2015: Choose one Nigeria or face disintegration –Ezeife

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Ezeifes-picture-2-702x336.jpg "><br />F ormer old Anambra State Governor, Dr<br />Pius Chukwuemeka Ezeife, is one of those<br />who passionately believe in ideological-<br />based two-political system as an ideal<br />way to achieve good governance.<br />However, in this interview, he dismissed<br />the present two parties as an agglomera­<br />tion of politicians without address. He<br />also warned of the danger of possible<br />disintegration of the country, if voting<br />pattern in 2015 general election suggests<br />that some people are born-to-rule and<br />others born-to-be ruled. Excerpts:<br />What is your prediction of the 2015<br />presidential election with the emergence<br />of Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) as the<br />candidate of the All Progressives<br />Congress APC?<br />You have asked a very big question. Ni­<br />geria is at a crossroads. One way leads to<br />what people have been predicting for Ni­<br />geria-disintegration. The other way leads<br />to a strong, more virile and purposeful Ni­<br />geria. Which way will it be? Before I give<br />an answer, let me adumbrate the problem<br />of Nigeria. It will surprise you to hear me<br />say that the chief problem of Nigeria is<br />religious intolerance. Some people; not<br />very many but many enough to cause<br />concern, are bent on Islamising Nigeria.<br />And unfortunately, the West-America and<br />her allies seem to believe that those who<br />want to Islamise Nigeria are determined<br />enough to win at the end. And in the eyes<br />of the Western powers, an islamised<br />Nigeria will be very difficult for world gov­<br />ernance. There is a continuing effort to Is­<br />lamise Nigeria.<br />Over decades, churches were destroyed.<br />And more recently, all the 99 churches in<br />Mubi were destroyed. I do know that<br />majority of Muslims in Nigeria are not<br />looking for Islamisation. But there is a<br />handful of Muslims who tenaciously<br />believes in Islamisation. Will we be<br />islamised? To the West, it is yes. So, it is<br />suspected that the West views in a<br />positive light disintegration of Nigeria. I<br />don’t know whether there is a fear of our<br />coming to the world stage to dominate.<br />With this background, it is not surprising<br />that the promise by America to help us<br />against Boko Haram is not in anywhere<br />found. So, what do we do? Everything is<br />in our hands. We can appeal to those who<br />want to Islamise Nigeria and show them<br />the consequences. Breaking up of Nigeria<br />is not in the interest of anybody. It is not<br />in the interest of Muslim Nigerians, it is<br />not in the interest of Christian Nigeria.<br />Hausa/Fulani gain better from one<br />Nigeria. Igbo have voted with their legs<br />for one Nigeria as they are everywhere in<br />Nigeria behaving as if the places they are<br />homes. The Yoruba gains from one<br />Nigeria. All other smaller groups gain<br />from importance of a larger Nigeria.<br />How then do you predict 2015 election?<br />Some people say it will lead to disintegra­<br />tion. Others say it will lead to the<br />emergence of a stronger Nigeria. I see<br />one way that can lead to the emergence of<br />a stronger Nigeria. And that is if the result<br />of the elections say clearly that this<br />country belongs to all of us, no group is<br />born to rule, no group is born to be ruled,<br />we are all one equal citizens of one<br />Nigeria. On the other hand, if the result<br />suggests the contrary, if the result<br />suggests that some people are born to<br />rule and others are born to be ruled,<br />Nigeria will be made ungovernable. So,<br />we have to choose either one Nigeria or<br />disintegration. I hope we will choose<br />wisely.<br />Nigeria is tending towards a two-party<br />system. Are you saying that the present<br />structure is not good enough for the<br />country?<br />First of all, we do not have a two-party<br />system now. None of the parties is based<br />on any ideology. When we had SDP and<br />NRC, the difference was clear. One was a<br />progressive party (SDP), the other one<br />was a Republican conservative.<br />And the dividing line was clear. What we<br />have today is agglomeration of Nigerian<br />politicians. PDP is an agglomeration of Ni­<br />gerian politicians with ideological<br />address. APC is an agglomeration of<br />Nigerian politicians without ideological<br />address. So, if it is ideological party wise,<br />none should be chosen. Let me tell you, if<br />Nigeria should survive this election, I will<br />come out as a politician and start selling;<br />one, a two-party system and two, true<br />democracy, which means the local people<br />will select among aspirants who will be<br />their candidates and not the cabals in<br />Abuja or anywhere else. I will also preach<br />welfares for any Nigerian thrown out of<br />job. Anyone thrown out of job must<br />receive money from government. SDP<br />came so late and the money to bankroll it<br />is not available. But after this election, we<br />will fight for the expansion of SDP and<br />destruction of PDP and APC. Those who<br />are conservative republicans should go to<br />one party. If they like, they can recreate<br />NRC. Those who believe in SDP ideology<br />should go to SDP. The next election after<br />2015 will be between two parties where<br />parties are identified by their ideology, not<br />just random parties.<br />Are you saying that emergence of Buhari<br />as presidential candidate will polarize<br />Nigeria along religious line?<br />There was a time APC was a Muslim<br />brotherhood. That time, 17 topmost<br />leaders of the party were Muslims. That<br />was why I call them Muslim brotherhood.<br />But they are now moving away from that<br />brotherhood. It is now mixed up. Nobody<br />can call them Muslim brotherhood now.<br />The fact that Buhari emerged the<br />presidential candidate of APC should not<br />polarize Nigeria along religious line.<br />What looks like dichotomy is the social<br />perception of Nigerians regarding those<br />who insisted on making Nigerian<br />ungovernable if Jonathan became the<br />President. Some people finance Boko<br />Haram. Some people finance all kinds of<br />insurgents. Some people finance all kinds<br />of discordant voices. Some people insult<br />the person of the president on everything<br />about the country. If I am to play politics,<br />I will rise up and say the North has ruled<br />for 39 years, why should they be in a<br />hurry to come back to power? The<br />country is divided into North and South. It<br />is the amalgamation of North and South<br />that produced this Nigeria. The North has<br />supplied presidential leadership for 39<br />years. The South is below 20 years and<br />the North still wants to take over again.<br />From that social point of view, a victory of<br />one can lead to disintegration of Nigeria.<br />A victory of the other can lead to a<br />stronger Nigeria.<br />Democracy is all about change. If people<br />decide to vote for a candidate that<br />represents your so-called born-to-rule,<br />why should that be a problem?<br />There is no problem. But are people<br />allowed to choose?<br />It is the electoral process that will decide.<br />The electoral process is baptized democ­<br />racy. Some cabals decide who emerges<br />as President. Like I said before, the only<br />genuine democratic process is when<br />candidates emerge through direct primary<br />election by the voters. What is clear is that<br />the incumbent President is being vilified.<br />Some people put fire in the house and<br />expect the president to put off the fire. For<br />me, I want one Nigeria where Hausa is<br />happy, Fulani is happy, Yoruba is happy,<br />Igbo is happy and the country itself is<br />happy. If people are happy, they will vote<br />for Igbo President in 2019 and Nigeria<br />will take quantum jump into to develop­<br />ment. Change will come because a<br />believer in one Nigerian has taken over.<br />They (Igbo) make a home of everywhere<br />they go. Now, I am calling on all Igbo<br />people, it is time to make friends with all<br />Nigerians. When you are telling the truth<br />and your friends begin to abandon you,<br />you don’t have to change. Just make sure<br />you are honestly telling the truth.<br />What makes you think that the sentiment<br />about whether the North has ruled for 39<br />years will sell in today’s Nigeria?<br />If we are practicing democracy and the<br />votes of the people represent their choice<br />and there is no manipulation or rigging,<br />even if people are misguided, we have to<br />accept returns from the field. If they are<br />told lied and they voted on the basis of<br />lies, they have voted. If they are given<br />money and they voted on the basis of<br />money, they have voted. But there are<br />cases when the will of the people is<br />deliberately disregarded.<br />Then, the onus of creating a credible elec­<br />toral process lies on the incumbent.<br />(Cuts in). Is it the incumbent that<br />decided to create 1200 polling units for<br />Abuja and 1157 for the whole of<br />Southeast? Isn’t that a clear design to<br />rig election?<br />But that has been resolved.<br />At what stage? It shows a clear intension<br />to rig. To me, all electoral tribunal needs<br />to do is to establish intension to rig to<br />arrive at whatever decision.<br />You talked about vilification of President<br />Jonathan. Why will he not be vilified? He<br />promised stable electricity supply, there is<br />no electricity. He promised resuscitation<br />of railway sector, he failed to deliver on<br />the promise. Universities were shut down<br />for six months last years. The health<br />crisis has not abated.<br />What else do you want from the<br />president?<br />He has brought Standard Gauge railways<br />system; you said you did not see it. He<br />has given you even more than he<br />promised as far as railway is concerned.<br />In all your born years as a Nigerian, have<br />you ever had steady supply of fuel at<br />filling stations as you have had under<br />President Jonathan? We have not got<br />power as promised but the system for<br />delivering power has been made such<br />that any minute of darkness costs<br />someday some money. Some private<br />persons lose for any minute of darkness<br />and that private persons will not want to<br />be losing money. The system has been<br />created to make for full availability of<br />power.<br />It has not arrived there yet, but the condi­<br />tion for steady supply has been created.<br />Over time, the private sector person who<br />loses money for any minute of darkness<br />will work to ensure he doesn’t lose that<br />money. Yes, universities were shut and<br />there is strike in the health sector.<br />Today, the condition for more strike is<br />rife. With the decline in the world market<br />price of oil, some kind of austerity<br />measures may become necessary. I won’t<br />recommend any cut of anybody’s salary<br />but sometimes it may become necessary.<br />Politics had affected all strikes. Because<br />the last government was going, it agreed<br />to any demand. And now when it came to<br />meeting the demands, it was not possible.<br />So, if there is any demand by former<br />negotiator which cannot be met even if<br />there is no drop in the price of oil, it is a<br />matter of having people who know how to<br />negotiate. If they labour people know the<br />truth, they will strike if they must but not<br />at any time.<br />Former President Olusegun Obasanjo in<br />his recent book washed down the present<br />government for not fighting corruption.<br />How do you see the present effort to rid<br />the country of corruption?<br />Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is<br />also corrupt. If he is not corrupt, where<br />did he get money to build university? I<br />don’t know whether it is from his salaries.<br />Obasanjo may say anything he likes to<br />say against Jonathan because somehow<br />godfathers sometimes quarrel with their<br />godsons. It happens in government.<br />He thought he will be running government<br />for Jonathan. Although Obasanjo fought<br />corruption during his time, it was only<br />against those who quarreled with him. It<br />was selective justice. If Obasanjo doesn’t<br />like your face, he would prosecute you<br />and leave me. Obasanjo actually made<br />corruption worse in his time. If he had<br />taken action properly, corruption would<br />have been reduced. But having said that,<br />the present government hasn’t done<br />enough to deserve any mark on the fight<br />against corruption.<br />With the present political permutations,<br />what is the possibility that Igbo<br />presidency will come so soon?<br />We (Igbo) thank God for His gift, although<br />that gift sometimes provokes jealousy<br />against us. Anywhere we are, we should<br />be friendly with our host communities<br />and keep to their laws, traditions and<br />customs. We should identify with things<br />around us when we live in diaspora in<br />other people’s place. Anywhere you go, if<br />you remove indigenes, the next populous<br />tribe is Igbo. One Hausa man said if you<br />go to any place and there is no Igbo there,<br />be on the run. Now, why is it that Igbo<br />have not had a taste of power when by<br />now every zone has supplied presidential<br />material? For the avoidant of doubt,<br />Azikwe was a ceremonial president not an<br />executive president just as he was<br />ceremonial Governor-General not<br />executive Governor-General. If you were<br />in the National Conference, you will notice<br />a new Nigeria that is evolving.<br />When the issue of extra state to the east<br />was being discussed, come and see how<br />Nigerians are becoming their brother’s<br />keepers. There was no dissent.<br />A small negative comment made by one<br />of the delegates was attacked furiously by<br />none Igbo. No Igbo man stood up to<br />defend one extra state. In 2005 when we<br />had political conference, the same thing<br />happened. Out of 42 people, 39 said give<br />the east one extra state. That sense of<br />justice will let Nigerians vote an Igbo<br />president. An Igbo president will banish<br />poverty because of our egalitarian culture.<br />As things roll by and the spirit of fairness<br />is in people, they will say if we find a well<br />adjusted Igbo, we can vote for him.<br />But there is apprehension that the report<br />of the conference you raised may not see<br />the light of the day. Don’t you agree?<br />Once result of election in 2015 brings<br />about a stronger, more virile and more<br />united Nigeria that will resort from voting<br />in as president a person more likely to be<br />favourable to the report, Nigeria will be<br />better for it and the other way round.<br />If Jonathan is voted in, he will implement<br />the report. If you vote in Buhari whose<br />bothers keep manufacturing hidden<br />agenda, he will discard the entire<br />recommendations and postpone the evil<br />day.

2015: Choose one Nigeria or face disintegration –Ezeife

F ormer old Anambra State Governor, Dr Pius Chukwuemeka Ezeife, is one of those who passionately believe in ideological- based two-political...

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‘People ‘ll work free for Buhari’s presidency’

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ojodu-702x336.jpg "><br />S enator Obafemi Ojudu is a member of<br />the Organizing Committee for the national<br />convention of the All Progressives<br />Congress (APC) recently at Onikan<br />Stadium, Lagos. In this interview, relives<br />the experience of the convention that led<br />to the emergence of Buhari as a<br />presidential contender, insisting that APC<br />will take over the leadership of the<br />country in 2015. Excerpts:<br />Having had a successful convention<br />leading to the emergence of Gen Mu­<br />hammadu Buhari (rtd) as presidential<br />candidate of the All Progressives<br />Congress (APC) for the 2015 general<br />election, where do you go from here as a<br />party?<br />The thing is to take over power and then<br />solve the problem confronting Nigeria as<br />a nation. Nigeria is in a very bad shape.<br />As at today, people have lost hope; people<br />are despondent; people are scared of<br />their future. They don’t know what<br />tomorrow will bring to them. It is now the<br />biggest responsibility of APC to give hope<br />to Nigerians with the emergence of Buhari<br />as presidential candidate. We have to<br />ensure that change becomes a reality. So,<br />we have a very big challenge on our<br />hands. I have never seen the kind of<br />interest people are showing after the<br />election of presidential candidate of a<br />party. People are so passionate, so<br />concerned, so involved. Even from<br />quarters you do not expect, people have<br />sent text messages of congratulations as<br />if the general election has come and gone.<br />They are also showing interest in who be­<br />comes his running mate. They are now be­<br />ginning to see some kind of hope. That<br />hope must be turned into reality.<br />But then, some people now see the<br />emergence of Buhari as a battle between<br />the North and South, Muslims and<br />Christians. What is your take on this?<br />Nobody can see it that way other than<br />supporters of Jonathan. That is the way<br />they want it to be. That is the way they<br />think it will make it easy for them to<br />defeat APC. What they want to do is to<br />divide the country along religious and<br />ethnic lines and then rule thereafter. But<br />Nigerians have seen through them. In the<br />past, it was either APC was responsible<br />for terrorism or Buhari was the father of<br />Boko Haram and all that kind of things.<br />Now, Nigerians have seen beyond that.<br />They have seen that these people are just<br />deceiving them. There is no truth about it.<br />So, if they tell you that Buhari is a<br />Northern politician, tell them it is not true.<br />If they tell you he is sponsoring Boko<br />Haram, tell them it is not true. If you have<br />the Yoruba rooting for Buhari, you have<br />the Northerners rooting for Buhari, you<br />have some people from Southeast and<br />South South rooting for Buhari, what are<br />we talking about?<br />It is now incumbent on Nigerians to insist<br />on having a president who can fight insur­<br />gency. They want a president who can<br />ensure that they feel secured, who can<br />fight corruption so that our system can<br />work again. Corruption is killing us in all<br />sectors. And here is a man who has a<br />good credential in the area of corruption.<br />He has been in government several times,<br />he has not stolen money. Today, the oil<br />price is crashing; yet these people are not<br />doing anything. The crash of oil price<br />wouldn’t have affected us the way it is<br />affecting us, if not because of corruption<br />we are experiencing. Before the crash oil<br />price, we had lost so much to crude oil<br />theft at the creeks. Saudi Arabia and<br />Venezuela are going through the same<br />thing we are going through, but they are<br />not panicking as we are panicking.<br />We now have an alternative. They thought<br />on the day of our convention that the<br />party was going to split. But unfortunately<br />for them, the party didn’t split. All the<br />aspirants accepted the process as<br />transparent, clean, fair and just. They<br />were shocked; so, they have to move to<br />another mode. The mode of let us divide<br />them; Buhari has now turned to godson of<br />Asiwaju and all those kinds of cheap<br />thoughts. But that is not going to stick; it<br />is not going to work. People are<br />determined that we must rescue this<br />country. If we allow things to remain the<br />way they are now, the federal government<br />of this country will operate from Lagos by<br />this time next year. We would have been<br />driven away from this place. If we allow<br />things to remain the way they are,<br />workers will not get their salaries by this<br />time next year. So, if we have a man who<br />can arrest the situation, why can’t we give<br />power to him? Jonathan is a Christian.<br />How many Christians have benefited from<br />his government? What is my business<br />about my leader being a Muslim or<br />Christian? I come from a family where my<br />father was a Muslim and my mother a<br />Christian without any rancour because we<br />respected each other. That Jonathan is a<br />Christian does not make life easier for the<br />Christians. That he is an Ijaw man does<br />not mean that all Ijaws are now<br />millionaires. Obasanjo was president for<br />eight years. Does that make life<br />meaningful for Yoruba? Did he because<br />he was a Yoruba man construct the road<br />that leads to Lagos from Ibadan? So,<br />whoever is capable, let us put him there<br />for the job.<br />What is your party’s blueprint for better<br />governance?<br />The party has come up with a very<br />detailed and comprehensive manifesto.<br />On the final day of our convention, the<br />manifesto was unveiled and launched. It<br />is very comprehensive. So, it is not<br />business as usual. They set up<br />committees in different sectors; they de­<br />bated, argued and came up with solutions<br />to these problems. That is the way<br />democracy should run. That night, the<br />manifesto was handed over to Buhari.<br />Apart from that, Buhari has had his own<br />team that has done some work for him<br />too. We expect that as soon as he gets<br />there, they will get up and run with all the<br />preparedness that has come into being.<br />You have rightly identified corruption is a<br />major problem killing this country. With<br />integrity Buhari is bringing on board, do<br />you think people surrounding him to will<br />allow him to fight corruption?<br />Again, it is about leadership. If the head is<br />rotten, the whole part of the body is rot­<br />ten. Fish starts to rot from the head. If a<br />head says this is where I am going and<br />you are not ready to go with him, you<br />quit. If a leader is serious about it and he<br />is living by example, Nigerians will follow<br />him. If you are preaching one thing and<br />doing another, they too will cut corner as<br />well and you will not be able to deal with<br />them. I have the belief that if Buhari<br />becomes president today, as soon as he<br />is sworn-in and declares his assets,<br />everybody will have to follow suit. He has<br />promised to further empower EFCC to<br />investigate, put on trial and deal with<br />those people who are found to be corrupt.<br />Before he even gets there, people are<br />already scared. Some people will run<br />away from this country. The man is 71 for<br />God’s sake, what will he do with money<br />now? Will he want to build a house, buy a<br />jet or whatever? If he wants to own<br />houses, he probably would have done that<br />when he was Minister of Petroleum re­<br />sources. When he was Chairman of PTF,<br />he has no houses abroad, he has no<br />foreign accounts. The only glory left to<br />him now is to turns Nigeria from bad to<br />good and bring it back from the brink.<br />That, for me, is the only thing left for that<br />kind of a man. People say he is an old<br />man. Well, he is an old man with a<br />mission. Anybody who is going to negate<br />that regime is probably not going to be<br />part of that regime.<br />As you know, electioneering is all about<br />money. But this is a man who claimed to<br />have bought nomination form with a<br />bank loan. How is he going to do his<br />campaign without money?<br />I can assure you that this is going to be<br />an election that people themselves will<br />finance. If you have read the<br />advertisement he placed in the papers for<br />people to donate to a particular account,<br />people have been responding. I have had<br />people who have called me and said<br />please help me to look for that account<br />number I want to put money into it. You<br />cannot imagine what that money<br />becomes at the end of the day from<br />across the country. If two million<br />Nigerians put down a thousand naira, you<br />know how much that amounts to?<br />How much will it amount to in the face of<br />a sitting government that has enormous<br />resources at its disposal?<br />It doesn’t matter. This man came to La­<br />gos for the primary; he didn’t give<br />anybody any kobo; he didn’t house<br />anybody. People housed themselves and<br />yet they voted for him. In the same way,<br />people will go out and collect money from<br />those who have loads of money and they<br />will still vote for Buhari. A colleague of<br />mine told me that when Buhari contested<br />the last time, ACN paid its agents N5000<br />each, the CPC didn’t pay its agents a<br />dime. Yet, while the CPC agents were very<br />open and confident about being agents at<br />the polling booth, the other parties’<br />agents that were paid were busy<br />negotiating with other party. The same<br />thing will happen. People will work for<br />him for free. They will work for him<br />without taking money. They will put down<br />their vehicles; they will put down their<br />resources for him to become president.<br />The wealth of rich people is being<br />threatened by insecurity in the country.<br />They will want their wealth to be secured.<br />How would you assess the budget<br />performance for the 2014 fiscal year?<br />That was not implemented at all. Budgets<br />have become a ritual and meaningless to<br />the survival of Nigeria. What they do every<br />year is just to photocopy, doctor the<br />figures here and there and then send to<br />the senate.<br />Then the blame comes to your doorstep<br />for not doing your oversight function.<br />(Cuts in). I agree with you, the blame<br />should come to us for not being vigorous<br />enough in the performance of our<br />oversight functions. I totally agree with<br />you. I am being very critical of the senate<br />and critical of myself too. I agree with you<br />that we could still have done better in<br />ensuring that we make those budgets<br />relevant to the needs of Nigerians.<br />Your party lost Ekiti State to PDP in the<br />last governorship election. How is this<br />not going to affect the fortune of the<br />party in the coming state and National<br />Assembly elections?<br />We will continue to hope.<br />What do you think led to the defeat of for­<br />mer Governor Kayode Fayemi?<br />We went for an election, we were declared<br />losers and a new governor has been<br />sworn-in. Too bad!<br />Does that have to do with performance?<br />I don’t know. History is there to give the<br />verdict.<br />You are coming back to the senate.<br />(Cuts in). No, I am not coming back. I<br />didn’t apply to come back. I am not inter­<br />ested.<br />Then, what’s your plan after this tenure?<br />I go back to the newsroom. I have a job, I<br />have a company, I will go back there.

‘People ‘ll work free for Buhari’s presidency’

S enator Obafemi Ojudu is a member of the Organizing Committee for the national convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently a...

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Benue governorship contest is a walkoverfor APC –Waku

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Waku-sen-new-702x336.jpg "><br />S enator Joseph Waku needs no introduc­<br />tion. Though he has a caustic tongue, he<br />doesn’t speak with both sides of his<br />mouth. No matter whose horse is gored,<br />he would always call a spade a spade.<br />For that reason, many people appreciate<br />his nuisance value. In this interview, the<br />68-year old Benue-born politician and<br />businessman unfolds the reason why he<br />is interested in the governorship contest,<br />promising to fight the state chapter of the<br />All Progressives Congress (APC) to a<br />standstill for its alleged imposition of<br />consensus candidate on other aspirants.<br />Excerpts:<br />Some governorship aspirants, including<br />you, have kicked against the candidate of<br />your party for the 2015 general election.<br />What is your grouse?<br />Yes, you used the right word. Most of us<br />decide to dissociate ourselves from the<br />so-called consensus candidate because<br />there was no consensus. Even among<br />ourselves, we never sat to decide on a<br />consensus let alone bringing somebody<br />who never participated in the primaries.<br />He is not even a member of our party.<br />The guy did not participate in the APC<br />primaries. He participated in the PDP pri­<br />maries held on December 8 and lost. Our<br />primary was scheduled for December 4<br />and shifted to 5. If we had finished our<br />primary in APC by the time he lost out in<br />PDP, he perhaps would have gone for the<br />Labour party or any of the mushroom par­<br />ties to pick their ticket. So, the issue of<br />being our candidate does not arise. How<br />long has he been in the party? At what<br />point did he buy the form when the<br />screening had already been concluded<br />and sales of form closed. Somebody<br />smuggled him in and that is Senator<br />George Akume. We thought it is not right.<br />We were five; including Akume’s<br />Permanent Secretary who later decided to<br />chicken out because Akume threatened<br />him. So, four of us are on now. We came<br />in to Abuja to lay our complaints because<br />we believe the national secretariat will<br />listen to us to save APC in Bebue State.<br />Otherwise, APC in Benue State will not<br />have a candidate because there is no<br />primary in the state. And the law says a<br />gubernatorial candidate shall emerge<br />through the primaries and in this case<br />there is no primary. If there is going to be<br />a consensus candidate, he must be<br />among ourselves. Even if there is a<br />consensus agreement, there must be an<br />affirmation witnessed by the electoral<br />body, police and the SSS. We can no<br />longer tolerate impunity of one person<br />who claims to be financing the party. This<br />party belongs to all of us. As we speak<br />today, APC has no governorship<br />candidate for Benue State because of<br />court injunction. And when the court<br />injunction is lifted, Senator Akume who<br />called himself the leader of the party<br />frustrated the process of concluding pri­<br />maries because he had an agenda and<br />his agenda was to sell the party to<br />somebody who was an Acting Minister for<br />Aviation. His impunity led to several<br />defections in the party.<br />Are you saying that the national head­<br />quarters did not listen to your complaints<br />before you went to court?<br />For some activities of some national<br />officers, we don’t want to trust them. We<br />don’t want to take things for granted. We<br />want to protect the party from being run<br />as a private company of an individual.<br />Do you realise the enormous of chal­<br />lenges in your hand if you have to govern<br />Benue State because that is a state<br />where salaries of teachers are being<br />owned?<br />That is why we need somebody who<br />knows the policies and manifestos of our<br />party. That is why we need somebody<br />who is conversant with the thinking and<br />working of the party. There are certain<br />loans that have been taken by the current<br />government. If I am elected as governor<br />of APC, I will not run a one-man<br />government. There will be a committee<br />set up to verify those loans that are taken<br />to determine whether they are really<br />beneficial to the state and the people.<br />Definitely, the state is not going to be<br />strangled because somebody took a very<br />huge loan. We will work on the Internally<br />Generated Revenue so as to cater for<br />some services.<br />Why do you want executive power in­<br />stead of legislative experience you are<br />already familiar with?<br />I agree with you that experience matters<br />in this job. But that is why I can do the<br />two having gained experience from not<br />just being a one-time senator, but also as<br />one time member of the state house of<br />assembly. Again, experience I have<br />acquired as a successful businessman<br />can be transmitted into governance rather<br />than those who have no kitchen to<br />manage and yet they want to govern the<br />state.<br />If the party leadership suggests idea of<br />consensus candidate, would you accept<br />consensus arrangement?<br />Genuinely, of course. Whoever they<br />choose, we would have no objection but<br />to support. It is not all about me; it is<br />about the due process and integrity of the<br />people. If I am chosen as a consensus<br />candidate, so be it. If another person’ is<br />chosen, I will fall in line to work for the<br />success of the party. It is not about<br />Senator Waku.<br />Do you know that age is already becom­<br />ing a very strong factor in determining<br />who leads a state?<br />It depends on where you are coming<br />from. You can have a 10-year old person<br />who wants to rule the state. You can have<br />a 100-year old man who wants to rule the<br />state. It depends on age bracket you are<br />talking about.<br />If you have to put age into consideration,<br />do you think you have all it takes to gov­<br />ern the state?<br />I don’t know what age you are referring<br />to. Is it 80, 90 or 100?<br />You know your age; I don’t know.<br />At 68, I will govern the state with the fear<br />of God. I will govern the state with less<br />anxiety. I will govern the state without the<br />desire to be this or to be that. I have done<br />all those things. All I want is to render<br />service at the tail end of my journey. What<br />do I need now that I have not got? If I<br />have not built house at my age, then God<br />has made it impossible for me to have a<br />house. I can’t be struggling to build a new<br />house now at this age. Where am I taking<br />it to? This is the correct age to govern a<br />state. I will not have time to go to disco<br />dancing all night. I have done all the<br />travels in my life. So, I will concentrate to<br />make a difference. You can see the dif­<br />ference in the states being controlled by<br />advanced age people except a few states<br />where the younger generation leads well.<br />How did Benue State find itself in the<br />state it found itself today not being able<br />to pay salaries of teachers and civil serv­<br />ants?<br />If you bring somebody who is well<br />experienced with age advantage, he will<br />not allow his children to be suffering while<br />he flies in and out of the country without<br />bothering about what is happening to the<br />people. Benue is such an unfortunate<br />state and that is why I offered myself to<br />serve and I know I will do better. I also<br />know that if I am denied to serve my<br />people, it is my people that will regret, not<br />me.<br />Don’t you think that if this situation is<br />not well managed, APC may not achieve<br />the objective of bringing about the<br />change you are talking about?<br />From the look of things, if the national<br />secretariat does not intervene in this<br />matter, we may end up not having a<br />candidate. So, the end may be jeop­<br />ardized because from what we found out,<br />George Akume is the biggest saboteur of<br />APC in Benue State. He is sabotaging the<br />party for reasons best known to him. In<br />fact, we are made to believe that he is<br />working against the party.<br />But that is left to the national secretariat<br />of the party to take the necessary<br />disciplinary action so as to save the<br />situation.<br />And do you think APC has enough strong<br />hold in Benue to win governorship<br />election?<br />If there is genuine and acceptable<br />candidate, it is a walk over. In 2011 when<br />we just brought ACN for three months,<br />nobody can say our performance was<br />abysmal, let alone now that we have seen<br />too many lapses of the ruling PDP<br />administration in the state. Civil servants<br />are not paid, teachers are on strike for<br />several months, children have not gone<br />back to school, hospitals are just mere<br />consulting centres, nobody sleeps at<br />home well because of security, no water<br />to drink even though we have River Benue<br />around us, no industries. Everything is in<br />our favour, it is a matter of management<br />of the party. We must ensure that a<br />dictator in the party in the state is<br />checked.<br />Are you mindful of the power of incum­<br />bency?<br />I have heard so much about the power of<br />incumbency. Was there no power of<br />incumbency in Imo State, in Nassarawa<br />State, my next neighbor? This again<br />depends on who you choose.<br />Gen Muhammadu Buhari has emerged the<br />presidential candidate of your party,<br />where do you go from here?<br />We are going for the election. He told<br />everybody that he didn’t have money and<br />that even if he had he won’t bribe<br />anybody, Nigerians were happy and they<br />clapped for him and gave him the ticket.<br />Atiku spent 14 million dollars in one night.<br />He gave each of the 7000 delegates 2000<br />dollars, he didn’t get it. This, of course,<br />does not include accommodation, feeding<br />and the aircraft he hired or chartered. He<br />visited all state secretariats of the party<br />donating this and that, yet he lost<br />because it was a collective resolve of the<br />people to say no.<br />The slogan of your party now is change.<br />(Cuts in). A positive change and also a<br />counter change within the change. If a<br />leader misbehaves, we will change him.<br />So, change does not really mean chasing<br />Goodluck away and sacking the PDP.<br />Even within APC, change may become<br />necessary. It is change for whoever is an<br />impediment for good governance.<br />Looking at the enormity of the challenges<br />confronting the nation, where do you see<br />Nigeria after 2015 if the change you’ve<br />so much talked about doesn’t come true?<br />Then, Nigeria is doomed. You will wake<br />up one morning and you will not be<br />happy to call yourself a Nigerian because<br />we have a daft and Nigerians decide to<br />keep a daft in government. Of course,<br />they will pay a price.<br />How do you think Buhari will be able to<br />tackle corruption even with the enormous<br />goodwill and integrity he is bringing on<br />board bearing in mind that the people sur­<br />rounding him too also have their own in­<br />nate tendencies?<br />When the head is rotten, the shoulder will<br />not hold. Corruption is from leadership. If<br />a leader corrupts himself, he has given<br />absolute permit to the followership to be<br />corrupt. When a leader is upright, there<br />will be sanity. Petty stealing may contin­<br />ue, but massive corruption can no longer<br />be there. Buhari was one time oil<br />minister, he has no filling station let alone<br />oil bloc. As we speak, Buhari has no plot<br />in Abuja. That is integrity of a leader.

Benue governorship contest is a walkoverfor APC –Waku

S enator Joseph Waku needs no introduc­ tion. Though he has a caustic tongue, he doesn’t speak with both sides of his mouth. No matter whose...

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Benue guber: Akume in the eye of the storm

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/akume-702x336.jpg "><br />A s in other political parties, the gover­<br />norship primary of the All Progressives<br />Congress (APC) in Benue State is still a<br />subject of controversy. At present, the<br />party is the only major opposition in the<br />state that is capable of giving the ruling<br />Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a tough<br />fight in the coming general elections. For<br />one, it was the platform the immediate<br />past governor of the state, Senator<br />George Akume, used to secure a seat for<br />himself in the senate in the 2011 general<br />elections. So also some members of the<br />state legislature. Therefore, in terms of<br />numerical strength and popularity, APC<br />has all it takes to make a better showing<br />in the state in the coming general<br />elections.<br />However, it appears all is not too well<br />within the party, as internal squabble aris­<br />ing from the governorship primary is al­<br />ready tearing the members apart.<br />Strongly dissatisfied with an alleged<br />intrigues introduced into the process of<br />the primary, some aggrieved aspirants are<br />already threatening to fight what they<br />described as ‘habitual arbitrariness and<br />gross impunity’ of the state leadership.<br />And, of course, the man at the centre of<br />this controversy is no other person other<br />than Akume. He is said to be behind the<br />news making the round that the state<br />chapter of the party had adopted a<br />particular aspirant as its consensus<br />candidate for the coming governorship<br />election.<br />But the group in a swift reaction has<br />vowed not to let the arrangement stand.<br />Consequently, four out of the five<br />aggrieved contestants who claimed that<br />they were not carried along before the<br />adoption of the so-called consensus<br />arrangement on Wednesday stormed<br />Abuja to seek the intervention of the<br />national leadership of the party in the<br />matter.<br />Addressing a press conference in Abuja,<br />the spokesperson for the group, Prof<br />Steve Ugbah said the so-called anointed<br />aspirant was not a member of the party<br />and had no time participated in the<br />screening exercise for the governorship<br />contest.<br />“Until the day (Wednesday 10th Decem­<br />ber, 2014) that we heard a self-<br />sponsored radio announcement to the<br />effect that a PDP Chieftain was the APC<br />consensus governorship candidate, we<br />did not know that he had joined the APC<br />after failing woeful in the PDP primaries a<br />few days’ earlier,” he said.<br />Although no name was mentioned at the<br />press briefing, it was obvious that they<br />were referring to a former Minister of<br />State for Industry, Trade and Investment<br />and Acting Minister for Aviation,<br />Emmanuel Ortom, who is said to be<br />Akume’s preferred choice. He alone, they<br />said, unilaterally took the decision without<br />consulting concerned stakeholders.<br />Accordingly, the aggrieved aspirants con­<br />sidered the alleged imposition as an<br />affront, insisting that consensus<br />candidate could only emerge from among<br />themselves.<br />A release statement signed by four of the<br />aggrieved aspirants reads: “As an opposi­<br />tion party, we are becoming more notori­<br />ous for impositions. Under the<br />supervision of the state leadership, the<br />Benue APC has constricted from a<br />democracy into an autocracy; from a<br />political party into an impossibly<br />arrogant, one man show!<br />“Consensus is the outcome of a meeting<br />or a series of meetings. Yet, at no time did<br />we meet with this “Consensus Candidate”<br />or even met to discuss the issue, the<br />group said.<br />It further lamented several losses the<br />party had suffered as a result of the al­<br />leged impunity of the state leadership. “It<br />is not surprising, therefore, that many<br />APC heavy weights have left that party for<br />another parties, especially the PDP from<br />where they came out! These include: for­<br />mer senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu:<br />two time-senator, Prof Daniel Sasor;<br />former Speaker, Benue State House of<br />Assembly and member of the House of<br />Representatives, Hon Mzenda Ihyo, world<br />class Management Consultant and<br />political strategist, Prof David Iornem;<br />ACN deputy governorship candidate in the<br />2011 governorship election, Alh Abubakar<br />Usman; one of Nigeria’s foremost<br />diplomats, Amb Mike Gbasha; former<br />military governor of Katsina State,<br />Lawrence Onoja and Senator Joseph<br />Akaargerger as well as member of the<br />House of Representatives, Col Aboho (rtd)<br />.”<br />Concerned aspirants said they had un­<br />covered the moves by the state executive<br />to release concocted results of the gover­<br />norship primary that never took place in<br />Benue State.<br />“It appears the National Secretariat has<br />been provided with manufactured results<br />purporting to have come from an APC<br />Governorship primary that did not hold.<br />On both occasions when the primaries<br />were about to hold in Makurdi, they were<br />halted mid-way by the court injunctions,”<br />the statement added.<br />The aspirants, pledging their continued<br />loyalty to the party in spite of their griev­<br />ances, maintained that they would explore<br />every available option to ensure that due<br />process is followed in the emergence of a<br />candidate before the deadline for submis­<br />sion of names of candidates to the INEC.<br />It, therefore, urged the national leadership<br />not to give the party’s ticket to anyone<br />parading himself as consensus candidate<br />on the basis of fictitious primaries. They<br />expressed the fear that the state may loss<br />Benue State to the PDP if nothing was<br />done to amicably resolve the matter,<br />threatening to go to court as a last option.<br />In attendance at the press briefing were<br />Senator Joseph Waku, Prof Steve T. Ug­<br />bah, Hon Emmanuel Jime and Chief Mike<br />Lordye.<br />If performance is to be a factor in the<br />choice of who governs the state in 2015, it<br />will be much easier for a camel to pass<br />through the hole of a needle than PDP win­<br />ning the state. Benue State as at today is<br />going through one of its most difficult peri­<br />ods in the recent time. Apart from its<br />huge debt overhang, the economy of the<br />state is said to be in a very bad shape.<br />Schools are down, while teachers and<br />civil servants are being owned arrears of<br />salaries. And with the dwindling revenue<br />accruing to the state from the federal<br />allocation due to falling price of oil at the<br />international market, there is no doubt<br />that harder times may be lying ahead.<br />These and many more are issues one<br />would expect to be put at the front burner<br />as campaigns for the next year’s election<br />kick off in the state.<br />Therefore, there is no gainsaying that the<br />extent to which APC can go in its bid to<br />wrest power from PDP will depend largely<br />on how soon its can put its house in<br />order.<br />One of the aggrieved governorship aspi­<br />rants, Senator Joseph Waku, in an exclu­<br />sive interview with Sunday Sun, expressed<br />the fear that the party may end up not<br />fielding any candidate, if the matter is not<br />amicably resolved. “From the look of<br />things, if the national secretariat does not<br />intervene in this matter, we may end up<br />not having a candidate. So, the end may<br />be jeopardized because from what we<br />found out, George Akume is the biggest<br />saboteur of APC in Benue State. He is<br />sabotaging the party for reasons best<br />known to him. In fact, we are made to<br />believe that he is working against the<br />party.<br />But that is left to the national secretariat<br />of the party to take the necessary disciplin­<br />ary action so as to save the situation.”<br />For whatever decision to be taken, time is<br />off essence. But the group is optimistic<br />that the matter could be resolved before<br />the deadline for submission of the names<br />of candidates to the INEC.<br />All attempts made to get Senator Akume’s<br />reaction to the allegations leveled against<br />him proved abortive, as he did not pick<br />several calls put through to his mobile<br />phone.

Benue guber: Akume in the eye of the storm

A s in other political parties, the gover­ norship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State is still a subject of contr...

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Xmas: Kaduna Christians, Muslimsworship together

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/xmas-tree.jpg "><br />In an effort to maintain and sustain<br />peaceful co-existence irrespective of<br />religious and ethnic differences,<br />Christians and Muslims in Kaduna<br />yesterday seized the opportunity of<br />Christmas celebration to worship together<br />in a church.<br />Pastor Yohanna Buru, Head of Christ<br />Evangelical Church, invited members of<br />the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Kaduna<br />zone, to celebrate the Christmas with<br />members of his church.<br />Responding on behalf of the Islamic<br />Movement in Nigeria, Dr. Shu’aibu Musa<br />extended a goodwill message from the<br />Leader of the movement, Sheikh Ibraheem<br />Zakzaky to the Christian faithful at<br />Christmas, and called for more<br />collaboration to rid the society of religious<br />extremism.<br />Both Muslims and Christians, he said,<br />were equally oppressed and therefore had<br />a common enemy. He called for closer<br />ties to salvage the society.<br />However, in his sermon, Pastor Buru said:<br />“Every man and every society expect a<br />saviour at the end of time. Both Muslims<br />and Christians have always been waiting<br />for saviours in the names of Imam Mahdi<br />(AF) and Jesus Christ respectively.<br />The Christian cleric also pointed out that<br />there was no dispute between Christian<br />and Islamic books on the re-appearance<br />of their two great men at the end of time.<br />He added: “Until their imminent re-<br />emergence, no politician can salvage this<br />society from its predicament. This is why<br />we celebrate Christmas, we rejoice in<br />anticipation of saviours of the society,”<br />reading from Luke 2: 1-7 to buttress his<br />point, he lamented the senseless killing of<br />innocent people on the basis of religion,<br />saying in reality, people were from the<br />same root and lineage.<br />He urged Muslims and Christians to<br />reconcile and forgive one another before<br />the re-emergence of the awaited saviours.<br />“If we don’t reconcile now, I live to see<br />how we can be salvaged by Imam Mahdi<br />and Jesus Christ. Though, I am sure<br />Imam Mahdi and Jesus Christ will<br />reconcile us, it is better that we do it now.<br />They are the melting point, so let us<br />please live in peace with one another.”<br />The presence of Muslims in his church on<br />Christmas Day, he said, should not be out<br />of place, explaining that it was to<br />celebrate and anticipate the re-emergence<br />of the awaited saviours both religions<br />professed. “We call you here not as<br />guests, but as brothers and neighbours,”<br />he stated.<br />Highlights of the occasion were special<br />song by Malam Rabi’u Tudun Iya on<br />peaceful co-existence, songs of praise<br />and feast.

Xmas: Kaduna Christians, Muslimsworship together

In an effort to maintain and sustain peaceful co-existence irrespective of religious and ethnic differences, Christians and Muslims in Kadun...

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Jonathan to politicians: Watch yourutterances

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/GoodLuck-Jonathan2-702x336.jpg "><br />Ahead of 2015 general elections,<br />President Goodluck Jonathan has a word<br />of advice for politicians: watch your<br />utterances.<br />The President said such comments are<br />overheating the polity, noting that those<br />politicians do not mean well for the<br />country.<br />Speaking at a special Christmas service<br />held at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in<br />Maitama, Abuja, he stressed that<br />politicians should embark on issues-<br />based campaigns.<br />Jonathan said, “As a nation, we have our<br />challenges, every day, we hear what is<br />happening to some parts of the country,<br />including Abuja, bombing by terrorists<br />and extremists. These are temporary<br />things, surely God will see us through. It<br />will surely, come to an end the way it<br />started.<br />“All what I request from you is to continue<br />to pray for the country as you have been<br />paying. Pray for the victims of terror, we<br />have widows, widowers and orphans,<br />some children are just few days old and<br />their parents have been killed, so what is<br />their fate? Their communities shattered,<br />people have to run to different places, but<br />that is the handiwork of the devil. As a<br />nation, we will pull through.<br />“I thank our religious leaders, Christian<br />leaders and all Christians who constantly<br />pray for this country, especially for me<br />and my family and the government for us<br />to go through. The challenges of the<br />moment, but for your prayers, probably<br />something else would have happened.<br />“God bless this country, even with the<br />challenges, one would have expected the<br />economy to collapse completely and of<br />course, if that happens, people working<br />with government and some of the people<br />with the private sector would not have<br />been receiving salaries or anything. God<br />is with us and in spite of what is<br />happening, we are forging ahead and we<br />will pull through.<br />“I re-assure you that we will continue to<br />do more. It is a week to the end of the<br />year, next year, from January, we will see<br />all political actors campaigning and from<br />the middle of February to the end, we will<br />have the elections at the various levels.<br />“If a politician wants to take power<br />whether at the House of Assembly level, at<br />the House of Representatives or Senate or<br />governor or president, you don’t sow seed<br />of discord and enmity because of course,<br />it will consume you”, he warned.<br />The President also urged elder statesmen<br />who have served the country as either<br />Heads of State or Chief Justice of Nigeria<br />to utilise their constitutional roles in the<br />National Council of State meetings, and<br />advise the government of the day with<br />their wealth of experience, rather using<br />the media to lampoon and rubbish the<br />system.<br />“As a nation, we know that if anybody<br />who has the privilege of being a governor<br />of a state after serving, he becomes a<br />senior citizen of that state, it is your duty<br />to assist in-coming government.<br />“For us who are looking for various<br />offices, we should just talk about what we<br />can do for Nigerians, you can market<br />yourself, but not to sow the seed of<br />discord.<br />“For a politician to stand up, who is even<br />a Christian to say that if he fails election,<br />he will form a parallel government. What<br />makes him feel that he must win the<br />election, even me as a serving president,<br />what makes me feel I must win the<br />election, no matter what I think I am?<br />Nigerians will decide who will govern<br />them at the state level, or federal level,<br />state assemblies or the National<br />Assembly in terms of the federal<br />constituencies and the senatorial districts.<br />“It is not for you who is looking for the<br />office to think that you are the best person<br />to be there. Are you the most qualified<br />person even by certificate? Are you telling<br />me your certificate is larger than that of<br />others or you even have more<br />certificates? It is the chance of the people<br />and the will of God.<br />“So, let me use this opportunity to plead<br />with you to continue to pray for us that<br />God should forgive us our sins and that is<br />the only way to move this nation forward.<br />God should give us the wisdom to do<br />what is right.<br />“All of us who by divine and the will of<br />God are still holding sensitive offices, God<br />should give us the wisdom and the<br />courage to do what is right for our<br />people”, he said.<br />Jonathan thanked religious leaders and<br />followers for their continued prayers for<br />peace and unity in the country.<br />The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan,<br />read the first lesson drawn from Isaiah 9:<br />2, 6 and 7, while the President took the<br />second reading from Hebrews 1:1-12.<br />In a sermon titled: “The Jewish Messianic<br />Expectations and 2015 Elections”, the<br />Primate of the Anglican Church, the Most<br />Revd Nicholas Okoh, said the 2015<br />elections were a critical period in the<br />country.<br />He reminded political office seekers that<br />Nigerians have expectations, which<br />border on peace, freedom, security and<br />general prosperity.<br />He urged both serving and incoming<br />leaders to be guided by the people’s<br />expectations in their decisions. Okoh also<br />advised the citizens to base their voting<br />decisions on the communion good, noting<br />that if they elect people that don’t care,<br />their conditions would worsen.<br />On security challenges, the cleric<br />emphasised the need for Nigerians to<br />pray and work together to put “an end to<br />the reproach.<br />“We need to stop viewing security issues<br />as politics. It is everyone’s duty to join in<br />the fight against terrorists and rescue our<br />nation.”<br />The President was accompanied by his<br />wife, mother, Eunice, and members of the<br />Federal Executive Council (FEC).<br />The service was also attended by some<br />past government officials including a<br />former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry<br />Gana.

Jonathan to politicians: Watch yourutterances

Ahead of 2015 general elections, President Goodluck Jonathan has a word of advice for politicians: watch your utterances. The President said...

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Tragedy: Midnight inferno razes hospitalin Ondo

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/kwara-hospital-600x336.jpg "><br />A popular private hospital in Akure, the<br />Ondo State capital, the Ultimate Specialist<br />Hospital was in the early hours of<br />yesterday gutted by fire.<br />Medical equipment and other valuable<br />items worth millions of naira were<br />destroyed by the inferno, which lasted for<br />almost two hours.<br />It was, however, not certain whether or<br />not any casualty was recorded, but many<br />patients receiving treatment at the<br />hospital were rescued.<br />Although the cause of the fire incident<br />which started at 2a.m. in the midnight<br />could not be ascertained as at press time,<br />Daily Sun gathered that a power surge<br />occurred few minutes to the incident.<br />Daily Sun was reliably informed that<br />officials of the state Fire Service arrived<br />the scene of the incident late, hence, the<br />high gravity of the inferno.<br />The proprietor of the hospital, Dr. David<br />Oguntuase could not be reached as at the<br />time of filing this report.<br />A similar incident occurred penultimate<br />Saturday at the Arakale gas company,<br />Akure.

Tragedy: Midnight inferno razes hospitalin Ondo

A popular private hospital in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the Ultimate Specialist Hospital was in the early hours of yesterday gutted by ...

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Police kill 4 armed robbery suspects inKano

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ABBA-622x336.jpg "><br />Police on Wednesday killed no fewer than<br />four suspected armed robbers, who have<br />been terrorising motorists on the Kwanar-<br />Dangora Road in Bebeji Local<br />Government Area of Kano State.<br />Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr.<br />Aderenle Shinaba, who disclosed this<br />yesterday in Kano, said the robbers were<br />killed following an exchange of gunfire,<br />near the Nigerian Law School, Kano.<br />“In the course of our special patrol in the<br />night on Kwanar Dangora Road towards<br />the Law school, our team had an<br />encounter with armed robbers and in the<br />ensuing shootout, four of them died,’’ he<br />said.<br />The police boss said items recovered from<br />the robbers included three .9mm beret<br />pistol, one .3mm special revolver pistol,<br />two masks and charms.<br />Shinaba said the command would not<br />relent in its effort to ensure a hitch-free<br />Christmas and New Year celebrations<br />across the state.<br />‘’The police are fully determined to protect<br />lives and property because Christmas is<br />not meant for criminals but for the law-<br />abiding citizens. We will not allow<br />criminals to take over the state as the<br />special patrol will continue throughout the<br />period and beyond,’’ he said.<br />The bodies of the four suspects, the News<br />Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said were<br />displayed at the state police headquarters.

Police kill 4 armed robbery suspects inKano

Police on Wednesday killed no fewer than four suspected armed robbers, who have been terrorising motorists on the Kwanar- Dangora Road in Be...

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2015: War in Enugu PDP is over, saysEkweremadu

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Ekweremadu-form-702x336.jpg "><br />Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike<br />Ekweremadu, yesterday in Enugu<br />declared that the rift between him and<br />Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime is<br />over.<br />Ekweremadu spoke while addressing<br />thousands of his constituents and<br />supporters including widows, members of<br />Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria<br />(TAN), Jonathan Support Group (JSG),<br />and Project Monitoring Group (PMC) in<br />his constituency, Enugu West Senatorial<br />District; that he had reconciled with<br />Chime to move the constituency and the<br />state forward.<br />He announced that there was no more<br />division and discrimination between<br />‘Ekweremadu and Ikeoha Group’, and<br />‘Sullivan Group’, saying everybody<br />belonged to ‘Ikeoha Group’ because he<br />was the senator representing the zone,<br />including Governor Chime.<br />Ekweremadu stated that he and his wife,<br />Dr. Nwanneka called the people together<br />to use the opportunity to celebrate and<br />wish them Happy Christmas and a<br />prosperous New Year and thank them for<br />their prayers and support throughout the<br />year.<br />“We are thanking our governor, there was<br />a time I had a misunderstanding with<br />him; but I am announcing to everybody<br />that we have reconciled, we are now<br />working harmoniously. Everything is<br />going well in the state. So, when you get<br />to your wards, there is no more anything<br />like Ekweremadu group and Sullivan<br />group; we are all the same. Everybody<br />now belongs to Ikeoha group, including<br />Sullivan because I am the senator<br />representing everybody, including the<br />governor.<br />“We don’t want to see any division, let us<br />work together, so that things will be<br />moving well in our zone. I am telling you<br />that the politics of 2015, Enugu West will<br />play a major role.<br />“so, I will like to announce that peace has<br />returned to Enugu state and that the<br />peace should be sustained and everybody<br />should be part and parcel of the joy that<br />comes with the peace,” he said.<br />Earlier, Mrs. Ekweremadu had distributed<br />Christmas gifts including bags of rice, a<br />wrapper and cash of N10, 000 each to<br />over 500 widows from Enugu West<br />Senatorial District. Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike<br />Ekweremadu, yesterday in Enugu<br />declared that the rift between him and<br />Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime is<br />over.<br />Ekweremadu spoke while addressing<br />thousands of his constituents and<br />supporters including widows, members of<br />Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria<br />(TAN), Jonathan Support Group (JSG),<br />and Project Monitoring Group (PMC) in<br />his constituency, Enugu West Senatorial<br />District; that he had reconciled with<br />Chime to move the constituency and the<br />state forward.<br />He announced that there was no more<br />division and discrimination between<br />‘Ekweremadu and Ikeoha Group’, and<br />‘Sullivan Group’, saying everybody<br />belonged to ‘Ikeoha Group’ because he<br />was the senator representing the zone,<br />including Governor Chime.<br />Ekweremadu stated that he and his wife,<br />Dr. Nwanneka called the people together<br />to use the opportunity to celebrate and<br />wish them Happy Christmas and a<br />prosperous New Year and thank them for<br />their prayers and support throughout the<br />year.<br />“We are thanking our governor, there was<br />a time I had a misunderstanding with<br />him; but I am announcing to everybody<br />that we have reconciled, we are now<br />working harmoniously. Everything is<br />going well in the state. So, when you get<br />to your wards, there is no more anything<br />like Ekweremadu group and Sullivan<br />group; we are all the same. Everybody<br />now belongs to Ikeoha group, including<br />Sullivan because I am the senator<br />representing everybody, including the<br />governor.<br />“We don’t want to see any division, let us<br />work together, so that things will be<br />moving well in our zone. I am telling you<br />that the politics of 2015, Enugu West will<br />play a major role.<br />“so, I will like to announce that peace has<br />returned to Enugu state and that the<br />peace should be sustained and everybody<br />should be part and parcel of the joy that<br />comes with the peace,” he said.<br />Earlier, Mrs. Ekweremadu had distributed<br />Christmas gifts including bags of rice, a<br />wrapper and cash of N10, 000 each to<br />over 500 widows from Enugu West<br />Senatorial District.

2015: War in Enugu PDP is over, saysEkweremadu

Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday in Enugu declared that the rift between him and Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chim...

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Pope seeks divine peace for Nigeria

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/pope7v2-620x336.jpg "><br />Nigeria was among the nations that Pope<br />Francis prayed for yesterday in his “Urbi<br />et Orbi’ Christmas Day message, which<br />he delivered in Italian from the central<br />balcony of St.<br />He also prayed for other parts of the<br />African continent, charging political<br />leaders to promote lasting fraternal<br />coexistence. He also prayed for children<br />who are victims of violence, trafficking as<br />well as all victims of the deadly Ebola<br />virus.<br />“May Christ the Savior give peace to<br />Nigeria, where (even in these hours) more<br />blood is being shed and too many people<br />are unjustly deprived of their possessions,<br />held as hostages or killed,” the Pontiff<br />prayed.<br />“I invoke peace also on the other parts of<br />the African continent, thinking especially<br />of Libya, South Sudan, the Central African<br />Republic, and various regions of the<br />Democratic Republic of the Congo. I<br />beseech all who have political<br />responsibility to commit themselves<br />through dialogue to overcoming<br />differences and to building a lasting,<br />fraternal coexistence.<br />“May Jesus save the vast numbers of<br />children who are victims of violence,<br />made objects of trade and trafficking, or<br />forced to become soldiers; children, so<br />many abused children. May he give<br />comfort to the families of the children<br />killed in Pakistan last week.<br />“May he be close to all who suffer from<br />illness, especially the victims of the Ebola<br />epidemic, above all in Liberia, in Sierra<br />Leone and in Guinea. As I thank all who<br />are courageously dedicated to assisting<br />the sick and their family members, I once<br />more make an urgent appeal that the<br />necessary assistance and treatment be<br />provided.<br />His blessing yesterday included hope for<br />peaceful resolutions of other conflicts<br />around the world. He prayed for<br />reconciliation in Ukraine. He condemned<br />Islamic State fighters who have killed or<br />displaced Shi’ite Muslims, Christians and<br />others in Syria and Iraq who do not share<br />the group’s ideologies.<br />“I ask him, the savior of the world, to look<br />upon our brothers and sisters in Iraq and<br />Syria, who for too long now have suffered<br />the effects of ongoing conflict, and who,<br />together with those belonging to other<br />ethnic and religious groups, are suffering<br />a brutal persecution,” he said.<br />The pontiff appealed for compassion for<br />refugees “so that all who now are<br />suffering may receive the necessary<br />humanitarian help to overcome the rigors<br />of winter.” Tens of thousands gathered<br />yesterday in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican<br />City to hear the pontiff’s blessing, which is<br />customarily global in nature. “Urbi et<br />Orbi” is Latin, meaning “to the city<br />(Rome) and to the world.”<br />The message comes a day after Francis<br />delivered his second midnight Mass as<br />Pope. The Pope has used his influence as<br />the spiritual leader of all Catholics around<br />the world to affect political outcomes this<br />year. He played a key role in a historic<br />breakthrough in U.S.-Cuba relations this<br />month and urged religious tolerance<br />during a visit to Turkey in November.

Pope seeks divine peace for Nigeria

Nigeria was among the nations that Pope Francis prayed for yesterday in his “Urbi et Orbi’ Christmas Day message, which he delivered in Ital...

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APC, PDP bicker over Ekiti workers’salaries

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/APC-PDP-700x336.jpg "><br />All Progressives Congress (APC) and<br />Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti<br />State yesterday traded words over<br />payment of Ekiti workers’ salaries.<br />While the APC alleged that the Governor<br />Ayo Fayose-led administration had not<br />paid the September and December<br />salaries, the PDP said payments were<br />made a few days ago.<br />Some workers, who spoke with Daily Sun,<br />however conformed that they got their<br />payment alerts during the week.<br />Publicity Secretary of APC in the state, Mr.<br />Taiwo Olatunbosun, said: “It is ungodly<br />for a leader to enjoy all the bliss that goes<br />with Christmas while denying the people<br />he leads their entitlements at the time<br />members of their families look up to them<br />for the yearly pleasure of Christmas.”<br />But the Chief Press Secretary to the<br />Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, who refuted<br />the allegation, said the APC as an<br />opposition should not be lazy in<br />extracting facts from the government,<br />saying the salaries of workers had been<br />paid.<br />Olatubosun said by December 18, last<br />year, all workers had received their<br />salaries and Christmas bonus in addition<br />to their leave bonus, while pensioners<br />were also paid. He alleged that Fayose<br />only grudgingly asked the banks to pay<br />workers half of their salary in the night of<br />December 24 after bitter complaints from<br />workers.<br />“It is evil for a leader to deduct N2,000<br />from the salary of each worker for the<br />purpose of buying them Christmas gifts,<br />only to give not up to half of the workers a<br />chicken smaller than a pigeon worth less<br />than N800. It is callous to take convention<br />funds for the delegates of your party<br />members in the guise that you are<br />spending it for Christmas gift, only for<br />you to keep more than half of that money<br />in your private pocket while your party<br />members go hungry during this festive<br />period,” he said.<br />He added that Fayose had made<br />avoidable suffering part of his policy to<br />make life unbearable for Ekiti people,<br />condemning the putting off of streetlights<br />in the state capital at night with the<br />attendant insecurity of life and property.<br />“On Christmas eve when our people were<br />supposed to be in celebration mood, Ekiti<br />frustrated workers were on queues at ATM<br />points waiting for the salary alerts.<br />Today, nightlife is gone in the state capital<br />because there is no streetlight again.<br />Armed robbers and pickpockets are back<br />in the state capital terrorizing residents at<br />night.”<br />“The governor promised Ekiti people rice<br />and chicken for Christmas but only gave<br />one and half ‘congos’ of rice and one<br />‘oromodiye’ (chicken) that cost less than<br />N600 and not fit for consumption,” he<br />said.<br />Adelusi said: “The APC should not be a<br />fool in reacting to issues.<br />They should not be lazy in getting to the<br />roots of any matter because everybody is<br />aware that salaries of workers have been<br />paid. Ayo Fayose is a sensitive and<br />responsive governor, who has started<br />distributing Christmas gifts to all<br />categories of people since Monday.<br />So, it sounds so unfathomable that a<br />governor that could do that would now<br />abandon the workers, who are critical to<br />this government.<br />“The APC must realize that no amount of<br />propaganda would bridge the wide gulf<br />that existed between it and Ekiti workers<br />due to highhandedness of the immediate<br />past government, led by Governor Kayode<br />Fayemi to workers.”

APC, PDP bicker over Ekiti workers’salaries

All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State yesterday traded words over payment of Ekiti workers’ sala...

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Amaechi spent N30bn on Buhari –Wike

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/wike-3-700x336.jpg "><br />Former Minister of State for Education<br />and Rivers State governorship flag bearer<br />of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),<br />Nyesom Wike, has accused Governor<br />Chibuike Amaechi of spending a<br />whopping N30 billion on General<br />Muhammadu Buhari campaign to be All<br />Progressives Congress (APC) presidential<br />candidate.<br />Besides, he said Amaechi was deceived<br />by the leadership of the APC to spend the<br />state fund on Buhari, in the hope that he<br />would be chosen as the vice presidential<br />candidate.<br />He attributed the alleged non-payment of<br />salaries of civil servants in the state to the<br />funding of the party by the governor.<br />Wike stated this yesterday at a “thank-<br />you” visit to the people of Ikwerre held in<br />Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area<br />of the state.<br />He said: “Do you know why workers’<br />salaries have not been paid? Amaechi<br />spent N30 billion in funding the<br />presidential campaign of the APC. They<br />allowed him to spend the money and<br />later, they called him mugu.<br />“They said we would not make this ‘boy’<br />who does not respect the president<br />(Jonathan) the vice president. We should<br />know that our future is in the PDP and<br />not the APC.”<br />But, the state government, through the<br />Commissioner for Information and<br />Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari,<br />has debunked the allegation of Amaechi<br />funding Buhari.<br />She described the claim as baseless and<br />false, saying Wike should provide proof to<br />back his statement.<br />Semenitari stated: “It is unbelievable that<br />a man who wants to be the governor of<br />this state can make such an unbelievable<br />statement without any proof.<br />“We challenge him (Wike) to show proof<br />that Governor Amaechi spent N30 billion<br />to fund APC campaign.<br />“There are some things that are<br />unbelievable. With what President<br />Jonathan is giving us, N30 billion is three<br />months allocation. Is that what he (Wike)<br />is saying that we used for primary? Rivers<br />State Government will not dignify such<br />unintelligent talk with responses. We will<br />not respond to unintelligent talk; we will<br />not react to stupid conjecturing.”<br />Wike, while expressing gratitude to<br />Ikwerre people for endorsing him to run<br />for the gubernatorial slot, disclosed that<br />the PDP had chosen a woman to be his<br />running mate, adding that she would be<br />unveiled on Tuesday. He urged Ikwerre<br />people to vote for President Goodluck<br />Jonathan, saying APC was not the hope<br />of Nigerians.<br />He said: “We are getting women involved<br />in decision making of the state. The<br />campaign is now for women to take to the<br />next level. We have gone beyond the stage<br />of just sharing wrapper to women as<br />empowerment. This is a new era in Rivers<br />State. The fate of Rivers people does not<br />lie in the opposition APC. We are for the<br />PDP all the way”<br />The governorship flag bearer stated that<br />the legacies Governor Amaechi-led<br />government had bequeathed to Rivers<br />people were closure of the judiciary,<br />House of Assembly, monorail and the N50<br />billion Karibi-Whyte Hospital.<br />Wike promised the people that, if voted as<br />governor in 2015, he would review the<br />economic value of their lands acquired by<br />the state government for the Greater Port<br />Harcourt City (GPH) project.<br />He urged the people to remain vigilant,<br />alleging that APC was sewing fake police<br />uniforms in an attempt to rig the 2015<br />elections. Wike charged the people to<br />resist any attempt to compromise the<br />electoral process by the APC.<br />A PDP chieftain in Ikwerre Local<br />Government Area, Ernest Wosu, regretted<br />that Amaechi failed the people, hence the<br />decision to support a politician with a<br />pedigree.

Amaechi spent N30bn on Buhari –Wike

Former Minister of State for Education and Rivers State governorship flag bearer of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyesom Wike, has accused...

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How to Join Illuminati and Become Rich, Powerful And Famous

<img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj174ATX6nYQ6RgRxM272phqSB0ESqmEdfBLkQkFgBKcMsCSs05x0UVhLm3JyzBxPWeOhWGeScXq9-_cc_9aTwsWvc5PsdfeD8OSt8RSXzDnq3FRMPpL9zxkU2O_UTyNz-jQeHIvCo4aMc/s280/official-illuminati-banner-logo-design.png "><br />Illuminati has been popularized in<br />recent years all over the world by the<br />media and entertainment industry.<br />Many popular celebrities have been<br />seen wearing Illuminati symbols and<br />some making the tattoos, while others<br />are using it in their lyrics. Jay Z, Miley<br />Cyrus, Rihanna, Kanye West, and<br />Beyonce are all said to be members of<br />The Illuminati.<br />I was doing my regular keywords<br />research this morning and came up<br />with these keywords " How to Join<br />Illuminati" on Google search query<br />suggestions. I decided to dig deeper<br />and was able to unearth even bigger<br />surprises - the sheer number of<br />people in all parts of the world who<br />are looking for information on How to<br />Join Illuminati.<br />The search terms goes as far as:<br />How to Join Illuminati and become<br />rich and famous<br />How to Join Illuminati in UK<br />How to Join Illuminati in Kenya<br />How to Join Illuminati in USA<br />How to Join Illuminati in South Africa<br />How to Join Illuminati in India<br />How to Join Illuminati in Pakistan<br />How to Join Illuminati in Malaysia<br />How to Join Illuminati in Ghana<br />How to Join Illuminati in Nairobi<br />How to Join Illuminati in Zambia<br />How to Join Illuminati in Nigeria<br />How to Join Illuminati for Wealth<br />How to Join Illuminati and become<br />Rich<br />How to Join Illuminati for Fame<br />how to join illuminati and get rich<br />how to join illuminati for money<br />how to join illuminati for wealth<br />illuminati members<br />how to join illuminati online<br />how to join illuminati for fame<br />join freemasons<br />how to join illuminati yahoo answers<br />requirements to join illuminati<br />how to join illuminati for wealth<br />join illuminati get rich<br />join illuminati secret societies<br />how to join illuminati for fame<br />join secret societies<br />join freemasons<br />illuminati members <img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4vQXk0oFCcSGChu_aeadhprVak0MJFZkEaB5kESC1AaOdotURByttfHhBkraRMHy-kLXxvIk22jrS8Owusn1OwwIniMBNzHqFKKggY-c3V66o604VrY23BQOvjtO4Ny70P-82of_mxbA/s280/illuminati-logo-sign-symbol.png "><br />The<br />list goes on and on to include almost<br />all the cities in all countries of the<br />world in all Languages. It's equally<br />amazing how many people out there<br />who desires to be wealthy and<br />famous without working for it! Does<br />such thing actually exist or people are<br />just chasing shadow?<br />Well, this article is not about guiding<br />you on how to join Illuminati but to<br />expose the bitter truth I discovered in<br />the course of my search. I visited<br />some websites and found out how<br />Fraudsters are using this Illuminati<br />hype to defraud hundreds of<br />thousands of people who are looking<br />for how to join Illuminati and become<br />rich and famous.<br />All the above keywords have all<br />simply been populated by fraudsters<br />who are experts at taking advantage<br />of people's ignorance. Public forums<br />like Topix.com is where they operate<br />most, posting invitations to any would<br />be Illuminati candidate to fall into. And<br />when they fall (which happens on<br />daily basis) they end up getting<br />poorer and miserable instead of<br />getting rich and famous.<br />But what really is Illuminati?<br />According to the information available<br />on Wikipedia - The Illuminati is a<br />name given to several groups, both<br />real and fictitious. Historically the<br />name refers to the Bavarian Illuminati,<br />an Enlightenment-era secret society<br />founded on May 1, 1776 to oppose<br />superstition, prejudice, religious<br />influence over public life, abuses of<br />state power, and to support women's<br />education and gender equality.<br />The Illuminati were outlawed along<br />with other secret societies by the<br />Bavarian government leadership with<br />the encouragement of the Roman<br />Catholic Church, and permanently<br />disbanded in 1785. In the several<br />years following, the group was vilified<br />by conservative and religious critics<br />who claimed they had regrouped and<br />were responsible for the French<br />Revolution.<br />In subsequent use, "Illuminati" refers<br />to various organizations claiming or<br />purported to have unsubstantiated<br />links to the original Bavarian Illuminati<br />or similar secret societies, and often<br />alleged to conspire to control world<br />affairs by masterminding events and<br />planting agents in government and<br />corporations to establish a New World<br />Order and gain further political power<br />and influence.<br />Central to some of the most widely<br />known and elaborate conspiracy<br />theories, the Illuminati have been<br />depicted as lurking in the shadows<br />and pulling the strings and levers of<br />power in dozens of novels, movies,<br />television shows, comics, video<br />games, and music videos.<br />This is what the The Illuminati has to<br />say<br />Selfishness (VOS) or Capitalism: The<br />Unknown Ideal (CUI), though VOS is<br />preferred because of its other valuable<br />essays dealing specifically with rights.<br />These books are usually kept in stock<br />at most major bookstores or easily<br />ordered.<br />It must be emphasized, however, that<br />the Illuminati Order is not an<br />Objectivist organization, per se.<br />Accepting Objectivism, the philosophy<br />of Ayn Rand, is not a requirement of<br />membership. All who support<br />individual rights--which include the<br />rights to life, liberty, justly acquired<br />property, and the pursuit of<br />happiness--are encouraged to join us!<br />Why here? Why now?<br />The Internet offers the means to<br />reach an amazing number of people<br />both quickly and easily, which is at<br />once a blessing and a curse. Many<br />people have at least heard of the term<br />"Illuminati," which is good. However,<br />because of widespread conspiracy<br />theories, a significant portion of what<br />they have heard about the Illuminati<br />Order is incorrect. One of the purposes<br />of this site is to act against the<br />misconceptions and disinformation<br />and set the record straight by<br />revealing the true nature of the<br />Illuminati Order.<br />To begin with, the Illuminati Order<br />actually supports personal freedom. It<br />is pro-liberty and many of its<br />members are outspoken advocates of<br />individual rights. The term<br />"libertarian" describes it very well.<br />Secrecy: Past, Present and Future<br />A universally accepted theme of the<br />Illuminati Order is that of being a<br />secret society. Using this, some have<br />tried to discredit its authenticity<br />because it is not as secret as it is<br />supposedly required to be. So, to be<br />clear here and now, the Illuminati<br />Order is only as secret as necessary<br />in order to exist relatively unimpeded.<br />It was on this topic that Thomas<br />Jefferson, one of the Founding Fathers<br />of the United States, wrote the<br />following with regard to the Illuminati:<br />"As Weishaupt lived under the tyranny<br />of a despot and priests, he knew that<br />caution was necessary even in<br />spreading information, and the<br />principles of pure morality. This has<br />given an air of mystery to his views,<br />was the foundation of his<br />banishment. ... If Weishaupt had<br />written here, where no secrecy is<br />necessary in our endeavors to render<br />men wise and virtuous, he would not<br />have thought of any secret machinery<br />for that purpose." This situation is in<br />a constant state of flux, both in the<br />United States and elsewhere. Since<br />the Illuminati Order takes secrecy and<br />privacy very seriously, it is monitoring<br />this closely. It will not hesitate to<br />make any internal changes deemed<br />appropriate and necessary.<br />No matter what The Illuminati means<br />or what they stands for, I want you to<br />understand that no shortcut to wealth<br />and fame anywhere in the world. To<br />create sustainable wealth, you need to<br />engage in serious business and<br />vocations and be good at it. Only then<br />can you smell anything called Riches!

How to Join Illuminati and Become Rich, Powerful And Famous

Illuminati has been popularized in recent years all over the world by the media and entertainment industry. Many popular celebrities have be...

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No Christmas fun in Bauchi, Borno, Yobe

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Borno-700x336.jpg "><br />Christians in Bauchi State celebrated<br />Christmas yesterday amidst tension and<br />tight security, following the bomb blasts<br />that ripped through Central Market, the<br />largest market in the state capital on<br />Monday.<br />Heavily armed security operatives were<br />seen manning most of the churches in the<br />state capital where Christians turned up<br />for the Christmas service.<br />Although there was no restriction of<br />movement by the authorities, most<br />residents indicated that they would not<br />step an inch from their houses.<br />“I am going to church, after that I will go<br />straight home,” Mr. Uchena Maxi who has<br />since relocated his family to the South-<br />East, told the reporter.<br />Some residents said that they would<br />rather not go to church in view of the<br />increasing attacks by insurgents of<br />recent.<br />“They have attacked markets, schools,<br />churches, name it. Nobody knows what<br />their next plan is. So, to avoid problem, I<br />prefer to spend the Christmas indoors,” a<br />resident who asked to not to be named<br />said.<br />Our correspondent who went round some<br />of the churches to monitor the situation<br />noted that there was low turnout of<br />worshippers in most of the churches in<br />the state capital.<br />“Most residents usually travel out of the<br />state or the state capital to celebrate the<br />Christmas but this year, it appeared the<br />number of people who travelled out of<br />Bauchi was high because our church was<br />half full,” a middle-aged man who<br />worships at the Living Faith Church, a.ka.<br />Winners’ Chapel in the state capital,<br />informed the reporter.<br />The resident who preferred anonymity<br />said he was surprised that for the first<br />time, a mobile policeman in uniform<br />patrolled their backyard as part of the<br />security measures.<br />“He was not there to worship. He was<br />going round the place. Later he went back<br />to meet his colleagues,” he said.<br />At the ECWA 1 near Abubakar Tafawa<br />Balewa University Teaching Hospital<br />(ATBUTH), Bauchi, armed soldiers and<br />gun-wielding mobile policemen were seen<br />patrolling the vicinity while a few were<br />stationed at the gate.<br />At the St John Catholic Church near<br />Wunti, the situation was not different. It<br />was the same situation in churches such<br />as the Baptist Church located at Yandoka,<br />and the ECWA Church in Yelwa to mention<br />a few.<br />Unlike in the past when the streets<br />bubbled with activities amidst human and<br />vehicular movement, most of the major<br />streets visited such as Yankoda and<br />Ahmadu Bello Way were deserted.<br />“I would rather remain indoors and spend<br />the Christmas with my family. I don’t<br />want to risk their lives by taking them<br />out,” Mr Mathew Keffas told Daily Sun.<br />“Last year I took them to Zaranda Hotel<br />for a Christmas party. But this year I am<br />not taking them out because of the<br />security situation,” Mathew who is a<br />Customs Officer based in Lagos but has<br />his family resident in Bauchi said.<br />Daily Sun investigation also revealed that<br />the hospitality business might have<br />incurred huge losses as the insecurity has<br />chased fun seekers from patronising their<br />facilities.<br />For example, when our reporter visited<br />some hotels, it was observed that the<br />annual Children’s Christmas party hosted<br />by them had been cancelled.<br />The swimming pool of one of the hotels,<br />which served as the venue of the Children<br />Christmas party, was deserted with a<br />handful of children swimming.<br />A man in his late 20s or early 30s at the<br />hotel’s swimming pool lamented that the<br />security situation was having a negative<br />impact on their business.<br />Most other joints that served as venue for<br />social gatherings witnessed notably low<br />patronage.<br />The situation is worsened by the fact that<br />most civil servants in the state received<br />their salaries just few days to Christmas.<br />Most of them were seen at Automated<br />Teller Machines (ATM) trying to make<br />withdrawals.<br />They complained that most of the paying<br />machines in the banks were not working,<br />frustrating the plans they had to travel or<br />buy Christmas things.<br />“I managed to withdraw some money<br />yesterday (December 24) but even at that,<br />the Central Market where I normally<br />bought things has been bombed. I don’t<br />even know where to start,” Kauna Joseph,<br />who works with the state Ministry of<br />Health, lamented.<br />A lecturer with the Federal Polytechnic,<br />Bauchi who pleaded anonymity<br />commended the authorities for making<br />electricity available since Christmas Eve.<br />“I have gone to service my generator<br />because my family and I will remain<br />indoors. But I am happy that PHCN has<br />been generous with electricity,” he said.<br />The situation was hardly different in<br />Borno and Yobe, two states currently<br />under Boko Haram siege. In both states,<br />nothing showed it was Christmas.<br />Residents said the incessant Boko Haram<br />attacks and restriction of movement in<br />the two states by the military authorities,<br />made the Christmas day appear like every<br />other day.<br />“Nothing shows today is Christmas here,”<br />53-year-old Nehemiah Buba, a Maiduguri<br />resident, told the reporter. “We can’t even<br />come out. I have been indoors with my<br />family and we couldn’t go to church on<br />Christmas day because of the ban on<br />movement of vehicles in Borno. This is the<br />first time in my life that I observe<br />Christmas indoors, without any<br />celebration.”<br />The military in Maiduguri and Damaturu,<br />the capitals of Borno and Yobe states,<br />had on Monday announced restriction on<br />vehicular movement from 6pm on<br />Wednesday December 24 to 7am Sunday,<br />December 28, citing intelligent reports<br />which indicated planned attacks by Boko<br />Haram during the Christmas period.”<br />“Security reports at the disposal of the<br />Headquarters of 7 Division Nigerian Army<br />indicated concerted efforts by the Boko<br />Haram terrorists to unleash mayhem on<br />some parts of Borno State and in<br />particular, the city of Maiduguri during<br />Christmas celebration,” spokesman of the<br />7 Division of the Nigerian Army in<br />Maiduguri, Colonel Sani Usman said<br />through a statement made available to<br />reporters.<br />He said the measure became necessary to<br />protect lives and property of the people of<br />the states from Boko Haram attacks. With<br />this, all roads within the cities and towns<br />as well as highways into and out of the<br />two states were shut down to prevent<br />entry and exit out of the area.<br />Streets and roads in Maiduguri and<br />Damaturu were largely deserted<br />throughout the Christmas Day. Tunde<br />Alakija, an undergraduate, said the initial<br />apprehension of possible attacks during<br />the Christmas might have also scared<br />people from walking around, even with<br />the ban on movement of vehicles, at least<br />to greet friends and loved ones.<br />“Anyhow, we thank God. At least<br />everything is calm,” he stated, adding that<br />he took some children to the Sanda<br />Kyarimi Zoological Garden located at the<br />heart of the city to relax. “They’re children<br />and they need such things, else they will<br />miss the opportunity in life because of the<br />security situation. But in all, there are no<br />social activities,” he told Daily Sun.<br />Few churches opened for Christmas Day<br />service on Thursday, said Mr. David<br />Olutayo, a church worker. He, however,<br />said even fewer members turned up for<br />services.<br />“It was difficult for most people who live<br />far from their churches to attend<br />Christmas Day service, so attendance<br />was very poor,” he disclosed.<br />Attendance at the Christmas services at<br />EYN (Church of the Brethren Nigeria),<br />Goodnews Church and Anglican Church<br />located at Wulari-Jerusalem ward was<br />fair while Baptist Church, The Apostolic<br />Church, Catholic Church, C&S Church at<br />the Post Office Area, got fewer members.<br />Unlike other churches in most parts of the<br />country that held Christmas Eve or<br />Christmas Carol service on the night of<br />Wednesday, December 24, all churches in<br />Borno and Yobe states suspended such<br />church services.<br />The situation in Damaturu, Yobe State<br />capital, was also the same, as most<br />people remained indoors. However,<br />tricycle operators popularly call Keke<br />NAPEP were allowed to transport<br />residents within the capital.<br />“You can only go to any place you intend<br />to with this means of transportation, and<br />that’s just within the town,” Abdullahi<br />Adamu explained.<br />Meanwhile, thousands of persons<br />displaced by Boko Haram from the<br />communities who now take refuge at<br />various Internally displaced persons<br />(IDPs) camps in Maiduguri said they<br />were not celebrating Christmas.<br />“What celebration are you talking about<br />when we’ve been cut off from our<br />ancestral home? I haven’t seen two of my<br />grown-up sons since July when Boko<br />Haram raided our community in Gwoza.<br />How does one celebrate when I am living<br />like a destitute in my own country,” an<br />elderly man, one of the displaced persons<br />at the Christian Centre who did not want<br />his name mentioned, told the reporter on<br />phone.<br />Recounting his ordeal in the hands of the<br />insurgents and the pain he has been<br />going through, the man said nothing was<br />worth celebrating again to him until Boko<br />Haram insurgents were wiped out of the<br />North-East, his community restored and<br />his sons reunited with him. “I don’t even<br />know if they are dead,” he lamented.<br />Hundreds of under-aged children<br />orphaned by Boko Haram are kept at the<br />centre managed by the Christian<br />Association of Nigeria (CAN), Borno State<br />chapter. Their destiny has indeed<br />changed. Indeed, Christmas can only<br />make meaning to them when they<br />surmount the hurdles of life and be<br />reunited with their parents, said Mr. Eliza<br />Mamman.

No Christmas fun in Bauchi, Borno, Yobe

Christians in Bauchi State celebrated Christmas yesterday amidst tension and tight security, following the bomb blasts that ripped through C...

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NERC stops new tariff for residentialelectricity consumers

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/electricity-bulb-600x336.jpg "><br />The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory<br />Commission (NERC) has frozen the new<br />tariff for residential consumers till June<br />2015. This is contained in a statement<br />signed yesterday by Mr Michael Faloseyi,<br />the Head of Media.<br />The statement said the tariff, which was<br />signed, was a review of the Multi Year<br />Tariff Order (MYTO) 2 to factor the losses<br />that were now different. It said the new<br />price of gas was usually part of the minor<br />review done every six months.<br />The statement said the review had raised<br />the cost of distributing power supply<br />nation-wide by the 11 electricity<br />Distribution companies (Discos).<br />It said the tariff was expected to increase<br />for all electricity consumers.<br />“But because of NERC’s commitment to<br />ensure that consumers are not further<br />exposed to increased cost until there are<br />improvements in supply, which we expect<br />shortly, we have frozen the increment for<br />six months for Residential consumers<br />(R2).<br />“We approved an amendment to the MYTO<br />tariff basically which means a new tariff<br />order that continues with the existing<br />framework but now shows a different<br />figure for the remaining five year tariff<br />structure,” it said.<br />According to the statement, with the<br />commencement of MYTO 2.1, NERC will<br />hold electricity distribution, transmission,<br />generation companies and other market<br />operators to the terms and conditions of<br />their licences.”<br />The measures were being put in place to<br />ensure that the new owners fund their<br />operations and improve electricity supply.<br />It said the rationale behind the<br />adjustment was to shield ordinary<br />Nigerians from possibility of rates shock<br />that could have accompanied the review.<br />“The review is imperative on account of<br />the take-off date of January 1, 2015 for<br />the transition electricity market and the<br />Memorandum of Understanding between<br />the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the<br />Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry,” it<br />said.

NERC stops new tariff for residentialelectricity consumers

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has frozen the new tariff for residential consumers till June 2015. This is contained ...

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Police record peaceful Xmas

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Suleiman-Abba-702x336.jpg "><br />Reports from across the country so far,<br />have indicated that this year’s Christmas<br />was celebrated without any ugly incidents,<br />the Inspector-General of Police, Mr<br />Suleiman Abba, has said.<br />Abba, who spoke to newsmen at the Jabi<br />Lake Resort after he patrolled the FCT,<br />expressed delight for the incident-free<br />celebration.<br />He also confirmed that security agencies<br />have continued to receive reports of<br />intended attacks by insurgents, but added<br />that the plans had been nipped in the bud.<br />“But the police, as well as other agencies<br />involved in law enforcement and security<br />activities have beefed up operations to<br />make sure that people enjoy the<br />festivities. This is to make sure that<br />people celebrate with some sense of<br />safety in them. I am happy that quite a<br />number of people are relaxed, enjoying<br />themselves.<br />“We are out to make sure that places the<br />people are likely to visit, including the<br />roads they use in getting to those places,<br />are well secured’’, he said.<br />Abba promised that the police and other<br />security agencies would put in extra hours<br />to make sure that Nigerians celebrate the<br />Christmas and New Year in safety.

Police record peaceful Xmas

Reports from across the country so far, have indicated that this year’s Christmas was celebrated without any ugly incidents, the Inspector-G...

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Our members are dying daily, Abiapensioners cry out

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/pension-fund1-600x336.jpg "><br />Deputy Governor, we have virtually met<br />everybody we ought to meet. Where do we<br />go to, except to the public that elected this<br />government to see whether they can in<br />any way make the government to look at<br />us with pity”, the pensioners said.<br />“We are not claiming anything that does<br />not belong to us, but they should pay us<br />our dues”, they said.<br />The union said most permanent<br />secretaries who retired around 1999 are<br />still earning N32,000, while those who<br />retire today are earning about half a<br />million naira, decrying a situation where<br />those who are earning N35,000 are still<br />being owed for up to five months is<br />pitiable.<br />“It is a pitiable situation that is worth<br />crying for, and I do believe that the<br />government we are crying to, has<br />conscience.”<br />The pensioners said the gratuity which<br />they were supposed to be paid since<br />1999, is still being owed to them.<br />“Gratuity is supposed to be paid a<br />pensioner immediately he retires from<br />service, it is unfortunate that in Abia<br />State, it is allowed to fall into arears for<br />no reason,” they lamented.

Our members are dying daily, Abiapensioners cry out

Deputy Governor, we have virtually met everybody we ought to meet. Where do we go to, except to the public that elected this government to s...

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Dangote urges young entrepreneurs tostay focused

<img src=" http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/dangote-aliko-reuters-702x336.jpg "><br />Foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote, has<br />tasked young and upcoming<br />entrepreneurs to always stay focused on<br />achieving their dreams despite the many<br />challenges of doing business in Nigeria.<br />Dangote, who gave the advice at the<br />National Summit on Entrepreneurship and<br />Innovation, with the theme:<br />‘Entrepreneurship, Job creation and<br />Poverty reduction,’ in Lagos urged young<br />entrepreneurs to focus on achieving their<br />goals of establishing their businesses<br />instead of dwelling on the challenges<br />militating against their enterprises.<br />Dangote, who was represented by Group<br />Executive Director, Stakeholders’<br />Management & Corporate<br />Communications, Dangote Industries Ltd,<br />Mansur Ahmed, said that all<br />entrepreneurs in Nigeria face similar<br />challenges, therefore, focus should be on<br />finding ways of making the business<br />succeed and move forward, rather than<br />dwelling on constraints.<br />Addressing the young entrepreneurs, he<br />counseled them to know themselves and<br />identify their calling saying that ‘success<br />is in your calling and character’. He<br />challenged them to build the necessary<br />skills and competence required to<br />succeed. According to him, young<br />entrepreneurs should think big, dream big<br />and aim high.<br />Dangote, speaking on the theme of the<br />summit: ‘Entrepreneurship, Job Creation<br />and Poverty Reduction,’ said “the theme<br />is quite apt, as the three terms are clearly<br />interwoven. Entrepreneurs create jobs and<br />when people are gainfully employed, the<br />incidence of poverty is greatly reduced.<br />“This forum is coming at a time when<br />Nigeria has been rated the largest<br />economy in Africa with a gross domestic<br />product (GDP) of $510billion (well above<br />South Africa’s $350bn); the 26th largest<br />economy in the world; and the leading<br />destination for investment in Africa.”<br />However, he described the situation as a<br />curious paradox that despite these<br />excellent achievements, the level of<br />unemployment in the country remains<br />high.<br />Citing relevant reports, he said, “Reports<br />put Nigeria’s unemployment rate at about<br />24 percent. The job creation figure<br />released by the National Bureau of<br />Statistics, (NBS) in September 2014,<br />showed that the economy created<br />500,224 jobs across the country in the<br />first six months of 2014.<br />“More efforts are obviously needed in<br />view of the large army of unemployed<br />Nigerians, particularly graduates, roaming<br />the streets in search of often elusive<br />white-collar jobs. As you may well<br />imagine, this has a lot of security<br />implications for the country.”

Dangote urges young entrepreneurs tostay focused

Foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote, has tasked young and upcoming entrepreneurs to always stay focused on achieving their dreams despite ...

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