Jonathan blames Abuja explosions on overpopulation

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday blamed the ceaseless bomb attacks in the Federal Capital Territory on over population. Jonathan made this observation while receiving a delegation of the FCT Council of Chiefs, area council chairmen, appointees and legislators at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The delegation was led by the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Muhammed; and the Minister of State, FCT, Olajumoke Akinjide. Jonathan, however, noted that the population growth was putting pressure on infrastructures in the FCT. He said, “The idea behind the creation of FCT is to cater for less than one million people. According to the last census, the FCT’s population was less than a million. “But today, because of the crisis we have in the South: militancy and kidnapping in the South East and South South and of course the terror activities in the North, the population of the FCT has expanded. “We don’t even know the exact population now until the next census will hold but definitely, the population has increased much more than anticipated. “When population growth is so fast that it cannot meet up with infrastructural development, people are under pressure of facilities: whether water, electricity etc

Falsehood: Osun APC warns PDP

The All Progressives Congress in the State of Osun has warned that the PDP in the State is gravitating towards creating anarchy in the community through a wickedly relentless propagation of lies, capable of destabilising the state. According to the APC, ‘it is high time those charged with the responsibility to maintain law and order in the state, called the PDP to its senses and stop the party from stoking negative passions that could lead to anarchy’. The party was officially reacting to the latest in the offensive campaign of lying through the media to create confusion within the state in a bizarre attempt to install itself in power after it had woefully failed to win the August 9 election. Citing the latest Internet spat that created a stir recently over the senseless claim by PDP – sponsored falsehood that Omisore is about to be declared the ‘actual’ winner of the August 9 election, the APC said that it was a close call to anarchy and a criminal action, which should be addressed by law-enforcement agencies in Osun. For the information of the law enforcement agencies and the general public, the APC hereby states the authentic and verifiable state of affairs regarding the PDP petition pending at the election Tribunal in Osogbo. In fact, the first sitting of the newly constituted Tribunal will take place Thursday, October 30, 2014. *As you read this, only six local governments have had their election documents inspected, and no strange ballot paper has been found. *The PDP in its petition filed at the Tribunal, did not ask for a recount of the ballot, and it (Tribunal) could not have ordered a recount. So that piece of information was a deliberate falsehood. No hearing has taken place; the judges have made no pronouncement whatsoever on a recounting of votes. *PDP’s claim therefore that following a phantom recount, Omisore has more votes than Aregbesola exposes that party’s original plan which failed to materialise. It shows that the PDP already had a pre-recorded result which could not pass through INEC’s security of the votes!!! That is the result they now want to force through the Election Petition Tribunal. To demonstrate the criminal potential of this false information, a major television station had already used the story on its web before it discovered that it was a complete fabrication. The TV station has since apologised for the embarrassment it caused. The APC therefore appealed to all media organisations following the Osun Election Petition Tribunal case to carefully cross-check and confirm the truth or otherwise of any story, press release or privileged information they may receive from the PDP in Osun, before publishing same for public consumption. Similarly, the APC urged citizens of the State never again to be agitated whenever similar falsehood of the PDP slips into the media. ‘The people who run the party (PDP) in Osun have become sick with lie telling’, the APC said, adding that, ‘nobody should worry any longer when the PDP speaks because they are hopeless liars.’ Barr. Kunle Oyatomi, Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, APC, State of Osun

No plan to field Muslim-Muslim ticket – APC

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, has dismissed insinuations that the party was planning to field a Muslim-Muslin ticket in the February 2015 presidential election. He described as “very unfortunate,” but unnecessary the controversy which trailed the interview granted an online newspaper, The cable, by a leading presidential aspirant of the party, Muhammadu Buhari, in which he said he would keep an open mind on the issue of his party’s presidential candidate and running mate. Mr. Buhari, a Muslim, had in the interview, said he had demonstrated to Nigerians in the past that he was not a religious fundamentalist by picking Christians as his running mates in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections in which he ran. “Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. I had to face one of the governors during one of our party’s meetings [over the issue of religion],” Mr.Buhari, Nigeria’s former head of state between 1983 and 1985, said. “In 2003, I chose Okadigbo as my running mate. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even a pastor. Pastor Tunde Bakare. “Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do?” He recounted that the late Moshood Abiola, a southern Muslim, picked Babagana Kingibe, a northern Muslim, as his running mate in the 1993 presidential election. The Muslim-Muslim ticket won the election generally considered the fairest and freest election in Nigeria’s history. There had been speculations that Mr. Buhari might be looking in the direction of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, who is also a muslim, or his predecessor, Bola Tinubu, also a Muslim as his as his running mate, if he picks the APC ticket in the December presidential primary of the party. However, a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday warned parties against fielding candidates of the same religion, saying it was dangerous for the country. “Sensitivity is a necessary ingredient for enhancement of peace, security and stability at this point in the political discourse and arrangement for Nigeria and for encouraging confidence and trust,” Mr. Obasanjo said. “It will be insensitive to the point of absurdity for any leader or any political party to be toying with Muslim- Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket at this juncture,” Mr. Obasanjo said. “Nigeria cannot at this stage raise the spectre and fear of Islamisation or Christianisation. The idea of proselytisation in any form is a grave danger that must not be contemplated by any serious-minded politician at this delicate situation in Nigeria, as this time is different from any other time. “Therefore, disregarding the fact that there are fears that need to be allayed at this point will amount not only to insensitivity of the highest order but will also amount to very bad politics indeed.” But Mr. Odigie-Oyegun said the APC had never contemplated fielding a presidential and vice presidential candidates who belong to the same faith and that the current debate over the matter was just a distraction to the party. He explained that the party was pre-occupied with the process of choosing its presidential candidate and that it had not toyed with the issue of who becomes the running mate yet. “You know what triggered these things. It is very unfortunate. We are trying to get a presidential candidate now. Once that is sorted out, the issue of running mate becomes a simple matter,” the APC national chairman told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Monday night. He said Mr. Buhari might have been misunderstood on the matter, stating, “It is his usual way of speaking. You know he is a straightforward man. It (running mate) is not an issue. But that is his own way of putting it and should not be misunderstood.” Mr. Odigie-Oyegun said the APC has a mission of rescuing the country from alleged mis-governance and therefore would neglect any segment of the country by being insensitive in the choice of candidates for the elections According to him, “We want to rescue this country; we want to save this nation. And so we will not do anything to make us loose votes, especially from a very large segment of the society. That is the simple truth. We don’t have to. “We are looking at somebody who will contribute to winning the election. These things are commonsensical things that will be taken care of when we get to that bridge.” On the reaction of Mr. Obasanjo to the issue, the APC national chairman said the former president’s comment on the matter was a non-issue for his party but generally okay. He stressed, “We, as a party, haven’t gotten to that bridge. People shouldn’t forget that we are a new party. We do not want these distractions. We are taking all those issues gradually.” Asked if the party was planning to pick a former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, as the running mate to Mr. Buhari, Mr. Odigie-Oyegun said, “I’m the national chairman. Whoever we will choose as our presidential candidate, whether it is Buhari, Atiku, Kwankwaso, Rochas Okorocha or any other person, the party will then sit down with him and say this is the type of running mate that will contribute maximally to the success of the party in the election.” He denied claims that the party was reluctant to address the issue and that an official of the party was mandated to clear the air on the issue, but refused

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, has dismissed insinuations that the party was planning to field a Muslim-Muslin ticket in the February 2015 presidential election. He described as “very unfortunate,” but unnecessary the controversy which trailed the interview granted an online newspaper, The cable, by a leading presidential aspirant of the party, Muhammadu Buhari, in which he said he would keep an open mind on the issue of his party’s presidential candidate and running mate. Mr. Buhari, a Muslim, had in the interview, said he had demonstrated to Nigerians in the past that he was not a religious fundamentalist by picking Christians as his running mates in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections in which he ran. “Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. I had to face one of the governors during one of our party’s meetings [over the issue of religion],” Mr.Buhari, Nigeria’s former head of state between 1983 and 1985, said. “In 2003, I chose Okadigbo as my running mate. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even a pastor. Pastor Tunde Bakare. “Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do?” He recounted that the late Moshood Abiola, a southern Muslim, picked Babagana Kingibe, a northern Muslim, as his running mate in the 1993 presidential election. The Muslim-Muslim ticket won the election generally considered the fairest and freest election in Nigeria’s history. There had been speculations that Mr. Buhari might be looking in the direction of Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, who is also a muslim, or his predecessor, Bola Tinubu, also a Muslim as his as his running mate, if he picks the APC ticket in the December presidential primary of the party. However, a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday warned parties against fielding candidates of the same religion, saying it was dangerous for the country. “Sensitivity is a necessary ingredient for enhancement of peace, security and stability at this point in the political discourse and arrangement for Nigeria and for encouraging confidence and trust,” Mr. Obasanjo said. “It will be insensitive to the point of absurdity for any leader or any political party to be toying with Muslim- Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket at this juncture,” Mr. Obasanjo said. “Nigeria cannot at this stage raise the spectre and fear of Islamisation or Christianisation. The idea of proselytisation in any form is a grave danger that must not be contemplated by any serious-minded politician at this delicate situation in Nigeria, as this time is different from any other time. “Therefore, disregarding the fact that there are fears that need to be allayed at this point will amount not only to insensitivity of the highest order but will also amount to very bad politics indeed.” But Mr. Odigie-Oyegun said the APC had never contemplated fielding a presidential and vice presidential candidates who belong to the same faith and that the current debate over the matter was just a distraction to the party. He explained that the party was pre-occupied with the process of choosing its presidential candidate and that it had not toyed with the issue of who becomes the running mate yet. “You know what triggered these things. It is very unfortunate. We are trying to get a presidential candidate now. Once that is sorted out, the issue of running mate becomes a simple matter,” the APC national chairman told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Monday night. He said Mr. Buhari might have been misunderstood on the matter, stating, “It is his usual way of speaking. You know he is a straightforward man. It (running mate) is not an issue. But that is his own way of putting it and should not be misunderstood.” Mr. Odigie-Oyegun said the APC has a mission of rescuing the country from alleged mis-governance and therefore would neglect any segment of the country by being insensitive in the choice of candidates for the elections According to him, “We want to rescue this country; we want to save this nation. And so we will not do anything to make us loose votes, especially from a very large segment of the society. That is the simple truth. We don’t have to. “We are looking at somebody who will contribute to winning the election. These things are commonsensical things that will be taken care of when we get to that bridge.” On the reaction of Mr. Obasanjo to the issue, the APC national chairman said the former president’s comment on the matter was a non-issue for his party but generally okay. He stressed, “We, as a party, haven’t gotten to that bridge. People shouldn’t forget that we are a new party. We do not want these distractions. We are taking all those issues gradually.” Asked if the party was planning to pick a former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu, as the running mate to Mr. Buhari, Mr. Odigie-Oyegun said, “I’m the national chairman. Whoever we will choose as our presidential candidate, whether it is Buhari, Atiku, Kwankwaso, Rochas Okorocha or any other person, the party will then sit down with him and say this is the type of running mate that will contribute maximally to the success of the party in the election.” He denied claims that the party was reluctant to address the issue and that an official of the party was mandated to clear the air on the issue, but refused.

Kwankwaso Declares For President, Urges Electorate To Vote Out PDP With Anger

He urged his crowd of supporters to be angry at current events in the country, and use such anger to vote out PDP in 2015. “We must be very angry with what is happening in our country; we must be very angry that an inept government is presiding over our affairs. I therefore call on all Nigerians to unleash their anger on their ballot papers by voting PDP out of power in 2015,” he said. Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso has formally indicated interest in the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest next year’s presidential election. Kwankwanso declares for president Speaking on Tuesday at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja venue of the declaration, Kwankwaso described as “most unfortunate” the strategy of the current PDP administration to perpetuate itself in power. “It is unfortunate that this administration uses religious, ethnic, sectional and other primordial sentiments to cover, protect and promote corruption in public life,” he said. He urged his crowd of supporters to be angry at current events in the country, and use such anger to vote out PDP in 2015. “We must be very angry with what is happening in our country; we must be very angry that an inept government is presiding over our affairs. I therefore call on all Nigerians to unleash their anger on their ballot papers by voting PDP out of power in 2015,” he said. “Change! Positive change is possible. Change! Progressive change is doable and we are agents of this change. We are the change. We should not only make it possible, we must make it achievable. Yes we must. Kwankwaso said APC was the only party capable of stopping the misrule of the PDP and reversing the stinking rot and decay suffocating the country. “Our party is the only party that is built in Nigeria with Nigerians in focus. We are the only party that preaches internal democracy, believes in equal rights, and respects our cultural diversities, that regards the rule of law and believes in free and fair election,” he said. “Nigeria of our dream is far from where we are today. Armed-robbery, kidnapping, unfortunate indiscriminate arrest and persistent disappointment are what we have been witnessing under the watch of the incompetent PDP-led administration. “Nigerian education and health sectors are facing crisis of lack of infrastructure, low motivation and brain drain. Toying with the education of our children and youths is akin to passing a death sentence on the future generation.” He accused PDP of stealing the wealth of the nation and promoting corruption, but said he would save the country if elected. “Today, I take this call and formally declare my interest to seek election as the APC presidential candidate in the 2015 presidential election,” he said. “My crave to serve and save our country drove me to join in the race for the house of representative, representing Kano state years ago. The call to save our country has never been louder, clearer and more unambiguous than now. Governance has been reduced to incompetence and mediocrity. To save our country, we must walk the journey however difficult. Source SAHARA REPORTERS