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You Are Allergic To Democracy, APC Tells PDP

APC-LOGO-17-4-13
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the PDP’s sponsored sabotage of its (APC) ongoing membership registration in several states of the federation and its rush to the media to condemn the process have shown the ruling party as a cog in the wheel of democracy.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said since one of the ways to truncate democracy is by stifling popular participation, the PDP as a party stands accused of working to truncate Nigeria’s democracy by its campaign of lies against the APC membership registration, which is aimed at giving as many Nigerians as possible a chance to be part of their country’s constitutional democracy.

It said the only reason the PDP called a hurried press conference to spew out lies on another party’s membership registration exercise is because the ruling party has seen the handwriting on the wall, since the registration started, and has consequently become overly jittery.

”The PDP is wrong about its claim that the APC is engaging in phantom registration. The party should know that while anyone can manufacture numbers, no one can manufacture human beings. Therefore, in the fullness of time, any party that gives a fake number of its membership will get its comeuppance.

”The truth is that within the first three days of our registration exercise, we had met and exceeded the target we set for ourselves. Nigerians have flocked to our party, which they have come to see more as a mass movement than just a political party. This explains why we have extended the registration period by two days. The PDP is aware of the widespread acceptability of the APC and has started quivering,” APC said

The party said instead of splitting hairs over the phenomenal APC registration exercise, the PDP should go out there and launch its own membership drive if it wants to know what Nigerians think of it.

”PDP officials should not just sit in their Abuja offices and make phantom allegations about some party engaging in phantom registration, They should go out there and see for themselves what is going on, and how Nigerians are streaming aboard the train of change that the APC has become,” it said.

APC also asked the PDP to stop trying to sabotage its membership registration by sponsoring attacks on registration officials and hijacking registration materials in Abia and Rivers, bribing some fifth columnists to sabotage the process in Delta, and burning down our secretariat in Gombe

The party denied getting any assistance whatsoever from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) or using any material obtained from the commission, ”except of course if the public spaces we are using for the registration are now being seen by the PDP as INEC’s property”.

”The PDP accused the APC of trying to truncate the country’s democracy simply because the party (APC) is giving Nigerians the opportunity to exercise their constitutional right to associate freely. It is now clear to all discerning Nigerians that it is indeed the PDP that is working hard to truncate our democracy by blocking popular participation and preventing Nigerians from exercise their rights,” the party said.

Alibaba Offers To Buy Digital Mapping Company AutoNavi

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Alibaba

 (Reuters) – Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, China’s largest e-commerce firm, offered to acquire AutoNavi Holdings Ltd in a deal valuing the Chinese digital mapping and navigation firm at $1.45 billion (883.39 million pounds).

Alibaba has been trying to expand its product line-up to better compete with Chinese rivals Tencent Holdings Ltd and Baidu Inc, particularly on mobile devices.

AutoNavi said on Monday that Alibaba had offered to buy the 72 percent of the company that it did not already own for $21 per American depository share.

The offer represents a premium of 27 percent to AutoNavi’s Friday close of $16.54 on the Nasdaq.

AutoNavi shares were trading slightly above the offer at $21.15 before the bell on Monday.

Alibaba, which is expected to go public in the United States this year, bought a stake in Sina Corp’s microblogging service Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, at the end of April last year.

Alibaba announced a 28 percent stake in AutoNavi in May.

AutoNavi said it would form a committee including financial and legal advisers to consider the offer, which Alibaba plans to fund with cash on hand.

Alibaba, in which Yahoo Inc holds a 24 percent stake, runs Taobao Marketplace, China’s largest consumer-focused e-commerce website; business-to-business commerce platform Alibaba.com; and Alipay, a PayPal-like online payment platform.

(Reporting By Sampad Patnaik in Bangalore; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

In Nigeria, Where Graft Is the System – New York Times

By Adam Nossiter

ABUJA, Nigeria — The Nigerian highway is full of surprises, many of them unpleasant. At numerous police and army “checkpoints,” money is expected to change hands. The driver smiles, the men in uniform smile, hands reach out, and the car goes on its way, with the passenger from abroad only wondering at how routine it seems.

This is not a flaw in the system. It is the system. Political scientists and ordinary citizens confirm it: Corruption, top to bottom, pervades life here, magnifying a continent-wide problem. And by some measures it is getting worse.

The omnipresence of developing-world corruption, particularly in Africa, is often hard for the occasional visitor to grasp. Bill Gates, for one, has recently expressed optimism about the issue. He is a faithful visitor and significant donor to Nigeria, a top focus for his foundation in Africa. Photographed in the smiling company of the country’s leaders, he has taken the lead in combating polio in the country and supports programs in agriculture, family health and financial services.

Unlike the citizens, analysts and others who have long-term exposure to corruption in Africa, Mr. Gates plays it down in the countries he is aiding — seeing it as a discrete problem that can be separated from the rest.

Others, though, view corruption as an integral element in the governance structure of these countries.

Mr. Gates wrote last month, addressing his developing-world efforts, that “more and more, technology will help in the fight against corruption. The Internet is making it easier for citizens to know what their government should be delivering — like how much money their health clinic should get — so that they can hold officials accountable.”

There is no evidence that this is occurring in Nigeria, or elsewhere in Africa. African Internet users represented at most 7 percent of the world’s total in 2012. Even when knowledge of potential misspending seeps out, the result is often nothing. Nigerian journalists reported four months ago that the aviation minister, Princess Stella Oduah, had bought two armored BMWs for around $1.4 million for her use and that of “visiting foreign dignitaries,” as her spokesman put it. After a brief outcry, Ms. Oduah remains in office; at the principal international airport, Lagos, facilities for ordinary citizens remain a chaotic mess.

But exposure is the exception. Much in government spending, at all levels, remains hidden from the citizens. Moody’s warned potential Nigeria investors last May of a “history of opaque economic policymaking” and said that “public financial management, at both federal and state levels, remains opaque.”

Three-fourths of Nigerian and foreign companies reported “high bribery” in a 2007 study — in the obtaining of trade permits, in taxation matters, in government administration of procurement, and in matters relating to the judiciary. Nigeria is not alone: “Corruption is a hallmark of African civil service and of its relations with citizens and firms,” two American scholars of the continent, Pierre Englebert and Kevin C. Dunn, write in their new book, “Inside African Politics.”

Mr. Gates, in his letter defending the efficacy of aid to the developing world, wrote last month that “we should also remember the relative size of the problem. Small-scale corruption, such as a government official who puts in for phony travel expenses, is an inefficiency that amounts to a tax on aid.”

Corruption in Nigeria, though, is not small-scale. Since independence, some $400 billion in oil revenue has been stolen or is missing, a former World Bank vice president, Oby Ezekwesili, recently said.. Corruption is fundamental to the way the country works — or doesn’t: “Everyone in civil service is to some extent a patron, with relatives and others who are lower on the social ladder forming expectations about the extent to which they will be taken care of,” Mr. Englebert and Mr. Dunn write.

At a second Nigeria “checkpoint” recently, furious military personnel refused to let the car bearing foreigners go. Another car pulled up, and a man with the badge of a senior Nigerian civil servant walked up. “Do you want to embarrass our nation in front of strangers?” he yelled at the soldiers. The car was allowed to go on.

A version of this article appears in print on February 5, 2014, and read in The International New York Times.

Nickeledeon’s Search For Creative Short Animated Programmes Is On

Kids and family channel Nickelodeon (DStv Channel 305) has announced its call for submissions for its 2014 global Animated Shorts Programme.

Designed to identify and develop new animation talent and provide a platform for new content for kids, this year’s programme marks the second annual call for international submissions, continuing the search for a new set of creative voices and visionaries.

Nickelodeon will choose a minimum of 10 pitches to be developed into short animated films that will appear on air and on Nickelodeon websites globally. These shorts also have the potential of becoming long-form animated series on Nickelodeon. In 2013 Nickelodeon received over 1,000 pitches worldwide for the programme.

 “We’re on an ongoing mission to create the funniest animated content for this next generation of kids, and find the freshest creative voices from around the world,” said  Russell Hicks, President, Content Development and Production, Nickelodeon. “The shorts program has already fueled our pipeline with new content and we’re very excited to see what comes through our door this year.”

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Ideas will be accepted from a broad pool of creative talent from all quarters including artists, designers, writers, directors and comedians.  Creators will be provided with the necessary artistic and production support teams to help them complete their fully animated short.

Shorts must be original, humour-based and character-driven.  All animation styles are encouraged from 2D to digital 2D, stop motion, CG or mixed media.  The deadline for submissions is 14 March 2014.

From the pitches received in 2013, 10 domestic and 7 international pitches were chosen to be developed into animated shorts that will air on Nickelodeon or appear on www.nickelodeonafrica.com throughout 2014. “The Loud House” created by Chris Savino, “Bear Wrestler” created by Deanna Rooney, “By Request Pizza” created by Arica Tuesday and Mick Ignis, “Hole” created by Sam Spina, “Matt and Gus” created by Matt Braunger, and “Charlie and Mr. Two” created by Travis Braun round out the previously announced domestic finalists: “Bug Salad” created by Carl Faruolo, “Earmouse and Bottle” created by Brian Morante, “Woodstump” created by Zach Smith, and “Broats” created by Jack Cusumano.  The international animated shorts in development include “Badly Drawn Animals” by Hamish Steele (UK), “Louis and Georges” by Renaud Martin & Raphaël Chabassol (France), “Monster Pack” by Pedro Eboli & Graham Peterson (Brazil), “Moosebox” by Mike Scott (South Africa), “Scoop” by The Brothers McLeod (UK), “Tech Oddity” by Marco Ibarra and Stefie Zöhrer (Mexico), and “Tonk’s Island” by Mel Roach (Australia).

Gary “Doodles” Di Raffaele (MAD, Metalocyalpse), discovered through Nickelodeon’s inaugural Animated Shorts Program in 2012, is one of the creators and executive producers of Nickelodeon’s brand-new upcoming animated series, Breadwinners.  Premiering in February, the 20-episode series, which is also created and executive produced by Steve Borst (Teen Titans Go!, MAD), follows two booty-shaking ducks as they operate a bread delivery service out of their awesome, jet-fueled rocket van.

As the leader in television animation production, Nickelodeon has a legacy of creating ground-breaking animated shows including The Fairly OddParentsSpongeBob SquarePantsFanboy & Chum ChumDora the ExplorerTeenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesThe Legend of Korraand Sanjay and Craig, which are all produced at the Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, California.

 

Singer, Darey Art Alade And Actress, Ruth Kadiri Cover The 2014 ‘House Of Maliq’ Valentine Issue

The very unique, sexy (Artist) Darey Art Alade graces the Valentine issue of HOUSE OF MALIQ online magazine along side pretty talented
Nollywood actress Ruth Kadiri.

In this latest issue Dare speaks on the color he loves best on a woman, on girls fashion trend that confuses him, thing we need to know about the prestige Valentine concert. Ruth Kadiri talks about herself,career, her love for male wristwatches and sunglasses.

Excerpts from the interview below

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Darey on best colors for women
“None in particular. I think that depends on what makes her feelc onfident and helps her exude her natural beauty… but i know my
sweetheart’s one…

Darey on female fashion trends
“The need to follow the trend actually. why do a lot of ladies have to copy and paste? mobile phones, Brazilian weaves and phones leaves me
confused..lol”

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Darey on his Love Like A Movie concert
“The thought process is ridiculously rigorous. many people work behind the scenes at live-spot productions. the theme is simply love…but then, love is not straightforward. it’s dramatic, confusing, overwhelming and sweet so we decide to use music to represent those emotions and infuse elements of theater, songs, amazing lights, high definition 3D projections and graphics, well rehearsed routines and aerial acts who hang mid air some 90m in the sky. the set is actually dual stage so we pretty much have a stage in the ground and another in the air above…that is what you call a love roller coaster…love like a movie 2!!!!”

Darey on future plans

“I am very happy that i will be releasing new music even at the concert. my team and i are working on music videos also…special fever is doing great and people have told me how much they love asiko which features jozi and ice prince. i do hope they will enjoy the new ones that drop any moment from now…”

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dare2 ruth3
ruth1 ruth

 

For Dare

Photography – Dazzle photos
Styled – Jeremiah Ogbodo of Swanky styling
Costumes- Swanky Signatures
Native Outfit – Yomi casual
Accessories – Swanky Signatures
Makeup – Omalicha Nwayioma Makeovers
Creative Director- Malik Zenishia Zainab
Graphics- Malik Zenishia Zainab /John x (nett)
Co-ordinator – Singer Azeezat

For Ruth Kadiri

Photography – Dazzle photos
Styled – Jeremiah Ogbodo of Swanky styling
Costumes- Floral Net dress, Animal print jacket -Swanky Signatures
Black dress – Vonne couture
Red dress- Signora
Accessories – Swanky Signatures
Makeup – Omalicha Nwayioma Makeovers
Creative Director- Malik Zenishia Zainab
Graphics- Malik Zenishia Zainab /John x (nett)
Co-ordinator – Singer Azeezat

 

 

Another ASUU Strike Imminent Over FG’s Failure To Meet MOU

By Adebayo Waheed

Another strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is imminent as there is fear over the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding reached with the federal government.

The national treasurer of ASUU, Dr Tunde Aremu, who gave this hint while speaking at a luncheon held in honour of media for their roles in the last strike in Ibadan yesterday, disclosed that government was yet to release the N220 billion for 2014-2018 programmes.

He warned that the gates of the universities might again be shut should government refuse to implement the MoU reached at the tail-end of the last strike.

He noted that the money was to be released on quarterly basis and deposited at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Aremu explained that the money was for the rehabilitation of the country’s university system but expressed fears that the MoU reached with the government before the last strike was called off might end up not being implemented as agreed.

“We do not want another strike as time wasted is life wasted,” he said.

He wondered why government allowed the last strike to last for five months when it knew that ASUU was making a patriotic demand.

While commending the media, Aremu said that the emancipation of Nigeria depends on the media and urged them not to rest in their oars.

He said the struggle for the implementation of the 2009 agreement had been partially won and called on the media to beam their searchlights on the universities on how the money would be spent.

Also speaking, the chairman University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, Dr Olusegun Ajiboye, said the union had no option than to proceed on the inevitable strike since all avenues to let government realize the need to implement the agreement had failed.

He lamented that despite the huge resources at the government disposal, it had failed to effectively fund the country’s educational system.

Meanwhile, ASUU has condemned the sack of 92 workers of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, by the executive secretary.

Ajiboje challenged the media and civil society groups to beam their searchlights at heinous activities going on at the institute, describing them as unacceptable.

CBN Governor Inciting The Public Against Jonathan- Anosike, Babatope

Credit: NNPC Home page
Credit: NNPC Home page

Following the recent outburst over the missing funds by the Nigeria National Petroleum Cooperation, NNPC,chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Senator Emmanuel Anosike, have criticized the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi..

The Central Bank of Nigeria governor before the Senate committee had alleged a missing 20 billion dollars.

In an interactive session with reporters in Abuja, Babatope accused Sanusi of trying to incite the public, especially the opposition, against the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said were it not that Sanusi would be leaving office in a few months, it would not be out order to call for his sack as he had exposed himself as somebody not capable of holding such a sensitive office.

He said: “It disheartening and highly embarrassing for the Governor of the CBN to be contradicting himself like that. Look at how he was raking before the Senate a few days ago that the actual money that was missing was $20 billion; the same man had initially quoted different figures of $49 billion and $12 billion respectively.”

In the same vein, Anosike also expressed concern about Sanusi’s conduct, saying: “It is quite worrisome the way Sanusi is carrying himself. Nobody is after his job but we are all Nigerians. The CBN governor is supposed to be seen not heard. But in the case of Sanusi, he talks too much and more of a politician than as a technocrat.”
According to him, instead of Sanusi going public whenever he has concern about the management of the nation’s resources, he should consult the appropriate government officials to find solution to the problems.

“If Sanusi wants to join us as politicians, he can. The place is open, it is an open field. There is no day that passed that we will not hear Sanusi either accusing NNPC or the Ministry of Finance of one thing or the other. NNPC has sustained this country for over 40 years. We almost live on NNPC. So we should stop disparaging or discrediting the NNPC. If there are mistakes, they should be discussed and sorted out instead of trying to destroy the organisation.

“I feel so bad because everything I am seeing shows there is a smear campaign against the president. The central bank governor is part and parcel of this government. He is the head of a regulatory agency of government. Therefore he is not supposed to be saying or doing things that would smear the government,” he said.
Anosike who said the banks were rotten, blamed the CBN governor for not doing much as the head of the banking sector’s regulator.

He also accused the central bank governor of engaging in wasteful ventures, saying, “In Sanusi’s 2014 budget, the CBN is to build a conference centre and hotel worth N92 billion. That amount is enough to construct hundreds of kilometre roads and the contract for the hotel has already been awarded to a crony. What business has the CBN with giving donation as Sanusi is doing? “

Additional Contents, Thisday

Bayo Oluwasanmi: Asari Dokubo’s One-man Jihad

Despicable rhetoric and the phony arrest of outlawed leader of Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF) Mujahid Asari Dokubo made headlines this past two weeks. But one would have to be a retarded monkey to take his endless histrionics polemics and diatribes serious.
Why are Nigerians subjected to watching the outburst of a lunatic who is balder, fatter, and dull-witted on regular basis? Why does Nigerian public accommodate the eccentricity of a drop out? How long do we have to put up with his abuse and threats every time? When the big, fat, idiot liar is not distorting the truth, he’s encouraging ethnic insurgencies and scheming sectarian wars. Do we have to listen to a backward thinking, ill informed, restless and senseless thug with no culture and moral values?
Can we just be spared of the insanity from watching nauseating repeated episodes from Dokubo’s theater of the absurd? In November last year, he was arrested in the Benin Republic. As expected, Mr. Jonathan intervened and promptly secured his release after spending only 36 hours in the Benin jail and swiftly dispatched a jet from the presidential fleet to bring the coconut head and shrimp face Dokubo to Abuja.
Nigerians are no strangers to Dokubo’s one-man Jihad. Samples from his nonsensical gibberish:
January 2012: In the wake of the “Occupy Nigeria” protest against the federal government’s hike in fuel prices, Mr. Jonathan turned to Dokubo to coordinate intimidation of PENGASSAN labor union activists for the nation-wide strike. Dokubo didn’t blink for a second: “Oil platforms will be occupied by Niger Delta militants if PENGASSAN decides to shut down production in solidarity with the ongoing labor strike,” Dokubo threatens the labor leaders. “If the Niger Delta people are not good enough to be part of good governance in Nigeria,” says angry Dokubo, “then our oil and gas of the Niger Delta people is not good enough for Nigeria.”
May 2013: The renegade Dokubo threatened that if he was arrested Nigeria would become history. “I’m not afraid of arrest,” the boastful Dokubo declares, “I am saying it bold and clear without mincing words, that the consequences of my arrest, Nigeria will become history.”
January 2014: He called President Olusegun Obasanjo the “Chief Assassin of all times” in response to the former president’s letter to Mr. Jonathan. “I wonder why you, the Chief Assassin of all times, would accuse President Goodluck of training 1000 snipers and having a watchlist of political opponents … Finally, your evil plot to put me away before 2015 general election failed in the Republic of Benin,” says Dokubo.
And now this: “APC must field a South-South Candidate or we will make Nigerian ungovernable,” Dokubo insists. “It will make sense if APC picks its presidential candidate from the South-South. With that, there will be no battle or us to fight and it will make it easier for us. Whichever way it goes, it will enable us to continue our right of uninterrupted rule of eight years, which is the minimum constitutional requirement.”
Dokubo also vows that the defeat of Jonathan in a free and fair election would trigger crisis. “Jonathan cannot be defeated, they cannot defeat him, they don’t have the right, every part of the country must have equal stake in the presidency of the country.”
The uninformed and unintelligent Dokubo enjoys spewing ethnic hatred and division in defense of President Goodluck Jonathan. Dokubo’s war drums is reminiscent of the run-up to US attack on Iraq with the now famous “shock and awe” combined with pre-war propaganda. “If it is war the North wants, we are ready for them because Jonathan must complete the mandatory constitutionally allowable two terms of eight years. At home, we have regrouped and we have put our people at alert. In less than one hour, the way we would strike, the world will be shocked. If anybody does anything against Jonathans, we will retaliate. What we will do will shock the whole world. We will cripple the economy of the country not only in the creeks, but also on the nation’s territorial water, no vessel will be allowed to enter Nigeria’s territorial waters,” Dokubo threatens.
Saying “We will cripple the economy of the country …” Well, Dokubo what do you think you have been doing all this time? You have crippled the economy! For your relentless harassment of Nigerians look at how much you and your cousins are being paid every year: Dokubo $9million, Afeke Toms and Boyloaf $3.5million each, and Tompolo $22.5million. The economy is wrapped in tatters and rags – can’t you see?
No doubt, the intention of Dokubo’s propaganda was to obtain a specified psychological effect – to terrify Nigerians into the conviction that resistance to Mujahid’s rebellion would be futile, and that Nigerians would capitulate at the first strike, if not before.
Only in Nigeria can the type of Dokubo – an anachronistic belligerent with shrilled tone that’s so mean spirited – with such a limited understanding of people, ideas, politics, and civilized engagement, attract so much publicity and huge following by his loyal Ijaw people. In the society of civilized human beings, by now Dokubo would be history in the cellar! But given the prosaic political leadership in the country, it is not surprising that we will always have a spokesperson like Dokubo for the fools.
From his unguarded outbursts, Dokubo is the enormously talented pimp providing sound bites to idiots. He is the political aphrodisiac that jazz up his company of fools and other pathetic self-deceivers. In my judgment, Dokubo is in a category of pickpockets and braggarts. He’s a con man who is skillful and manipulative.
If Dokubo believed all he says, then he is an idiot because the way he conducts and manages his unenviable life full of miseries and misfortunes do not reflect a man with sound mind and sound judgment. Does he know when is lying or does it come so naturally to him that he doesn’t notice? Is it possible for us to hook Dokubo up to one of the lie detectors and other brain scan gadgets and watch whatever riot that might be taken place in his brain?
He sees conspiracies in anything critical of Mr. Jonathan. He spreads visceral hate and fear-mongering. He spews hate like a belch of smoke from Olumo Rock. Like the devious oil salesman that he is, Dokubo is very calculating. He deliberately uses and misleads his “dittoheads.” The irreverent and tongue-lashing Dokubo pays hilarious homage to foolishness and stupidity. Awful and always with absurd claims, forged and fraudulent ideas, he’s a prime mover behind the presidency that skews a whole new crop of crisis manufacturers. A moron and a scum of the earth, he intentionally spread hateful views and disinformation that prevent meaningful debates.
Dokubo believes Ijaw people owns Nigeria because of the accidental location of oil wells in their backyard. Since Mr. Jonathan assumed the presidency no worthwhile transformation has taken place in Ijaw land with the so called oil money of the Ijaw people. Their environment remains as degraded as ever. Millions of jobless Ijaw youth are no different from their unemployed peers from around the country. The infrastructures are as ancient as the Delta. The farmers are as displaced as the fishes due to oil pollution. But for the few mercenaries like Dokubo, majority of the Ijaw people have been pulverized by poverty and disease. So, of what use is Dokubo’s threats of brim, stone and fire on behalf of the Ijaws if his god father Jonathan was not reelected? Dokubo has done nothing for his people aside from giving us all laughs at how stupid he is.
Dokubo is like Sanballat the great distracter in the Bible. Dokubo is a kind of pest that plagues our country today. He is a distracter who torments and do everything possible to interfere in the affairs of Nigeria. Like Sanballat, Dokubo knows that the renaissance of Nigeria under a cultured, emotionally stable, astute, visionary, and erudite leader would bring a major shift in political power and fortunes of Nigeria. Like Sanballat, Dokubo like the status quo and has a vested interest in Nigeria remaining a disrepair and underdeveloped nation so he set about his distracting agenda.
He first tried to drag Nigeria into a war of his choice with his ragtag NDPVF. It didn’t work. He started mocking and ridiculing critics and others who disagreed with the way Mr. Jonathan is running the country. That didn’t go far. This evil and resourceful leader of the proscribed NDPVF continually adjusts his strategies. Now his new tactics are embedded in fear, entrapment, and political maneuvering.
It seems easier to run from a challenge than to step out and take a risk. Dokubo is a textbook example of a person who expends time and energy only for personal gain. Lazy and unmotivated, he fears the risk of being rejected, and doesn’t really know who he is.
Dokubo sensed that 2015 will change the political equation and destiny of Nigeria. Fully aware that problems and projects go together, that once the tide turns and his kinsman is thrown out of office and a new Nigeria is born, he reasoned that the quickest way to stop the democratic revolution in 2015 is to create fear in the minds of Nigerian voters.
Progressives and well-meaning Nigerians can learn valuable lessons from Dokubo’s assaults, threats, and schemes: expect distracters, don’t give them the time of day, starve them with propaganda and publicity, and keep the pressure on and don’t look back.

Millions of Dokubos cannot stop the urgency of now and the whirlwind of change that are lurking in the wings. The new militancy toward 2015 has begun. We cannot wait and we cannot be patient to see the fulfillment of long delayed and denied promise of democracy. One good thing though from Dokubo’s sheer sentimental rubbish is that it helps to restore our faith, polish our hope, and renew our activism for a better Nigeria.
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Opinion article written by Bayo Oluwasanmi and do not represent the editorial views of newswirengr

Farouk Martins: How Ebele Lost Election Goodwill With El-rufai & Ribadu

 PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (R) AND GOV. SERIAKE  DICKSON OF BAYELSA CASTING THEIR VOTES AT  THE PDP SPECIAL  NATIONAL CONVENTION IN ABUJA ON SATURDAY  (31/8/13)
PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (R) AND GOV. SERIAKE
DICKSON OF BAYELSA CASTING THEIR VOTES AT THE PDP SPECIAL
NATIONAL CONVENTION IN ABUJA ON SATURDAY (31/8/13)

How Ebele could have lost all the election goodwill including Nigeria’s cohorts of El-Rufai and Ribabu beats the heck out of many. He had most people in his grace. All you have to do is look back at his voters’ spread. By all means, Ebele was not a charlatan, always cool and collected. A man that was close in temperament to his President as a Vice-President. Both Yar’Adua and Ebele are examples of how a few extremist views can derail good people and better intentions.
One of the training most get from a doctorate study no matter your field is the ability to research, think deep and reflect on issues. This is Jonathan. But in politics, the game changes. What brings you into power may not keep you there. So there are realities based on security intelligence, even if skewed; some allies with their selfish reasons and those interests of the opponents that attack no matter what the incumbent does right and wrong.
Anyone that wants to rule Nigeria has to deal with the dichotomy of North and South. It is also a fact of life that a Northern President must form alliance with receptive groups in the South. The reverse is true that a Southerner must include favorable groups in the North. Whether it is right or wrong, that is reality. It makes good sense since either North or South cannot run smoothly without alliances. Even in military governments, to a lesser extent, it was done.
In the past we had the Progressive North willing to work with the South. Solomon Lar, J. S Tarka, and our only Saint so far in the Country, Aminu Kano. On his personal wealth, Waziri Ibrahim (Politics without Bitterness) worked with the South for the good of the Country. On the other hand, the South-south always worked with the North mainly from fear of domination by Yoruba and Igbo neighbors. The same is true of Igbo at the Federal and Yoruba at the states levels.
Cohorts of El-Rufai and Ribadu are important out of their willingness as young radicals of the days Rimi and Balabe Musa found it easier to bring North and South together. Both featured very well in OBJ and Yar’Adua governments but were soon displaced by the old conservatives in the North. The fact that each suffered under Yar’Ardua was a golden opportunity for Ebele.
He missed them by a long shot. It is bad enough to miss but to lose to the biggest crooks in Nigeria like Babangida, Gasau, Tinubu and Co is worse. It could have been a good opportunity for young radical Nigerians from the South and North to work together and finally overthrow the old cargoes in these regions that remain as godfathers to the detriment of the Country. Some have been involved in leadership since Independence; in every coup and refuse to let go.
Ebele could have seized that opportunity to bring the North, South, East and West together as reflected in his victory. However, selfish exuberance by voters from some parts in their only interest dominated his kitchen cabinet. There were South-southerners that rightly think their time has come for an opportunity to claim Nigeria main income zone. To be sincere, we cannot blame them because they have been neglected for too long especially in their own oil sector.
However, no matter how much is made from raw oil, a leaky treasury gathers no moss. Oil theft is not the exploit of petty thieves in our local markets but that of big men and big corporation operating big ships and tankers across the borders. They steal the future from our children. Those without raw oil that lack opportunity to loot were the worst perpetrators when in charge. Save your diagnosis and analysis. Concentrate more on alternate solutions to generate your own internal income. Oil income has poisoned our relationships and divided us even more.
Ebele had a delicate task but he could have managed it better. It got worse by not standing up to crooks in his cabinet. This is how most Nigerians that are not from Delta see it. But if you are from that area, it is preposterous for anyone to think that son-of-the-water from Niger Delta stole his/her own money. What defines leader is the ability to stand up to friends and opponent fairly. Nevertheless, Niger Delta fear is: if they do not command their raw oil income now, when?
Complainers from the West claimed that Ebele betrayed them when needed most led to the loss of 3rd most powerful position of Speaker. The problem with that can be seen in leaders that went to Abuja to complain. It was about personal interest and appointments. They know that the only time the West progressed was when they did not rely on the Federal Government but generated internal revenue to benefit their own future. Awo did it in the old West even after Agbekoya revolted, Jakande followed in Lagos; but Tinubu repeated it for his own pocket.
Blaming the East for opposing their Federal hand-outs also fails because any area that has been marginalized through the War as Ndi-Igbo, would fight for anything they can get from Abuja. That The East claims Ebele should not be surprising either. Indeed, it is reconciliation of Igbo relatives in the old West or Mid-west under Ebele that other Nigerians must emulate.
If Yoruba and Hausa could reconcile with their cousins as Igbo did, there would be no need for 250 different ethnic groups but a unified people regardless of major ethnic affiliation. So if Igbo could influence Ebele to their advantage, so could Hausa and Yoruba under the South or North young cohorts of former radicals like El-Rufai and Ribadu. That would wake us up from slumber.
It was up to Ebele to mix the delicate balance with the Northern young radicals he lost. They could have helped in extending hands across the Niger. For a long time, it has always been the hope of Southern politicians that once our Northerners sisters and brothers have embraced modern education as the South, environment would change old conservative domination to progressive opportunities lifting our Country out of ancient centuries’ religion and information.
This is the opportunity that Ebele lost. Blame Obasanjo as much as you want, he was more successful as a leader when most parts of the Country played prominent roles in powerful and strategic positions than any other time after the War. The stars of his administration were the same Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, Soludo, El-Rufai, Ribadu and old man Danjuma.
In order to build any country, loyalty must come before royalties. Niger Delta thinks the oil sector is their sole property and other Nigerians believe it belongs to the whole Country. Not even Solomon in his wisdom can marry both views perfectly. It will be folly to say with the amount of resources placed before our politicians that every Nigerian, no matter where they come from never had the opportunity of a good education, food and shelter provided by better investments in finished products from agricultural and mining jobs in the North and South.
National Conference Resolution maybe too late. Ebele woke up late to disguised terrorists and fanatics distractions. He has nobody to blame but himself if he is not re-elected since no one starts fortifying a house in the face of a Tsunami. The foundation has to be there from the start.
The mistake did not start with Ebele but must end with someone. Nigeria’s young radicals know that lack of locally finished oil products, enough to export is our problem, not cheaper raw oil from our backyards. Think about how much raw oil we can buy with finished oil products.

Article written by Farouk Martins Aresa

Membership Drive: Rivers APC Moves To Capture 800,000 Non-Indigenes

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The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says it is targeting at least 800 out of the 1.5 million non-indigenes in the State in the party’s on-going nationwide membership registration exercise.

This was disclosed on Saturday, February 8, by the State Commissioner for Commerce and Industries, Barrister Chuma Chinye, while addressing a meeting of Stakeholders, State Officials and 23 Local Government Co-ordinators of the Non-Indigenes Political Forum (NIPF) of the State APC in Port Harcourt. Barrister Chinye, who is the Leader of the Forum, said: “Our target in the ongoing APC membership drive is to ensure that we get 800 out of the 1.5m non-indigenes resident in Rivers State and with enough commitment we can achieve that”.

The Commissioner, who hails from Delta State, directed members that any non-indigene residing in Rivers State who is not registered should be deregistered from the Forum, warning that any such person would find it difficult getting the state government’s patronage. “Politics these days is a serious business and we are not playing with the idea of ensuring that the APC forms the government come 2015 both in the State and at the national level. We have the number, we have the drive and we can’t afford to allow all that Gov. Chibuike Amaechi has achieved these past six years to be wasted by the misguided PDP elements, so we must not make the mistake of allowing them to form the next government come 2015 as that will be disastrous both to members and the State at large,” Barr. Chinye said.

Chief Uchenna Okokoba, Co-ordinator of the Forum, assured the Commissioner and all the stakeholders thus: “We will not sleep until the target of 800 memberships is achieved. We are embarking from market to market starting from Ikoku, to Mile 3 to Mile 1 and Iron Market at Oyigbo. After that, we will embark upon house-to-house campaign if necessary to achieve our target”.

At the end of the meeting, registration materials were distributed to all the Local Government Co-ordinators while a seven-man Supervisory Committee was set up to oversee and monitor the success of the exercise. Members of the Supervisory Committee include Barr. Chuma Chinye as Chairman, Chief Ade Adeogun as Vice-Chairman, Chief Eze C Eze as Secretary, with David Iyofor, Chief Uchenna Okokoba, Chief Mrs Theresa Ijede and Alhaji Tanko Yusuf as members.

Tonye Princewill And Rivers Government At Loggerheads Over Jonathan

Prince Tonye Princewill has condemned in strong terms the vitriolic attack against him and the threat to his life by the Commissioner of Information in Rivers State Ibim Semenetari during today’s Rhythm 93.7, viewpoint programme – a news, interview, phone-in and current affairs programme.

In a statement issued, Wabiye Idoniboye-Obu, Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity to Princewill said, “In a recent interview on Viewpoint, Prince Tonye articulated his view on the Rivers crisis and tried to share with Rivers people the reason why the current attempts to paint the President black were not only disingenuous but not in the interest of Rivers people. He went further to highlight that his disagreement with the Governor was not personal but based on the principle of calling a spade a spade, and just as he had often commended him for the good works he had done, he would also chastise him whenever he did not. That applies to his recent position”.

The full text of the Press release reads:

“This has been his consistent theme in Rivers state. When the Governor said that all our militants were criminals, he disagreed; when he celebrated the building of schools and hospitals, the Prince suggested we wait first wait for full functionality; when the Governor decided to buy a new plane, he protested. He didn’t stop there. When the Governor decided to be the spokesperson for the opposition while in PDP, Tonye advised against it, and when he decided to sack the Obio Akpor council, again the Prince said it was wrong. In all cases he told him privately before saying it publicly – for the record.

“That is why the vitriolic attack by Ibim Semenitari on this Saturday’s viewpoint programme was most unfortunate and embarrassing to us as Rivers people. The Prince’s recent stand not to move to APC and not to fight the President should not warrant the kind of response it is getting from a whole government spokesperson, who really should be busy doing several other things. Nothing the Prince has said has directed personal attacks at anyone in Rivers state Government. What was she thinking?

“A prominent Niger Delta activist called the Prince recently to tell him that he had been threatened by someone very high up in Rivers state government for something he was supposed to have said and that he the Prince had been mentioned within the threat as well. Before now, we would have laughed it off as ridiculous but after today’s interview, we are not so sure. Such a vicious attack today on radio from a lady who we had previously viewed with high regard only suggests that this crisis has brought out the worst in our government leaders. Tolerance has been thrown out the window and criticism is no longer heard even if it is constructive. Just like our friend Tony Uranta, the Prince must now live in fear of his life.

“We have since tabled documents before Rhythm 93.7, and reacted for the records to demonstrate the truth in the Prince’s comments and the holes in hers. While we await her evidence to back her claims, the issue no doubt will be the subject of legal proceedings so that Rivers people can see for themselves who is really telling the truth. In addition to legal advice we have also taken other advice and written to the IG and the Director, SSS. We feel prompted to do so because people who are prepared to go to this length to smear your character don’t mean well for you. An angry man is a threat. An angry government has an ability to carry out that threat.

“Claiming that the Prince is angry because the Governor took contracts away from him trivializes the situation and is akin to clutching at straws. What a coincidence she comes out now on the same program barely a week after his public opposition to Rivers State Government’s anti Johnathan stance. Rather than the waste management contract or any other contract taken from him; it is clear from the documents below that it is the Commissioner of Information that has sought to misinform.

“This is just the beginning”.

Photos: DJ Zeez Shoots ‘Sankolo’ Video

The irrepressible Zeez (formerly known as DJ Zeez) who is on an inspired comeback bid, has just wrapped up the filming of the highly anticipated music video for his recently released single, Sankolo.

The exclusive shoot which took place over the weekend in three different locations was a close-knitted affair, where some of Zeez’s friends in the entertainment industry paid homage to the ace producer cum singer by turning out en masse to facilitate and enrich his production.
As reported earlier, the technical aspect of the shoot is strictly handled and entirely within the purview of a highly acclaimed New York based production outfit who intends to use Sankolo as a bragging right as they navigate the murky waters of the Nigerian showbiz industry.
With an impressive resume in their chosen field, this highly tested and trusted film crew would be expected to use their wealth of experience to churn out a world class video worthy of the song.
The video featured professional dancers and choreographers who did justice to the unique Sankolo dance steps that Zeez created for the song.

 

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