Posts

Showing posts from March, 2015

Atiku congratulates Buhari, hails Jonathan

Image
(Nigeria) Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated General Muhammadu Buhari, APC presidential candidate on his victory in Saturday’s poll.

Oshiomhole declares holiday to celebrate Buhari

(Nigeria) Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State,  has declared a work-free day in the state for tomorrow, April 1, 2015, to celebrate the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate in Saturday’s presidential election.

S. African court finds Mandela's grandson guilty of assault

Nelson Mandela's eldest grandson and current member of parliament, Mandla Mandela, was convicted of assault by a regional court on Tuesday.

Court refuses Ferguson police shooting suspect lower bond

Image
A Missouri judge has refused to reduce the bond of a man accused of shooting two police officers during a rally in Ferguson.

Rivers APC congratulates Buhari

Image
(Nigeria) The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has congratulated the party’s presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), for defeating incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in last weekend’s presidential election.

Buhari's victory a new dawn for Nigeria ----Oshiomhole

Image
(Nigeria) Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has congratulated the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2015 general elections, General Muhammadu Buhari, on his victory and emergence as President-elect, saying the victory represents a new dawn in the nation’s polity.

APC allegations in Rivers polls lack merit---Jega

Image
(Nigeria) The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has said that there was no substance in the petition by the All Progressives Congress, APC, seeking the cancellation and rescheduling of the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State.

Iraqi forces liberate Tikrit from ISIS

Image
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday announced the security forces freed Salahudin's provincial capital city of Tikrit from the Islamic State, IS, militants after days of heavy clashes with the extremist militants.

Fayose calls Buhari a dogged fighter

Image
(Nigeria) Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, has appealed to all  Nigerians to accept the outcome of the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly election held on Saturday  in good faith.

Nigerian polls beyond failure of card reader

Image
By Emeka Umeagbalasi The three fundamental problems bedeviling the policies and actions of the Nigerian pubic office holders including academics in contemporary times are pride, inferiority complex and shamelessness on the part of their formulators and executors. 

PDP kick against INEC probe of Rivers poll, accuses Jega of bias

(Nigeria) Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has protested the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to investigate the petition by the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, against last Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State.

Landmines kill 42 children in Donetsk, Luhansk

Image
At least 42 children have been killed and 109 injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in east Ukraine since March last year, the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, said on Tuesday.

IS kill 40 in attack on Syrian village

Islamic State fighters on Tuesday killed over 40 people, mostly civilians, in an attack on a central Syrian village, opposition activists and Syrian state TV said.

APC appeals to members, supporters to remain peaceful

(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, has appealed to all its members and supporters across Nigeria to remain calm and peaceful, and to resist all acts of provocation as they await the results of the presidential elections.

Rivers declares curfew

(Nigeria) Rivers State Government on Monday, declared curfew with immediate effect. The curfew is the last from 7 p.m., to 6 p.m., till further notice.

INEC set up panel to probe Rivers polls

Image
(Nigeria) The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has set up a panel to probe the Progressives Congress, APC, complaints against the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State.

Leaders in Donetsk, Luhansk to organise their polls----Purgin

Image
Legitimate representatives of self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics in east Ukraine will set their own date for local elections, the parliamentary speaker of self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic said on Monday.

Russia to consider gas discount to Ukraine

Image
The Russian government will prepare an assignment to examine an opportunity of offering a natural gas discount to Ukraine as soon as possible, minister of energy Alexander Novak said on Monday.

Saudi imposed blockade on Yemen's ports

Image
Saudi-led naval forces imposed a blockade on Yemen's ports as coalition airstrikes on Monday repelled an advance on the southern port city of Aden by Shiite rebels and forces loyal to a former president.

Women, trapped kids rescued in Gwoza

Image
(Nigeria) A number of women, the elderly and children who were locked up by fleeing terrorists in Gwoza, Borno State, have been freed by troops as cordon and search along with mopping up operations continue in the town. 

PDP wins Edo

Image
(Nigeria) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo State, has won majority of the National Assembly seats in Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

PDP clears Rivers polls

Image
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has won in the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections in Rivers State.

Rivers PDP Chairman congratulate party on wining polls

The Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Felix Obuah, has congratulated all the three senatorial and 12 House of Representatives candidates, who contested Saturday’s election on the platform of the party on their overwhelming victory at the polls.

IG condemns invasion of Beyalsa court

Image
(Nigeria) The Inspector-General of Police, IG, Mr Suleiman Abba, has  condemned the invasion on Monday of a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, during which a court process was disrupted, and two female lawyers assaulted.

Another INEC burnt in Benue

(Nigeria) Another Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, was on Monday set ablaze by hoodlums. 

Cancel Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Gombe others elections, PDP tells Jega

Image
(Nigeria) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to cancel the results of seven states in last Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly elections over what it termed, alleged electoral malpractices.

Free Congo activists held in Kinshasa--- Amnesty

Amnesty International has launched a new campaign for the release of Congolese youth human rights activists held incommunicado in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, for 15 days. 

Minister dissatisfied over polls in Kwara

Image
(Nigeria) The Minister of National Planning, Dr Suleiman Abubakar, has said there were irregularities in the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State. Abubakar, who said this during an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, described the exercise as ‘a tragedy.’

20 reasons why this may not be the best elections-----Intersociety

Image
(Nigeria) As Nigeria, Nigerians and the international community await the official results of the referenced crucial polls in Nigeria, the leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law in Southeast Nigeria, being the rights based organisation in Nigeria that had earliest entry into the 2015 general polls’ advocacy in the country including the just held segments; and having made our position, observations and reservations publicly known; has resolved to take a critical look at the socio-cultural consequences (negative) of the polls’ management and conducts under the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, headed by Prof Attahiru Jega.

APC warns of attempt to announce fake election results

Image
(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned against any attempt to tamper with the results of the elections that were concluded nationwide on Saturday, saying Nigerians have voted peacefully and massively and they know who they have voted for.

Rivers INEC office burnt

(Nigeria) The office of the Independent National Electoral Commissions, INEC, in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State has been set ablaze by suspected political thugs.

Afghan cop convicted for killing German journalist

Image
The Afghan Supreme Court sentenced a police officer to 20 years in prison for killing a German photojournalist in 2014, a judicial official said Sunday.

Women give birth in bush fleeing attack by insurgents

(Nigeria) Two pregnant women gave birth to babies in the bush Sunday morning while fleeing from suspected Boko Haram insurgents that attacked Gunti Gumi village of Alkaleri Local Government area in Bauchi State.

PDP leading in 23, APC in 14 --- Fani Kayode

Image
(Nigeria) Director, Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode, has said that the PDP was leading in 23 states while the opposition, the All Progressives Congress, APC was leading in 14 states in the Presidential and National Assembly election held on Saturday.

Rivers elections credible, reflect wishes of the people ----- PDP

Image
(Nigeria) The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state on Saturday was credible and reflects the overwhelming wish of the people of Rivers State to support President Goodluck Jonathan and candidates of the party.

Army in 24-hr lockdown of Oshiomhole’s Edo

Image
(Nigeria) Edo North, where Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, hails from, was under 24-hour Army lockdown, Saturday , as all the entry and exit points into the senatorial district were sealed by soldiers till the early hours of Sunday .

Amaechi should face the reality of his loss

Image
(Nigeria) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, has called on out-going Governor Rotimi Amaechi of the state, to face the reality of his All Progressives Congress, APC, losing out in Saturday' Presidential and National Assembly elections.

APC youth leader clubbed to death in Edo

(Nigeria) Youth leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was on Saturday clubbed to death and his body set ablaze by thugs in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

PDP warns Nigerians to be wary of APC fake results

Image
(Nigeria) The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has warned the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop announcing fake results, urging Nigerians totally disregard the alleged misleading figures being circulated by the APC in the social media.

Latest Ebola patient dies in Liberia

Image
Liberia's hopes of being declared Ebola-free suffered a fresh blow when a patient died, according to state radio reports Saturday.

Lack of materials: Voters yet to vote in Ogudu road area

Image
(Nigeria) Polling units in Ogudu road area of Lagos State are yet to vote, even after accreditation, while others are still doing accreditation as at 3.30p.m. At polling units EC 031, 30B, 044 among others, most of the voters complained of late arrival of materials, while many more complained of non availability of sensitive materials for voting. While some waited, others left. An elderly woman complaining to who she thought was an Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, said "I have been here since 7a.m., and I have not eaten, do they expect me to die of hunger because I want to vote?"

Card readers fail at Makinde str, Ikeja polling unit

Image
Nigerians, who turned out today at Makinde Street, Ikeja polling unit, EC 30A,  Lagos State, were stranded as the two card readers deployed to the polling unit failed to function. Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and National Youth Service Corps, NYSC adhoc staff, had a difficult time explaining to voters, who besieged the unit as early as 7a.m., to vote. At 11a.m., the voters were still loitering around the polling unit, while many others left in anger. The polling unit is a stone throw from EC 30C, where the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Aswaju Bola Tinubu did his accreditation.

Aswaju Tinubu performs his accreditation

Image

Egypt, Saudi Arabia planning group troops in Yemen

Image
As airstrikes in Yemen intensified on their second day Friday, Egypt and Saudi Arabia were considering an intervention on the ground, aimed at giving the president a secure foothold to return to the country, while backing Sunni tribesmen to fight against Shiite rebels and their allies, military officials said. A likely entry point for troops from the Saudi-led Arab coalition was the southern port of Aden, the Yemeni and Egyptian military officials, said reports AP. But that could be a tough prospect: The city is already a battleground, and on Friday forces loyal to the rebels' top ally, former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, were advancing toward it. The officials' comments to the AP draw broad outlines for the likely strategy for the ambitious campaign launched Thursday, led by Saudi Arabia with a major role by its ally Egypt. The aim, they said, was to carve out enough room for President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, who was forced to flee the country from Aden, to return. Longer

Ebola vaccine testing successful in Liberia

Image
The second phase of testing for a pair of Ebola vaccines has met with success in Liberia, researchers said Thursday, hailing the result as a step towards preventing large-scale outbreaks of the deadly virus. The two trial vaccines - cAd3-EBOZ, manufactured by Glaxo SmithKline, and rVSV-ZEBOV, made by Merck/NewwLink - proved safe for 600 participants, said Fatorma Bolay, co-principal investigator of the Partnership for Research on Ebola Vaccines in Liberia, reports dpa. The trial was the first large-scale test of an experimental Ebola vaccine. Since February 2, 600 doses were tested on Liberian health workers who care for Ebola patients. The trial will now be expanded to include about 30,000 people throughout the West African nation.  Liberia has been one of the countries hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak, with 9,602 reported cases and 4,301 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation, WHO. Neighbouring Guinea, where the epidemic broke out in December 2013, began an efficacy

Order annulling sanitation days movement ban, Lagos appeals

(Nigeris) The Lagos State Government said it had appealed against a judgment which annulled the restriction of movement on environmental sanitation days in the state. The Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye made this known in a statement in Lagos on Friday. Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos had delivered the judgment in a suit filed against the government by a human rights lawyer, Mr Ebun Adegboruwa. The judge held that such restriction of movement in the name of sanitation only amounted to a violation of the citizens’ right to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed by Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution. He consequently voided the power of the government and its agent to arrest any citizen found moving between 7.00am and 10.00am on the last Saturday of every month when the environmental sanitation was observed. However, Ipaye said the government had filed a Notice of Appeal on March 17 challenging the jurisdic

Fire destroys shops in Umuahia

(Nigeria) An early morning fire on Friday destroyed five shops and goods worth millions of naira in Umuahia, the Abia State capital . It was learned that the fire started at about 2 a.m., at a popular pepper soup and beer joint, situated a few metres away from the Isi Court Police Post, on the outskirts of the city. Master Hilary Samuel, whose mother’s shop was affected, said that they received the information about the fire incident when they came back from a night vigil in church. ``We went for a night vigil in the church and when we returned this morning, we received a call that our shop has been burnt by fire,’’ Samuel said. He explained that they lost everything that they had in the shop, including clothing materials and cash worth more than N100,000. Another victim, who identified himself simply as Mr Egwuonu, said that he received a call early this morning that his shop was on fire. Egwuonu, who has two shops at the place, thanked God that his second shop was not affect

Northern churches attacked for supporting Jonathan

Image
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on Friday, raised alarm over the persistent  attacks on Christians in the northern part of the country, saying that on March 20,  2015 two arsonists set on fire a branch of Living Faith Church popularly called Winners Chapel in Giwa, Headquarters of Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The razing of the church came a few months after the reported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Founder of the Church, Bishop David Oyedepo. National Christian body described it as one of many, an example of what to come, if government and security forces failed to take action. President of Tarayyar Masihiyawan Nijeria (Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri Christians), General Ishaku Ahmed Dikko (rtd) and the Director of National Issues in CAN, Mr. Sunny Oibe in a statement, in Abuja, called on security agencies to act fast to avoid violence in the area. They said Christians in the North, particularly the Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri speaking Christians,

APC warns of plot to announce fake results

Image
(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned those who may be planning to thwart the will of the people, by announcing cooked up result of Saturday's general elections and then allegedly unleashing armed troops against those who may protest the fake result, to desist from such an anti-democratic and anarchic plot. APC in a statement in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said that the plan by some desperate politicians to discountenance the votes of the people and announce a pre-written result giving victory to President Jonathan with just under two million votes, to make it look credible, should be discarded. ''As the President himself said in his national broadcast on Friday, 'the will of the people freely expressed through the ballot is the bedrock of all democracies and ours cannot be an exception.' We sincerely hope the President means those words and will allow the will of the people to prevail, irrespective

Nigerian troops liberate Gwoza

Image
(Nigeria) The Nigerian military has made good its promise to recapture all part of the country's territory under Boko Haram, before the general elections, as it liberated Gwoza, the supposed headquarters of their ill-fated Caliphate. A tweet by the Defence Headquarters handle “DefenceInfoNG: read "Troops this morning, (Friday), captured Gwoza destroying the Headquarters of the Terrorists self styled Caliphate.‪#‎NeverAgain” Defence Spokesperson, Major General Chris Olukolade, who addressed newsmen on the feat, said "Sequel to the violent and heinous crimes perpetrated by terrorists in North Eastern Nigeria, the Armed Forces of Nigeria was tasked to halt the carnage and restore sanity in that region. This resulted in the deployment of land and air forces. "The deployment denied the terrorists the freedom of action they had hitherto enjoyed and they resorted to diversionary tactics known with terrorist groups around the world by carrying out isolated attacks and bomb

Amaechi’s convoy shoot at in Rivers

Image
(Nigeria) The convoy of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, was on Thursday, in Rumuolumeni, Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the state, attacked by suspected Peoples Democratic Party, PDP thugs.

Kobani, Minister of Industry escapes death in Rivers

(Nigeria) Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Kenneth Kobani was on Thursday attacked by armed thugs allegedly led by All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Representatives member.

Court stop Jonathan from sacking Jega

Image
(Nigeria) A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday, restrained the Federal Government, from removing from office the Chairman of Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

Soldiers deployed to ensure order, stability, says FG

Image
(Nigeria) The Federal Government said the current deployment of soldiers across the country was in furtherance of the objective to ensure peace, order and stability throughout the elections.

Soldiers besieged Oshiomhole's country home

Image
(Nigeria) Tension heightened in Edo State on Thursday, over alleged deployment of  soldiers to the country home of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, in Iyamoh, Auchi in Etsakor West Local Government  Area of the state, to "intimidate him on the election day."

Polls: IG redeploys 6 DIGs, other senior officers

Image
(Nigeria) The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, has redeployed six DIGs from the Force Headquarters to take charge of Zonal Commands for the general elections.

Buhari concludes campaigns, appeals for violence-free polls

Image
(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential flag bearer, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday appealed to party supporters to maintain a rancour-free atmosphere in the run-up to Saturday's elections.

Court stops Chief of Army Staff from arresting Tinubu

Image
(Nigeria) A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Thursday,  restrained the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah from arresting, detaining, harassing or intimidating the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.