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Grace Mugabe Declares To Take Over From Octogenarian Husband Robert

Mohammed Useni
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Grace Mugabe Declares To Take Over From Octogenarian Husband Robert

Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe on Thursday announced her candidacy to succeed her husband, 90-year-old president Robert Mugabe, when he leaves office, Sowetan Live reports.

“People say I want to be president, why not? Am I not a Zimbabwean?” the 49-year-old said when addressing veterans of the country’s liberation struggle in Mazowe at about 40 kilometres north of Harare.

Mugabe called on Vice President Joice Mujuru – regarded as one of the top contenders to succeed the president – to resign.

“There are plenty of people who can run this country, not Mujuru,” she said, adding that her husband’s deputy would take Zimbabwe “back to where we were before independence.”

Robert Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980, has travelled several times for medical care abroad, sparking speculation that he could step down before his term ends in 2018.

Mugabe has meanwhile been appointed to head the women’s league of the ruling party Zanu-PF.

The first lady’s political ambitions have faced resistance from Mujuru and others who participated in the liberation struggle against the white minority government of the then Rhodesia – today Zimbabwe – alongside Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe has also come under fire for a doctorate she obtained from the University of Zimbabwe in September – allegedly just months after she enrolled there.

Ex-Beauty Queen, Regina Askia Offers To Work At US Ebola Center

Mohammed Useni
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Ex-Beauty Queen, Regina Askia Offers To Work At US Ebola Center

Ex beauty queen and actress, Regina Askia who is currently a nurse in the US has volunteered to work at an Ebola Center in the states as a way of helping curb and manage the deadly virus. She stated that she was initially tasked with helping find volunteers to work at the center but she opted to join work there for  $200 per hour since none of her female colleagues wanted to join.

Here’s what she wrote on her Facebook wall:

“My job was looking for Nurses to volunteer for the Ebola center which was moved from our building to another location. My male colleagues said they would do it for 200 dollars per hour, ….C’mon Regina , gotta get on the team…they said. I was not smiling (I am captain of my 3 kid team). Not one female nurse volunteered (lol). We ALL had to demonstrate proper use of PPE equipment and be proficient with the Ebola protocol. I was full of thoughts as I watched the display, hoods, masks, gowns, boots….almost like a nightmare. Home news had it that Nigerians washed their hands, didn’t hug as much, monitored their temps and on the first signs of malaise drank the ORT (oral rehydration therapy) until symptoms passed. Were we once again trying to kill mosquitoes with bazookas? I wasn’t going to wait to find out. In a daze I got with the program to become “an Ebola ready Nurse”. More power to all the nurses on the grind – Goodluck!!”

Regina-Askia-Williams

6 Shot At Washington High School; Shooter Dead From Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

Mohammed Useni
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6 Shot At Washington High School; Shooter Dead From Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

The shooter at Washington state’s Marysville-Pilchuck High School is dead, a police official said Friday.

At least two students were injured when a gunman opened fire Friday morning at a high school in Marysville, Washington, just north of Seattle, police and witnesses told CNN affiliate KOMO TV.

There were no immediate details released about the victims. Authorities also did not immediately release details about the shooting, with Washington State Patrol spokeswoman Inci Yarkut saying only that investigators were responding to a reported school shooting.

“The Marysville-Pilchuck High School is currently in lockdown due to an emergency situation,” the school district said in a statement.

“Police and emergency services have responded. The Marysville School District lock down procedures will remain in effect at Pilchuck until further notice from law enforcement.”

A student locked down inside a classroom told CNN by phone that the shooting began in the cafeteria. The student, whose name is being withheld, said when the shooting began students initially thought it was a fire drill until teachers told everyone to run into classrooms because there was was a shooting.

At least one person has been airlifted, according to the student. She believes multiple people have been shot. The student said she was hiding in a classroom with other students, all of whom are unharmed.

Medeana Johnson, mother of a boy who is a junior at the school, told KIRO that her son said a boy opened fire near the cafeteria. She said her son told her he was supposed to be in the cafeteria but stopped to chat with someone and so didn’t go in.

CNN affiliate KIRO-TV in Seattle showed police cars and ambulances outside the school. Aerial shots showed students running out of the buildings, many with their arms up.

Sudanese Ambassador To Nigeria Dies In Abuja

Mohammed Useni
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Sudanese Ambassador To Nigeria Dies In Abuja

The Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Tagelsir Ali, is dead, the country’s embassy confirmed on Friday in Abuja.

The Media Advisor to the embassy, Mohammed Abdulrahman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Ali, 66, died at about 1 a.m. on Friday at the National Hospital, Abuja.

“He had malaria; there were some complications and he passed away around 1 a.m. early this morning.

“There is a Presidential jet coming by 5 p.m. to take the remains to Sudan for burial.

“He was 66 years old. He loved working in Nigeria and had zeal to develop the bilateral relationship between Sudan and Nigeria and was able to stretch himself very well,” he said.

Abdulrahman said that the embassy had received many visitors since the diplomat’s demise was announced, adding that a condolence register had been opened for him at the embassy.

Contacted, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Martin Uhomoibhi, to NAN that the ministry was aware of the ambassador’s death.

Ali was posted to Nigeria in February, 2012.

Sad News! Ebola Virus Could Kill 90,000 In Liberia By Year-end – Study Reveals

Mohammed Useni
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Sad News! Ebola Virus Could Kill 90,000 In Liberia By Year-end – Study Reveals

Efforts to control the Ebola virus in Liberia must be quickly and dramatically scaled up or tens of thousands of people will die in the coming months, said a study published on Friday reports Reuters News Agency.

Nearly 4,900 deaths have been recorded across West Africa since the virus was first detected in Guinea in March, according to the World Health Organization. Liberia has been the hardest hit of the countries most affected by the virus, with 2,705 deaths and 4,665 recorded cases.

Without accelerated efforts to control the disease, Ebola will kill 90,000 in Liberia and infect 171,000 by mid-December, a study in medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases said.

“Our predictions highlight the rapidly closing window of opportunity for controlling the outbreak and averting a catastrophic toll of new Ebola cases and deaths in the coming months”, Alison Galvani, one of the authors of the study, said in a statement.

Additional medical facilities for Ebola treatment, a fivefold increase in detection of new cases, together with allocation of protective kits for households could avert as many as 98,000 cases by mid-December, the study said.

Researchers based their analysis on a study of Liberia’s Montserrado County, which encompasses the capital Monrovia and where the vast majority of cases have been recorded.

Without expanded efforts to control the epidemic, the national toll would be even higher, they said.

“The scale of interventions that are currently being implemented are still paltry in comparison to what we anticipate is needed,” Joseph Lewnard, one of the authors of the paper told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview.

The United States has pledged an additional 1,700 beds for Ebola treatment centres in West Africa, however 4,800 beds could be needed for Montserrado County alone, said Lewnard.

Even a two-week delay could greatly limit the effectiveness of interventions and result in tens of thousands of people dying, he said.

Controlling the outbreak is especially difficult in Monrovia’s West Point slum, where over 75,000 people live without running water, making it difficult to implement World Health Organization’s recommendation to wash hands with water and soap while caring for sick family members.

A team of 51 doctors and nurses from Cuba arrived in Liberia on Wednesday to help to fight the epidemic.

The United States is also gradually deploying troops to Liberia as part of a 3,000-strong mission to help West African nations cope with the epidemic by building Ebola treatment units and training local medical staff.

Venatius Ikem: Redrawing Cross River State Political Map

Mohammed Useni
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Venatius Ikem: Redrawing Cross River State Political Map

For me, the mantra of Change is not new. Some believe it passionately while others hate it. Some even hate me for just the thought of it. The truth is, like it or hate it, or even hate me, the idea that there is a likelihood of change in the Cross River State political environment is a given?

The funny thing about it is that the issues and events shaping this change are self-inflicted by those that are opposed to it. Simply put: Political change here is driven by sheer arrogance of power and the misread political environment that suggests that those holding temporary power hold a permanent franchise on how we think and behave politically.

Take the scenario that the powers that be are attempting to foist unpopular aspirants as the PDP flag bearers on the electorates in this age and end time of an almost eclipsed influence of a dying hegemony, then you get the full picture.
I cannot speak for the Southern Senatorial District but from interactions it is clear that the regime’s preference for a senatorial candidate is symptomatic of a system bent on destroying itself. I cannot think of a worst indifference to public opinion and a crass arrogance on how not to attempt to foist an unpopular candidate on a people. I don’t want to sound like I have an opinion on who should be because it is not my constituency.

The scenario at Central is a bit tricky, yet not entirely different. The challenger to Senator Ndoma Egba may be populist in outlook but people are beginning to think again about the reasons they are fed or on why a prominent and capable representative like the Senator should be replaced because someone said he offended his sensibilities!

It is not helpful that his candidature is offending the sensibilities of the party at the centre which sees the senator’s challenger as at best a marginal PDP member who joined the rebellion against the party to form a cabal that has served their selfish interests in the House of Reps amassing a huge fortune for themselves in public project patronage.

The Governor’s continued accommodation of this rebellious group in the state remains suspicious as his cozy relationship with the leadership of the rebellion has not gone unnoticed at the highest level. It is remarkable that the Speaker of the House has never missed an occasion in Cross River State, even if it is a football match or an innocuous declaration or empowerment programme, especially if organised by one of the members of this rebellious group who he has sufficiently empowered with juicy committee chairmanship in the House.

It makes sense to recall with hindsight that John Owan-Enoh was the first minority Leader of the Cross River State House of Assembly at inception as an elected Member of APP as it then was. He only crossed to the PDP to save his career which has blossomed unbelievably under the leadership of Gov. Imoke.

The questions that easily arise are: Is the governor one of the patrons of the rebellion or a mutual friend and sympathiser of it? How loyal is a friend whose friends are your “enemies”? The answer my friends, is blowing in the wind. Only PDP National knows best. But the PDP I know does not reward disloyalty with promotion. Having benefitted so much from disloyal conduct in the House of Representatives I see no disincentive to do otherwise should the Honourable member gain promotion to the Senate.
When we as innocent citizens keep asking why our Governor, Chairman of the South South Governors’ forum from where the President comes, acclaimed bosom friend of the President and member of his kitchen cabinet, cannot influence anything to our state in four years, not even a symbolic solidarity visit, in the absence of any project for the President to come and commission, then there is a critical problem of doubtful loyalty.

The only citizens of our state who are loyal and playing at the centre of the President’s attention are not just “enemies” of our Governor, they are haunted and if need be removed from office. That is the calamity of the vilification of Senator Ndoma – Egba, Leader of the Senate, a very loyal member of the Senate and one of the most cerebral members of Nigeria’s legislature who must be stopped “by fire by force” to please the powers that be.

As our dear governor prepares to bow out of office, it is clear that he does not want to leave behind any capable representative of the state at the Federal level except those he has adjudged as owing personal loyalty to him and him alone. The interest of the state is secondary. One would have imagined that a state deprived of oil revenue as Cross River State will leverage on its human resources capacity to add value to its citizens by making maximum use of the experience and contacts of her citizens at the Federal level. But alas! They are chased and fought to oblivion by the very people who swore to protect them in the name of politics!?

Thus, Senator Otu is to vacate his seat for the Governor’s buddy Gershom Bassey; Daniel Asuquo for the Governor’s cousin, Dr. Emil Inyang; Essien Ayi for Dominic Oqua Edem; Nkoyo Toyo for Ita Mbora. By this calculation Frank Adah and Bassey Ewa will remain as a mark of their “meritorious” service while Senator Ayade vacates for Rose Oko.

In Governor Imoke’s calculation there should be no ranking senator from Cross River State by 2015 at the National Assembly so that he can rule cross river state by proxy if his still-born effort at single handedly nominating a puppet for the governorship of the state were to succeed. But for the first time Cross Riverians are saying loudly: NO! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! And Governor Imoke is not coming to terms with this new Cross River anymore, not knowing that his conduct has radicalised an otherwise docile and peaceful people.

Never mind that the Governor’s talk about second term being okay, but third term unacceptable! Senator Otu, Nkoyo Toyo and Dan Asuquo are serving their first terms, while Bassey Ewa is serving a second term already. Is it double talk? Think again, some animals are more equal than others!

We must make the point that it is high time we made loyalty count in PDP Cross River State! Ninety per cent of the foundation members of the party have become onlookers unless you share a cult like following with the Governor! That is why a retired Clerk of the House of Assembly will be foisted on the party as chairman barely two months after retirement! What a glorious legacy of service and loyalty our Governor wants to leave as a parting gift to us all!

For those who still think the struggle is not about them, when it gets to you there will be no one else left to fight for you.
The “loyalists” amongst you are the opponents of yesterday and potential opponents of tomorrow!

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Mr. Venatius Ikem, former national publicity secretary of PDP, wrote from Calabar, Cross River State.

Disclaimer

It is the policy of NewsWireNGR not to endorse or oppose any opinion expressed by a User or Content provided by a User, Contributor, or other independent party.
Opinion pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of NewsWireNGR

Bunmi Awoyemi: Rabiu Kwankwaso Is A Better Choice For APC Than General Muhammadu Buhari

Mohammed Useni
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Bunmi Awoyemi: Rabiu Kwankwaso Is A Better Choice For APC Than General Muhammadu Buhari

I have seen die hard supporters of General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) insinuating that GMB would garner more votes than Rabiu Kwankwaso in a Presidential contest against incumbent Goodluck Ebele Jonathan! I beg to disagree with them.

I have made it clear that even though I may have some reservations about GMB, if he emerges as the APC Presidential flag bearer, I will vote for him because of the depth and breadth of the corrupt practices of the current administration which needs to be tackled so that the stolen resources of Nigeria can be returned to the treasury.

Having said that the clear cut achievements of Rabiu Kwankwaso makes him stand out among his peers. I will repost my note in these achievements at the end of this update.

Buhari has lost 3 times against the PDP. That means they have a playbook that is deployed each time he runs for the office of President and it works against him. I would have preferred a measured approach by the supporters of GMB. This desperate attempt to crown him the candidate of the APC even before a party primary or a conclusion of a consensus process is bound to back fire if at the end of the day he ends up not winning the ticket. This “Buhari or nothing” approach of his supporters was what led to the electoral violence that trailed his loss at the 2011 Presidential polls.

Now the same pattern is beginning to emerge. The worst case scenario which is likely to play out if Buhari fails to get the APC ticket is that his supporters will in protest against the APC for not handing GMB the ticket on a platter of gold refuse to back whoever emerges. GMB needs to call his supports to order.

A lot of them including some journalists sympathetic to some entrenched APC leaders who want to impose Buhari on a party of 32m members have erroneously alleged that one of the reasons people prefer Rabiu Kwankwaso to Buhari is age. They also allege that Rabiu Kwankwaso’s democratic credentials has been somewhat soiled because he used to be a PDP member.

My response is as follows:

1. Buhari being a coupist who planned and executed a coup against a democratically elected government cannot be said to possess better democratic credentials than Rabiu Kwankwaso who has been a democrat for decades from when he cut his teeth as a student union leader in his college days at the Kaduna Polytechnic to when he was in the House of Representatives as the Deputy Speaker in the early 90s and later contested and won the Kano state governorship election in 1999.

When he failed to win reelection in 2003 he was appointed Minister of Defence in the OBJ regime and during his time all attempts at insurgency were check mated and the defense budget was executed judiciously and meticulously. There was nothing like the armed forces not being properly equipped even though the defense budget was less than 20% of what the Goodluck Jonathan adminstration has been budgeting for defense in the last 4 years.

During the Yar Ardua administraton he was appointed a member of the NDDC Board and served with dedication.

Rabiu Kwankwaso subjected himself to a civilian government and served under it while GMB overthrew a democratically elected government and sent a lot of innocent Governors to their early grave because of harsh prison conditions.

I need no delve into the undemocratic credentials of GMB because that will undermine our collective resolve as a nation to send Goodluck Jonathan back to his village in 2015, because no matter how imperfect GMB’s record is, when you juxtapose it with that of the once shoeless and now clueless corrupt President of Nigeria he is as squeaky clean as a mother Theresa.
2. On the age issue:I agree that if he is fit and capable age should not be a barrier to Buhari ascending to the office of President of Nigeria. The truth is that the millions of Nigerians from the South and the North who are already mobilizing massively for Rabiu Kwankwaso are doing so because of his stellar report card after just 3 years in office as Governor of the most populous state in Nigeria, Kano state.

Click or copy and paste the youtube video below to learn more about his score card and read the Note that I wrote a few days ago that attempts to capture some but not all his achievements in the last 3 years of his administration in Kano state!

Vote in Engr.(Dr.) Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Awolowo and Aminu Kano of the 21st Century as Nigeria’s next President

This document contains a summary of some of the achievements of Engr(Dr.) Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as the executive Governor of Kano state and the Awolowo and Aminu Kano of the 21st century. He is a strong believer in the ideology of these two great nationalists and has worked tirelessly day and night to implement what these two great Nigerians believed in. He is their student and he has not done badly in trying to live up to their ideals. If elected as Nigeria’s next President, rest assured that these achievements will be replicated across Nigeria. He needs your vote at the APC primaries and if he emerges as the Presidential candidate of the APC, he needs your vote to become the next President of Nigeria.

– He is prudent with resources

– Visionary leader

-Man of integrity

-Man of the people

-Detribalised leader

– He is number 1 in education among the Governors in Nigeria- free education at all levels including university education. –

-Provided scholarships to more than 2500 Kano indigenes for their university education.

-Transparent leadership

-Training 100 Kano graduates sponsored to become pilots.

-300 graduates sponsored to different areas of specialization in medicine

-100 graduates sponsored for their Masters’ degree in Pharmacy.

-24 graduates sponsored for their Masters’ degree in various fields of Engineering

-Pays the school fees (N17m per year) of all the Kano law graduates at the Nigerian law schools.

-Eliminated begging by paying them N10,000 per month until they graduate from skills acquisition program and pick up seed grants to start their own businesses.

-Abolished office of 1st Lady -Abolished security vote that runs into billions of naira and is a corruption conduit

-Stopped sponsoring religious pilgrimages thereby saving billions.

-Spends 65-70% of annual budget on capital projects that benefits the people directly.
– Stopped ram buying for civil servants and saved billions of naira from this and other areas of waste which has been channeled into making education free from Primary school to University level.

– Invested N1.1b in the purchase of 250 brand new cars and handed it over to unemployed graduates for them to run a luxury taxi business.

-Met empty treasury, a debt burden of N77 billion and an additional $203 million in foreign loans on assumption of office, he has through prudent management of resources put Kano State on the path of accelerated development.

-800 classrooms and 400 offices have been constructed in the primary schools across the state

-Acquired 65 buses from the Urban Development Bank under the Federal Mass Transit Programme for transporting students to school and 20 high capacity buses which were distributed to public schools in the state under Kwankwasiyya Girl Child Initiative and additional 30 buses for the same purpose.

-Free meals during school hours, free uniforms and free books have encouraged children of the less privileged in the state to go to school. “A child whose parents cannot give him three square meals can now go to school because he knows that there would be food for him to eat in school.

-In order to provide access roads for the rural communities, started the construction of a five- kilometre road in the headquarters of each of the 44 local government areas of the state.

-Numerous road and flyover projects across the entire state that makes Kano state look like one giant construction site.

– Over 2000 health technology graduates and pharmacists have been trained & given free N50,000 & non interest loan of N100,000 to operate pharmacies uder the LAFIYA JARI PROG.

-Water supply to the people of Kano state rose from the meagre 40 million litres per day that was being pumped into the city to 200 million litres per day.

-Upgrade and proper equipping of primary health care centers and government hospitals across Kano state.

– he built three new cities namely: kwankwasiyya city, Amana city, and Bandarawo citiy.

-1700 youths trained in the use of modern farm equipment and each mobilized with the sum of N140k each.

-To ensure transparency no commissioner can approve an amount above N200k for any project, if above N200k it must be approved by the state executive council.

-All medical students who are Kano indigenes get a level 9 civil service level salary per month from their 1st year of medical school to their housemanship.

-Built two universities and several academic institutions within three years Free education at all levels in Kano State.

-Trained 1120 unemployed youths as vulcanizers and mechanics and gave each of them between N53k and N63k and a tool box and machines to set up their own businesses.

-Spends N3.3b annually to feed primary and secondary school students!

– creating construction, developing and funding of Kano University of Science and Technology with 7 faculties and 29 departments

– Northwest University with 4 faculties and 16 departments

– School of Nursing and midwifery madobi

– School of nursing Gezawa

– School of health Technology Bebeji

– School of Informatics Studies Kura

-Awarding degree program at College of Education Kano

-NCE and degree program at School of Legal Studies Kano

-Sponsoring 501, 502 and 503 students abroad on scholarship

-Skills Acquisition Schools in all 44 LGAs of the state

– Over 27 crafts, technical, security, sport and entrepreneurial schools were built all over the state.

– Looking at this capital expenditure with the little IGR of the state and transformation that we have seen in all sectors of the Kano economy, especially transportation (road construction) education and health sectors it is clear that we have in Engr (Dr.) Rabiu Kwankwaso a leader that can govern Nigeria effectively.

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Written by Bunmi Awoyemi, Ph.D.

Disclaimer

It is the policy of NewsWireNGR not to endorse or oppose any opinion expressed by a User or Content provided by a User, Contributor, or other independent party.
Opinion pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of NewsWireNGR

Nigerian Lecturer Burnt To Death By A Mob In Taraba

Mohammed Useni
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Nigerian Lecturer Burnt To Death By A Mob In Taraba

Alhaji Kassimu Umar, a Lecturer at the Taraba College of Education, Zing, was on Friday burnt to death in a mob action after he allegedly hit and killed five primary school pupils with a vehicle he was driving.

Mr Joseph Kwaji, the Police Public Relations officer , of the Taraba Police Command confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Jalingo.

He said that the mob forcefully removed Umar from the Pupule Police Outpost, where he went to report the incident, and the mob burnt him to death.

Kwaji said, “In the early hours of today, one Kassimu Umar, who is believed to be a lecturer with COE, Zing, had knocked down five primary school pupils who all died on the spot.

“After he reported the incident to the Pupule Police station, irate youths in their hundreds, stormed the station, dragged him out and lynched him.

“Our investigation revealed that the lecturer was trying to dodge a trailer, when he ran over the pupils whose ages ranged between eight and 11 years.”

Kwaji said that the matter was under investigation, adding that no arrest had so far been made.

US Nurse, Nina Pham Declared Ebola-Free

Mohammed Useni
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US Nurse, Nina Pham Declared Ebola-Free

After weeks in isolation recovering from Ebola, Dallas nurse Nina Pham thanked everyone who cared for her and mentioned that she was finally be going home to her dog, Bentley.

Pham walked out of the National Institutes of Health’s hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, this morning to a round of applause by spectators, reports ABC News.

“I feel fortunate and blessed to be standing here today,” she told reporters, adding that she hopes for privacy when she returns to her “normal life” in Texas.

Pham, 26, contracted Ebola from Liberian national Thomas Duncan, who flew to the United States in September and was diagnosed with Ebola at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.

Pham, a nurse there, cared for Duncan when he was especially contagious. He died on Oct. 8, and she tested positive for the deadly virus on Oct. 11.

It was the first Ebola transmission on U.S. soil.

“I am on my way back to recovery even as I reflect on others who have not been so fortunate,” Pham said, reading from her prepared statement at the press conference.

At the news conference announcing Pham’s discharge, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, said she tested negative for Ebola five times, and that it wasn’t clear which treatment saved her because they were all experimental.

“I want to first tell you what a great pleasure and in many respects, a privilege …to have the opportunity to treat and care for and get to know such an extremely courageous and lovely person,” Fauci said, adding that she represents the health care workers who “put themselves on the line”

He said he wore Pham’s nursing school colors for the press conference in her honor.

“I’m going to miss Nina a lot,” Fauci quipped at the end of the conference, adding that he gave her his cell phone number.

Gunmen Kidnap Sister To Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s Minister Of Petroleum

Mohammed Useni
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Gunmen Kidnap Sister To Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s Minister Of Petroleum

The sister of Nigeria’s petroleum minister has been kidnapped in the oil hub of Port Harcourt, police said Friday, in the latest abduction targeting a prominent political family.

Osio Agama, whose sister Diezani Alison-Madueke leads Africa’s largest oil industry, was seized at gunpoint as she approached her car on Tuesday night, River state police spokesman Ahmad Muhammad said to AFP.

Muhammad said police “were not aware if any ransom demand had been made” and the motive for the abduction was unknown but the southern oil-producing Niger Delta region has seen waves of ransom kidnappings in recent years.

One of the most prominent cases came in December 2012, when Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s 82-year-old mother Kamene Okonjo was abducted from her home, also in Delta state.

Okonjo-Iweala and Alison-Madueke are widely seen as the two most powerful members of President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet.

Jonathan’s 70-year-old uncle was also kidnapped earlier this year in Bayelsa state, which neighbours Delta.

Some have sought to attach a political motive to attacks targeting Nigeria’s most powerful families.

The finance minister implied that her mother was seized because of her ministry’s crackdown on oil companies which had abused the country’s rotten fuel subsidy scheme.

But such links were never proven and Kamene Okonjo was released a week after her abduction.

The security forces and affected families almost never confirm ransom payments but most believe kidnappers in the Niger Delta are seeking financial gain. Despite producing roughly two million barrels of oil per day, the area remains acutely poor with high unemployment.

Gang activity is rampant and kidnappings have at times been perpetrated on a near weekly basis. Local politicians, prominent businessmen and foreigners have been among the targets.

2015: APC’s Ambode Formally Declares Ambition To Succeed Fashola

Mohammed Useni
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2015: APC’s Ambode Formally Declares Ambition To Succeed Fashola

By Eromo Egbejule

Frontline governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode today officially declared his ambition to succeed the incumbent Babatunde Fashola.

The declaration which held at the Onikan stadium, kicked off at 10am Friday morning had a lot of party dignitaries in the state in attendance, from state lawmakers to local government chairmen. The mammoth crowd also included supporters, party stalwarts and other members of the public.

Ambode, a former Auditor-General of the state is rumoured to be the favoured candidate among the many vying for the position of number one citizen in Lagos.

In his declaration speech, he promised to run a government of inclusion and not discriminate against any of the state residents on the basis of sex, religion, ethnicity or age.

He said his candidacy was based on state-wide consultations and divine ordinance, saying “the presence of thousands of supporters today is an attestation of the state-wide consultations that we commenced since last year.”

According to him, “The acceptance and popularity of my candidacy, the great turn out and the fantastic support we have received from every corner of the State and beyond, from all sectors and various religious persuasions confirm that this is a divine moment in the history of Lagos State.”

Ambode said he had the qualities required to continue the giant strides which the APC has achieved in Lagos in recent years, promising to dedicate himself to the task, without flinching or losing focus.

He vowed to consolidate on the work of Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola in Lagos state, with more people-friendly policies.

In his words, “I stand before you today in the spirit of the continuity of excellence that Lagos is known for. My vision and mission is to create a clean, secure and prosperous Lagos State that is driven by a vibrant economy and supported by quality service, equity and justice.”

“Every family is represented in Lagos and have benefited from the purposeful APC government. If you believe Lagos can do more, it is imperative that we do not only win in Lagos but we must also take over the centre at Abuja. So when we say change, we mean change in its total ramifications. Change at the Center. We want to have more. We want more. The only way we can do this is to tell your family members and friends that live, in and outside Lagos, to vote for change, to vote for APC.”

The crowd was entertained by popular musicians including Pasuma Wonder, Olamide, MI Abaga and Dammy Krane who all did their best to keep the venue alive as they belted out hit after hit on stage.

The elections hold in February 2015 but first Ambode must win the party primaries ahead of challengers like Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Hon. Obafemi Hamzat and others.

Former NBA Chairman Okey Wali Released

Mohammed Useni
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Former NBA Chairman Okey Wali Released

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has confirmed the release of its  immediate past president, Okey Wali, SAN, who had been held hostage by unknown men since October 11.

The NBA President, Augustine Alegeh, SAN said in a statement Thursday night that  Wali was released at about 11p.m. on Thursday.

“I have personally spoken to him and can confirm that he is hale, hearty and in good spirit.

“?The Nigerian Bar Association is greatly delighted by the safe release of Okey Wali, SAN and wishes to express appreciation to all NBA members and well-meaning Nigerians who supported the Bar and the Okey Wali Family during this trying period.

“We must also commend NBA members for keeping calm throughout this period and not taking any steps that may have directly or indirectly jeopardised the efforts for his safe release which have now yielded positive results.

“The Nigerian Bar also wishes to place on record its appreciation of the efforts of the security agencies in securing the safe release of Okey Wali, SAN. The Director General of the State Security Services (SSS), the Inspector General of Police and the SSS State Directors and Police Commissioners in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo States who worked tirelessly to secure his safe release deserve special mention.

“While we celebrate the safe release of Okey Wali SAN, we must hasten to reiterate the fact that the spate of kidnappings and general state of insecurity in Our Country is cause for great concern.

“A safe and secure Country is one of the primary roles of Our Government and we call on the Government to promptly address the present state of insecurity in the Country. We cannot continue to live in fear of kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals.

“We call on the Government to take much more seriously its constitutional duty of providing a safe and secure environment for all Nigerians.”?
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No information was provided as to the details of the release of the learned senior Advocate

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