I Remain Devoted to a Better Nigeria anchored on Youth Development: Peter Obi says

The Presidential Candidate of the Labor Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, has reiterated his commitment to assembling a productive nation anchored on youths’ development, saying that their youthful energy, skills and potentials were critical ingredients needed to maneuver the state from consumption to production.

Obi revealed this steadfast commitment in his International Youth Day Message.

He stated that the dream of rescuing the country from leadership failure won't come to fruition without the assistance of the youths whose future, he said, was being damaged by bad governance within the country.

“Everywhere you get in the globe, the youths have always championed paradigm shifts in society. The political awakening you notice among Nigerian youths today signifies the hunger and desire in them for an improved nation that represents their interests,” Obi said.

He lamented the myriad challenges facing Nigerian youths, as exemplified by a high rate of youth unemployment; little or no access to funding for little businesses; lack of excellent education, as witnessed by the incessant industrial actions that have enveloped Nigeria’s public universities, among others, as factors militating against the success of the youths.

He argued that such neglect of youth development is currently contributing to the nation’s woes by way of rising insecurity and violence, a really unproductive workforce and an unmatched level of abuse, which is currently prevalent within the country.

Obi expressed hope within the new Nigeria, where people’s talents and skills will match their opportunities in life.

“I have always maintained that the society we abuse today will take its revenge on us tomorrow. One cannot expect peace and progress during a nation where over 1/2 the massive youth population don't know where their next meal will come from. Our students are reception for over five months because of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike.

That is not the sort of future we would like to create for our youngsters,” Obi submitted.

He urged the govt. to create a nation that inspires hope in its citizens, especially the youths. He maintained that if the govt. continues to pay a deaf ear to the yearnings of its youthful population, Nigeria will still foot-drag its thanks to growth and development.

While wishing Nigerian youths well on the occasion of their International Youth Day Celebration, Obi encouraged them to stay of excellent character and conduct, while contributing their quota to the expansion of the country.

International Youth Day is well known globally on August 12 each year.

Also yesterday, the previous national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Okwesilieze Nwodo, has said that the Labor, LP, presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has an infinite capacity to guide Nigeria as its President.

He said that this wave of support across the six geo-political zones of the country in favour of the LP candidate could be a demonstration that Nigerians believe his ability to show the country around permanently.

While bemoaning the worsening insecurity within the country, he said that the centralized isn't sincere in its fight against insurgency and banditry, adding that Nigerian security agencies have the time to secure the country if the leaders show sincere commitment in their fight against insecurity.

Nwodo, who was a former governor of Enugu State also expressed optimism that the 2023 general elections would hold but challenged the centralized to point out sincere efforts in securing the lives and properties of Nigerians.

Nysom Wike prosecutes Atiku, Tambuwal, and demands recognition as candidate

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has prosecuted the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; and therefore the PDP over the conduct of the presidential primary of the party that was held was in Abuja on May 28 and should 29, 2022.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/782/2022, Wike and a PDP chieftain, Newgent Ekamon, are listed because the plaintiffs. Within the originating summons, the PDP is listed because the first respondent while the Independent National Electoral Commission is that the 2nd respondent. Tambuwal and Atiku are listed because the 3rd and 4th respondents respectively.

During the PDP presidential primary, when aspirants were asked to handle delegates, Tambuwal had asked them to vote for him only to return moments later to ask them to vote for Atiku.

At the first, Atiku polled 371 votes while Wike and Bukola Saraki garnered 237 and 70 votes respectively. After the convention, the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu, described Tambuwal because the “hero of the convention.”

In the originating summons, Wike and his co-applicant asked the court to work out eight issues including whether the purported transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku by the PDP was illegal and void.

The plaintiffs asked the court to see if Tambuwal lost his claim to votes the instant he stepped down for Atiku.

He asked the court to work out whether Tambuwal “having stepped down during the primaries should lose his votes.”

Wike and Ekamon argued that ought to these issues be determined in their favour, the court should grant nine reliefs including a declaration that the purported transfer of Tambuwal’s votes to Atiku be declared null and void.

Kindly share your thoughts on this!

Citizens of Ekiti Scared Over Impeachment of Fayose

    There is a chaos over the impeachment of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti. Members of Ekiti state have risen to update the media over the current incident.

 

Some say there have been peace in the state before the rise of the chaos. Some plead for the case to die downn, while some members of the state might have died due to the current chaos. What is your take on this?

Lawrence Onoja, Others Divert to APC in Benue State

Why are politicians diverting from PDP to APC?

Is it that those corrupt ones try to hide under the integrity of Governor Fashola for making Lagos what it is? Or is that PDP doesn't give politicians the platform to do their best?
Is it the party that should make the country or the individual?
Please we need comments on these questions that seem rhetorical.

Gov. Okorocha Says "Boko Haram Can Be Defeated in 2 Months"

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, has said that the menace of the dreaded Boko Haram sect could be stopped in two months, only if visionary and efficient leadership is encouraged at the highest level of power in Nigeria. Okorocha, stated this on Friday, during a dinner he organised for media executives and nominees from across the country, who were in Owerri for the Nigeria Media Merit Award 2014, noted that the problem had remained intractable because some people were benefiting from fighting the insurgents.However, he said no president of Nigeria had plans to fail in governance, noting that leaders of the country since independence never had bad intentions.

Chief Rochas blamed the mrnace on leaders’ inappropriate usage of both the human and material resources, which he said also, contributed to government’s inability to tackle insurgencies in the country. “No nation is poor in terms of human and material resources, the problem has always been about leadership,” he said.

Okorocha advocated a bottom-up approach to power, stating that this is what will reduce excessive power of the president which hinders power distribution among the federating units.“The president is too powerful while the masses continue to suffer. We need leaders who can give jobs to the people. Vision is very important to surmount most of the challenges facing the country, this is why my administration placed great premium on education by making it free from primary to university levels.”

He, however, said that decentralisation of power was germane to solving the challenges facing the country. The Imo governor, also challenged journalists to rise up to the challenges of their profession, admonished them to ask political leaders about their activities in government, noting that “the media profession has lost the culture of investigative journalism.” “I’ve always waited for an opportunity to confront journalists on their role in the leadership question and the need for the fourth estate of the realm to engender good governance by tasking would-be leaders on plans they have for Nigeria,” Okorocha said.

This guy get mouth!!!

Sun News

INEC Fails In The Distribution of PVC in Lagos, Tinubu.

National Leader of the All Progres­sives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yester­day took the Indepen­dent National Electoral Commission to the cleaners, declaring that the electoral body failed in the distribution of the permanent voter’s cards (PVC) in Lagos State.

Asiwaju Tinubu spoke yesterday at a press confer­ence held by the Lagos State Chapter of the APC. In every one of the 11 lo­cal governments in the state where the first phase of the distribution of the PVC was monitored by key party of­ficials including the Lagos APC chairman, Otunba Henry Ajomale, Tinubu said the reports brought back were unanimous that INEC’s performance was abysmally poor.

He emphasized that the best thing for INEC to do was to start afresh, stat­ing that what has happened smack of a collusion to rig the election in favour of the government at the centre. His words: “This is a co­lossal failure and it has erod­ed my confidence in INEC to be able to midwife a success­ful 2015 election.”

On the reduction of the number of registered vot­ers in Lagos to 4.8, Tinubu challenged INEC to publish the names of the individu­als who engaged in double registration, stressing that the electoral body lacks the power to disqualify anybody on that basis given that it is not a court. “INEC must publish names of close to 2 million excluded voters, INEC is not the court of law. You cannot exclude Nigerians from ex­ercising their franchise.

You cannot automatically without the court of law disqualify them. If you fail to publish and give reason you are also violating their constitutional rights. “To me this exercise has failed and we reconsider it as a dry run, a rigging ex­ercise, INEC has colluded with the Presidency, they are closing party to rig the election from beginning to the end.

If for four years you are not ready with PVC and few months to election, PVC is not ready and you have not been able to start capturing those who are now18 years and you have 30 days minimum to display voters’ register before elec­tion, how are we sure INEC is prepared?”

Source: Sun News

FG to Now Pay N500 Daily Feeding Allowance to Corps Memebers

As I was going through Kemi Filani's Blog I saw this wonderful story and decided to share it with you on Amebo House.


The federal government has allocated N500 as daily feeding allowance for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). This was disclosed yesterday by the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Johnson Bamidele Olawumi.

 

He made the disclosure at a House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition investigative public hearing on the N4,000 online registration fee imposed on prospective corps members by the corps...but the question now is, "was there no feeding allowance before? If there was, how much was it? will this lead to an increase in the monthly allowee which is currently N19,800?"

What is you view on this new improvement?

 

House of Rep Approves N4,000 NYSC Online Registration

THE House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development has endorsed the N4,000 for the online registration of members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC. Chairman of the committee, Rep Kamil Akinlabi, revealed this while giving update on the investigation into the new policy, during a media chat with House of Representatives Press Corps.


Akinlabi said the fund would be used for installation of equipment at the NYSC offices nationwide adding that the fund would enable the contractor handling the project is expected to recoup its investment within five years.

After the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hassan Saleh, the House directed NYSC management to suspend forthwith the policy requiring prospective corps members to pay N4,000 with effect from 2015 to access their call up letters.

 Akinlabi said: “from the onset, when the matter was brought to our attention, the first thing we felt was the way you are feeling but after constructive engagement, we discovered that it was an innovation that we can’t run from. First, it was not the responsibility of the NYSC to mobilize respective corps members to get their call-up letters, it is the responsibility of the parent. If somebody schooled in Lagos but lives in Kano and to get his call-up letter he has to travel to school. He ädded “so you will discover that it’s time consuming, risky and very expensive. So what the NYSC has done is to partner with a consultant that is already handling similar project for JAMB and WAEC that has eliminated similar risks to partner with them through PPP arrangement. And that PPP arrangement will be on Built Operate and Transfer.”

When you served, how did it go? let's hear your view on this new introduction. Is it needed in our system or irrelevant?

Pastor Adeboye Defends Oritsejafor Over $9.3 Million Arm Deal

According to The Vanguard Newspaper today, GENERAL Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, yesterday, defended the national president of the Christian Association, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, following the controversy surrounding the seizure of $9.3 million arms purchase funds by South Africa.


Pastor Adeboye who spoke in London during an ecclesiastical visit said, “Pastor Ayodele Joseph Oritsejafor is a man of God I trust and I can personally vouch for him. I believe on the issue of his aircraft being chartered and the purpose it was used for he had no prior knowledge.

I’m sure God will continue to build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail in Jesus name. One anointed cannot attack another anointed. A pastor cannot attack another pastor. Touch not my anointed is what God said. Some Nigerians have questioned the use of Pastor Oritsejafor’s private jet by the Federal Government to convey the money to South Africa, accusing him of involvement in money laundering.”

The Federal Government had to come out in defence of the CAN president, arguing that Oritsejafor who is also the founder of Word of Life Bible Church has no hand in the deal.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan (Public Communication), Dr. Doyin Okupe, told newsmen in Abuja: “Oritsejafor is the President of CAN and head of all Christians in Nigeria who is representing at least, 50 per cent of people in this country. When it comes to a man like that, people should be cautious and circumspect.”

Okupe also advised Nigerians to stop playing politics with every issue of national concern, saying it is not in tandem with patriotism.

What is your view on this issue?

Place Comments below!

 

Former Bayelsa Governor, Alamieyeseigha's Son Commits Suicide

As I was going through my normal routine of checking out latest updates on different sites I stumbled upon a shocking story saying, Ex-Governor of Bayelsa state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has lost one of his sons, Oyoms, in Dubai, United Arab Emirate according to ThisDayLive. Oyoms was said to have committed suicide in the desert city while riding in an elevator. As at the moment of this report, details were still sketchy as to what led to the suicide.

 

 Wonders shall never seize!

Keshi's Boldness: If NFF Sacks Me, 3 African Countries Are Set to Hire Me

Coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi has revealed that if Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, sacks him today, there are three Africa countries ready to hire him. Speaking with AfricanFootball.com ahead of the Eagles crucial match against Sudan on Wednesday, 15 October, 2014, the former Eagles’ captain, who is currently without a contract, stated that he is not afraid of sack following the poor performance of his team in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Keshi insisted that countries like Gabon, Angola and Equatorial-Guinea are ready to hire him if Nigeria fails to renew his contract. “It’s not about the game; it’s about other personal stuff. So, if tomorrow they say Keshi leave, there is no shaking because other two, three countries are waiting for me. My job is about hire and fire.

 “Right now I have been to other places I have coached before I have not been fired. If it comes down to Nigeria, I have been here before, qualified Nigeria for 2002 World Cup with Amodu Shaibu, we were asked to leave,” Keshi reportedly said. The big boss, as the former Togo and Mali coach is popularly called by his fans, added that Nigerians are calling for his head which, according to him, will be impossible for them to cut because the head belongs to him.

Steven Keshi, Nigeria Super Eagles Coach

Also speaking on Brila FM early Tuesday, Keshi berated Nigerians for not having faith in his team despite winning the AFCON title in South Africa against all hopes. The Super Eagles will on Wednesday in Abuja host Sudan, who are now third in the standings with three points. And next month, they travel to second-placed Congo, who defeated them 3-2 in Calabar in September, before they welcome Group A leaders South Africa. The Nigerian team have to win their remaining three matches and hope other results in the group go their way if they were to qualify for the biennial championship.

Should we say Keshi is being rude or he knows his worth?

Share your thoughts using the comment form below also share this post by liking it or clicking the share button to share with friends and families.

Thank you for visiting!!!

SOURCE: AIT NEWS

Former Speaker, House of Rep, Dimeji Bankole Loses Daughter to Sickle Cell

As I was browsing through google I saw this shocking post and decided to share with you, please read to the end. Dimeji Bankole , former House of Reps Speaker has lost his 7 year old daughter, Yewande Semiat Bankole to sickle cell. According to the family, she died in a London hospital yesterday, October 1st.
The family made this known in a statement released today. It read thus;
With gratitude to Almighty Allah and with heavy hearts we announce the demise of our daughter Yewande Semiat Bankole aged 7yrs at a London hospital. Yewande is the granddaughter of Chief Alani Suara Bankole and the daughter of Rt Hon. Dimeji Sabur Bankole.

 

I Have What It Takes to Govern Delta State - Tony Obuh

He is relatively unknown in Delta politics but people who knew Mr. Tony Obuh have described him as a workaholic and an achiever who has served various governments meritoriously since the creation of Delta State. But today, Obuh, who people believe cannot hurt a fly has come out boldly to tell whoever cares to listen that he has all it takes to govern Delta State and turn its fortune around with his magic wand.

The aspirant, who has since quit his plum job as a super Permanent Secretary in the state civil service expresses confidence that he will be the next governor of the state under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In an interaction with Daily Sun in Warri, the Ika-born bureaucrat says big names does not matter anymore in today’s politics, insisting that the only ingredient required to win elections is one’s acceptability by the electorate.

Excerpts:

Why do you want to govern Delta State?

Well, I want to add value to the welfare of the people of the state. I mean, to groom the already developed Delta State that ranks among the best states in the federation.

Do you have the required experience to become a governor?

I will not fail to tell you that I am more experienced now than most of the people aspiring to be governor. The fact is that I am part of the philosophy that believes in Delta beyond oil programme. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in his wisdom and by the super knowledgeable person he is, decided to come out with that philosophy of Delta Beyond Oil programme. If you really view it, you will agree with me that we don’t have to rely on oil alone; infact, we have to diversity and that is exactly what Governor Uduaghan is doing right now. This Delta Beyond Oil philosophy is to also enhance the rapid growth and development of our dear state.

It is no more secret that I have intimidating antecedents that can really catapult me to the Government House in 2015. There are people who respect my views both in government and outside government circle.

What are your chances of clinching your party’s ticket among other big names that are contesting for same?

In fact, I have the greatest respect for them but let me quickly add that in the present day politics, big names no longer count. You are respected and can be victorious with the quality of person you are. Gone are the days when big names are strong factors in the political diadem; however I don’t believe that anybody is more superior to me in this race.

Those people who think that I am still a green horn are making mistakes. The fact that I have not been coming out on the pages of newspapers does not mean that I don’t have contacts. I don’t have to be a newspaper tiger before I can win election. There are a lot of people who know my worth and I believe they will always support me at any time.

Nigerian President Notes Victories Over Islamic Extremists and Ebola on Independence Day

Celebrating recent victories over Ebola and Islamic extremists, President Goodluck Jonathan marked Nigeria's 54 years of independence from Britain on Wednesday.

Jonathan congratulated his government on successfully curtailing the Ebola crisis blamed for the deaths of eight people in Nigeria.

"This is how it should be: swift, effective and comprehensive action in defense of citizens," he said in a television broadcast to the nation.

But Jonathan's government has been criticized for not protecting citizens against an Islamic uprising that caught world attention when the insurgents kidnapped more than 270 schoolgirls in April. Dozens escaped but none of the 219 missing have been rescued.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control said Tuesday that Nigeria appears to have contained the Ebola epidemic that has killed more than 3,000 people, most in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

No new cases have been reported in weeks in Nigeria, where the disease was carried by a Liberian-American diplomat who left a hospital in Monrovia, where he had exhibited Ebola symptoms, and flew to Nigeria. He infected 20 people in Lagos, Africa's largest city of 21 million people, and the oil capital of Port Harcourt.

Nigerian health workers tracked 894 people who had made contact with the diplomat and made some 18,500 face-to-face visits to monitor for Ebola symptoms, according to the CDC.

Jonathan urged vigilance on Nigerians, as officials continue to monitor arrivals at airports, ports and border posts.

He said his mood remains somber as he remembers all the souls lost to a 5-year-old Islamic uprising and its "crises of nationhood occasioned by the activities of terrorist elements who have done the unimaginable to challenge our unity as a people."

He made no mention of the missing schoolgirls, or his government's failure to rescue them.
Instead, Jonathan praised soldiers for "inflicting devastating blows at the heart of terror" in the uprising centered in the northeast though suicide and car bombs have killed hundreds of people in northern cities and the central capital, Abuja.

The Ministry of Defense and witnesses have reported that punishing bombing raids and ground attacks have repelled the insurgents and stopped them just 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the northeast city of Maiduguri, the birthplace of the Boko Haram extremists and headquarters of the military campaign.

But 12 soldiers were sentenced to death last month for mutiny, and dozens are to face a court-martial this month for alleged cowardice and refusing to act on orders to advance.

Jonathan is expected to run again in Feb. 14 presidential elections that promise to be the most competitive since decades of military dictatorship ended in 1999.

In campaign mode, Jonathan boasted of advances in agriculture that have reduced the nation's food import bill from $6.9 billion in 2009 to $4.35 billion.

He also touted his privatization of the power sector though that has yet to end chronic blackouts that boost costs for industries reliant on diesel-powered generators.

Jonathan looks a strong candidate despite a coalition opposition that now has more legislators than the governing party.

Hon. Tambuwal Holds Secret Meeting with Obasanjo

As permutations for 2015 get more intense, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has continued talks with former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on the best way to position himself.

The speaker has been on close watch by Nigerians who are not sure of his next move after his tenure as the No. 4 citizen ends in 2014. While some think he is going for the No. 1 seat in Aso Rock, others are of the view that he will opt for the governorship of his state, Sokoto, following signs that he may not clinch the ticket to run for president at the primaries.

                              
Tambuwal, who met the former leader at his Hilltop GRA residence, yesterday in Abeokuta, was sighted by journalists in a convoy of SUVs driving out of the sprawling villa at about 6:15 in the evening.

Sources within the mansion hinted that the visit lasted about 20 minutes and behind closed doors.
In a telephone conversation with LEADERSHIP, his media Aide, Imam Imam, confirmed the visit.
On what transpired at the meeting, Imam said the meeting was just the usual one occasionally paid to Obasanjo as the father of all.

He said, “You know Baba is a father to all in the country. The meeting was a consultation. It is about rubbing minds on how to move the country forward and make Nigeria better.”

Asked whether it had any connection to the rumoured presidential ambition of the speaker, Imam said the meeting was a closed-door one and that he therefore could not comment on that aspect.

He nevertheless said a decision would be reached soon regarding the speaker’s ambition.
LEADERSHIP gathered yesterday that the speaker was at the Abeokuta residence of the outspoken ex-president yesterday where a closed-door meeting was held between the two.

Tambuwal had, in February, met with Obasanjo in his residence in Abeokuta in company of the deputy minority leader of the House, Hon. Kawu Samaila; Hon. Muraina Ajibola from Oyo State, and Hon. Shehu Shagari who is from the same Sokoto State as the speaker.

When asked about his mission to the Hill Top mansion, Tambuwal said that he was there to tap “from the wealth of experience” to address important pending issues in the House.
Also during the February visit, he reiterated his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying he remained part and parcel of the party.

The speaker has been said to be involved in “anti-party” activities due to his open criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration as well as “fraternisation” with members of the opposition.

Five months later, the speaker’s visit may not be for the same reason. When LEADERSHIP contacted both parties to disclose the agenda of the meeting, they declined any comment.