Plot alleged to rig Rivers State poll

Lagos - The All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged efforts being by President Goodluck Jonathan to use a top official of the Niger Delta Development Coommission (NDDC) and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to rig the forthcoming general elections in the state.

The party alleged that NDDC Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Dr Henry Ogiri, has been directed by President Jonathan to work closely with Rivers REC, Gesila Khan, to ensure that Jonathan won on March 28 while People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Nyesome Wike, won on April 11.

Rivers APC Chairman, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya said Ogiri had purchased a new luxury vehicle for Khan, which was currently parked at the village of Khan in Ogbia, Bayelsa State.
In addition, Dr Ogiri has set aside a whopping sum of $100 million to be deposited into the account of Khan.

“To perfect the plans of winning Rivers State at all costs, Khan, who is from President Jonathan’s village and his very close relation, was deliberately posted to Rivers recently to ensure that PDP wins the State despite having been overwhelmingly rejected by our people,” said Ikanya.

He added, “For INEC to post President Jonathan’s kinswoman to supervise the elections in Rivers State, which he has personally confessed neglecting deliberately in his six years in office, simply betrays the Presidency’s desperation to rig the elections as PDP can never win any free and fair polls in Rivers State.”
Ikanya said that the strategy of compromising INEC to pave the way for the use of the allegedly missing 14 000 PVCs and PDP’s cloned cards was coming after PDP failed to wear down Rivers APC through the killing and detaining of several of its members.

“We will like the security organs to investigate this woman and retrieve this car and expose Dr Ogiri for what he is. This is a man who has failed to pay NDDC staff for months and has also failed to pay contractors for services rendered to the commission, while funds are reserved for use in rigging the 2015 elections for PDP.”
PDP had not commented on the allegations.

- CAJ News

Government approves Confab report

2015-03-19 10:19
Abuja - The Federal Executive Council has approved the main report of the 2014 National Conference at a meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, Premium Times reports.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, and the Minster of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Edem Duke, briefed State House correspondents of the meeting’s outcome.

Jonathan had in September 2014 shortly after the end of the conference approved the composition of a presidential committee to study and draw up the implementation strategy.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Muhammed Adoke (SAN), is the chairman of the presidential panel while the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, is the secretary.
Read more at Premium Times

Jega shuns CAN president

Abuja - The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega has rebuffed attempts by the President of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor to meet with him, reports The Nation.

Oritsejafor, who disclosed this on Wednesday at a one- day interactive meeting for a smooth transition of Nigeria’s democracy, organised by Think Nigeria Christian-Muslim Movement in Abuja, explained that a meeting with the INEC chairman was arranged by the CAN general secretary, Reverend Musa Asake, based on dates given to them by the INEC boss.

Oritsejafor said he and other members of CAN had wanted to see Jega in order to contribute to the preparation and success of the general elections.

However, Jega has denied scheduling any meeting with CAN.
Kayode Idowu, chief press secretary to Jega in a swift reaction to Oritsejafor’s claim, said he was unaware of any request by CAN to see Jega which was turned down.

Read more at The Nation.

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APC drags Jonathan to ICC

Abuja - The All Progressives Congress (APC) has threatened to drag President Goodluck Jonathan to the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague, reports Vanguard.

This follows the massive terror unleashed on the residents of Lagos on Monday by armed pro-Jonathan groups under the cover of a faction of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC).
The OPC was demanding the sack of Professor Attahiru Jega, National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Garba Shehu, the Director of Media and Publicity of the party’s presidential campaign organization, noted that the party was not ready to cower to the intimidation of  President Jonathan, ahead of the general elections.

He described the activities of the President and his wife, Patience, as regards the elections as not patriotic and very unhelpful for entrenching democratic values in the nation.
Read more at Vanguard.

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Nyanya bombers to be tried in camera

2015-03-18 13:46
Abuja -  A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that the alleged mastermind of the April 14 Nyanya bomb blast, Aminu Ogwuche and five orders be tried in camera, Channelstv reports.

 The prosecution had applied to hold the trial in camera to protect the witnesses in the case at the renewed trial of the suspects in Abuja.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed, who gave the order, also allowed the prosecution to use aliases for the defence witnesses of trial of the April 14 Nyanya bomb blast which claimed over 76 lives.

The defence lawyers agreed to a camera trial, but opposed the application for the witnesses to be masked.
Read more at Channelstv

Buhari explains why he wouldn’t debate with Jonathan

Abuja - Those who are expecting to see the two leading candidates in the March 28 presidential election square up each other in a debate would have to wait forever, reports Premium Times.

This is because the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, has said he is not ready to participate in any debate with President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Also read: Fayose blasts Obasanjo for endorsing Buhari
Buhari, who spoke on Tuesday at an interactive session with members of the Newspaper  Proprietors Association of Nigeria( NPAN) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors( NGE) in Abuja, said there is no basis for the debate.

He noted that the record of the PDP and President Jonathan in government is public knowledge.
Read more at Premium Times

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Jonathan says Atiku on vacation in APC

Abuja - President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, is on vacation in the All Progressives Congress (APC), reports Leadership.

He sated that Atiku remains a core member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
President Jonathan, who spoke through his special adviser on on political matters, Prof Rufai Alkali, said Atiku will return to the party before the general elections.

Alkali was speaking when 120 members of Atiku Abubakar Support Group formally defected to the PDP.
President Jonathan had on Friday night met with Atiku to convince and persuade the former VP to return to the PDP.

Read  more Leadership.

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