should Nigerians expect from that trip?
Three key things are going to be on the table in America. They are more than three but these three will be key. First is the fight against insecurity. Nigeria is going to be asking for America’s assistance in terms of intelligence and in terms of equipment. If this succeeds and we get all that we want of course, we know it is going to make an impact on the war against insurgency; so that would be a key achievement of that trip. Again, something that would be on the table in America is the anti-corruption war. If we have money outside in billions of dollars, you know what that means in Naira. That is more than an annual budget.
If we recover that money, it is to the benefit of our country. Then the third thing will be the Nigerian economy. America used to buy 30 percent of Nigeria’s oil. Now, it is less than five percent because they discovered Shale oil and gas. So, in what way can America boost our economy? This will be a major thing and, at the end of it all, this will be to the benefit of Nigerians and, of course, a visit to America, like you said, is the mother of all visits and the fact that the American President has invited our President shows that they believe in what is happening in Nigeria. Don’t forget that the same Obama came to neighbouring Ghana and never came to Nigeria. The fact that he invited the Nigerian President shows that the acceptability rate of Nigeria has gone up in the international community.
Femi Adesina, special adviser on Media and Publicity to the president
It has been more than 30 days since the new administration was inaugurated. How do you assess it?
Well, I think that is a little bit unfair because you know how I will assess the administration since I work with the President. But then to be fair and impartial, I will say, yes, the President is on the right course, maybe because there are also some facts that are previously unknown, but I just know that the President is laying a foundation for a new Nigeria. If he can continue on the wind of change that he rode on to office and continue building on the same foundation, definitely change will come. But he is laying a completely new foundation and, when that foundation is fully laid and the country continues, you will see that change is truly here.
When you were announced to be the Special Adviser, how did you feel? Did you see it coming or you never expected it?
I was announced May 31, but if you remember, on May 20, ThisDay had speculated the story. The moment ThisDay speculated it, anything could happen. So, it was just a question of, will it happen or not? Since ThisDay speculated it, we knew anything could happen, but, before then, no. It could have gone either way anyway.
How does it feel settling down to work with President Muhammadu Buhari in this capacity?
It is a rare opportunity. Out of 170 million people you have been called to work for your country, it is a rare opportunity, and I will say it feels good. I have left positions that are eminent. I have been the Editor-in-Chief of a national newspaper, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors. I was satisfied in those positions, but then, coming to serve your country can’t be compared with anything. So that is why I left those positions to come and serve because I believe in the President. If it was another administration led by someone that I don’t believe in, I wouldn’t come, but I came because I had always believed in President Buhari.
Were you prepared for this assignment irrespective of the fact that you have occupied other positions?
If you had spent 29 years in journalism like I have done, then you are prepared for a lot of things including this assignment. If that is the question, yes, I have a background that prepared me for this assignment. But if your question means did I think it was going to come, I will say no, I didn’t think it was going to come. My mind didn’t go to it and I have always supported President Buhari since he was a military Head of State. I had admired him. In fact, the day he was overthrown was one of the worst days of my life. I felt very sad for Nigeria; very sad for him and his family, very sad about everything. I didn’t think that government should have been toppled. If that government had lasted, Nigeria wouldn’t have been where it is today. So, when he attempted to come through the ballot box since 2003, I had always supported him and, even when it seemed like he stood no chance, I still believed he was the best candidate. In 2011, I had always said we needed a correlation in order to get PDP out. So when that correlation came through the emergence of All Progressives Congress, APC, I felt there was a good chance in 2015 and it has happened. But to think that I was going to work for him, no, it didn’t cross my mind.
What are the attributes that really drew you to the President?
The first one is his simplicity. I just love his simplicity. He is a very simple man. Then I like the fact that he is very straight forward. I like people who know where they stand with anybody. It is either yes or no. When he says yes, it is yes; when he says no, it is no. Then, of course, integrity, to me, counts a lot. The fact that every man can testify that he is a man of integrity gets me because I love integrity and then transparency and accountability. A country like Nigeria where anything goes and then you see a man that has chosen to be transparent and accountable. Look at all the positions he has held in this country, yet he remains a simple man. I love that kind of person. Why can’t I support him? Why can’t I point Nigeria to that kind of person? He is good for our county? So that is why I did it.
But many Nigerians don’t really share these ideas. Some will be quick to dismiss all these, saying that beyond the facade, you may discover many others things when you dig deep.
Well, if they say that, they have a right to their own opinion but then we want to see the evidence to justify that. You don’t need to look far. Just look at the positions the President has held: governor of North-Eastern State, which is now six states: Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba. Then he went on to become the Minister of Petroleum Resources and held that position for three and a half years. Can you hold such position and not have oil blocks? If anybody thinks President Buhari has an oil block, let him show it to us? After that, he became Head of State and he was there for 20 months; after that, he was Chairman, Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, and we know all the achievements he made in that position and then today President. Not many Nigerians have this kind of pedigree and who are not going to be stinkingly rich. I am not saying President Buhari is a poor man, but then I don’t think he is stinkingly rich when he held all those positions. He should be stinkingly rich and it is only a very rare Nigerian that will not be stinkingly rich after holding those positions.
You said when he was toppled you were truly sad. Now he has another opportunity! What do you crave for? Or do you say he has changed from who he used to be and perhaps may not realize those things that he would have truly accomplished if his government then had continued?
Whether he has changed, yes, I would say he has changed in some areas and, in some areas, he remains the same. You know that age tempers a man. Age has tempered him but for good. Remember, after he was inaugurated, some officials of the former administration were about travelling out and the security officials and agencies were stopping them and, you will recall that a statement was issued that they shouldn’t be stopped. That shows you that the man is really temperate now rather the old Buhari. The military man would have packed all of them immediately he was inaugurated and they would be heading for jail and then you would be sifting the weeds from the shaft there after. So, that already shows that he is a different man, a more mature person, a more reflective person, a more contemplative person and that can only come with age. Again, you would see what played out in the National Assembly. You know he is a man who wants to respect the Constitution. That shows he is already different from the soldier that ruled this country.
If he was a person that didn’t want to respect the Constitution, he would have interfered in the selection or the election of the leadership of the two chambers, but he left them and said anybody that emerged, he will work with. What he didn’t know is that not everybody was going to respect the rules and we saw what played out. In terms of whether he is a changed man, yes, he is a changed man. He is a true democrat now. There are so many things that have come up in just six weeks of the administration that show you that this is a man that respects the Constitution and will continue to respect it. So, he is a changed man in those areas, but then there are some areas like accountability, transparency, integrity; of course you know that he will never change in those areas and that is the reason he was elected. Imagine a man who was a military leader 30 years earlier getting elected just on the basis of integrity, transparency and accountability; you know that kind of man will never change that.
Some persons argue that if this man doesn’t exercise his authority, things might still go wrong because a leader is a leader. Being the President of Nigeria, he is the leader of the party in all ramifications. There is a proverb in my place that an elder doesn’t sit idly while the goat dies in tethers. He can’t be sitting while things are going wrong.
If you also permit me to quote another proverb or a saying that a tiger doesn’t proclaim its tigress. A tiger doesn’t need to come out and say ‘I am a tiger’. When he does that, go and check properly, he can be a cat, but when you see a tiger, you know it is a tiger. So, he doesn’t need to ride over everybody before they know that he is a leader and indeed he is a leader. He has the traits, the characteristics and all the potentials. He has everything it takes to be a leader. He doesn’t need to throw his weight around before everyone knows he is a leader.
Let me take you back a little to the issue of allowing the last government officials to travel. Does that mean that he has hands on probity, assuming there was something to probe?
He has said it that money in billions of dollars will be recovered. But you know the world is too small a place for anybody to hide if you are running from justice. The world is too small a place to hide. You will be fished out. So, there is no need that you say they should not be heading for jail if eventually the law goes after them. Very few countries can they hide in and how long will they hide? So, it doesn’t mean that anybody that has ill gotten wealth will not regurgitate it. They will. Remember when he went to Germany for the G7 summit, he met with President Obama and Obama told him to just give us information on where the loot is hidden and we will help you recover it and the government has been working on that. So, that shows that looters will never go free.
Is he going backwards? I mean where is he going to start to probe?
He can’t afford to go too deep into the past or else it will be destructive for his administration. There are some things you can’t close your eyes to while you don’t want to shine the torchlight into the dark recesses of our past; immediate past where things are evident. The Yoruba have a saying that the corpse we buried, the leg is sticking out and, if you bury a corpse and the leg is sticking out, you can’t pretend. When there are trails all over of the monies in billions and trillions, then a responsible government can’t close its eyes to that.
Let’s look at insecurity. In the last two weeks, the bombings have increased. People have expressed fear that the government’s efforts in the past one month and two weeks haven’t really paid off because I know that the President, immediately he was sworn-in, travelled to places and there was this assurance. But then it does appear much hasn’t been done in that direction?
Let me draw an analogy. One day, the world woke up to hear that Osama bin Laden had been killed by the US Navy Seals. But did you know how long it took to plan that operation? It took 24 months of painstaking planning. Drills, simulations, all that happened until they got him. I am not saying it is going to take 24 months before this government breaks the back of Boko Haram. I am just telling you that planning needs to be carefully done and that is what is being done. In his very first week in office, he went to Niger, Chad and why did he go? Because of this Boko Haram thing and one major reason he went to G7 is because of the Boko Haram issue because the leaders of G7 said ‘come and let us know what we can do to help’. After that, the leaders of Chad, Niger, Benin Republic, Defence Minister of Cameroon also came here under the Lake Chad Basin Commission. They are planning. Before the end of this month, after he comes back from America, he is going to Cameroon and why is he going there? Still on Boko Haram and you know there is a multinational task force they are contributing to and Nigeria has released 21 million dollars for the joint task force. That is money Nigeria can use in other areas but it has invested 21 million dollars in that joint task force. That shows seriousness and I think July 21 has been picked as a date for that force to swing into action. Nobody can fairly accuse this government of not doing anything about Boko Haram. It is doing a lot and, eventually, we will see the end of insurgency.
Let’s also look at the appointments so far made by the Buhari government. The government has been accused of lopsiding the appointments. It has been people from the North. That’s the impression out there.
Those people from the North, are they Nigerians? So, if they are Nigerians, they have the right to be appointed and then I am sure there could be up to 500 appointments still ahead. Federal Boards that just got dissolved alone had 601 appointments. They are going to be filled. The cabinet is going to be constituted. Other persons and aides are going to be appointed. As at the time they began to talk, only nine appointments had been made and they said eight northerners and one southerner. They forget that some of those appointments are statutory, the next in rank. They just have to be the ones that will take those positions and some of those again are security chiefs. Security is an area where you take the very best. It is not something you subject to emotional considerations or other primordial sentiments. Take the very best who can deliver particularly at a critical time like this. So those who have started counting, I think it is premature. There about 500 appointments left to be made and, when those appointments are made, that is when they can begin to analysis. Doing it after nine appointments, I think that is hasty and fault-line in our country. Nigerians are too suspicious of leadership, other ethnic groups, too suspicious of many things. If we are less suspicious, then this wouldn’t have come up yet.
There are still these feelings from the members of the public that President Buhari and his political allies in the South-West, people like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have fallen apart; that, in fact, the President has disappointed the South-West that massively voted for him at the polls. How do you address this sentiment?
I am glad that you used the word “these feelings” which is different from reality. Just a couple of days ago, Bola Tinubu himself came out to say there was no rift between him and the President. I think things that are unfolding are part of our political experience, political development. You will see that in the next dispensation, most of the things that happened now will not happen because the actors would have learnt. If the President in the next dispensation wants to leave the leadership of the chambers of National Assembly to elect their own leaders as President Buhari has done, the party will need to play its own part. Everybody involved will play his or her own part so that what has happened now will not happen again. It is part of the learning curve, but for anybody to say the West is disappointed, it is not true. A lot of people who voted for President Buhari in the West have been loyal to him. Even those who didn’t vote for him are beginning to see that he is a leader worthy of their support and they are giving their support.
Do you really believe in the Presidency of Mr. Buhari to radically move this country away from what it used to be, judging from the fact that he is an old man now? Won’t his age really affect him?
You have heard the saying that old wines are tastier. Buhari is like a wine that gets better with age. I said this earlier and, I repeat again, he gets better with age; sound, sober, contemplative, not rash. You see what is happening now, Boards have been dissolved. There are terminations and new appointments. You know he could have done that in the very first week and then he could have made mistakes, but this is the sixth week and he is doing all those things and I think, at the end of it, all Nigerians will be glad that they elected him. I don’t foresee failure; no, it will not happen, but it will demand that Nigerians will give him support and work with him but I believe in the change that was promised to this country.
Just before current appointments, you were a practising journalist and, ordinarily, you would have been worried that this government, after six weeks, hasn’t appointed even the Chief of Staff. We are talking about the time it has taken, yet no Chief of Staff, let alone Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, and then Ministers. But I remember, before now, they repeatedly said they will hit the ground running after inauguration. What has happened?
One thing is clear, it is constitutional to have a cabinet because the Constitution says there must be a Federal Executive Council and Ministers must be appointed from at least one state each. I said earlier that the President respects the Constitution. So, that shows you that he is going to constitute a cabinet. Now, you can’t compare one administration with another.
Obasanjo appointed his Ministers in July. Yar’Adua also in July, but that is not a reason for any other government not to appoint earlier than July or even later than July. Each government responds to the situation and circumstances in which it finds itself. What this administration met on ground is an Augean stable and it needs to be cleaned up. I can tell you that Nigeria was left in a mess by the last administration and it needs some clean up and, without a clean up, you continue to build on a wobbly foundation and, one day, that structure will come down. So, why don’t you then take your time to lay a fresh foundation and build up on that foundation that is what President Buhari is doing.
The cabinet has not come but it will come and, when it comes, it will be building on a freshly laid foundation. You see that in the past few weeks, he has been taking briefings from Permanent Secretaries in different ministries. When the Permanent Secretaries conclude their own, chief executives of parastatals and agencies will also come to brief, so that we have a complete picture of what is happening in government and then, after that, anything can happen. When the Ministers themselves come, they will be glad that they are coming into a system that is cleaned up for them. If they had come immediately, this house cleaning won’t have been done because they would have occupied space and continued in the old fashion. So, let Nigerians, who trusted this President and gave him their mandate, continue to trust him that he is working for them and he is doing the best for them.
Some people in the South-East aren’t happy at the appointments of Service Chiefs because they feel that none of their sons was there. If we are talking of engaging the best hands, couldn’t you have found some of the best hands in the South-East?
Mark the word of Mr. President, all the Service Chiefs he appointed he never met anyone of them except the Chief of Army Staff that he met casually in Chad. He was the Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force. So, all of them got appointed based on their service records. Now, are we going to say that we will subject efficiency to ethnic and regional balances? I am not saying that it is not constitutional. There is federal character in our Constitution, but there are some areas where you can’t sacrifice efficiency for ethnic or regional balancing. Get the very best that can do the job particularly at a time of crisis like we have in security. So, I don’t think it would have been proper shopping for people to fill positions as critical as Service Chiefs if they aren’t the very best we can get.
The President is going to the U.S. Let me say it is the mother of all visits. What should Nigerians expect from that trip?
Three key things are going to be on the table in America. They are more than three but these three will be key. First is the fight against insecurity. Nigeria is going to be asking for America’s assistance in terms of intelligence and in terms of equipment. If this succeeds and we get all that we want of course, we know it is going to make an impact on the war against insurgency; so that would be a key achievement of that trip. Again, something that would be on the table in America is the anti-corruption war. If we have money outside in billions of dollars, you know what that means in Naira. That is more than an annual budget.
If we recover that money, it is to the benefit of our country. Then the third thing will be the Nigerian economy. America used to buy 30 percent of Nigeria’s oil. Now, it is less than five percent because they discovered Shale oil and gas. So, in what way can America boost our economy? This will be a major thing and, at the end of it all, this will be to the benefit of Nigerians and, of course, a visit to America, like you said, is the mother of all visits and the fact that the American President has invited our President shows that they believe in what is happening in Nigeria. Don’t forget that the same Obama came to neighbouring Ghana and never came to Nigeria. The fact that he invited the Nigerian President shows that the acceptability rate of Nigeria has gone up in the international community.
Group Cautions Buhari Ahead Of His Meeting With Obama
Ahead of Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with his American
counterpart, Barack Obama, Project for Human Development (PHD), a civil
society organisation, has cautioned the Nigerian leader.
Members of PHD urged Buhari not to listen to the US government on
issues of gay rights in order to protect laws and values of Nigeria.
PM News reports that the call was made on July 19, Sunday, at a rally titled “Gay Marriage: Obama, Please Leave Nigeria Alone”, which was held in Lagos.
Jerry Okwuosa, the director-general of PHD, said that the aim of the rally was to hint the president that Nigerians are worried that Obama might ask him to decriminalize the same-sex prohibition law of Nigeria. According to him, promotion of gay rights is a part of America foreign policy.
“The US is now the major exporter of gay rights in the world. It has recently pressurized Uganda for a reverse of its anti-gay law. Under the influence of the US, Mozambique has recently decriminalized its anti-gay law. At the moment, US is putting pressure on Kenya to legalize gay marriage.
“President Obama is meeting with President Buhari tomorrow to discuss issues which include security, economy, Ebola and gay marriage legalisation in Nigeria. Fear is being entertained that Obama might trade off US assistance to President Buhari’s government with shooting down Goodluck Jonathan’s anti-gay law. We are however, urging President Buhari to reject such a trade-off,” he said.
Sonnie Ekwowusi, a director of PHD, stressed that homosexuality is not Nigeria culture; it is a taboo or abomination.
“Every society has its own values and should grow with those values. Nigeria has her own values and we must stick to our values and tradition. Laws are made in consonant with the values of the people. Every country is interested in protecting what it holds dear.”
Speaking on behalf of people taking part in a rally, Ekwowusi concluded:
“Our view is that homosexuality is an acquired habit that ought to be eradicated and not be transformed into an acceptable human conduct by law (in Nigeria). Our recommendation with regard to same sex marriage is absolute prohibition”.
It would be recalled that Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, said that America would continue to pressurize Nigeria until it legalizes same-sex marriage.
Earlier this month, leading human rights organisations PEN America and PEN Nigeria urged President Buhari to take a cue from the US and cancel the same sex marriage prohibition Act of 2014.
Muhammadu Buhari and Barack Obama
PM News reports that the call was made on July 19, Sunday, at a rally titled “Gay Marriage: Obama, Please Leave Nigeria Alone”, which was held in Lagos.
Jerry Okwuosa, the director-general of PHD, said that the aim of the rally was to hint the president that Nigerians are worried that Obama might ask him to decriminalize the same-sex prohibition law of Nigeria. According to him, promotion of gay rights is a part of America foreign policy.
“The US is now the major exporter of gay rights in the world. It has recently pressurized Uganda for a reverse of its anti-gay law. Under the influence of the US, Mozambique has recently decriminalized its anti-gay law. At the moment, US is putting pressure on Kenya to legalize gay marriage.
“President Obama is meeting with President Buhari tomorrow to discuss issues which include security, economy, Ebola and gay marriage legalisation in Nigeria. Fear is being entertained that Obama might trade off US assistance to President Buhari’s government with shooting down Goodluck Jonathan’s anti-gay law. We are however, urging President Buhari to reject such a trade-off,” he said.
Sonnie Ekwowusi, a director of PHD, stressed that homosexuality is not Nigeria culture; it is a taboo or abomination.
“Every society has its own values and should grow with those values. Nigeria has her own values and we must stick to our values and tradition. Laws are made in consonant with the values of the people. Every country is interested in protecting what it holds dear.”
Speaking on behalf of people taking part in a rally, Ekwowusi concluded:
“Our view is that homosexuality is an acquired habit that ought to be eradicated and not be transformed into an acceptable human conduct by law (in Nigeria). Our recommendation with regard to same sex marriage is absolute prohibition”.
It would be recalled that Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US assistant secretary of state for African affairs, said that America would continue to pressurize Nigeria until it legalizes same-sex marriage.
Earlier this month, leading human rights organisations PEN America and PEN Nigeria urged President Buhari to take a cue from the US and cancel the same sex marriage prohibition Act of 2014.
Okonjo-Iweala denies sending list of corrupt deals done by GEJ administration to Buhari
The recent report by the integrity-challenged website, Saharareporters and some other media that former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has handed over a “dossier of corrupt deals” perpetrated by the Jonathan administration to President Buhari is completely false and without foundation. This sponsored lie is part of the political attack by the pay masters of Saharareporters against Dr Okonjo-Iweala.
These attacks will continue given that these individuals are bent on a political and personal vendetta against her. Why are they angry? It is simply because she tried to bring integrity and transparency to the management of Nigeria’s public finances which obviously did not suit their interests. Saharareporters which has a long history of publishing falsehoods and distortions against Okonjo-Iweala is a paid tool of these individuals. But the lies of Saharareporters and its cohorts will never stop Okonjo-Iweala from loving her country or make her regret serving it, not once but twice. As always, we are confident that the truth shall prevail. Paul C Nwabuikwu Media Adviser to Dr Okonjo-Iweala
Buhari becomes first Nigerian president in history to stay at US president's official guest house
An invitation by a sitting US President to stay in this historic guest house is regarded in America as an honor of highest significance. When visiting leaders reside here, the flags of their nations fly proudly over Blair House, a courtesy that serves as both a gracious welcome and a symbol of the home’s crucial role in diplomatic relations. SSA to Buhari on media & publicity, Shehu Garba shared the photo of him and another Nigerian standing in front of the historic building. More after the cut
Arsenal and PSG target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not for sale - Dortmund
Gabon international Aubameyang, 26, was the top scorer for Dortmund last season with 25 goals in all competitions.
RevierSport suggested that the former Saint-Etienne striker was "not averse" to moving to Arsenal or PSG, especially since he could earn considerably more at either club, although BVB sporting director Michael Zorc told kicker it was "no secret" that his club wanted to keep the forward.
When questioned over Aubameyang's future, BVB CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told Bild: "Aubameyang stays with us this season. He's not for sale!"
Both kicker and RevierSport say Dortmund could extend Aubameyang's contract, which runs until 2018, in the hope that a pay rise would ward off interest from abroad.
Bild had reported last month that Arsenal were ready to offer €40m, but Zorc said Dortmund were not interested in a sale.
Dortmund are short on attacking options having loaned Ciro Immobile to Sevilla for the season after a disappointing debut campaign.
Zorc said that the player had developed hugely in his second season in Germany after Dortmund paid a reported €13m to sign him from St Etienne in 2013.
Sunday 12 July 2015
Chelsea target Chile star Charles Aranguiz; Schneiderlin seals move
TOP STORY: Blues line up Copa America talent
Jose Mourinho already has a midfield stocked with excellent combative players, but could well add another to aid his Champions League aspirations next season.The Star reports that the Portuguese coach is after Chile star Charles Aranguiz, with the Blues in talks with the 26-year-old's Brazilian club Internacional over an £8 million transfer.
The midfielder impressed as Chile lifted the Copa America on home soil this summer, and although Manchester City are also interested in Aranguiz, the paper states that Chelsea are leading the chase after City boss Manuel Pellegrini and director of football Txiki Begiristain "dithered" having already scouted him.
Arsenal have also been heavily linked with Aranguiz, but Chelsea are England's smoothest operators in the transfer market. When you're up against Stamford Bridge negotiators, it pays to be quick.
United net another midfielder
Morgan Schneiderlin may be forgiven for a brief moment of doubt over his potential move to Manchester United after the club announced the capture of World Cup winner Bastian Schweinsteiger on Saturday, but the France international has nothing to fear about his future.The Manchester Evening News reports that United have agreed a deal with Southampton for the 25-year-old midfielder, who has already had his medical at Carrington and signed for the club according to United's press photographer Craig Norwood.
Though the fee and contract length are yet to be announced, the MEN is confident the deal has been done. Meanwhile, the BBC is also reporting that Schneiderlin was undergoing a medical late on Sunday, with the player set to become United's fourth summer signing. The Guardian reports that United will pay the Saints an initial £24 million, which could rise to £27 million with add-ons.
And if that wasn't enough, the Mail reports that Rafael's agent has confirmed to Record that United are eyeing a deal which could see the Brazilian defender move to Benfica in part exchange for Nicolas Gaitan.
What a weekend at Old Trafford!
PSG prepare massive Di Maria offer
With United making their moves for Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger, increased competition for midfield starting roles at Old Trafford is fuelling talk of Angel Di Maria's impending exit.Laurent Blanc confirmed on Sunday that Paris Saint-Germain are interested in signing the Argentina international given that UEFA have lifted financial fair play restrictions on the French champions, though the PSG boss admits a deal will be tough due to other suitors and the sheer cost of the transfer.
The Guardian reports that PSG have readied an offer of £47 million, and will make a formal offer to United and Di Maria's agent Jorge Mendes.
The 27-year-old is expected to want a tasty contract of around £185,000 a week at the Parc des Princes, though the Ligue 1 title winners are hoping for a package closer to £130,000 a week. In any case, the paper reports "a compromise is likely to be attainable."
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani set to stay in Paris this summer, Blanc's side could be worth a bet for Champions League glory next season.
Another United player whose future may lie in Turkey is Victor Valdes, though AS reports that the player's agent says there has been no contact with Super Lig side Antalyaspor over the goalkeeper.
Gines Carvajal said: "Some people from Turkey have contacted me to negotiate the signing of Victor, but I've never spoken with the president of the Turkish club. I do not know."
United's other keeper, one David De Gea, now looks set to be staying at Old Trafford with the Sun reporting that the Red Devils have issued Real Madrid an ultimatum: buy him before our US tour or wait til next summer!
This story could rumble on for a while then!
Sterling deal a bonus for QPR
Queens Park Rangers fans have not had the best summer: their side was relegated from the Premier League last season, and star striker Charlie Austin looks destined for an exit.What will be a boost for the Loftus Road faithful -- and owner Tony Fernandez -- is that Manchester City's imminent capture of Raheem Sterling will result in a massive pay day for the West London club.
According to the Mail, QPR had a 20 percent sell-on clause inserted into the deal for Sterling when the forward signed for Liverpool as a 15-year-old for a mere £500,000 in 2010.
With sources telling ESPN FC that City and Liverpool have agreed a £49 million deal for Sterling, QPR will pocket a cool £9 million.
The deal for Sterling will cost City a reported £100 million in fees and wages, though that clause now looks an inspired piece of business from QPR.
Delph dissuaded from City by wary teammates
Although Man City are set to land one England international with Sterling nearing his bumper move, another was warned off the Etihad Stadium by former Three Lions hopefuls who know better.Fabian Delph had his £8 million release clause activated by City, but the Aston Villa midfielder turned down a move to Manchester earlier this week.
The Mirror reports that Villa teammates Micah Richards and Scott Sinclair -- both former England hopefuls who saw their careers stall at City -- played a "crucial role" in convincing Delph that his career will be better served by staying at Villa Park.
City have seen James Milner leave this summer for more opportunities at Liverpool, and it seems that more England players are now cottoning on to the fact that sitting on City's bench on a massive contract week in, week out may not be the best way to make Roy Hodgson sit up and take notice.
Tap-ins
- Having impressed for Crystal Palace over the past two seasons, Dwight Gayle is being targeted by Premier League new boys Norwich, according to the Mirror.With added competition a given at Selhurst Park next term, a switch to Carrow Road may offer the forward the guaranteed starts that he is reportedly craving.
- The weekend couldn't get much better for Crystal Palace fans after the signing of Yohan Cabaye from PSG, but the Croydon Advertiser reports that the Eagles are set to announce a new contract for Everton target Scott Dann on Monday.
- One player who looks to be on his way out of London is Benjamin Stambouli, with the Mirror reporting that Watford have agreed a £4 million deal to sign the Tottenham midfielder.
Man United, Southampton agree deal for Morgan Schneiderlin transfer
A deal for Morgan Schneiderlin to move from Southampton to Manchester
United has been agreed and the French midfielder has been given
permission to undergo a medical with the Old Trafford club, it was confirmed by a source. The fee is reportedly in excess of £25 million.
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman and club officials were bemused by United's failure to follow up their initial offer for Schneiderlin last month with a second bid, despite the suggestion that a revised offer would be put forward to sign the 25-year-old French midfielder.
Yet fresh dialogue between the two clubs took place in recent days, with agreement swiftly being reached over a deal that will see Schneiderlin bring down the curtain on his seven-year stay at Southampton, which has seen him play in three divisions for the club.
The player leaves with the blessing of Southampton after he agreed to
stay at the club for one more season despite firm offers of interest
from rivals clubs last summer.
Southampton were keen to stem the flow of star names out of the club following the exits of Luke Shaw, Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren after last season and informed a disappointed Schneiderlin that he would have to wait for his big move.
His professionalism in helping the club into the Europa League for the upcoming season earned him the respect of his teammates, but he had made it clear once again since returning to training two weeks ago that he was keen to move on ahead of the new season.
Arsenal had also expressed an interest in the Frenchman's services and when United announced the transfer of German World Cup winning midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on Saturday, there were suspicions that they might not make a second bid for Schneiderlin.
Yet confirmation of an agreement has now been made public, with Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger set to link up with the United squad on their pre-season tour of America.
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman and club officials were bemused by United's failure to follow up their initial offer for Schneiderlin last month with a second bid, despite the suggestion that a revised offer would be put forward to sign the 25-year-old French midfielder.
Yet fresh dialogue between the two clubs took place in recent days, with agreement swiftly being reached over a deal that will see Schneiderlin bring down the curtain on his seven-year stay at Southampton, which has seen him play in three divisions for the club.
Southampton were keen to stem the flow of star names out of the club following the exits of Luke Shaw, Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren after last season and informed a disappointed Schneiderlin that he would have to wait for his big move.
His professionalism in helping the club into the Europa League for the upcoming season earned him the respect of his teammates, but he had made it clear once again since returning to training two weeks ago that he was keen to move on ahead of the new season.
Arsenal had also expressed an interest in the Frenchman's services and when United announced the transfer of German World Cup winning midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on Saturday, there were suspicions that they might not make a second bid for Schneiderlin.
Yet confirmation of an agreement has now been made public, with Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger set to link up with the United squad on their pre-season tour of America.
Nigerians will be fed up with APC in 1 year — Ojougboh
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh was member, House of Representatives, Senate Liaison Officer to late President Umaru Yar’ Adua and currently National Vice Chairman, South -South of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview, he said for the PDP to get it right after its loss in the last elections the truth must be told. He attributed the loss to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to adhere to an existing agreement. He also, among others, spoke on Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s election as deputy Senate President and the illegality of President Muhammadu Buhari’s bail out to states. Excerpts:
By Henry Umoru
ON why the PDP lost the presidential polls after boasting that it would rule Nigeria for 60 years
Let me take you back. When Abacha died, the South came together to say it was their time to produce the president of this country because Abiola had just won the election that was annulled and he was a Southerner. So the North put themselves together and said this agitation if not well handled could break this country. As Northerners, we love this country so we will give power to the South. That was how cleverly, Obasanjo and Olu Falae contested the election in 1999 and that was how power was transferred to the South.
Then, there was an arrangement by the 34 great men that formed the PDP that they would start shifting power eight years to the North, eight years to the South. It was a gentleman agreement. It was enshrined in the PDP constitution but it is not in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The South-West had the first shot, everybody co-operated, Obasanjo became president. After eight years, it was the turn of the North to become president then problem started. Some people started toying with the idea of third term. PDP said ‘no,’ PDP members of the National Assembly and other parties said ‘no, it will not work.’ The PDP had to produce a candidate and that was how Yar’Adua emerged.
Unfortunately, Yar’Adua did not survive, so the North said, ‘look this presidency is our own, we have to utilise our allotted eight years’ and they were right.
Ojougboh
Jonathan himself said he would do only four years. Emirs, leaders and stakeholders in the country accepted that Jonathan will do only four years so that power can shift to the North. When time came, a lot of Maccaba dances started; people started putting pressure here and there and people started encouraging Jonathan to contest.
Unfortunately, Jonathan didn’t have the nerves to say, ‘no, I will keep to my agreement.’ So Jonathan contesting meant that the zoning formula had been breached. The North didn’t take it kindly; they said ‘this is not what we agreed. Even the Christian North that used to be very friendly, especially the North-Central said we had an agreement. Some governors, about five of them left the party because of that, because they saw what was happening. So it was this pressure that the North now agreed that they must take power back, that it was their turn.
Fortunately or unfortunately, only two candidates were presented at the election: Jonathan and Buhari. Buhari is from the North, Jonathan is from the South. The South had done more than enough for the time being for the agreement of 1998/1999. So the North said look we are going to vote for our son whether he is good or bad.
Well, the members most of them, stood on their ground and worked for the party; if you look at the margin, it’s just two million and where did the two million votes come from? Kano and Katsina.
The North and some Nigerians said that look Jonathan could not be strong enough to keep to an agreement that has been well accepted. When Obasanjo said it, nobody believed him, but the elders of the party should have had the courage; the founding fathers, the BoT, they sould have had the courage to go to Jonathan and said: ‘look why don’t you keep to the agreement? But party members and stakeholders went ahead endorsing him. So from now on, any agreement reached, the PDP must abide by it.
You were quoted as saying that Nigerians would beg the PDP to return to power, how will this happen?
It is very clear. The PDP is a party and if you look at the APC, there is only one member in APC and that is Buhari. You see, the APC came to power as a result of a gang-up against the PDP and obviously, it is not going to stand the test of time. There will be a lot of confusion and there will be a lot of problems. Buhari is not going to agree with the persons within the APC because they are not of the same parentage and Nigerians will be very tired because it will be all motion and no movement. In fact, in the next one year, Nigerians will be fed up. You have already seen it and that is the truth of the matter. There will be all motion, no movement.
Will the PDP have a hand in it?
Why would the PDP have a hand in it?
How is the party strategizing to bounce back?
We are repositioning our party and it is when the leaders of the party begin to accept the truth, speak the truth and allow people, who are uncontrollable to take control, work their best and contribute their quota that our party will take over power again. The PDP has remained the most viable and well-built party that this country has ever had.
Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu resigned recently as the national chairman of the PDP, following pressure from the presidency and other stakeholders that he led the party to failure. Is the entire National Working Committee of the party going to be dissolved?
No, you must follow due process of the law. The NWC members were voted into office and their tenure will expire in March. There are two ways to remove them; number one is they voluntarily resign. Second is that National Executive Council, NEC, with a vote of 2/3 will remove them. Anything short of these two, you can’t remove them. So the party must be patient to wait till March, 2016, to be able to effect any change in the NWC. So far, they have woken up and they are working.
Buhari has bailed out states with money the PDP claimed was part of funds saved by former President Jonathan, what is your take?
Yes, it is money left by the Jonathan administration. President Buhari has been in office for just one month, where did he get the money from? But the issue with it is the method of disbursement, did the National Assembly approve it? You see, this is where democracy comes in. Was it appropriated? Does it have legal backing? The PDP is a party and is watching.
APC has produced Senate President while the PDP has produced deputy senate president. How do you look at this development?
The emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as deputy Senate President is a welcome development. You see, it shows you that PDP is the party to beat. It allows you understand that the PDP is a great party. We speak with one voice. It is a wonderful experience and it is to show any party that you cannot impose your will on Nigerians. The unfortunate incident that led to the failure of PDP in the presidential elections would not happen again. We are one family and from now on, the PDP will learn to obey zoning because this matter called zoning is very important in Nigeria. It is the Nigerian system of democracy and if you don’t align, there is always a problem.
Is it possible for one man to change the Senate rules?
No, one man cannot change the Senate rules It is because the whole thing didn’t go down well with people, that is why they started casting aspersions and looking for scape goat. Ekweremadu could never have changed the Senate Rules on his own. Because he is the deputy Senate President, which was never expected, they now want to give him a bad name.
Steven Gerrard makes his debut for LA Galaxy in friendly win over America
LA Galaxy
America
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1
FT
After a six-week layoff following the end of his 17th and final season at Liverpool, Gerrard played his traditional spot in central midfield for the Galaxy in the friendly exhibition against the Mexican giants.
Having only started training with the Galaxy on Tuesday, Gerrard seemed more comfortable when moving forward in an attacking role, but was caught flat-footed several times in defence.
Gerrard had an early shot on goal from 35 yards out that had to be punched away by goalie Hugo Gonzalez.
Club America scored on the counter, with Carlos Darwin Quintero putting the ball between Brian Rowe's legs for a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute.
Galaxy captain Robbie Keane equalised in the 45th minute. After masterfully collecting a long ball from Juninho with his first touch, Keane coolly placed the ball into the open net from 10 yards out after Gonzalez misjudged the initial pass and came off his line in a futile attempt to gather the long ball.
Alan Gordon scored the winner for LA in the 80th minute, outjumping two defenders and heading in Raul Mendiola's perfect cross with a high arcing shot.
Still, Gerrard was the focus for the sellout crowd of 27,934. His No. 8 jerseys -- both in Liverpool red and Galaxy white -- were worn in abundance, and a sizeable contingent of international media was on hand to cover the match.
What they saw was a Gerrard who played as he had during his final seasons at Liverpool, with equal moments of good and bad. He misplayed a backward pass from Keane just inside the centre line and had to send it out of play for a corner kick after scrambling to recover, but also forced Gonzalez into a sprawling right-footed save with a shot just outside the six-yard box in the 22nd minute.
After the match, Galaxy manager Bruce Arena was pleased with Gerrard's contribution.
"I think Steven played well," Arena said, according to the Liverpool Echo.
"We'll have to see how he feels tomorrow and Monday before we make a decision about the Cup tie.
"His passing was very good, his partnership with Juninho was good, he won some tackles, helped create some chances and could have had a goal but the keeper made a great save from him.
"His first time out was very encouraging. he looked like he belonged and his leadership was real good."
A Merseyside institution for half his life, Gerrard scored 120 goals in 504 appearances and led Liverpool to three League Cups, two FA Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, one UEFA Cup and the 2005 Champions League.
In the 2005 Champions League Final, Gerrard earned and converted a penalty kick as Liverpool dramatically overturned a 3-0 deficit against AC Milan and went on to win the trophy in a shootout. That result, now known as the "Miracle in Istanbul," would become the cornerstone of Gerrard's living legend status at Liverpool.
Gerrard had offers to continue his career in the Premier League or move to another European league, but simply could not imagine playing against Liverpool.
"I love Liverpool football club and I always will," Gerrard said at a press conference on Tuesday. "I'm still a fan and will be until the day that I die. I needed a new challenge, I needed a fresh obstacle."
Gerrard will play his first MLS match when the Galaxy host the San Jose Earthquakes on July 17.
Kylie Jenner hits back at actress Amandla Stenberg after she comes for her on instagram
"When u appropriate black features and culture but fail to use ur position of power to help black Americans by directing attention towards ur wigs instead of police brutality or racism #whitegirlsdoitbetterKylie hit back, telling Amandla "Mad I don't, Mad if I do..Go hang w Jaden or something". Her reply though...lol. Amandla is 16 and friends with Kylie's ex, Jaden Smith...so Kylie telling her to go hang with Jaden is some serious shade. Teenagers...lol. See more photos after the cut...
Jaden and Amandla went to her prom together...
7 Things Men Find Attractive In Women
While men can be seemingly complicated beings, there are
a few character traits that will draw their eyes and attention to any
woman.
So, if you want to have that extra advantage with the menfolk, then pay close attention to the things that attract men below;
1. A Friendly Demeanor: A man is unlikely to approach any woman he conceives as hostile. If you want to catch the attention of the guy you are interested in, make sure you have a cheerful attitude. Smile more, let loose and do not be afraid to let your fun side show.
READ ALSO: Dangers of Jealousy In A Relationship
2. Well Put Together: No matter how attractive you are, if you do not look well put-together as a woman, you are unlikely to draw men’s attention.
Pay attention to how you dress and how you look overall. A woman who knows how to put herself together will portray beauty and confidence, regardless of how much she spent on her outfit, make-up or hair.
3. Be Passionate: Men are unlikely to be attracted to dull women. You need to have something that makes you tick, and you need to express this passion. It could be your career, your family or your academics. The point is, when you are passionate about something, and it shows, you reflect an inner light that will draw anyone to you.
5. Knows What She Wants: Nothing is sexier than a woman who knows what she wants in life and focuses on getting it. Men do not want to be around a woman that is indecisive and cannot seem to make up her mind around anything.
6. Kindness: Being kind is a character trait that is attractive to anyone. If you seem mean and rude to those around you, men will find it difficult to be with you.
READ ALSO: 11 Signs You Are Beginning To Fall In Love
7. Educated: A man wants a woman he can have an intelligent conversation with. No matter how beautiful you are, if you cannot keep up a good conversation, he will eventually get bored with you. You do not need to know it all, just make sure there are a few life subjects that you know well and that you can shine in.
A pretty woman
1. A Friendly Demeanor: A man is unlikely to approach any woman he conceives as hostile. If you want to catch the attention of the guy you are interested in, make sure you have a cheerful attitude. Smile more, let loose and do not be afraid to let your fun side show.
READ ALSO: Dangers of Jealousy In A Relationship
2. Well Put Together: No matter how attractive you are, if you do not look well put-together as a woman, you are unlikely to draw men’s attention.
Pay attention to how you dress and how you look overall. A woman who knows how to put herself together will portray beauty and confidence, regardless of how much she spent on her outfit, make-up or hair.
3. Be Passionate: Men are unlikely to be attracted to dull women. You need to have something that makes you tick, and you need to express this passion. It could be your career, your family or your academics. The point is, when you are passionate about something, and it shows, you reflect an inner light that will draw anyone to you.
5. Knows What She Wants: Nothing is sexier than a woman who knows what she wants in life and focuses on getting it. Men do not want to be around a woman that is indecisive and cannot seem to make up her mind around anything.
6. Kindness: Being kind is a character trait that is attractive to anyone. If you seem mean and rude to those around you, men will find it difficult to be with you.
READ ALSO: 11 Signs You Are Beginning To Fall In Love
7. Educated: A man wants a woman he can have an intelligent conversation with. No matter how beautiful you are, if you cannot keep up a good conversation, he will eventually get bored with you. You do not need to know it all, just make sure there are a few life subjects that you know well and that you can shine in.
President Buhari reportedly refused to meet with Bukola Saraki
According to a report by Punch,
Pres. Buhari has resisted new moves by Saraki to meet with him because
he's still upset over what Saraki did during the National Assembly
elections...
An official in the Presidency said the President and the Senate President had only met once since the latter’s emergence as the leader of the senate. The official said all efforts by Saraki to have another meeting with the president, after the party’s National Executive Council meeting two Fridays ago, have proved abortive.
The reliable source said that Saraki had at different times reached out to people to help him persuade Buhari to grant him audience.
“The truth is that the President is still displeased with what transpired in the National Assembly, especially the Senate. Their encounter during the APC National Executive Council meeting, when they shook hands, was the first meeting between President Buhari and Saraki since he emerged as the President of the Senate.
“We are aware that Saraki has been going about begging people to assist him to plead with the President to meet with him. That was one of the reasons why he visited former President Obasanjo.
“I can tell you that the President is very pained by what happened. He felt that since he had been transparent with the party, everybody should play that way. But since Saraki took that path, the President was and he is still pained. Let us just hope that at the end of it all, they will be able to put the matter behind them.” the source said
Martin O'Neill wants Man Utd legend to join him at Leicester City
MARTIN O'NEILL will ask Manchester United legend Roy Keane to move with him should he take the job at Leicester City.
Claudio Ranieri and Neil Lennon are also on the shortlist, but the Foxes are confident they can tempt O'Neill to leave his post as Republic of Ireland boss with their financial backing.
The former Sunderland and Ipswich Town boss revealed in his recent autobiography that he hopes working alongside O'Neill will help him return to management.
Names Of Officials Who Will Accompany Buhari To The US
Some important details of the upcoming visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United States have come out.
The meeting is to be held on July 20 and is expected to be a serious step in the advancement of diplomatic relationships between the two countries. Last year, under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Nigeria-US ties were weakened over the military cooperation in the fight against Boko Haram.
Sahara Reporters has disclosed the names of some key figures, in particular five governors, who are likely to accompany the president to Washington D.C., where he will meet his counterpart Barack Obama.
READ ALSO: Buhari Expresses Hopes From Meeting With Obama
The five governors include those of Oyo, Imo, Edo states and two other governors. They are set to accompany Buhari in addition to the 18-man delegation made up of top presidential aides, including Rotimi Amaechi, Tunde Bakare and Farouk Adamu.
The major issue of the July 20 discussion will be the effective ways of collaboration between the two countries to ensure success in the fight against terrorism and corruption in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Dear President Buhari Please Wake Up – Etcetera
Amaechi, the former Rivers state governor, on Friday paid a visit to Buhari in Aso Rock. Based on the recent report, it is possible that the meeting was connected with the forthcoming trip to the US.
Muhammadu Buhari and Barack Obama
The meeting is to be held on July 20 and is expected to be a serious step in the advancement of diplomatic relationships between the two countries. Last year, under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Nigeria-US ties were weakened over the military cooperation in the fight against Boko Haram.
Sahara Reporters has disclosed the names of some key figures, in particular five governors, who are likely to accompany the president to Washington D.C., where he will meet his counterpart Barack Obama.
READ ALSO: Buhari Expresses Hopes From Meeting With Obama
The five governors include those of Oyo, Imo, Edo states and two other governors. They are set to accompany Buhari in addition to the 18-man delegation made up of top presidential aides, including Rotimi Amaechi, Tunde Bakare and Farouk Adamu.
The major issue of the July 20 discussion will be the effective ways of collaboration between the two countries to ensure success in the fight against terrorism and corruption in Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Dear President Buhari Please Wake Up – Etcetera
Amaechi, the former Rivers state governor, on Friday paid a visit to Buhari in Aso Rock. Based on the recent report, it is possible that the meeting was connected with the forthcoming trip to the US.
Double dealing: Iran violating nuclear sanctions even as talks drag on
sanctions even as talks drag on
While U.S.-led world powers hold talks with Iran in Vienna to
curb Tehran’s illicit nuclear weapons program, the Islamic Republic’s
spies have been seeking atomic and missile technology in neighboring
Germany as recently as last month, according to German intelligence
sources.
Iran’s illegal activities have continued since talks between Iran and the P5+1 - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council as well as rotating member Germany - began with a Joint Plan of Action in 2013, according to German intelligence sources. The JPOA was intended to stop Iran’s work on a nuclear weapon until a comprehensive agreement is reached.
With a final agreement to restrict Iran’s nuclear program set for Monday, the intelligence data from Germany raises disturbing questions about the success of a deal.
"You would think that with the negotiations, [Iranian] activities would drop," a German intelligence source said. "Despite the talks to end Iran’s program, Iran did not make an about-turn."
The startling revelations of Iran’s ongoing duplicity first appeared Friday on the website of The Weekly Standard.
Iran has a long history of illegally obtaining nuclear technology from within Germany and transporting it in ways that circumvent international sanctions. German companies have shown an eagerness to legally tap the Iranian market, though none are accused of abetting illegality in the latest efforts by Iran.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency—the equivalent of the FBI—in late June issued a detailed report on Iran’s wide-ranging activities to obtain illicit technology for its nuclear and missiles program.
Bloomberg News reported in June that sanctions experts from the Iran UN panel said, "The current situation with reporting could reflect a general reduction of procurement activities by the Iranian side or a political decision by some member states to refrain from reporting to avoid a possible negative impact on ongoing negotiations.”
A nuclear deal with Iran that lifts sanctions could be an economic windfall for Germany. Michael Tockuss, a spokesman for the German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce Association in Hamburg, said annual exports to Iran could rise to the equivalent of $7 billion after a final agreement. The Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Germany sees bilateral trade rising to the equivalent of more than $13 billion annually in a post-sanctions world.
Germany has not taken as skeptical an eye toward the talks as France, whose top diplomat, Laurent Fabius, famously termed the 2013 Iran talks resulting in the JPOA a “fool’s deal.”
Frank-Walter Steinmeier , Germany’s foreign minister, slammed U.S. Senate Republicans for their letter to Iran’s Supreme leader, Ali Khamenei in which they warned that Congress could override a lousy agreement.
“Obviously mistrust is growing...on the Iranian side if we are really serious with the negotiations,” Steinmeier said in March, adding that he hoped “the letter of the 47 senators no longer causes any disturbance in the negotiations.”
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., accused Steinmeier of coming from “the Neville Chamberlain school of diplomacy,” in a reference to the World War II-era appeasement diplomacy of the former British prime minister.
Iran’s illegal activities have continued since talks between Iran and the P5+1 - the five permanent members of the UN Security Council as well as rotating member Germany - began with a Joint Plan of Action in 2013, according to German intelligence sources. The JPOA was intended to stop Iran’s work on a nuclear weapon until a comprehensive agreement is reached.
With a final agreement to restrict Iran’s nuclear program set for Monday, the intelligence data from Germany raises disturbing questions about the success of a deal.
"You would think that with the negotiations, [Iranian] activities would drop," a German intelligence source said. "Despite the talks to end Iran’s program, Iran did not make an about-turn."
Related Image
July
10: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and State Department Chief of
Staff Jon Finer, left, meet with members of the U.S. delegation at the
garden of the Palais Coburg hotel where the Iran nuclear talks meetings
are being held in Vienna. (Reuters)
Iran has a long history of illegally obtaining nuclear technology from within Germany and transporting it in ways that circumvent international sanctions. German companies have shown an eagerness to legally tap the Iranian market, though none are accused of abetting illegality in the latest efforts by Iran.
"Despite the talks to end Iran’s program, Iran did not make an about-turn"Tehran has sought industry computers, high-speed cameras, cable fiber, and pumps for its nuclear and missile program over the last two years, according to German intelligence sources. Germany is required to report Iran’s illegal procurement activities to the UN.
- German intelligence source
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency—the equivalent of the FBI—in late June issued a detailed report on Iran’s wide-ranging activities to obtain illicit technology for its nuclear and missiles program.
Bloomberg News reported in June that sanctions experts from the Iran UN panel said, "The current situation with reporting could reflect a general reduction of procurement activities by the Iranian side or a political decision by some member states to refrain from reporting to avoid a possible negative impact on ongoing negotiations.”
A nuclear deal with Iran that lifts sanctions could be an economic windfall for Germany. Michael Tockuss, a spokesman for the German-Iranian Chamber of Commerce Association in Hamburg, said annual exports to Iran could rise to the equivalent of $7 billion after a final agreement. The Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Germany sees bilateral trade rising to the equivalent of more than $13 billion annually in a post-sanctions world.
Germany has not taken as skeptical an eye toward the talks as France, whose top diplomat, Laurent Fabius, famously termed the 2013 Iran talks resulting in the JPOA a “fool’s deal.”
Frank-Walter Steinmeier , Germany’s foreign minister, slammed U.S. Senate Republicans for their letter to Iran’s Supreme leader, Ali Khamenei in which they warned that Congress could override a lousy agreement.
“Obviously mistrust is growing...on the Iranian side if we are really serious with the negotiations,” Steinmeier said in March, adding that he hoped “the letter of the 47 senators no longer causes any disturbance in the negotiations.”
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., accused Steinmeier of coming from “the Neville Chamberlain school of diplomacy,” in a reference to the World War II-era appeasement diplomacy of the former British prime minister.
Kylie Jenner buys over 20 pairs of shoes at the same time (photo)
Kylie Jenner showed off all the new shoes she bought at the same time.
She shared the photo above on her her instagram and wrote "So...I
splurged today.". It must be good to have money...:-)
'Oliseh Will Surprise Nigerians' - Amunike
Former Super Eagles player and U17 Golden Eaglets head
coach, Emmanuel Amunike has thrown his support for Sunday Oliseh who is
in-line to become the next Super Eagles’ coach.
In an exclusive interview with him in Abuja, Amunike also revealed that his team will work hard to get better than the Manu Garba led U17 World Cup winning squad.
Excerpts:
Question: Moving forward, what are your plans for the Golden Eaglets?
Answer: We are focused and optimistic, we are doing the right things and doing everything possible for us to make a statement in global football.
How prepared are the boys for upcoming tournaments?
I think in every tournament teams objective is to do well, that’s our thing and we have to work hard. We are drilling the boys well and suffering is part of the game through suffering, you get endurance, through endurance, you get character and through character you get hope.
What are you personal targets for the team?
Coming here to tell people we will do miracle is not possible but I am going to do the best that I can within my power to make them world class players.
What are the challenges that you are facing in the team?
Everyone has challenges, it either makes you tougher or tough, we must separate the challenges and only dwell on the positives it brings. Every game we play at tournaments will pose as a challenge to us and the earlier we understand the better.
Nigeria is the defending champion of the U17 FIFA World Cup under Manu Garba with assistance from you; can you give Nigerians a new breed of champions ?
Like I said, football is not all about magic, we are here to get the best legs and it is only a matter of time. I believe we can do it again, in football anything can happen. All the same I have faith and believe.
What do you think about Sunday Oliseh’s appointment?
It is a welcome development. We cannot do away with human resources some of us played matches to the highest level and we have played under great coaches, some of us studied under them as well. Oliseh will surprise a lot of people and perform well, let’s support him.
Amunike
Excerpts:
Question: Moving forward, what are your plans for the Golden Eaglets?
Answer: We are focused and optimistic, we are doing the right things and doing everything possible for us to make a statement in global football.
How prepared are the boys for upcoming tournaments?
I think in every tournament teams objective is to do well, that’s our thing and we have to work hard. We are drilling the boys well and suffering is part of the game through suffering, you get endurance, through endurance, you get character and through character you get hope.
What are you personal targets for the team?
Coming here to tell people we will do miracle is not possible but I am going to do the best that I can within my power to make them world class players.
What are the challenges that you are facing in the team?
Everyone has challenges, it either makes you tougher or tough, we must separate the challenges and only dwell on the positives it brings. Every game we play at tournaments will pose as a challenge to us and the earlier we understand the better.
Nigeria is the defending champion of the U17 FIFA World Cup under Manu Garba with assistance from you; can you give Nigerians a new breed of champions ?
Like I said, football is not all about magic, we are here to get the best legs and it is only a matter of time. I believe we can do it again, in football anything can happen. All the same I have faith and believe.
What do you think about Sunday Oliseh’s appointment?
It is a welcome development. We cannot do away with human resources some of us played matches to the highest level and we have played under great coaches, some of us studied under them as well. Oliseh will surprise a lot of people and perform well, let’s support him.
Liverpool make £22m bid for Real Madrid winger with Jordon Ibe set for another loan spell
LIVERPOOL have made a £22million bid for Real Madrid winger Denis Cheryshev.
However, the Russia international is surplus to requirements at the Bernabeu due to the number of wingers Real boss Rafa Benitez already has at his disposal.
The deal could free up Jordon Ibe for another loan spell, having spent the first-half of last season at Championship outfit Derby.
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