APC Pulled Out Of Presidential Debate To Save GMB—Okupe

Known for his twitter drama, the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe is at it again.

This time, Doyin Okupe has taken a swipe again at the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Party, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his party for boycotting the presidential debate organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG).

Okupe said APC boycotted the debate to save Buhari from shame, as he does not have record of performance, education and eloquency needed for a debate to match President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He tweeted; “If APC didn’t withdraw from the debate they would have been stupid. Their candidate has no record of performance. Neither is he educated nor eloquent”.

doyin okupe’s tweet

All Progressives Congress (APC), Thursday, says it will not participate in the ongoing public debates on national television and radio stations organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG).

It alleged that the Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG), co-ordinating the debate, was fraught with fundamental errors from the outset, according to a statement signed by Malam Garba Shehu, the Director Media and Publicity of the APC Campaign Organisation.

The statement said it decision to boycott the debates ”is because of the unhidden bias and campaign of calumny by some key organisers of the programme against the corporate political interest of the party and its candidates”.

IBB condemns the approach OBASANJO ATTACKS JONATHAN publicly

General Ibrahim Badamasi Babbangida,IBB condemns Obasanjo’s approach by tackling the current President, Goodluck Jonathan publicly

At his Minna home last week, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida spoke to members of a press company. He spoke about the forthcoming election, his involvement with PDP and the Obasanjo attacks towards incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan. When questioned about the approach OBJ used to attack GEJ, IBB spoke up saying,

“No, it’s not the best. It is far from the best approach. As someone that has been on the seat, I would never take that option and I don’t encourage anybody of that class to do so. There are many channels through which the same point could be passed across to the president without making it public. One can easily reach him on phone, can ask for a meeting with him and also seek other platforms, maybe through past leaders. I don’t actually go for that approach of making it a public issue to avoid sending the wrong signals to those that look up to us”.

BUHARI IS THE CHANGE WE DON'T NEED - MOHAMMED ABACHA

                                         MOHAMMED ABACHA

1.I have never seen any school built in his name.

2.I have never seen any borehole constructed by him.

3.There is no record of any scholarship awarded by him or for him nor through him.

4.I have never seen him use his popularity to canvass for any charitable work nor any humanitarian effort, not even at the height of the polio scourge where other purposeful and prominent leaders led the campaign for immunization.

5.No single text book has been donated to any school either by him, for him or through him.

6.Asides form doing nothing for others,

7.He has not even improved himself since his exit from office.

8.No book written, no memos, no lectures, nothing!

9.The only thing of note he can point to are his numerous interviews on BBC Hausa Station.

10. He never championed for a University in his state

11. Nor has he ever been involved in any kind of development program to better the lives of the Almajiris in Daura.

12. His entire existence has not led to any meaningful development in Daura,

13. Yet they say he can change Nigeria.

14. Doesn‘t charity begin at home anymore

WRITTEN BY: MOHAMMED ABACHA

TOMPOLO: I INSIST NIGERIA ’LL BREAK IF JONATHAN LOSES

FORMER Niger Delta militants seem unrepentant on their widely condemned stand that there will be trouble should President Goodluck Jonathan lose the February 14 election.
Among those who condemned the former militants’ stand is one time Defence Minister Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, who said war mongers should be arrested.
But yesterday, former Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) leader Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) restated the threat he issued along with other ex-militant leaders in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The threat, said to have been issued in the presence of Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and the Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Niger Delta, Mr Kingsley Kuku, has been widely condemned.
Tompolo attacked Gen. Danjuma, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and all perceived enemies of President Jonathan, who he insisted must win to avert a crisis.
He said: “Gen. Danjuma and his cohorts should know that I remain resolute on my position in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that President Goodluck Jonathan must win this election for Nigeria to continue to stay together.”
Besides, Tompolo, in the statement signed by his Media Adviser, Mr Paul Bebenimibo, in Warri yesterday, accused the former Army chief of being behind the stoning of President Goodluck Jonathan in Katsina and Bauchi states.
Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda said Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members were behind the stoning of the President’s convoy in Bauchi.
Tompolo warned that Nigeria was already on the brink of disintegration in the wake of the expiration of the 1914 amalgamation treaty, hinting that the defeat of President Jonathan could be the final nail on the coffin.
Said he: “Gen. Danjuma should be reminded that the devilish treaty that brought the Southern and Northern Protectorates together in 1914 expired last year. Danjuma and his likes, such as Gen. Buhari, Gen. Obasanjo and Mr. Bola Tinubu, should be grateful to President Jonathan who has been keeping this country together.
”If not for President Jonathan, Nigeria would not have been any more. Danjuma and his cohorts should be reminded of the saying that ‘those who live in glass house should not throw stones’.
”The call by Gen. T.Y Danjuma (rtd) to arrest me and other agitators for a better living for the people of the Niger Delta region is an indication that he is behind terrorism in the North eastern part of the country as well as the stoning of President Jonathan’s convoy in Kastina and Bauchi states, because he has never condemned those acts, even though Boko Haram attacked churches and mosques in his home town.
”Is Gen. Danjuma not aware of the peaceful atmosphere when Gen. Buhari visited Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa (home state of the President) states for campaign? Why is it that President Jonathan’s convoy was attacked in Kastina and Bauchi states without any provocation?
“Who is Gen. Danjuma if not for the oil wealth he is enjoying from the Niger Delta? He should be rather arrested for being behind terrorism in the North.
“Where was Danjuma when Mallam Ciroma Adamu threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable, if President Jonathan defeated the All Progressive Congress Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammedu Buhari? Where was this so called statesman when the APC campaign Director General (DG), Mr. Rotimi Ameachi threatened to form a parallel government if President Jonathan wins the 2015 elections? Where was this hypocrite when Dr. Junaid Muhammed, Muhammedu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar all said in separate interviews that the nation will boil if Jonathan won the election in 2011?
“Is it the interest of Nigeria Gen. Danjuma is protecting or his oil bloc in the Niger Delta? Is it the interest of Nigeria Danjuma is protecting or his 50 million dollars donation to Gen. Buhari for his campaign?
”Let Gen. Danjuma and his cohorts know that they will not see any Ijaw man, the Igbos and others to fight on their side if the war that they are planning broke up,” he added.
The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), in a statement circulated by its spokesman, Eric Omare, said the former defense chief’s call fell short of such expected from a statesman, expedition viewed against the background of the fact that he failed to comment while President Jonathan’s campaign train was consistently attacked in some northern states.
The IYC, which claimed to be in the meeting in the Bayelsa state’s Government House where the threats were allegedly issued, also described the reports of threat as misleading as such was never part of the meeting’s resolutions.
The group however called on security agencies in the country to ignore the calls from General Danjuma and the opposition All Progressives’ Congress (APC) for the arrest of the former militant leaders as they were borne out of misleading reports.
“We are surprised that General Danjuma swiftly called for the arrest of Tompolo, Asari and other Niger-Deltans, whereas he has neither condemned nor called for the arrest of those who have been consistently attacking the convoy of President Jonathan in the northern part of the country. General Danjuma’s call is not deserving of an elder statesman who is supposed to be unbiased rather than his obvious bias against the Niger-Delta people. Only yesterday, in Gombe State a supporter of President Jonathan who was pasting his posters was attacked and seriously brutalised. Why has General Danjuma not condemned this dastardly act if he is really an elder statement?
“There was no time at the meeting the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson, with youth leaders and ex-Niger Delta freedom fighters where it was resolved that Niger Delta people would destabilise Nigeria, if President Jonathan fails the February 14, 2015 presidential election. This did not form part of the resolutions of the meeting, which were read out by Hon. Kingsley Kuku for Governor Dickson to transmit to Mr. President.
“The meeting was called by the Governor of Bayelsa State, to solicit support for President Jonathan from Niger-Delta youths and ex-freedom fighters. However, the meeting frowned at and its dissatisfaction with the persistent attack on the campaign convoy of President Jonathan in some northern states when General Buhari, his main opponent, was protected and campaigned freely in the south during his campaign tour. Hence, the meeting condemned in the strongest terms the attack on President Jonathan and resolved that nobody can intimidate President Jonathan out of the presidential race. At the meeting, all the youth leaders and ex-Niger Delta freedom fighters resolved to put their grievances aside and agree to work for the re-election of President Jonathan.
“Therefore, the report on ex-militants threatening to destabilise Nigeria in the event of President Jonathan losing the 2015 election is not part of the resolution of the meeting. The meeting could not have discussed that as we are confident that President Jonathan would win the February 14, 2015 presidential election.
“We, therefore, call on Nigerians and the security agencies to disregard the call for arrest of Tompolo, Asari and others, which is based on a misleading report. The accusation levelled against President Jonathan by the APC is also unfounded,” the statement said.
A former Minister of Defence (State), Dr Rowland Oritsejafor, called for caution over threats on the outcome of next month’s election, stressing that President Jonathan does not support violence.
Oritsejafor, who spoke to reporters in Warri, Delta State, remarked that that the initial threat was reportedly issued at the Bayelsa State Government House does not mean that it was the position of the Governor Seriake Dickson, or that of the PDP.
He said, “I can be invited to Aso Rock and then I make a statement; does that mean that the president supported what I said? Let us be very clear, PDP is a peaceful government with well-respected and responsible people. There is no way the PDP would support violence.
“Some people are making statements. I cannot come and defend those statements because I don’t know from where they are coming and I wasn’t there. However, as far as PDP is concerned, we will pursue peace and it is in our interest to pursue peace.
“So why would we want to invest in violence when we have opportunity to show what we can do? You can hear the President going round, it is all about what he has done and he keeps rolling them out.”
Pressed for reaction on the failure of security agencies and the Federal Government to take action on the threat, Oritsejafor conceded that he “would be worried if nothing is being done about it, but I don’t have the information and you have to be very careful when it comes to security.”
“You don’t know what they are doing, except you have done your investigation. If nothing is being done, that is unfortunate and I need to find out,” Oritsejafor added.
The leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, also yesterday, replied Gen. Danjuma in an abusive manner calling for his and other ex-militant leaders’ arrest for making provocative and inflammatory statements on Jonathan’s re-election.
Dokubo-Asari, an indigene of Buguma, the headquarters of the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State and a former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), spoke yesterday by the telephone, said: “Danjuma is a big…
“How can a … call for my arrest?
“I was misquoted. I did not make any provocative statement in Yenagoa and I did not threaten anybody. President Jonathan has already won the election.”
In Dokubo-Asari’s view with the “impressive” performance of President Jonathan, there is nothing to worry about.

Source: The Nation

Buhari Says He will not participate in BON presidential debate – APC

APC says it’s presidential candidate Gen Buhari will not be participating in the presidential debate being organized by the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria BON and the Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) .

In a statement released today January 29th by Garna Shehu, the Director, Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), they said Buhari will not be participating in the debate as the composition of those organizing the debate was mainly of agencies and allies of the incumbent People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) administration. Continue…

The statement reads in part;

“A cursory inspection of the composition of NEGD brings into focus the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), National Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Africa Independent Television (AIT, owned by a PDP chieftain). And going by the avalanche of inflammatory statements, misinformation and blatant lies being propagated by some of these media against our Party and candidates contrary to the Kofi Annan brokered Abuja Peace Accord, and the failure of these aggressors to desist and apologise, have left the APC Campaign with no option than to steer clear of any premeditated smear campaign that could be inimical to our prospective electoral success,” .

Buhari’s Lawyer Decamps To PDP, Describes APC as a SINKING ‘TITANIC’

Mike Ahamba SAN, attorney to General Muhammadu Buhari, has dumped the All progressives Congress (APC), for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
He said he jumped ship because the party is riddled with so much dishonesty and lack of transparency .
Ahamba maintained that incumbent Governors were invited to the fold with the sole aim of securing their states funds for elections .
Below is the full text
My brothers, sisters, friends and supporters, I salute you.
It is a fact now self-evident that I am involved in a political re-alignment and movement that has necessarily resulted in my return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of which I was a pioneer member, having abandoned the sinking APC political ship which has proved soon to be a political ‘Titanic’. The merger of three national political parties, a first in the history of Nigeria, had been full of hope with promises of change. But the center could not hold, things have fallen apart, and no one in the party is at ease any longer?

Brethren, I have bailed out of that ship because I find myself unable to continue with membership of a party which
(a) places preferred runners in a 100 metres race at the sixtieth metre point in a supposed democratic setting leaving others at the starting blocks,

(b) has not published its manifesto after more than eight (8) months of existence, thereby keeping its membership and the polity in a blindfold as to its true objectives,

(c) has not been able to set up elected administrative structures at any level more than eight months after registration but, instead, is developing a sit-tight syndrome in the interim officers,

(d) invites governors into its fold for the purpose of using them to secure funds for election purposes, which funds would naturally be the product of looting of the respective state treasuries,

(e) has manifested lack of concern for the well being of the generality of the society, particularly the less privileged, by directing its members in the National Assembly to block the national budget, a directive that could never be justified,
to mention a few reasons,
I have therefore opted to return to my original political platform the PDP which till date has not be parochialised either ethnically or religiously.

I firmly believe that this platform is, in the Nigerian situation, the best avenue of political service to my people and the nation at large.
I assure my numerous supporters and admirers that change of platform will not transform into a change of the personality you ever admired in me, and crave your understanding and support. I remain committed to justice to all, at all times, at all cost.

As I declare my membership of the PDP on Saturday 22nd February, 2014 my major request of you is your earnest prayers for me to continue to be who I have been. May I also request your support in welcoming Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to this epoc event.

In God I trust.
God bless you all, and our Great country.
Chief Mike Ikenna Ahamba KSC, SAN.

Nigeria’s army can’t handle Boko Haram alone: US commander

Turning the tide against Boko Haram will require a “huge” international effort, a top US military commander warned on Tuesday, taking a swipe at Nigeria’s response to the emboldened extremists.

Relations between the Nigerian and US militaries have been strained with Nigeria cancelling training by US advisers of a unit that was supposed to fight the militants, who have captured towns and villages in the country’s northeast and vowed to create a hardliner Islamic state.The conflict has left more than 13,000 people dead and one million homeless.

General David Rodriguez, head of US Africa Command, said the Islamists’ gains on the battlefield are cause for concern and “the number of people displaced is just staggering.”

“I think it’s going to take a huge international and multinational effort there to change a trajectory that continues to go in the wrong direction,” Rodriguez said at an event organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.

“The Nigerian leadership and Nigerian military are going to have to really improve their capacities to be able to handle that.”

Rodriguez said the Nigerian military’s response “was not working very effectively and actually in some places made it worse.”

He added: “I hope that they let us help more and more.”

Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States, Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, complained in November that his country is “not satisfied” with US support for the struggle against Boko Haram and that Washington has blocked the sale of some military hardware over human rights concerns.

In a visit Sunday to Lagos, US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington was “prepared to do more” to help Nigeria counter Boko Haram.

Nigeria has the largest army in west Africa but has come under criticism at home and abroad for failing to stop the advance of Boko Haram.

The United States was working with Nigeria to build a comprehensive strategy “across the board, not just military,” that encompassed education, economic development and health care to address the needs of the population in the north, the four-star general said.

Another “big focus” was to bolster the country’s intelligence gathering, added Rodriguez.