Obasanjo uncovers plot to hand over to military

…condemns attacks on Buhari over certificate

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,
Tuesday, disclosed that he has uncovered another plot by the
Presidency to handover to the Nigerian military if it loses the
coming Presidential election.
Obasanjo said this alleged plot would undermine the integrity
of Nigeria among the comity of nations.
The former President stated this yesterday while playing host
to the South West women of the All Progressives Congress led
by the wife of the party’s presidential candidate, General
Muhammadu Buhari, Hajia Aisha Buhari.
Obasanjo had recently warned against introduction of Interim
National Government by the Presidency which he said could
plunge the country into chaos like the former President of Cote
d’l voire , Laurent Gbagbo who refused to hand over after he
lost the election did.
The former President said, he was happy that Nigeria has gone
beyond the rumour of Interim National Government, saying
that, he hopes the country will also survive the rumour of
handing over to the military.
He explained that the intentional community especially the
African Union would not accommodate or recognise any
government that emerges without the constitution of the
country.

Newly commissioned N2.5b Kano bridge by Jonathan cracks

VANGUARD – There was anxiety among residents
and motorists over alleged cracks on the N2.5b
Kundila flyover commissioned by President
Goodluck Jonathan Saturday, last Week,in Kano.
Motorists were prevented from using the 2.4m
bridge, Tuesday afternoon.
The alleged cracks on the flyover triggered
celebration among thousands of youths who
chorused in unison that the federal government
project was a ruse.
When contacted the Managing Director, Rocad
Construction company, that handled the project,
Roger Farajallah told Vanguard on phone that “the
bridge is intact and we are installing a speed
breaker at the moment”.
However, armed police have been deployed to the
scene to control traffic.

8 Osun monarchs dissociate from Jonathan’s ‘endorsement deal’ by Ooni

Some leading traditional rulers in Osun State
Tuesday dissociated themselves from the
endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as a
preferred candidate for the Saturday presidential
election.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade had endorsed
Jonathan in his palace and directed some other
traditional rulers in Osun to point their beaded
walking sticks on Jonathan to pray for the
President’s success in the election.
In a communiqué signed by the traditional rulers
after their meeting at the palace of Akirun of Ikirun,
the monarchs faulted their colleagues in the state
who endorsed Jonathan at Ife.
The monarchs who attended the meeting and
signed the communiqué include
Oba Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi, the Aragbiji of
Iragbiji, Oba Abioye Oyebode Oluronke, the
Olukuku of Okuku, Oba Joseph Oladunjoye Fasikun,
the Olunisa of Inisa, Oba Olayiwola Olawale
Adedeji, the Akirun of Ikirun and Oba Rauf Adebayo
Olaniyan, the Elende of Eko-Ende.
Others are Oba Kelani Adekeye Oyedare, Oloyan of
Oyan, Oba Isaac Adetoyi
Adetunlurese, the Onirun of Oke-Irun, Oba Yusuf
Omoloye Oyagbodun, the Elerin of Erin Osun and
Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, the Timi of Ede.
The monarch said the endorsement of President
Jonathan in Ife was
generating ripple among their subjects who
thought that the entire traditional ruler in the state
partook in the endorsement of the president.
The monarchs lamented that they were
embarrassed when some of their subjects
demanded for their own share from the hard
currency allegedly doled out by the president at
Ife.
According to the communiqué, “the general
impression is that all traditional rulers in Osun
State, without exception, were involved.
Consequently,our subjects have been accusing us,
demanding our explanation for engaging in such
an act. Some of them (our subjects) have also
demanded for their own share of the money we
collected”.
It continued “No doubt, this is an embarrassing
situation to us. For this reason, we have decided
to make it clear to the public that not all
traditional rulers in Osun were involved in the act”.
The monarchs said good governance that would
bring better life to their people is their main
concern and called on their subjects to
discountenance their issue of money and vote
according to their conscience.

Plots to disqualify Buhari tomorrow, orchestrate violence and disrupt Saturday’s election exposed

A suit seeking to disqualify Buhari was adjourned
to Wednesday. The All Progressives Congress, APC
this afternoon warned against an alleged plan to
disqualify its presidential candidate, Maj Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari.
Read APC’s press statement below
The All Progressives Congress has warned against
any orchestrated, last-minute disqualification of
its presidential candidate, Gen. Buhari, in order to
pave the way for an easy victory for President
Jonathan or even another postponement of the
elections
“If it is true, as it is being widely speculated
across the country, that the Jonathan
Administration has procured a judgement to
disqualify the APC Presidential Candidate on
Wednesday, when the Federal High Court in Abuja
is expected to rule on the issue, then it portends a
great danger for our country,” the party warned in a
statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its
National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
It said, in addition to other reasons, the six-week
postponement of the elections may have been
used by those who never wanted the polls to hold
in the first instance to shop for such a satanic
judgement.
”Anyone who will disqualify a presidential
candidate on the eve of an election can only have
one and only one purpose for that: to trigger
chaos and pandemonium across the country.
Perhaps this is the reason for the deployment of
troops across the country to crack down on
possible protests and create confusion
”Then, those who orchestrated the disqualification
will simply use what they expect to be angry
reactions nationwide as an excuse to postpone the
elections again, thus triggering a constitutional
crisis,the end of which no one can predict.
”This is why we are hoping that good reason will
prevail and nothing will be done, deliberately, to
plunge Nigeria into crisis by the same people who
have always been quick to say their political
ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,”
APC said.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
National Publicity Secretary

Obama writes Nigerians over elections, urges peace

As preparations intensify for general
elections in Nigeria, starting Saturday, the
United States President, Barack Obama, on
Monday sent a special message to Nigerians,
urging a credible and peaceful polls.
In the message sent directly to Nigerians,
President Obama reminded the people about
their struggle for the country’s
independence from colonialism, the struggle
against military dictatorship and the need to
turn the country’s diversity into a source of
strength.
“I call on all Nigerians to peacefully express
your views and to reject the voices of those
who call for violence,” Mr. Obama said.
“And when elections are free and fair, it is
the responsibility of all citizens to help keep
the peace, no matter who wins,” he added.
Read full text of Mr. Obama’s Message to
the Nigerian People below:
“Hello. Today, I want to speak directly to
you—the people of Nigeria.
Nigeria is a great nation and you can be
proud of the progress you’ve made.
Together, you won your independence,
emerged from military rule, and
strengthened democratic institutions.
You’ve strived to overcome division and to
turn Nigeria’s diversity into a source of
strength. You’ve worked hard to improve
the lives of your families and to build the
largest economy in Africa.
Now you have a historic opportunity to help
write the next chapter of Nigeria’s progress
—by voting in the upcoming elections. For
elections to be credible, they must be free,
fair and peaceful. All Nigerians must be able
to cast their votes without intimidation or
fear.
So I call on all leaders and candidates to
make it clear to their supporters that
violence has no place in democratic
elections—and that they will not incite, support or engage
in any kind of violence—before, during, or after the votes
are counted. I call on all Nigerians to peacefully express
your views and to reject the voices of those who call for
violence. And when elections are free and fair, it is the
responsibility of all citizens to help keep the peace, no
matter who wins.
Successful elections and democratic progress will help
Nigeria meet the urgent challenges you face today. Boko
Haram—a brutal terrorist group that kills innocent men,
women and children—must be stopped. Hundreds of
kidnapped children deserve to be returned to their
families.  Nigerians who have been forced to flee deserve to
return to their homes. Boko Haram wants to destroy
Nigeria and all that you have worked to build. By casting
your ballot, you can help secure your nation’s progress.
I’m told that there is a saying in your country: “to keep
Nigeria one is a task that must be done”. Today, I urge all
Nigerians—from all religions, all ethnic groups, and all
regions—to come together and keep Nigeria one. And in
this task of advancing the security, prosperity, and human
rights of all Nigerians, you will continue to have a friend
and partner in the United States of America.