2015-01-06 21:50
Abuja - Facing an increasingly violent Islamist insurgency,
governors from three states in northeast Nigeria asked President
Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday to deploy extra troops to secure their
regions before next month's presidential election.
With less than
six weeks to go before the polls, officials are concerned the northeast
may be so destabilised by Boko Haram militants that millions of people
are prevented from voting in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, the worst affected
of Nigeria's 36 states.
"We need more troops. The troops on the
ground we have in our various states are not enough," Yobe state
governor Ibrahim Gaidem told journalists at the presidential villa after
meeting with Jonathan. "We appealed to the president to deploy
additional troops with full equipment to tame the situation."
The
presidency was not immediately available to comment, but a presidential
source told Reuters Jonathan had accepted the request in principle. The
source did not give further details.
Security
will be a major election issue in the country with the biggest economy
and population in Africa. The electoral commission says more than a
million Nigerians displaced by the Islamist insurgency in the northeast
may not be able to vote on Feb. 14 unless the law is changed to enable
them to do so away from their home regions.
Parliament is
considering such a law. Jonathan's main opponent is Muhammadu Buhari, a
Muslim from the north who, as a former military leader, is seen as tough
on security.
The five-year-old insurgency, which is trying to
revive a medieval Islamic caliphate, has killed thousands of people and
uprooted more than a million. The militants have also kidnapped hundreds
of children: 200 girls snatched from a school in the village of Chibok
last April remain missing.
The military seems ill-equipped and
overstretched against a determined foe. Boko Haram killed dozens of
civilians and at least 11 soldiers when it took control of a Nigerian
town and army base on the shores of Lake Chad, at the borders with Chad
and Cameroon, at the weekend.
Refugees aside, it may be too
insecure in some parts of the northeast to hold an election at all,
officials say, and many foreign observers will not get security
clearance to go up there.
But the governors of the three states under a military state of emergency were confident the polls would happen everywhere.
"Definitely in all those areas where the insurgency exist, elections will hold," Gaidem said.
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Wednesday, 7 January 2015
Tuesday, 6 January 2015
Nigerian choir breaks Guinness World Record
2015-01-06 11:31
Lagos - A Nigerian choral group in Akwa Ibom State has broken the World record for largest number of Christmas carol singers in the world.
The record was recently officially certified by the Guinness World Records and posted on their site.
The group called the Unity Choir held a concert at the Uyo Township Stadium on December 13 with Guinness World Records representatives in attendance.
The choir, which was made up of 25 272 members, shattered the former record of 15 674 carol singers set by a group known as CENTI in Bogota, Columbia in December 2013.
The Unity Choir sang a medley of The First Noel, Joy to the World, O Christmas Tree, Hark the Herald the Angels Sing, Once in Royal David’s City and O Come All Ye Faithful.
The performance lasted for more than 20 minutes.
Lagos - A Nigerian choral group in Akwa Ibom State has broken the World record for largest number of Christmas carol singers in the world.
The record was recently officially certified by the Guinness World Records and posted on their site.
The group called the Unity Choir held a concert at the Uyo Township Stadium on December 13 with Guinness World Records representatives in attendance.
The choir, which was made up of 25 272 members, shattered the former record of 15 674 carol singers set by a group known as CENTI in Bogota, Columbia in December 2013.
The Unity Choir sang a medley of The First Noel, Joy to the World, O Christmas Tree, Hark the Herald the Angels Sing, Once in Royal David’s City and O Come All Ye Faithful.
The performance lasted for more than 20 minutes.
Bollywood falls in love with Nollywood
2015-01-06 12:42
Abuja - India’s Acting High Commissioner in Nigeria Kaisar Alam on Sunday said the commission will facilitate collaboration between Nollywood and Bollywood, the Nigeria’s and India’s movie industries, respectively.
He said in Abuja that the two countries’ film industries had a lot to contribute to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Alam said that stakeholders in the film industries from Bollywood and Nollywood could partner or exchange programmes that would yield mutual benefits and promote better understanding between the two countries.
According to him, India is the second largest producer of films in the world, next only to Hollywood.
"Indian films are very popular in several countries like Russia, China, Indonesia; and even in Nigeria. India can use its more than 100 years of experience in Bollywood to assist Nigeria if the people in the industry can communicate exactly what they need to us. The people in the industry have to come forward to tell us exactly where they need assistance and in what form. The film industry contributes significantly to the GDP of India. I understand that Nollywood also contributes significantly to the GDP of Nigeria,’’ he said.
He said collaboration between Nigeria and India in the movie industries will boost both country’s economies.
NAN
Abuja - India’s Acting High Commissioner in Nigeria Kaisar Alam on Sunday said the commission will facilitate collaboration between Nollywood and Bollywood, the Nigeria’s and India’s movie industries, respectively.
He said in Abuja that the two countries’ film industries had a lot to contribute to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Alam said that stakeholders in the film industries from Bollywood and Nollywood could partner or exchange programmes that would yield mutual benefits and promote better understanding between the two countries.
According to him, India is the second largest producer of films in the world, next only to Hollywood.
"Indian films are very popular in several countries like Russia, China, Indonesia; and even in Nigeria. India can use its more than 100 years of experience in Bollywood to assist Nigeria if the people in the industry can communicate exactly what they need to us. The people in the industry have to come forward to tell us exactly where they need assistance and in what form. The film industry contributes significantly to the GDP of India. I understand that Nollywood also contributes significantly to the GDP of Nigeria,’’ he said.
He said collaboration between Nigeria and India in the movie industries will boost both country’s economies.
NAN
Two more New York police shot, but not targeted
2015-01-06 11:31
New York - Two plainclothes New York police officers were shot late on Monday as they investigated a robbery, local media reported.
Their injuries were not life-threatening and the gunman apparently did not deliberately target them simply because they were police, the New York Times reported.
On 20 December, two uniform-wearing officers in New York were shot by a black gunman claiming to be avenging the deaths of African-Americans during recent confrontations with police.
Local media said Monday's shooting happened as the two officers tried to stop a robbery in the Bronx.
One was shot in the back, the other in the arm, the New York Daily News reported. Both officers were sent to the hospital.
New York's police department has been on edge since last month's shooting and officers have repeatedly shown their disdain for Mayor Bill de Blasio by turning their backs to him during public events, including the funerals of the two slain cops.
Some officers accuse de Blasio of inciting the shooting over remarks about police relations with black Americans and were enraged that he counsels his biracial son to be careful around officers.
New York - Two plainclothes New York police officers were shot late on Monday as they investigated a robbery, local media reported.
Their injuries were not life-threatening and the gunman apparently did not deliberately target them simply because they were police, the New York Times reported.
On 20 December, two uniform-wearing officers in New York were shot by a black gunman claiming to be avenging the deaths of African-Americans during recent confrontations with police.
Local media said Monday's shooting happened as the two officers tried to stop a robbery in the Bronx.
One was shot in the back, the other in the arm, the New York Daily News reported. Both officers were sent to the hospital.
New York's police department has been on edge since last month's shooting and officers have repeatedly shown their disdain for Mayor Bill de Blasio by turning their backs to him during public events, including the funerals of the two slain cops.
Some officers accuse de Blasio of inciting the shooting over remarks about police relations with black Americans and were enraged that he counsels his biracial son to be careful around officers.
Submission of presidential candidates’ names ends
2015-01-06 11:31
Abuja - The window for political parties to submit nomination forms for their presidential and National Assembly candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ends on Tuesday, reports Daily Trust.
After the close of work on Tuesday, parties can no longer nominate candidates for those categories in the 2015 general elections.
The parties, however, have up till January 20 to submit their Governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.
INEC is expected to publish the final list of Presidential and National Assembly candidates on January 27.
Read more at Daily Trust.
Abuja - The window for political parties to submit nomination forms for their presidential and National Assembly candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ends on Tuesday, reports Daily Trust.
After the close of work on Tuesday, parties can no longer nominate candidates for those categories in the 2015 general elections.
The parties, however, have up till January 20 to submit their Governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.
INEC is expected to publish the final list of Presidential and National Assembly candidates on January 27.
Read more at Daily Trust.
Bankole may dump PDP for SDP
2015-01-06 12:42
Abeokuta - Following the controversy that greeted the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primaries in Ogun State, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole is set to dump the party for the Social Democratic Party(SDP), reports New Telegraph.
The SDP has offered the former Speaker its governorship ticket to contest the February 28 gubernatorial election in the state.
Bankole, while addressing his teeming supporters and loyalists in Abeokuta, said he rejected the PDP offer of a senatorial ticket.
The leadership of the PDP in the state has picked a former Group Managing Director of Gateway Holdings Limited, Gboyega Isiaka, as its candidate for the election.
Read more at New Telegraph.
Abeokuta - Following the controversy that greeted the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primaries in Ogun State, former House of Representatives Speaker, Dimeji Bankole is set to dump the party for the Social Democratic Party(SDP), reports New Telegraph.
The SDP has offered the former Speaker its governorship ticket to contest the February 28 gubernatorial election in the state.
Bankole, while addressing his teeming supporters and loyalists in Abeokuta, said he rejected the PDP offer of a senatorial ticket.
The leadership of the PDP in the state has picked a former Group Managing Director of Gateway Holdings Limited, Gboyega Isiaka, as its candidate for the election.
Read more at New Telegraph.
Buhari begins campaign in Port Harcourt
2015-01-06 12:42
Port Harcourt - The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari has made a slight change in his presidential campaign billed to start on Tuesday.
He has opted to kick start the campaign in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and not Uyo as earlier announced, reports ThisDay.
The event is scheduled for the 40 000-capacity Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
Shortly after inaugurating Buhari’s campaign in Rivers, the APC team will move to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to campaign in the PDP-controlled state and to present the party’s flag to the governorship standard-bearer of the party in the state, Umana Okon Umana.
Read more at ThisDay.
Port Harcourt - The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari has made a slight change in his presidential campaign billed to start on Tuesday.
He has opted to kick start the campaign in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and not Uyo as earlier announced, reports ThisDay.
The event is scheduled for the 40 000-capacity Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
Shortly after inaugurating Buhari’s campaign in Rivers, the APC team will move to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, to campaign in the PDP-controlled state and to present the party’s flag to the governorship standard-bearer of the party in the state, Umana Okon Umana.
Read more at ThisDay.
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