JUST IN!!! “I Can Turn Nigeria Around In 4 Months” Goodluck Jonathan Reportedly Says

Goodluck Jonathan beats Tinubu, Kofi Anan to prestigious prize

Former president, Goodluck Jonathan has won yet another prestigious award – Jonathan has been named the ‘Person -of-the-year 2015′, for the African Leadership Magazine – He beat APC chieftain, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and five others to get hold of the coveted prize – The judges chose him because of his role in Nigeria’s historic election which saw APC come into power Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s immediate past president, has beaten many high-profile nominees drawn from across Africa to emerge Person of the Year 2015. The prestigious award was bestowed on him by the African Leadership Magazine.
The disclosure was made in a letter signed by the former Liberian Pro tem Senate president and chair, 2015 African Leadership Person of the Year Selection Committee, Cletus Wortoson. The nominees for this year’s award include former Secretary General of the United Nations, Koffi Anan; National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; founder of Econet Wireless; Strive Masiyiwa; Chairman of Heirs Holding, Tony Elumulelu; Executive Director of UN Women, Mlambo-Ngcuka, President of African Development Bank, AfDB, Akinwunmi Adesina. Wortoson noted that the selection committee and the African Leadership Advisory Board placed a very high premium on Jonathan’s commitment towards deepening democracy on the continent.

The letter reads, “There is no one best suited at the moment than Your Excellency, to advise the continent’s leaders on the merits of good governance and enduring democracy. Jonathan wins man of the year award “Your popular mantra of ‘one man one vote’ and ‘my ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,’ is a message that must be preached loud and clear on the continent, hence our endorsement. “In adopting you as our choice, we placed a very high premium on your commitment towards deepening democracy on the continent – a characteristic which is uncommon among most African leaders at the highest level today.
“Chief among the many factors we considered was your efforts towards promoting good governance in Africa-through the promotion of free and fair elections across the continent. Your recent assignment to Tanzania received accolades and international acclaim, because, you discharged the responsibility most creditably.” Jonathan has continued to be applauded for his “classy role” in the 2015 presidential election which marks a significant milestone in the Nigeria’s democracy. After losing the election, Jonathan congratulated his opponent, Muhammadu Buhari, and conducted a smooth transition of power.

BUHARI’S BILATERAL AGREEMENTS : NIGERIANS REQUIRE A REFEREE IN QATAR BEFORE VISA

This is from a country buhari told us he signed bilateral agreement with: “For a Nigerian to get a Qatari visa, he ought to have a sponsor who is resident in Qatar; that is the new policy for those countries that are not listed among the nations that its citizens are allowed to visit the country (Qatar).”
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A Questionable Deal with Qatar

March 3, 2016 64 12637 The verdict olusegun By Olusegun Adeniyi: olusegun.adeniyi@thisdaylive.com
President Muhammadu Buhari was in Qatar last week and the major news that came out of the visit was the signing of Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and Qatar to pave way for direct flights between major cities of both countries. While I continue to wonder whether any due diligence was done by the relevant authorities before committing Nigeria to such an agreement, there are pertinent questions as to whose idea this BASA deal is. Since Nigeria currently has no national carrier, it stands to reason that Qatar initiated the idea and that is where the problem lies: I don’t believe that the interest of our people was served by the agreement.

Early in January this year, I got a mail from a lady, Mrs Chioma Okigbo, narrating one of those unpleasant experiences to which Nigerians are usually subjected in their own country. On receiving the mail (with supporting documents), I immediately forwarded them to THISDAY aviation editor, Chinedu Eze, asking him to investigate the claims and give me a feedback. Since Mrs Okigbo’s enclosed her phone number, I also called to assure her I would follow up on the matter. It took Chinedu a week to get back to me but he confirmed Mrs Okigbo’s story. Now, this was what she wrote in her mail:

“To my shock and utter dismay, I received an almost instant response from the website informing me that the government of Qatar does not issue visas to Nigerian nationals. This response upset me a great deal and raised a number of questions in my head: If we, as Nigerians are not good enough to visit their country, what exactly are they doing running an airline in ours? What is the Nigerian Government’s stance on Qataris visiting Nigeria? Do we issue visas to them or are they also not allowed in Nigeria? Why is the Federal Government of Nigeria allowing a company to run a business in Nigeria, whilst their host country feels we are all criminals?

“Anyway, I went to the Qatar Airways office where, by the way, I met some really nice Nigerians, and asked for a full refund. To add insult to injury, the airline will be deducting a 10 percent fee for cancellation! Where in the world is this fair and equitable? I felt that I needed to share this with you as I do not know the number of other unsuspecting Nigerians that would be affected by such discrimination.”
When THISDAY sought explanation for such discrimination against our nationals, the Qatar Airways Lagos Airport Manager, who simply gave his name as Hashim said: “for a Nigerian to get a Qatari visa, he ought to have a sponsor who is resident in Qatar; that is the new policy for those countries that are not listed among the nations that its citizens are allowed to visit the country (Qatar).”
And it is this same Qatar with which Nigeria has just signed a BASA deal!
For those who still may not get it, what we are dealing with here is not the usual impunity of some foreign companies operating in our country, the summary of Mrs Okigbo’s ordeal is that Qatar Airways operates and makes money from Nigeria yet our citizens are considered not good enough to enter their country like other nationals.
There are several critical issues here for both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Consumer Protection Council but I will highlight only two. First, Mrs Okigbo was practically fleeced of 10 percent of her ticket money because she did not embark on a flight to a country that would not give her a visa. Two, it is an official policy of Qatar to discriminate against nationals of Nigeria.
I believe that the humiliating experience of Mrs Chioma Okigbo should not be seen as a personal insult, it is a serious affront to our country. What is perhaps more worrying is that the presidential statement announcing the BASA deal went further to disclose that Nigeria has commenced discussions on partnership (with Qatar, I imagine) towards establishing a national carrier without providing any details.

Given that the nation’s aviation industry is currently going through financial crisis with many of our local airlines highly indebted, the Buhari administration has refused to answer the most pertinent question about this idea of national carrier that is being driven more by nostalgia than economic common sense: On what model will the flag carrier be based and what are the funding plans, especially at a time like this?

Again, coming up with a prestige project at a time Nigeria needs all the resources it can muster to meet pressing national demands betrays a clear lack of seriousness on the part of this administration. Against the background that even countries like Italy and others that are better managed have found running airlines a difficult proposition with most of them divesting from the business, I still fail to understand what is driving this obsession with national carrier. However, more pertinent is the question of why the latest announcement was made in Doha after signing the BASA deal.

Since our international aviation sector is very lucrative (Nigerians travel a lot and to everywhere in the world) and we currently do not have a national carrier, the implication of any BASA deal with Qatar can only be to the advantage of Qatar Airways. While I should not begrudge them for that, I hope the Nigerian authorities also have ready answers for the questions posed by Mrs. Chioma Okigbo. Yet, there is something in this untidy affair that should make one very sad. Apparently because we are now looking anywhere and everywhere for “foreign investors”, we don’t have a sense of shame anymore. But just how cheap can a nation be?

“Dear Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi,

“I felt a need to share an event that happened to me with you. On 19th November, 2015, I accessed Qatar Airways website with the intention of purchasing a ticket to visit Doha and Dubai. The visit to Dubai was the major reason for the trip as we had planned a reunion of our secondary school classmates from all over the world in that location. Having a friend working in Doha, I opted to leave Nigeria some days earlier than the planned reunion dates of 25th – 28th February.

“Before buying my ticket, I confirmed from the website that the airline was able to process visa for visitors to Qatar; in fact this information was very prominently displayed on their website. I proceeded to purchase my ticket and on Tuesday, January 19th, a month to my travel date, I visited Qatar Airways website again, this time to complete the visa process. The site redirected me to a website called Discover Qatar, which I believe is the official information center for all visitors to Qatar and had been set up by the Qatari government to provide accurate and timely travel information to visitors. I was required to complete a simple form but the first unpleasant surprise was that Nigeria was not listed among the countries under the pull down menu for Nationality. I found this curious and told my classmates that I had planned the Doha trip with a friend (who would be flying in from London) and she suggested that a country called Niceau was their own clever way of writing Nigeria. I decided however to contact the center and make proper inquiries.

One Person Burnt To Death As APC, PDP Supporters Clash In Rivers

One Person Burnt To Death As APC, PDP Supporters Clash In Rivers

A violent clash in Rivers State between Peoples Democratic Party members and All Progressives Congress members has left one man burnt to death.

Mr. Ofinjite Amachree, popularly known as ‘Kalampo’ has been burnt to death during a clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Buguma, headquarters of Asari-Toru local government area of Rivers State.

According to LeadershipNG, the incident occurred at the new Health Centre area built by the immediate past administration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, for the community, while the victim, Kalampo was identified as a stalwart of the APC.

Giving graphic details about the incident, a resident of the Buguma, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said,“We don’t really know what caused the fight but what we know is that it is a clash between the APC and PDP. There were series of gun shots so we had to take cover in our house. One guy popularly known as Kalampo, who I think is an APC member was killed and burnt. As I speak with you, there is tension in entire community.”

The incident was confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Ahmad Kadiya Muhammad.

It’s awkward for Buhari to ban forex for education when his own kids school abroad – Ben Bruce

It’s awkward for Buhari to ban forex for education when his own kids school abroad – Ben Bruce

Outspoken Senator and businessman, Ben Murray-Bruce, representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, has said that it is unfair for President Muhammadu Buhari to ban foreign exchange for Nigerian students abroad, while his own children school abroad.

Mr. Buhari during an interview granted to Al Jazeera said: “Nigeria cannot continue to subsidize the forex needs of everyone.”
“Those who can afford foreign education for their children can go ahead, but Nigeria cannot afford to allocate foreign exchange for those who decided to train their children outside the country. We can’t just afford it. That is just the true situation,” he said.
Reminded by the interviewer that his own children school abroad, President Buhari said “I can afford it.”

Reacting to this, Mr. Senator Bruce said: “Its awkward for a leader to say no #ForexForEducation for kids schooling abroad when his own kids school abroad!,” he wrote on his Twitter page.
“Mr. President, these are people who voted for you. Shouldn’t you be more sensitive to their need for #ForexForEducation.”
“This year officials, including the Presidency, will spend billions importing cars. If we can afford that cant we afford #ForexForEducation”
“What should parents whose kids have spent 2+ years studying abroad do? Should their kids drop out after going so far? #ForexForEducation”
“Its not a matter of “those who can afford it”. Parents aren’t saying they cant afford it. They’re saying they cant get #ForexForEducation”

“I advocate for #BuyNaijaToGrowTheNaira but I accept that there are some courses that we dont offer in our universities #ForexForEducation”
“If we can provide foreign exchange to those going on pilgrimage, surely we can provide #ForexForEducation. Education is a priority!”
“These policies will have the opposite effect of what you intend. Nigerians will take their funds to neighboring nations #ForexForEducation”
“We as elected representatives of the people must be sensitive to their needs and reflect this sensitivity in policies #ForexForEducation,” Mr Bruce said.

My children study abroad because I can afford it – Buhari

President Muhammad Buhari has said that the forex crisis in the country is being managed by his administration and that not every Nigerian will be able to access foreign exchange at official rates in the country.

The President made the revelation during an interview with Talk With Al Jazeera during his visit to Qatar.

When asked by the interviewer about the inability of parents with children schooling abroad to purchase forex at affordable rates to keep their children in school.

President Buhari said, “Not every Nigerian can afford it and the country cannot continue to subsidize the forex needs of everyone.”

Reminded by the interviewer that his own children school abroad, President Buhari said “I can afford it.”

The Al Jazeera anchor then asked, “So it’s their tough luck then?” in reference to those Nigerians who are unable to afford the school fees.

The President responded by shrugging his shoulders.

Many Nigerians voted for President Buhari due to the ability of his campaign managers to dress him up as a man of very modest means who could relate to the pains of ordinary Nigerians. However it appears Buharinomics may not be as forgiving to those class of Nigerians as they would have liked.

SHOCKER!!! Man Kills and Buries His Father in Shallow Grave in Anambra (See Photos)

The man  allegedly killed and buried his own father in Umuajana Village Umudioka, Dunukofia LGA of Anambra state.
The old man had gone missing for some days and his family had started looking for him. The shallow grave where the son buried him was discovered on Sunday March 6th, around 2pm after someone raised suspicion. The son was handed over to the police for further investigation.

See more photos after the cut…

Abia North Rerun Election: PPA Rejects Result (See their Next Move)

Abia North Rerun Election: PPA Rejects Result (See their Next Move)

The leadership of the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) in Abia State has rejected in total terms the result of the Saturday rerun poll in Abia North Senatorial District, calling for a cancellation of the  results of the controversial polling units in Ohafia and Arochukwu local governments.

 

According to the PPA Zonal Chairman in Abia North, Hon. Rapheal Ukoro, the returning officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),  Dr. Ojike Nwankwo, on Sunday afternoon announced Chief Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner despite  declaring  the election inconclusive on Sunday morning based on the controversial results of Wards 2 and 3 in Arochukwu (home base of the PDP candidate, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa) due to heavy ballot-box snatching and falsification of results‎.

 

Addressing a press conference in Umuahia on Monday, he said, “we wish to state categorically that our great party, PPA, affirms its position on the  rejection of  the result of the Saturday rerun poll in Abia North, noting that the returning officer of INEC, Dr. Ojike Nwankwo, had at the Ohafia INEC collation centre  on Sunday, March 6, 2016, at 7.00 a.m.,  announced in the presence of party agents and other INEC officials that due to irregularities in some wards in Arochukwu and Ohafia local governments, where election was marred by widespread rigging and violence, the election was inconclusive.

 

“Shortly after the declaration of the indecisiveness of the rerun poll, the returning officer and other INEC officials moved to the State INEC office in Umuahia, where the PDP candidate and agents met with them in closed door to perfect their illegal action. It was gathered that the returning officer and other INEC officials were compromised by the PDP agents with the support of the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, who doled out handsome cash gifts to them to reverse their earlier position.