PDP Lagos Guber candidate Jimi Agbaje replies Gov. Fashola

Jimi Agbaje posted this on his Facebook page this morning. It's a response to Governor Fashola's comments that Agbaje's company only paid his taxes after he was publicly called out. Read below...

The Honourable Governor B.R. Fashola (SAN) has lied again and I think it's time to address his repeated blunder.

With regards to my taxes, there is no truth in this latest piece of misinformation that the Honourable Governor has been peddling. Following the repudiation of his initial allegations about Jaykay Pharmaceuticals unpaid taxes, he has lied again, giving the impression that my company has gone to pay money supposedly owed to the government.

JAYKAY PHARMACEUTICALS has not paid a kobo since the day the Honourable Governor launched his initial attack. We stick to the facts contained in its initial publication, which encapsulated the company's reaction to the Governor’s initial falsehood. To now insinuate that I have gone behind the curtains to pay N500,000 is clearly political silly season, for lack of a better phrase, and quite frankly, beneath your person.

It's understandable that we've both had our differences in course of this election season, but when the Honorable Governor goes about launching unbridled, flat-out-false attacks at me about something as important as taxes, you leave me no choice but to call you out, Sir.

When I got into this race, I decided to make it about the issues. My opponents, not so much. They talked about me being inexperienced and at some point they said I was too old to govern and we responded with BOLD IDEAS intended to put Lagos on a new trajectory - one that is NOT based on the Jagaban's tax-and-spend economics but on a framework that would radically push us to new economic frontiers for some of the most under-developed regions of the state like Epe and Ikorodu. They ridiculed our ideas around government-enabled free wifi hotspots across the city - an idea targeted at widening the reach of a world of knowledge that the Internet offers to our young and aspiring populace - especially in areas of low penetration. They called it bold ignorance and out of touch with reality yet they quickly went on to implement wifi Internet-enabled buses a couple of weeks after. As much as we're glad that our BOLD IDEAS inspire you as much as they do us, one must begin to question the seriousness of the opposition in Lagos to make this election about the issues.

How ever you cut or dissect our success as a state over the last 16-years, the fact is that Lagos in the Economic intelligence Unit (EIU) is still ranked 137th out of 140 cities listed in the liveability index. This means that if you take 140 cities worldwide where people consider good to live in, Lagos is the fourth worst place to live in. Apart from this, a World Bank survey shows that of the 36 states in Nigeria, Lagos is still the worst state in terms of the ease of securing Building Permits. It is still on record too that the party the Honourable Governor represents has delivered less than 5,000 housing units till date. It is still on record that more students in Lagos fail WAEC than those who pass. Even when we consider corruption, we are aware that Honourable Governor Fashola is yet to challenge anyone for corruption at the state level. Or is he saying Lagos is 100 percent corruption-free? Yet he goes about castigating the Federal Government. He should walk his talk and lead by example – expose and prosecute high-ranking corrupt officials in his government and the state civil service. The corruption in the Lekki Toll Plaza will be made public in due cause.

Clearly, we still have a lot of work to do as a State but the Honourable Governor Babatunde Fashola has set out to exploit the commanding heights he occupies in the seat of government to bully us. And quite frankly, we shall stand up to bullies.

I think what Lagosians should begin to ask is what is driving the Honourable Governor Fashola’s violent outbursts? What has he got to hide? Other than lay the facts bare to enable the public form an informed opinion.

I refuse to be baited into his self-declared verbal warfare. My politics and campaign will be issues-based and no roforofo badmouthing from anyone, no matter how highly placed, will steer me away from development-based politicking.

There are more pressing issues, more important conversations to have and more problems to solve. And the people of Lagos are wondering if their leaders get it. The teachers, the students, the blacksmiths, the bankers, the taxi-man, the small-business owners, they all hope that their leaders understand that the outcome of this election and the future of this state is bigger than any one personality or party. Whatever we do or commit to doing determines whether they have food to put on their tables; whether they can own homes, pay salaries or that their children can go to schools of their choice. They deserve better. The people definitely deserve better.

Graphic photos: Election thugs leave huge knife inside man's chest

Do you see the huge knife sticking out from the man's chest area? That's the knife right after it was removed. This happened in Surulere, Lagos two weeks ago. The man was on his way to the airport to catch a flight. But because there was a lot of traffic that day, he decided to board a bike. While on his way, he encountered some election campaign hoodlums at Surulere who tried to snatch his bag. In the process, he was stabbed in the chest and the hoodlums left the knife in there and ran away.

He was rushed to the Eko hospital Surulere and from there moved to LUTH where the surgery was performed after two days to remove the knife. Thankfully he's alive and recovering very well. See photos of the knife still in his chest before the surgery after the cut...

Source: Linda Ikeji

Jail Term For Voters With Fake PVC - INEC

Resident Electoral Commissioner, in Oyo State, Rufus Akeju, has said that any voter caught with fake Permanent Voter Card during the general elections will be prosecuted.

Mr. Akeju vowed that INEC would not allow any form of rigging during the elections, and will go the extra mile to curb it.

“Any voter who is thinking of voting with a fake PVC during the general elections should shelve the idea now because doing so would land them in jail,’’ he said.

 

The presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on March 28 while those of governorship and state Houses of Assembly had been slated for April 11.

The INEC boss also said mechanisms had been put in place by the commission to check rigging and ensure credible elections.

“For example, it is impossible for anybody to steal ballot papers in the name of rigging because there cannot be more than 750 ballot papers in any polling unit,” he said.

Mr. Akeju also said that a total of 1,563,800 PVCs had been distributed by INEC in the state.

 

Oyedepo, Adeboye, Oritsejafor disgracing God - Primate Ayodele

 

 

Founder and Spiritual leader of Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele says notable religious leaders, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor E.A.Adeboye and Bishop David Oyedepo are disgracing God with their actions by hobnobbing with people in power and not having the courage to tell them the truth. The clergyman said this in an interview with Yes! Magazine

"Oyedepo, Oritsejafor and Adeboye have disappointed God. They see the truth but they are not saying it. I will be frank. These frontline pastors; Adeboye, Oyedepo, name them, PFN, CAN have they not disappointed the Nigerian masses now? Jonathan goes to Adeboye, what's the other man's name? Politicians have corrupted all church leaders. They are not saying the truth. Adeboye, Oyedepo and other big pastors are not saying the truth. We know that the economy is bad, things are not going right but they should have the courage to face them. For the first time let us be bold enough to tell them "What you are doing is bad". Tell them, "change from bad to good".

"They say Lagos is moving. What is moving in Lagos? Lagos is just there. Nothing is moving in Lagos. Both APC and PDP have destroyed this country. Pastors who are to talk are part of the corrupt system. Bishops, Primates, Prophets. Everybody is going to answer before God. I am not here to judge any Pastor but I am standing on the altar of truth" he said

Obasanjo, an embarrassment to the military- Defense HQ releases statement

 

 

The Nigerian military just released a statement on its Facebook page blasting former president and retired General Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent remarks alleging that president Jonathan wants to use the military/Service Chiefs to extend his tenure. Find the Defense press statement below...

The Defence Headquarters has noted the remarks of a former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as reported in the media stating his views on perceived state of the armed forces and the roles being allegedly played by the military in the nation's political process in recent times. The leadership and cross section of the military believes that the former President and retired General has every right to be interested in the actions and fate of the military. Hence, his views like many others will continue to be accorded the well-deserved attention. It is however noteworthy that most of his utterances lately indicate an attitude of playing to the gallery or indulging in politicization of serious national security or military affairs.

For instance, the comments credited to Chief Obasanjo alleging that the postponement of the General Elections was to enable President Jonathan to use the Service Chiefs to plot a tenure extension is to say the least, very surprising. It is surprising indeed, considering the fact that the retired General chose to ignore the clarification and emphatic assurances of non-partisanship of the military as declared in a DHQ statement on the position of the Armed Forces in the ongoing political activities. His motive as usual remains unknown but it is certainly less than noble or well intentioned. We dare say again that Chief Obasanjo's assertions are false.

Much as the military desires to respect the old General and his views, it has become necessary to point out that his conduct and unguarded utterances of late has fallen short of the standard of discipline expected of an individual who has had the privilege of service in the military and risen to the status of a General. The behavior of retired General (Chief) Obasanjo has been so unbecoming and continues to constitute a serious embarrassment to the military before all who have reasonably and rightly adjudged the essence of military background in terms of the high value and standard it tends to contribute to statesmanship.

We feel constrained to remind the old General that the world has moved beyond that parochial and self-adulating reasoning and mindset which he seems stuck to. Indeed, he needs to be told that by virtue of their better training, exposure, education, assessment and environment, the military personnel of today are already far beyond his level in their appreciation of democracy and it's indispensability for the stable and prosperous society which Nigerians cherish.

In this instance, the military wishes to inform the retired General, that the institution which he bequeathed to the nation has .certainly developed beyond how he left it. The Nigerian military is now better placed to strive for the maintenance of the legacies & ethos of service, valour, subordination to constituted authorities, and nonpartisan commitment to duty and fatherland. It has to be restated that the military as an institution, is neither as inept in the discharge of its duties, nor is it being misused for political ends in the manner the retired General Obasanjo who was also a former President has possibly been made to believe.

Indeed, the system now strongly believes in Democracy as well as its structures and institutions to the extent that It will do nothing whatsoever to undermine or truncate the steady growth and development of the nation's democracy. The military will remain professional as it keeps doing its best along with others to ensure adequate security and defence of the nation's territorial integrity in this auspicious period in the country.

The Defence Headquarters will like to encourage Chief Obasanjo to be genuinely interested in the growth & sustenance of Nigeria's democratic credentials. He is also enjoined to endeavor to improve in his understanding of intricate issues and try to encourage the military rather than continue with this tendency to indulge in imputation of ulterior motives to every effort, all for the purpose of discrediting well thought out policies or decisions related to the military's roles in the polity. The support of all well-meaning elderly Nigerians remains vital in the onerous duty of working for the stability, defence, and peace of our country under duly constituted authorities in a democratic environment.

Obasanjo's exit from PDP is good riddance to bad rubbish - Fayose

Read the press statement from the Ekiti state governor's office below...

Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described the exit of the former President of Nigeria, General Olusegun Obasanjo from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a good omen to the party, saying; "Obasanjo's exit is good riddance to bad rubbish. His departure is inglorious, we will never miss him.

Governor Fayose, who said Obasanjo's tearing of his PDP membership card was a vindication of his stand that the former president should have been shown a red card by the PDP a long time ago, noted that; "Now the PDP can sleep with two eyes closed because the lion among our brethren, the tormentor of Nigeria just departed from our party to join the All Progressives Congress (APC)."

The governor, who reacted to Obasanjo's tearing of his PDP membership card through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said the former president was "a man without honour" who has been the major problem of the PDP and that "tearing his membership card was to save
him from imminent expulsion."

"Obasanjo shouldn't just tear his PDP membership card; he should relinquish the ownership of Bell University, Obasanjo Farms, Obasanjo Presidential Library, and other financial benefits he got during his eight years as president," Fayose said.

Speaking further, Fayose said; "Obasanjo's formal exit from the PDP at this time will further enhance the chance of the party in the presidential election because Nigerians will now see that eight out of
the 16 years that the APC claimed was a waste was spent by the party because Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who ruled Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 are now members of APC.

"If there is anything negative about PDP, Obasanjo contributed 50 percent. His eight years tenure is part of the 16 years that the APC people claim is a waste. And now that Obasanjo and Atiku are members of APC, it can be said that APC ruled Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 and the party should be ready to accept the liabilities of Obasanjo and Atiku's government.

"Therefore, Obasanjo's exit from the PDP is a confirmation that there is victory ahead for our party and mark my words, President Jonathan will be re-elected, Nigeria will have a clean departure from its sordid past, which Obasanjo and Buhari represent and take a giant leap into a promising future."

Samuel Ládòkè Akíntọ́lá - First Western Premier

Samuel Ládòkè Akíntọ́lá or "S.L.A."(July 6, 1910 – January 15, 1966) was a Nigerian politician, lawyer, aristocrat and orator who was born in Ogbomosho, south west Nigeria. In addition to serving as one of the founding fathers of modern Nigeria, he was also elevated to the position of Oloye Aare Ona Kakanfo XIII of the Yoruba.

Political career

After he was trained as a lawyer in the United Kingdom, Akintola returned to Nigeria in 1949 and teamed up with other educated Nigerians from the Western Region to form the Action Group (AG) under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. As the deputy leader of the AG party, he did not serve in the regional Western Region Government headed by the Premier Awolowo but was the Action Group Parliamentary Leader/Leader of Opposition in the House of Representatives of Nigeria. At the federal level he served as Minister for Health and later Minister for Communications and Aviation.

Decisions over the direction of strategic alliances by the party, the adoption of democratic socialism as the party's platform and the battle for supremacy in the party led to disagreement between Chiefs Akintola and Awolowo. Akintola disagreed with Awolowo's decision not to join the coalition government. Akintola felt the Yoruba people of the West were losing their pre-eminent position in business, university and administration in Nigeria to the Igbo people of the East simply because the Igbo-controlled NCNC had joined the government and the AG had not. He also opposed the party's decision to adopt democratic socialism as its ideology, preferring a more conservative stance.

Criticisms

Akintola was accused by Chief Awolowo of trying to supplant him as Leader of the party. In May 1962 with the Western House of Assembly set to remove Akintola after the party had earlier passed a vote of no confidence in the premier in a party meeting, crisis erupted on the floor of the house. The AG party broke into two factions leading to several crises in the Western Region House of Assembly that led the central/federal government, headed by the Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to declare State of Emergency rule in the Western region and Chief (Dr.) M. A Majekodunmi, the Federal Minister of Health was appointed as Administrator . Eventually Akintola was restored to power (even though he had lost the legal battle with the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council then Nigeria's highest tribunal) As Premier in 1963. In the general election of 1965, Akintola won his position as Premier, not as member of the Action Group party, but as the leader of a newly formed party called Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP), which was in an alliance with the Northern People's Congress (NPC) the party that then controlled the federal government.

Death

Akintola was assassinated in Ibadan, the capital of Western Region, on the day of Nigeria's first military coup of 15 January 1966—which terminated the First Republic. This was the "Young Majors Coup" or the "coup of the January boys", which resulted in the assassination of many leading politicians, mostly members of the Northern People's Congress.

Impact

Akintola was dignified orator and was responsible for completing the founding of University of Ife (Awolowo's brainchild and currently Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1962 while still a premier in Western Region. He was also involved in development of Premier Hotel and other monuments.

Personal life

Akintola was married to Chief (Mrs) Faderera Akintola and had five children, two of whom were later to become finance ministers in the Nigerian Third Republic (Chief Yomi Akintola and Chief (Dr.) Bimbo Akintola). Chief Yomi Akintola also served as Nigeria's Ambassador to Hungary and Samuel Akinola's daughter-in-law, Mrs. Dupe Akintola was Nigeria's High Commissioner in Jamaica. His fourth child, Chief Victor Ladipo Akintola, dedicated much of his life to ensuring the continued accurate accounting of Samuel Akintola's contributions to Nigeria's position on the world stage. He published many works including a biography that highlighted his fathers love of his country and lifelong commitment to its progression (Akintola: The Man and the Legend). His youngest child, Tokunbo Akintola was the first black boy at Eton college and features prominently in the best selling book by Dilibe Onyeama, Nigger at Eton.

A number of institutions, including Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, were established in both the Oloye's home town and other Nigerian cities as a means of remembering him posthumously.

Michael Iheonukara Okpara - First Eastern Premier from Oct 1960 - Jan 1966

 (December 25, 1920-December 17, 1984)

Michael Okpara, an Ohuhu-Igbo, was born in December 1920 at Umuahia, in the present day Abia State of Nigeria. Although he was the son of a laborer, he was able to attend mission schools and later went to Uzuakoli Methodist College, where he won a scholarship to study medicine at Yaba Higher College, Lagos. Completing his medical studies at the Nigerian School of Medicine, he worked briefly as a government medical officer before returning to Umuahia to set up a private practice.

While involved in his practice, he developed an interest in the Zikist Movement (named after Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe), a militant wing of theNCNC. After rioting workers were shot by police at the Enugu coal mines in 1949, Dr. Okpara was arrested for his alleged complicity in inciting the riot, though he was soon released. After the granting of internal self-rule in 1952, he was elected into the Eastern Nigerian House of Assembly on the NCNC platform. Between 1952 and 1959 he held various Cabinet positions in Eastern Nigeria, ranging from Minister of Health to Minister of Agriculture and Production.

In 1953, when NCNC legislators revolted against the party leadership, he remained loyal and joined forces with Dr. Azikiwe. In November 1960, when Dr. Azikiwe left active politics to become Nigeria's first African Governor-General, Dr. Okpara was elected leader of the NCNC. His outspoken manner led to a severe strain in relations between his party and the ruling Northern People's Congress.

After independence

Dr.Okpara was the leader of the NCNC and Premier of Eastern Nigeria during the First Republic (from 1959–1966). Although he was one of the politicians detained soon after the military coup of January, 1966, he survived the army revolt, in which two other premiers were killed.

A strong advocate of what he termed "pragmatic socialism", he believed that Nigeria’s salvation depended on a revolution in agriculture. To this end, he acquired and managed a large farm in his hometown, which inspired many Eastern Nigerian leaders to follow suit. He also championed the educational and infrastructural development of Eastern Nigeria.

He never owned a house of his own while he was in government. When the Nigerian Civil War ended, he went into exile in Ireland. Before his return from exile in 1979, his close associates and beneficiaries took up a collection to build him a house in his village, Umuegwu.

Honors & memorials

Dr. Okpara died on December 17, 1984. Michael Okpara Way, in Abuja is named after him; so are the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike; The Okpara Square in Enugu; the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture and the Michael Okpara College of Agriculture in Imo State (since renamed the Imo State Polytechnic). He also received the award of GCON (Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger),one of Nigeria's highest honours, in 1964. There is also a statue of him in Enugu, Enugu State.

Obanikoro slams Obasanjo over endorsement of Buhari

The immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, on Wednesday said the endorsement of the All Progressive Congress’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, is meaningless.

Mr. Obasanjo, who spoke in Kenya at the launch of his book, My Watch, endorsed Mr. Buhari at the expense of Mr. Jonathan who he said was courting a military coup.

Mr. Obasanjo opposed arguments that Mr. Buhari would be dictatorial given his antecedents, saying “The circumstances Buhari will be working under if he wins the election are different from the one he worked under before, where he was both the executive and the legislature – he knows that”.

He also said Mr. Buhari is “smart enough. He’s educated enough. He’s experienced enough”.

Mr. Obanikoro, a Lagos State gubernatorial aspirant who lost out in the Peoples Democratic Party primary, said via twitter that “Obasanjo’s endorsement of Buhari is meaningless in Yorubaland and should be treated as such across Nigeria. Nigerians have not forgotten how Obasanjo subverted the democratic process with his failed 3rd term agenda”.

Mr. Obanikoro, an ardent supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan, has been at the centre of controversy having been heard in an audio recording of plotting to rig and rigging the Ekiti elections.

He denied the allegation that he helped rigged the Ekiti elections and described the tape as a creation of the APC.
But the Police Affairs Minister, Jelili Adesiyan, admitted the existence of the tape even though he said it was not evidence that PDP members rigged the Ekiti elections.

We’ve best candidates, says Onovo, NCP presidential candidate

An engineer and presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Chief Martin Onovo, has said his party is prepared for the February 14 elections.

He told Daily Sun in Enugu that his campaign organisation, the Onovo Presi­dency Campaign Organisation (OPCO), has concluded plans to flag off its campaigns in all the six geo-political zones of the country.

Onovo said his party, which he claimed was the oldest in the country, would bring the desired change Nigerians are yearning for.

He spoke about his party’s preparedness for the election, saying he was sure they would win the election. Excerpts:

How prepared is your party for the February 14 election?

Our party is very prepared for the February 14 election. We are the oldest party in Nigeria, founded in 1994 by Chief Gani Fawehinmi, (SAN). We have presented the best candidates to serve Nigeria better. We have a strong pres­ence in all the North-East states with our self­less and committed members, who have started campaigning since our nomination. We will conduct formal public campaigns in all zones, including the North-East zone. We will interface with security agencies and get their approvals and support for our campaign plans.

How would you tackle insurgency in the North-East if elected president?

The insurgency in the North-East must be confronted with military and political sophisti­cation after a very professional national secu­rity review to identify, evaluate and correct any security lapses. We will improve intelligence, surveillance, response time and capacity. We will restore the pride and the effectiveness of our armed forces. We will robustly confront and expel Boko Haram from our territory if they do not surrender after a stern warning. We will correct the social weaknesses that result from bad governance that led to the Boko Haram insurgency and increased crime rate all over Nigeria. The police will be made more professional and the NSCDC will be motivated, trained and equipped for improved performance.

What gives you confidence that your party will win in the February elec­tions?

Our intention is to win the 2015 presiden­tial elections on the platform of the National Conscience Party. This is consequent upon our conviction that change is necessary in Nigeria now. The dysfunction of almost all sectors in Nigeria under the current class of political rul­ers is very clear to all. With uncontrolled cor­ruption, unemployment, insecurity, bad roads, poor healthcare, low life expectancy, weak education, flawed elections, declin­ing national productivity, mass poverty and epileptic power, it has been a very sad story since 1999. This is why we propose change in Nigeria now. The general elections present a good opportunity for democratic change. Currently, published reports indicate that Nigeria has the lowest public power per capital in Africa. Power generation has remained just over 3,000 megawatts since 1999 even after we have spent $51billion on power, since then. South African per capital power is about 60 times Nigerian per capital power. The 2013 WHO report shows life expectancy in Nigeria to be about 49 years for men; one of the lowest in the whole world. Enough is enough. Nigeria can change this 2015. From wrong to right; insecurity to security; unemployment to full employment; evil to good; mass deceit to veracity; indiscipline to discipline; under-de­velopment to development; darkness to light; abuse of power to service; violence to peace, hypocrisy to good example; injustice to justice; corruption to integrity. This is the change we propose.

How are you going to achieve this change?

The most critical and first step to achieve this change is to change the current political rulers that led us to this national predicament. The coming general elections present the appropriate opportunities for us to effect this change. To drive the change, Nigeria may need a young, strong, articulate and ethical, world-class engineering and management profes­sional as president. The 10-care programme of our National Conscience Party will ensure the abolition of poverty. Our accelerated development agenda outlines the strategies to achieve these. Waste and corruption can be controlled. Our NCP 10-care programme includes: Employment, Food, Health, Hous­ing, Education, Water, Electricity, Transporta­tion, Telecommunications and Security Care. In addition, the electorate must see the need for good governance and elect younger, stronger, more professional and ethical candidates to serve Nigeria better.

What will be the first set of goals you will pursue if elected?

Our NCP government will reduce fuel price by improved domestic crude oil refining. We will increase minimum wage by reducing maximum wage, while maintaining the total wage bill.

We will use about $9 billion to double pow­er generation, transmission and distribution, in two and half years. A proper evaluation of can­didates based on vision, vigour, integrity, com­petence and national acceptability, will reveal the best candidate. We do not need an old, frail and sectional candidate or a clueless, corrupt, weak and ineffective candidate. A new breed, world-class engineering and management pro­fessional may be better to address our security problems and infrastructural inadequacies. The National Conscience Party is distinct as it is the oldest party and it was founded by the late colossus, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, (SAN) in 1994, out of the popular struggles we waged against, abuse of power, injustice and lawlessness. Our commitment to the principles of integrity, justice and development, clearly make us distinct. We will lead by example. In security, we will improve intelligence, surveillance, response time and capacity. We will restore the pride and the effectiveness of our armed forces. We will robustly confront and expel Boko Haram from our territory if they do not surrender after a stern warning. We will correct the social weaknesses that result from bad governance that led to the Boko Haram insurgency and increased crime rate all over Nigeria. The police will be made more professional and the NSCDC will be mo­tivated, trained and equipped for improved performance. We know and hear of unimagi­nable corruption and ineffectiveness. We hear of $20 billion missing oil revenue, we hear of one of the highest road fatalities per year in the world, we hear of crude oil theft, we know of the kidnapped Chibok girls, we know of subsidy fraud, we hear of six legislators sus­pending over 20 of their colleagues, we know of our governors and ministers going abroad for medical care, we know of our 70 per cent poverty rate, despite our national wealth, we know of our national debt and looming debt crisis, among others. We know we can do better with good governance. That is what we in the National Conscience Party promise our Nigerian people. I accept to lead Nigeria with your support to a new dawn if elected President in 2015.

Meet Prof. Comfort Sonaiya, the only woman running for President in 2015

In the 2015 presidential election, ten candidates will be contesting for the presidency… including a woman.

Prof. Comfort Oluremi Sonaiya, a former lecturer at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, is the sole representative of the female gender among the male-dominated candidates.

Sonaiya will be contesting under the umbrella of KOWA party, alongside running mate, Saidu Bobboi.

In 2008, she was named an International Ambassador Scientist of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and until recently, Sonaiya was the National Public Relations Officer of KOWA Party.

KOWA was registered as a political party on July 16, 2009, by a group of Nigerian Civil Society activists, professionals and technocrats.

The KOWA party claims to be different from other political parties. Its website says: “We are mostly political activists, professionals and politicians who did not find a level playing ground in the God-father-dominated Political Parties. This means that we are not your typical, conventional, rotten politicians. We are different.”

Nigeria: Why Yoruba Are Divided Over Jonathan, Buhari - - Gani Adams

By Dapo Akinrefon

OTUNBA Gani Adams is the National Coordinator of the Odua People's Congress, OPC. In this interview, Adams explains why leaders of South West zone are divided over the choice of presidential candidates to support in the forthcoming elections.

He also bares his mind on the postponement of the general elections among other issues. Excerpts:

How will you react to the INEC's shift of the elections dates by six weeks?

Well, the shift in dates is as a result of necessities for cogent reasons such as the issues of security and adequate logistics for the exercise. Let me explain these by reminding you of the fact that the shared Permanent Voters' Card (PVCs) was just 66 per cent while the remaining 34 per cent were still to be given out and that is about 24 million eligible Nigerians. I was so sad with the way the opposition handled the development. I just can't imagine how comfortable they are that about 24 million Nigerians were to be disenfranchised; as a matter of fact, I won't even be comfortable with 10,000 Nigerians not to talk of 24 million.

Secondly, the security chiefs declared they couldn't guarantee security of INEC's ad-hoc staff. How then will any sane person push for the exercise without the support of security chiefs? For these two cogent reasons, I don't see us going for free, fair and credible elections. We still have more than three months for the handover of government; there is no need for them to be too anxious more than the umpire.

Moreover, we have 27 political parties and 17 of them have declared that the election should be postponed and eight insisted that it be held, in as much as 17 has indicated interest in the shifting, it simply means majority of Nigerians have spoken.

Security challenges

The opposition has always been hiding behind security issue to condemn Jonathan, now the president wanted to tackle security challenges before the election, the opposition is again shouting foul. What they are criticizing Jonathan for is what the gentleman wanted to face in six weeks. Come to think of it, with or without the necessary amend, he has insisted on May 29 as handover date.

But some people alleged that President Jonathan is working towards interim government, what is your view of this?

Jonathan cannot propose an interim government and at the end of the day be the head of such arrangement, such move won't be in the interest of Jonathan.

But most Yoruba are not supporting Jonathan's re-election bid, how do you see this development?

Jonathan or Buhari who will you pick ?

We don't need to deceive ourselves. The main group in Yorubaland, Afenifere has spoken; Afenifere the political arrowhead of Yoruba people has declared support for Jonathan. Even Dr. Frederick Fasehun, the owner of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has endorsed Jonathan, even before Afenifere. I don't have problem with Buhari, but I have serious problem with the people that surround him. So in conclusion, 85 per cent of Lagosians want Jonathan.

What is your assessment of the campaign?

They should stop blackmailing or discrediting each other. They should come out with facts to convince people, stop calling people who have sacrificed for the nation different names. In my own opinion there is no difference between the two major political parties, the APC and the PDP.

They are calling for personality change but they are not calling for institutional change. When you said the present structure should not change and you are saying the president should change. If you say Buhari should be the president what of the institutions that have not changed. We went to the national conference to restructure Nigeria, to change the institutions. And the institutions are always more powerful than any individual.

I am not saying Jonathan is a saint because if those people around him are corrupt and he cannot deal with them, then it means he also has some skeletons in his cupboard. But Jonathan is quite different from the caliber of people we have in APC. You know what is happening in Ogun State when somebody was building bridges where there is no water. When you are having a billion naira bridges and there is no free education. People of Oyo State are crying because the government of the state shut its door against the masses.

But despite Afenifere's endorsement of Jonathan, prominent Yoruba leaders are supporting Buhari. What do you have to say to this?

I think you are having the mindset that some Yoruba leaders are supporting Jonathan. How many of them were in the struggle except for General Alani Akinrinade and Hon. Wale Oshun? Oshun is very close to APC. And there is no way you can separate Akinrinade and Tinubu. Yes they are always together. Akinrinade may not be partisan but you can separate him from Tinubu, they have close relationship.

I got to know that when we were in the national conference. When you are however talking about the core people who always fight for the course of the Yoruba and those whose voice you hear about regionalism and introduction of parliamentary system, you talk of myself as the leader of the Oodua People's Congress, OPC leader at the conference and the Afeniferes who believe that no matter the situation, the course of Yoruba must be championed at the conference.

In Yorubaland I remember when I became leader of OPC, people say I did not have enough education to be a leader. Therefore, I went to school, I trained myself and I went to school. I went to even write WAEC, I went to write NECO, I wrote WAEC again. I went to Ghana to get a diploma, I got a diploma in Lagos State University onward to receiving a degree, but now Buhari is being alleged of not having a School Certificate.

The opposition said the election was postponed because Jonathan was afraid to lose the election.

That is propaganda, many things you hear from them, about 50 per cent of them is propaganda. Sultan of Sokoto said he has not got his PVC, I just got my PVC on Friday and in my house almost all the 35 people that registered, it is only me and two others that got theirs, 32 other are yet to receive theirs, and you now say the election should hold, and you are blaming Jonathan.

If there is crisis after the election, they will now say Jonathan has caused crisis. The Service Chiefs said they were not ready for the election.

It’s Harsh To Judge Me By My 1984 Record, Says Buhari

The APC presidential candidate, Gen. Buhari said it would be harsh to judge him against his record as a military dictator in a democratic setting just as he last night welcomed former President Olusegun Obasanjo's endorsement of his aspiration.

Speaking on a live CNN interview anchored by Christiane Amanpour, he affirmed that the Boko Haram insurgency would be routed by his administration through blocking corruption and other leakages.

Tasked that Nigerians were faced with the difficult option of choosing between a failed president and a former military dictator with a bad human rights record, he said:

"All those things you mentioned were done under military administration; if we did not suspend the constitution then, it would have been difficult for us to operate under those circumstances. So I do not think I should be judged as an individual for those things that happened then."

Welcoming the endorsement of President Obasanjo, he said: "Well it will certainly bring more supporters to us and more confidence for those who were sitting on the fence because General Obasanjo is highly respected and as far as the nation is concerned, there is no issue that can be deliberated upon without people seeking his opinion."

Describing the shift of the election dates as unfortunate, Buhari said:

"That is a disappointment because the presentation made by the INEC was that they were ready to conduct the elections on the date chosen a year ago. And for them to be forced virtually by the military that they cannot guarantee the safety of their workers and shift it by six weeks."