Buhari to resume search for oil along Chad Basin

BY NDAHI MARAMA, MAIDUGURI
The President-elect General Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday, said his incoming administration will accord priority to ending the Boko Haram insurgency and bring stability in the north east geopolitical zone, focus on re-activating the Lake Chad and deploy enormous resources to resume vigorous search for oil along the Chad Basin in parts of Borno State.

General Buhari who spoke at his residence in Kaduna while responding to requests made by Governor Kashim Shettima, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Elkanemi and some elders from Borno State during a congratulatory visit to the President elect. 

‎Buhari said he was very much aware of the problems of the northeast and will not waste time in tackling them up one after the other. He said his administration will enhance collaboration with

Jonathan, Buhari, Atiku, Ngige, others eulogise Chukwumerije

By Clifford Ndujihe, Gbenga OKe,  Chidi Nkwopara, Vincent Ujumadu, Levinus Nwabughiogu &  Emman Ovuakporie

ABUJA—TRIBUTEs continued to pour in yesterday for late Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who died in Abuja, on Sunday.

The latest came from the President, Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Patience, President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and a host of others, describing his death as a great loss to the Igbo and Nigeria.

He will be remembered for his passion for a just society — Jonathan

Xenophobic attacks: Protests target S-African business outfits

Xenophobic attacks: Protests target S-African business outfits

By Prince Osuagwu, Simon Ebegbulem, Gabriel Enogholase, Abdulwahab Abdulah, Emmanuel Elebeke & Vera Samuel Anyagafu
ABUJA — Angry Nigerians, yesterday, stormed the South African High Commission in Abuja, threatening to shut down South African companies in Nigeria over xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa, including Nigerians.

Xenophobic Attacks:Nigerians protesting against xenophobic attacks in South Africa at the South African High Commission, in Abuja, yesterday. Photos: Gbemiga Olamikan.

According to the Nigerian Consul-General in South Africa, Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke, the loss by Nigerians in the attacks included looted shops, burnt shops, two burnt mechanic shops, 11 burnt cars and two stolen cars among others.

Reacting to the attacks, angry Nigerians protested in Abuja and Benin City even as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, urged the Federal Government to drag the South African government to the African Commission.

Telecoms giant, MTN, on its part condemned the attacks and charged the South African government to provide strong measures against the spread.

Youths protest at South African High Commission

Hashiem Reaches His Final Stop

Suleiman Hashiem Reaches His Final Stop

The man, who started walking when All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate General Muhammadu Buhari was announced the winner of presidential election, has got to his final stop.

He was given an inspiring welcome by Abuja residents, when he at last arrived in Nigeria’s capital.

Ijaw Group Tells Jonathan

Ibori Has Suffered Enough, Ijaw Group Tells Jonathan

Oluwatobi Bolashodun

An Ijaw group, the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPD) in Delta State, over the weekend, called on President Godluck Jonathan to grant presidential pardon to the former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, before his exit from Aso Villa Vanguard reports.

James Ibori

The National President the group, Mr. Austin Ozobo, in an interactive session with newsmen, said, “Chief Ibori has suffered enough and there is no justification for not granting him clemency, as had been done to others.”
Ozobo said Ibori was not the only corrupt leader in the country, but unfortunately, he has undergone indescribable hardship more than others.
“Ibori should be freed. Hundreds of persons, who looted heavily from government coffers are walking freely in the streets. The continuous incarceration of one corrupt man among a million other corrupt citizens cannot change the menace of high level corruption in the country.
‘’Ibori’s imprisonment could be seen as a witch-hunt and such is highly barbaric and provocative and the Nigerian government must quickly do something about his matter.

News Source :www.naij.com

How The Presidential Election Was Won And Lost

Details On How The Presidential Election Was Won And Lost

Ajomole Helen

Fresh details have emerged on Monday on how the presidential election was won and lost. 

Outgoing president, Goodluck Jonathan and President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, smile profusely

Punch Reports
It was gathered from a PDP chieftain   that   his   party and the APC   devised fresh methods on   how to outwit each other three months before the March 28 elections.
The source, who is a member of the PDP NWC, said a key component of his party’s strategy centered on the Permanent Voter Cards.
He said, “The whole thing started in January when we observed that the PVC distribution was skewed. Already, we knew that President Jonathan would not win any state in the North-West which is the biggest geopolitical zone in the country because it has seven states.
“We in the PDP decided to focus on Lagos and other states in the South but the APC connived with the Independent National Electoral Commission when the distribution of PVCs was moved to the local government headquarters.
“APC leaders were allowed to collect PVCs on behalf of their members while the distribution of PVCs in Igbo-dominated areas was frustrated in Lagos. We in turn quickly sponsored some protests in Lagos but by the time the cards arrived, the time was too short for all of them (cards) to be distributed.”
He claimed that when the Presidency realised that the PVC distribution was favouring the   APC, “a series of meetings was held and it was decided that Prof. Femi Mimiko, the younger brother of the Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, should be made the INEC chairman while Prof. Attahiru Jega would be asked to go on terminal leave.”
The   source   however said that Jonathan was not ‘brave’ enough to implement the idea because he jettisoned it when some northern elements in the PDP leaked the information to the APC.
The source said, “There were some northern elements in the party that were always giving the APC information whenever we ended our meetings. We then conspired to postpone the elections.”
He said the postponement of the polls   from February 14 was to ensure that the PVCs or the card readers were not used.
The source added, “We (PDP) spent a considerable amount of money trying to convince Nigerians to reject their usage.
“We decided to use the newspaper adverts and protests by the Oodua Peoples Congress and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra to enlighten people of the ‘danger’ of using the PVCs or   card readers but the APC, which has a strong media base was able to twist the issue to its favour.
“The PDP Governors’ Forum also met with civil society groups in Lagos and gave out money to the groups to continue to hold protests in various parts of the country but these people were not given adequate media coverage.”
The source stated that even on March 28, efforts were made to manipulate the results of the polls.
The source said it was curious that card readers worked ‘perfectly well’ in the North but poorly in the South where even the President could not get accredited through the device.
He said, “The truth is that we all plotted our strategies to win the elections but the APC did a better job and I have to congratulate them.