Fani-Kayode blasts Jonathan; says President is leaving legacy of “destruction and disaster”

The former minister questioned the competence of President Goodluck Jonathan.

A former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, said President Goodluck Jonathan by his misrule is leaving a legacy of “destruction and disaster” in Nigeria.

Speaking at a book launch in Lagos on Wednesday, Mr. Fani-Kayode, in a speech titled ”A Date with Destiny,” said the administration of Mr. Jonathan has plunged the country into financial recklessness, bloodbath (apart from during the civil war) and total misrule never before experienced in the country.

On the planned amnesty for the violent insurgent group, Boko Haram, the former minister said it is an “inglorious endeavour” and an “exercise in futility” that will “set a dangerous precedent.”

“4, 400 precious souls cut short and slaughtered like chicken by Boko Haram in the last two years. How can our government sleep well at night with all that innocent blood that has flowed whilst they are at the helm of affairs of our nation?” the former minister said.

“More innocent souls have been killed in the last 2 years by terrorists than at any other time in the history of Nigeria outside the civil war. How does President Jonathan and his”today’s men” feel about winning such a dubious and dishonourable title? Does he still regard Boko Haram as “his siblings” who he “cannot hurt”?

“Why did the President refuse to visit the good people of the northeast for so long despite the fact that hundreds of people are still being slaughtered there by Boko Haram every day?” he added.

He said the government has proved it does not “give a damn” to the suffering of the people and the loss of lives by not visiting the troubled region until politicians from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) did; and the president’s lukewarm and delayed response to the recent massacre of 185 people in Baga.

“He did not visit the place until the APC governors took the initiative, did the right thing, went there boldly and paved the way? It was only after that initiative was taken by the opposition that our President woke up from his deep slumber, remembered that he was the Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces and saw fit to go to the north-east. Why did he take so long before doing so?”

“Does the fact that it took our Government two days to even acknowledge that the Baga massacres ever took place and that when they finally did all they said was that they would ”investigate it” not seem rather insensitive? This was after the Sec. Gen. of the U.N. and numerous other world leaders had not only condemned the massacre but had also expressed their condolences to our President, to the Nigerian people and to those that lost their loved ones. Yet to the best of my knowledge not one word of condolence or regret was offered by our President or our Government. Since when have we degenerated to such a point that when our people are killed in such a brazen manner and in such large numbers we don’t even seem to ”give a damn”? Since when have we become a nation of sociopaths that have no feeling and that do not value human life?” he said.

Mr. Fani-Kayode said the Jonathan administration has refused to tackle corruption and therefore has plunged the economy into deeper mire by its wanton display of financial impudence.

“When will our President and his ”today’s men” answer David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom’s, question and tell him what they did with the 100 billion USD that they made from oil sales in the last two years? When will they answer Obi Ezekwesili’s question about how they squandered 67 billion USD of our foreign reserves? When will they answer the question that Nasir El Rufai asked sometime back about how they spent over 350 billion naira on security vote in one year alone? When will they answer the many questions that Pat Utomi and many other distinguished and courageous leaders and ”yesterday’s men” have raised about the trillions of naira that have been supposedly spent on oil subsidy payments in the last two years?” he asked.

“When will they implement the findings and recommendations of the Nuhu Ribadu report on the thievery that has gone on in the oil sector? When will they cultivate the guts and find the courage to respond to a call for a public debate to defend their abysmal record? When will these ”today’s men” stop being so reckless with our money? Why would our ”today’s man” FCT Minister budget 5 billion for the ”rehabilitation of prostitutes in the Abuja”? Why would he budget 7.5 billion naira for a new ”FCT city gate”? Why would he budget 4 billion naira for some kind of building or centre for the First Lady? Why would the Federal Government of ”todays men” budget 1 billion naira for food in the Villa? Are these the priorities of ”today’s men”? And all this when Nigeria is back in foreign debt to the tune of 9 billion USD and is still borrowing, when local debt has hit almost 50 billion USD, when 40 per cent of Nigerians are unemployed, when graduate unemployment has hit 80 per cent, when 40 per cent of Nigerians do not have access to good food and are described by the U.N.D.P as being ”hungry” and when 70 per cent of Nigerians are living below the poverty line? Is this the vision of ”today’s men?”

APC Reveals Gov. Fayose's Plan To Attack Lawmakers

The 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers in Ekiti State House of Assembly have raised the alarm over an alleged plan by Governor Ayodele Fayose to attack them ahead of the April 11 Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

The embattled Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, said their fears were based on information from Government House sources, hinting on a plot to attack‎ them.

READ ALSO: Ekiti Governor Lifts Curfew After APC’s Petition

Omirin, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Wole Olujobi, said the leaked report had already gone viral on social media,‎ adding that he would have disregarded the information if not for a similar‎ experience they had shortly after the governor assumed office.

The statement said, “Our fear is not without foundation following similar experience we had when gunmen in black jeeps were visiting our homes at nights to attack us.

“Shortly before that, our party petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, and National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, calling their attention to special request by Governor Fayose to the Police authorities to post back to Ekiti some of the policemen the governor used to attack his opponents between 2003 and 2006.

“Unfortunately, our petition was not treated‎. As a result, gunmen in unmarked black jeeps started visiting the homes of APC lawmakers at nights issuing threats to APC leaders and Assembly members.”

The lawmakers, who said the governor, should be held responsible if anything happened to them urged the Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, to provide security for them as they could no longer take threats to their lives lightly.

“We can no longer take our security lightly as the governor has been boasting around that he would do anything to win all the 16 seats in the House of Assembly in the coming election,” the statement added.

Meanwhil‎e, Omirin has sent Easter greetings to all Christians and Ekiti people in general, urging them to imbibe the virtue of sacrifice as exhibited by Jesus Christ in the most trying moment of his life.

“Jesus Christ demonstrated that making sacrifices is a virtue through which we can save our fellow men. Let this spirit guide you in all you do. It is through generosity of the heart that we can make our impacts felt by our fellow human beings for the life of happiness,” Omirin said.

Meanwhile, Governor Fayose has lifted a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on the state.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/415346-apc-reveals-gov-fayoses-plan-to-attack-lawmakers.html

God Has Vindicated Me - Mbaka Talks About Buhari's Victory

Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu has revealed that president Jonathan and his wife were trying to assasinate him over his Newyear message.

His spokesman, Maximus Ugwuoke said: From Goodluck to Badluck, God has vindicated him with the Victory of Buhari and it only shows he has been speaking the words of God. He also congratulated the president-elect and urged him not to surround himself with the wrong people because that was the mistake President Goodluck Jonathan made.

“It is with vindictive joy and glory to God that the Adoration Ministry, the nation and indeed the world saw the fulfillment of Fr. Mbaka’s New Year prophesy of change with the miraculous, victorious emergence of Gen.Muhammadu Buhari at the March 28 polls as the President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Choosing The Right President: Lessons I’ve Learnt From Buhari Vs Jonathan Stand-off

“We wish to restate that before President Goodluck became the President of this country, Fr. Mbaka prophesied it in his message titled ‘Okolo.’

“Today again, Buhari’s victory among other lessons it portends for Nigerians has once more confirmed to all and sundry that Fr. Mbaka is indeed a true Prophet of God and that his New Year message was indeed from the Oracle of the Holy Spirit as he declared.

READ ALSO: You Need To Know What Wole Soyinka Says Nigerians Must Do To Buhari

“The ministry with magnanimous heart holds no grudges against anyone who attacked it in one way or the other at the rage of the controversies surrounding Fr. Mbaka’s message and view their actions as being orchestrated by their misconstruing of Fr. Mbaka’s prophetic calling.

“The Ministry joins the rest of Nigerians to congratulate Muhammadu Buhari as God’s chosen instrument of change to tackle the myriads of problems facing Nigeria and pray God to endow him with the wisdom to go about this onerous task,” he said.

Father Mbaka, had suprisingly said earlier this year that he was against the re election of President Goodluck Jonathan, being the first religious man to declare support for a candidate in the election.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/415371-god-has-vindicated-me-mbaka-talks-about-buharis-victory.html

Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson, Leads Thugs To Attack, Sack Court In Yenogoa

The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Monday led a gang of thugs to attack a Federal High court in Bayelsa, a video obtained by PREMIUM TIMES has shown. The video shows the governor, dressed in traditional Ijaw blazers, walking into the court premises, accompanied by his police guards and hangers on, before hooligans, including rifle wielding police officers, invaded and attacked the court. The thugs were chanting “we no go gree, for this state, e no possible” as they walked into a court hearing. Loud gunshots could be heard shortly before the hooligans began breaking glasses and destroying properties inside the court. At least 15 lawyers, including a pregnant woman and two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, were in the court during the attack. The governor walked out of the court premises at the peak of the attack. Most police officers seen within the court premises during the attack either aided the attacker or looked on, idly. Only one police officer was seen, in the video, after the attack, trying to help the injured. The thugs upturned chairs within the court room, scattered files all over and shattered glass windows as lawyers ducked under tables. A female lawyer covered herself with a chair. Another could be heard saying her upper arm was hurting. An elderly man, who was seemingly brought out of the court room by police officers, gasping for breath, said he was badly beaten by the thugs who came into the court room. “The governor and his troops walked into the court room and I was beated (sic),” the victim said. Why Dickson stormed the court According to Heineken Lokpobiri, a serving senator, the court was in session to deliver a judgment on his case against the governor’s preferred senatorial candidate, Foster Ogola, over the validity of the later’s candidacy for Bayelsa West senatorial district. Mr. Lopkobiri claimed his party, the Peoples Democratic Party illegally substituted his name with Mr. Foster’s, and had filed a suit accusing Mr. Foster of issuing false information to INEC. Mr. Lokpobiri added that the attack on the court was the second, claiming that earlier, thugs had come to seal the court and stopped the Judge from entering the court, forcing an adjournment. Mr. Lokpobiri told PREMIUMTIMES he was shocked and irritated by the governor’s action at the court. Mr. Lokpobiri said the governor has the right to support his opponent, but has no right to bring thugs to attack the court. “All these things happened in the presence of the commissioner of police and am surprised. If the governor did not lead the thugs, it would have been a different thing entirely,” he said. The governor’s spokesman, Daneil Iworiso, told PREMIUM TIMES the incumbent governor did not lead any gang to the court. But in the video, Governor Dickson was clearly seen storming, and at the end of the attack, leaving the court accompanied by thugs and police officers. Mr. Iworiso however described the video as photoshopped. “You know its election time and we need to ensure that no violence occurs in our state, as soon as we heard of the clash we went there with commissioner of police and armed men to try to cub the situation that was when we found out it was a case between the incumbent governor and aspiring governor,” he said. He explained that the governor was not there when the clash started, stating that it was all propaganda. “When I saw the video I was just laughing because it was all photo shoot, and I describe that as poor representation of what happened there and I was also there,” he said. Mr. Iworiso accused Mr. Lokpobiri of also bringing thugs to the just-concluded PDP primaries, stating that he is known for carrying thugs around Bayelsa state. Mr. Lokpobiri admitted he has a loud crowd and followership but that his followers and loyalists are peaceful. “If he is accusing me of carrying thugs in the last primaries, did they destroy anything or harm anyone during the election,” Mr. Lokpobiri said. Although several police officers were present when the attack occurred, the Bayelsa Police Command said no arrest has been made in relation to the incident. Asinim Butswat, the state police spokesperson, said he had no information that the governor led the thugs to the court premises. “What we know is that the governor visited the court and the thugs took advantage of his visit to force the gate open and invade the court,” Mr. Butswat said.“The police officers on the court premises did not know the thugs came to cause havoc because they were not armed. “After they attacked the court, they all fled before they could be arrested.” Mr. Buswat denied the state police commissioner was present when the court was attacked, saying he only visited the court “shortly after the incident”. Credit:http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/180532-video-bayelsa-governor-seriake-dickson-leads-thugs-to-attack-sack-court-in-yenagoa.html

Jonathan To PDP: We Are Not Going To Challenge Buhari’s Victory In Court

President Goodluck Jonathan is believed to have stopped the Peoples Democratic Party from contesting the outcome of the presidential election won by Muhammadu Buhari.

It was previously reported that the PDP vowed to challenge the results of the polls in court according to the legal procedure. Interestingly, the claim came after Jonathan had personally congratulated the All Progressives Congress politician on the victory.

The Nation reports with reference to its sources that instead of planning a case for the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal, the presidency will raise a Transition Committee on Tuesday.

Yemi Osinbajo is likely to head the APC team which will join the committee ahead of the May 29 transition.

READ ALSO: Why The North Voted For Buhari – Arewa

It was disclosed that although some PDP chieftains wanted to contest Buhari’s victory due to the irregularities reported during the voting, Jonathan did not support the move.

President Jonathan, who has been highly praised by Nigerian and world leaders for conceding defeat, said going to the tribunal made no sense.

Jonathan reportedly stood his ground saying that he would rather stand by his statesmanship attitude than go to the tribunal.

A source, who pleaded for anonymity, disclosed:

“The President has prevailed on PDP to drop plans to go to tribunal against Buhari. He said he wants his word to be his bond, having been applauded by the international community.

“At a point, Jonathan said ‘I don’t believe in post-election petition at tribunal because it distracts the incoming administration’.

“He also said Nigeria must emulate other nations where once the presidential poll is lost and won, the new government must not be distracted with election petitions.

“He told party leaders that he was not interested in going to the tribunal. It is now left for PDP leaders to heed his advice.

“So as at Thursday, the government’s position is that the PDP should not go to tribunal.”

Adamu Mu’azu, the PDP national chairman, said yesterday that they had received “reports of serious irregularities “. However, he also congratulated Buhari on behalf of the party, without saying that they would go to the tribunal to challenge the results.

Another source said that the transition process has already commenced:

“The Presidency is working on a seamless transition from Jonathan’s administration to Buhari’s. The details are being worked out.

READ ALSO: Jonathan Made Ijaw Proud – House Of Reps Member

“I think by next week, the picture of the transition committee will emerge. The government is working early on the transition because it involves a lot of work.

“The APC team will have to collaborate with the committee and ask questions if there are grey areas.”

Many commended both Jonathan and Buhari for demonstrating a high level of political maturity. Jonathan sent a congratulatory message to the president-elect, wishing him success in leading Nigeria. Buhari, on his part, extended a hand of peace to Jonathan characterizing him as a “great Nigerian”.

These polls have been rightfully tagged historic.

Al Jazeera Institutes A Lawsuit Against Nigerian Military

Two Al Jazeera journalists, Ahmed Idris, a reporter, and Ali Mustapha, a cameraman, have sued the chief of army staff, Gen Kenneth Minimah for breaching their human rights.

Al Jazeera journalists, Ahmed Idris – a reporter and Ali Mustapha – a cameraman

Two journalists were imprisoned on March 24, in their hotel room in Maiduguri, Borno state capital for “loitering” in areas were combat operations were occurring.

A comment by the Defence Headquarters stated the journalists were moving around “restricted areas” in Yobe and Borno states without the military’s authorization or clearance.

READ ALSO: Al Jazeera Asks Nigerian Army To Free Journalists

Femi Falana, the lawyer representing the journalists, requested a ruling that the capture and their continued detention by the army were unlawful and undemocratic, thereby violating their right to personal liberty guaranteed by Section 34, 35 and 41 of the constitution and Article 5, 6 and 12 of the African Charter on the Human and Peoples’ Right Act.

They also sought an injunction forcing the Nigerian army and General Minimah to free the journalists from illegal military captivity immediately.

The rulings were sought on the grounds that the claimants were not soldiers and that the army had no right to detain them.

The deposition also claimed that “loitering or wandering” were not crimes known to law; and the applicants were entitled to their liberty, freedom of movement and integrity to human person as guaranteed by Section 34, 35 and 41 of the constitution.

Peter Nkanga of the Committee to Protect Journalists said the journalists had not been in contact since 10.10pm on Wednesday. He said their phones were confiscated from them by the army.

READ ALSO: Aljazeera Article Refers To GEJ As Badluck Jonathan

A spokesman for the army, Sani Usman, directed all enquiries on the matter to the director of defence information, Major General Chris Olukolade, who could not be contacted for comment.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/415142-al-jazeera-institutes-a-lawsuit-against-nigerian-military.html

Obanikoro Praises President-elect, Buhari

The minister of state II for foreign affairs, the scandalous Musiliu Obanikoro, shared his congratulatory message to the president-elect Muhammadu Buhari on his Facebook page.

He praises both the former military ruler for his victory and the current leader President Jonathan for conceding defeat.

READ ALSO: Obanikoro Becomes A Minister Again 

Obanikoro said:” Allow me seize this opportunity to join millions of Nigerians to congratulate the President-Elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the just concluded election. I want to also congratulate President Goodluck Jonathan for creating the enabling environment for free and fair elections, which has led to the transformation and further entrenchment of democracy in our country. I have no doubt that democracy is here to stay in Nigeria.

“Finally, I congratulate all Nigerians for a peaceful and historical election. God bless us all and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Despite the protests raised by opposition senators against Obanikoro’s confirmation, the Senate led the screening of the former minister of state for defence and shortly after this confirmed him as a minister.

READ ALSO: Nigerians Divided After Jonathan Swears In Obanikoro

Obanikoro was named recently in a leaked tape as a principal actor in the state’s governorship election rigging in 2014, sparking national outrage. The Nigerian government has declined to investigate the accusations.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/415181-obanikoro-praises-president-elect-buhari.html

Buhari’s Blue Print: ‘my First 100 Days In Office

Ahead of the presidential poll General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) published a public letter titled ‘my covenant’. The letter particulars what Nigerians should expect from Buhari’s first 100 days in office. 

Read letter below: 

My Covenant With Nigerians

Dear Compatriots,



In the past few months that I have traveled round this country on campaigns, I have experienced the sheer beauty of our diversity. From Port Harcourt to Kano, from Abeokuta to Gusau, I experienced first-hand the daily sufferings and struggles of our people. I also experienced the overwhelming desire of our people for change.

When I arrived in Port Harcourt on the 5th of January to start my campaigns, I was met by our teeming supporters, who stayed till late in the evening to welcome us. Among them were many young men and women, who in the few minutes that I shared with them at the airport, made me to reflect on what kind of future awaits them in our country.

The gestures of 90-year-old Hajia Fadimatu Mai Talle Tara from Kebbi State and 9-years-old Nicole Eniiyi Benson from Lagos State, who donated their life-savings to my campaign, reflect the overwhelming desire of our people for change. In their gestures, I perceived a longing for the days when honour, national pride and dignity of labour were the fundamental social principles that governed our country. As I encountered millions of our youths, who sometimes run for hours in front of my car and hanging precariously on our campaign vehicles at our state rallies, I also pondered the enormity of the task ahead. How do we give jobs to our youth? How do we reform our economy and make it work for every Nigerian?

I know however, that what we require to revamp our economy and rebuild our country is our ability to galvanize all our citizens to believe once again in their government, in their country and especially, to believe in themselves. This can only happen if we are able to rebuild the trust and belief that our people used to have in government, and indeed, in our nation. The leadership that I will provide will be built on this critical awareness. I intend to lead with integrity and honour and commit myself totally to everything that is of concern to our people: security, employment, health, education, good governance and others.

This Covenant is to outline my agenda for Nigeria and provide a bird’s eye view of how we intend to bring about the change that our country needs and deserves. This Covenant is derived from the manifesto of my party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). It however, represents my pledge to you all when I become your President.

I have no doubt that God being on our side, with the abiding support of all Nigerians, we shall all witness the great change that we desire and achieve the Nigeria of our dream

Oby Ezekwesili Refuses To See Jonathan As Hero

Oby Ezekwesili, the former education minister and the primary advocate for the BringBackOurGirls group, refuses to call President Goodluck Jonathan a hero.

Oby Ezekwesili

This comes amid much praise from Nigerian and foreign officials who have commended Jonathan for conceding defeat in the March 28 presidential election.

Ezekwesili took to her Twitter account and shared her point of view with a series of critical messages.

“When a review of President Jonathan’s administration is done, we’ll realise how much damage sycophancy did to governance. Example? Chibok Girls.”

“A leader must be without an inordinate desire to be serenaded with ‘good news’ or their team will never let them know the true state of affairs.”

READ ALSO: Ezekwesili Promises To Dance After Chibok Girls Rescue

“An environment that rewards sycophancy encourages team to withhold accurate ‘bad’ news (problems) from the leader while serving up ‘good news’.”

“When a leader makes hero worshipping costly to those who engage in it, he/she deprives the ‘sellers’ market to set the ‘Mediocrity Benchmark.’”

“A critical success factor in governance is for the leader to both in word and deed convey a culture that abhors sycophancy. No hero worshipping.”

On April 14 Nigeria will reach the one-year anniversary of the national tragedy; the Chibok girls’ abduction.

The recent hope for the girls’ rescue was connected with the recapture of Gwoza, Borno state. Before the town’s liberation, an escapee from Boko Haram said that the kidnapped children were kept in Gwoza.

However, since the conduct of the military operation dating back to March 27, no information about the Chibok girls has been provided.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/415226-oby-ezekwesili-refuses-to-see-jonathan-as-hero.html

Army Find Buhari's Missing Certificate After Election

The missing Secondary School leaving Certificate of Gen Mohammadu Buhari has suddenly resurfaced few days after winning the March 28 presidential election.

Rtd. Gen. Buhari

The Nigerian Army has finally found the missing certificate which has raised contention as to the eligibility of Gen Mohammadu Buhari to contest the presidential election.

READ ALSO: Oby Ezekwesili Refuses To See Jonathan As Hero

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released statement on its Facebook alleging that someone from the Peoples Democratic Party must have hid Buhari’s certificate in order to bar him from contesting the presidential poll.

The release by APC reads:

Matters Arising

Someone working for the PDP obviously removed the certificate from his file at the Defence Headquarters.

This is part of the strategies the PDP deployed in their campaign of calumny.

All Change Agents who worked tirelessly to repel the Jonahideens should pop something wherever you are. We know it was foolhardy to say that Buhari had no certificate. But try as we did to convince them that this was a non issue, they refused to shift ground. It was even most disgraceful that the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign organisation was a Retired Colonel, in the person of Ahmadu Ali. He should have cautioned them about bringing the Military to disrepute. He did not.

This singular act as far as I am concerned did more damage than good to the PDP.

Beyond bringing out Buhari’s certificate, there is an urgent need to restore pride and sanity to the military. As it stands now, the Nigerian Army, is an Army of anything goes! There have to be a clean sweep and overhaul of the military from top to bottom! The entire top echelon at the Defence Headquarters should turn in their resignation and leave with President Goodluck Jonathan on the 29th of May, so that the process of rebuilding and restoration shall begin in earnest.

To God be all the Glory!

Via Sunday Akoji

The APC UK has also confirmed the news on its twitter handle, buttressing the party’s claim that Buhari’s certificate had been found by the Nigerian Army.

READ ALSO: Buhari Won’t Try To Control Sports – Abdullahi

[BREAKING] Army Headquarters locates Buhari’s certificates that they previously declared missing | SORRY, WE FORGOT 2 CHECK BADEH’s DRAWER!

— APC United Kingdom (@APCUKingdom) April 2, 2015

Back in January, there was a clamor over the inability of Buhari to be produce his Secondary School leaving Certificate. The certificate issue became a saga after the Nigerian army which claimed it had the certificate later retracted its statement saying the certificate was not in its possession.

This led to Government College, formerly Provincial Secondary School, Katsina, releasing the secondary school certificate examination results of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/415257-army-find-buharis-missing-certificate-after-election.html

Buhari Won't Try To Control Sports - Abdullahi

A former minister of sports and chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi, has told Nigerians that the incoming administration of General Mohammadu Buhari (retd) will not interfere with the running of sports in the country.

Abdulahi, who is also a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was among the men who accompanied the president- elect to the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja where he collected his Certificate of Return. He said unlike the Jonathan government, the Buhari administration will have no reason to interfere in sports policies and administration.

Bolaji Abdulahi

He said that the Buhari governement will be too busy to think of sports when they will be saddled with the responsibility of manning every sector of the economy.

READ ALSO: INEC Commissioner, His Family Burnt To Death

Abdulahi also revealed that he was longer desirous of making a return to the sports sector.

“People get opportunities to serve and they try their best and that was what I tried to do. I have moved on. Seriously, if the President-elect feels that I should come back to sports, of course, I have a choice. The point is that I have closed that chapter of my career and I have moved on.

READ ALSO: We Received Reports Of Serious Irregularities During Elections, So… – PDP

“I believe that the problem that sports had under the out- going administration was that there was no desire to allow objective implementation of policies. There was too much meddlesomeness at the political level. People who should not be getting involved were coming in and there was interference with the way things were done.

You are not likely to get that under this administration I can assure you” concluded Abdulahi, who has been rated by some analysts as one of the best ministers of sports in Nigeria’s history.

Abdulahi was the minister when the country broke its 19-year-old jinx with the Super Eagles winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) championship in South Africa, before he was unceremoniously removed from office while on an official assignment outside the country.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/415199-buhari-wont-try-to-control-sports-abdullahi.html

Soldiers Killed My Son During Elections - Father

An elderly citizen of Bauchi state said that a soldier killed his 28-year-old son who went to monitor the collation of presidential election results.

Alhaji Yahaya Wunti, aged 78, narrated that his son Mohammed Bello had left home at Wunti on March 29, Sunday, and headed to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission where results were being collated.

He was quoted as saying by The Punch:

“Mohammed always asked for my permission before leaving the house. He came to me that fateful day at around 11am and informed me that he wanted to go to INEC and I asked him whether he was carrying any incriminating thing on him and he said, ‘no’.

“It was just about 10 minutes after he left that they brought his dead body [and said] that he was shot by a soldier.”

READ ALSO: INEC Commissioner, His Family Burnt To Death

The grieving father could not understand why his son had been killed.

“He was a good boy, who did not like making trouble. He was a mason and was very hardworking but he was very passionate about Buhari. I know my son wouldn’t break the law because of his love for Buhari, so I wonder why the soldier chose to waste a promising young man like Mohammed.”

Mallam Ali Wakili, Bauchi South senator-elect (APC), lamented over the tragic development and sympathized with the family.

He said that the army had assured him that they would investigate the matter and make justice prevail.

Several unconfirmed reports provided different versions of the incident which ended in Mohammed’s death.

One of them contains that first Mohammed threw a stone at the soldiers who were trying to control the crowd of Buhari’s supporters. In reaction, one of the soldiers was said to have shot the young man in the head.

Based on another account, unsuspecting Mohammed was in the crowd when he was suddenly shot.

Mohammed’s friend, who pleaded for anonymity, alleged that the soldier had killed him intentionally adding that they were standing far from the area barricaded by the security.

It should be noted that no cases of mass violence were recorded during the presidential and National Assembly elections. However, 100 people reportedly died in exuberant celebrations of Buhari’s victory.

INEC Commissioner, His Family Burnt To Death In Kano

Alhaji Abdullahi Minkaila, the Kano state resident electoral commissioner, was on Thursday, April 2, burnt to death with his family.

The dead man was burnt along with his wife and two children in an inferno when his house was engulfed by fire.

The late Mikaila and his family were hurried to the Murtala Mohammed specialist hospital where they died on Friday morning.

Minkaila oversaw last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly polls in the state.

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The cause of the fire is yet to be determined at the time of this report.

A spokesperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mallam Garba, confirmed the incident.

Magaji Majiya, an assistant superintendent of police, said the fire was supposed to have been caused by a spark in the family’s generator set at about 4a.m. Friday morning.

He said the fire later spread to other parts of the house and that the INEC Commissioner and his family tried to escape through the window of one of the toilets in the building but were barricaded by a burglary barrier.

Majiya said the State Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Idris, and the Deputy Police Commissioner in-charge of Criminal Investigation Department, arrived the scene almost on time.

While the police said they are waiting for the result of a postmortem on the remains of Mr. Abdullahi and his family, the spokesman for the Kano state office of INEC, Garba Muhammed, said the bodies of the victims were already being transported to his native Dutse, the Jigawa state capital, for burial, in line with Islamic tradition.

Some neighbours, who rejected to be named in this story for fear they might be harassed by the police, said the fire was strange, and suggested the police should not believe the case an ordinary one.

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They wondered why a spark from a generator would engulf an entire building and kill its occupants so fast.  

As was reported earlier Nigeria’s presidential poll has been a watershed: the first time that the most populous African nation is has handed over power peacefully and democratically. Muhammadu Buhari, the APC candidate won the election fairly, according to election observers.

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