South Africans photographed stealing from attacked foreign stores
Friday, April 17, 2015
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Fani-Kayode in $2m election monitoring controversy
The Director, Media and Publicity, Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is immersed in a controversy over alleged $2 million situation offices for the Peoples Democratic Party across the 36 states and the FCT.
Femi Fani-Kayode was alleged to have
applied for $2 million to open situation offices for pre and post
election monitoring for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) across the
country. The situation office/room was meant to monitor the elections
nationwide to ensure that the PDP was not in any way shortchanged in the
electioneering process.
According to a reliable source, Fani-Kayode
procured the service of a middleman who is highly connected to the
Presidency who facilitated the deal and the sum of $1.5 million was
approved for the project.
Peoples Daily reliably gathered that no
such office was opened in any part of the country even as the general
elections have come and gone. And the middleman who facilitated the
contract has understandably not got his cut and now threatening a
showdown with Fani-Kayode.
Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation
under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government was also alleged
to have bought a brand new Range Rover 2014 model for his girlfriend,
names withheld, at a whooping cost of $70,000, equivalent to over N13m
also allegedly from the proceeds of the contract.
Contacted on phone yesterday for his
response, Chief Fani Kayode did not pick his call. But a text message
sent to him was responded to by a man who called to introduce himself as
Jude Ndukwe, SA to Fani-Kayode.
“We received your text message. The
situation room project never came through us. We were not involved in
it. We never received a Kobo for any situation room project,” he said
while a voice was heard dictating to him from the background.
Ndukwe said further: “I am sure you know
who is involved in the project but you want to beam your searchlight on
us. If we bought a car, is that news? You can write what you want. We
will meet you in court,” he threatened.
Afterwards, another confidant of
Fani-Kayode called our reporter to say that information available to him
suggested that the said project was handled by Legacy House, another
campaign arm of the PDP located in Abuja.
According to the confidant who pleaded
anonymity, he worked closely with Fani-Kayode but that he was not aware
such a project passed though him.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
APC directs members in Adamawa to defy curfew
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has directed its members and supporters in Adamawa State to defy the curfew imposed by the state police command.
The APC described the curfew as unlawful.
The Adamawa Police Commissioner, Gabriel Adaji, had on Friday addressed journalists in Yola, the capital city, announcing the imposition of a dusk-to-dawn curfew, beginning Sunday to Tuesday.
Mr. Adaji said the decision was taken at a crucial inter-agency security meeting and was aimed at curtailing the breakdown of law and order.
He said the decision was taken “to avert some nasty experiences encountered when the Presidential elections result was announced when miscreants hijacked the celebrations”.
He said the “the police will enforce the dusk-to-dawn curfew and anyone found wanting will be dealt with”.
But in a swift response via a statement issued in Lagos on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the APC said there was no threat to security in the state to warrant the imposition of curfew.
It said the Presidential and National Assembly elections were held without incident or declaration of curfew, wondering what warranted the unlawful curfew declaration.
”Imposing an unlawful curfew with effect from when voting ends on Saturday is suspect and unacceptable. We are therefore asking all our members and supporters to ignore the curfew, come out en masse to vote and also stay back to defend their votes,” APC said.
Jonathan urges governorship, state assembly candidates to accept election outcome
President Goodluck Jonathan has called on all the candidates participating in Saturday’s Governorship and House of Assembly elections to accept the outcome of the polls.
President Jonathan who made the call in a Facebook post Friday urged contestants in the elections to accept the will of the people.
“I urge contestants to respect the will of the people as we promote a new Nigeria that is a pacesetter and light bearer in the practice of democratic politics without bitterness. May God bless Nigeria,” he said.
President Jonathan was the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the last presidential election.
He lost to the opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Candidates but promptly accepted defeat in what is now regarded as Nigeria’s first.
He also asked Nigerians to come out and cast their votes.
“As Nigeria returns to the polls tomorrow, I encourage all registered voters to come out en masse and exercise their right to vote,” he said.
Mr. Jonathan said he has instructed security agents to fully facilitate the right of Nigerians to choose leaders of their choice at the gubernatorial and assembly levels by remaining non-partisan and ensuring that everyone votes in a secure environment.
The Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections are set to determine the leaders that will take care of the affairs in each the 29 states in Nigeria.
NDLEA arrests South African lady with N74m concealed in oats packs
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 39-year-old South African woman identified as Nosisi Nqgula at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with $373,725 (N74.4million) and €2,120 (N450,000), concealed inside packs of oats found in her luggage.
According to a statement issued by the NDLEA Lagos Airport Command, the money was discovered during an inward screening of passengers on a South African airline flight en route from Johannesburg.
Two Nigerians, Damian Akamelu and Prophet Cyprian Chigere are being interrogated in connection with the seized money.
The South African lady, Ms Nqgula when interrogated said she was sent by a Nigerian to give the concealed money to one Akamelu
“I live in Johannesburg. I was given a bag by a Nigerian to deliver to Damian Akamelu. During examination of my bags at the Lagos airport, the money was found inside packs of oats.” she said.
The NDLEA Commander at the airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the manner in which the money was concealed was questionable
“The mode of concealment presents reasonable grounds for money laundering. Five packs of oats were found to contain $373,725 and €2,120. Two Nigerians are also being interrogated,”he said.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade while commenting on the arrest said the agency will investigate the matter so as to know the source of the money. "I have therefore directed that the case be investigated to ascertain the source of the money.” he said
FG Debunks Alleged Plans To Rig Election In Lagos
The Federal Government has debunked the allegation by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to Lagos on Thursday was part of a plot to rig Saturday’s gubernatorial election in the state.
The APC’s spokesperson, Lai Muhammed, had on Friday said that Mr. Jonathan visited the nation’s commercial capital to fashion ways of rigging the election in favour of candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party. debunk
But in a swift reaction, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Abati, said the allegation was wrong.
“Lai Muhammed is wrong to say that the President came to Lagos to rig the gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, April 11,” he said.
“He is of course lying as usual; and rude. President Jonathan visited Lagos. He arrived on Thursday and left on Friday. People visited him. So what?
“Anytime the president is in Lagos or any part of the country, a lot of people come to pay homage to him. Nothing unusual happened during his last visit to Lagos.
“Senator Musiliu Obanikoro’s visit to the president in Lagos is not something that anybody should use to play politics. Koro is a minister of the Federal Republic. He came to see his boss.”
Apart from Mr. Obanikoro, he said Messrs Jimmy Agbaje and Gani Adams, among others, visited the president while in Lagos.
The presidency wondered why Mr. Jonathan’s visit to Lagos which is a part of Nigeria, and the visit of PDP members to the leader of their party, should become an issue.
It argued that Mr. Jonathan never summoned or held meetings with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the police, polling officials or persons involved in the conduct of the anticipated election.
“So to say that the president went to Lagos to supervise the rigging of Saturday’s election is most uncharitable and cruel,” the presidency said.
Even before the result of the presidential election results were declared by INEC, the presidency said Mr. Jonathan called the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari and congratulated him.
The presidency said the world has continued to commend Mr. Jonathan for conceding defeat, which it said saved Nigeria.
It said the action exemplified the president’s sportsmanship, statesmanship and leadership at a very critical moment.
Besides, it said Mr. Jonathan has demonstrated commitment to free and fair election, the rule of law and due process, thereby showing character, honour and integrity.
The presidency noted that Mr. Jonathan has left a worthy legacy, adding that the APC spokesperson and his masters were wont to taint the legacy by cooking up meaningless tales.
“Lai Muhammed should look for another target and leave the President alone. His fatuous tale does not make any sense.
“I repeat: We will like to advise that the APC should just leave the President alone. President Jonathan was a candidate in the presidential election; he did not rig the election. Why would he want to rig tomorrow’s elections?” the presidency asked.
The Peoples Democratic Party had earlier condemned the APC’s allegation, wondering why the party should accuse the president when the president-elect, Mr. Buhari, who is its leader, had visited several states to support APC’s governorship candidates, without anyone accusing him of plotting to rig elections.
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Former Ivorian First Lady Jailed For 20 Years Over Election Violence
A court in Ivory Coast has sentenced former first lady Simone Gbagbo to a 20-year prison term on charges of “undermining state security” during post-election violence in 2010 and 2011 that left nearly 3,000 dead.
The wife of former Ivorian president, Laurent Gbagbo was also accused of “disturbing public order” and “organising armed gangs” after her husband and his supporters rejected results of December 2010 presidential elections showing rival Alassane Ouattara had won the contest.
The court “unanimously” condemned her to 20 years in jail, court president Tahirou Dembele said in a statement Tuesday.
Gbagbo’s face hardened as the verdict was read. She was “a little affected” by the sentence, her lawyer Me Rodrigue Dadje told AFP.
Gbagbo’s son Michel, a French-born dual national from a previous marriage, was also sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the violence.
Once referred to by admirers and opponents alike as Ivory Coast’s “Iron Lady,” Simone Gbagbo has been on trial since January with 82 co-defendants accused of varying degrees of involvement in the deadly unrest.
Prosecutors had asked for a lighter 10-year jail term for the 65-year-old Gbagbo.
“Simone Gbagbo most certainly participated in the composition of armed gangs,” state prosecutor Simon Yabo Odi told the court Tuesday, adding “her men… participated in an insurrectional movement.”
The previous day, the former first lady gave testimony for nearly four hours, confronting witnesses who said they’d seen her distributing arms to youths in Abidjan with flat denials.
She told the court that she “forgives” her accusers, saying: “I have suffered humiliation on humiliation during this trial. But I am ready to forgive… because if we do not forgive, the country faces a crisis worse than what we experienced.”
Nearly 3,000 people were killed in months of post-election violence ultimately halted by the intervention of international forces acting under a UN mandate, and led by former colonial power France.
Prosecutors in the case are also seeking a two-year term for Affi N’Guessan, the former head of the first couple’s political party.
Posts
