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  • Zimbabwe 3

    Zimbabwe Judiciary Has not Been Compromised-JSC

    ZimbabweThe Judicial Service Commssion(JSC) in Zimbabwe has dismissed allegations that the Judiciary has been compromised.

    The Commission made this known through a statement issued by its Acting Secretary, Mr. Walter Chikwana.

    "The allegations that the Judiciary is acting under capture of an external force remain unfounded, baseless and unsubstantiated.

    "In the meeting held on 22 January 2019, the Chief Justice gave the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) his assurance that no directive or instruction was given by himself or the JSC to magistrates to dispose of cases before them in a particular manner. He maintains this position,"Mr. Chikwana stated.

    The Acting Secretary insisted that the Judcial Officers werw abobe board in the discharge of their duties, saying ''The accusation that magistrates countrywide were acting under some form of directive or instructions to influence their decisions is extremely consequential.The Judiciary cannot take it lightly. All courts in the country and all judicial agents within those courts, must never be interfered with in the dispensation of justice. The Constitution demands it''.

    "The Chief Justice reminds all and sundry that all judicial officers are required by Section 164(1) of the Constitution to dispense justice expeditiously.

    "In doing so, all due process must be followed and rights of accused persons respected," reads the statement.

    "The Zimbabwean courts are not, by undertaking expeditious trials, reinventing the wheel. Such trials are common phenomenon across the world in cases involving violence.

    "For instance, in England after the 2011 riots, more than 3 000 people were arrested with 1 500 being arraigned before the courts.

    "Their trials were fast-tracked. Courts were in session 24 hours until the cases were completed.

    "Even juveniles caught up in the riots underwent trial.

    "The Chief Justice maintains his position that where suspects are arrested and brought to court, they are entitled to a speedy trial.

    "Fast-track trials must, in fact, be the norm, and not a curious exception." Mr. Chikwana concluded.

  • Malawi

    Women Deserve Respect and Protection Against Violence-Malawi President

    Malawi 1

     

     

     

     

     

    President Peter Mutharika of Malawi has condemned all forms of violent acts against women.

    According to the President who made his position known during a tour of some constituencies in Lilongwe said ''I would like to take this opportunity to condemn various acts of violence against women. It is high time everyone understood that women deserve respect and protection against violence.'''

    "As such, everyone should strive to put to an end all forms of gender based violence. Our existence depends on them and it is unfortunate to see some people abusing women. Whether it is your girlfriend, your wife or your mother; this must stop,"

  • We will not Compromise Election results and PVCs-Oyo INEC Assures

      InecThe Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC) in Oyo state, Mr. Mutiu Agboke h has assured the electorate that the Commission would not act in anyway that would compromise the Permanent Voters Cards(PVC) still in its custody.

    Mr. Agboke gave this assurance on Tuesday during a Media Briefing at the Commission's office in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    ''There is no pressure that would make me to compromise your results, there is no pressure that would make me compromise your Permanent Voters Cards. Nobody has put gun in my ears, I am not going to sell your PVCs. Nothing will happen to your PVCs. We are going to harmonize the PVCs and those not collected would be put in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria'', he stated.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner also dislosed that the commission was taking the issue of security before, during and after the elections seriously, saying'' the commission is leaving no stone unturned in the area of security of both men and electoral materials on the day of election''.

    ''That is why the Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security(ICCES), chaired by the Commissioner of Police and co-Chaired by me has been meeting regularly to identify grey  areas and flashpoints in the state in collaboration with respective Electoral officers. Security is to be beefed up at both state and local government offices of INEC, inorder to forestall any security threats during election periods'', Mr. Agoke concluded.

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC)      

  • Ebonyi state 1

    New Minimum Wage : Nigerian Workers Have Lost Respect for Govt-AWC

    Ebonyi stateThe All Workers Convergence(ACW) has declared that workers would no longer respect the Federal Government even if it eventually approves the new national minimum wage.

    The AWC  made this disclosure through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze in a chat with Federationews2day.

    ''Even if the Federal Government eventually approves a new national minimum wage today, government has lost the respect of Nigerian workers. It is a big shame that up till this moment government has not been able to pay the Nigerian workers what is due to them, rather our so called government has been systematically, delaying the process''.

    ''From one episode of drama to another episode, all has been equal to zero and the Nigerian workers are the ones paying the price. Quite unfortunate, government cannot redeem its image, workers' impression of government, is that of a callous monster, who cares less about fairness and justice, but rather a government that believes that workers must suffer before they get what rightly belongs to them''.

    ''In conclusion, our government is shooting itself in the leg, with the unfolding drama of the new national minimum wage. Government has been able to make the Nigerian workers know who their real enemy is and this has made workers to  increase their level of consciousness'', Comrade Emelieze asserted.

  • Cameroon

    Cameroon Govt. Should Release Detained Journalists-CPJ

    Cameroon 2​The Committee to Protect  Journalists(CPJ) has called on the Government of Cameroon to immediately  release two journalists  arrested by security agents while covering an event organized by the opposition.

    According to CPJ "Théodore Tchopa and David Eyengue Nzima are journalists who were arrested for simply covering a newsworthy event, and must be freed immediately without condition.  Cameroonian authorities should stop trying to intimidate and censor journalists who have a duty to keep citizens informed about the political and economic situation."

    ''CPJ's calls and text messages to the offices of Cameroon's deputy justice minister, Jean De Dieu Momo, and the newly appointed communications minister, René Sadi, went unanswered. The police's national communications chief, Joyce Ndjem, said she does not give comment over the phone and CPJ should come to her office''.

    ''Cameroon was the third worst jailer of journalists in Africa, after Egypt and Eritrea respectively, with at least seven journalists behind bars for their work as of December 1, 2018, according to CPJ's annual prison census'', CPJ stated.

  • Kenya 1

    6 Women Appointed Police Commanders in Kenya

    KenyaThe Police in Kenya has appointed six women as County Police Commanders.

    The names of the women were announced on Monday by the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet at a security meeting at Flamingo Hotel in Mombasa.
     

    Dr. Interior CabiThe six female county police commanders are Naomi Ichami (Bomet), Leah Ngutu (Kirinyaga), Catherine Mugwe (Nyamira), Lydia Ligami (Kitui), Beatrice Gachago (Kajiado) and Esther Seroney (Homa Bay)

    In his remarks at the meeting, Inspector General of Police said "We are going to have 46 commanders. We don't have a county commander for Nairobi because the regional commander is the county commander. That has been the tradition over the years".

  • Rivers state 1

    Nigerians Losing Confidence in the Police-Rivers Gov

    Rivers stateRivers state Governor, Mr. Nyesome Wike has declared that Nigerians have began to lose confidence in public officers and public institutions.

    Mr. Wike who made this declaration when  the new Commissioner of Police in the  State,Mr Usman Belel, paid him a courtesy call, appealed to  the police to improve on their performance .

    “People are beginning to lose confidence in public institutions in the country. I believe that as the new police commissioner, you will work for the confidence in the police to return”.

    “Your predecessor allowed himself to be used by thugs to invade the courts in Rivers State. The Chief Justice of Nigeria called for the investigation and prosecution of those that invaded the courts, but Zaki Ahmed refused.

    “Rivers State will not forget that it was Zaki Ahmed’s time that thugs invaded the Rivers State High Court, which is located near the police headquarters. He didn’t bring anybody to boo

  • Judiciary 3

    The Travails of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen in a Democracy

    Judiciary    Judiciary 1Judiciary 2Judiciary 5

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Senior Lawyers have risen to defend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, who has been charged by the Federal Government  for offences that have to do with  the declaration of assets.

    However, Nigerians have picked holes at the timing and the speed with which investigations were  carried out ,concluded and charges filed. The coming weeks hold  explanations of the unkown. Perhaps.

  • DR Congo Presidential Polls : Undermine Democracy Risk Sanctions-US

    Dr congoThe United States stands by the millions of Congolese voters who went to the polls across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on December 30 to participate in presidential, legislative, and provincial assembly elections. Since independence in 1960, the DRC has never experienced a peaceful, democratic transfer of power. The December 30 election was therefore one of the most important elections in DRC history.

    The United States was deeply concerned by the DRC’s National Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) decision to deny accreditation to several international election observers and media representatives. We also noted that confusion on election day over the location of polling stations, the posting of voter lists, the late delivery of some election materials, and CENI's unfortunate decision to cancel elections in Beni and Butembo in eastern DRC disenfranchised voters. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, millions of Congolese citizens turned out peacefully across DRC on election day to cast their ballots and make their voices heard. ‎CENI must now ensure that these voices and votes are respected.

    As the Congolese people, the region, and the world await patiently for the results of these elections, the internet must be restored and the media allowed to report freely. We strongly urge the CENI to ensure that votes are counted in a transparent and open manner, with observers present, and that the results reported by CENI are accurate and correspond to results announced at each of DRC's 75,000 polling stations. We support the African Union Election Observation Mission to DRC’s expectation, expressed on January 2, that the announced results align with votes cast by the Congolese people. As official results are tabulated and reported, we continue to urge DRC government officials, leaders of the DRC security forces, opposition party leaders, civil society representatives, and stakeholders from all sides to respect the law and reject violence.

    There are moments in every nation’s history when individuals and political leaders step forward and do the right thing. This is one of those moments for the DRC. Those who enable a peaceful, democratic transfer of power out of respect for DRC’s constitution and the results of this election will be hailed, while those responsible for undermining democratic institutions and processes, threatening the peace, security, or stability of DRC or benefiting from corruption ‎will be held accountable. Those who undermine the democratic process, threaten the peace, security or stability of the DRC, or benefit from corruption may find themselves not welcome in the United States and cut off from the U.S. financial system.

    On December 30, millions of Congolese went peacefully to the polls. Now is the time for CENI to affirm that these votes were not cast in vain by ensuring the accurate reporting of election results.

    United States Department of State Washington DC

  • 2019 Budget is Extravagant and Wasteful Considering the Poor State of the Education and Health Sectors-Prof. Olagoke

    Prof olagoke 1Nigerians have began asking questions on the allocation of one Billion Naira for President Muhammadu Buhari's travels in 2019 and 98 million Naira for his feeding for the same period. They argue that millions of people have for several years contended with hunger, poverty and  lack of basic amenities, with reprieve still not yet in sight.

    In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says that the 2019 Budget proposal the President presented to the National Assembly is extravagant and wasteful. Excerpts :

     

    The President is to spend One Billion Naira for his travels and 98 million Naira for his feeding in 2019,  don't yout think these figure are outrageous ?

     

    Nigerian leaders, generally, since  independence till date, have not been  able to offer us good governance, if the depreciation profile of the Naira, the increasing profile of the poverty indices, decreasing profile of the citizens' life span, uncontrollable unemployment rate, the increasing wave of insecurity and attendant anti-social antics, are to be considered.

    We have clamoured over the years on the need to stem down, with effective control mechanism, wastages in governance and the need for commensurate adjustment to replace the gap between workers' allowances and that of political office holders, their retinue of aides and entourage.

    In  order that approrpiate funding would  be able to get  allocated to the education  and helth sectors.

    To reduce poverty, we equally need to look inwards, to impress all, the rich echelon of the society, to practice the culture of giving  or philantrophy, following the examples of  individuals such as Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and a host of others, including the Sudanese Mo Ibrahim, who is funding the course of good governance in Africa, with $5 Million to the winner country and $200,000 to the winner President. Is this not a motivation for African nations to practice good governance on the basis of need assessment as well as risk control ?

    Nigeria is yet to get motivated and follow the part of wisdom.

    President buhari 1It should remind us of the Ethiopian experience under Emperor Haile Selassie who ruled a poverty ravaged nation, but fed his Lion with an amount of money that could easily go round to save thousands of people per day. Critically looking into the 2019 budget, wherein One Billion Naira is to go for the Presidet's travels and 98 million Naira for his feeding for a year, coupled with a host of embarrassing figures to the poor, whose salaires while in service could never total up to One million Naira, not to talk of the meagre pensions and gratuties which may never be paid on time or even perhaps to be   forfeited, if the pensioners happen to die, due to the frustrating bureucratic process, it is unfortunate.

     

    It is unfortunate that the figures are in the open at a time when the Academic Staff Union of Univerisities(ASUU) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics(ASUP) agreements failed with the attendant follow up strike actions forcing our children to take to the streets, roaming about aimlessly.

    It is equally unfortunate to come to terms with the figures, at a time when pensioners can no longer support their failing health conditions due to paucity of funds, emanating from unpaid gratuities and pensions-which in most cases could be less than 5 million Niara after the mandatory 35 years  of meritorious service for their fatherland. One can now see why the politicians are in a mad rush to get into Aso Rock as President or Vice President at all costs, with no passion for the people who will give them the mandate, but who shall and have always been neglected in return. When they ought to benefit from the dividends of democracy through goal oriented service expected of the political office holders. When politics is made to be less attractive in terms of renumertion, then wisdom and sanity would prevail.

    For example there is the need for a downward review of the allowances of political officed holders, Senators, Presidents, Vice Presidents and others. There is also the need  to remove the immunity clause for the state Governors and the President for the purpose of effective control of corruption in the land.

     

    A cut down in the number of advisers and entourage of political office holdrers, will ever drastically minimize and curb wasteful spending

    The Bi-cameral Legistlature has not really favoured the country in terms of quality lawmaking. If the impact level on the people is to be placed on the scale of measurement, the cost of running the National Assembly would equally be reduced, while attracting serious minded politicians that would be patriotic enough to the nation, by delivering quality legislation, once lawmaking is made part-time.

    Above all, thereis the  need to critically review through the  MINIMAX formula of advantage and benefit at cost effective level- a better alternative between Parlaimentary and Presidential system of democratic government.

    For the poverty level of the nation and its people, the budget proposal is too extravagant and wasteful, in the area of political office holder consumption profile and the renovation effect of their buildings when one considers the very poor rating in the area of capital project for infrastructure, provision of basic amenities to alleviate poverty, education and health sectors in particaular as they directly affect the people.

     

    My final poser, is on questioning the  competence level of the politicians for system control, with this final question : Is the opportunity to serve the people more for affluence and influence or a determination to impact on the lives of the people positively ?

    Only selfless service based on altruitic philosophy can turn around Nigeria for better, through visionary, purposeful leadership and functional democratic due process of justice and equity

  • President lungu

    Zambian President Blames Poverty Level for Child Marriages

    President Edgar Lungu of Zamibia has blamed the increasing rate of child marriages to the poverty level and practices of leaders in the rural areas.

    President Lungu made this disclosure during an interaction with some Traditional Chiefs at the State House.

    "The challenge we still have is poverty levels especially in rural areas, some traditional leaders still tend to think that marrying off

    girls early will bring money in the family but they are forgetting that they are actually denying them chances of bettering their lives

    after withdrawing them from school," the President stated.

    In their reaction the Traditional Chiefs  urged President Lungu to Lobby the African Union to initiate policies that would bring an end toEarly Child Marriages and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

    The four chiefs led by Chief Chamuka VI , include Chief Chikwanda, Chief Madzimawe and Chieftainess Muweza  ahev been to and recently Malawi and Nigeria on consultative and dialogue meetings.

    " We recommend that the President who is also the African Union (AU) Chairperson On Ending Child Marriages in Africa should lobby the AU

    and partners to scale up resources in support of the implementation of African Traditional Leaders' action plan to address child marriages and gender equality at all levels, the Chiefs stated  at a briefing in the State House, they said.

  • Nlc 1

    New Minimum Wage : Labour Leaders must Redeem Their Image Or........AWC

    NlcThe All workers Convergence(AWC)  has warned of the imminent withdrawal of the solidarity of Nigerian workers for their labour leaders if a new national minimum wage is not achieved by end of December 2018.

    This warning was given by the AWC, through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze  in a chat with People.
     
    ''Our labour leaders must redeem their image by ensuring that before the end of December, 2018, everything about a reasonable living wage is achieved, else the leaders would seize to enjoy the solidarity of the Nigerian workers. The Nigerian labour movement has missed the target, in the past three and half years, they have been unable to achieve a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers, despite been part of the Tripartite committee.''
    ''The involvement of labour in that committee was a colossal waste of time as nothing tangible has come out of it. What is painful now, is that the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) the Trade Union Congress(TUC) and the United Labour Congress(ULC) have deliberately refused to hit the nail on the head, instead they are romanticizing the situation, begging the question at all times, thereby leaving workers to stray like sheep without shepherd''.
    ''The feeling everywhere is that labour not achieving the new national minimum wage in  the past three and half years, is tantamount to failure and since labour has failed the Nigerian workers, the Nigerian workers, of course demand an apology, over the non actualization of a new national minimum wage in the past three and half years''.
    ''Besides, engaging government on the issue of new national minimum wage, labour leaders must also engage themselves and do self-examination, to determine if they are really and truly pursuing the interest of the Nigerian workers. Take a look at the modus operandi of the labour movement, you see a movement that has been pampering government. The conclusion  is that the labour movement in Nigeria is not just weak and conservative, but also reactionary. And as a result, there is the urgent need for labour to overhaul and shed its present toga, this would go a long way in redeeming the image of labour'', Comrade Eemlieze asserted.

  • Merry Christmas

                                                                                     

    Wishing you a Merry Christmas  & a Happy       New      Year

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    From all of us at People

  • Femi adesina

    Nigerian Leaders Rely on Misinformation from Paid Agents-Grand Imam Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide

    The National Bureau of Statistics has disclosed that 20.9 million Nigerians are unemployed. Indeed, unemployment is the major discussion among Nigerians.

    However, President Muhammadu Buhari has opined that the figure reeled out by the NBS, is a reflection that his administration is making progress in governance.

    Prof sabitu olagokeNigerians are shell shocked by the President's remarks and the fact that rice farmers have contributed about N1.7 Billion for the President's re-election, even though rice as a foodstuff has gone beyond the reach of the common man.

    In this interview with People, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke says that the misinformation of the Federal Government's paid agents gives it the impressions that it has  fulfilled its promises. Excerpts :

     

    The National Bureau of Statistics(NBS) has stated that 20.9 million Nigerians are jobless, what is your reaction to this figure ?

    The Federal Government is only focusing on the 30 areas it has made progress without taking into consideration the impact level on the people. And because most of our leaders  depend solely on the information of their paid agents, such as the Ministers, Commissioners, Governors and retinue of Personal Assistants, they are rather misled into believing that the yearnings of Nigerians have been met.

    The best way for self assessment on governance is to have direct pulse of the nation by physically going to some of the market places to see the reality of things.

    When the Queen of England visited, during ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo's tenure, she refused to be locked  in the nation's luxuries, but told the President to take her round some of the market places. After going round the Queen told the President, that he should take the issue of poverty alleviation serious, as she stated that she observed  suffering on the faces of the people.Lai mohammed

    This is a nation where  the unemployment rate has jumped from 14.2 per cent in 2016 to 23.4 per cent in 2018 and 20. 9 million Nigerians has been declared  as the figure of unemployed Nigerians in 2018, while the record of those who are underemployed has made the figure to rise to 40 per cent of the total population.

    Let us remember that the spate of killings have made nonsense of more than 1040 schools, with between 400,000 and 500,000 students affected.

    What about the increasing number of  Nigerian Children, who are out of school, in 2010 it was 10.5 million and presently it is 13.9 million.

    The President must believe less in the paid agents and ensure he uses SWOT analysis to restrategise in order that his desire for good governance, that would be beneficial to all , most especially those who gave him the mandate to rule, are met.

    The SWOT analysis on the Nigerian situation reveal our areas of strength and opportunities in the abundance of endowed resources, natural and human to be in abundance.

    Our areas of weaknesses duel more on competence for the desired astute management and classical administration to operationalize  functional Democracy based on justice and equity for peace and development to reign.

    Our areas of threats are on security issues that bothers on conflict management, as well as the fifth column role in government and the state apparatus making  progress too difficult to come by.

    Mr. President, therefore, needs to realize that his immediate challenge is on his ability to identify the true elements in his cabinet and government, that is, he must motivate  the prime movers not to lose them into another party.

    He must build the capacity of the lackadaisical, to be able to contribute meaningfully to government's business of building the nation while the catalytic elements, that is the rebellious ones must be managed with maturity and transformed into useful elements for the party and government.

    Garba sheuNo government with in-house problems and inconsiderate opposition can stand the test of time.

    To avoid driving people to an hopeless state of despair, there is need for Mr. President to restrategize into visionary leadership that would be proactive in taking decisions to fix things, purposeful leadership that would be directional in operation and sacrificial to make things work.

    My candid advice to the others in the All Progressives Congress(APC) is for them to imbibe the essence of togetherness in sharing visions  for government to be able to deliver beneficial services to the people, who are now more well informed in the spirit of globalization.

    Above all, the fear of the potential of the opposition to damage and remove must be the beginning of wisdom, to mend fences within and creditably deliver the expectations of the People of Nigeria.

     

  • Adp 2

    90 Per Cent of Oyo Govt. Policies has left the People in Pain-Otunba Alao-Akala

    Adp 3A former Governor of Oyo state, who is also the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party(ADP) Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala has described the present administration in the state as one  with policies and programmes which have brought pain and despondency on the people.

    Otunba Adebayo made this assertion recently, at the official presentation Otunba Alao-Akala and Prof. Abideen Olaiya as the ADP  candidates for the 2019 Gubernatorial Elections in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    ''My  heart aches because 90 per cent of the outgoing government's policies, programmes and projects are best described as anti-people which leave our people in pain and despondency''.

    ''Instead of criticizing , I made myself available to guide the incumbent government on how best to run proactive and pro-people governance, but the driver lacks  the required goodwill.

    Today the major sectors of  our economy, which are education, health, agriculture and environment have been  either neglected or bastardized Oyo state is in a serious mess''.

    ''We do not need a learner or  experimental Governor. Leadership is example. Service to humanity especially holding a public office is not a function of age  but mental capacity, experience, maturity, good vision and mission, sensitive, responsiveness, credibility and popular acceptability of a person. I am offering myself again to serve the good people of Oyo state because I am healthily  and mentally fit for rigorous tasks of governance, '' Otunba Alao-Akala.

  • Adc

    Police Boss Should Help us Appeal to NURTW to Stop Pulling Down Our Bill Boards-Oyo ADC Guber Candidate

    Adc 3The governorship candidate of the  African Democratic Congress(ADC) in Oyo state, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin has called on the state Commissioner of Police to stop members of the state chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) from pulling down bill boards belonging to ADC candidates.

    Senator Lanlehin made this call on Wednesday during an interaction with journalists in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    ''NURTW has started bringing down bill boards. We are appealing to the Commissioner of Police ,Mr. Abiodun Odunde who is  a fine officer, help us appeal to them so that Oyo state would be peaceful. It is in our interest that everything works. There should be a conflict resolution mechanism in place'', he stated.

  • Some Bad Elements in INEC and the Ruling APC in Oyo want to Disenfranchise Voters-Otunba Alao-Akala

    Adp 1A former Governor of Oyo state, who is also the governsorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party in the state, Otunba(Dr.)Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala has expressed worry over the covert moves by some personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) and the All Progressives Congress(APC) in the state to move eligible voters from their Local Governments to  different ones to facilitate a new dimension of  rigging.

    Otunba Alao-Akala made this disclosure on Tuesday,  in an address he delivered at the  Official presentation  of the ADP governorship candidate, his deputy and other candidates for the 2019 Gubernatorial Elections in Ibadan, Nigeria.

    ''May I use this occasion to inform the stakeholders in the Nigerian electoral system and the world at large that information reaching us from competent sources is that some bad elecments in the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) are conniving with the ruling APC to disenfranchise thousands of voters across the state and weakening the leading oppositiom candidates in their strongholds by engaging in state-wide illegal relocation of voters from their units/Local Government of origins to other units/LGAs''.

    The former Governor called on the INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakub and the security agencies to ''put a stop to this advanced rigging method''.

    He assured the people of the state that candidates of the ADP were passionate about delivering results that shall impact positively on them, adding ''I must say that the re-election of the present administration was an aberration that came by way of the bandwagon effect that followed the election of President Muhammadu Buhari''.

    ''Regardless of the sinister moves of other parties, our campaign shall be issue-based, violence free and intellectually stimulating, resting on the renewed 13-point agenda drawn from our party's hallmarks; all these clothed in peace and tranquility'', Otunba Alao-Akala stated.

  • Drone

    Medical Services and Drugs to Be Delivered By Drones in Tanzania

    Medical Stores Department(MSD) in Tanzania is set to commence the  delivery of medical services and drugs to remote parts of the country through drones.

    Thsi disclosure was made byt the MSD Director, Laurean Bwanakunu, in a chat with journlaists.

    “We will soon announce tender for the company that will enter into agreement with MSD to supply the drones''.

     
     Bwanakunu also stated that a pilot project which enables drug-dropping drones to transport life saving blood and medical supplies to Ukerewe Island of Lake Victoria, was already on course.

  • Imo state 3

    Traders and Governance in Imo state Nigeria

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    Imo state 2                                                                Imo state 5

  • Prof sabitu olagoke 2

    Nigerians Should Turn to God for the Choice of Candidates in 2019 Elections-Prof Olagoke

    For over three and a half years now, Nigerians have contended with  hunger, poverty, unemployment and insecurity. Sadly, government at all levels have done little  to address these hydra like challenges which have not only demoralized the citizenry, but  also prompted them to continually and relentlessly rein curses on the country's political office holders. A cross section of civil society groups  allege that the three tiers of government have deliberately impoverished the populace, as a way of compelling them to sell their votes in the 2019 general elections.

    Interestingly,a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar(rtd) has advised Nigerians to stop complaining about their pitiable condition, but vote out leaders who have not met their expectations .  In this interview with Federationews2day, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke  says Nigerians should seek God's guidance in the choice of candidates they will vote for. Excerpts :

    The insinuation is that the Federal and State Governments have deliberately impoverished Nigerians   for the purpose of ensuring that vote buying is the trend in the 2019 elections. What are your views ?

    The history of poverty in Nigeria started in 1960, when our poverty index was 15 per  cent, followed by the second republic in 1979 to 1983 at 28 per cent. The military interventions worsened the situation as it rose from 42 per cent to 65 per cent.

    Then, in 1999, it rose to 70 per cent almost till this moment.

    Chief Obafemi Awolowo campaigned against impoverishing the poor masses, because according to him, Nigerians irrespective of their tribes and social class must have access to free education which would eventual liberate  the children of the poor from the clutches of poverty. From his time to that of Bola Ige education took a large chunk to support structure, facilities and books, while having a good plan of allowing children to trek to and from school. One could  imagine the then government was  for all Nigerians, most especially the impoverished masses, whom the government intended to emancipate. Unfortunately, the dedication and commitment of our founding fathers, on the issue of the growth and development of the nation and general welfare of the people suffered a great set back during the civil war as well as the attendant agitations for true reconstruction, reconciliation and rehabilitation which was poorly managed to warrant the present insurgency, militancy, kidnapping and damages to the ecology of the oil producing areas, which were agitating for resource control and the South East's secession call.

     It is unfortunate that this government inherited an already failed and recessed economy, which they were unable to manage at par  with their campaign magic of the change mantra.

    The bastardized environment, bad economy and disorganized society now continue to groan under poverty, which had been artificially introduced due to the  era of endemic corruption and institutionalized indiscipline. 

    Under this condition, the political class,  derailed from the focus of the goal of Democracy as a need to enthrone credible leadership for the purpose of institutionalizing justice and equity concepts in order that there would be peace and sustainable development.

    The attendant consequence of gross mismanagement of the economy, the people and the environment, thereafter has resulted in the worrisome situation of insecurity and unbearable poverty tending to the abject level for many.

    The 2019 general elections ought to focus on how best we would be able to vote in patriotic  Nigerians with outstanding leadership qualities that would be able to arrest the menace of the present social upheaval, starting from  working on the psyche of all Nigerians for better attitude in an environment  of strict institutional discipline that would only be achieved through leadership by sacrifice, integrity and service.

    Nigerians therefore, need to be mindful of God, without emphasis on religion in order that credible candidates, who will have passion for the restoration of our core values and see human rights issues as the ability to provide equal opportunities and equal access to the people of Nigeria, the downtrodden ones inclusive.